Foot of the Mountain Adventures: Best Left Buried - Observation, Stat, and Grip Checks

I've been enjoying Best Left Buried recently. Some folks have asked for some play through examples, so I decided to start putting some together. This time around I'm writing about Stat Checks, Observation Checks, and Grip Checks. We'll also take a look at the Against the Odds and the Upper Hand mechanics. Let's start out by introducing our intrepid group:

Amy - plays Wormac, a Dastard who’s quick with her blade
Bill - plays Gannon, a hulking Protagonist
Tom - plays Bjorn, a Cabalist with an unhealthy obsession with fire
Pat - the Doomsayer, or referee

Pat/Doomsayer - You manage to outrun the mummy and enter a room at the end of the hallway. There’s a table in the center of the room. It has some papers and books on it. There are shelves of urns on the wall to your left. A doorway on the wall to your right leads into another hallway.

Tom/Bjorn - Gannon, wedge that table up against the door while we check things out.

Bill/Gannon - Ok, Gannon will move behind the table and push it up against the door.

Pat/Doomsayer - The table is pretty heavy, make a Brawn Check for me.

Bill rolls 2d6, getting a 5 and a 3.

Bill/Gannon - an eight, but my 2 Brawn makes that a ten. Gannon grunts with the exertion, but he muscles that table up against the door to block it.

Pat/Doomsayer - As you search through the shelves, let’s make an Observation Check, Wormac.

Amy rolls 2d6, getting a 3 and a 6.

Amy/Wormac - A nine - I make it.

Pat/Doomsayer - Among the urns, you see one that stands out, shaped like a lion, little black stone eyes seem to stare at you. As you try to move it aside to see what’s behind it, you find that it shifts. There’s an audible click and the shelf pivots to the side opening into a room behind it.

Tom/Bjorn - What do we see?

Pat/Doomsayer - Bjorn’s torchlight flickers, casting shadows on the walls. As you peer around Wormac you see a small room layered in heavy dust. No human hand has disturbed it for ages. A cot and a desk are along one side of the room, shelves of books and pottery casks line the other visible walls.

Tom/Bjorn - There’s loot to be had, friends! I can smell it. Let’s go in and see what we find.

Bill/Gannon - I’ll bet those books are worth something, c’mon let’s check it out.

Pat/Doomsayer - the room is about 15 feet square except that the corners of the far wall are cut off at 45-degree angles forming a bit of a niche, 5 feet wide in the center of that wall. A quick search reveals that the crocks are filled with powders and oily substances. It’s going to take you a while to search through it all.

Tom/Bjorn - It’s worth it. And maybe we can use this room as a cache for the other stuff we’ve found.

Amy/Wormac - Wormac will go back outside to stand watch.

Pat/Doomsayer - Great. She steps back into the room with the table, it’s dimly lit by the torch in the room behind you. Suddenly Wormac feels something softly hit her ankle. She looks down and sees a ball of yarn rolling away. Looking up, she sees a cat at the very edge of the torchlight. It looks at Wormac, tilting its head, and she suddenly sees that it has no eyes. In fact, it is unnaturally thin, it’s body wrapped in bandages -

Amy/Wormac - I think I need to make a Grip Check. (Rolls 2d6, getting a 1 and a 2..) A three! Wormac’s will isn’t going to make a difference with that roll. I’ll mark off a point of Grip. Wormac shudders and lets out a little groan, why did it have to be a cat? Umm, that leaves Wormac with just one point of Grip - can I take an Aflliction for her now?

Pat/Doomsayer - Sure. Shall we roll on the chart, or is there something you think fits?

Amy/Wormac - I was thinking maybe Debilitating Dread of these mummy cats, what do you think?

Pat/Doomsayer - That sounds a little narrow, what about undead in general, So, you’ll need to make a Growing Will Check anytime Wormac sees undead monsters. If you fail, you’ll either need to spend a point of Grip or you’ll be Against the Odds on any action other than running or hiding from them until they’re gone. Since this is Wormac’s first instance of a Debilitating Dread, you’ll roll your checks with The Upper Hand. The good news is, you’re up to ten points of Grip now.

--Later--

Pat/Doomsayer - The three of you come up to a large stone door. There’s a pull ring near the right side, but it looks heavy.

Bill/Gannon - Let’s give this a go. Will it be a Brawn Check to open it?

Pat/Doomsayer - Yes, but given the size and weight, Gannon will be Against the Odds.

Bill/Gannon - Well, Gannon has a crowbar which would normally give me The Upper Hand and will offset that, plus Wormac can help. That gives me two instances of The Upper Hand and just one Against the Odds so I’ll have The Upper Hand on this. (Rolls 3d6.) Two 4s and a 3. With The Upper Hand, I’ll drop a 4 and have a seven, but my 2 Brawn brings that to a nine. Gannon and Wormac are able to open it.

Pat/Doomsayer - Great as the door pulls open, a skeleton that was propped against it falls at your feet. Gannon, you’re totally unprepared for the skull that rolls in front of you and stops, seeming to grin up at you. Why don’t you roll a Grip Check but Against the Odds?

Bill/Gannon - Gee, thanks! (Rolls 3d6) I rolled a 4, a 5, and a 6 - I’ll have to drop that 6 but I still made the nine, so I’m ok.

Pat/Doomsayer - Awesome! You’ll get a point of experience for succeeding on that check.

Best Left Buried is a Horror Fantast RPG by Zachary Cox and Ben Brown.