Adventure Part 5: Sneak Attack! Sneak Attack!
over 5 years ago – Thu, Sep 27, 2018 at 11:31:41 PM

Part 5: Sneak Attack! Sneak Attack!

Consumed by rage, Christi charges forward at the mocking rat. Grabbing his index finger, she snaps it back with a loud crunch, sending the rat reeling with howls of pain. Now free of Christi’s clutches, Sara takes two deep gulps of the last of the screaming orc and charges forward, clumsily throwing wide, limp wristed punches and off-balance kicks. “That’s how you do it chaps! Not too bad for a wizard if I do say so myself!” she says while slapping around the ratman, who was still doubled over in pain.

Mike hangs back scanning the floor for traps as Matthew hurls another dagger screaming, “SNEAK ATTACK!” The dagger strikes true toppling another ratman as the third runs for the door. Turning to Matthew, Mike, annoyed by his companion’s war cry, barks, “Why do you keep yelling sneak attack?! Aren’t you a cleric?!” Matthew shrugs and says, “I’m just trying it on to see how it fits. I am thinking of multi-classing.”

Surrounding the ratman with the broken finger, Christi leans forward and snatches the key from around his neck. “Beat feet rat boy before I take them all!” Christi growls, pointing at the rat’s boney hands. Standing up, Christi looks at her companions, “Alright boneheads, can we at least try to be serious, just one time?” Matthew and Sara look at each other, both wondering how Christi doesn’t see the decision of multi-classing as anything but serious business.

With the bizarre key in hand, you back track to the well room where the adventure began. The pungent odor of the Rusty Tankard outhouse seems to be in rare form as your eyes water and throat burns. “Must be cabbageback stew night.” Matthew says between gasps of air. Running across the room, you quickly push the key in the lock and throw open the door. The wooden stairs beyond seem to be in good repair but descend steeply into the dark.

The narrow hall ahead is cool and clammy and the sound of dripping water echoes ahead. As the narrow passage opens in to a chamber, your eyes catch a wide break in the floor, filled with murky green water. The room beyond is dark but the sound of a faint moan can be heard followed by shuffling feet.

Stay tuned for the gripping finale...

Adventure Part 4: Aberration party nation
over 5 years ago – Wed, Sep 26, 2018 at 12:23:50 AM

Onward to victory or defeat!

Hello Backers, here is the fourth installment to the Kickstarter 'Dungeon crawl' to give you more ideas on how to use Rampage to build dungeon various layouts and configurations. Each day as you explore, we will reveal more parts of the dungeon and more piecesto work with.

Adventure Part 4. Kickstarter Dungeon crawl by Matt Rauscher.

4. Aberration party nation

Throwing her hands out to block the party, Christi scans the floor for traps. “Something doesn’t feel right.” She says suspiciously. Sara, filled with all the subtlety of a screaming orc, pushes past Christi, “Keep your feelings to yourself, I smell treasure!” Stumbling to the center of the room, Sara kicks a skull across the floor before turning to face the party, “Guys! Guys! I got one! *hahaha* Listen, why do skeletons hate the cold?” Doubling over, laughing at the punchline on the tip of her tongue, Sara holds up a finger as she composes herself for the big finish. “Because It goes right through them!"

Lifting her head, Sara realizes that not only is the party not laughing but they’re not even looking at her. Gazing directly above to see what grabbed the party’s attention, long strings of clear mucus drip into Sara’s face as her eyes meet, hanging from the broken floor above, an insect like creature with a long-segmented body, many legs, and eight writhing tentacles reaching down to grab her.

Looking back at the party, Sara calmly mutters, “ohhhh crap” just as the beast lunges down and snatches her by the legs. Thrashing back and forth, Sara can’t help but to begin laughing uncontrollably as Christi dives forward to grab her flailing arms.

Matthew springs into action, rapidly throwing one dagger after another, screaming, “SNEAK ATTACK!” with each toss, finding his mark with one of the blades. Reeling from the attack, the aberrant insect attempts to retreat with its meal, pulling both Sara and Christi off the ground. Suddenly, half a bottle of screaming orc whiskey and several seconds of thrashing about, take their toll as Sara loses the grain alcohol and semi-digested cheese all over Christi.

