Infernal Osquip's page

Great to see this announced!

I have been in the process of creating my own version of Pathfinder "basic" for a little while now - mostly geared to making it easier to pick up and play quickly.

Human classes include Fighter, Cleric, Thief, Wizard. Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings are treated as their own racial classes. Characters can advance to 12th level using the slow progression XP rate.

Skills are further consolidated. No skill points to allocate each level, instead each class has major and minor skills, and bonuses are calculated as:

Major Skill Bonus: Major Attribute Modifier + ½ Minor Attribute + Level +3

Minor Skill Bonus: Major Attribute Modifier + ½ Minor Attribute + Level

No feat selection. Instead, each class has predetermined feats per normal Pathfinder feat progression rates. For example, Fighters receive Weapon Focus and Power Attack at 1st level, and Cleave at 3rd level.

Combat also includes less options. No AOO. No CMB/CMD. No special maneuvers. Basically, flanking, surprise, charging. Grappling is handled through touch attacks and melee attacks.

No spells or magic items that boost stats. There are other equipment adjustments, including no small vs. medium weapon sizes.

Obviously not for everyone, but an Intro or Basic game would be really appealing to me.

I for one am really jazzed to see it includes tables and npc stats...something I was alway clamoring for in the 3.5 days. Will be looking for it at my FLGS next week.
-IO

Thoughts?

Yes...I think many of us would love to see the Family Crypts. In addition, a level not mentioned...Ground Level! :)

Looks like WW should be posting in the next day or so at the PPP site, per http://p085.ezboard.com/fpiedpiperpublishingfrm46.showMessage?topicID=42.to pic

Allan.

Yoohoo! Thanks Allan!

I think the only change I would have made now, is that I would have had the attached slow shadow occupy the same space as the attached PC - not in the grapple sense, where they occupy the same square, but in the intangible sense where they would occupy the same actual physical space. It had never, ever occurred to me incorporeal creatures could occupy the same physical space as the PC. I like the idea alot and plan on using it the next time they run into them. (Plus it adds more sense to the chance of hitting the attached PC idea in the monster write-up.)

I like that idea too. Makes them more sinister and creepy. Thanks Greg.

I would not run it as a grapple. I picture it more like a shadow that becomes a second skin to the attacker. So it would move with the PC - no grapples needed. It would stay attached, doing automatic damage each round, assuming it takes a full round action to do so. As stated, attacks have a 50% miss chance, with misses hitting the attached creature.
- IO

EDIT - Reading you post more carefully, I think you DM'ed it fine, although I might have ignored the part that they do not leave the room. Seems like they would want to keep eating unless forced to detached by the modes above or were killed.

chopswil wrote:

bump

Agreed. Any news, Uncle? I know I'm not the only one waiting to see what the Maures drummed up for Gencon...

It sounds like Uncle has been quite ill, but is slowly recovering, based on the forums over at pied-piper-publishing. That is likely the reason why there has been no news as of late.

This quote from the Mona interview in Kobold Quarterly(best zine ever!!) makes the loss sting even worse. "One of the big

pities about Dungeon and Dragon going
away is that we had been talking to Rob
about official levels of Castle Greyhawk,
based on the original levels back in the 70s
that he ran."

Holy &***((((**!!!! :(

Well shucks to that. Double shucks with black pudding on top.

Does anyone know if there has been any progress on any of the collaborative projects with Rob that were mentioned after GenCon (I think it was GenCon) this year?

It was "The Dancing Hut" by Roger Moore, which appeared in Dragon #83. The adventure also mentions oone of her "daughters," Natasha the Dark, who was later retconned to be Iggwilv. More info on Baba Yaga can be found in her entry at the Greyhawk wiki: http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Baba_Yaga

Cool, I did not know that (and thanks for looking up the correct issue number). While I think both adventures have their moments, the 2nd edition version has the

There was a module on Baba Yaga's hut... I wonder if this is the same thing, or based on it?

Edit: The one I recall mapped out the whole Hut in three dimensions. The inside was a tesseract and certain doors connected non-adjacent rooms.

Its not the same adventure. I have both (the Dragon magazine version - I think it was #84) and this one. This version draws on some of the same concepts though (extra dimensional space), but is a bit more fleshed out both plot-wise and in room descriptions.

