Achilles's page

My half orc got turned into a statue by a Dracolisk in Kingmaker. They broke his limbs so he could fit and shoved him into a bag of holding. My half orc had a portable hole on him when he got turned to stone. What happends? Gate or no?

If I add Speed ability to Boots of striding and springing, what total move bonus do the boots add? Do I treat them as most similar bonus types (for movement) and just add the highest movement rate bonus, or do they stack? If I add Elvinkind to the boots, is the competence bonus +10 or only +5?

How do such creatures use Ghost Touch items if they have no str score? Do you consider them to have a str of 10 (for a Shadow Dancer's summoned shadow, for example)?

So, a troll thinks it takes Shadow Conjuration fireball damage. Since the thing is not truly burned, does its regen help it? Can it come back from the dead after hitting negatives due to its mind no longer being fooled?

So I've got a player who's a fighter/shadow dancer. All the abilities of the Shadowdancer are fine...except the shadow. This thing is stealing the show in my Kingmaker game, because 90% of the creatures they are encountering have no way to deal with this thing. They fought a Froghemoth in the Hook Tongue Slough section....and the shadow ended up draining the monster of str COMPELETLY. They are a Level 9, and the Frog is a CR 13 and the shadow just totally gimped it. This happens in most encounters with BBEG's. You cant even really destroy it with its good hp and taking 1/2 damage from everything.I've thought about how it heals, and it seems it would be able to ehal itself with its own touch (Just as the lich in Varhold is noted as being able to do). It would also be rather obvious if I went out of the way to put this thing in check.

My players are under the impression the castle (which they spent the appropriate BP's for) is huge, since it covers 4 squares on the grid. I told them it's a mere improvment on the Staglord's fort, but then they asked why buy a castle and not just spend BP's for a Keep, which the Fort really is? I'm also assuming little can be done in winter (No Camelot overnight). I'd like to know some ideas about what footage such a castle might be.

If a character with +6/+1 base attacks uses a light crossbow with Rapid Reload, are these normal attacks (+6/+1), or are they treated as rapid shot with -2 penalties? I guess the relaod times are what are confusing...if I did not have rapid reload, would rapid shot even do anything? So, if I have a 9th level fighter with 17 dex with rapid reload using a +1 light crossbow of speed and +2 bolts, how many shots and at what bonus am I looking at? Now if I added rapid shot to the mix?

Does a creature that can use spell-like abilities that simulate arcane spells suffer the -4 to a save vs. a Feeblemind spell?

I'm playing a fighter/Cleric of Tritherion (Liberation and Good domain). I'm also DM'ing. I knew the liberation immunity to grapple in a radius (After 8th level)was powerful, but in savage tide AP, it's almost game-breaking. There are a lot of critters that grapple and swallow you whole...in fact I've never SEEN a series of adventures with so many grapple opportunities. Since I'm playing AND DM'ing at the same time, I enjoy keeping the party safe as a player, but also see the headache this ability causes. Granted, it's easy as DM to say "Gonna modify this to a +10 on your grapple check or something" but I'm asking other player if they think this is just too good an ability for the most part.

Are these designed with the expectation that you're running the Beta rules or are they still geared to 3.5 base? I've got a subscription for Legacy of Fire but another player is going to DM it, and this is his first big series as a DM. If we go with the 3.5 will the encounters be too tough or should we do the Beta rules and the encounters would be a bit weak (with all the extra feats, etc)if geared to 3.5 base?

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Can someone explain the hold-up? Its a little past 3-6 biz days, and not a peep from you folks...

