(Yes! I just noticed my intials sort of look like the short form for Masterwork. Suddenly I like 3rd ed. even more.)
THE MENAGERIE
PART I: Overview
This year's Origins convention hosted a “play with a creator” session in which Great Green God ran his contest winning, Side Trek adventure, “The Menagerie”. As most of you know, “The Menagerie” is now immortalized in Dungeon Issue No.126.
I had the privileged of attending this session, which GGG called his “Director’s Cut”. The following is an assortment of half-truths and overly grandiose statements, loosely based on the actual play session. Because I am such a busy guy (read “lazy”) I expect that I will post this in installments.
Well, I am excited. So without further adieu, Ladies and Gentlemen may I present : “The Menagerie: The Directors Cut”. Also known as, “GGG, could I take that turn back?”
THE PARTY: THE 20 STRONG
First, permit me to introduce you to the party: the well known band of “The 20 Strong” (current membership roster: 3). As you may deduce from their title, The 20 Strong have experienced chronic misfortunes and recruitment has become something of a challenge. The inducement of a free +1 anarchic toaster-oven no longer works like it once did.
This is not to say that the current roster is anything less than astounding:
Vrodish: Male dwarven barbarian 6. ‘Rage without a cage’, Vrodish brings exactly the right amount of subtlety and charm needed to navigate a delicate adventure like “The Menagerie”. He also brings a very big axe. That axe, by the way, frequently proved to be an exceptional problem-solving tool. Vrodish was played by Todd Hankinson, a runner-up for the Dragon Prestige Class design competition. Whenever the party strategists brilliantly conclude that it is to the party’s tactical advantage for their opponents to become dead, Vrodish is called to the forefront.
Rimbrener, AKA, The Living Lantern: Male half-elvin rogue 2/sorcerer 4. Capable of both plot advancement as well as common sense, the Living Lantern is the glue which holds The 20 Strong together. Hmmmm, perhaps he then shares some of the blame . . . Rimbrener was played by Herman Lau, also a runner-up for the Dragon Prestige Class design competition. Coincidentally, Herman happens to be a kick-*** artist. You gotta see his stuff!
Kian: Male, human cleric of Xan Yae 4/Monk 2 (Sacred Fist Wannabe). One of the 20 Strong’s founding members, Kian brings. . . well heck, I am not sure what Kian brings to The 20 Strong outside of his dubious claim to be a founding member. Despite his diatribes about the benefits of discipline, Kian rivals the chaos caused by Vrodish, largely brought about by his frequent abuse of his power gamer tan bag of tricks. Dare I admit it, Kian was played by myself.
Yes, yes, this will work. How could a finely balanced party such as this do anything but succeed against the paltry challenges presented in “The Menagerie”?
Stay tuned. . .
PART II - OUTSIDE THE STORE
Dawn broke (Repair DC 25). Kian began his morning meditation ritual interrupted only by the sweet sounds of Vrodish’s use of the chamber pot. (Regrettably, I did not make that scene up.) Thankfully, Vrodish soon left to go drinking. It was, after all, well past sunrise.
Rimbener determined that after The 20 Strong’s last adventuring debacle he had run out of material components for Hypnotic Pattern, his only useful level 2 combat spell (Nobody accuses Herman Lau of being a Power Gamer). Naturally, the respected advice and counsel of Kian lead to a decision to procure more components at Gwen’s Relics, a local store with a veritable cornucopia of goodies for spell-casting types. If only the 20 Strong had known that they were, in actual fact, the victims of a plot hook.
Despite their courtesy of scheduling their attendance during statutory business hours, when Kian and Rembener arrived at Gwen’s Relics, they were surprised to find the shop was closed. Something was definitely amiss, a sizeable crowd flocked outside the store. Most were rivited by the tales of a nutty fisherman racing among them as he insisted over and over that monsters were lose inside the store. (For those of you following along diligently with your copy of the mod, the nutty fisherman in question would be Javers Ibbelbbek, the NPC who triggers the untoward events in the adventure’s backstory.)
Concerted crowd control efforts were undertaken. Kian and Rimbener urged the flocking bystanders to move back so that The 20 Strong, the trained professionals that they are, could handle this crisis (“Who ya gonna Call?”). Fortunately Kian and Rimbener made what was perhaps their best decision of the day: they waited for Vrodish to join them.
