As the party travels, they hear a scream from over a hill.
Peering into a valley, they find a strange diamond shaped field, with townsfolk wearing two colors of uniforms
The screams are coming from a Flameskull getting lobbed from one townsperson at another, with the latter hitting it with a large stick
When the flameskull is hit, it blasts Fire Rays at any nearby players, though the townsfolk just laugh and attempt to dodge the fire damage
If the party investigates, they’ll learn an adventurer many years ago encountered a horde of flameskulls and the townsfolk have kept them trapped ever since, only taking one out at a time to play this game
When the box opens more skulls shriek and ask to be freed
As the party discusses, a group of undead approach the field, aptly named the Wight Sox, and challenge the team to a game. If the Wight Sox win, they get to take the flame skulls. Whether anyone is left alive is a better question. Full skull game rules below.
What would your party do? Would they join the skull game? What other teams might challenge them?
Skull Game Rules for Dice
You will need 4d6 to play, one for the pitching team and one for the batting team. Standard baseball rules apply for baserunning unless otherwise noted.
The pitching team goes first to determine whether the lob of the Flameskull is hittable.
| 1 | Strike, Hittable |
| 2 | Ball, Not Hittable |
| 3 | Strike, Hittable |
| 4 | Ball, Not Hittable |
| 5 | Strike, Hittable |
| 6 | Ball, Not Hittable |
If a hittable skull is thrown, the batter has a chance to swing. To swing, the batter rolls 3d6 taking the first two as the outcome of the swing, and taking the 3rd as a side effect of the Flameskull being hit (after all they CAN cast spells).
First, the possible batter outcome:
| 1 and 1 | Ground out, all runners are forced out |
| 1 and 2 | Double, runners advance 2 bases |
| 1 and 3 | Strike |
| 1 and 4 | Hit by pitch, runners advance one base |
| 1 and 5 | Ground out, max two runners out |
| 1 and 6 | Pop fly, if runner on third they score |
| 2 and 2 | Double, runners advance 2 bases |
| 2 and 3 | Pop out |
| 2 and 4 | Single, runners advance one base |
| 2 and 5 | Strike |
| 2 and 6 | Bunt, runners advance one base |
| 3 and 3 | Triple, runners all score |
| 3 and 4 | Single, runners advance one base |
| 3 and 5 | Strike |
| 3 and 6 | Long fly out, runners advance one base |
| 4 and 4 | Double, runners advance 3 bases |
| 4 and 5 | Single, runners advance 1 base |
| 4 and 6 | Pop Out |
| 5 and 5 | Hit By Pitch |
| 5 and 6 | Strike |
| 6 and 6 | Home run, all runners score |
The third d6 determines any adverse effects from hitting the Flameskull, any damage is taken before player advances their position on the bases:
| 1 | Lesser Fireball. All players (defense + batter) take 4d6 fire damage on a failed DC15 DEX save, half as much on a success. |
| 2 | Fire Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) fire damage. |
| 3 | Magic Missile. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 120 feet. Roll the d12 Position dice 4 times, each takes 1d4+1 force damage (cast at 2nd level). |
| 4 | Nothing |
| 5 | Blur. The batting team rolls their batting dice twice, taking the worse outcome. |
| 6 | Fire Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. 3d6 fire damage. |
For a more even game, you could also add a d12 to determine which player takes the damage, with positions below:
| 1 | Batter |
| 2 | Batter |
| 3 | Catcher |
| 4 | 1st Baseman |
| 5 | Batter |
| 6 | 2nd Baseman |
| 7 | 3rd Baseman |
| 8 | Shortstop |
| 9 | Center Field |
| 10 | Left Field |
| 11 | Right Field |
| 12 | Pitcher |
All positions should have HP and could be given stats so that you have to swap lesser players in if someone gets unalived. Just depends how into it you are!
What other teams might participate?