Is there a limit to how many of these creatures can be controlled by one summoner? We're playing Prince of Red Hand and while I like the idea of letting the mage and cleric summon a huge elemental, I think they plan on summoning two each for upcoming fights...1st and 2nd edition had built-in 'fail-safe's for this kind of thing, but with the rolling of summone elemental over into Summon Monster, it seems way easy to get even three of these each for a group....at the level on caster that can cast Summon Monster VII and VIII, they have plenty of rounds to be around and get that many earth/air etc ele's into a fight...which seems a bit much for fierce meat-shields. The poor Overgod never had a chance (especially when Arcane Eye let them prep long before theysmakced him...the eles were just added power)

30th Anniversary Super-Sized Spectacular Issue! Well, spectacular was not quite right. The articles were 'OK', but what pissed me off was the back spread of adds we shelled out our $ for. TWELVE pages of full-page hocking...COME ON, GUYS! I haunt this site and WOTC daily....I'm sure all the loyal readers will agree we can do without the crap we can find in fliers at the local hobby store. I don't mind regular adds, but 12 extra add pages in a 'giant' issue is a rip off and I expect better. Why not call the issue 30th Anniversary Issue with Super-Sized Spectacular Adds you'll be happy to pay extra for!

http://www.megaminis.com/

hehe check out under swarms the worm swarm

Hmm another AP already...is this one water-based? stop the Sahaugin? Someone out there with a subscription should say sumthin....

Can you say Sathar mixed with Vrusk? Maybe Ethergaunts from MM2...at least they look 'plausable'

How does a regenerating creature like a troll fare vs. worms? Would a beholder that is changed into a favored spawn of Kyuss lose his magical eye rays? I realize these critters both have +5 Nat. Armor (+15 w/the beholder). I find the +5 nat. armor rule pretty lame, as it says in Dragon #336 the worms easily burrow through bone. Would Call of the Worm kill a troll so they could not regenerate (perhaps dowing it long enough for a green worm to crawl into its mouth...)? Yeah, I like the idea of PC's facing a horde of Kyuss trolls led by a certain beholder....also any of the unique undead (Knights, Swords, Wormcallers, Beetles) gain the worm transfer attacka like the normal spawn? The text does not say, but perhaps not, since they are not listed as having Gift of Kyuss, or fear aura....

To be honest I told my players ahead of time the adventure had the potential for TPK's. These boards bear the lethality of thsi adventure out. My group of players were a friend and his wife playing 6 characters (!). Gotta get more...anyway, the group was a 5th/10th Ftr/Paladin with a Holy Avenger, a 5/5/4 Ftr/Wiz/Arcane Archer, a 5th/6th Rogue/Acrobat, a 6th/7th Cleric/Radiant Servant of Pelor, a 12th level Wizard, and a 12 the level sorcerer who specialized in fire magic. One of the players is a 26 year D&D vet, so he took the warning seriously. The wizard took 3 memorizations of Arcane Eye, and let me tell you, it's almost as useful as Death Ward in this adventure.

After scouting much of the ruins with Arcane Eye, and discovering the Beholder and his troll scum and the Yuan Ti, the party made sure they stayed clear of the north nd west areas. Of course the Knight of Kyuss saw the invisile eye, but since the deomodand has used it often, he didnt pay much attention to it.

The group made their way up the steps to where they saw the knight, and out came the knight and the beetles. I have to say, the beetles caused more problems than the knight, since in any given round, half the party was clutching their ears.

After destroying these undead, the party retreated to their Secure Shelter to rest....prudence is not their weak point.

The Cleric used augery to decide if it was safe to use passwall in the chamber at the top of the Zigguart. "A soft tread attracts attention not" was the reply. So they passwalled and sent in the arcane eye...did I mention this spell is well worth taking? The Eye scouted down the shaft and the open areas below, all letting the party remain relativly safe.

Once they get into the main chamber, another two uses of Arcane Eye tell them about the goons in both rooms, including the deadly library. AGAIN the group retreats so the cleric can ready several 'disrupting weapon' spells. They beef up with Righteous Wrath fo the Faithful (can you say mass +3 att/damage and haste all in one?), Mass Bear's Endurance, True strike and finally teleport....into the library...they get a free round of smackdown on the swords (the knowledge: undead skill check before the adventure ensured some of the archers used silver weapons).

They looked a little miffed when they learned the swords were on HD too many to be affected by the disrupting weapons. Init is rolled...the wormcaller uses quickened hold person on the paladin (who's wearing a ring of freedom of movement, but he was in its face and as DM you gotta play the monster as ignorant of his ring, of course) followed by area dispel...NONE of the affects get dispelled.

