The Fifth Adventure

[kipper]

"Sure, if that thing's talking manages to not turn your stomach." Dame Simonetta replies.

She'll keep guard with her sling.

[mushgnome]

OOC: Taking a rest turn is a good idea! Those injured in the battle would regain a hit point. The question is, do you want to take that rest turn here in area 18, or would you rather rest someplace quieter, away from the blubberous Mystery Creature down in the Well?

Strictly rules-as-written, a rest turn is mandatory after any combat (or 2 rest turns, following a pursuit) plus 1 rest turn per hour of exploration. But here at Hobbet Heroes, we take a more relaxed attitude, that rest turns are suggested, not required. My "food for hit points" house rule is an attempt to incentivize that. And the flip side of it is, it speeds up the game, because if the party isn't injured, then they don't need a rest turn. I'm not going to force the party to stop and rest after insignificant skirmishes where no PCs are injured. I think this makes a lot of sense, if you share my view that fatigue could be part of what "hit points" are all about.

I'm flirting with the idea of boosting this ability somehow, so we can keep your dungeon delves going longer, stronger. One idea is that you could spend multiple days' rations (and multiple rest turns) to heal multiple hit points. 1 rest hour = 6 days rations = 6 hit points regained = 1 wandering monster check!

Or (just brainstorming) a simple, flavorful, and easy-to-track (but powerful!) variant of this rule, I like to call "second breakfast" and it goes like this: This ability may be used once per day and requires an uninterrupted rest turn (so it cannot be used in combat). The Hobbet consumes a whole day's extra serving of food, which has the effects of a cure light wounds potion. The number of hit points restored is equal to 1d6 + the character's number of hit dice + 1 bonus if the character's Constitution is 15 or higher.

Or (crazy idea) we can just add a Druid to the party and bring magical healing online! Now that I think about it, I actually have a brainstorm for a player who would be ideal. Let me PM him and see if he's interested in joining the campaign. I'll see if rredmond wants to come back, too.

[mgtremaine]

Kiplyn likes the idea of a rest. "Hear hear! Let's have a snack, but not here that well is creepy."

[ehiker133]

I say make your contact! Bring on the druids! Barring that, I like the idea of second breakfast as a healing potion.

[coffee]

I say make your contact! Bring on the druids! Barring that, I like the idea of second breakfast as a healing potion.

I agree!

[mushgnome]

Turn 19-20

Dougal, Wilbur, and Willie feel a bit better after a snack and a few minutes rest. In fact, Dougal is back to full strength!

Turn 19 was the rest turn. It is now the start of Turn 20. What's the plan? Are we attempting to track the fennec back to their lair?

Wandering monster 1d6=3, no encounter

Let's retroactively say, since there were no wandering monsters, it doesn't really matter where you spent the rest turn, and move on. The well room would have been an "interesting" setting for a wandering monster encounter, that's why I was asking where you wanted to rest. Moving along:

The one specific change to the "second breakfast" rule, that I would like to experiment with at this time, is to lift the "once per set of injuries" restriction. This would allow Dougal to regain a hit point, even though his wounds are from a previous fight. For the time being, we will cap this ability at 1hp/hour (or 1hp/fight, if there are multiple encounters within the same hour).

Essentially, this gives Hobbets the Regeneration ability, at the rate of 1hp/hour, as a roleplaying reward for taking "by the book" rest turns. If the party is at full strength (or in a hurry) then rest turns are entirely optional and there is no in-game mechanical penalty for skipping rest turns. (You are welcome to roleplay your rest-turn-skipping PC as tired and crabby, if you like.)

Fair enough?

Hit points:
Willie 6/10
Wilbur 9/12
Dougal 8/8

[acodispo]

Willie makes quick work of an only-slightly-bruised banana while contemplating what to do.

"I think we should track those vermints down. Dougal, me, and Kip can pelt them with stones as soon as we see them, then jump back behind Wilbur & Dame S to switch to close-in weapons. I'm hoping those beasties have something shiny in their lair! Or maybe we could take some pelts!"

"Second breakfast" rule sounds great!

[kipper]

Dame Simonetta nods in agreement with Willie's plan.

[mushgnome]

Turn 20 continued

The fennec are easy enough to track to the southwest. There is a faint whiff of urine in the air, indicating the fennec have marked these tunnels as their territory.

The party reaches a fork:

The right fork (northwest) is choked with rocky rubble. You would have to crawl single-file over the rubble to explore the chamber on the other side.

The left fork (southwest) opens into a larger cave. At the very distance of the party's lantern light, it looks like there is a connecting tunnel to area 17. The smell of dog pee is strong in the air. There are gnawed bones scattered on the ground, and tufts of white hair as if from many creatures shedding casually over time.

(Listen roll 1d6=6) Yipping sounds can be heard from the southwest.

[mgtremaine]

Kiplyn has his sling ready and makes sure he has a clear line as the party creeps forward.