The audio recording of this interview can be found here I have since talked with my dad again about this adventure recently because i was goin over his old maps of level 3 and 4. I wont reveal all the details here, but basically there was numbering discrepancy and my dad had drawn 2 different version of level 3 and also a mirror image version of level 2 and there were some teleporting dimensional shenanigans involved. And also at one point I drew my own version of level 3 and 4 with bargles final lair and a red dragon. I may up load all these maps at some point in a future post or I may not . . .
Lance Duncan
OK. We're finishing up the last few modules/adventures.
We're going back to the basic rule book from 1983. The DMS guide with Castle Mistamere.
The sample, your first game adventure. In the very beginning of the book, we're
starting at page 4, right before the adventure, there is a pregame checklist.
Did you use that checklist?
Bruce Duncan
Sometimes.
Lance Duncan
It has. It tells you to go through the solo adventure, have
all the players do the solo adventure.
Bruce Duncan
Which I did not always do.
Lance Duncan
And have you read the book up to this point? Have you Looked
through the rest of the booklet?
Bruce Duncan
Oh yeah, always.
Lance Duncan
What else is on there? Oh, did you give the players the basic
background of the adventure.
Bruce Duncan
Yes.
Lance Duncan
The who, Why, What, where, When
Bruce Duncan
Right, I did. Yes. Always.
Lance Duncan
And then it tells you to set up the, Make sure the
characters are ready to go with their equipment, and then choose a caller and a
mapper. Before doing this, did you set all that up?
Bruce Duncan
I tried to set a caller and a mapper, but generally
speaking, when we were doing this, was when you guys were very young. And so
Cassie got nominated for both. Most of the time she did pretty good, but in the
later years when we come back to this several times with other people, she
wanted them to do it rather than her. And they were never as good as she was, for
either.
Lance Duncan
Right. Yeah, I know later we didn't really . . . Cassie did
do a lot of the mapping early on. I still have some of them. But yeah, we
didn't really do a caller later. As far as I remember. Did you keep an
adventure record sheet? Cuz It talks about having an adventure record sheet. Like
characters and . . . and anything else.
Bruce Duncan
I did not I, at that time, I was still technically learning
how to be a good dungeon master as opposed to what I had been before, and
because it was my children I figured, nah, no one’s gonna want to keep the
record of this, you guys aren't gonna want to know and all that stuff so I
didn't.
Lance Duncan
OK, into the actual adventure. The adventure background. As
players did we learn about Gygar, King Gygar, the one who built the castle?
Bruce Duncan
A couple of times I went over brief information about him,
But basically, That it was a powerful guy that died years ago.
Lance Duncan
We didn’t never try to find out about him.
Bruce Duncan
One time when you had other people with you, yes you did.
But it didn't go very far. Because the information was old and As such, you
guys, It wasn't pertaining to anything you did because anything he had was
already looted, Mostly. Any loot that would be in there would be from
adventurers going in and then getting killed.
Lance Duncan
Right. Did you ever have, like a developed background about
him? Some idea?
Bruce Duncan
Yeah. I had one, but like I said, we weren't really
interested in it at that time. What I had developed was that He was trying to
settle the area and he had a friend Who was a Magic-user who thought that he
was doing too much and eventually he just left.
Lance Duncan
Well, I think Gygar is supposed to be a magic-user. Yeah,
he's “a magic-user named Gygar”.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, but I have the other guy as the Magic-user.
Lance Duncan
Oh OK.
Bruce Duncan
This guy was just a kightish type person who wanted his own kingdom.
Lance Duncan
Right. Or are you mixing this up with B1. Robilar and whats
his name.
Bruce Duncan
I am.
Lance Duncan
Or was it Robilar?
Bruce Duncan
Yes, I know what you're talking about, but yes I am mixing
the two up.
Lance Duncan
LOL . . . we already talked about That adventure
Bruce Duncan
we did.