As it turned out, initiative rolls for this battle were PERFECT for the party...this alone is probably what saved even this powerful group, as I rolled individual initiatives for all the monsters. Krieg the Paladin and the fire wizard took down the wormcaller, then one of the Swords used Call of the Worm and blasted the group....I ruled the female wizard's scarab of protection took the hit and lost a charge for her.

The rest of the group took real damage. "Jezuz! If they are all the same type of monster they can all do that!" The female wizard as it happened had saved her action so she could cast wall of force to seperate the monsters once the lower init Radaint Servant stepped out of the way...well she said 'f that' let the radiant servant run from battle (BOTH attacks of oppertunity missed her). The radiant servant grabbed two party members and 'Word of Recall'd back to their HQ... the female wizard tiptoed through the already AoO'd area of the swords, and grabbed two more party mebers and teleported. They already planning on Death Ward spells...

So, they are doing well. However, all I can say is, without Arcane Eye, a party of 13th level characters who have no knowledge of the Sword's power are gonna die, period. Even with a buffed up party and a free round of attacks, this group had to retreat. Now taht they know to use deathward, it's gonna be a walk over for that particular room. Still, I feel the pain for players who don't have either of these spells (Eye and Death ward)

Note that these are not the same playing group who got continually stomped in the Achilles Honor Roll post....

I got two dwarf bodyguards (Dragon Mag issue 310)who took the phalanx fightign feat. To me, it seems that feat would only work from foes that are within 5' of each fighter, but it does not say that in the feat. Does that sound fair? You couldn't possibly give a shield bonus against a guy on the other side of your fighting bud...in fact, I think it would only work vs foes directly in front of the two teammates...

2nd edition Paladin Handbook indicated paladins were immune to green slime and several other things due to their disease immunity....3.5 says this includes Mummy Rot and Lycanthropy...green worms are killed by remove disease, so is a 3rd level paladin immune to worm infestation due to their Divine Health ability?

Hmm I mentioned quite a while ago about possibly using the Eye and the Hand from "Vecna Lives!" as a good encounter, maybe crashing the party in the Mind Flayer's lair in HoHR...might be just the thing to 'save' the party ehehhe....for any DM's intrested, here's the Eye's stats (quite fun converting him, I might add)...I'll post the Hand soon...

The Eye (Medium Sized Aberration)

CR 10; HD 12d8; hp 54; Init +9; Spd 30 ft.; Face/Reach: 5’/5’; AC 23 (+4 Natural, +5 Dex, +4 Insight), T: 19, FF: 14**; Full Atk MW Two Handed Sword +12/+7 Melee (2d6+3/19-20) or 2 MW daggers +13/+13/+8 (1d4+2 and off-hand 1d4+1/19-20); Grapple: +11/+6; Str 15, Dex 20, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 18; AL LE;

Saves: Fort +8, Ref +13, Will +15;

SA/SQ: Detect Illusions, Precognition**, Psychic Tracking, Sense Target, Spell-like abilities, Telepathy, Trap the Soul*

Feats: Alertness, Dodge (NOT added), Improved Initiative, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse

Skills: Concentration +10, Disguise +9, Gather Information +14, Intimidate +9, Knowledge: Religion (Vecna) +18, Listen + 4, Sense Motive +12, Search +12, Spot +13

Possessions: MW Two Handed Sword, 2 MW daggers, Green Robes

*One target per round. DC 20 Will save or have soul sucked into Eye.

** Due to this supernatural ability, the Eye cannot be flanked or sneak attacked, and it is never caught flatfooted.

The Eye has a +4 Racial Bonus to Spot and Search checks.

The Eye is one of the chief lieutenants of the Cult of Vecna
Although only one has ever been seen, it is impossible to be certain that there is only one of these creatures. The Eye is a creation of Vecna’s and, thus, it is entirely possible that more than one exists.

The Eye stands seven feet tall. Once it was human, but to become the Eye it has been transformed. Its head replaced by a giant eyeball. Its body is slender and moves with quick, light grace. The Eye normally dresses in long green robes trimmed with red. Eyes, embroidered in golden thread, decorate the hems. In public, it covers its robes with a gray cloak, and its head is concealed by a deep hood.

