RPGs with Kids, 2: Daring Escape!

Rock is exhausted, reeling under a curse of The Dark One. Roxley's torch is running out, sputtering in the predatory dark. Anjo is laden down with treasure, barely able to make a step without dropping something of value.

This is where we pick up session 2 of Caverns of Thracia via Into the Odd with my five-year-old, Ted.

It's simple, really. Make a big score, then get out and secure it for profit. Simple. Simple. Even my little son knew the jig was likely up when I presented the situation as such in response to his question, "what should we do now?" The party skulked back through the dark undercaverns of the jungle ruins, crossing the trapped bridge with care, and alighting on the cobbled platform where their rope hangs solitary from the pinprick of light far above in the ceiling. "We should get out of here," I offer as Roxley, when Ted asks his peers for their opinion. Ah, but the glint of hubris sprung alight in young Ted's eye as he pored over the map and saw another corridor just to the east of the party's position.

A Long Fulsiform Object, Jules Férat

Not one to railroad even a single bit of this experience for the boy, I had Rock and Roxley fall in lock-step behind Anjo as the de facto party leader said, "just to take a peek, is all!" Up ahead are footfalls. Heavy ones. I describe them as metal and clunking, probably from armored men. Rock pipes up, "hey, I told you we aren't alone down here!" Two figures walk into the fleeting torchlight, holding spears and wearing heavy metal plate armor. "What's your business here?" Anjo/Ted sputters, looking to me (and his ancillary NPC friends) for a good answer. I remain silent. "Speak up, then!" the guards repeat.

Ted looks at me earnestly and says, "I'm sorry we got into your cave and..." "And what?" the guard replies. "And took your things." I have both of the guards look to each other quizzically at the sudden and sincere confession. "You've ties with The Dark One, then? Otherwise you pay up, and quick!" Ted thinks for a moment, then says, "sure, we'll give it all back." He then has Roxley bend down to grab the loot from Anjo's pack, but whirls and chucks his torch at the left guard. Said guard fails a DEX save and the flame and ash spray all over his face, helmet be damned. He yowls and drops his spear, then the party quickly presses the attack! Anjo throws a dagger at the alert guard, nailing him between armor slits. He gets just enough damage on the d6 to put the guard into critical damage, which he fails to save. Rock steps in with a maul and ka-blams the crippled man, then the trio dashes away!

The firesprayed guard gets to his senses and charges after them, spear in hand. He manages to stick Rock like a pig, but despite Ted's terror at the retaliation (face it, kid, thems the rub), Rock saves against a critical strike and keeps hoofing it. The three of them get to the rope, but the pursuer is still trucking, so Ted has Rock toss his heavy chain at the man, catching him across the shoulders and dropping him to the cobbles in a tangle. It's a this point that shouts and torches bloom up from the distant darkness as the guards' cohort no doubt hears the ruckus. Up Anjo and Roxley climb. Up Rock groans and heaves, under great duress. The party manages to get to the sunlit surface! They haul up the rope after shaking it free from the soldiers down below, and then head off into the jungle.

Coming to a chasm, Ted has Roxley tie a rope to an arrow and fire it into a tree. Roxley, the most agil of the trio, then saves against a fall and makes it to the other side, securing it for the other two. Limping back into town, they divide the spoils, hit the inn for a big dinner ("Anjo wants berries and pancakes, and Roxley wants a steak, and Rock... wants a bowl a cereal"). The eclectic meal secured, the party stocks up on local adventuring supplies, making sure not to skimp on extra fire oil and rockets, of course.

The only piece of loot which remains untouched is a little runed box with unknown contents. Ted opens the box and finds a small brass ring. Curious, he puts it on Anjo's right ring finger, and Anjo's right eyeball promptly pops out into his open palm, hard as a marble. He quickly grabs it and though quite stunned, is fascinated by it. "Does it hurt?" he asks. "No," I respond, "but it is as if you can see through your palm." Ted has Anjo roll the eyball clack clack clack onto the ground and it rolls across the room. He can see through his left eye (in his head) and his right eye (looking back at him from the far corner) at the same time.  He puts the ring back and and POOF, his natural eyeball is back in its socket, hale and sound. "I put the ring on again." Plop. "I take it back off again." Poof. "On again." Plop. "Off again!" Poof. Ted is both thrilled and grossed out, which is about as good a reaction as I could anticipate.

Next time we'll delve back underground, with, uh, "magic eyeball popping sneaky ring" firmly affixed to Anjo's inventory loadout.