Pointing at Christi, Peter shouts, “She’s got the cheese!” as he runs forward to grab his dangling companions, adding just enough weight to pull the insect back into view. With the aberration in sight, Matthew screams, “SNEAK ATTACK!” one last time felling the beast, sending it toppling down onto his companions. Muffled shouts come from the bottom of the pile as Sara, her head sticking out from under the fleshy insect, smiles, “Did I do good?”

With the monster slain, Matthew somersaults to the door on the far side of the crypt. Listening carefully, the sounds of faint laughter come from beyond. “They must have been watching all along!” Matthew says, angrily gritting his teeth.

Seeing Matthew’s frustration, Christi walks over, swats a skull from Sara’s hand and grabs her by the ear, “Come on, were going.” She says sternly. Marching her way over to Matthew and still holding Sara’s ear, Christi plants a foot into the door sending it flying open. Just inside, a set of stairs, flanked by pillars, leads down into a wide chamber. A well and sarcophagus flank each side of the room, while piles of crates and barrels lie stacked beyond.

Near the largest stack of crates, three humanoids, with features of both rat and human, compose themselves after watching the spectacle. One lifts a boney finger, points at Christi and begins to laugh again, while a strange, many toothed key, dangles from a cord around his neck.

Adventure Part 3: Squabbles in the dark.
over 5 years ago – Tue, Sep 25, 2018 at 12:38:44 AM

The adventurers stumble on!

Hello Backers, here is the third part to the Kickstarter 'Dungeon crawl' to give you more ideas on how to use Rampage to build dungeon various layouts and configurations. Each day as you explore, we will reveal more parts of the dungeon.

Adventure Part 3. Kickstarter Dungeon crawl by Matt Rauscher.

3. Squabbles in the dark by Matt Rauscher

Pushing past the group, Sara stomps into the room gulping down screaming orc. Wheeling around she places her finger to her lips and blurts, “Shhhshhshhhhshhhh, You…*hic* you guys are being too loud!” Just as she finishes scolding you, several loud splashes are heard plopping into the well.

Looking around, you realize that another of your companions has begun to lob hunks of cheese into the murky well. Stumbling over, Sara snatches the last bit of cheese from his hand, takes a bite, and grumbles, “my cheese…”

Shaking his head, Mike walks over to the well and peeks inside. “Ugh! Smells like Eugena!” he remarks, realizing that the well is directly below the Rusty Tankard’s outhouses. Fortunately, there is no sign of Elmo or anyone else for that matter. Good thing too, as not one among you would have volunteered to go into that festering pit to rescue someone in distress.

Matthew stealthily tumbles, blade clenched in his teeth, to flank the right-hand door. Peter shouts, “Elmo Darling! Where are you?” trying to imitate the guttural barks of Eugena Beekman. Sadly mimicking that ghoulish woman’s gravel filled inflection proves to be too difficult. It does amuse Sara however, who joins in, “Ohhhhhh Elmose! Eugena’s got something sssspecial for ya!”

Looking at the door in front of him, Matthew sees a complex lock and realizes that there will be no getting past this door without a key. Darting across, in serpentine tumbles and stealthy maneuvers, using the others as cover, Matthew arrives at the left-hand door and sees that it is slightly ajar. Sara rolls her eyes.

Peeking beyond the door, you can see a wide hallway that turns right about ten feet ahead. The air in the hall is musty, with the strong scent of freshly turned earth. Matthew sidles to the corner and peers around. Wooden steps, cracked with age, descend into the dark below.

Signaling the group to advance, Matthew looks back to see Sara in a slap fight over the last piece of cheese. With Elmo’s life in the balance, Matthew gives a disapproving glare and begins to descend. Sara Shrugs. As you step down, the air suddenly becomes cold and clammy as the faint outline of an archway can be seen through the gloom ahead.

With the rest of the group finally settling the cheese dispute, you all arrive at the bottom of the stairs. Looking past the arch, a massive chamber opens before you. Loose stones and debris mingle with bones across the floor. Sara, taking a break from the whiskey bottle, points into the room and shouts, “Would you have a look at that!” motioning to the dozens of crypts lining the walls of the chamber.

Adeventure Part 2: Following the Cheesy Trail
over 5 years ago – Mon, Sep 24, 2018 at 12:41:20 AM

The adventure continues!