Also fortunate was that before entering Gwen’s Relics, the party took the time to speak with Elgeen, a store employee who had also recently arrived on the scene. In so doing, the 20 Strong engaged in some essential intel gathering. The 20 Strong quickly learned that the magic shop had imported several expensive critters: cockatrices, shocker lizards, a dark mantle and even an exotic giant spider. . .
More importantly though, Elgeen impressed upon the 20 Strong, in no uncertain terms, that it was critical to ensure they did not damage “the merchandise”.
Rimbrener looked at Vrodish patting his axe as he frothed at the mouth (it might have been beer froth), then he looked at Kian’s bag of tricks with a Rhino horn, half popping out, and promptly assured Elgeen it wouldn’t be a problem.
Then, after a deep strategy session, the party settled on the front door as its subtle choice of entrance. Wiser still, Kian concluded The 20 Strong could best protect the innocent bystanders clustered outside of Gwen’s Relics by sealing_the_door_behind_them. It’s this kind of prudent thinking that makes Kian so popular with his fellow party members.
Stay tuned. . .
Ouch - I think I pulled something laughing so hard.
You best get ta postin' Michael. This is funny stuff and I want to know what happened.
- Chris
Yeah. Me too!
;)
GGG
Awesome! Ahh. Good times!
WaterdhavianFlapjack
PART III - Episode 2: Attack of the Chickens
Once sealed inside the magic shop, The 20 Strong put their highly-polished group tactics to work: “Vrodish, you go first.” Don’t knock it till you try it, because dammit it works. Mere minutes after he began ‘gently’ combing book shelves and assorted arcane oddities, the deadly dwarf had a run in with the first cockatrice. Doing his best impression of Colonel Saunders-with-an-Axe, Vrodish criticalled the first chicken before it could try to turn him to stone with its dangerous bite.
A second cockatrice landed on a nearby statuary and attacked Kian. (We later clued-in that the statue was, in fact, an innocent store customer). Kian predictably relied on his bag of tricks and drew out a Large warhorse. While the powerful steed was not able to deal with the cockatrice per say, it was able to panic and pummel the statue into a few shattered pieces. Fortunately, Vrodish was able to rush over and down the second cockatrice before Kian was forced to do his best permanent impression of Rodan’s “Thinker”. After this minor set-back, Mr. Ed was quickly sent back inside Kian’s bag of tricks. For his part during the frenzied melee, Rimbener, always an invaluable contributor during any combat, was able to take the time to locate and carefully compile the spell components he needed.
Looking around, the 20 Strong determined that most of the store front had been demolished within the first five minutes of their entry inside Gwen’s Relics. But why worry, how expensive can it be to replace darkwood shelving?
PART IV - A Membership Increase!
At this point, the exuberance of our overly keen gaming group, combined with GGG’s entertaining DMing style attracted the attention of a few onlookers and lamentably, the paparazzi. Since we were short handed, and GGG was, perhaps, somewhat underwhelmed by the quality of his current roster of players, we invited one of the observers to play. Hence, allow me to introduce:
Serephina: Human, female sorcerer 6. Once thought to be a lost member of the 20 Strong, Vrodish, Kian and Rimbener were elated to discover that Serephina, their Sister-in–arcane-arms, had in fact survived the fiery mishap thought to have spelt her doom. The 20 Strong, however, might have been less elated if they had realized Serephina’s fiery mishap was but the first of many of what would become known as Serephina’s routine pyromania.
For those of you keeping track and are now wondering how Serephina could join us after we sealed the doors from the inside, well. . . just make something up involving the fact that she’s a sorcerer or better still, the conversion to 3.5. If you can’t, you really ought not dwell on it.
After a quick exchange of the secret “The 20 Strong” handshake with Serephina, the party dared to delve deeper into the magic shop.
And then what happened?
::On the edge of his seat::
-GGG
And then what happened?
::On the edge of his seat::
-GGG
That seems odd.... lol, good work with the mini adventure, i liked it.
A Couple of Pages from "The 20 Strong" Family Album
Herman has kindly agreed to let me post some of the character illustrations he did following the "Menagerie" play test event. Assuming I am capable of posting a link properly, such that you can at least paste it into your browser, below is a picture of Rimbener. Rimbener is demonstrating Adventuring Tip No.67: Never venture into a battle without your windchime (don't ask).
