I think you're absolutely right about the vampires needing to show up. Your contingencies sound good to me, so stick to your plan and let us know how it goes!
The game was an absolute blast. Again, my players surprised me.
The group decided to rest in the armory. They were met there by Vannwhyne Malkistra during the second watch. The fight was quite even and by the turn I was planning a gaseous form retreat, the ever original negative energy channeler decided to give a try to his command undead feat alon with his channeling. He succeeded and suddenly my spy's had found a source of information. I have confided them the former vampire huntress' personal history (which by the way was a shame not to have the players know it) along with her personal view of the other two vampires' strengths and weaknesses. She has told the the approximate layout of the cellar level.
Afterwards they decided to have her explore the garden and the rest of the mail level they had not explored and that was the time I got the chance to have the dolls appear. As none of the P characters decided to join her in her exploration and just have th cleric "remote control" her I had the dolls ambush Vannwhyne. As the cleric is a little bit nuts (part of the metaplot) he decided he no longer had any further interest in her and left her to her own. Of course I used the chance to have he return to the cellar level.
I normally give the XP after game sessions but in this time it proved to be a critical factor, for the cleric rose up to level 6 between sessions. This allowed him to de IDE this interesting encounter.
They continued afterwards:
The alchemist is trying to become a pathfinder and chose the campaign trait that gives him a wayfinder. This way they encountered the dolls and he showed the the device, assuring they ment no harm. The dolls were ok with that and invited th party to a surreal "tea party" in which I made clear to the player'sthe sadistic nature of the fetishes. They got Bisby's final resting place pinpointed and the haunt's powers proved lethal for the warrior. After this terrible loss they tried to open the blocked door that leads to the access to the cellar but failed miserably at it (no rogue).
They then decided to leave Delvehaven to try to find someone that could resurrect their fallen comrade. At the very door I had Jair appear with bat swarms invoked, but in the event of a total party kill I decided to leave him invisible evaluating the group's performance (maybe selecting a potential thrall?).
The funny thing about it is that they decided to look for help in the church of Asmodeus. The local priest recognized them as the stars in the sixfold trial and de died to resurrect their friend AFTER signing a devious contract that might have the group perform a deed in the name of Asmodeus. And of course, after paying the price.
There's more tomorrow.
My players were given handouts - even some additional hand-made papers (the ledger, Cugny's wedding, and a clue to the cipher.
Did you write Cugny's Wedding? If so, may I please have a copy?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Someone else did — here's the thread.
Thank-you!
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Since this thread hasn't had anything posted in a while, I figured I'll throw my 2cp in here also. Thank you EVERYONE for all your great comments so far. I'm going to be using a ton of the suggestions that have been provided because I do feel like Delvehaven just needed a little extra OOMPH because it's been the thing of legends so far to them.
So here's my thoughts so far. I'll try and use the spoiler buttons liberally:
I'll also have the dolls be on the lookout for a wayfinder to see if the PCs are friends or enemies (I have a bard in the party that's trying to become a pathfinder, so he took the trait that gave him one). The dolls are on Bisby's side of things, so I figured they are one of his lookouts in the area. I just can't see them getting into too much combat except the hit and run tactics. If the dolls deem them a threat, then I'll have them do the spring attacks and other tactics to try and scare them away. If the PCs are deemed friends, they'll walk into the tea party and be invited to join them. I think then they'll be taken down to Bisby since that would join those two plot lines perfectly.
Also, I think that the stomping around of the triceratops would also alert the vampires just as well as the baying of the hounds, so I'm going to be using that as a conditional factor also.
I think that's a good summary of my thoughts so far about what my plans are for Delvehaven. Again, thank you everyone for the suggestions and the ideas. I'll be reading the forums for the rest of the books for sure now. If there's any additional ideas or suggestions, please let me know.
We just finished our run through What Lies in Dust a couple weeks ago and I finally posted my write up. My players had a really good time. I used the vampire's dilema as mentioned above and added my own twist to it. More in a minute.
In addition, for the last half of the adventure, I decided to use Lorefinder, the Gumshoe mashup for Pathfinder. This essentially splits the character skills into investigative skills and general skills. The general skills work just as in Pathfinder. The investigative skills give you points to spend to find things. It takes the rolling out of discovering clues. I am going to try it out for a few sessions and see how it works. It really sped up our dungeon crawling. I also think it really suits this adventure path.
