Actual Play: Heroes of the Ashford Valley Session 2

Ashford Valley Actual Play notes from November 2012:

IN WHICH: A party of adventurers fight a bandit gang and resolve the fate of prisoners

What happened before: Four adventurers, Quinn the warrior, Jim Baggins the magic-user, Orin Copperhead the dwarf, and Giles Corey the elf, were tasked with delivering a valuable Bugbear longsword to the Lord of Sooton. While on the Deep Forest Road, they encountered Yarkand the Great Stag and followed him into the Deep Forest to a manor owned by Orin’s uncle Linder. Linder feared trouble was about to come down upon him and welcomed his kin and the other adventurers to his side, hoping that they could save his valuable gold mine and lands.

---

With only a few days before trouble came down upon them, Jim, Quinn, Orin and Giles helped Linder set up defenses for his manor. The capped and sealed the well, then disguised it’s location. They also placed barrels full of stones on the manor roof to drop on attackers. And the mine was trapped and camouflaged.

But the bandits arrived before they could retreat into the manor. Curran and his “Local Boys,” along with some humanoid allies that included orcs, gnolls and bugbears, stepped from the forest edge. At their heels were a half-dozen prisoners from earlier raids. Curran smiled as his crew fired upon Jim and Linder, who quickly retreated into the manor. While Orin took up a defensive position in the mine, Quinn and Giles watched from the ruined chapel but quickly skirted the enemy and made it to the manor.

A pair of gnolls set up a small camp to the north of the manor while Curran’s main force set up camp near the chapel. When the manor defenders started firing into the bandits, Orin shot as well, giving up his position. A group of three orcs headed for the mine but were slain by the adventurers before they could successfully attack Orin.

As darkness fell, the bandits set up mantlets made from farmhouse doors captured during their raids and built large bonfires. They traded arrows with the manor defenders, to little affect on either side.

Quinn and Orin, supported by Jim and Giles, attacked the smaller camp, succeeding in slaying the two gnolls, while Linder watched the other bandits. The party retreated to the manor after throwing the gnolls’ mantlets into a bonfire and managed to escape the other bandits.

A bugbear and three bandits took over the gnolls camp and again, Orin and Quinn sallied forth from the manor to do battle, with Jim and Giles supporting, striking hard against the bugbear and bandits. Jim cast a grease spell onto the bandit camp and lit one of the bandits on fire. The fight was fierce but Orin and Quinn prevailed, though Quinn received a nasty wound.

Two more bugbears, hidden in the darkness, sprang forward and the fight continued back to the manor while the other bandits attempted to join in. Giles cast a sleep spell on the bandits and succeeded in enchanting two of them. By the end of the night, the party had killed 4 bandits, 2 gnolls, four orcs and two bugbears while taking little damage themselves. Giles healed Quinn and Jim’s wounds and the group prepared for morning.

In the night, an argument among the bandits lead them to turn upon themselves and the manor defenders heard the remaining two orcs be killed by the bandits. Towards dawn, another argument started and then silence. It wasn’t until morning that the truth was learned.

With only 4 bandits left in his crew and an unhappy bugbear, Curran had little choice but to retreat. He gave his prisoners to the bugbear for payment and fled the other way, with the remains of his “Local Boys.”

The party, concerned with the prisoners and their soon-to-be gruesome fate at the hands of a monster, pursued the bugbear and slayed it. Returning to the manor, they soon lost the trail of Curran and his crew. Gathering up the weapons, equipment and gold of the slain, they left Linder and the now freed prisoners together to form a new community around Linder’s manor. The dwarf would continue to mine the gold and the humans would build anew with Linder as their lord.

The adventurers continue on to Sooton and to further adventure, knowing that at some point, they would meet up with Curran again!

Treasure: 67 GP, 12 SP, 2 gnoll longbows, 2 gnoll longswords, 3 bugbear longbows, 2 bugbear longswords (1d8+1, claimed by Orin and Giles), 1 + 1 bugbear longsword (1d8+2, claimed by Quinn), 4 longswords, 4 shields, 4 shortbows, silk hanky, bottle of cheap wine, book of recipes, iron key, sticks of chalk, one she-loves-me-not daisy.