Lance Duncan
No, this is. This is king gygar, it says he had a long and
peaceful rule, never named his successor, and so eventually the castle Fell
into ruin.
Bruce Duncan
No. Then I never gave you guys background.
Lance Duncan
You know, you know you never came up with something in the
back of your head or . . .
Bruce Duncan
No, no. Basically what you said is what I said.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, cause it's just right there, It's like one paragraph
and that's it. Did you ever connect the name Gygar to Gary Gygax?
Bruce Duncan
No.
Lance Duncan
Have you up to this point?
Bruce Duncan
Now that you mention it Yes. But I never, I never made that
connection.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, it's Frank Mentzers ode to gary gygax. “Gare-Guy” just
switched the order, the first syllable of each name. You never connected that.
Bruce Duncan
No, I never did. I can tell you just . . .
Lance Duncan
Oh, So it's so obvious. But you got to know Gary Gygax is DnD.
Bruce Duncan
Yes
Lance Duncan
He is, He is in the credits here.
Bruce Duncan
Yes, he is, but that, That's a little bit farther stretch
than I went with. Yeah, I didn't pay that much attention To it.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, there's a lot of other things like that, like Gary Gygax
name gets twisted around So much in these modules.
Bruce Duncan
I’ll bet.
Lance Duncan
Oh, and then it says we meet at the Gold Dragon Inn.
Bruce Duncan
Yes.
Lance Duncan
So I don't think we mentioned. I don't think we ever went over
this. So was the gold dragon inn in luln or threshold because You did have this
Adventure next to luln, but Did you Have, did You specifically have the gold
Dragon inn in luln
Bruce Duncan
I had the Gold dragon inn in luln, among a few other places
that are noted in that module. I had all my adventures start in luln.
Lance Duncan
Yeah at first. Yeah, after a while we started doing
threshold, but.
Bruce Duncan
Right. No, no, no. One started in threshold.
Lance Duncan
No, We had a couple players in threshold BCS.
Bruce Duncan
I don't remember them. The ones I remember are down in The
city with an “S.”
Lance Duncan
Specularum
Bruce Duncan
Yeah
Lance Duncan
“Spectrolum” LOL . . . maybe I should change the name to Spectrolum,
just to make fun of it
Bruce Duncan
Yeah. Yes, good idea.
Lance Duncan
But Specularum has, What was it? Greek roots? No Specularum is
roman. it's karameikos that’s Greek . . .
Lance Duncan
We were talking about The name of Specularum.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah.
Lance Duncan
Yeah. So Karameikos is literally. You change an A to an E
somewhere in there. I forget where, but it's literally a pottery district
outside of Athens, in the suburbs of Athens.
Bruce Duncan
Cool.
Lance Duncan
There's some interesting history behind it. But Specularum Is
a Latin word. Comes from the same root Where we get spectacles, for glasses
Bruce Duncan
Oh really?
Lance Duncan
Yeah. So it's Specularum, depending on what translation you
go with, can mean watchtower
Bruce Duncan
That would be a good name for it at that location.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, exactly. But it would be a funny to change that to spectrolum because you
always mispronounce it.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, that would be fun.
Lance Duncan
As far as names of other places Luln, I could never find,
I've never been able to find anything. Never seen anything on the Internet of
where the word Luln comes from. It May have just been made-up.
Bruce Duncan
I remember reading An adventure somewhere and it started in
the town of Luln and I thought that would be a good name for an adventurers town.
Lance Duncan
I don't think any official adventure starts in luln
Bruce Duncan
What was the name of the town where the elf?
Lance Duncan
I know I’m saying it wrong too.
Bruce Duncan
Where, where the elf and the Sword of truth?
Lance Duncan
That's farstead.
Bruce Duncan
farstead OK. No, but there was an adventure that started in
the town of Luln and I just don't remember What adventure it was.
