Welcome to the second book in the Blood Sword LP series. I hope you are still interested to continue this journey!
Some of the later books in the series begin with a section called "The Story So Far" to recap what has happened previously in our heroes' quest. But you already know, Book 1 had little to do with the overall plot of the series other than giving us a brief introduction to the world (and also introduction to a certain NPC that will eventually show his face again), so there's no recap necessary in this book.
Still, let's have a look at the back cover synopsis:
Now let's have a look at our Heroes.From the Palace of Eternal Dusk, the Warlock-King holds his realm in thrall. His tyrannized subjects live in perpetual fear, for they know their evil monarch can see into the minds of others and slay them in their dreams.
Only outsiders from beyond the boundaries of Wyrd may slay the tyrant - and they will need all the courage and skill that mortals ever can possess.
At the need of the previous book, our heroes gained enough Experience to be elevated to 3rd Rank Adventurers. How does that change them? In reality, now by very much:
WARRIOR:
RANK: 3rd
Battle Order: 1
Fighting Prowess: 11 (+1 from Enchanted Sword)
Psychic Ability: 6
Awareness: 6
Endurance: 17/17
Damage: 1 Die+2
Items:
1 Sword
2 Chainmail armour (Armour Rating three)
3 Money pouch (75 gold pieces)
4 Opal Medallion
5-7 Food (eat one for +1 EN after combat)
8 Enchanted Sword (+1 FP)
9-10 Empty slot.
RANK: 3rd
Battle Order: 2
Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 6
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 19/19
Damage: 1 Die+1
Items:
1 Battleaxe
2 Breastplate (Armour Rating one)
3 Food (eat one for +1 EN after combat)
4 Bottle of Chimera Spittle
5 Magic Bow (Damage 1 Die+1)
6 Money pouch (60 gold pieces)
7-10 Empty slot
RANK: 3rd
Battle Order: 3
Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 6
Endurance: 16/16
Damage: 1 Die+1
Items:
1 Quarterstaff
2 Ringmail armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Sharp Knife
4 Shielding Charm (+1 AR)
5 Money pouch (60 gold pieces)
6-10 Empty slot
RANK: 3rd
Battle Order: 4
Fighting Prowess: 0
Psychic Ability: 15 (+1 from Ring of Sorcery)
Awareness: 6
Endurance: 16/16
Damage: 1 Die
Items:
1 Sword
2 Silver armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Opal Medallion
4 Golden Snuffbox
5-6 Food (eat one for +1 EN after combat)
7 Ring of Sorcery (+1 PA)
8 Money pouch (60 gold pieces)
9-10 Empty slot
As you can see, I've left the equipment from last book mostly unaltered. You can always choose to drop/trade whatever items you think you don't need.
In addition to that, I've given everyone back their money pouches. According to the book:
If you completed the first book in the series, The Battlepits of Krarth, you will carry over the same adventuring team for this book. Your character(s) will have the abilities, rank and equipment with which they ended their first adventure. You can restore the characters' Endurance back up to its normal level if they left the battlepits wounded - assume you have had a week or two of restful recuperation.
...
If you are playing with a character from Book One, you already know what equipment you have. You can also add sixty gold pieces to the money you already have.
Sounds like every character will get some gold out of the reward they won from the competition, so it makes sense to buy new pouches to keep them. I'm pretty sure they can afford get new ones.
More ambiguous is the availability of new bows/quivers/arrows:
Sounds like lost arrows can be replenished.....so would it make sense for the players to be able to gain new bows and quivers as well? What of the Trickster, who decided to focus on being a melee character in the last book (the Magic Bow is in his possession because it was given to him at the end of the last book, he can give it to the Sage if he so chooses)?The quiver contains six arrows at the start of the adventure. Cross these off as you use them. (If you used up your arrows in Book One, you may assume you have replaced them in the interval before this adventure begins.)
So...do you guys think?
You guys may want to properly adjust your equipment lists, drop/trade items between yourselves before I begin the book proper.