Graggar is a Wildman Barbarian from the Koshaar Steppes. After being caught abed with Fair Uleene, the Chieftain’s wife, as punishment they were both lashed to trees in the Forest of Ghosts. After 2 days of throats parched from lack of water and cursing the Chieftain, a fierce rainstorm swept over the Forest. Rain dripped in their throats and they gave savage cheers of elemental joy. They were to live another day. Then, sudden lightning crashed, splintering the tree to which Fair Uleene was strapped – Graggar briefly saw her eyeballs explode and steam erupt from her mouth, and then he watched in grim silence with gritted teeth as Uleene and the mighty tree fell toward him, then blackness.
Graggar awoke and found the tree he was lashed to had felled and been split in half. Averting his gaze from the crushed and blackened remains of Fair Uleene, he freed himself from his bonds, grabbed a thick branch to use as a cudgel, and staggered further into the Forest of Ghosts - eager to get away from his shame and his homeland, and into the lands of his ancestors’ fears.
Scarlet Heroes says roll 1/1d6 per “hex” for Encounter, then 1/1d8 for Event, then 1/1d8 for Feature. I rolled 1d6+2d8 and the first 1 came up on the d6 on the 2nd set. I’ll say that’s Day 2. Forest Encounter roll comes up Hungry Ghost which is rather appropriate, further reading says it’s basically a low level Zombie, 1 rolled d4 for enemies and got 4.
On the second day of wet, aimless and hungry wandering, Graggar enters a clearing, where he sees remains of a weeks-old campfire, and 4 bodies lying face-down around it with arrows in their backs. Graggar shakes his head at the thought of such a shameful death and moves forward to poke one of the corpses with his cudgel. As he does so, the 4 bodies rise, small insects from underneath scurrying and burrowing away from the sudden open air. Graggar’s nostrils flare, and he bellows a roar and swings at the nearest decaying face …
Luckily Graggar takes less damage from being outnumbered, so he’ll take 6 hits to die according to Simple World. He has a weapon and I’ll say the “Ghosts” do not, so the first round will be a straight Fight/STR roll.
2d6+STR = 5+3+2 = 10! I’ll say that’s enough to kill one and take no damage in return, but the Ghosts are now inside his weapon reach. Alternatively, I could have ruled 1 damage and kept them at reach. At this point I don’t really have any weapon rules, so it’s ruled by narrative, and a club is the same as a battleaxe right now (shrug)
… smashing the side of its skull and leaking brains onto the forest floor. A sigh that sounded like relief escaped the Zombie’s mouth, as it fell. The other corpses' hands were grasping at him now, but Graggar had been surrounded before and knew how to deal with a swarm.
2d6+STR = 1+5+2 = 8! That’s 1 wound given and 1 received. Multiple enemies would normally cause extra damage. Graggar needs a better weapon or some armour or something. No idea what rules I’d use for this yet ;) Next round …
2d6+STR = 3+3+2=8! Graggar fells a Zombie but takes another point of Harm. He’s now at 2 opponents with 2 Harm each, and 4 Harm himself. Next …
2d6+STR = 2+2+2=6! Failed to do damage and takes 1. This is bad. But it is 1 XP.
2d6+STR = 6+2+2=10! DW (Dungeon World) rules say you can opt to do extra damage if you are willing to receive some. I think instead I’ll Put Him In A Spot after the kill and have Graggar slip and need to Defy Danger to mix things up a bit. One Blog I read said the first failure shouldn’t cause damage and that feels a good idea.
The last Zombie hisses and shoves at the wildly swinging Graggar who slips in the wet leaves. The foul creature looms over his neck, mouth wide ...
2d6+DEX = 6+1+1=8! DW says Worse Outcome, Hard Bargain or Ugly Choice. It has to be worth at least regular damage to counter the trade-off earlier. I’ll say he either takes a potentially diseased scratch and retrieves his weapon or scrabbles free safely and loses his weapon. 50-50 chance, dice says he drops the club getting free. Going into the fight it’s Graggar with 3 Harm vs Z with 2.
As a Barbarian, Graggar is going to grapple the last Z and try to rip it apart. This sounds like a Defy Danger STR with some real consequences.
2d6+STR = 2+1+2=5! We’ll say the Z is now attached to his neck, doing 1 Harm and not letting go! 1 XP.
2d6+STR = 3+3+2=8! 1 Harm damage each, 1 Harm each left …
2d6+STR = 5+4+2=11! Absolutely down to the wire.
