Mothman's Age of Worms Redux

Game Master Mothman

At a perfumed arcade known as the Emporium, Governor-Mayor Lanod Neff rubs shoulders with common labourers awaiting an appointment in the Veiled Corridor. In an adjoining antechamber, snakes and exotic dancers gyre to a sonorous weave of cymbals and seductive pipes. A floor below, a gaggle of grasping miners presses against the windowed door of a darkened cell, impatient for a glimpse of a two-headed calf.

Out in the street, a gang of rowdies screams obscenities at a crumpled halfling, kicking it as if scrambling for a ball. Their drunken laughter echoes off shuttered windows and bolted doors.

In a tower-flanked fortress across the shadowy square, filthy men with nothing to lose shout hymns to their strict god, clutching to their idealism and principles like cornered animals. Their wild eyed chief minister smiles as a he draws the cat-o-nine-tails across his bare back, awash in their adulation and the spirit of his god.

It’s just another night in Diamond Lake.

Welcome! Game thread is up – you can post to dot if you like, which will make it easier to keep track of. If you post, then delete your post, you’ll get your dot without cluttering up the game thread with “Dot” posts!

Ok, we have some choices to make. As GM I’ll reserve the right on final decisions, but I’d certainly value input from you all.

Firstly, do we set this in Greyhawk, Golarion or generic / homebrew setting? I’m certainly more familiar with Golarion than Greyhawk, and probably like the Pathfinder setting more in many respects, but Greyhawk is a classic and the AP fits very well there (once you chance a few names).

At this stage I think I’m more inclined to set it in Greyhawk as I think that may entail the least work for me in converting things and keeping changes straight (and less time doing that means more time I am able to be posting to the game).

If we do go with Golarion, I think I will both need to change aspects of the AP to fit the setting, and aspects of the setting to fit the AP. I’ve looked about for advice from people who’ve set the game in Golarion and have found little in respect to good conversion notes with one main exception; Steel Wind on the boards posted some excellent notes on setting the AP in Golarion … but the changes he made both to the AP and the setting, and some of the stylistic choices are probably not where I’d like to go (eg, setting the AP a few decades in Golarion’s future, swapping out the campaign’s BBEG and most of the major NPCs with significant Golarion personalities, setting the main part of the campaign in Cheliax, with bits of it set on Golarion’s moon and an orbital station around Eox, going Mythic). I’m sure these made for an exciting campaign, but they deviate too much from the core of things for me.

I take on board Aubrey’s suggestions on location from the other thread; I agree that Druma could make a good setting for Diamond Lake and ‘the Free City’, and Lake Encarthan very likely is Golarion’s answer to the Nyr Dyv (and if so, Golarion’s ‘Greyhawk city’ should indeed be located in Druma). I’m not quite as convinced as Razmiran as a stand in for Redhand; from what I know of Razmiran and vaguely recall from the adventure, the feel and particulars of the two places would be quite different – although I guess you could take a chunk out of Razmiran and make it a River Kingdom called The Principality of Redhand and make it work that way. I have briefly considered Brevoy and/or the River Kingdoms as possible settings, but haven’t thought through all the implications of that yet.

I’m interested in hearing other opinions or suggestions.

If there are no strong preferences either way I'll think on it some more but will more likely go with Greyhawk.

The second set of things is to do with character creation; point buy or dice rolls for ability scores (I would consider a 20 point buy or the ‘4d6 drop the lowest, x6, assign as preferred’ method)? What character options, classes, races etc. should be allowed (or restricted)?

Well, the advantage of Greyhawk is that I have no real knowledge of the setting, so you can do what you want and while Erik Mona might turn in his grave (if her were dead) I'd never know the difference!

I'm happy with either approach to character creation. Just a query - given the general meat-grindiness of this campaign, would 20pts be enough? As for permitted classes and races... I dunno, if I were running it I'd probably be happy with any classes published by Paizo, maybe less so about any published by 3PPs. Mothy may have other views, of course. And we could maybe keep it to the classes and races in the PHB to give it a more 3rd edition, core D&D feel, since ratmen, oracles and magi didn't exist back then.

By the way, liking the portentous opening on the game thread. I almost heard the "Dun Dun DUUUUN!" at the end.

While I expect we'll go Greyhawk anyway, as a thought experiment you could maybe substitute a bit of Ustalav for Redhand as the nobles there have a lot of autonomy.

