Grueling Gaol
The Rules
This is a mini-game called Cutthroat (a ttrpg game for your ttrpg character). This particular Cutthroat adventure is called Grueling Gaol. Your players can have their characters relaxing at any inn or tavern. As they sit around drinking ales and munching on salted nuts, they can break out a fistful of coins (20), get a scroll (this Cutthroat advetnure), and two knucklebones (2D6), from the barkeep. They can play by themselves or they can play against others to win coins!
- You can play this game solo or with others. The one who exits the dungeon with the most Life Points wins the pot!. If you complete a room then return to it again, it has reset and must be defeated again. The only exception is the Gator. Once it has been killed, it does not reset.
- You start with 20 Life Points represented by 20 coins. When ever you take damage, you remove that many coins from your pile and put them in a pile called the pot. If you can be the one to exit the dungeon with the most remaining Life Points, you win (and collect the entire pot of coins)! If your Life Points ever drop to 0, it's game over.
- You will need two knucklebones 2D6 dice.
- To roll 1D2, roll 1D6 and: 1-3=1 and 4-6=2.
To roll 1D3, roll 1D6 and: 1-2=1, 3-4=2, and 5-6=3
- If you prefer, use the roll buttons provided. Click on one to make the dice rolls instead. The number will appear in the lower left corner of the screen. Click that result to remove it from your screen
Welcome to the inglorious White Hills Prison, where criminals who cannot pay the fines for their crimes serve time in confinement. Periodically, criminals are allowed to earn aquittal of their crimes by making their way out of the Grueling Gaol alive. Their progress through this dangerous place is magically viewed for entertainment. There is no need to volunteer. Challengers are unwillingy chosen from amongst the incarcerated. Congratulations, you have been chosen!Let's Play!
Reason I Was Tossed In Gaol
How in the world did you get here? Roll 2D6 and find out! Roll A Reason <--- Click me!
- 2) I paid for my stay at the inn with lead coins painted silver.
- 3) I used loaded dice against Lord Cobblehart's son
- 4) I forged a letter of approval for the goods sold from a pirate ship
- 5) I accidentally slept with Lord Cobblehart's spouse. No, really, I ONLY slept! Honest!
- 6) I was framed!
- 7) I stole a sweet roll
- 8) I ran a shell game in an alley without bribing the city guard
- 9) I sold fancy silver whistles made of tin
- 10) I tried to rob an old man but he beat me up and called for the guard
- 11) I purloined a belt purse but it was enchanted and trapped me instead
- 12) I reported a guard for cheating
Room One
You awaken to the scents of damp stone and moldy earth. The weight of the chains from your incarceration are gone from your wrists and you realize you are laying on a stone cold slab. Opening your eyes, there is a perpetually dim green-gray glow that fails to set you at ease.
You are in a dank dungeon whose stone walls stand square. In the middle of the floor is a well ten feet across and filled with clean water. A gaping hole in the western wall drops to murky water three feet below.
A doorway on the south wall opens to a set of stone stairs leading up and out.
- Jump Down Into The Water
- Take The Stairs
Hole In The Wall
The dim glow is more faded here but there is still enough light to glisten off broad slimy strands stretched across the the water below. These strands are attached to the piles of broken stone on either side. Beyond the strands, the water seems to be an underground stream leading somewhere. Roll 1D3 Splash Down Roll
- 1) You stumble as you jump out and slam into the wall before splashing down into the water that is ten feet deep with a very loud belly flop. Roll 1D3 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Flop Damage Roll
- 2) You splash down into the water that is ten feet deep a little too close to the rock pile to your left or right (choose one), scraping your arm. Roll 1D2 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Scrape Damage Roll
There are two piles of jumbled and broken stones. One to your left and one to your right. It is an easy swim over to either pile and amongst them you manage to find a stone that fits nicely into your hand. You are now armed with a Stone!
- 3) You splash into the water that is ten feet deep without harm.
CONTINUE ALONG THE STREAM Move on to The Narrows.CLIMB BACK INTO THE ROOM Roll to determine what happens. Roll 1D2 Climb Roll
1) The wet stones are slippery and you get some scrapes climbing back in. Roll 1D2 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Scrape Damage Roll
2) Despite the slippery stones, you easily climb back into the room.
Room Two
Going up the stairs you come to a long landing with stairs going up. There are no walls on either side of the landing. Instead, there is a ten foot drop down into the murky water.
