Laurellien's page

Black Molly will be a part of the Crimson Fleet.... Can't wait.

Consider that idea yoinked!

Just read the journal in about 12 hours. Thanks for pointing me towards it as it's good to uh... 'adapt' the ideas of others for my own running of this.

Anyway, I really like the way you have done this, and I love the journals. BUT, I think I've found that I love to hate Tristan even more... in a good way :)

Oh, and having seen the length, gruesomeness, and sad repetitiveness of the obituaries thread, I think that I should adapt Monte Cook's 'Hero Points' system so as to prevent unnecessary death on the part of the PC's, as that can be a real killer.

On an off-topic but related note though, I'm still proud that I never had to roll up a new character throughout the entire STAP. My dwarven barbarian/fighter/berserk/frenzied berserker/bear warrior did a very good job to survive and prosper as he did, despite being the party's main combatant and not even owning a magic weapon until he found a (mercifully adapted) flametongue in the tides of dread.

Speaking of Captain Kigante, I've been thinking that if the PC's between them don't look too seaworthy, then perhaps he could have survived the savage attack and be nursing his wounds in his locked, barred chamber, unwilling to stay in Kraken's Cove ''cos of the foul taint Yarr!' but seeking future employment. This might mean I have to alter his backstory a bit so he was perhaps never a part of the crimson fleet.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagnificentBastard

I think that summons up your approach to DMing from what I can see.

One thing I still need advice with though. Beyond seeming a little naive, how can I make the PC's genuinely care for Lavinia?

Of course not, but she might be interested. I am just saying you could use it as a link if you wish.

It might well be a link I exploit, depending on how the PC's deal with her escapades in SWW. If they release her but don't try to reform her, that may be a path I go down, but if they kill her, then perhaps she could come back as a revenge fuelled undead or drowned undead, then perhaps reappear even later as a demon in service to the little miss M.

** spoiler omitted **

What is there to hint at that connection besides a small statuette of a succubus? That doesn't indicate that she's a worshipper just as a statuette of Buddha in my house indicates I'm a Buddhist.

Just a side thought, I'm thinking I'm going to drop this one in between Bullywug's Gambit and Sea Wyvern's Wake. But after they actually get the Sea Wyvern. I'm setting it up so that the lighthouse/mansion belonged to a rich person who was a former Farshore colonist, and Essentially after Lavinia does some initial research towards Farshore and the journals she sends the pcs to check out the light house that is supposed to be one of the guides towards the colony. When they realize the place is quiet and the lighthouse not running, they'll be tasked with getting it back up and whatnot so that the way is easier during the forthcoming trip. This leads to the adventure and extra xp before SWW. Also it allows me to play up more of the big D's influence in the area (since I'm setting the previous owner as a cultist of him) and foreshadow a bad sea journey with some weather and the ship that was sunk, etc.

Any thoughts on how well this would work, and any thoughts from anyone who knows the adventure (things that are overly hard/easy, broken stuff or unexplained stuff?)

Thanks

IMHO, it would be a bad decision. The adventure is far too long to slot in as a sidequest (60 encounters!) and may be a little too loot heavy IIRC. The perfect example is the presence of an Iron Flask (170,000 gp item at level 5 WTF!?!). So I think that you would be best looking at a shorter module, the Bad Light module which was published free by Wizards may be a good candidate for this, http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20040731a (it's 4th level)

You could tie this in later with the sea witch (10th level) and have the two hags therein allied to one another http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20011005a

This could add another layer of intrigue to this campaign. I plan on adding both of the above adventures as well as Wreck Ashore http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20040430a which is a similar plot but at first level. The players should become suspicious of any lighthouse they find.

It is highly likely that in the future I will run this AP. I want to ask for some tips on how to run it to make it compelling and interesting for those involved. I have read a lot about the campaign so far on the message boards here and have fleshed out how I might run the campaign differently: -

- Before the AP proper starts, I'll run the PC's through the "Wreck Ashore" Wizards adventure. The players will start on a ship that gets wrecked due to the false lighthouse. Amongst the survivors of the wreck will be Rowyn Kellani, who will actively attempt to befriend the PC's. The pirates wrecking the ships will be members of a Sasserine Thieves' guild called the Black Harpies. The PC's will gain acclaim for defeating the Pirates, and will also gain the friendship of Rowyn Kellani. She however will gain enough evidence to have the Black Harpies rounded up and dealt with by the watch, eliminating a rival.

- Rowyn will offer Lavinia condolences and chat to the party when they visit Castle Teraknian (thanks to the donor of that idea)

- If the party ask her about Vanthus, then she will point them in the direction of the rogue that Vanthus stabs in the back.

- After the Parrot Island escapade, the party will be ambushed by Lotus Dragons. Rowyn Kellani will 'happen' to be passing and will aid the PC's to kill their attackers (thanks to the person on this forum who gave me this idea). She will then join them for drinks and play the part of a concerned friend trying to warn the PC's of the perils of tackling the Lotus Dragons. Whether or not she persuades them to leave the guild alone, she will tell them about the guild hall of a bunch of thieves called the Emerald Claw in the Azure District, telling them that they are either a safer target than the Lotus Dragons, or linked to them in some way. The PC's should destroy the Emerald Claws (the guild house might be 'borrowed' from the food factory at the start of the curse of the crimson throne), and the remainder will flee on their ship, the 'Rage', which already turns up in the Sargasso.

- All of this should help make the PC's have a really tough decision between Rowyn and Lavinia, and I'll have to make Lavinia very likeable to help balance the choice.

- In SWW, the PC's should hopefully make friends with one of the otherwise nameless colonists. Rowyn will maroon this colonist on a shore break, and disguise herself as that person, but the colonist will make it back to the ship with the help of locals by the time the party reaches the ruins of Tamoachan.

- To help mitigate any anger about the wreck at the end of SWW, Avner will offer to 'help' make a good dinner by fishing or hunting. He'll shoot an albatross and cook it for dinner. Additionally, if the players do well and manage to pass the checks or cast the spells that keep the Sea Wyvern afloat, I'll reward them by letting them beach the damaged ship and saving all of the NPC's aboard, as well as all of the loot.

Are these ideas good? Does it make the players too likely to join Rowyn? How should I handle a change of heart by her and pity for her by the players? Do the measures I have indicated for mitigating annoyance at the end of SWW have any chance of working? And how far should I deviate from the path and add new things and take out superfluous things?

In fact... what would you have done differently if you ran the STAP again?