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/luchong/images/rimb1a.jpg
And here is one of Kian, proving yet again the axiom that all pet owners truly do look like their pets. Dammit, he even matches:
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/luchong/images/kian1a.jpg
I will hit Herman up to see if he has one of Vrodish or Serephina. I know he is a busy guy though.
That seems odd.... lol, good work with the mini adventure, i liked it.And then what happened?
::On the edge of his seat::
-GGG
Thanks Onrie. Now the real question is when do we get to see your adventure in Dungeon. James Jacobs got one published when he was 17 if I remember correctly. I'm sure you can top that.
As for 'edge of my seat', Michael can tell you from personal experience that that's about as close to a chair as I get when I DM.
Cheers,
GGG
A Couple of Pages from "The 20 Strong" Family Album
Herman has kindly agreed to let me post some of the character illustrations he did following the "Menagerie" play test event. Assuming I am capable of posting a link properly, such that you can at least paste it into your browser, below is a picture of Rimbener. Rimbener is demonstrating Adventuring Tip No.67: Never venture into a battle without your windchime (don't ask).
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/luchong/images/rimb1a.jpg
And here is one of Kian, proving yet again the axiom that all pet owners truly do look like their pets. Dammit, he even matches:
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/luchong/images/kian1a.jpg
I will hit Herman up to see if he has one of Vrodish or Serephina. I know he is a busy guy though.
It's like my very own Paizo AoW in-house playtest complete with characters sketches by a great artist/player and everything. We even had a ninja-esk character and everything. You guys is da bomb.
::weeps::
GGG
I have fallen behind on my installments.
PART V - Episode 3: Revenge of the Rust
As those of you who have read issue 126 know, there was a dark mantle in the adjoining room. But short story shorter, the poor little guy was a but a snack for Kian’s bag of tricks tiger. There was “some” collateral damage to the store room, but nothing of note I assure you. (“Um, back in the bag Tony.”).
The Rust Monster behind the dark mantle, however, proved a much greater challenge, as once Vrodish figured out what it was, he decided it may in fact be the only monster in the multi-verse which truly terrified him. That was the first-and-only time, Kian, Rimbener and Serephina had ever witnessed the treat of seeing Vrodish flee.
Stripping off his few metal items, Kian boldly sallied forth to fill the point position deserted by Vrodish. Hey! Monks are good for something: fighting rust monsters! However, the rust monster proved far the more clever than Kian. It simply doubled back, found another entrance and attacked Vrodish and the rest of the party from the rear.
Rimbener and Seraphina, though, responded just as quickly and proved up to the task, lasering the poor beast to death with a multi-colored shower of magic missiles as they maneuvered behind the cover of the magic shop’s remaining book shelves. After all, it’s not just whether you win or lose the fight, it’s how cool you look doing it.
PART VI - The Big Bug
At this point, The 20 Strong realized that, despite their solemn vow to Elgeen, the shopkeeper, they had in fact, thus far, turned every monster they encountered into a blender product. As such, The 20 Strong promised one another that they would re-double their efforts to capture the next beastie alive.
Upon advancing up the stairs to the next level, The 20 Strong encountered a room thick with cobwebs. Recalling their earlier clue from Elgeen that a giant spider was loose in the store, the party decided to formulate a plan that would enable them to. . . .
Suddenly Seraphina tossed off a fireball in the centre of the room. I don’t wish to be hyper-critical here, but let’s just say there’s a reason Sorcerer’s rely on Charisma and not Intelligence as their primary ability stat. As you would surmise, there was a really big boom and a lot of flames. Seraphina herself was blown backwards down the staircase. Kian caught her before she hit the ground. Actually, I should not complain. This was a good moment for Kian. Not only did he actually get to use his evasion ability and perform a studly catch, he had a chance to show-off his ‘divine metamagic extended lessor vigor spell’ (trademark pending) which (eventually) healed Seraphina for 32 points of damage. Not bad for a level-1 spell. (Distant coughing noise is heard which sounds vaguely like “power gamer”.)
Meanwhile Vrodish and Rimbener bravely inspected the charred remains of the room and after counting eight crispy legs without an abdomen, concluded that, once again, Gwen’s Relics’ “merchandise” might not be fully recoverable. Hopefully Gwen’s Relics carried insurance with coverage for errant adventurers. Since fireball is an arcane spell, it certainly wouldn’t be excluded under a provision for Acts of Gods.