Graggar puts aside all thoughts of contracting undeath or disease and puts his hands into the Zombie’s mouth right up to the knuckles. Straining his fingers in opposite directions he pushes and pulls against the Zombie’s unnatural bite. And finally with the last ounce of his strength, he rips the Z’s head in half. Fatigued, he collapses to his knees, but raises his head and roars in triumph.
A short while later, Graggar spots a glint in the ruins of the last Zombie’s face. A pair of gold teeth! (5gp). Graggar smashes the creature’s mouth and pockets the precious molars. Searching the bodies and surroundings reveals a flint and tinder (GM fiat) so he decides to build the campfire and try to forage, then rest. He is wet, hungry and weak from blood loss.
2d6+PER = 2+4+0=6! There is no successful hunting or gathering. 1 XP.
Graggar collects firewood and warms himself for an hour before climbing a tree and wedging himself in between the branches for safety.
Such poor quality rest will only restore 1 Harm (food, healer or herbalist etc would allow more). 1d6 for an overnight encounter shows nothing comes. Graggar decides he should rest and forage further afield.
Morning encounter 1/1d6 = no. Forage = 2d6+PER = 5+5+0=10!
Graggar ranges further from the camp and is delighted to find a small pond where some water-birds made their nest. Chasing the birds away, He is able to collect 5 eggs and catch some tiny fish in the broad leaf of a nearby plant. Planning to return to his camp, Graggar suddenly becomes aware that he is not sure which way to go …
2d6+PER = 5+4+0=9! Success at a cost.
Graggar picks the right direction but makes poor time delicately carrying his weapon and slippery, fragile supper. Extra encounter roll 1/1d6 = no. Encounter in evening, no. Encounter at night, no! Graggar cooks the eggs and fish on a flat heated stone around his fire and safely sleeps in his tree. Now at 4 Harm, Graggar feels he has foraged out the local area, and it’s time to move on.
1d6 + 2d8 come up with no 1s in 3 tries, but a Forage roll is Fail, so let’s say he’s rested overnight (heals to 5 Harm) and rule during the morning he encounters a pit trap concealed by leaves, needs Defy Danger DEX to avoid … Fail. 1 XP. Let’s say it’s fairly deep so it’s serious, 2 Harm. Next a STR Defy Danger to climb out, which is a Partial. Let’s say he dislocated his shoulder, and either needs to ram it back into the socket (1 Harm) or have a useless arm until he can get proper healing. Graggar decides the pain is worth fixing his arm, and is now at 2 Harm. Graggar stumbles back to his camp, hungry and hurt with the day only just starting.
Was the trap set intentionally? Unlikely. 18 = Yes!
Will they come and check today? Likely. 11 = Yes.
Who? Human / Goblinoid 50-50. Goblinoid.
Goblin 1-3 Orc 4-5 Bugbear 6. Goblins, 1d4 = 3!
Perception to hear them coming = 2+4+0 = Complete Fail. 1 XP. They aren’t sneaking so this will just be a straight up fight. The Goblins have basic weapons and armour and stats.
Round 1 Fight/STR = 6+6+2=14! Insta kill 1 puny Goblin. TAKE HIS WEAPON!
Round 2 Fight/STR = 4+2+2 (+1)=9! Kill 1 more Goblin but wounded by the other.
Does the last one stay? 50-50. No! Last Goblin flees.
Do they have any provisions? Likely. 20 = Yes! 1d2 meals = 2 meals.
Treasure? Unlikely. No.
Medicine? Unlikely. No.
I’ll rule they have a small set of equipment with them (“explorer pack 2 uses”) eg rope, snares, bait, skinning knife. Graggar can now collect a second light weapon, a rusty dagger.
Graggar decides to move on in the opposite direction (1d6 = no encounter) before taking a meal and a short rest (+1 Harm). Before making evening camp however, there is an encounter! He begins at 2 Harm remaining. 2d2 Bandits = 4! They are scouting, and a snake-eyes roll on the “attitude” chart shows that they believe Graggar is who they are searching for! At least 1 round before any chance of Parlay.
Fight/STR 5+2+2 = 9. Graggar takes 1 Harm and fells a Bandit. The Bandits call him by a name he does not recognise, as they regroup to come at him again. Graggar gets a PER roll to notice, and attempt to break out of Combat mode and begin Parlay.