I agree with what others had posted. The spear trap in particular I felt was a hold over from the 1e module that probably should have been dropped, so I did. Use Arley as described (the TIG activator). In addition, if the party thinks to use the "polymorph into a rust monster" trick, be prepared to unleash the "spirit" of the TIG - and advanced (48 HD) elder fire elemental. Makes for a nice surprise.
- IO

It is actually pretty easy to get her involved with several of the seeker guards at her side. There is the giant Tyrg at the base of the stairs, and unless the party can take that out in one round (before it howls), most, if not the entire, level becomes alert. I made this call because the description for the Tyrg explicitly points out how load their howl is - that it can heard for miles. Her chamber is pretty close to the Tyrg - as well as many seeker guards, including the two lieutenants - so having her sneak in during the party's battle with the first group of guards seems appropriate.

However, if the party is using silence or similar magics (or is just really lucky), the Tyrg may not be able to do its thing. In that case, I would say they what happened is fair game - she may give it a round, but would split after it was apparent her big bang spell did nothing. She is pretty wise, after all.

-IO

It's going to be in the the first online edition of Dungeon Magazine, #151. But you won't have to pay for it, as D&D Insider is demoing free to begin with.

Thanks Callum! Glad to see it will be released under the free demo. Very charitable of them (and note that I did not use [sarcastic] tag!).

David Gehring wrote:

I thought there was talk of a 3.5 update to "Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" floating out there. Any word on this at all ?

I would pay serious cash for that! This is the 1st I've heard of it, but I hope you're on to something! That's one of my favorite 1st edition modules.

Last I heard it was going to be a free update release on the WotC website ala "Tomb of Horrors" and "White Plume Mountain". Now my gut is saying it will be in one of the first issues of the "DI" Dungeon to sucker all of us old farts...

I also do not like the way some delve adventures are formatted - Barrow of the Forgotten King comes to mind - where you have to flip back and forth from the encounter description and the numbered map key descriptions. I like to read adventures like a book, not as a set of rules for a board game. :(

EDIT - That's encouraging James! Our group is very jazzed to play it...

Wizards of the...uhh, never mind, nothing to see here. :D

NIce.

After them, then Eli for sure. Eli the complex and obsessed. Plus he can make your day go horribly awry just by clapping his hands!

Uncle,

I love you!
You are like a father to me! :P
JHG

Or at least the Godfather! Bravo, Uncle, Bravo!!!

I assume that Uncle Rob had scripts for two adventures into Paizo at the time the plug was pulled on the license. Let us not only hope but let the people at WoTC know that this is a product that we want to see and are willing to whine about until they give it to us. To agree with the poster above, it is my hope that expedition to Castle Greyhawk sells very well (for a number of reasons) as this may help stir interest for a complete Maure book.

I think (hope) a great many of us have that desire. Maure Castle and the mystery that surrounds it deserves Expedition treatment. Get 'ir done WotC!

Nice. Keep up the good work!

Yes, more details please! Thanks Allan.
- IO

Makes that spell a nice addition at higher levels where you have slots to burn.
-IO

Maybe turning the TIG into rust releases the spirit that is fueling it - an advanced (CR 16-17) elder fire elemental, efreeti, or nobel salamander. It could also be wearing a custom magic item, like an amulet of rust resistance (acts like a brooch of shielding, and absorbs X rust attacks).

I am planning to run the TIG pretty much straight up - but then, the party is all around 10th-12th level.

- IO

I assume the bard is human and you have two feats to start with - which does only get you to Combat Expertise and Improved Trip (assuming Int is at least 13). With the whip and kukri, Weapon Finesse is probably a safe bet for your next feat assuming the Dex warrants it (you also cannot take it at 1st, for it has a prerequisite BAB of +1). Spell Focus can be OK, but as others said, I would focus more on buffing, not offense. Two-Weapon Fighting (assuming Dex is 15) and Skill Focus (Perform) may also be good choices (your perform checks set the DC for some of your Bardic Abilities). Finally, Craft Wand may be good at higher levels - wands of Haste are always a welcome friend.

- IO

Make sure the PC has an experience that adds depth to the character. This can be done through interaction with a persistent antagonist that maims the PC, interaction with a cursed item that affects the PC in a superficial way, a comical "sidekick" NPC that relies on the PC (think Meepo here), or a more powerful NPC that has taken the PC under his/her wing and sets more long term goals for the PC that can act as side quests. Good luck!

While a. is the most likely, I'm avoiding it. I'm toying with c., actually — per the story, Arley's acting as a spy for Octavus, a Seeker Rival of Eli's who feels threatened by Eli's setup in Maure. Octavus probably wouldn't mind Eli's forces getting roughed up a bit by some do-gooders (after which he'd come in and finish them off). So I may simply have Arley sneak off to tell the Seeker faction in Seltaren what's up.