Interjector: “Hey! I read “The Menagerie” in issue 126 and there was no giant spider in it! You’re just making this crap up! And that’s without making comment about your unnecessary and anachronistic reference to property insurance.”
Me: Hey, I said it was the Director’s cut. We had extra monsters. Apparently the Paizo staff had to cut the spider in the actual magazine. As for the insurance reference, I can’t argue.
As for 'edge of my seat', Michael can tell you from personal experience that that's about as close to a chair as I get when I DM.
It is true. It is a very physical DMing style. It likely accounts for his +10 Reflex bonus to whoopie cushions.
Interjector: “Hey! I read “The Menagerie” in issue 126 and there was no giant spider in it! You’re just making this crap up! And that’s without making comment about your unnecessary and anachronistic reference to property insurance.”
Me: Hey, I said it was the Director’s cut. We had extra monsters. Apparently the Paizo staff had to cut the spider in the actual magazine. As for the insurance reference, I can’t argue.
Actually I cut the Enorma Araneus Apricus out before I sent it in. The encounter added about 450 words to the submission. All told the Paizo folks didn't change much. Though some how the two dogs that I picked up at the pound lost a lot of weight. ;) Oh, and the shocker lizards are no longer all female and named Lairi, Moha and Schemp. ;)
I'll post the missing encounter as soon as Michael finishes his tale.
One other thing that got edited out was the thumbnail stats I worked up for the two notable NPCs, Javers, and Elgeen. Those I'll give you right now at no extra cost. Any ability scores that are not given are human average (10 or 11). I'm including the descriptions so folks without the magazine can use them:
Elgeen is a young man with fair skin and long dark hair. He acts and dresses in a professional manner, though he comes across as a terrible know-it all. He is deeply concerned about Gwen, but is a bit of a coward. He is reluctant to promise the characters rewards for their work, deflecting that responsibility to Gwen when (and if) she is rescued. He knows how much the magical beasts and monsters are worth and tries to persuade the characters to capture rather than kill them – “They are after all only small monsters.” If asked why he doesn’t go in and take care of it he responds: “Who me? Are you crazy?”
Elgeen Vonnil, male human expert 2: CR 1; hp 7; AL LN; Int 16. Skills: All Knowledge skills +8.
Javers is a local fixture. He makes it his business to try and make folks happy and be involved in the community. In return the community allows him to live mostly free of charge. He is tall and rotund thanks to his frequent social calls made during mealtimes. His hair is little more than a short, white fringe around the edge of his head. The ever-present smile he usually sports has turned into a look of concern over the trouble he believes he has inadvertently wrought.
Javers Ibbelbbek, male human commoner 4: CR 3; hp 14; AL NG; Wis 14, Cha 15; Skills: Diplomacy +8, Gather Information +8, Knowledge (local) +6, Listen +5; Feats: Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Skill Focus (Gather Information), Skill Focus (Knowledge (local)).
GGG
Good Lord...why do I see this ending with the player's standing before the smoking ruins of the shop, patting an innocent by-stander on the head and saying "Think nothing of it, Citizens. We fight this evil for YOU!"
I see you are familiar with the exploits of The 20 Strong. . .
Nevertheless, Gavgoyle, I give you my personal assurance that The 20 Strong once again endeavored to adopt a “surgical” and conscientious approach to all combat encounters going forward.
PART VII - The Big Bad: The Ravid!
The 20 Strong then staged a short intervention with Seraphina, during which they carefully explained the inherent drawbacks of large area effect spells in small rooms, using very tiny words, such that even Vrodish was nodding along thoughtfully. However, no sooner had they finished when Seraphina promptly went back up the stairs and tossed off a few more fireballs into the next room. I believe she was attempting to illustrate a counter-point.
I wish I could tell you Kian wasn’t dumb enough to have followed her back up the stairs but I can’t. Instead, let me just say he has yet to save up for that headband of Intellect he keeps talking about. The party did, all, however (somehow) survive.
Apparently there was supposed to be a climactic fight with a Ravid in which the party faces off against a deluge of animated objects. This encounter though was lost in the epicentre of the inferno blasts, as was much of Gwen’s Relics. However, on the plus side, Vrodish reported that Roasted Ravid went well with a white wine. (Just kidding, Vrodish doesn’t actually drink wine).