The party was out of spells and camped on the Rostrum of Vanishment. I waited until nightfall, when one of the vampire spawn discovered them there. Turns out the paladin, his family is a minor band of thieves. One of his cousins was the spawn. The paladin never got along with his family. So the spawn goes and gets Vahnwynne. Vahnwynne appears atop the ruins of the rope bridge and summons bat swarms, in case the players try to stay invisible. The ranger is a bounty hunter, so he recognizes Vahnwynne. That does not stop the party from killing them. They figure that the vampire is going to regenerate so they are faced with the dilema. Rest and get back their spells or go after the vampire while it is weak. The chase the vampire.
So they end up downstairs and go through most of the second level. When they end up outside the summoning chamber, they run into the Mazeflesh Man. They defeat him and he disappears under the door of the summoning chamber. Before they stumble into there, Missy Molly tells them to follow. She introduces them to Bisby, who gives them the clues they need.
They go down to face the last spawn and Jair. I made Jair the missing master of the wizard, who was his motivation for joining the Redshirts. He thought his master had been carried away by the Hellknights. Two of the vampire spawn were more cousins of the paladin. The players were not really in that much danger, but being out of spells and the fear of negative levels really ratched up the tension for them.
You can catch the whole story on my blog.
Very cool adventure!
|
|
I wanted to report back on the situation I threw at my PCs before I start in on book 4.
First off, I scratched my idea on how to open Delvehaven. After thinking about it, it just didn't seem logical or practical, so out it went.
When they finally did find the room with the plate of invisibility (book not open, just going off of memory), I made their attack there. They each took a different person until Draggy got hit by a critical strike and smashed him into pieces. At this point, the dolls ran into the invisible area and taunted the PCs and called them "big meanies" for smashing Draggy. Finally the PCs let them come over and grab draggy's parts and they disappeared down into the lower areas to hide with Bisby.
Eventually, the combat just got too long and I let them take the victory on this one, but it worked out great.
I'm hoping to see other wonderful suggestions in book 4 as this one seems to be a giant dungeon crawl.
How do you price Mantrithor Thrax's +1 Mithral Quarterstaff? (What Lies In The Dust p. 18)
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
When I ran What Lies in Dust, I had more players than the five books described in the library of Pathfinder Chronicles. So I came up with three more books so that everyone would have a book to read. Here they are for your enjoyment.
The Enlightenment of Seppe Aoli
After boasting of already knowing all there is to know about the religions of the multiverse, a vengeful deity sent the Deva, Polus, to punish Seppe. Polus swept Seppe through a tour de force of the outer planes. Humbled by his experience, Seppe remained a recluse until his death.
A character who reads Seppe's writings gains the following:
- +1 Knowledge Religion
- +1 Knowledge Planes
- +1 Diplomacy with Outsiders
Among the Apes of Sagawa
Francia Teppotini grew up in a trading post in the Chelish colony. She became fascinated with the great apes, which she could occasionally spy at the fringes of the forest. The attraction grew so powerful that she ran away from her family and befriended a family of apes. It was years later that she emerged from the jungle to tell her story.
A character who reads Francia's story gains the following:
- +1 Handle Animal
- +1 Disguise
- +1 Knowledge Nature
The Story of Inquistor Zacharia Stefanovad: My Life in Death
Zacharia's parents were killed by a haunting ghost, leaving him to grow up as an orphan. The church took in Zacharia and he learned all he could about uneasy spirits. He used this knowledge to hunt and banish ghosts and other undead. As he aged, he realized that there was still so much to do. He used the knowledge he gained from his years of study of the undead to become one himself. As a lich he continued his pursuit of the creatures that killed his parents.
A character who reads Zacharia's story gains the following:
- +1 Save vs fear
- +1 Knowledge Arcana
- +1 Sense Motive
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
My group started the run on Delvehaven today, here is what happened just before
Does anyone know why the frames are all empty in the B12 guest rooms?