I agree with that approach. His alignment is CN and he's not a big fan of Eli right now, and is not likely to help him out too much. His concern is over the Maure artifacts and his research, and he would be sure to take any of those goodies with him when he left. I imagine he would spy on the party as much as he could before he left to gauge their tactics and relationships, memorizing their descriptions for later use, then reporting back to Octavus. His reaction to this new development is then up to you. It certainly sets up a nice side plot for later use.

Its undead it would be immune to all mind affecting effects including the one from the statue.

Concur. It would just see a statue (with some bodies) and report back. Undead are immune to mind-influencing effects, such as the one the statue produces.

Have any of you, DM, has resolve the Zuoken problem ?

What exactly is the Zouken "problem"? That he is suspected of being one of the nine prisoners in the Castle? Or something else?

I think it is actually very appropriate that a different director is used, in that LotR is a very different story than The Hobbit. Different themes, characters, and motivations. I also think the Hobbit is going to be tougher to pull off in some ways - the story itself is pretty linear, and to me was much more of a children's story than LotR ever was. To make it a compelling, engaging movie that is not just a series of CGI encounters is going to be a tall order. Which reminds me - if no Peter Jackson, then will it also not have the excellent CGI skills of Weta?

Orcwart wrote:

How much detail of the city will there be?

Sounds like a great Dragon tie-in article. Not that you could fit the whole city into a magazine article, but certain points of interest could be re-fleshed.

From: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=178244&page=4

"The extremely generic product description leaves me little room to discuss details without violating my NDA, but I think I can safely confirm that a significant section of the adventure takes place in the City of Greyhawk. Provided you are willing to 'port the Free City into your campaign, you could pretty easily run it in any campaign setting, but come on. It is written to be used in Greyhawk or as a stand-alone, primarily. I certainly didn't spend a lot of time thinking about how to plug it into Eberron or wherever.

And while there are some humorous elements to go along with Zagig's madness, it is not a joke module, and we did not bother to consult the joke version of Castle Greyhawk when researching the book.

We did include several elements from "Greyhawk Ruins," but that is a deeply imperfect adventure, and we certainly didn't follow it slavishly.

--Erik"

Well, heck. I'm in good company then.

"Yes you are!" said the 37 year old giddy osquip.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let your Old School Eyes behold:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=3187581#post3187581

And then there were three...towers, that is.

Looking forward to seeing your treatment on this one guys. Glad to see it happened.

C1 is a sizable module with many traps/puzzles that require lots of work to convert to 3.5...that being said, I also would love to see a polished conversion. While I placed the shrine in the Forbidden City in my original campaign (and the Forbidden City in turn was placed on the Isle of Dread...), the timing is right for another run at it.

If you want to use a module, Sons of Gruumsh may work. I ran it with a party that include a couple of orcs from rival tribes. They acted like they were coming to pay tribute to the new warlord, but they were actually trying to steal the main item of the module (want to avoid spoilers here). Makes for some fun role playing and a good dungeon crawl. Be careful though - while the party was mostly 4th and 5th level, it was a TPK once they got to the Gray Citadel...

Agree with above. MANY good Dungeon adventures, including Whispering Cairn and Mad God's Key. Sunless Citadel is also good.

For more old-school flavor, Dungeon Crawl Classics are also great. Try Idyll's of the Rat King and/or Lost Vault of Tzar Rho.

I have considered running the MC modules after the Savage Tide AP, but I am not sure what to do with the first ten levels. I have considered opening with Mad God's Key as it plays in the City of Greyhawk. But what then? I wanted to make the campaign as Greyhawk as can be. I know of Raiders of the Black Ice a 3rd level adventure, but that's it. All the other Greyhawk modules from dungeon I know are 10th level upwards.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

You have plenty of options if you are up for some conversion work from 1E. Temple of Elemental Evil will get them up to 9th or 10th. Slaver series will do about the same.

If conversion is not your thing, you can try the Return to the ToEE. It's not as good as the others above IMO, but others have enjoyed it. It has also been updated to 3.5 (don't have the link handy). It will take characters to at least 12th, which is good enough for the big MC.

Would it have anything to do with.....bat people? In the backstory of I1?

Heathansson (lord of the animal heads)

That would be Neat.

GV - I agree that it may not be Mr. T. Although it is sometimes difficult to tell which patron the text is referring to, I seem to recall that it makes reference to the Maure's patron being a demon prince...but I am also quite facinated by the postulations stated above...good stuff guys.

Playing Shackled City campaign tonight. We are all around 4-6th level (with anywhere from 5 to 7 characters in the party) looking for those wands. Running a cocky, neutral elven wizard. Finished off a mud slaad (or something) last session... party is pretty banged up now.

I've picked up several of them, and, overall I think they are very good.