Actual Play: Heroes of the Ashford Valley Character Profile Jim Baggins

An Occasionally Adequate Mage

Description:

Jim Baggins, Magic User
Level 2

Alignment – Light

ABILITIES
Strength – 7 ( – 2 )
Dexterity – 6 ( – 2 )
Mind – 11 ( 0 )
AC 8 (- 2 DEX)

Hit Points: 19

Initiative: d20 – 2
Power Points: 17
Melee attack bonus: – 1
Missile attack bonus: – 1
Magic attack bonus: + 1

Fortitude – 2
Reflex – 2
Will + 3

Hometown -

Languages – Common

Reputation – +2 in the town of Ashford (temp)

SKILLS

Physical + 3
Subterfuge + 3
Knowledge + 6
Communication + 3

SPELLS (POW Cost)

Magic Missile (2) - 1d4+1 damage: +1 missile per two levels above 1st (max 5)
Knock (3) - 
Grease (3) - Makes 10ft square or one objects slippery
Disguise Self (3) -

CANTRIPS (11) 
Arcane Graffiti
Ball of Smoke
Blank
Blue Light
Bump
Grown
Haywire
Shine
Telekinesis
Wilt
Untie

EQUIPMENT

Dagger (1d4 – 2)
Sling (1d4)
Whip (1d3 – 2)
Net (entangle)
Dungeoneering Equipment [_ ] [_ ] [_ ] [_ ] [_ ]
Ammunition [_ ] [_ ] [_ ] [_ ] [_ ]

Actual Play: Heroes of the Ashford Valley Session 1

Ashford Valley Actual Play notes from November 2012:

IN WHICH: A party of adventurers traveling from Ashford town to Sooton on a delivery errand are waylaid, a dwarf is met and a trouble is discussed.

Orin Copperhead the dwarf, Jim Baggins the wizard, Quinn Quimby and Giles Corey the elf met a few weeks ago in Ashford town when they joined a search party looking for a lost girl. Their group was the one that found her safe and sound and gained some measure of reputation in the town (currently everyone has a +2 reputation in Ashford town except for Giles, the NPC elf, who has a +1). But reputations are fickle and only further deeds can cement these adventurers as heroes in the minds of the people.

Partly because of this reputation, they were hired to deliver a valuable bugbear longsword to Sooton. Bugbear longswords are considered masterwork weapons and usually can only be gained by killing a bugbear. This longsword, quite definitely a fine weapon, was manufactured by a mysterious Tradetown company called the Iron Bugbear Company (how they learned the method of creating these weapons and where in Tradetown the are located is the mystery).

Along the trip through the Deep Forest, they encountered Yarkand, a mythical stag that is beloved by the Valley. Yarkand, the Emperor of the Ashford Valley, the Lord of Forest, Farm and Field, met the adventurers near one of the mysterious Runestones along the road and led them through the forest (on a trail that appeared before Yarkand and disappeared behind them) to a near-abandoned manor. Then Yarkand walked into the forest and disappeared.

At the old manor, the party met Linder the Dwarf, a miner (and uncle to Orin) who found a vein of gold in the nearby mine. Linder was glad of the friendly company and invited them in to tell them his problem. A man had come earlier and gave Linder a bad feeling. He’s expecting trouble and that trouble came several days later with the appearance of a bandit gang (leading a half-dozen or so prisoners!).

Actual Play: Heroes of the Ashford Valley Set-Up

The Ashford Valley is found in the mountains above the lowland realms. While other parts of the world have been wracked by wars and rumors of wars, the valley has maintained a stable society, even with the various humanoid tribes in the wilder parts of the vale, … until now.

Dark forces are gathering against the valesmen and the strength of the old ways will be tested. Will heroes step forward and join the Forces of Light? Or will the valley be forever consumed by Shadow? No longer is it possible for anyone to stand in the middle and simply watch – when open war comes, it will affect everyone. And nothing will be the same ever again.

I ran an online Roll20 sandbox campaign in 2012 - 2013, using the rules-light MicrOSR20 rules, set in a smallish vale called the Ashford Valley, a setting I developed for my Switching to Guns ’zine and my Asshat Paladins blog. The campaign was to have the player characters rise up and become the movers and shakers of the valley, thwarting evil and saving the good folks.

Mysterious runestones, a wild countryside, talking animals and strange beasts, a variety of humanoid tribes, ancient magics, four distinct towns, a strange elven wood and more character than you can shake a stick at, the Ashford Valley is large enough to explore and yet still have room for more.