Take The Stairs
West Wall Drop
IF YOU JUMP DOWN:
You discover the murky water is ten feet deep and... Roll 1dD3 Roll To Avoid The Web 1) You not only land on the Web, you land next to two hungry Spider-Crab Hatchlings. Fight (two per character who rolled this)!
2) You land so close to the web, two hatchlings begin to move towards you. They look hungry. Swim away or fight (Two per character who chooses to fight)!
3) You land away from the web. Nothing seems to move. Swim away or investigate the web. If you investigate, two hatchlings (per character who rolled this) scurry towards you. Fight or swim away!
Spider-Crab Image
TIME TO FIGHT
If you rolled 1): You are bitten right before the fight starts. Roll 1D2 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. First Damage Roll . Once you have done so, continue.
Choose 1D6 to represent a Hatchling Spider-Crab and another 1D6 to represent you. If you only have one, then let the first roll be fore the Hatchlings and the second roll for you. ***IF YOU HAVE A STONE, add +1 to your attack roll. If you have a Wooden Bar, roll 1D6+2. Speaking the word on the bar has no effect on the Hatchlings.***
Hatchling Attack Roll Your Attack Roll
Stone Attack +1 Roll Wooden Bar Attack +2 Roll
East Wall Drop
You jump down into the murky water and discover it is ten feet. Nothing else seems to be in the water as it is a short swim to the cave.
It is an easy swim to the cave. Pulling yourself up out of the water and onto the first step, you notice the steps go down in an easy bend.
The dim green-gray light does not reach beyond the top three steps, the faint glow stopping abruptly as though the waiting darkness ate it. Suddenly, the step beneath your feet slants down as all the stone stpes have turned into a slide. The water, no longer kept at bay, flows into the cave, washing you down into the darkness so complete you can only feel what is happening.
You slide down the stone towards a gushing sound that grows louder and louder. Suddenly, there is no stone beneath you as you hurled through air before slamming into a column of water rushing up. Before you know it, you land on a floor where the dim green-gray glow reveals that you are back in Room One!
The Narrows
Swimming along, you reach a place where the water splits into two narrow passages curving around a bend. The water moves faster in the East Passage, while the water in the West Passage are noticably slower. Do you:As near the East Passage, the pull of the current strengthens and tries to drag you under. Roll a D6! Click me to Battle The CurrentEast Passage
- 1) The current drags you under, slamming you against the solid stone stream bed and walls as it rushes around the bend. Roll 1D6 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Battered Damage
Suddenly, you are spat out of the passage into the widened and deeper part of the stream. You swim to the surface, sputtering as you notice the two passages have rejoined back into one.
- 2-5) The current tries hard to pull you under but you valiantly keep your head above it. As the water rushes around the bend, you bounce off the walls Roll 1D3 and subtract if from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Wall Damage . You are spat out of the passage into the widened and deeper part of the stream where you notice the two passages have rejoined back into one.
- 6) The current is strong but you call upon all your strength and manage to keep your head above the water and your body away from the walls as the water surges around a bend. You are spat out of the passage into the widened and deeper part of the stream where you notice the two passages have rejoined back into one.
As you swim into this passage, there is no change in the current nor the depth of the water. You follow the passage into a bend. Suddenly, the dim green-grey glistens faintly off something in the water up ahead. Its a slimy web! Roll 1D6! Click me to Dodge The WebWest Passage
- 1) You swim into the web and are ensnared. Oh no! Two spider-crab hatchlings travel the strands and attack you!
Roll 1D6 once for the hatchlings. Hatchling Attack Roll
Roll a 1D6-1 Entangled Self Roll for yourself (entangled in the web). If you have a stone, roll 1D6 Entangled with Stone Roll instead. If you have a Wooden Bar, roll 1D6+2. Speaking the word on the bar has no effect on the Hatchlings. Wooden Bar Roll
If the Hatchlings roll is higher, Roll 1D2 Hatchling Damage and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. If your roll is higher, you kill one hatchling. Repeat until you have killed both hatchlings then continue.
You free yourself from the web and swim down the passage. Soon as you round the bend, the passage ends and you are now in the widened and deeper part of the stream where you notice the two passages have rejoined back into one.
- 2-5) Its a struggle but you manage to keep from getting entangled in the web. In the process, however, a Hatchling Spider-Crab has noticed you and attacks!
Roll 1D6 once for the hatchlings. Hatchling Attack Roll
Roll 1D6 for your self Your Attack Roll . If you have a Stone roll 1D6+1 instead. Your Stone Attack Roll If you have a Wooden Bar, roll 1D6+2. Speaking the word on the bar has no effect on the Hatchlings. Wooden Bar Roll
If the Hatchlings roll is higher, Roll 1D2 Hatchling Damage and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. If your roll is higher, you kill the hatchling. Repeat until you kill the hatchling then continue.