The ones I would thoroughly recommend would be
#24 Legend of the Ripper (I thought this one was excellent)
#17 Legacy of the Savage Kings (and I'm wanting to pick up #17.5 to suppliment it now)
#11 The Dragonfiend Pact (Great little mini-adventure)
#1 Idylls of the Rat-King and #27 Revenge of the Rat-King (I thought they were pretty solid)
#5 Aerie of the Crow-God
#20 Shadows in Freeport (guts-dripping from the ceiling, over the top with the gore, but that was the point of the adventure)

Now I'm also an elbow-grease kinda DM and I think they may take a little bit to drop into an existing campaign/world, but I think that they translate very easily for the most part.

Ones I wasn't as wild about, but still could probably use:
#19 The Volcano Caves (good enough concept, but it just didn't seem to go anywhere)
#21 Assault on Stormbringer Castle and #22 The Stormbringer Juggernaught (started strong, but I thought it ended kinda weak).
#2 The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho and #3 Mysterious Tower were okay, but only just. They just didn't seem to know where they were going like some of the other ones.

I (and my players) really liked #2 The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho, more so than #5 Aerie of the Crow-God. But then again, we tend towards the twisted.

Any discussion of settings needs to include some NPC stat blocks - I get the most bang out of my buck when I see the stats for say, a typical Kettite partol (ala Tsojcanth), thieve's guild member, or Severed Hand orc veteran. These stats paired with the political/organization are very useful when PC's interact with the occupants of various locals in the way that matters most: combat! :)

Of course, a stat blocks is also a great way to learn more about that individual's society. By looking at their equipment, race, class, skills, etc., you get a flavor for their nation's technological level, social structure, and political organization.

I think what many are getting at here is that any "fluff" discussion in a sourcebook should be backed with some crunch. Of course some sections, such as history and climate, are all crunchless (but not fluff - they are critical elements of the campaign world). But other sections, such as a description of nations and their citizens, should also include some sample NPC blocks, unique monsters, etc. for the DM to use as is. Two coppers? Done!

Keep in mind, the gnolls aren't part of a regular patrol. They've got a specific mission — get help and bring it back. The regular patrols, by my reading, don't set foot outside the doors at all; they barely even come up to the Chamber of Offerings level.

And since Yug-Anark, the gnolls' mistress, is a 15th level cleric, she has a myriad of ways to keep tabs on her lackeys. She could scry on them at a certain time each day, making sure if they're making progress or waiting at the door.

(Of course, she could also have cast Sending and contacted the Gnoll chieftain directly, thus saving her the task of sending out agents. I suppose the chieftain could've ignored her magical call, so she's doing something a bit more direct.)

I preferred adding regular patrols in part to explain all the "food" present on Level 3. The patrols are in addition to groups sent out on specific missions to round up help. They have to get all those "piles of rotting meat" from somewhere (see rooms 59, 60, and many others on Level 3), so a patrol of nasty gnolls rounding up victims (mostly orcs based on the text) seemed plausible. Not a big deal in my mind, and your solution sounds just as good (using scrying to keep tabs).

Oh, I didn't realize that you haven't disclosed much more than I already know. I figured that there were a slew of earlier Maure adventures; I'd never ask a great storyteller to give away an ending halfway thru the tale!

Tequila - If you haven't already, also read Dungeon issues #112, #124, and the 1st edition module WG5; they all contain (a bit) more information on the Maure's.

I used a set rotation of patrols. Frequency is up to you, but once every two or three days seems about right. The returning patrol then uses a secret knock to notify the next patrol they are back. The next patrol then opens the doors and takes their place.

ate a sandwich

Speaking of Gates of Firestorm Peak, is it worth a look or even a buy? I figure this would be the right thread to ask.

GGG

It's been a long while since I played it, but as I recall, it used a lot of the old Players Options stuff from 2e. It also was a big hint as to what was to come in 3e - it included cardboard monster counters based on size as well as fold out maps with grids for major encounter areas. The module itself was OK - some kind of Alienist that opened a dimension to a twisted Outer Realm or some-such. I just remember lots of Duegar that hucked worms on people. Pretty disgusting, but some people may be into that.

a sickening bubble of corruption

through careful planning

gas cramps and

Al-Qadim had a slew of them too - including those "ultra-thin" box sets. Others on my shelf include a few Planescape boxes (nice quality boxes!), undermountain(s), Dragon Mountain, Greyhawk Wars, Ruins of Myth Drannor, and Menzoberranzan. Then there are some real weird ones, like Hollow World, Gamma Knights, and Legend of Spelljammer. Don't ask me how I got those...

that have quaffed