Lance Duncan
I'd have to go through, it might be in one of the Dragon
Adventures or dungeon. I don't think there is because I, I don't know. And I
know I'm pronouncing it wrong. It's supposed to be like “luuuln” or something
because it's L U L N.
Bruce Duncan
Now that might be. right
Lance Duncan
And I just say “luhn” because it's.
Bruce Duncan
Because it's what you were brought up with.
Lance Duncan
Well, I don't think you ever. I don't remember how you used
to say it.
Bruce Duncan
I always called it “luhn”.
Lance Duncan
Did you?
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, you know, me and pronunciations and spellings and.
Lance Duncan
Well, yeah, well, well, also I see L U L N. I’m Like how am
I supposed to pronounce that? I'm just
going to say “luhn”.
Bruce Duncan
You darn American.
Lance Duncan
Yeah I'm american I can say whatever. So gold Dragon inn is
in luln and I can use that, I can make that another company for the adventuring
Guild. so it’d be the Gold Dragon Company . . .
Bruce Duncan
Well, The thing is, in luln, the people there don't know
about . . .
Lance Duncan
Well, when I'm running that adventure, there 'd be the Gold
Dragon Company centered in Luln. The Green ale Company Central in the Imperial
City.
Bruce Duncan
OK. Right.
Lance Duncan
And the shady dragon, cause there's a shady dragon inn, in
threshold.
Bruce Duncan
OK, yeah.
Lance Duncan
And as far as other places, I haven't decided yet. But that
gives me a minimum of three. I need more.
Bruce Duncan
The drunk dragon is this in Dragon City.
Lance Duncan
Well, no, they all, so they all have a base in the Dragon
City, but they also have a main base of operations in a specific city. They Each
have a claim to a city and it's environs. So Luln, threshold, the imperial city,
Specularum, Ylaruam . . .
Bruce Duncan
OK. Yeah.
Lance Duncan
I just don't have names for some of these other places and I
have To figure out which places have places, you know.
Bruce Duncan
OK.
Lance Duncan
Like I haven't decided if they’ve gone out to Glantri yet or
not.
Bruce Duncan
No, I don't think so.
Lance Duncan
Well, this is in the future
Bruce Duncan
Yeah But nothing in what I did.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, but this gives me a name for the one in Luln. And a
reason to have one in luln. OK, on to the adventure on page five. The carrion
crawler. I know we kind of talked about this in other times, We mentioned this,
but just Going over it. Were we always
surprised by the carrying crawler?
Bruce Duncan
There was one time you guys weren't. The surprise check came
out that you were not surprised and so the way I narrated that up was. You guys
could see that there was a hole underneath the door. And one of you was
suspicious of a hole underneath a door that's laying on The ground. And so you
had someone go up and check. Tap on the door and around the hole, but the rest
of you were at ready with all your weapons. And there was enough damage that he
didn't get to do anything other than show His face.
Lance Duncan
Right. Anyway, Did we, when we encountered the carrion crawler,
did we usually kill it or put it to sleep? because it mentions that we can use
a sleep spell to defeat it. ever did. Of us ever die from the carrion crawler.
Bruce Duncan
No one ever thought of the sleep spell, ever
Lance Duncan
Did any Of us ever die from the carrion crawler?
Bruce Duncan
Yes.
Lance Duncan
Because it's got eight attacks a round, Paralyzes you, And then
just eats you.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah. Someone did die once. Luckily, it was a npc that went
along with you guys.
Lance Duncan
Yeah.
Bruce Duncan
So no big loss.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, I killed a whole party at least once with The carrying
crawler.
Bruce Duncan
A whole party with just one carrion crawler!
Lance Duncan
Yeah. It's got 8 attacks a round, dad!
Bruce Duncan
Yeah. Generally speaking, it goes after one at A time,
though.
Lance Duncan
Yeah. And other times I was nicer and I had it, once The
first person was down it started eating that one person and ignoring everyone
else.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, that's normally how a carrion crawler would work.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, it depends how experienced the players are.