Combat: The Eye’s main purpose is not to fight, but to gain information. It is not, however, without combat ability. The Eye normally fights with a two-handed sword. It also keeps two masterwork dirks hidden, one strapped, hilt down, to each arm. In situations in which it cannot use the sword, it crosses its arms, then whips out the two daggers to fight two-handed. It is lightning quick (20 Dexterity) and astoundingly graceful. The Eye has several powers derived from its transformation. The least of these is that it cannot be surprised, as long as it is awake. It gains a +4 Insight bonus to all initiative rolls (the Improved Initiative feat) and armor class due to a limited form of clairvoyance.

It is the gaze power of the Eye that is most fearsome. The Eye no longer eats in the normal sense, but it feeds on the souls of others drawn in by its gaze. Each round, the Eye can use its gaze attack on one target. Unless previously said to be avoiding the Eye’s gaze, the victim must roll a Will saving throw DC 20. Those who succeed suffer no ill effect that round: those who fail are claimed by the Eye. Their life force is drawn into the Eye and held there. (This is seen by others as a ghostly form being sucked into the Eye.) The victim’s body falls inert. The Eye cannot consume its metaphysical prey until the body is destroyed, but once that is done, the trapped life-force is devoured and can never be recovered by any means short of divine power. If the Eye is slain, those life forces it has trapped but not devoured instantly return to their proper bodies. The Eye can voluntarily release any un-devoured life forces. As a side effect, the Eye gains access to all the memories of those it traps.

Habitat/Society: The Eye is a creation of the wizard-priests of the Cult of Vecna, possibly through the intercession of Vecna himself. The process of creating the Eye is unknown to all but the highest ranking members of the cult, but it involves wish and other high-level spells. Because the process is difficult, time-consuming, and dangerous, there is believed to be only one Eye at a time.

Whatever the process is, it strips the Eye of all humanity. The Eye feels no emotional bonds or noble virtues, and it displays several peculiar mannerisms. Limited precognition causes the Eye to finish the sentences of others before they have a chance to say them. The Eye surrounds itself by mirrors and is fascinated by reflections. Sadistically cruel, the Eye purges its own pain and frustrations on helpless victims. According to the cult priests, the Eye’s purpose is to be Vecna’s senses on the Prime Material plane. The Eye has a limited precognition (as described in the combat section) that is constantly in effect. It can use Clairvoyance, Detect Magic, and Find traps at will, like a 10th level Sorcerer. The Eye automatically detects all illusions.

The Eye’s primary purpose is as psychic tracker for the priests of Vecna. Once the Eye has seen an intelligent being-either directly or through scrying-it can sense that creature’s aura over large distances. The range depends on the abilities of the player character. Those with no spell casting ability can be detected only within a one-mile radius. Those with any spell casting abilities are detectable at a radius in miles equal to their spell level. Thus a 12th level wizard (who is able to cast spells up to 6th level) is detectable within a six-mile radius. The Eye’s tracking ability is not infallible. Large
concentrations of magical energy can shield a target‘s aura. Artifacts, stockpiles of magical items, or even areas with a high preponderance of spell casters all have this effect. For example, simply entering the Guild of Wizardry is enough to block the Eye’s tracking sense. In doubtful cases, the Eye must roll a successful Will saving throw DC 15 to retain the “scent.” The Eye is able to communicate telepathically with whomever it wishes.
<img src="http://www.rpgnow.com/products/WOTC/tsr9309.jpg">

Apart from totally screwing up the adventure by running and getting the militia, I'm wondering how other DM's are handling this scenario when it comes to the party resting. As mentioned in other posts, the only real way I can see going through this adventure is a non-stop blitz. What's to stop the adventurers from running up to the militia after they find an evil cult? If the party attacks then retreats to town to rest, wouldn't the jig be up for the cultists? They'd right leave the area, or at least the mines. It would be pretty hard to tell the party to 'hey, stock up on a lot of healing potions, you won't be able to rest at all once you give your surprise element away' and maintain a sense of the unexpected. It also surprises me that these cultists really don't have a way to tell each other they are being invaded, short of the other temples finding bodies...and if you don't give thema hint about potions of healing and the like, won't they get their ass beat when the Aspect pops up? "Hey, those three temples were tough, I got like 18 hp after I chugged my two potions of Cure lt. wds" "Me too......hey...what's THAT?" <I>(SLAUGHTER ENSUES)<\I>

