Test 11 May

[Jubal]

Had a short test today, of the The World Above scenario. We didn't get that far before my unfortunate test partner had his character eaten by a gryphon, but it was an interesting test all the same. I think I may need to make the chaos in the scenario somewhat greater, a double one (which is what triggers caverns collapsing) isn't a high roll, but that said it's a game where tunnelling is hard so a full tunnel collapse is a big deal. Maybe I need a lesser but more frequent option as well as the current "full collapse".

Also not really sure what to do about the typical-for-the-game scenario where someone at the end of their move just walks into a monster lair or lava flow and gets disembowelled or deep-fried respectively on the spot. In some ways that sort of randomness is a bit of a joy of the game, but if it happens early and nobody can help the player character it can be a bit rough. I think maybe just better and clearer rules for player death might be worth having. Also it's partly that I often play this game with two players rather than the four or five I originally wrote it for, which means in "normal" circumstances another PC is more likely to be in reach to help a player. Maybe I should balance for four characters more heavily and make it such that in two player games the players get a hoplite companion or similar?