I’m up to the fun bit where I get to play the Top Ballista adventures. The method from Elminster’s Guide to Solo Adventuring assumes you have NOT read through the adventure so no spoilers please.
Weirdly, after a whole book about players characters who are native to the flying city of Serraine the adventure book assumes the PCs are not locals. Therefore, in order to try out one of the new PC races I have converted I have generated a Ground Gnome. I present Branwyth Lodestone the well-travelled gnome.
Top Ballista: Tabi Hunt 5E Solo
by Karl David Brown
A scholar who lacks the curiosity to see for herself. Humans are perhaps the oddest of the Known World’s people. Still I’m not complaining. A broken bow and nearly out of coin, tracking down a few monkeys and asking them about the wheres-abouts of of some ancient Traladaran ruins is a nice easy job.
Ahead on the forest trail is a large person, much larger than my three and half feet as the big-footed humans measure height. At first I think he is a centaur but in the dim light filtering through the canopy his equine flanks bulge oddly.
“Allo fellow traveller!” I call, but my hand strays to my spell focus crystal. Centaurs may be sylvan guardians but any non-gnome met on the road could be dangerous or duplicitous. I place my back to a sturdy oak as he trots over. The bulges are wings! Well there is a thing a centaur that flies! The young stallion regards me with dark amused eyes under a mane of thick black hair. “Well met indeed little traveller” He says seriously. “What is your business in the Dymrak Forest?”
“I could ask you the same er…”
“Rolane. I’m looking for the Tabi, a kind of flying monkey.”
Banwyth’s Flaw and default state is to be suspicious of non-gnomes. What does his insight tell him? Roll 1d20+2 = 5.
Roland has Charisma 12, 1d20+1 = 21.
I eye the young winged-centaur. He seems a no-nonsense sort common among young muscular unseasoned warriors of all species. “Well then, it seems we share a common purpose. I reckon we can search together if you be in agreement?”
“That would be agreeable…”
“Banwyth o’ Clan Lodestone, at yer service”
“Well met Banwyth.” And with that he resumes trotting forward down the woodland trail. Yes, a simple straight-forward sort. Also trot, there is no choice if I am to keep up, and the two of us proceed through the cool morning in comfortable silence.
After a while Rolane ventures “Do you know much about the Tabi?”
“Not much, only they is some kind of talking flying monkey.”
“It is well I met you. The tabi are odious deceitful little thieves, little better than verminous animals. You must deal with them harshly, that is all they can understand.”
I nod listening. The scholar did say they were ‘mischievous’, but the heat in the winged-centaur’s remarks is obvious.
Leaving the charcoaler’s trail behind, we walk game trails heading Nor’ Nor’ West of Rugalov village as my employer instructed.
One hex is 8 miles. It’s 6x8=48 miles to the tabi lair. Overland travel in 5e is 24 miles a day at normal pace. It is a two-day march to the lair.
Though we share watches during the night, two days pass without incident.
On mid-afternoon of the second day we pass a small broken stone statue. “It’s a carving of a Tabi. See its ugly little face in the customary grimace of hatred. The artist has really captured their disagreeable nature.”
The expression looks more like fear to me. “I don’t think there was an artist. Why would someone leave a broken statue here in the forest. I think the poor thing was turned to stone in flight and broke when, err he, hit the ground. We had best be alert.”
“Agreed”
A half hour later we encounter another statue. This time a goblin. Hurrying on until the light gives out we put some distance between ourselves and the petrified creatures. The land becomes uneven and we make camp without fire hidden in a small woodland vale. After a nervous but uneventful night we prepare to encounter the Tabi who should be not far away.
Immature Tabi p6. In 5th this would be a passive perception check in secret by the DM against the Tabi’s Stealth. The BECMI version has Move Silently and Hide so the 5e version would have Stealth skill and probably a low challenge. Assuming typical Dexterity give say 14 (+2) So a Stealth of +4. I roll and get a 5 for them. The two travellers easily notice the young tabi.
Our heightened alertness is soon rewarded. A rustle of leaves gives away the presence of three tabi in the canopy about 25 feet above us.
“Sneaky, little bastards, aren’t they” comments Rolane as he notices me looking up. “About to throw faeces at us no doubt”
Realising they are seen the creature flit off to the north.
“Should I fly after them?” Suggests Rolane with urgency
“Hold!” I grab his rear fetlock as he crouches to spring into the air. “I’m guessing they are flying toward home. A little further in that direction and we should find their lair.”