In terms of a character, years ago I tried out a dwarf monk in a very short-lived game here and I still have his alias knocking about. I noticed an archetype in the Advanced Players Guide called Monk of the Sacred Mountain which would really suit him well (it makes him less about agility and more about soaking up punishment) - so I'll run with that for the moment. I guess the issue is what to do about stats, which will need to be agreed first.

Here he is.

I am happy to work within whatever parameters the table agrees to. I am rarely the holder of strong opinions and don't have any preconceived ideas of the campaign setting, the ability scores, or allowed races and classes. I have a long list of classes that might be fun to try, mostly 3PP, but they have waited this long, they can continue to gather dust.

Oh, and

I'm amenable to any preferences of the GM in regards to the campaign/character gen he runs.

I will say, if there is a large city-based aspect to the game, I have a Urban Ranger/Bard combo that I've tried to bring into multiple CotCT's, that I didn't really get to see through.

I would like to play something like that.

EDIT: Oooh, I also have a Hedge Witch follower of Pharasma (that I tried to use in a few CoT's), that is a great healer and crazy good diplomat.

Also, question: are we playing with traits?

OK, possibly a bit premature, but Dohrlok is now made at 1st level using a 20pt buy. Went with a tetori instead of a monk of the sacred mountain in the end.

It's really early and you know how my ideas always change, but I'm thinking (if the class is available) that a bloodrager might be fun. Less of a spellcasting berserker and more someone trained to use that internal power that eventually manifests in her magic to power her physical abilities.

Played (once she has spell access) as a self-buffing warrior / front-liner. Utility spells would not be her schtick. I have an alias from a long-dead and short-lived game that plan to reuse.

While I expect we'll go Greyhawk anyway, as a thought experiment you could maybe substitute a bit of Ustalav for Redhand as the nobles there have a lot of autonomy.

Yeah, I did think that - Ustalav could well handle that sort of decadent / creepy feel that I recall from the Redhand adventure.

But I think on balance I will stick with Greyhawk unless anyone has a serious objection to it. I don't mind bringing in some Pathfinder / Golarion elements if anyone wants to play something that wouldn't have been around for Greyhawk (and Erik Mona spins in his future grave again...)

Re point buy amount, the Dungeon APs certainly had a reputation as meat grinders, but I think with a large party and converting to Pathfinder (which will tend to give the PCs a bigger step up than it gives the average bad guy), a 20 point buy is about right.

Also, question: are we playing with traits?

Ah, I remember Dohrlok, Stone Fist ...

Yes to traits, you may choose two.

I'm amenable to any preferences of the GM in regards to the campaign/character gen he runs.

I will say, if there is a large city-based aspect to the game, I have a Urban Ranger/Bard combo that I've tried to bring into multiple CotCT's, that I didn't really get to see through.

I would like to play something like that.

EDIT: Oooh, I also have a Hedge Witch follower of Pharasma (that I tried to use in a few CoT's), that is a great healer and crazy good diplomat.

A few of the adventures from memory are set in, around or under cities, but there are also a couple of more wilderness based adventures and dungeon crawls.

The first two adventures are mainly dungeon crawls, with the dungeons located close to a small town; some parts of the adventure take place in the town. The third adventure is mainly wilderness. The fourth adventure (I think) takes place in a big city, and beyond that I can't recall off the top of my head.

Urban rangers, bards and hedge witches would all be appropriate I would say. If we are going with Greyhawk then Pharasma is out; Wee Jas is probably a good substitute.

It's really early and you know how my ideas always change, but I'm thinking (if the class is available) that a bloodrager might be fun. Less of a spellcasting berserker and more someone trained to use that internal power that eventually manifests in her magic to power her physical abilities.

Played (once she has spell access) as a self-buffing warrior / front-liner. Utility spells would not be her schtick. I have an alias from a long-dead and short-lived game that plan to reuse.

I don't have an issue with a bloodrager.

Character Creation

20 point buy for ability scores.

2 traits.

Core classes and races ok. Anything else, run it by me first (but generally anything not too outlandish should be ok.

I think I'll put a restriction on guns and gunslingers; they don't really fit the vibe of this campaign.

Further information on Diamond Lake (Greyhawk version):

The small mining town of Diamond Lake nestles in the rocky crags of the Cairn Hills, three days’ ride east of Greyhawk City to which it is subject. Iron and silver from Diamond Lake’s mines fuel the capital’s markets and support its soldiers and nobles with the raw materials for weapons and finery. This trade draws hundreds of skilled and unskilled labourers and artisans all hoping to strike it rich.