It was a pretty good short campaign and I recently found the write-ups for some of the games. I'll post each session that I have, as well as several written by one of the players.

Enjoy!

Actual Play: FATE High Road to China Session 5

High Road to China Session 5 Write-up

Played Friday, February 24th, 2017

Dramatis Personae

• Fiona, a rich heiress (played by J, not present)
• Faye, a reporter (played by R)
• Angelo, a gambler (played by T)
• Two Stampe SV.4 airplanes
• François Lejeune, a rich playboy attempting to make Fiona his bride
• Pierre Gaumont, Fiona's father
• Louis Gaumont, Fiona's uncle
• A Chinese warlord
• Various troops

Fiona, Faye and Angelo spot Uncle Louis' men, François' men and the Chinese warlord's men near the castle. François brought two bi-planes and Uncle Louis brought one.

Fiona and Faye take off in their plane, moving toward's François' forces, hoping to take out their planes. Diving from the sky, Faye machine guns one of the planes before it can get off the ground but the other achieves the air and the dogfight is on!

Uncle Louis, thinking Angelo's plane has Fiona in it, makes a strike towards the airfield but Angelo takes off and circles high to engage Uncle Louis' airplane.

The Chinese warlord advances on the castle, under a heave barrage of gunfire, while François and Louis realize that capturing Pierre is the way to end this (with François ending up with Fiona as his bride and Louis with the company!)

François tries to sneak into the castle (Create Advantage: Sneak Attack -- failed but the Heroes now have that Aspect with 1 free Invoke) but is repulsed by the extensive mines laid around the castle.

Angelo attacks Louis' airplane but only gains the briefest of advantage over it (Boost: Flying out of the Sun).

The Chinese warlords troops gain a foothold near the castle (Aspect: Foothold near Castle 1 free invoke) but a counter attack by Pierre's forces wipe out several units, evening the odds.

Fiona takes a shot at François' remaining plane with her pistol (Webley Mk IV -- weapon: 1) and distracts the pilot (Boost: Causes the pilot to flinch) while Faye guns down François' men on the ground with the Lewis Gun, leaving only him among a halo of dead.

Angelo shoots down Uncle Louis' plane, causing it to burst into flames and crash near the castle. Louis, meanwhile, sneaks into the castle (Aspect: Sneak into Castle -- 1 free Invoke) and takes out one unit of Pierre's peasant soldiers. The Castle is breached!

The Chinese warlord advances and gains part of the Great Wall as a refuge (Aspect: Foothold on the Great Wall -- 1 free Invoke), as Pierre counterattacks.

Angelo flies around, trying to get into a better position to attack the Chinese warlord's soldiers but Fiona and Faye use their Bond of Friendship (Aspect, both invokes) to decimate his troops.

It's close-in fighting in the castle, when Fiona takes a lucky shot with her Webley against one of Uncle Louis' men, striking the dynamite and blowing up most of the attackers. Uncle Louis is captured by Pierre.

Angelo dive bombs the Chinese warlord, dropping a bunch of bombs on his command unit, killing them all, as François signals his remaining plane and escapes.

Epilogue:

Faye interviews Uncle Louis and finishes her Magnum Opus, a book called "High Road to China: Adventures Across the Globe, from Athens to China, and Points in Between". Later that year, she earns the coveted Pulitzer Prize! She declares her love for Fiona.

Fiona returns to Athens, gets the documents from Lambert and assumes control of Gaumont Industrie de Paris and runs the company well, moving the company to Quebec before World War II and using the resources to fight the Nazis and rebuild France after the war. Fiona and Faye live happily together until their deaths in 1982, leaving several children, many grandchildren and scores of great grandchildren, as well as Gaumont Industrie de Quebec and the Pulitzer Prize award, as their legacy.

Angelo stays in China with Pierre, who passes away in 1937. Angelo kicks his gambling habit and takes up a new one -- politics! He represents China in the formation of the UN and remains great friends with Fiona and Faye.

François Lejeune cowardly flees that Chinese battlefield and disappears, never to be heard from again........