DOUBLE SIX! Despite his berserker mindset, he bellows that he is a Koshaar called Graggar and not this man they seek, but if they seek death he will oblige! The Bandits’ eyes narrow … Graggar Defies Danger with WIL and can add his Intimidate bonus:
6+4+1+1 = full success!
The Bandits lower their weapons.
Is the downed Bandit dead? Unknown. No, but “a fact the hero believes is wrong”. Graggar offers to build a funeral pyre in the custom of his tribe, which angers the Bandits - “He’s still alive, you savage!”. WIL roll to see how Graggar acts ...5+2+1 = Partial. Neutral result. He decides to simply wander off into the Forest again while the Bandits tend to their comrade.
Graggar finally makes camp and eats his last meal, restoring to 3 Harm. No night encounter.
The next morning he decides to move further before finding a spot to set traps and forage. There are no encounters or events, so around noon:
PER roll = 6+2+1 = Success at a cost, he finds 1d2 = 1 meal but his snares were damaged by the large rat he caught. He spends the afternoon collecting wood, building a fire, preparing his meal and sharpening his dagger on a stone. He also collects a new Cudgel, even though his old one has served him well. No encounter in the evening, or the night, so Graggar is:
5 Harm out of 6, owns 2 poor quality weapons, 5gp in gold teeth, 1 “explorer item” in a bag and no meals. But he is alive, with full belly, and not strapped to a tree. He has Total 5 XP.
The next day and night passes uneventfully, the Foraging is a snake-eyes! 1 XP. So his traps are ripped up by some large beast passing by. Due to hunger, Graggar’s rest does not restore any Harm. However, I declare that 6XP is enough to level up!
New ability:
L2 Eyes of Fury (#2) If fighting a magic using enemy and your eyes meet, they flinch from their attack. You get +1 to any Defend, Defy, Fight etc that apply under these circumstances.
The next day, Graggar’s “luck” is about to change, as the morning’s dice come up 1s for Encounter, Feature and Event!
Encounter = Goblins 2d4 = 5
Twist = Avoid a Hunter (local authority) Hunters 2d4 = 8!
Condition = Normal (no wounds or morale adjustment)
Event = Wet Season = Raging Torrent - must move back next turn
Feature = Heretic Refuge (Rebels, Worship Site, Choked By Vegetation, trapped)
Are the Goblins sneaking or running from the hunters? 50-50 = Running.
Does Graggar encounter the Goblins first? Likely. No, but … a fact is wrong?
Are the Goblins chasing the Hunters for desecrating their shrine? 50-50. Yes!
Range of encounter 2d6 = 4, very close!
Do the Humans stop when they see Graggar? Unknown. Yes.
How far behind are the Goblins, 2d6 = 4, not far at all!
Graggar hears a great crashing coming fast, he’s not the hiding sort so he stands ready. A group of 8 humans, soaked through but lightly armoured and carrying spears and hammers burst through into the small clearing, and stop when they see the burly Wildman. They look around uncertainly and move away from the tree edge they came from, as another crashing sound is heard. The Goblins enter the clearing. Weapons are brandished, insults are thrown.
Hunter Condition = Normal (no wounds or morale adjustment)
Did they set off the Feature trap? 50-50 = Yes. They lost 2 men.
Discern realities (INT) = 3+5-1 = 7, Partial Success = 1 question:
What happened here recently?
Graggar sees one of the Humans is carrying a small effigy tucked into his belt, but it looks like the image of a Goblin god. This suggests the Humans are tomb-raiders and the Goblins are chasing the Thieves.
Is the God/effigy one that Graggar knows? Unknown = Yes
Is it an Evil god? No!
Graggar puts together that the Goblins were protecting a shrine to a neutral Luck deity. He has no particular investment in this battle, but the Humans attempt to sway him to their side in the imminent conflict. He is inclined to assist, as he loves battle, and robbing shrines sounds like the sort of thing he wants to do. Will he help? Likely = No, but … he charges the Goblins! The Hunters follow his lead, and (Intimidation) 1+5+1+1 = 8, Partial. Good enough, the Goblins flee, and Graggar stops his charge, laughing. The Hunters follow suit. They agree to walk together a small way and share a noon campfire and talk of their adventures.
Do the Hunters give Graggar some supplies? Likely. No, but … they will trade. He trades the gold teeth for 5 Rations and 1 use of Bandages (heals a single wound of 1 or 2 Harm). They also give him directions to the Refuge if he wishes to investigate it. He does, and after bidding the Hunters farewell, he heads further into the Forest of Ghosts.
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