The current regular campaign is just a short one to turn our experienced player Aron into an experienced GM. Last night's session was an alternate, which we have every fourth session or so, or when the GM or several players are away.

We had just me and Graeme, and Matt ran Conan d20. Matt suggested and Graeme accepted the spineless munchkin attribute generation method of "roll 4d6, keep high, arrange to suit", but as I am Old School I just went straight 3d6 all the way, though I did swap Constitution 5 / Charisma 9 for the other way around. Who needs Charisma? That's just for roleplaying and stuff. The rest was all this crunchy nonsense, skills and feats and manouevres and special abilities and all sorts of needless complication like that.

Graeme played Thespius the Thief, and I played Mongrel the Soldier. Nobody is sure what Mongrel's real name is, not because it's a secret, but just because Mongrel fits him so well. Matt provided an NPC, Valerius the Borderer who was the party healer.

We were in a tent town at a big market fair in Brythunia, and a scantily-clad woman, nubile with lustrous black hair walked in. Mongrel was up buying a round and bought one for her and tried his smooth moves on her. She said, "are you swords for hire?" Mongrel replied, "I would be happy to sheathe my sword in your scabbard, mistress."

Perhaps because of Mongrel's wit and charm, this woman Sethira returned to the table with us and told us that recently she had been on an expedition to the Cavern of the Dead with her stepfather, a place supposed to have the Amulet of Dione and oodles of treasure, alas plagued with old cannibal hag bitches or something.

Sethira said that on arrival she'd found that her stepfather was offering her as a sacrifice to the old cannibal hag bitches, "and I escaped by a lesser-known entrance, I could show you the way." Mongrel said, "I'd be interested in exploring your lesser-known entrance," and the others agreed. After a brief stop to load up on torches and iron rations and caltrops, the party set off, marching order was Thespius first, followed by the bowman Borderer Valerius, Sethira as a weak woman had to be in the middle, and Mongrel said, "Lead on Sethira, I'll bring up your rear." Many hours of walking passed with Mongrel enjoying the view and failing all his Spot checks as a result.

A day into the wilderness we encountered a merchant and his caravan. We were not very well-equipped so we took a look at his wares. He had a Greatsword but we couldn't afford it, Mongrel offered to swap Sethira for the greatsword. Matt said, "oh my god, the PCs are selling the NPC plot hook! oh well you can still go on without her." But in the end Mongrel thought better of it and so they marched on.

The next day they came to a valley and were set upon by a mountain lion. Everyone had a go at him, even Sethira produced a pair of daggers from some unknown hiding place and flung them at the beast, but in the end it was a mighty blow from Thespius' poinard and then Mongrel's broadsword which slew it. Mongrel and Valerius skinned the beast, since after all that skin is worth money. Plus they could dine on mountain lion steak, yum. Thespius had been sorely wounded by the lion, but Valerius fixed him up.

They camped out and Mongrel had his wicked way with Sethira that night, much to the ire of Valerius who was on watch at the time. In the morning they approached the cave entrance above which were scribed runes of some fallen civilisation, ancient and wicked. As it was late, the session stopped there.

d20 confirmed my previous impressions of it. d20 is to old-style D&D what a kettle with a tutu is to a kettle - there's a lot of pointless fluff and frills that get in the way, but in the end it still does what you want.

Also, you can now see why I am best GMing rather than playing.

(Russian accent): Oh Mongrel...you are a very unattractive man.

[non-Australians probably won't get this]

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;270810


d20 confirmed my previous impressions of it. d20 is to old-style D&D what a kettle with a tutu is to a kettle - there's a lot of pointless fluff and frills that get in the way, but in the end it still does what you want.

This is with out a doubt the best analogy I have ever heard of d20. I think 3.0 polished the old tarnished kettle a bit and 3.5 just covered it with a doily. Now I have not played or even read 4.0 but I am sure it will be the same thing.

The question I post to you is..... Since you appear to rarely run/play D und D what's your game of choice?

For this I have NO SCENTS