They're just picture frames, probably scenescape paintings, or depictions of adventures. These would've been stolen and sold by the Thune agents when they occupied Delvehaven, or else stolen and kept if they were particularly nice, or destroyed so the agents wouldn't have to look at them day in and day out while they occupied the lodge.
So my group just entered the library at Delvehaven and started reading the five books (5 member party). One of them failed their save and wanted to know if the charisma damage can be reversed (i.e. Restoration, remove curse) and if it can, do the benefits disappear as well?
I found a lot of interesting and useful things in this thread
https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2tal5?Raynulfs-Council-of-Thieves-Thesis
I'd like to use Ilnerik's alternative fate, his death by the hand of his friend, but I wonder: when asked about Ilnerik with the grave candles, what would Bisby say? Can he lie? Maybe he is ashamed of what he did and doesn't want to reveal his crime, is he forced to speak the truth by the spell?
Ok, I read Speak with dead carefully and cleared my mind.
Yet what could be Bisby's bluff bonus?
Ok, I read Speak with dead carefully and cleared my mind.
Yet what could be Bisby's bluff bonus?
That depends on what Amber Privateer Donatalus Bisby was in life. In other words, what do you want it to be?
So, how difficult do you want the Party's best Sense Motive roll to be?
I thought there was something already set for Bisby somewhere and I just couldn't find it. It's up to me once more then, thank you.
|
I'm not sure if anyone else likes this idea, but I sort of reskinned the dynamic between Bisby and Sivanshin as lovers, that the Aohl drove apart. Turns the whole story into a sort of gothic romance and makes Sivanshin more of a tragic character.
The seeds are planted in the Bickering haunt that causes the party to fight each other - reinterpreting it as a lovers' quarrel. Then whoever takes possession of the Morrowfall experiences strange dissociative dreams linking them to Sivanshin through the Totemrix.
It's a fun way to give Sivanshin some more depth - he feels a little "stock villain" to me as written, and any way to flesh out the guy that the party has been hunting for five books is good for me.
My PCs spared Mantrithor Thrax's life in the Devildrome and forgot about him. They didn't even take anything from him while he was unconscious.
Is it possible that Sivanshin turn him into one of his vampires, just as Thesing? How can I do it? I mean stats, skills, levels and so on...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
My PCs spared Mantrithor Thrax's life in the Devildrome and forgot about him. They didn't even take anything from him while he was unconscious.
Is it possible that Sivanshin turn him into one of his vampires, just as Thesing? How can I do it? I mean stats, skills, levels and so on...
Well, that might not be necessary. The AP (page 18 of What Lies In The Dust) suggests that he may become a recurring foil for the PCs if he survives the arena.
However, you could use the template on page 270 (of the English Language version) of the Bestiary? (Given his Charisma, this may be a sub-par choice.)
Glad to see you're still around after almost a year Lord Fyre :) My savior!
I know it is not necessary, it was just an idea...I'll use this link if I can't find an Italian version of the Bestiary, thank you.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Glad to see you're still around after almost a year Lord Fyre :) My savior!
I know it is not necessary, it was just an idea...I'll use this link if I can't find an Italian version of the Bestiary, thank you.
Might I suggest swapping Constitution and Charisma in that case.
Might I suggest swapping Constitution and Charisma in that case.Glad to see you're still around after almost a year Lord Fyre :) My savior!
I know it is not necessary, it was just an idea...I'll use this link if I can't find an Italian version of the Bestiary, thank you.
I will do it
My party's just met Jair. They've already dealt with Mazeflash whom they've ridden of quite easily, but Jair is much more dangerous: following the book's tips he called a rat swarm (6 actually, dice roll) and summoned a dretch (summon monster III) who summoned a dretch (9 with 1d100). Isn't it too muche for a 6th level group? It's like dealing with CR7+CR7+CR3 AND the swarm alone would be very difficult to handle without AOE spells...Should I remove the swarm from the encounter? I want it to be tough but I don't want a TPK
ok, I've come up with this: they will protect his withdrawal, obstructing the two hallways and moving to surround the coffin.
Jair dominates 2 PCs in order to destroy the Morrowfall. The cleric manages to tp the item and so the vampire decides to kill the party. Will the controlled PCs gain a new ST each time Jair hit them directly (i.e. channel negative energy)?