Actual Play: FATE High Road to China Session 4

High Road to China Session Four Write-Up

Played Friday, February 10th, 2017

Dramatis Personae

• Fiona, a rich heiress (played by J)
• Faye, a reporter (played by R)
• Angelo, a gambler (played by T)
• Two Stampe SV.4 airplanes
• François Lejeune, a rich playboy attempting to make Fiona his bride
• Johnny S, one of François' crew
• Billy Lane, yet another of François' crew
• Jane Dupont, of the Delaware Duponts, François' Girl Friday, most deadly of them all, expert in explosives
• Sammy King, still another of François' crew
• Michael McAlister, British Master Mechanic
• Heinrich "Monkeywrench", an explosive expert friend of Faye's
• Pierre Gaumont, Fiona's missing father, owner of Gaumont Industrie de Paris
• Louis Gaumont, Fiona's uncle, seeking to take over Gaumont Industrie de Paris
• Pursuing thugs from Uncle Louis
• Pursuing thugs from François Lejeune

Baghdad, a day later.

Angelo and Fiona watch as McAlister and his crew repair Angelo's plane at the Aerodrome. 

Meanwhile, Faye is returning to the Aerodrome after delivering her latest story. While riding in a taxi, she spots François Lejeune in Baghdad with his crew.

Hanging out of the window, Faye memorizes their faces (Aspect: Familiar with François Lejeune's entourage 1 free invoke). It turns out he's got Johnny S, Billy Lane, and the most deadly of them all, Jane Dupont (of the Delaware Duponts, expert in explosives) with him. She sees that they're heading toward the Hôtel Elysée.

As her taxi turns a sharp corner (and nearly tosses her out), she's spotted by Sammy King, another of François' men, but she doesn't see him.

Faye pulls up to the others, telling them that Lejeune is in town! Realizing that they need help, she jumps back into the cab to go to one of her contacts. 

Meanwhile, British Master Mechanic Michael McAlister and his crew are about an hour away from fixing Angelo's plane. Fiona bribes McAlister to rush the job at half the time.

Faye finds her contact, explosive expert Heinrich "Monkeywrench" (no last name given). Heinrich is leaving town, looks like he's making a run for it. Something bad is going down.

Heinrich, in a rush, gives Faye a box with two Hales Cooper Pattern Bombs, bundle of dynamite with timer, a couple German "Potato Masher" grenades, 2-3 Russian Mosin-Nagan 91 rifle grenades, some sweating dynamite, knowing that when they meet again, Faye will pay him back.

Angelo has scrounged up some old British pistols, Webley Mk IV (considered Weapon: 1), originally issued in 1899, along with a Sam Browne Belt each. When Faye arrives back with the crate of explosives, they stow it in Angelo's plane.

That's when Faye notices Sammy King, who tips his hat at her and picks up a nearby payphone, to (presumably) call Lejeune!

Faye draws her Webley and tries to shoot the phone but is tackled by Fiona, who says "If you shoot him, we'll just have a gunfight!"

Angelo runs to his ready plane and jumps in, taking off down the runway. Faye runs to her and Fiona's plane, with her Webley still out.

Fiona, filled with rage, stalks up to Sammy and he calmly hands her the phone, saying "François would like to say hello!"

She shouts "I told you I need Daddy's permission first, creep!" and then hangs up. She removes her glove and slaps Sammy with it, saying "You were nearly shot just now. Tell François next time I'll let her do it! And stop following us, or I'll do it myself!"

Sammy gives Fiona a shit-eating grin.

She waves him off and gets into her plane, telling Faye "You can shoot him now." But it's too late as the backwash from the plane would spoil her pistol aim. Faye opens up with a burst from the Lewis Gun instead, and the bullets shoot between Sammy's legs.

They take off, trundling down the runway and are soon in the air, on their way to Arak.

Nearly to Arak, Fiona and Angelo spot a giant dust storm ahead. They decide to try to outrun the dust storm, and head south for Bandar Mahshahr on the Persian Gulf coast.

From there, there is a montage of the heroes flying straight through to China, making stops at Bandar Abbas, Karachi, New Delhi, Nagqu, Tibet, and finally ending up in Chongqing, China.

Over the course of the montage, Fiona drives the heroes on (Compel: Craves Control), Angelo gambles with Fiona each day to see who will win a race (Compel: Gambling Addiction) but Faye resists filing her stories with the newspapers (Rejects Compel: No one thinks I can win the Pulitzer).