Rolane shrugs but trots on in the direction the flying monkeys fled in.
At this point an NPC called De’Ath has just stumbled on the party and is spying on them from the cover of some bushes. He drinks his potion of telepathy but only reads surface thoughts so as to remain undetected. He will need a stealth check against our passive perceptions to remain undetected. No relevant BECMI skills and DEX11 so Stealth is +0. He rolls 12. Banwyth will notice him (just) so there is no need to determine Rolane’s perception yet.
A few yards along the game trail later Banwyth is sure. The rustle of leaves is something slinking through the bushes behind and to the left. In a smooth action he draws a dart and whirls around staff at the ready. Rolane follows suit drawing his heavy greatsword. “Show yourself, why do you follow us” No response to Rolane’s command.
“Perhaps a bear stalks us?” I ponder aloud.
“There are bears in these parts. I could charge in and…”
A hunched figure hurries out of the undergrowth “No! De’Ath not bear!” The person has vultures head and neck grey feathering and watery grey-blue eyes, and wears a voluminous heavy grey cloak folded about him. Across his back is what looks like a decorated sword hilt poking out of a rolled rug. “De’ath scared of bears, follows near adventurers for safety.”
“Really?” I ask.
“He is a nagpa, a rare breed of powerful evil wizards” offers Rolane.
“De’ath not a powerful wizard. De’Ath alone and needs brave adventurer’s help” whines the newcomer.
Banwyth’s Flaw makes him suspicious of non-gnomes and this guy is already acting suspiciously. Does my gnome believe the nagpa? Given his role in the story I’ll dive De’Ath Deception skill but his charisma is 8 and with 30hp his prof bonus is probably +2, so 1d20-1. 12 rolled for total of 11. Banwyth Insight +2 and rolls 16 for a total of 18.
“Come off it.” I scoff “your name is literally ‘Death’, you ain’t no rug merchant”.
“De’Ath, is just a common Nagpa name. I am just a harmless scholar, but it is true I dabble a little in harmless spells, what scholar doesn’t? I just want to tag along a little behind you for safety.” Explains the nagpa.
“Is that right? What then is a book-ish scholar doing wandering about a forest so armed?” I ask eying the ‘scholar’ with suspicion.
“I seek to employ a Tabi as a servant. The tabi have the curiosity and intelligence to make excellent research assistants and the speed to act as messengers that facilitate correspondence with learned colleagues. My valuable sword I found investigating an ancient ruin. I have yet to find a buyer for this excellent weapon, which it too cumbersome for my feeble untrained self. Would either of you be interested in procuring an enchanted sword.”
Does Banwyth believe him? DC10. Roll 18+2=20. An easy roll because De’Ath is being entirely truthful.
Rolane scoffs “Scholar huh! You’re a fool to want to employ one of those odious vermin.”
De’Arth replies with a sharp ‘sqwark!’.
“Stop. Rolane, I think De’Arth’s tale has the ring of truth. …”
“thank you, thank you, you are a scholar and a gentle gnome to take pity on a stranger so” whines De’Ath while pawing at me.
“Steady on, you are to travel between brave Rolane out front and me-self. As it turns out we are all seeking the Tabi and are close so there ain’t no inconvenience to us if you travel with us.”
That settled, we set off but all thoughts of stealth are lost to De’Ath and Rolane bickering about the virtues and vices of the tabi respectively.
Searching to the north fails to find the tabi. When we make camp Rolane and I split the night watch and De’Ath does not complain.
Who is on watch when the next encounter happens? 1d6, 1-3 me 4-6 Rolane. 5 Rolane. Does he notice the tabi sneaking up on him? Passive perception for Rolane was determined to be 11. I have stated out Rolane here: viewtopic.php?t=30516&start=50.
I need to determine the Stealth of the Tabi. Actually, scratch that. Reading the next few sentences he literally just appears! Part of the Elminster’s Guide solo method is to read as you go deliberately limiting the information you are working from.
I am roused from my dreams by Rolane roughly shoving my shoulder. I roll into a crouch ready to pounce dagger in hand. By our fire stepping back palms up to show he means no harm is a cat-sized monkey with a pair of bat-like wings opening in startlement. I relax a little. He is old and rather mangy with a bloodshot left eye. He wears only a gold ring and medallion. I place my dagger on the dirt and settle into sitting cross legged. I note Rolane is already seated, his four legs folded under him. How long since I felt truly safe? The life of a travelling gnome takes a toll.