I like Wolfgang's work, but I almost got pissed when I saw yet another Ghoul in one of his adventures....(The White Kingdom, Ecology, etc...ick...)

So does the Choker get a 3rd Tentacle attack for his quickness, or another Constrict squeeze?

I'm starting this with a bunch of party-animals...I think this is close to their EL 6 rating...tell me if they are not..
Lets see if we can fill the whole list from the adventure.
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Drunken Devilry

Binkertell the Pixie
NG Small Fey
Init +4; Senses Low-light vision.; Spot +8, Listen +8
Languages understands Common and Sylvan
------------------------------------
AC 16, touch 15, flat-footed 12
hp 3 (1d6)
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +6, Will +4
Spd 20 ft. fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee Short Sword +5 (1d6-2)
Ranged Longbow +5 (1d6-2 + Sleep DC 15 Fort)
Base Atk +0; Grp -6
------------------------------------
Abilities Str 7, Dex 18, Con 11, lnt 16, Wis 15, Cha 16
SQ Damage Reduction 10/Cold Iron, Constant Greater Invisibility, low-light vision, Spell-like abilities, Spell Resistance 15fl
Feats Dodge, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +7, Concentration +4, Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Listen +8, Move Silently +8,
Search +9, Spot +8
-------------------------------------
Spell Like abilities (Caster Level 8th)
(1/day) Lesser Confusion (DC 14), dancing Lights, detect Chaos, Detect Good, Detect Evil, Detect Law, Detect Thoughts (DC 15), Dispel Magic, Entangle (DC 14), Permanent Image (DC 19; visual and audio only), Polymorph (Self only)

SwiftMane the Centaur

NG Large Monstrous Humanoid
Init +2; Senses Dark vision 60’.; Spot +3, Listen +
Languages understands Elven and Sylvan
------------------------------------
AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 18
hp 26 (4d8 + 8 hp)
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +5
Spd 50 ft.
Melee MW Large Longsword +9 (2d6+6/19-20) and 2 hoofs +3 (1d6+2)
Ranged Composite Longbow +7 (2d6+4) (+4 str bonus rating)
Base Atk +4; Grp +12
Abilities Str 18, Dex 14, Con 15, lnt 8, Wis 13, Cha 11
SQ Darkvision 60’.
Feats Dodge, Weapon Focus (hoof)
Skills Listen +3, Move Silently +2, Spot +3
---------------------------
All Large Sized: MW Chain Shirt, Large Comp. Longbow, 20 MW Arrows, MW Longsword, MW Heavy Steel Shield

Pibs the Saytr
CN Medium Fey, 1st Level Fighter
Init +2; Senses Low-light Vision; Spot +15, Listen +15
Languages understands Common and Sylvan
------------------------------------
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20
hp 46 (5d6 + 1d10 + 18 hp)
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +5
Spd 40 ft.
Melee MW Spear +7 (1d8+3) and Head Butt +1 (1d6+3)
Ranged Composite Shortbow +5 (1d6+3) (+3 str bonus rating)
Base Atk +2; Grp +2
Abilities Str 16, Dex 13, Con 16, lnt 12, Wis 13, Cha 13
SQ Damage Reduction 5/Cold Iron, Low-light Vision
Feats Alertness, Dodge, Mobility, Power Attack, Improved Overrun
Skills Hide +11, Intimidate +3, Listen +15, Move Silently +11, Spot +15,
---------------------------
MW Chain Shirt, 20 MW Arrows, MW Spear, MW Heavy Steel Shield, Comp. Shortbow

Armor Check Pens. added to skill mods.