Along the way, Faye makes connections (Aspect: Trail of Tears, Flight of Connections 1 free invoke), Angelo sniffs out where Fiona's father went (Aspect: Hot on the Trial 1 free aspect) and Fiona's drive puts them ahead of their enemies (Aspect: Leave them eating my Dust 1 free invoke). 

All told, together, they form a friendship (Aspect: Bond of Friendship 2 free invokes), with Fiona finally admitting to Faye "I've remembered you since before we left Athens, but I have a reputation. And I read all your articles, I always have. I remember the first one you did when we were in college, you always had it on the board above your bed."

Fiona also professes that her rivalry with Angelo has turned into a little more of a caring friendship, and while his charm wasn't quite attractive before, it has grown on her.

When they reach Chongqing, Fiona quickly finds out where her father went, using all her abilities (and several Fate points and Aspects). He's up north, fighting against a powerful warlord.

They quickly fly north to an old Castle on the Great Wall of China. Pierre Gaumont is surprised to see his daughter, especially flying a plane into a war zone. After hugging him, she slaps him with her glove, saying "Why are YOU here, out in a forsaken castle, doing god knows what, letting your company run into the ground!"

When she tells him what's going on, that Uncle Louis is trying to take over the company, and so is François Lejeune (he forbids her to marry that snake), he expresses astonishment, stating that Lambert has the papers that put Fiona in charge of the company.

Fiona says "I was never aware of any papers...I've been chased half-way across the globe by your brother's men and François and I'm gonna collapse, right after I kill Lambert!"

Then Fiona remembers Lambert chastising her for wasting her time partying and that he'd do something about it if she didn't. So he sent her on this harrowing journey, which, in the process, improved her character and made her ready to run her father's company! Lambert pushed Fiona to become a better person!

Meanwhile, Faye, collecting this information, finished her latest batch of dispatches to the newspapers and sent them off. Unbeknownst to her, they would become the hit of the publishing world and she would be nominated to win the Pulitzer!

Overlooking the castle grounds, Angelo set up a series of clever explosive traps to turn the tables on the attacking warlord's soldiers (Aspect: Angelo sets up minefield Extraordinaire around the Castle 2 free Invokes).

And then all hell broke loose when Uncle Louis arrived with his men, and François arrived with his!

Next time: The Grand Finale! Dogfights Extraordinaire above a Climactic Battle of Four Armies!

Actual Play: FATE High Road to China NPCs Session 3

NPCs for Session 3:

Plane #A: Rudolph Von Hecht, WWI Flying Ace, 5 confirmed kills, Fokker D. VII
+2 to Shooting things, -2 for Non-Honorable Actions
Fate Points: 0 (started with 2)
Stress: [X] [X] 
Plane Stress: [ ] [X] [X] 
Minor Consequence (-2): Loose Canvas on Wing
Moderate Consequence (-4): Sputtering Engine
Taken Out, took 5 Shifts of damage at the end, spent last Fate Point to create "Unpiloted Plane"

Plane #B: Omar Al-Herad, native of Iraq, no confirmed kills (although he claims to have had 13), Sopwith Camel
+2 to Dive out of the Sun, -2 for Running Away
Fate Points: 0 (started with 1)
Stress: [X] [X] 
Plane Stress: [X] [X] 
Minor Consequence (-2): Fuel Leak
Taken Out, took 11 Shifts of Damage at the end

Actual Play: FATE High Road to China Character Profile Angelo

Name: Angelo 'Angel' Ambrogio (Played by T)

High Concept: Fortune-Seeking Gambler
Trouble: Gambling Addiction? Bah! So... Wanna Bet?
Aspect: Oh, you can trust me, I promise!
Aspect: Papi and I Bonded Over Explosives.
Aspect: Mami loved her airplanes

Approaches: Clever +3, Quick and Flashy +2, Careful and Forceful +1, Sneaky +0

Stunts:

• Devilish Charm: Once In a game session I can get someone to reveal to me something that they'd want to be kept secret.
• Because I love the risks, I get a +2 when I Flashily attack when recklessly engaged in a dogfight.
• Because I am such a charismatic individual, I get a +2 when I Sneakily manipulate someone to do something for me.