You swim down the passage. Soon as you round the bend, the passage ends and you are now in the widened and deeper part of the stream where you notice the two passages have rejoined back into one.
- 6) You dive and swim beneath the web, avoiding the reach of the Spider-Crab Hatchling. Surfacing safely beyond them, you swim down the passage. Soon as you round the bend, the passage ends and you are now in the widened and deeper part of the stream where you notice the two passages have rejoined back into one.
Room Three
Three doorways lead out of this chamber. Two statues sit upon stone pedestals before two broken concentric circles with wooden bars at their center.
On the edges of the room are scattered strange holes. As you walk past the statues, their mouths drop open. They begin to hiss as a sickly yellow vapor pours out. Shimmering blue barriers spring to life in all the doorways, including the one you entered through. These barriers allow you to see through them but will not let you pass. You are trapped in this chamber with the vapor slowly thickening!
***POISON DAMAGE***
Roll 1D2 and subtract from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Poison Damage Roll
Roll 1D2 and subtract from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Poison Damage Roll
As you examine the statues, wooden bars, and strange holes you realise one end of each bar and each holes is shaped as either a square, a triangle, or a circle. There are three places where the strange holes are clumped as a set of three: circle, square, triangle. Despite this, every wooden bar has the same letters carved into the haft: P-R-E-S-T-O. It's a puzzle! Roll the dice to solve the puzzle. If you roll a failure, you may roll again and keep re-rolling until you succeed. Solve The Puzzle Roll
Rolled a 1
Rolled a 2-3
Rolled a 4-5
Rolled a 6
Rolled a 1
You put three wooden bars in one set of strange holes. Nothing happens. The vapor remains. Roll for poison damage and subtract it from your Life Points.
Rolled a 2-3
You place a circle-tipped bar in one set of strange holes, a sqaure-tipped bar in the second set of holes, and a triangle-tipped bar in the third set. The shimmering barriers vanish but the vapor remains. Roll for poison damage and subtract it form your Life Points. You can now leave this chamber!
Rolled a 4-5
You place only the circle-tipped bars in each of the three sets of strange holes. Nothing happens. The vapor remains. Roll for poison damage and subtract it from your Life Points
Rolled a 6
You place a circle-tipped bar in one set of strange holes, a sqaure-tipped bar in the second set of holes, and a triangle-tipped bar in the third set. As you you set in each bar, your speak the word carved upon. There is a flash but nothing else happens until you place the third bar and speak the word. There is a great flash that fills the chamber. The statues close their mouths, the shimmering barriers vanish, and the vapor disappears. You can now leave this chamber!
YOU MAY CHOOSE TO ARM YOURSELF WITH ONE OF THE WOODEN BARS. (add +2 to your attack rolls)
ONCE THE SHIMMERING BARRIERS DISAPPEAR, DO YOU:
Exit Through the EAST DOORWAY.
Exit Through the SOUTH DOORWAY.
Exit through the WEST DOORWAY.
Retreat back through the NORTH DOORWAY.
ONCE THE SHIMMERING BARRIERS DISAPPEAR, DO YOU:
Exit Through the EAST DOORWAY.
Exit Through the SOUTH DOORWAY.
Exit through the WEST DOORWAY.
Retreat back through the NORTH DOORWAY.
Slimy Tangle
Slimy strands glisten in the waters ahead, stretching from wall to wall as they lurk at the surface. Nothing seems to be on them, a relief. However, the only way to get past them is to go under.Roll 1D6 to dive under the slimy strands. Dive Under Roll
- 1) You take a quick breath and dive, but your breath was too shallow. Sputtering up to the surface and into the slimy strands, an adult spider-crab charges in and attacks you. Roll 1D3 and subtract it from your Life Points. Time to fight while entangled, -1 to your attack roll.
- 2-5) You dive deep to avoid the strands but its too deep! You dive into an adult Spider-Crab grazing on the bottom. Time to fight!
- 3) You take a long breath and dive under the strands, but not so deep you reach the bottom. You make it past the slimy strands without incident.
TIME TO FIGHT
Choose 1D6 to represent the Spider-Crab Spider-Crab Attack Roll Choose 1D6 to represent you. If you are entangled roll 1D6-1. If you have a stone roll 1D6+1. If you are entangled and have a Stone, the cancel each other out. Roll your normal attack: 1D6. If you have a Wooden Bar, roll 1D6+2. Speaking the word on the bar has no effect on the Spider-Crab.