Drunken Devilry is a small team of three shidhe (Shay) that have entered the tournament for grog spending cash. Not very interested in getting killed or killing 'civilized' folk, the trio hopes to place high enough for winnings that will keep them in wine and wenches through the rest of the summer. Their tactics are fairly simple, involving ranged combat. The Satyr will ride the centaur at a good distance away, pelting the party with arrows, and fleeing if the melee-minded foe comes to fight at close range. The Pixie will initially enter the arena with his natural greater invisibility, so that he can get surprise with a few sleep arrows into any wizard and cleric types after casting dispel magic on them to negate stone skin and the like...he'll use lesser confusion on weak-willed fighters or rogues. A fake wall of fire (via Illusion) might half pursuit of the centaur/satyr combo. In any event, these hooligans will never fight to the death or kill a surrendering foe.

A few relativly unimportant questions. If PC's are able to have anything brought into the arena rest areas, why would they bother keeping pc's there the whole time? I also noted under the 2-dwarf team it says the dwarfs don't know the arena master wants the pc's dead, but the next column it says they are under orders to kill the pc's. Which is it? off the subject,,,HOW in gods name did Auric win the belt last year while being 5th level? Musta been part of (read: skulking behind)a 10th level fighter's team...is there only 1 belt, or do all team members get a copy? Anyone feel like writing up the other teams?

WHO/What

Raven the Monk...........Frozen by mold that looked like cheese funk
The Druid................Mad Slashed killed the dude
Paladin of Pelor #1......Acid Beattle swarm fun
Half Orc Barbarian #1....Kullens lack of humor won
Paladin of Pelor #2......An enraged mother owlbear slew
Cleric of Wee Jas #1.....the owlbear also ate that one
Visiting ninja student...charging the owlbear alone...not prudent
the Ranger, a Wood elf mosty hardy..........the main course at Filtch's zombie dinner party

The more I think about this section of the campaign, the more I get annoyed and want to completely drop it. As others have mentioned, it's fairly well written, but still seems like nothing but filler, with very little at all to attach itself to the overall theme...anyone got any good ideas about a whole adventure I can throw in here to replace HoHR? I'm also somewhat amiss to learn a doppleganger is neutral, when teh creatures clearly act evil 99% of the time...just neutral to 'throw off' a Paladin's detect ability? Maybe I really WILL bring The Hand and The Eye out from Vecna Lives! as a main adventure alternate?

I swear WC is just as bad as ToH...either that or I'm just a mean DM. My group is fairly big (6-7 charcters at any time, next week 8!)and in three sessions 4 PC's have died, going through the adventure 'as is'. The Brown Mold, the Mad Slasher...and tonight it was beetle swarm #2 for the Paladin and The Albino Bartender for the party Half-Orc PC....lol...details:

They climb down into the servant quarters where the beetles are...get into a big fight...the cleric of Wee Jas flees and climbs up the rope, followed by the SECOND cleric of Wee Jas...the top one in her haste rolls a 4 on her climb check near the top of the 60' shaft and down she goes...the bottom cleric tries to grab her...both fall and splat, at mid negatives (I even did half damage for collision and fall impact). Meanwhile the Paladin gets swarmed and bit...all that's left is the +1 chainmail...they retreat to town...the Half Orc players is JONESING for a fight because he's 30 xp from level 2....he goes to the Feral Dog and tells the bartender "Your beer sucks!" The replacment paladin 'just happened' to be in the bar, and the two clerics of Wee-Jas and the Ninja come in right at the start of trouble (they didn't even rest after the arse-beating in the Cairn)...the albino grabs the pc half orc by the shirt collar "What did ya say 'bout me beer?" The party PC punches Kull in the chops for 7 subdual. Kullen's mage bud stands up and fires off a Enfeeblement ray for 6 str loss at the PC half-orc....the PC half orc (1st Barbarian) gets his blood up, runs around and attacks Kull with his Great Axe...