Bruce Duncan
That too, yeah.
Lance Duncan
you know, the, I had already run these players, they were
still first Or second level. I think they might have all been second or third
level, I don't know, but, so I was like, well, this isn't your first adventure,
so. Here's what, the carrion crawler kills you off. You know, paralyzed,
paralyzed, paralyzed . . .
Bruce Duncan
Ohh, you're worse than, you're worse As far as killing
people than I was as far as giving things away.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, yeah, it depends who I'm playing with.
Bruce Duncan
Ohh! Prejudiced, I see
Lance Duncan
Yeah, I mean It's not like it was smart or anything, its Just
like, you know, someones hitting me, I’m gonna hit them back. You know?
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, yeah.
Lance Duncan
You know, I mean, if they had left it alone, they would’a
just eatin’ the one person that Was left there,
Bruce Duncan
which is what I Normally have it do
Lance Duncan
you know if everyone else runs away. Then it's, You know,
it's got its meal, It's not going to chase you. But you know, if you keep
attacking it, what do you expect? You know. And how can you compete with eight
attacks a round? LOL
Bruce Duncan
Send one dummy in to check it out and the rest of you are
armed.
Lance Duncan
Again, you've got to be smart for that
Bruce Duncan
No, you gotta make your surprise check.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, OK. So did the party usually try to go through the
main gate that was Shut, or tried to go through the hole in the wall off To the
side?
Bruce Duncan
most of the time you guys went through the main gate, or
tried to. But as always, the main gate.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, the kobolds are supposed to be holding it shut. But
like, did we try, and then not do that.
Bruce Duncan
Well, a couple of times you guys tried to bash through the kobolds
and were able to. But in doing so, the kobolds back aways were Able to start,
They had their first shot at you guys. But only a couple of times Did you guys
actually make the effort to go check out the holes along the wall before you
went inside
Lance Duncan
Yeah. Then there's the peep hole too, where we can look
through before we go through the big giant hole.
Bruce Duncan
Right.
Lance Duncan
Oh, and did you have, while we were discussing how to get
in, did you have time pass? Like it says if, Oh yeah, it says, One minute of
talking equals one round.
Bruce Duncan
Right, I did have that.
Lance Duncan
Did you sit to that strictly, or just in general?
Bruce Duncan
Just in general
Lance Duncan
OK. Cause that's an interesting way to interpret it. If
people are making plans, you go OK, its Been a minute, Well, now it's been a round
of combat.
Bruce Duncan
Right
Lance Duncan
Yeah, if you stick to that in game rules specifically,
that'd be interesting.
Bruce Duncan
After you kids were More
experienced in how to play the game, If I felt you were taking too much time
talking with each other, that's how I played it. This one, We never played it
with everybody being of a Experienced level. There was always someone that was
not experienced in the Game.
Lance Duncan
Really?
Bruce Duncan
Yep
Lance Duncan
because I know we did this several times, more than probably
anything else.
Bruce Duncan
Yes, You did. And that's why I kept introducing new stuff in
it. Like dust bunnies and other things of that nature.
Lance Duncan
Yeah. So when we got through the hole or the gate, was
anyone ever killed by the kobolds?
Bruce Duncan
No.
Lance Duncan
I've had people killed by the kobolds. Not, not . . .
Bruce Duncan
the kobolds!?!
Lance Duncan
Yeah, usually only one person. It's really the carrion crawler thats the deadly
thing.
Bruce Duncan
Yes.
Lance Duncan
But yeah.
Bruce Duncan
Kobolds?
Lance Duncan
Yeah exactly. The kobold are,
Bruce Duncan
theyre lame
Bruce Duncan
They're pathetic.
Yeah. Yeah. It's like, usually I wouldn't even roll hit points for the kobolds.
I mean, well, I think it has the hit points listed here, but other times when I
have people encounter kobolds I usually Don't roll hit points. Did we ever
capture one of the Kobolds?
Bruce Duncan
Yes.
Lance Duncan
OK. So it goes
through a little scenario of if we let him go to show us where he is, he'll run
off and run into the castle.
Bruce Duncan
Actually you scared most of them most of The time back into
the castle, only once did you get one, and that was when you guys had scouted
around And tried to see where everything was, and rather than go through the
big hole, you guys threw a grappling hook up on this on this edge at this
corner
Lance Duncan
We went over the wall. The right corner
Bruce Duncan
On this edge, and were able to come along the wall And shoot
down At everybody, and one survived. Just one. And you guys interrogated him
before you dispatched him.
Lance Duncan
OK. Yeah, cause, if we're careful. He's supposed to lead us
to some treasure. His little treasure spot
Bruce Duncan
He said he was gonna lead you to treasure, and when he led
you there, the treasure was booby trapped. That's how I did it different.
Lance Duncan
And then at the end of the, because you know at the
beginning, it's like a step by step thing like a choose your own adventure, and
then it says, after they go through once then you can have them go back and do
the scenarios
Bruce Duncan
Right, right. Yeah
Lance Duncan
Did you do that for each group?
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, kind of sorta.
Lance Duncan
or did you just explain what could Have happened?
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, I explained What would happened if you'd have done
this. But that was Like you guys first couple of times through this. Each time
having a Different person that had never played before. So I explained if you'd
have done it this way, this Could have happened. that kind of thing.
Lance Duncan
Okay. So on page nine, which room was this? I Think it's
this one?
Bruce Duncan
The bedroom?
Lance Duncan
Yeah, Well, there's two bedrooms. The number’s 25. Yeah. So
this, the first bedroom room, room 25. You have to make a save or Else you go
to sleep on the bed.
Bruce Duncan
Right.
Lance Duncan
Did anyone ever fall prey to that?
Bruce Duncan
Yep.
Lance Duncan
And then in room twenty six, you can wake up on the other
bed.
Bruce Duncan
Right. But then I had.
Lance Duncan
And also I remember there were dust bunnies in some of Those
bedrooms.
Bruce Duncan
Right, depending on how you guys were playing, that would
determine which bed had the dust bunnies,
Lance Duncan
Right. Well, it has. I think it's this one. Yeah, if you. If
if you're tickled on the bed, the bed will magically sneeze and it causes the
mold to fly into the air And I think that's where you have dust bunnies.
Bruce Duncan
Yes. The thing is, with the dust bunnies. As long as you did
not disturb them They were not a threat. and Spraying water or liquid on them
Only slowed them down, But if that liquid was flammable. good news. As long as
you weren't in the room when they were. Because once you start a dust Bunny on
fire, they begin to run all over the place, leaving burning bits all over the
place.
Lance Duncan
Right. I think I'm going to skip the harpy room or the
dining hall for now, because that's something you're not supposed to do until
your second level.
Bruce Duncan
OK. Right
Lance Duncan
So, Which room was it? Let me look at the map. So 27 is
dining hall, so 31 would be the Trap
room. Yeah. So the trap room, there's a . . .
Bruce Duncan
Which one? I need to see the map . . . Oh yeah.
Lance Duncan
So there's a log Tied on a rope and pulley system above a
treasure chest, which the kobolds haven't disturbed cuz they're afraid that
they're gonna you know, open the treasure chest and get hurt. but it's a fake
trap, The trap isn’t actually hooked to the treasure chest at all.
Bruce Duncan
Actually, I had it hooked to the treasure chest. But you
guys were so Alert that you could see how the trap worked. And anybody with
half a brain could disarm it.
Lance Duncan
Right, right. Yeah.
Bruce Duncan
Sometimes though, when I had you doing that, I had it stuck.
And you guys think it was safe and you go closer and then it unstuck.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, because how its Set up. There's a large log in the center
of the room. One end is on the floor, but the other end is held up by a strong rope
which runs through Hooks in the ceiling going to the floor tied to the chest,
So the rope is tied to the chest, which is on the floor directly below the
upraisedlog, If the rope is cut, the Log falls smashing the chest and scattering
the contents. But the lid of the chest is not held by the rope and it can be
opened. So as long as you leave the rope alone, you can open it and the kobolds
see the log and the rope and they just stay away from it. But a smart adventurer,
you can do like, “um What?”
Bruce Duncan
Exactly! But . . .
Lance Duncan
Yeah. But you had it actually connected to it.
Bruce Duncan
No, I had it connected as this says.
Lance Duncan
Oh, OK.
Bruce Duncan
And you guys, you know, it might be an old rope, It might
give way at any minute. and You guys would try and go up and disarm it so that
no matter what you’d Safe, but sometimes I’d play a little trick on you and it
was fun.
Lance Duncan
Right. Yeah. And it's only like five hundred. it's not even
any gold.
Bruce Duncan
No, it's not.
Lance Duncan
Then. There is fifty gold,
five hundred silver, fifty gold and a gem.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, but The gem is what you guys were after.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, it must be apretty
small chest. That's got to be like. Maybe less than a foot wide to each side.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah. what I used to call a Pound chest.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Realistically Treasure chests
aren't ever that big. I mean to hold realistic coins.
Bruce Duncan
No, I would, in modern day I would call it a jewelry chest.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, exactly.
Bruce Duncan
And it's not a chest, it's Jewelry Box.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, yeah. So the statue room 32. where is that on the map?
. . . The one with the statue.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, into the dining room.
Lance Duncan
Yeah. So 32 . . . Has the statue that spins and will hit you.
did anyone fall prey to that?
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, usually. The thing is Once you saw it spinning the
once, you were pretty much aware of it and all You have to do is duck LOL
Lance Duncan
Yeah. Just stay away from it. And then there's Zombies. So
there's two rooms of zombies, 35 and 34. I remember, I'm not sure, I'm pretty
sure it was this dungeon, but I'm not quite sure. I remember a situation where
there were zombies chasing us and we couldn't get them to stop, like we cut off
their arms and their arms would still chase us. And so like, we like barricaded
the door and the zombies were pounding on the door and stuff. And we were
scared because these were the type of zombies that have the maggots and stuff,
right? Which I'm going to ask more about later, but. Like was this this
dungeon? You remember that situation?
Bruce Duncan
On one of your times through. Yes, most of the times through,
No, they weren't Those type of zombies.
Lance Duncan
Because I remember, I was pretty sure it was this one that I
remember that specific situation. where it was like we were running through
different rooms trying, because we were faster than the zombies, but they
wouldn't stop, no matter what we put in Their way. Like eventually it would get
through the door too.
Bruce Duncan
That might have been our last adventure in here. Which is
why you might have remembered it. And. I also remember in that adventure you
guys knew about the kobolds in the watch room, down the stairs, and you were
able to adjust your running so that the zombies then saw the kobolds.
Lance Duncan
Right. Well, maybe that was it.
Bruce Duncan
And that's how you got away from them.
Lance Duncan
Well, cause your special zombie, with the bugs and maggots
and all that. Like We didn't want to get up close because then we'd get
infected, Arrows didn't really do
anything because arrows to a dead body, really.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah.
Lance Duncan
You know, and we didn't have any Special weapons like holy
water or flammable things, and so we couldn't do anything. We probably didn’t
Have a cleric either so we couldn't turn them. Otherwise we would just turn
them, right?
Bruce Duncan
No.
Lance Duncan
So yeah, so, I mean, I remember we specifically didn't have
the right tools to fight zombies. And So that's why we were scared of them, and
we were running.
Bruce Duncan
And especially those zombies.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, yeah. But that was this one probably.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, it was. Like I said, it was probably the last time you
guys had ventured into that adventure.
Lance Duncan
Sure. OK. So let's talk about the dining, now that we've
talked about the first level.
Bruce Duncan
OK.
Lance Duncan
We can just go.
Bruce Duncan
The harpies.
Lance Duncan
OK, so the dining room, so the harpies. So I know we
mentioned this before, but you're not supposed to be even be able to open the
doors to the dining room. Until You’re second level. Did you stick to that
rule?
Bruce Duncan
Yes.
Lance Duncan
Strictly? like there was no way we could outsmart the second
level rule?
Bruce Duncan
There had to be at least one person that was second level.
Generally speaking, if one person made it to second level, there were at least
two others.
Lance Duncan
OK. Right. But if we were all first level, you just, there
was no way we could Open the Doors. OK, cause Last time I ran this, they took
the log from the from the trap room and used it as a battering ram.
Bruce Duncan
Well, that would do the job, I never Thought of that
Lance Duncan
Yeah. And so I was like, well, yeah, that'll open the door,
I’m Not gonna . . .
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, no one ever thought of that.
Lance Duncan
But we never tried something like that, like burning down
the door, or something creative.
Bruce Duncan
No, you guys never did. No, no.
Lance Duncan
Or using wizard knock
Bruce Duncan
Yeah.
Lance Duncan
We didn't do that.
Bruce Duncan
No.
Lance Duncan
So we were all second level, So then we probably had, well
second level doesn't even, you never get better Saves at second level either
anyway.
Bruce Duncan
No you don't.
Lance Duncan
So how did we deal with the harpies? Cause the same
situation where they battered the doors down, they all failed their Saves.
Well, all except for one. And he didn't have much choice By that point
Bruce Duncan
yeah. Several different scenarios happened. the Very first
time you guys came in there. You had enough girls in the group That were, it
was easier for Girls to save on harpies than it is for guys. So because you had
the girls, you had three girls. They were actually able to dispatch the harpies.
Lance Duncan
Even though the guys were charmed?
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, well the girls saw the harpies and immediately went
into battle mode. And the guys were just kind of going uhhhh… You know, decide
what are you going to do, and by the time they had actually made a decision
which both of them had failed, The girls had already taken care of the harpies.
Lance Duncan
Yeah. OK.
Bruce Duncan
That was the first Time.
Lance Duncan
That was the first time.
Bruce Duncan
And after that I kept making the harpies a little stronger
because the players were a little stronger.
Lance Duncan
right.
Bruce Duncan
So the last time, Which was right after you guys figured out
About the Treasure chest and that there was a door that way into the room with
the harpies. And you guys Specifically made the girls go first. Because the
girls were elf, thief, And cleric.
Lance Duncan
well elves are immune to it anyway, aren't they?
Bruce Duncan
right
Lance Duncan
Elves are immune to .
. . or something, or they get a plus to save, I don't know.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, they get a plus, A big plus.
Lance Duncan
Right.
Bruce Duncan
So anyway, the last time you guys went in from the treasure
Room in there, and The elf was able to put an arrow in Both of them. Not
killing blows, but definitely it hurt them enough where they would not be able
to affect the guys and the guys then came in and slashed them to pieces.
Lance Duncan
Oh and did they, cuz I think the Harpies have an escape
right up the chimney. Did They ever run away?
Bruce Duncan
They do if they’re fast enough. If they see that they're not
going to save it.
Lance Duncan
Right. Did they ever actually get out?
Bruce Duncan
They started, on one adventure They started going that way,
and as they were going up the chimney, someone got underneath and started
shooting arrows up the chimney, and killed them that way. They did not escape.
Ever.
Lance Duncan
And, right, so after the harpies are dead. There's the yellow
mold on the Dining table. Were we ever tricked by the yellow mold?
Bruce Duncan
Two times. Yeah, the first time, And then you guys always
remembered the yellow mold
Lance Duncan
We always knew what yellow mold was. So we were always
careful . . . because I remember always being . . .
Bruce Duncan
But It was always the new person that did not know.
