AD&D: "That Rabbit's Dynamite!"

As I mentioned in my previous post, the party is adventuring in G3 - HALLS OF THE FIRE GIANT KING. But the tactic they used last session needs some explanation first...

Years ago (real time) we ran a side trek based on a 3.5 D&D adventure set in an abandoned border fort near Reedle (southern Darokin on the border with Karameikos). The party had just completed G1 - STEADING OF THE HILL GIANT CHIEF and they were heading across the mountain pass to follow the crumb trail leading to the frost giants in G2. Once over the mountain pass, they found that Reedle had recently been raided by frost giants and the place was a shambles. In fact, the raiding was still going on and the giants with some winter wolves attacked as the party was passing through. The party helped to defeat/drive off the giants and were asked to locate their base of operations to the northeast.

The party headed off to an abandoned border fort set into a cliff face. Here they fought some giants, and took out some winter wolves. However, inside the lower level of the border fort, the giants had chained a bulette (a nasty creature, also called a "landshark"). The party encountered the bulette and, realizing that they could barely hit it's -2 armor class, tackled it using magic. The party magic-user used her polymorph other spell and turned it into a fluffy bunny! Seeing the future possibilities of a bunny-bulette, the party took possession of the feisty rabbit and kept it in a cage, feeding it carrots and salad fixings. When adventuring, they left the rabbit in the care of associates, henchmen, or followers.

Months passed. The party defeated the giants at the border fort and moved on back to Selenica, which they warned about the giant raids. They hired new henchmen, did some research, leveled up, and took off to adventure in G2- GLACIAL RIFT OF THE FROST GIANT JARL. The bunny was left behind in their base of operation (Quasqueton, located north of Selenica in the forested hills) under supervision of the Darokin guards who were using the outer works they constructed around the entrance as a forward base from Ft. Hobart.

When they completed G2 and teleported to G3, they realized that the fire giants were REALLY close to where they lived, and that the raids were increasing, not only in Darokin, but in Rockhome, Ylaruam, and probably Ethengar to the north. The volcano in the western Altan Tepes range west of Stahl is where I placed the Halls of the Fire Giant King. They would have to take out the fire giants if they were to have any peace in their new home.

Just like the other two sites, they located a safe base from which to carry on their assault. They stocked it with supplies (including their bunny-bulette, tended by one of the druid's followers) over the course of 2 months, petitioned the dwarves in Stahl for help, and had a number of encounters journeying overland (and flying over the mountains in a flaming chariot) to get to their new safe base. Since the base is 3 miles away from the Halls, and the terrain is rough lava rock, the time it takes to get where they need to be takes almost all day. So they set up camp in a crater formed by a huge lava bomb ejected from the volcano. From here it's only a 2 hour walk to get to the Halls. However, on their last foray, they were down three members who were off training (the ranger lord, the dwarven henchman, and the magic-user's apprentice). Those who were left of the main party were non-fighters, so they decided to make a probative strike.

The assault team consisted of the 12th level druid, the 11th level magic-user, and the druid's henchmen (a 7th level fighter and 9th level thief). They all went in invisibly, with the magic-user using knock spells to open the closed doors (they were previously open, but the party destroyed the ballista trap). When they got near the end of the corridor, they took their precious cargo out - the bunny-bulette in the cage! They set the bunny on the floor about 30' from the end of the corridor and then the magic-user cast dispel magic on her own spell (which automatically dispells the effect). Suddenly, a voracious bulette grew from the bunny form (they had not fed it all day) and it smelled the cooking coming from the kitchen and the dead bodies from the day before which the giants simply moved to the side walls of the hall. The bulette came suddenly upon a group of three giant guards standing in the western portion of the Great Hall. The bulette gained 2 segments of surprise on them (but itself was not surprised). It tore into the giants, nearly killing the first one after 2 segments of attacks, and winning initiative on the first round! Bulettes apparently do 3-18/3-18/4-48 points of damage with a claw/claw/bite routine! The party simply stood back (invisible) and watched the mayhem from the corridor. Everyone at the table was laughing hysterically at the situation - and of course, many Monty Python quotes were made about the "vorpal bunny".... By the end of round 3 all three fire giants were literally destroyed and the bulette was untouched. Two hell hounds, that simply barked and snarled at the bulette, wisely backed off. We had to end the session at midnight, but continued to laugh about the situation....

Monday morning, on my way into work, I came to the light at the end of the block and waited behind a silver SUV. The car had a sticker on the rear window with a big pink bunny silhouette and a slogan, "Save the Bunnies!" And I broke out laughing once more....