Hello Backers, here is the second part to the  Kickstarter 'Dungeon crawl' to give you some ideas on how to use Rampage to build dungeon various layouts and configurations. Each day as you explore, we will reveal more parts of the dungeon.

Adventure Part 2. Kickstarter Dungeon crawl by Matt Rauscher.

2. Following the Cheesy Trail by Matt Rauscher

Looking around the upper chamber you find no signs of Elmo.  The few crates in the room are open and filled with cheese.  An absurd amount of cheese.  At least, far more than any wharf side bar should have.  Satisfied that the upper chamber is empty, you shout upstairs, “Lovely cellar you have here m’lady!  And such a fine assortment of cheese…”

Before you can say another word, Eugena slams the door shouting, “Just find me that good for nothing Elmo!”

The steps to the lower cellar creek loudly with each step you take.  The shattered barrel at the bottom seems to have dropped from above, spilling gallons of Screaming Orc whiskey.  Refusing to waste a drop of the fine spirits, Sara uses a dirty rag to sop up as much whiskey as possible, wringing the rot gut out into an empty bottle.  “Good stuff! I bet it will polish your armor up real nice too.” She proclaims between a few face twisting pulls.

Under the stairs, broken glass from several whiskey bottles lie scattered amongst large chunks of cheese.  The bite marks in the cheese are strange, with two enormous prominent front teeth.

At that moment you hear a high-pitched scream, like a young girl in distress, followed by deep blubbering and begging, “Please don’t hurt old Elmo!”  echoes from beyond the basement wall.  In that direction, drag marks through the whiskey lead directly up to the wall and disappear.

With some effort, you discover a secret door and quickly open it.

The passage beyond is gloomy and strewn with bones.  With the secret door open, the sound of Elmo’s crying is much louder but suddenly, with a thud, cuts off.  Running down the hall you turn the corner to see an archway, beyond which dark silhouettes scatter out of view. A door slams!

You follow quickly and enter into an odd shaped room with wooden doors to your right and left. You Cannot tell which door was slammed. A murky well against the opposite wall gifts you a meaty sniff of a very different pungent perfume.

Alright brave heroes, what do you do?!

Adventure Part 1: Foul Play in the Rusty Tankard
over 5 years ago – Sun, Sep 23, 2018 at 12:05:31 AM

Dungeon crawl!

Hello Backers, here is a Kickstarter 'Dungeon crawl' to give you some ideas on how to use Rampage to build dungeon various layouts and configurations. Each day as you explore, we will reveal more parts of the dungeon. 

Adventure Part 1. Kickstarter Dungeon crawl by Matt Rauscher.

1. Foul Play in the Rusty Tankard by Matt Raucher

“Where is that lousy good for nothing?! Elmo! Get up here before I tan yer hide!” bellowed the widow Beekman. The bloated whale of a woman was in a worse mood than usual and on those nights her man servant, Elmo, was prone to disappearing.

The widow Eugena Beekman was the owner of the finest tavern in Swampton, the Rusty Tankard. Given that the Rusty Tankard was the only tavern in town did not stop Eugena from proudly claiming the title. Even so, most locals agree that the tavern’s best days ended with the passing of Eugena’s husband, Chesterhill. Today, locals celebrate the simple things, like when Eugena forgets to water down the screaming orc whiskey.

Waddling over to your table, Eugena slaps a meaty hand on your table. “Heya, you look like you could use a drink!” Snorting deeply, Eugena leans back and spits a disgusting wad, missing the spittoon. “I’ve got this bum knee and Elmo has run off to the root cellar again. Go fetch the louse and the next bottle is on him!”

With the promise of free booze, you and your companions open the door to the cellar and follow the stairs below. The strong smell of screaming orc stings your nostrils as your eyes scan the room. With the exception of a few rats scurrying about, there is no movement in this first room. Across the cellar, another set of steps leads further down. Gazing below you see a broken barrel lying in the middle of a giant puddle of whiskey but, again, no Elmo.

Brave adventurers, now you must decide what to do next! Tomorrow, we will have a look at your responses and we will post the next part of the story! Have fun and be brave!

 Explore the cellar of the Rusty Tankard

Multi language video by Matt Barker... lol

The AoD Team