My party's just met Jair. They've already dealt with Mazeflash whom they've ridden of quite easily, but Jair is much more dangerous: following the book's tips he called a rat swarm (6 actually, dice roll) and summoned a dretch (summon monster III) who summoned a dretch (9 with 1d100). Isn't it too muche for a 6th level group? It's like dealing with CR7+CR7+CR3 AND the swarm alone would be very difficult to handle without AOE spells...Should I remove the swarm from the encounter? I want it to be tough but I don't want a TPK
ok, I've come up with this: they will protect his withdrawal, obstructing the two hallways and moving to surround the coffin.
Strictly speaking, a summoned creature is not allowed to also summon a creature.
Jair dominates 2 PCs in order to destroy the Morrowfall. The cleric manages to tp the item and so the vampire decides to kill the party. Will the controlled PCs gain a new ST each time Jair hit them directly (i.e. channel negative energy)?
Does the Cleric realize that Morrowfall could really make Jair's day? (Sunbeam and Sunburst will seriously mess up a Vampire.)
And, yes. Directly harming a creature you have charmed breaks the spell. Check the spell description.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Strictly speaking, a summoned creature is not allowed to also summon a creature.
Does the Cleric realize that Morrowfall could really make Jair's day? (Sunbeam and Sunburst will seriously mess up a Vampire.)
And, yes. Directly harming a creature you have charmed breaks the spell. Check the spell description.
My bad, I didn't know the summoned dretch couldn't summon. BTW the ranger took them down in two rounds.
Fearing the power of the Mooorwfall they put it into the Chelix Crux, but they had a sunburst scroll and they used it. Bye bye Jair.
|
Let's talk Grave Candles and Broken Busts:
Ghaelfin was the subject to a Flesh to Stone. He is NOT NOT NOT dead. NOT DEAD.
So how can a flipping Grave Candle talk to his "expired soul" or whatever?
Now, if you Flesh to Stone him, he's dead. And you could use various spells to raise him up.
If you did a series of MAKE WHOLE, you could repair the statue prior to this, and he'd get a DC 15 Fort save and then could talk your ear off.
As written, he's not dead. Can't use a Grave Candle to talk to him.
So as a GM, what am I to do with this nonsense? (I know how I'm going to handle it in my campaign, but would never be able to run this in PFS, as it doesn't follow it's own rules). Thanks.
Chapter 3: What Lies in DustLet's talk Grave Candles and Broken Busts:
Ghaelfin was the subject to a Flesh to Stone. He is NOT NOT NOT dead. NOT DEAD.
So how can a flipping Grave Candle talk to his "expired soul" or whatever?
Now, if you Stone to Flesh him, he's dead. And you could use various spells to raise him up.
If you did a series of MAKE WHOLE, you could repair the statue prior to this, and he'd get a DC 15 Fort save and then could talk your ear off.
As written, he's not dead. Can't use a Grave Candle to talk to him.
So as a GM, what am I to do with this nonsense? (I know how I'm going to handle it in my campaign, but would never be able to run this in PFS, as it doesn't follow it's own rules). Thanks.
Keep in mind that the Pathfinder 1st Edition RPG rules were still under developement when this was written, so such things were not finalized. (Mantrithor's staff is also an example.)
But, I believe that Michael Kortes was considering the cutting off of the head and sholders to be the same as beheading a person (a safe bet that such a thing would kill any living creature).
|
|
Keep in mind that the Pathfinder 1st Edition RPG rules were still under developement when this was written, so such things were not finalized. (Mantrithor's staff is also an example.)
But, I believe that Michael Kortes was considering the cutting off of the head and sholders to be the same as beheading a person (a safe bet that such a thing would kill any living creature).
Yes. When you returned them to flesh they would surely die. And anything short of a wish would not be able to return the ground up statue to it's whole state. So while it is out of the scope of the module to give anyone a wish, in theory a stone to flesh could "kill him"... and then any form of available resurrection would work - save that his soul doesn't want to come back. THEN you could talk to the soul's remnants.
So that's pretty much how I'm running it. It's a soul that wants nothing to do with returning. But in order to talk to it you're going to have to turn him back to flesh.
|
|
OK. Further on the Delvehaven issue:
and regarding Ghaelfin's remains: