# Return to the Known Lands - Beware of the Pit
# Session #31 (8/22/21)

## PCs:

* Osan (Elf F/MU 3/1)
* Omes (Half FM 3)
* Arro (MU 2)

## NPCs:

* Bunco (Knave 1 - RIP run through by a skeleton’s sword)
* Marnes (Cleric 3)

## Hirelings:

* Arvay (Wagon driver - Osan)
* Semtik (Porter - Osan)
* Burdar (Dwarf FM 0 - Arro)

## Session Notes:

The party returned to the dungeon they had been exploring, taking
the main entrance on the hilltop. They proceeded east, then south
through the windy corridor, where Omes spied a few of those floating
bubbles that the party knew could be deadly when popped [0].
Everyone scattered – with some heading to an alcove off to the west,
and some heading east out of the windy corridor. The bubbles floated
west and two burst near Marnes and Arro. One showered multi-colored
gems on the floor, while the other launched a small lightning bolt
that injured Marnes. Marnes set about healing himself while Arro
collected the gems, noticing a crack in the floor as he did so.

Bunco and Osan moved closer to the alcove wall to examine the crack,
and promptly fell into a 10-foot pit. They had minor injuries – but
were surprised to see four undead skeletons waiting for them in the
pit. Poor Bunco never had a chance, he was run through with a rusty
sword even as Marnes was turning the skeletons from above. Omes
quickly dropped into the pit and helped Osan destroy the four,
now-cowering undead creatures.

The party regrouped and traveled east and then north, entering a
large, oval-shaped arena. In the center stood a knight in plate
armor, both hands resting on the hilt of his sword, which was point
down into the arena floor. He said his name was Henner, and he had
been waiting here for single-combat with the party’s strongest
warrior. They watched him warily and moved to a west exit – he did
not follow, so they left him there even as he continued to try and
goad them into a fight.

Beyond the arena was a empty and dusty tavern, with a ghostly
caretaker who tried to entice them into some games of chance,
hinting at fabulous reward for some small risk. Thinking better of
it, they left the ghostly tavern-keeper and headed back to the
abandoned temple they had partly explored in the last session [1].
There, hidden under a bureau in a priest’s quarters, they found a
sack of gold and a potion vial. They gathered the loot and returned
to town with the body of Bunco.

## LL Notes:

The pit encounter was deadly but did not have to be if the players
had been a bit more cautious examining the crack in the
floor. Still, there was a bit of (un-) luck involved as the
skeletons in the pit surprised the two PCs, and so had a free attack
before the Cleric above could try and turn them, then again got
lucky with a fatal, one-blow attack against Bunco. The players were
much more cautious with the knight in the arena and ghostly
bartender.

The floating bubbles had been encountered before, and have contents
or effect randomly rolled if they happen to hit something (wall,
statue, PC, etc.). That idea I stole from the back of OD&D
Supplement I, Greyhawk:

   "Tricks and Traps: (Additions) Giant bubbles which float about
   in the corridors and rooms of the dungeons. The slightest touch
   will explode them, causing from 1 to 10 dice damage depending on
   the level they are on. These bubbles might (1 in 6) contain a
   gem."

[0]: gopher://gopher.smolderingwizard.com/0/rpg/play_reports/known-lands/return-known-lands-17-18.txt
[1]: gopher://gopher.smolderingwizard.com/0/rpg/play_reports/known-lands/return-known-lands-30.txt

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