Solo RPG Project 2026: Scene 5
Thatcher moved closer to the pile of rubble on the eastern side of the temple chamber, making an effort to stay clear of the smoke and shadows emanating from the burning brazier. The chamber filled with the sound of dried leaves crunching under his boots.
He stared intently at the broken stone fragments, the top of the mound reaching nearly 5 feet tall, but not a solid pile, there were holes and gaps throughout, about the size of a fist.
He turned for a moment to ask Gunderson about the gaps in the rocks, but before he could utter a word, 3 Giant Rats swarmed out of the holes in the rubble pile with crazed yellow eyes and diseased mouths.
There is a chance that the adventurers are Surprised by the Giant Rats. The group is surprised on a result of 1 or 2 on a 1d6. Die roll = 4, the group is not surprised. Combat begins as normal.
Begin combat procedures to resolve the standoff.
Step 1: Declare Spells and Melee Movement Gossamer begins casting a spell (Sleep).
No melee movement, Thatcher, Gunderson, and Edmur intend to stand their ground.
Step 2: Initiative (Each side rolls 1d6) The adventurers roll a 5. The giant rats roll a 4. A close outcome, but the adventurers act first!
Step 3: Winning Side Acts
Monster Morale: The Giant Rats have a morale score of 8, 2d6 roll = 4, the giant rats are standing their ground to fight.
Movement: Using the Basic Encumbrance rules, the four adventurers movement rates are:
Gossamer (No Armor): 40 ft. Gunderson (Heavy Armor): 20 ft. Thatcher (Heavy Armor): 20 ft. Edmur (Light Armor): 30 ft.
Gossamer cannot move as he is engaged in spell casting, and the others are already in melee combat.
Missile Attacks: No missile attacks this round.
Spell Casting: Gossamer's eyes roll back in his head, falling into a trance, as he completes the arcane ritual and unleashes his Sleep spell on the rats. Roll 2d8 to determine the total number of hit dice of creatures affected by the spell. 2d8 = 2, only 2 HD!! The two rats closest to Gossamer fall into a deep sleep, rolling onto their sides next to the rubble pile. One rat remains in the fight.
Melee Attacks: Edmur and Gossamer slaughter the sleeping rat next to them. Thatcher raises his Mace to attack the Giant Rat that is still awake, rolls a 4 Attack, a miss.
Step 5: Other side acts The Giant Rat grows more crazed in the chaos of battle and lunges at Thatcher, attempting to bite. The Giant Rat makes a melee attack, rolls a 19 Attack roll, a hit! 3 damage to Thatcher.
The Giant Rat bites down hard on Thatcher's wrist, finding a gap in his armor, locking its jaw with teeth imbedded into the Cleric's veins. When the rat pulls away, it takes with it a large chunk of flesh. Blood from an artery sprays from the wound, covering the rat and the rubble pile. As the Cleric frantically attempts to stop the bleeding, he drops to the ground and bleeds out (he has reached 0 hit points and has died).
Combat continues, the result is: Gunderson and Edmur charge into melee against the last Giant Rat while Gossamer stays at range and throws a dagger, killing the rat, but not before the rat is able to bite Edmur, inflicting 3 points of damage and infecting him with a disease (Edmur failed his saving throw versus poison).
A costly battle, to be sure. By the time the adventurers carry Thatcher's corpse out into the open air, Edmur has started coughing uncontrollably, breaking out into a cold sweat, showing signs of a serious fever.
"We'll never make it back to town carrying Thatcher and nursing Edmur," Gossamer says in a shaking voice.
"The logging camp is a few miles. We'll make it there. We've got to make it there," Gunderson responds gravely.
"I'm not dead yet," Edmur says coughing up blood, "I'll live long enough to get my share of the loot," he says forcing a laugh.
With no other options, the adventurers retreat from the ruins, dragging Thatcher's corpse north into the woods and toward the lumber camp.