Lance Duncan
Yeah, I always, Yeah, it's like every time we see gold
goblets or plates or anything. I was like, no gold, no matter what it was,
where we were. Yeah. We never actually carried ten foot poles with us, but from
how we played, we should have.
Bruce Duncan
No. Yes. It would have been a lot safer.
Lance Duncan
I mean we always had quarter staves and Spears, or whatever
that we used or the end of our bow or whatever. But yeah, we should have
carried a ten foot pole with us. So the yellow mold . . .
Bruce Duncan
Well, Picking up a coin and throwing it Worked a lot.
Lance Duncan
Yeah. So the lower levels, so basically it just gives you a
list of monsters and the map and you can place it however you want. And I've
lost your key. I Thought, you know I had saved it and I saved it on purpose,
And I have no idea what happened to it now.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, the first of the lower levels.
Lance Duncan
It gives you a list of monsters to place and stuff.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, and I placed every single one of them and Some rooms
were empty.
Lance Duncan
And sometimes we changed it. It wasn't always the same key
for the same level.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, that's true. But that was my first time in developing
a preset dungeon, and I did it several different ways. Each time it was
different
Lance Duncan
And I've still got your maps for the lower levels for like
three and four.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah. Lower than this . . .
Lance Duncan
But Again, I lost the key.
Bruce Duncan
Oh darn.
Lance Duncan
So on That, that's the map with a Blue Dragon on it.
Bruce Duncan
Right.
Lance Duncan
Did, but, it suggests putting a red dragon in the bottom. Did
you put a blue dragon on purpose, or?
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, because they aren't as bad As a red dragon.
Lance Duncan
Oh, so you made it a little less strong, cause blue Dragon
is still pretty strong.
Bruce Duncan
It is, but at least the Blue Dragon is not ready to kill you
immediately.
Lance Duncan
Right, because they're neutral.
Bruce Duncan
Right. And also because I did not have an adult blue dragon.
Lance Duncan
Oh, you put it in as a . . .
Bruce Duncan
It Was an adolescent. And He had been deposited there when
he was a baby and you guys were able to actually help him get out.
Lance Duncan
Right, It also suggests putting, making the lower levels bargle’s
lair, you know from the from the solo adventure Bargle, the Magic user, who
kills Alena. It also suggests putting him down there. Did you ever do that?
Bruce Duncan
I did once.
Lance Duncan
I don't remember meeting him.
Bruce Duncan
Well, I didn't do it for you guys, but I did it Back in
Claremont with our other buddies, My other buddies, and they were able to
actually track him down, Take him out.
Lance Duncan
So he's dead.
Bruce Duncan
Well, he's not just dead. His body was taken back to the
city.
Lance Duncan
But again, that was another, That was the other group Before,
so not playing with us, so I can change that.
Bruce Duncan
Right, right.
Lance Duncan
But we never actually met Bargle as far as that . . .
Bruce Duncan
No.
Lance Duncan
I mean outside of us doing The solo adventure.
Bruce Duncan
Right.
Lance Duncan
Which I don't think all of us did anyway. I don't know. So
that's pretty much all my questions, Do you remember anything else about the
lower levels or anything else?
Bruce Duncan
There was a rust monster in there that you guys seem to
always have a problem with.
Lance Duncan
Well there’s a rust monster in the solo adventure.
Bruce Duncan
Yes. And because you always had a problem with the Rust
Monster, I always put them in there. To see, if you guys could overcome him, and
more often than not, you guys would just run away. But there was one time you
were actually able to dispatch him. But it was from magic arrows and magic
spells, That you were able to do that. And it saved all your weapons Because of
that. Always before you guys would start losing your weapons and would have to
flee because you didn't have anything to play them with.
Lance Duncan
I guess, unless you have anything else to say, I guess that
covers it for today.
Bruce Duncan
Yeah, I think the Rest Monster was the most fun for me.
Lance Duncan
Awesome. LOL All right, till next time.