In ages past, Diamond Lake boasted an export more valuable than metal in the form of treasure liberated from the numerous tombs and burial cairns crowding the hills around town. These remnants of a half-dozen long dead cultures commanded scandalous prices from the elite of nearby cities, whose insatiable covetousness triggered a boom in the local economy. Those days are long gone though; the last cairn in the region coughed up its treasures decades ago, and few locals pay much mind to stories of yet undiscovered tombs and un-plundered burial cairns. These days, only a handful of treasure seekers visit the town, and few return to the Free City with anything more valuable than a wall rubbing or an ancient tool fragment.

In the hills surrounding the town, hundreds of labourers spend weeks at a time underground, breathing recycled air pumped in via systems worth ten times their combined annual salaries. The desperate, underpaid miners are Diamond Lake’s foundation, their weekly pay cycling back into the community via a gaggle of gambling dens, bordellos, ale halls, and temples.

Because work in the mines is so demanding and dangerous, most folk come to Diamond Lake because they have nowhere else to turn, seeking an honest trade of hard labour for subsistence level pay simply because the system has allowed them no other option. Many are foreigners displaced from native lands by war or famine. Work in the mines is the last honest step before utter destitution or crimes of desperation. For some, it is the first step in the opposite direction; a careful work assignment to ease the burden on debtor-filled prisons, one last chance to make it in civil society.

Diamond Lake
Population: 1025 (95% human, 2% halfling, 1% gnome, 2% other)
Exports: Iron, silver.
Religion / Places of Worship: The church of St. Cuthbert; chapel dedicated to Heironeous (at the garrison); Cult of the Green Lady (non-orthodox sect of the church of Wee Jas); the Bronzewood Lodge (dedicated to Obad-Hai and the Old Faith); The Twilight Monastery.
Authority Figures: Governor-Mayer Lanod Neff (human male); Sheriff Cubbin (human male); garrison commander Tolliver Trask (human male).
Mine Managers: Balabar Smenk (human male), Chaum Gansworth (human male), Ellival Moonmeadow (elf male), Gelch Tilgast (human male), Luzane Parrin (human female), Ragnolin Dourstone (dwarf male).
Other Notables: Zalamandra (human female, owner of The Emporium); Lazare (human male, owner of Lazare’s House); Jierian Wierus (human male, Cuthbertine preacher); Valkus Dun (human male, Heironean warrior-priest); Allustan (human male, wizard and sage); Dulok Blitzhame (dwarf male, leader of dwarven trade delegation); Vulgan Durtch (human male, chief smelter); Nogwier (human male, leader of the Bronzewood Lodge community); Amariss (human female, priestess of Wee Jas).

Guide for (Core) PCs in Diamond Lake:

Dwarf: Few dwarves call Diamond Lake home, though a number live there. Most have some sort of business with the Greysmere Covenant, perhaps as a guard, negotiator, or even magical advisor, while others work as senior advisers or foremen for the mine managers.

Elf: Right-thinking elves loathe Diamond Lake, as it represents everything elves find churlish and cruel about humans. Only Ellival Moonmeadow and his deputies, exclusively elven, seem to have the stomach for the place. An elf character might serve as a guard or confidant of one of these deputies, or might be a deputy himself!

Gnome: Gnomes might be lodgers with Tidwoad the gnomish jeweler, or agents of any of the mine managers. Those with a theatrical flair might find steady work with the Emporium. Most come from the nearby village of Grossettgrottell.

Halfling: Many halflings in Diamond Lake work in the hospitality field, as a clerk, cook, or menial of some sort. Others are (relatively) wealthy visitors from the halfling community of Elmshire to the north.

Half-Elf: Half-elves might belong to the Bronzewood Lodge community, or might live among the "civilised" poor of Jalek's Flophouse. They might find themselves in the employ of Ellival Moonmeadow, but soon become aware that the mine manager simply doesn't like anyone other than elves, and half-elves don't quite qualify.

Half-Orc: Half-orcs' reputation for increased strength and low intelligence makes them ideal miners or thugs, and Diamond Lake is filled to bursting with both. A more original approach might cast a half-orc as a roustabout or performer at the Emporium. The garrison does not employ half-orcs as a rule, and most soldiers despise them thanks to an ongoing war against the Empire of the Pomarj to the southwest.

Human: Humans can fill any role in Diamond Lake, from the humble miner to the child of a prominent citizen. Most are labourers.

Barbarian: In the secluded valleys of Cairn Hills, primitive traditions hold strong and humans at times seem more like beasts than like men. In the Mistmarsh to the southeast, wiry, feral humans fiercely contest small patches of dry land, narrowly holding out against lizardfolk and more horrible denizens of the murky marsh.

