The Maztica Campaign: Pre-Season Training

Our first session of AD&D 1E was hosted this past Saturday. Only half of the intended party was included, as only half of the party hadn't played in at least a decade and, like the DM, were sorely in need of a refresher.

The Characters
João Afonso Villalobos: 1st Level Human Ranger, the younger son of a poor-but-proud Imnescar landowner.  Chaotic Good adherent of Tymora.





Esparelda Ragosa: 1st Level Gnomish Fighter/Thief. Second daughter of an itinerant Gnomish tinsmith. Neither of her names is particularly Gnomish, suggesting she's using an alias. Chaotic Neutral and Tymora will do. A bit shifty...



Part 1: Introductions

The scene opens at the capital city of Amn, Athkatla. The PCs have been conducted there by commissioned recruiters, to join the company of reinforcements, gathered for service in Maztica (The Nu World).
Unfortunately, the company they were supposed to rendevous with had already sailed (several days ago) and the PCs were forced to take lodging in the city to await the next levy.

Prices in Athkatla are high, even in the poor River District, rents are nearly double the book rate, and the PCs have spent most of their starting money on their armour, weapons and other kit (one player decided to buy a spear to save money, rather than the sexier sword).

With resources dwindling,  the PCs decide to look for work. Visiting the Shrine of Tymora, after making a donation ("When a coin to Tymora drops in the coffer, a seven-fold return she will surely offer.." the dæconess assured) they were rewarded with a referral to speak with Voil Guldi, a Dwarven merchant in the Jeweler's District.

After a short, confused interval, when Heer Guldi mistakenly assumed the PCs where there to wash down the coal cellar, the Dwarf, reading the clerical referral, offered a job: inspect the stormsewers beneath the market plaza and determine what's blocking the street drains from properly draining. The job pays 50 gp each.

Despite their financial straits, the PCs decided to haggle.

João Afonso: "It sounds dirty..."
Voil Guldi: "It IS dirty. That's why I'm hiring scallywags like yourselves."
Esperalda: "I'd hate to ruin my good clothes..."
Voil Guldi: "Just as well you're not wearing them, yes?"

Both parties finally arrived at a final sum of 75 gp each, plus two scrips, each redeemable for a Cure Disease casting, should either of the PCs need one upon return. Also included were some rope and a lantern - Guldi also threw in an old set of boots the Gnome could use as hip-waders.

"Of course, you may keep whatever loot you may find."

The PCs then asked for an advance, which after some more haggling, the Dwarf agreed to advance 25 gp, providing they left some articles as security. João Afonso's Tymora medallion and Esperalda's good boots were left behind, to be reclaimed on return.

That evening, as the PCs retired to the upper garret of their jointly rented shack, having dined on some roast poultry, purchased by their advance, Esperelda was melting tallow candles to waterproof Guldi's old boots.

"Are we missing some candles?" she asked João.

"Well, we've been frying bread in them..." he remarked, removing a chicken leg from his pocket as a pre-bedtime snack.


Post Game Observations
I haven't run AD&D in 30 years, Call of Cthulhu and Traveller having dominated my RPG world. It was rather amusing how these other games informed my decision-making: Starting the PCs off at near-penury (as Derek phrased it) is an old Traveller device, making doing a job a higher priority than simple "adventuring". The PCs are believably "pushed" where the DM wants them to go.

Also, the PCs knew each other, albeit casually, for some years - Esperalda's father would occasionally sharpen the pruning bill hooks on João Afonso's father's farm. I can't stand when new PCs awkwardly tiptoe around each other on first meeting - there's something to be said for piling your PCs onto a boat and then wrecking them onto a strange shore, "Lost" aside.

Dangling the conspicuous commercialism above their heads also seemed to drive home the message that the PCs were running out of money, and therefore time.

For some reason, I couldn't find the data on stat checks (the 1E books, while chock full of data, are atrociously organised (speaking as a former Technical Writer - EGG's kids should have bought him an Index for Father's Day) so I fell back on Chaosium's mechanic for Call of Cthulhu - multiple the stat by five to obtain the percentile range of success, 96-100 being a critical failure, anything under 20% of the necessary amount indicates a critical success.

Next time: Descent into the Depths of Waste-Water Management...