"Axes is it?" growls Kullen. The PC Paladin (rather that show much diplomacy, leaps up on the bar and takes a smack at the PC barbarian for subdual..he believes the PC orc is overduing it when he punches then tries to hack Kullen...true enough)but for his trouble the paladin gets an arrow in the back from the ranger in Kullens band. The cleric of Wee Jas fires off an arrow at Kullen's mage, the party ninja uses invsibility and LEAVES, the two clerics get color sprayed..one goes to sleep...I even let the evil mage tell the other cleric to get out or die...what does Wee Jas cleric 2 do? He attacks...and gets hit with a sleep spell...zzzzz....

The Paladin is now flanked by a berserk Kullen and his Glaive-weilding friend, since the PC halforc went down like a hooker after Kull smacked him for 19 damage...since the paladin never actually WOUNDED Kull or the Glaive man, he is spared but Kull takes the head off the sleeping half orc...the two clerics of Wee Jas are ransomed for a large amount of gold from the Cult of the Green Lady, who promptly tell the two PC they are no longer entitled to free healing or sleeping qrtrs until they repay the randsom gold and stop smearing the name of the order with stupid acts.

The paladin comes back and begs Kullen for his longsword back, but ends up trading a sunrod for it...and the PC half-rocs head is now on a deer antler over the bar...am I mean, is the module deadly or are my players just stupid?

So I decide to take a batch of players I've never met and undergo the Age of Worms...they knew about this for two weeks before the game date. I get there and we do the intros...the first hint I get from one of the players thats something's amiss: "I know a little about Diamond Lake..." (Huh?....Don't tell me...)anyway most of the group are nice guys and all so we go on....finally half the group tells me they were DM'ing Whispering Cairn for their own group "But don't worry, they all died at the Wing Warriors encounter...we didn't get very far" Far? Isn't that near the END of the first adventure? What to do? Well, they find two dead wolves and a third comes running out from the crypt chased by two hell hounds...now the 'in the know'players are a little surprised. Fortunatly I've read up to Adventure 4, and rather than a coffin, they find an elevator down.."What the hell? You totally changed this..." They encounter tieflings and get their asses beat, come back and get ambushed by Grimlocks (yeah the Cult is below the whispering cairn)...3 party members are at negatives, two are exactly at '0'...the two remainign grims roll lousy on sense motive and the halfing barbarain with his greatsword and one of two clerics of saint cuthbert roll great on bluff....when the grims leave for assistance, the '0' hp folk use tiefling potions to revive and run away with the rest of the party. But it still pisses me off they neglected to tell me half the party has read the entire first adventure....three of the guys are descent players who just want to have fun, but a few are critical of how the adventures running since they would handle a few NPC diffrently...should I continue the game or no? I'm running the game for local players as well on opposite weekends, so I have an easy out...

These two critters would be great to throw into Greyhawk for the PC's to battle...they just look cool and it would be intresting to see them try to kill PC's as well as ebon aspect folk....lol especially the Hand...and squat dwarf sized humanoid with a giant hand for a head would be great to 'grab' the player's attention....

http://www.canonfire.com/cfhtml/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&a mp;lid=93

I wuz looking these beasties over and with the divine abilities the aspect gets, I think it would probably own the lizard king, who's two CR above the aspect, especially if it gets off its spiritual weapon and does the fast heal 10 thing for a round....

Seems to me druid characters would freak with the state of whats going on with Diamon Lake pollution....my player didn't bat an eye...

Lol I have a player in AoW who's paladin keeps lying...The three adventureres from greyhawk arrive at the mine shack and ask if the PC's know where the cairn is. "Nope...no idea where it might be" shouts the paladin. Blam....Pelor sucks 100xp as a penalty for lying (It was spur of the moment ruling but god it was funny and felt appropriate)..."I'm keeping my mouth shut...I need my xp". not 10 minutes later the Paladin again lies his arse off at the Ferril Dog and blam loses another batch of Xp. 'Firk Ding Blast' is a good summerization of his reaction..."Damn it, it's hard to be a paladin!" I think he gets the point....this is a good way to keep him in line until he really violates his creed majorly.

How many cultists are there supposed to be in room #3 (Chamber of the faithful)? I can't find a #...at EL 3 (1/3 cr ea.) I figure maybe 9?