The Pavis and Big Rubble group, play report/notes. Session Two.
We join our heroes: Arax, the theist (a Daka Fal and Flesh Man initiate); Bala (an Inpala Tribe Praxian, and Waha Initiate); Jantos Red Spear (an Esrolian Lodril Initiate); Sarorik (a Sartarite Orlanth Initiate); and Sequester (an Orlanth Initiate of the Praxian Bison Tribe).
As they try to figure a way to smuggle the girl and her Sacred, Green pearl necklace out of Pavis. To meet a boat that will take her downstream to the next nearest Zola Fel (River God) temple.
The group decided to try to walk her in a heavy cloak and helm out of the city. Almost all the City gates were under construction, but the group was hoping that the Lunar guard would be light or unobservant at the North gate (one of the few open gates and the one with the most traffic).
On the inside of the city all looked well, but crossing outside the group found that the Lunars had the major of their troops casting spells to Detect Gems (and precious stones, I ruled this would include the Green Pearl necklace, mentioned above). None of the party was conversant with counter magic of the sort to stop the spells, and when they saw her necklace glowing through her heavy cloak they turned back.
The group consider various plans and finally decided on one of the most dangerous (physically) they would go through some old, abandoned Troll tunnels to the outside of the city. The Dwarves (Mostali) kept an entrance, and the girls' (powerful) family could get them in. (This decision by the players surprised me, I had thought about this as a possibility they might try, I figured they would abandon the idea of that much unknown danger.)
They had a single Mostali as a guide, and it was on edge the whole time. In the tunnels the group was tightly packed, and had to form into ranks to move.
After about an hour in the tunnel they began to hear strange noises, and shortly it was apparent that something was breaking threw the tunnel wall. (I was deliberately unclear what it was, to raise the tension.) A mid-sized Cave Troll broke through the wall, and attacked the party from the rear. Bala was guarding the rear and he faced off against the Cave Troll. Arax was walking next to the girl and when she froze (she was a normal NPC) he moved her behind him.
A complicated melee situation emerged, the tunnel wasn't large enough for people to move back to fight the Cave Troll. (I also wasn't conversant enough with Roll20 to make a combat map). Eventually they group felled the Cave Troll without taking any damage. (I missed writing up a Game Master's combat control sheet to reference, for the PC's, so I was disorganized. I also forgot that Cave Trolls have TWO attacks at once!).
Later my players accused me of throwing them a softball for combat. They didn't know that I had rolled 1d6 for number of Cave Trolls appearing, and gotten a one! That fact combined with the above fact of me forgetting to give the Cave Troll it's two attack per round made for a short fight.
The group got outside without further incident (no other encounter rolls panned out). They found they were downstream of the Zola Fel temple and walked there. When they arrived there were four Lunar guards at the front of the temple. The group hid close by and waited, hoping that the Lunars would disperse. One left, after several hours. This was where we came up to time for the day, so we parked the group there.
Lessons learned: one), always prep for the wildest plan there could be (if possible). I was just lucky I had thought a little about what this route might be like. Two), always have a mid-range for encounter rolls (I should have gone with 1d4+1 or 1d3+2 Cave Trolls.) Three), for me Always write a GM Control sheet for the PC Party beforehand. This is the Prep people always talk about before games. For me the Control sheet just has a variety of scores from each PC, in columns. The actual act of writing it helps, less the having of it. If I ever have a major Group of NPC enemies I would write one for them as well.