“Who are you? And why have you disturbed our camp?” Demands Rolane angrily. His raised voice causing De’Ath to stir and start to sit up.
“I am Questin an elder of my people and I could ask you what you are doing in in our lands and who you are*… However, nothing escapes my ears in my forest. You are Rolane who seeks a family hierloom, I assure you I know nothing of your missing sword. You should not judge a whole people for the actions of one” The old tabi’s tone as if speaking to a misbehaving child.
*Questin is deliberately being mysterious. See if you can guess how he knows so much about us.
“Pah! You ridiculous little vermin, do not presume to lecture me! Begone!” And with that he tosses a small stone at the tabi which passes right through the elder as if he was a ghost.
Quenstin uses the pegataur’s moment of surprise to retort sharply “Do not be so presumptuous, pegataur. One thief does not make us all thieves. Learn some common-sense!”
I reach up to put my hand on the pegataurs arm to calm him before he does or says something that will end the encounter.
The tabi fixes his eyes on De’Ath who is now sitting up in his bedroll watching. “We do have what you want but you don’t seem to have considered what to offer us for it.”
“I’m a poor wanderer, please what could have to offer?” Whines De’Ath.
“The ring I think” the tabi states his price.
“No! It is precious to me. Take the sword it is very valuable.” Begs De’Ath.
“No, that gigantic thing is even less useful to us than it is for you.” Counters the tabi before issuing an ultimatum. “You and I both know that without the book old Matazumi will make sure you can never go home. The ring please.” The elder tabi finishes firmly. De’Ath nods his acquiescence sulkily. I’m surprised the nagpa has lied about his reason for seeking out the tabi, I was sure that he wasn’t lying about that. I’ll have to be even more vigilant around De’Ath.
“See, a wizard!” comments Rolane jumping to his own conclusions about the revelations.
The tabi points at the ground near his feet. De’Ath takes off his ring, gets up, shuffles over and leaves the ring at Quenstin’s feet. His hunched form then shuffles back a respectful distance.
“Banwyth, you seem to be the most reasonable of this rag-tag group so I’ll deal with you. I know the location of the ruins you seek but there is a task I want performed in exchange for that information and the book your companion seeks, and yes I’ll still want the nagpa’s ring but he can keep it until the end of the task if he accepts. ”
“Let us hear your task.” I counter.
“Us? What is in the vermin’s offer for me?” Demands Rolane of me speaking of the tabi as if he was not present.
“You seek excitement and heroics. You will have them.” States Quenstin.
“Humph” grunts Rolane but his interest is written all over his handsome hero’s face.
“I see, we can deal with you after all. Wait a moment and we can finish our negotiations in person” and with that Quenstin vanishes.
The comment about ‘heroics and excitement’ worries me that we’ll have to earn our payment and perhaps not all three of us will be around to get our rewards. I keep this to myself.
We wait for a few minutes around our camp fire then Quenstin returns. Flanked by five muscular looking, but still little more than 2 foot tall, tabi. “ ‘What is this task?’ you wonder. Have you seen any statues in your travel through our forest?” Asks Quenstin. We nod yes. I know what’s coming and get a bad feeling. “There is a great grey lizard that turns any creature that disturbs it to stone. It’s lair is a ravine near here. Go there and kill the monster and you will get your rewards.”
“I accept, a deed worthy of song!” Yells Rolane.
“We should at least confer, see if we all agree the risk is worth it” whines De’Ath.
I just sigh. At least its not a medusa.
“I’ll give you until the first red glimpse of dawn to talk it over. I’ll be back for your answer then.” States Quenstin then he and his bodyguards leap into the trees and are gone.
“I will go, alone if need be.” Offers Rolane.
“It is too dangerous.” Begins De’Ath in a calm reasonable voice. “Let us outsmart them. We make to leave then double back and find their camp. We go at night find what we need. If we are quiet no-one gets hurt.”
“As much as I’d like to give the little thieving rodents a taste of their own medicine skulking about is no way for a warrior to behave.” Counters Rolane.
“I’m with Rolane. I’m a traveller and though I’ve been called a vagabond I ain’t gonna become one. I gave my word I’d do a job and I’m gonna do it. A mercenary who doesn’t follow that simple code gets no more work. Besides that book yer after De’Ath sounds valuable, you at least will be getting a fair pay for the work”
De’Ath whimpers like the trapped dog, that he is, but does not say he isn’t coming. He must be more scared of this Matazumi whoever that is.
It is still dark to my eyes when Quenstin an his guards return. Rolane verbosely reaffirms his, and our, commitment to slaying the unnatural monster.
“We should travel quickly before the beast stirs and leaves its lair. Can you lend us a guide to take us straight there?” One of Quentstin’s guards is assigned the task. As the small but burly tabi leads us through the woods I outline a plan, after rejecting Rolane’s proposed heroic frontal assault. “It lives in a ravine. We sneak up and before it can raise its gaze at us all rain missiles on it from above all at once. If it lives through that, spit up and keep moving.”
The solo method in use relies on limited reading to keep myself in the dark. Character and player knowledge will be similar. Now however I can’t blunder into a fight without the player knowing about what De’Ath can do. Huh, he was supposed to have to zombies with him this whole time. Ok, let’s just ignore that.
“We need to trust each other if are to beat this monster,” begins De’Ath carefully “A couple of the small defensive spells I know will wound at a distance and…”
“See evil wizard!” interrupts Rolane.
“Shhh! You don’t want to alert the beast” I warn.
“…and I can create a diversion.” Finishes De’Ath. “This” he points to the rolled rug on his back “is a flying carpet. I can ride it and Rolane can fly. Mobility and attacks from above will give us an advantage.”
“Good, good. I’ll sneak over to the edge of the ravine. You watch from the treeline then fly out once I’m in position then make your magical diversion.”
We leave behind our tabi guide and creep towards the ravine.
I’m all set now for a Friday Fight Night!
Group stealth check to get into position.
Banwyth 9+2=11
De’Ath 3+0=3
Rolane 6+1=7
Basilisk Passive Perception 9. More than half of us fail.
I creep over to the edge of the ravine. It looks like an irregular shaped limestone sink-hole actually. De’Ath on his carpet and Rolane circling above move into position above the ravine. Peering over the edge I can see the ‘ravine’ walls are steep slopes rather than vertical. There is a large area of flat-ish ground at the bottom. I can also see a cave at the bottom, no doubt the creature’s lair. Suddenly, a wild horse appears out of thin air at the bottom of the ravine neighing and trotting about.
INT save for Banwyth and Rolane.
Banwyth 9+4=13
Rolane 17+1=18.
It must be an illusion created by De’Ath. We wait and wait. After a minute the ‘horse’ vanishes. Looks like the monster either isn’t hungry, senses a trap, or isn’t at home. Either way, it looks like it isn’t coming out. After about a half hour of waiting I signal for the others to come down, the horse vanishes, and we retreat back into the trees. “Looks like we are going to have to go in and do this the hard way.” I state without enthusiasm.
“It will make a better song.” Enthuses Rolane.
“It will get us all killed” predicts De’Ath with a whine.
“Look you can sod off and deal with this Matazumi by yourself or you can help us.” My patience with the nagpa’s whining growing thin.
“We rush in, steel and spell flashing like a storm, and overwhelm the terrible monster!” Proposes Rolane with excitement.
“Kwarr!” De’Ath cries in obvious shock.
“I think Rolane is right.”
“I am?”
“We creep down then all rush in together with heroic Rolane in the lead, then myself protecting De’Ath our wizard at the rear. Once inside when we see the beast we split up and keep moving about to avoid its petrifying gaze.”
Rolane grins his big stupid grin and De’Ath sighs resignation.
We return to the ravine and try to quietly make our way down.
Since the basilisk knows we are around I’m not going to bother rolling stealth for our approach to the cave.
The cave mouth is about 12 feet across, thankfully plenty wide enough for our pegataur.
“On three” I whisper.
“Wait” Whispers De’Ath urgently then with a word and gesture causes the end of his staff to glow with blue arcane light.
“Sorry, forgot you can’t see in the dark” I apologise.
Rolane also cast a minor spell and causes his greatsword to glow blue.
“Ready? On three. One, two…”
“Glory!” yells Rolane and rushes in. I charge in his wake hoping the nagpa will follow.
Thirty feet in there is a Y junction without hesitating Rolane chooses the wider of the two natural tunnels and continues his head-long charge. I curse the others’ need for light as the tunnel widens into a large cavern. I could see further without the light. Undaunted Rolane continues charging into the heart of the darkness.
There is a narrowing of one passage described in the text but not shown on the map. There is also an instruction for the DM to decide what is down once passage.