Your Attack Roll
Entangled Attack (-1) Roll
Stone Attack (+1) Roll
Wooden Bar Attack (+2) Roll If the Spider-Crab rolls higher, roll a 1D3 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Spider-Crab Damage Roll . If you roll higher, you hit the Spider-Crab. You must repeat the fight rolls until you have hit is three times, killing it.
Room Four
This square chamber has only one other doorway with a set of stone steps leading down. Another gargoyle statue stands on a little stone dais in the middle of the room.
TIME TO FIGHT!!
- Roll 1D6 for the Gargoyle's attack. Gargoyle's Attack Roll
- Roll 1D6 for you attack. Your Attack Roll . If you have a Stone, roll 1d6+1 Attack With Stone Roll . If you have a Wooden Bar, roll 1d6+2 Attack With Wooden Bar . If you speak the word on the wooden bar for an special effect, roll 1d6+3 Attack With Word Roll
- If the gargoyle's attack is higher than yours, it hits you with another jet of flame. Roll 1D3 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Gargoyle Fire Damage Roll
- If your roll is higher than the gargoyle's you have struck it a potent blow. If you succeed with a Word attack, the shield is destroyed and the gargoyle attack roll is now 1D6-1 Garoyle Without Shield Attack Roll .
Just A Log
The stream once again splits to go around a great column but, this time, you can easily see that it rejoins right away. The bottom of the stream rises, sloping up until it is out of the water, creating a shallows area before reaching a hole in the wall. A log floats in the shallows. Other than the hole in the wall, there is no other way out of the water without turning around and heading back the way you came.TO THE HOLE IN THE WALLThe shallows are about three feet deep and the dim green-grey glow provides enough illumination for you to see a bit of a room with a dry floor beyond the hole. The log drifts in your direction. As it nears, your realize its not a log but a Gator! You cannot swim away from the gator and it will follow you through the Hole in the wallTIME TO FIGHT Choose 1D6 to represent the Gator Gator Attack Roll Choose 1D6 to represent you. If you have a Stone, roll 1D6+1. If you have a Wooden Bar, roll 1D6+2. Speaking the word on the bar has no effect on the Gator.
Your Attack Roll
Stone Attack (+1) Roll
Wooden Bar Attack (+2) Roll If the Gator rolls higher, roll a 1D6 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Gator Damage Roll . If you roll higher, you hit the Gator. You must repeat the fight rolls until you have hit the Gator five times, killing it.
Room Five
There are two doorways, both opening to stairs going up. One to the North and the other the the East. There is a hole in the West wall leading out into water. A rickety wooden box lays in the center of the room.
TO THE BOX
As you near the crate, something rushes in from the Hole in the West wall. It's a Gator! You can run away up either set of the steps, the gator will not follow but you will not be able to open the box until the Gator is defeated.
***SKIP THIS BATTLE IF YOU ALREADY DEFEATED THE GATOR IN JUST A LOG***
Gator Image
***SKIP THIS BATTLE IF YOU ALREADY DEFEATED THE GATOR IN JUST A LOG***
Gator Image
TIME TO FIGHT
Choose 1D6 to represent the Gator Gator Attack Roll
Choose 1D6 to represent you. If you have a Stone, roll 1D6+1. If you have a Wooden Bar, roll 1D6+2. Speaking the word on the bar has no effect on the Gator.
Your Attack Roll
Stone Attack (+1) Roll
Wooden Bar Attack (+2) Roll If the Gator rolls higher, roll a 1D6 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Gator Damage Roll . If you roll higher, you hit the Gator. You must repeat the fight rolls until you have hit the Gator five times, killing it.
Your Attack Roll
Stone Attack (+1) Roll
Wooden Bar Attack (+2) Roll If the Gator rolls higher, roll a 1D6 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Gator Damage Roll . If you roll higher, you hit the Gator. You must repeat the fight rolls until you have hit the Gator five times, killing it.
OPENING THE BOX
Pushing aside the flimsy cover, you find it filled with straw tightly packed to form several bowl shaped depressions. Inside each of these 'bowls' rest a vial of glistening red liquid. Painted on the vials are the letters H-E-A-L. There are as many vials as there are players in the dungeon.