PART VIII - The Aftermath
Having rescued Gwen’s Relics and recovered the merchandise. . . Er, let me try that again: having levelled much of Gwen’s Relics and destroyed virtually all of the merchandise (the shocker lizards thankfully got away), The 20 Strong had much to answer for. Fortunately we reminded the GGG this was a one-off play session and not a campaign. In response, he lavished us with gigantic amounts of treasure and oodles of XP, at least I think that’s what he was muttering as he left shaking his head.
Thanks to GGG for running a great event. I hope you all enjoy playing “The Menagerie”.
-MwK
P.S. Although the rumours of a “The 20 Strong” Reunion event next year are widely unsubstantiated, I remain full of hope. If so, be careful, for no doubt aggressive recruitment will take place.
Ok as promised, the gallery encounter:
This encounter should be placed in the room containing the top half of the stairwell on the second floor. Add an animated door to the doorway in the northwest wall (it disappeared somewhere between my draft and the finished print). Have Elgeen note the presence of the enorma araneus apricus when listing the creatures he knows to be inside Gwen's shop. Have him put special emphasis on how rare such an arachnid is.
2.5. THE GALLERY (EL 4)
This roughly ten-by-twenty-five foot room seems to serve as a sort of mini art gallery with paintings filling up both of the long walls. An iron spiral stairwell in the southern portion of the room leads down to the first floor.
Only the top part of the stairwell still exists thanks to the rust monster. Characters wishing to get to down to the first floor will have to dangle off of the last remaining step and drop (full round action) or make a Jump check (standard action, DC 10).
The southwestern door is arcane locked (caster-level 12). While the northwestern door is an animated object created by the ravid.
The paintings on the wall were all done by Gwendolyn and are mediocre at best. Some of them however are under the lingering effects of the ravid’s passing. This handful of artwork (which include: a bowl of fruit, a field of flowers, a starry night, and the portrait of a local shipping courier) warps and twists in such a way as to suggest movement on the part of the image. Most disturbing is the portrait courier whose face distorts into a series of mute screams. The paintings cease to move 1d6 rounds after they are discovered.
The floor of this room has a fine web coating on it. Characters entering it need to make a DC 20 spot check to notice it otherwise they step into it and become trapped.
Creatures: lurking in the room is the dreaded enorma araneus apricus a lean translucent yellow-green spider with a body the size of a medium-size dog and long sturdy legs. Less obvious is the animated door on the northwest wall.
Enorma Araneus Apricus, Large Monstrous Web-Spinning Spider: CR 2; hp 26; Monster Manual 288.
Animated Slamming Door: CR 2; hp 28; SQ hardness 5; Monster Manual 13.
Tactics: The spider throws webs from the far side of the room moving along the walls and ceiling until its prey is immobilized at which point it rushes to attack hoping to poison its prey into submission.
The animated door is still attached by its hinges to the wall. It swings open slamming opponents. While animated, the door has enough reach and flexibility to strike targets in any area within five feet or its hinges. While it is connected to the wall it cannot be successfully tripped or bull rushed though it can be grappled and pinned (against a wall). The door remains animate for 2d6 rounds after its first attack.
Treasure: The dozen or so framed pieces of art would if sold net a total of 500 gp.
Enjoy,
GGG
Too true, although I must say that also goes for the big nasty spider as well.
GGG
Well I know it's an old thread, but I've learned that Herman Lau also has art for Vrodish, a character which has really taken on a life of its own. And this piece is too cool to pass on.
I didn't know it at the time, but I since learned that Vrodish was actually also an early incarnation/variation of the sample PC from Todd Hankinson's Prestige Class runner-up, Origins entry: the Barak-Dum, Axes of Doom.
Here is the link for a browser paste:
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/luchong/images/vrod1a.jpg
Happy hunting all,
Mwk
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Hey, just found this thread!
Man, what a laugh!!!
And even better, more info on the adventure itself (THE GALLERY), great! Thanx for sharing GGG.
When I played it (when half of my players couldn't attend), I added a BARREL OF WHITE MONKEYS to the fray (from BOOK OF MARVELOUS MAGIC, 2E), that was fun!
Great writing MWK!