Then we see it a wall of huge masonry blocks the way on. Bas-relief carvings of gods and monsters decorate the wall and are covered with the dust of long ages. It seems I have found the ruins I was sent to find. Our initial momentum lost, we inspect the length of the wall. It’s top and ends seem buried in a cave-in. There are no doors through and nowhere for the monster to be hiding here. We back-track to the Y-junction. The other branch of the tunnel soon comes to a narrowing a few feet across and five feet high. A look of disappointment clouds Rolane’s face, there is no way he will fix through.
“Bring out yer longbow. We will need your keen eye an’ mighty arrows” I say to cheer him. “De’Ath, I’ll rush in first you follow. Once we are through split up and lose your deadliest spells”
Initiative.
De’Ath 16+0=16*
Basilisk 14-1=13
Rolane 11+1=12*
Banwyth 3+4=7*
In this round folks will be holding action to act in the order I suggested or wait for a victim to appear.
I rush in, I can hear the monster crawling about but in the dimmed light provided by the others I can’t see it. I twitch my spellcasting fingers and wait for De’Ath to bring the light forward. De’Ath slinks in keeping a wall at his back as he cautiously advances and then a lot of things happened at once…
There is a great big pile of held actions here let’s revolve them in order of initiative.
The advancing light of De’Ath’s staff reveals a dim reptilian shape about 35 feet away.
De’Ath raises his staff twists the fingers of his free hand and exclaims an arcane word. A boom of sound like thunder makes the floor tremble.
Basilisk makes a CON save. 3+2=5 Fail. 3d8 thunder damage from the Shatter spell = 17.
Monster hp: 55765728+16=61. It’s a tough one! Basilisk on 44hp. De’Ath out of 2nd level spell slots. Note De’Ath is just out of range of the reptile’s gaze attack.
The basilisk turns it’s deadly gaze on me.
Reading the rules this is not an action for the monster. It is automatic at the start of a victim’s turn if within 30 feet of basilisk.
There is a ‘twang’ as Rolane loses an arrow.
Held action Attack roll disadvantage for dim light: 8,4+4=miss
But the shaft flies wide. I lose my spell.
Magic missile cast at 2nd level. 4144+4=17. Monster has 27hp left.
Four bolts of yellow magical energy fly from my hand blasting the monster.
Held actions resolved everyone has acted except the monster.
The reptilian horror rushes forward into the light revealing its unnatural eight legs and baleful glowing eyes. Soon it is in arm’s reach of me.
Basilisk move and dash. END ROUND
ROUND 2.
Initiative.
De’Ath 16+0=16
Basilisk 14-1=13
Rolane 11+1=12
Banwyth 3+4=7
De’Ath begins his turn within the gaze range. CON save 4+0=4. Begins to turn to stone! Restrained (PHB 292).
De’Ath begins to turn grey and his movement slows as he incants a spell. A bolt of fire shoots out of his outstretched finger...
Spell attack firebolt with disadvantage. 16,11+4=15 Hit! 10 fire damage. Basilisk has 17hp left.
Scorching the beast. Enraged the monster lizard bites at me.
Attack roll 8+5= 13. Miss.
But its fangs fail to penetrate my invisible magical aura of protection.
Rolane is in range of the gaze. CON save 7+1=8 Fail Restrained.
Our mighty pegataur also begins to succumb to the petrifying gaze of the monster even as he looses an arrow.
Attack with disadvantage 19,17+4= 21 hit! 1d8+2 =10 piercing damage. Monster on 7.
The elven-made head of the arrow buries deep toward the monster’s heart but it struggles on in mad fury. I proclaim my spell again releasing four bolts of arcane energy.
CON save for me too. As a Ground Gnome I have advantage though. 1,5+1=6 fail. Restrained. Magic missiles. 1141+4=11 force damage. Monster dead but we are not out of the woods yet!
Even as my magic blasts the life from the beast and its baleful eyes dim I feel the petrifying magic of the basilisk begin to steal over me.
ROUND 3
De’Ath CON save 2+0=fail.
Rolane CON save 5+1=fail
Banwyth CON save with advantage 1,8+1=fail.
As the cold steals over me I watch helplessly as first De’Ath then Rolane become stone and then darkness takes me.
Epilogue.
After a week with no sign of the monster or the mercenaries a one of the braver tabi scouts swoops down into the ravine to investigate. Torch in hand she cautiously advances into the cave. Therein she finds statues of three heroes glaring towards their vanquished foe. In years to come tales of the battle no-one witnessed are told to tabi-cubs and visitors come to the cave to see the ancient ruins and to pay respect to the trio of heroes that slew the monster.
I'll be rolling up a new PC to tackle the next adventure. Be on the look out for a new topic for "Scream of Terror!"