I had another short session (2 hours) of Jorgin Taw's adventures on Uresia. I am using the Mythic Game Master Emulator Deck. Now that I have used it for a handful of sessions I have some thoughts. Number one I really like the deck aspect. There is no flipping through a book or pdf consulting charts. I just have to remember a few things (which are printed on a stand-alone card) and then just draw cards. It is very smooth and easy to learn. Like any GM-emulator the toughest part is interpreting the results. I have taken the rules to heart and I go with the first explanation that pops into my head to keep things moving. I do not use the emulator for every step of social interaction. There are some things that I think I can assume are going to happen.
I have also been using Solo Adventurer's toolbox for a separate solo campaign. One of the real differences I find is with encounters. When a random encounter was suggested I was first tempted to go to a random monster chart. But instead, I used the emulator and used the description to guide what was encountered. Which could have been really bad. But all of the encounters ended up being fairly balanced for a 1st level Wizard on his own.
This was almost the second and final session for Jorgin Taw but a very unlikely occurrence happened that saved him.
Session 2: The Harpy and the Medusa.
Jorgin returns to Master Wizard Olbrich dressed for travel. He has never left Shadow River in his entire life so he is excited and a little nervous. Olbrich gives him a pouch to deliver to a sage that lives alone in a nearby badlands. Olbrich tells him to return with a scroll in trade for what is in the pouch. He warns Jorgin not to look in the pouch. Then he gives him a mirror and says you will need this. When Jorgin questions Olbrich the wizard says "Because the sage is a medusa."
Expected Scene, Jorgin heads to the Hollow Hills to find Cotovatre the sage (medusa). Altered. Does Jorgin have an encounter as he wanders through the Hollow Hills? (Likely). Yes. Is the encounter hostile (50/50). Yes, Exceptional. The description is frighteningly graceful.
As he wanders through the Hollow Hills, Jorgin begins to hear a melodic song. He is entranced (failed Wisdom check) and wanders off of the path toward the sound of the music. The music is the charm of a harpy that is 90 feet away and residing in a cave. It will take Jorgin 3 turns to reach the Harpy. After a dozen seconds, Jorgin shakes his head and breaks out of the charm. The melody is still beautiful but now he can fight its lure. He realizes what has happened. The sound is coming from a large cave mouth in the side of a hill 60 feet away.
Jorgin casts Expeditious Retreat and dashes off at an incredible speed into the Hollow Hills. He hears a scream of frustration behind him that is not melodic or alluring.
Does Jorgin have any more encounters on his way to Cotovatre’s lair? (50/50). No.
Jorgin continues to follow a trail that looks like it is traveled upon with some regularity. Eventually, he comes to a ruined shrine atop a hill. There is a small enclosed area, a platform, and eight stone pillars. All around are stone statues of travelers, peasants, and even knights. Clearly the work of a medusa.
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| The Shrine of the Sage |
Taking out the mirror, Jorgin looks into it, points it at the doorway to the shrine and politely says, “Hello, Mistress Cotovatre?”
A hissing voice responds, “Welcomes, Jorgin Taw apprentice of Olbrich. Please, come in, come in.” Jorgin politely declines and tells Cotovatre that he has come to pick up a scroll that Olbrich requested.
“I knowsss, I knowsss. Please step in to pick up the scroll.”
Jorgin decides that he is going to have to enter. He carefully enters with the mirror pointing slightly at the floor, his eyes glued to the mirror. Inside the small shrine is surprisingly decorated like a rich ladies sitting room. At least of what he can see of it. He sees settees, chairs, and end tables. Rugs cover the stone floor. He can just see the lower half of a woman approaching wearing a fine white and gold dress. He does not dare to point the mirror upward.
“A mirror! Put that horrible thing away!” The woman backs quickly away. Jorgin steps forward, still holding the mirror and places the pouch on an end table.
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| Jorgin Taw prepares to enter the shrine using the Mirror |
“Ahhh, I will just place this here, milady.”
Jorgin then steps back toward the doorway and points the mirror downward at his feet. He hears motion coming toward him and then backing away. The sound of the pouch opening.
“Perfect. Just what I need. You may go, scared little man.”
Jorgin haltingly asks for the scroll and Cotovatre tells him to step forward and take it from her hand. Jorgin steps forwards and sees a slim, pale woman’s hand holding the scroll. Carefully he reaches forward to get the scroll. As he grabs the scroll the hand lashes out, knocking the mirror to the ground and smashing it.
Does the Medusa attack Jorgin? (Very Unlikely). Yes.
One of the medusa’s snakes hissing and lashes out at Jorgin but misses. The medusa's hand catches Jorgin’s chin and she tries to force him to look up but Jorgin manages to grab her hand and force it away. Jorgin casts Expeditious Retreat again and makes to dash out of the sage’s lair. As he runs away he feels the bite of a snake on his calf. He makes it thirty feet from the doorway before succumbing to the poison and collapsing to the ground unconscious.
Does anyone come along while Jorgin is unconscious? (Very Unlikely). Yes. Is it Tirza Stentz? (50/50) Yes, Exceptional.
Tirza Stentz followed Jorgin to the sage’s lair and is a short distance away. She makes it to Jorgin’s side and gives him a potion of healing within a dozen seconds of his fall (during that time Jorgin passes 2 death saves). Jorgin is completely healed (7 hp).
Jorgin comes out of unconsciousness and sees Tirza Stentz kneeling over him with a flask in her hand.
Has Tirza Stentz taken the scroll? (Likely) Yes, Random Event. Close a thread, Praise, Riches.
Tirza looks down at Jorgin and than holds out her hand to help him up.
“Congratulations, you passed the test.” Jorgin just looks at her blankly. Tirza explains that Olbrich puts all of his apprentices through a test before accepting them as Journeymen wizards. He comes up with a test that he believes will test the apprentice’s weakest skills.
“And you passed.”
“But I would be dead if not for you?”
“No, I am sure you would have made it. I just helped you along. Now let’s get back to town before it gets dark. These hills may not look it but they actually get dangerous after dark.”
Jorgin gets to his feet and hobbles after Tirza, he calf still swollen and sore. He has no further encounters as he returns to the town with Tirza. On the way, he talks to Tirza asking if any of the statues back at the sages' shrine are former apprentices of Olbrich. She tells him that most of the statues have been there for a long time. Long before Olbrich came to Shadow River.
Returning to Olbrich's residence they enter and the old mage looks up expectantly.
Jorgin reaches into his pouch for the scroll. Which is gone. He dumps out the pouch on the floor and looks through the contents. "But it was here!"
"Well it is not here now, is it," says Olbrich, pointedly looking at Tirza and holding out his hand to her.
Tirza laughs and hands the scroll over to Olbrich. "Here you go. I took it for safekeeping."
Jorgin glares angrily at Tirza. "You took that while I was dying!"
"Sure I did. Remember you would have died if not for me."
Olbrich waves his hand at the pair. "Jorgin, no more lessons today. But tomorrow we shall look at a new spell for you to learn." He pauses then says, "Journeyman."
END SCENE.
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