Fate Points: 3

Actual Play: FATE High Road to China Session 3

High Road to China Session 3 Write-Up

Played Friday, January 27th, 2017

Dramatis Personae

• Fiona, a rich heiress (played by J, not present, given Missing PC Aspect: "Distracted over worry about her father")
• Faye, a reporter (played by R)
• Angelo, a gambler (played by T)
• Two Stampe SV.4 airplanes
• Rudolph Von Hecht, a WWI Flying Ace with 5 confirmed kills, flying a Fokker D. VII
• Omar Al-Herad, a hotshot pilot, native of Iraq, with no confirmed kills (although he claims to have had 13), flying a Sopwith Camel

In the skies above Baghdad, death reigned supreme.

Our heroes, tired from a long day of flying, approached the city. Two planes flew out of the sun above them and attacked!

Bullets flew and as the enemy planes passed, Faye recognized the two pilots: Rudolph Von Hecht, a WWI Flying Ace and Omar Al-Herad, another mercenary pilot.

They attacked again, this time Rudolph squared off against Angelo, trying to gain an advantage but shot past too quickly, giving Angelo an advantage ("Superior Altitude"), while Omar shot at Fiona and Faye, scoring a minor hit on their plane (1 Shift)!

First blood to the mercs!

Faye grabbed the Lewis Gun and opened up on Rudolph, striking a hit that caused damage to his plane (5 Shifts: Stress 3 and Minor Consequence "Loose Canvas on Wing").

Angelo rolled and shot at Omar, pow, pow, pow, filling the plane with holes (4 Shifts: Stress 2 and Minor Consequence "Fuel Leak").

On the second pass, Faye shoots at Rudolph again with her gun ("Ready Gun" boost), scoring a hit (1 Shift), turning his white aviator's scarf crimson!

Omar shoots Faye and Fiona, drawing blood on them (2 Shifts: Stress 1 each for each Fiona and Faye).

Fiona does a loop-de-loop, slipping, yawing and rolling and shooting a Very flare pistol, to set up the two enemies to be stuck firing at each other if they shoot at our heroes, but she's distracted because she's worried about her father (Missing PC Aspect: "Distracted over worry about her father") so she succeeds but puts Angelo in danger as well ("Friendly Fire" with minor cost Angelo is affected as well).

Rudolph machine-guns Angelo ("Friendly Fire"), scoring direct hits (3 Shifts: Stress 1 and Minor Consequence "Smoke Trail").

Angelo shouts to Omar "That other pilot tried to kill you and gain the bounty for himself", trying to get Omar to fight Rudolph ("No Honor Among Thieves" with minor cost that Omar thinks Angelo is just another rival mercenary).

On the third pass, Fiona flies steadily so that Faye can get a good shot ("Steady Flying" - 2 free invokes).

Rudolph opens up on Angelo, causing more damage to his plane (3 Shifts: Stress 3), while Omar blasts away at Fiona and Faye, striking their plane (2 Shift: Stress 2).

Angelo comes from above and punishes Rudolph and his plane (8 Shifts: Stress 3, Plane Stress 3 and Moderate Consequence: Sputtering Engine), striking and killing Rudolph, which left the plane uncontrolled ("Unpiloted Plane") flying around for a few moments.

Faye, using a clever trick, guns down Omar (both "Steady Flying" invokes and "Unpiloted Plane"), forcing him into Rudolph's kite, where they crash into each other, bursting into flames and falling from the skies (11 Shifts: Stress 1, Plane Stress 1, and 9 overkill Shifts!).

The session ends with burning wreckage on the desert floor, as two planes, one trailing smoke, fly through a blood-red sky towards Baghdad and Faye composes an incredible story ("Author of 'Dogfight of Death above Baghdad'") for her newspaper!

Next Session: Baghdad and beyond!

Actual Play: FATE High Road to China Character Profile Faye

Name: Faye Moses (Played by R)

High Concept: Reporter posing as Ordinary Mechanic
Trouble: No one thinks I can win the Pulitzer (and I'm not so sure myself)
Aspect: My Daddy was the Mechanic
Aspect: I know a little about a lot
Aspect: I'll wade through mud to prove myself

Approaches: Clever +3, Quick and Sneaky +2, Flashy and Forceful +1, Careful +0

Stunts:

• Reporter's Skills: Because I'm a reporter I get a +2 when I cleverly create advantages when in conversation with someone.

Fate Points: 3