If you drink from a vial roll 2D6 Healing Potion Roll and add that many new coins to your Life Points (you cannot take any coins from the pot). Your total Life Points cannot go higher than 20.Room SIx
This room has three doorways: one to the North, one to the East, and one to the West. In the middle of the room are four pedastels. At their center is a sign that reads: Rock-Free Zone. A gargoyle statue rests on each pedastel. Gargoyles ImageAs soon as you move towards the center of the room or a doorway, including if you turn around to face the doorway you entered from, the gargoyles hiss. Rocks appear in their hands which they then hurl at you. Roll 1D6 to see how many hit you. Hurled Rock Attack
- 1) You were hit with 3 rocks and knocked flat onto the floor. Roll 3D2 and subtract them from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. 3 Rocks Damage . Your scramble to your feet. To reach the Rock-Free Zone of the room, you must roll again as more rocks are hurled at you. Roll another Hurled Rock Attack.
- 2-3) You were hit with 2 rocks! Roll 2D2 and subtract them from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. 2 Rocks Damage . You dodge the rest of the rocks by diving into the Rock-Free Zone of the room. To reach a doorway, you must make another Hurled Rock Attack as more rocks are thrown at you.
- 4-5) You were hit with 1 rock! Roll 1D2 and subtract it frmo your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. 1 Rock Damage . You dodge the rest of the rocks by diving into the Rock-Free Zone of the room. To reach a doorway, you must make another Hurled Rock Attack as more rocks are thrown at you.
- 6) You dodged all the rocks by dashing into the Rock-Free Zone of the room. To reach a doorway, you must make another Hurled Rock Attack as more rocks are thrown at you.
- IF YOU TURNED AROUND TO LEAVE THE WAY YOU CAME IN) Roll the Hurled Rock Attack. When the options say you made it to the Rock-Free Zone, you instead successfully leave the way you came in.
- WHEN YOU GO FROM THE SAFE CENTER TO A DOORWAY) Roll the Hurtled Rock Attack. When the options say you made it to the Rock-Free Zone, you instead successfully exit the room through the chosen doorway.
Room Seven
This room is filled with a murky mist. You cannot see more than your arm's length. Sadly, this means you cannot see the floor. The misty swirls slowly and carries with it the scents of the city and muffled sounds of a distant street. You are close to the exit! All you have to do is make it through the mist!
Roll 1D6 to try and reach the exit! Try For The Exit
- 1) You take a step and a stone beneath your foot with a click you feel more than hear. Suddenly the floor beneath you disappears and you fall into a winding shaft of stone. It is pitch dark and wet as water slides you towards a gushing sound that grows louder and louder. Suddenly, there is no stone beneath you as you hurled through air before slamming into a column of water rushing up. Before you know it, you land on a floor where the dim green-gray glow reveals that you are back in Room One!
- 2-3) You take a step and a stone beneath your foot with a click you feel more than hear. There is a stone thunk in a wall near you and a swish of air swirls the mist right at you. A spear pierces you! Roll 1d6 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Spear Damage Roll . You fall to the floor and must roll again.
- 4-5) You take a step and a stone beneath your foot with a click you feel more than hear. There is a stone thunk in a wall and a swish of air swirls the mist right at you. A spear pierces you! Roll 1d6 and subtract it from your Life Points by placing the coins into the Pot. Spear Damage Roll . You stagger but stay on your feet. Up ahead the dim green-gray brightens and you can make out.. a doorway. Ignoring the pain, you run to the doorway! You have reached the Exit.
- 6) You take a step and a stone beneath your foot with a click you feel more than hear. There is a stone thunk in a wall and a swish of air swirls the mist right at you. You dive to the floor and make a tumbling roll back to your feet. Up ahead the dim green-gray brightens and you can make out.. a doorway. Ignoring the pain, you run to the doorway! You have reached the Exit.
Exit
You stand upon a set of stone steps going up. The dim green-gray is gone and daylight shines upon the gray stones. The sounds of the busy street grow louder with every step you climb. With a grin, you leave the Grueling Gaol victorious! If you are playing solo, congratulations on defeating this adventure and can reclaim your coins from the Pot! If you are playing against others, whomever has the most remaining Life Points wins the Pot. There can be no winner until everyone has either exited the dungeon or died.
Map
Gruelling Gaol has been published!!
Click Image to order the PDF or Booklet versions from Blade & Banter Press!
Illustrations by Sapha Burnell
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I like how one might add it into a running campaign, play it as a one-shot, or even solo it right here on the page. It's a very clever idea, and a nifty little story. Great job!
Thanx!!
PANGORIO
andHYPNOSIUM