Bard: Bards looking for an interesting way to fit into Diamond Lake need look no further than the Emporium. Players looking for a slightly less debauched hook might make good performers at the Spinning Giant.

Cleric: For the easiest fit, players are encouraged to select Heironeous, St. Cuthbert, Obad-Hai, or Wee Jas as their deity, which will allow them to interact with the local faith. *

Druid: Druids fit perfectly into the Bronzewood Lodge community and might get into the campaign as representatives of Nogwier, the cleric of Obad-Hai who leads that community and who sends them into the hills chasing stories of unkillable undead and unnatural green worms.

Fighter: Most fighters in Diamond Lake are part of the garrison contingent, but a few work as muscle for the mine managers. For an interesting spin, consider making a PC fighter a deputy serving under the corrupt Sheriff Cubbin.

Monk: Monks native to the Diamond Lake region most typically come from the Twilight Monastery.

Paladin: The Chapel of Heironeous regularly houses one or two young paladins from the Free City of Greyhawk, who work within the garrison sanctuary as a lesson in humility on a path to bigger and better things within the greater church. A paladin beholden to St. Cuthbert would be a minor figurehead in the cult, uniformly respected by the flock.

Ranger: Few rangers dwell within Diamond Lake (though some are associated with the garrison), but the druidic community at the Bronzewood Lodge includes several who might have reason to regularly visit Diamond Lake. Other rangers might come from the wild tribes of the Cairn Hills or the Mistmarsh. Urban rangers may hail from the free city, whilst rangers specialising in underground terrain or killing the sort of vermin and menaces that may infest mines are sometimes hired as experts by the mine managers.

Rogue: Rogues are right at home nearly anywhere in Diamond Lake, but especially in the vice dens like the Emporium or Midnight Salute. Each of the mine managers sponsors at least one gang of toughs, making a rogue PC a great point of contact with the town's seedy underworld. For a compelling challenge, a PC might be a gofer for the notorious Balabar Smenk.

Sorcerer: The Emporium is always on the lookout for charismatic exhibitors with a magical trick up their sleeve - the flashier the better. Sorcerers might also be affiliated with a street gang that frequents the Feral Dog or might be in the employ of one of the mine managers.

Wizard: A wizard character in Diamond Lake may well be an apprentice to the mage and sage Allustan, possibly the most powerful individual in Diamond Lake.

*Let me know if you’re not familiar with these Greyhawk deities. Also, I will post information on favoured weapons, domains etc. in due course (and/or if anyone plans to play a cleric).

Given the hook I plan to use for this adventure, it is important that each PC know at least one (or more) of the other PCs so that everyone is connected in some way. One or more of the PCs should have grown up in Diamond Lake and been a child / teenager about 9 or 10 years ago. That person (or persons) will be the instigator of the adventure.

Dohrlok isn't local, but he probably stands out. I'll see what the other characters' stories are and see which would be the best to know. Dohrlok's a bit weird - doesn't say much, doesn't approve of much - but he could conceivably attach himself to another PC, possibly unwanted, if he considered that person 'worthy'.

Correct me if I remember wrong, but in the era of Dungeon APs having a functional trap springing rogue is a little more serious because of the design sensibility right? I think it was in the PF era that they started making traps less frequent, more optional or with alternate bypass methods.

Does that hold true reasonably throughout the AP or only at lower levels?

Well, the Whispering Cairn has a fair few traps. A bit metagame, I know, but...

Traps probably tend to taper off somewhat at high levels, but in the mid to low level adventures you can expect a trap springer to be pretty handy.

Settings-wise, the River Kingdoms/Stolen Lands area is suspiciously similar to Greyhawk's Bandit Kingdoms. But I grew up with and like Greyhawk a lot, and will be very happy to play there.

...setting the AP a few decades in Golarion’s future, swapping out the campaign’s BBEG and most of the major NPCs with significant Golarion personalities, setting the main part of the campaign in Cheliax, with bits of it set on Golarion’s moon and an orbital station around Eox, going Mythic...

Jesus H. Christ... Yeah, don't do that.

Hmmm... On a fist pass, I think I want to play a semi-s*%#ty police deputy (I've read lots and lots of James Ellroy books and live in Phoenix, the home of sheriff Joe Arpaio) - the kind who is happy to take bribes and steal from the evidence locker, but also feels real loyalty to the town and its inhabitants. Dunno if I'll be a rouge or a fighter yet. I'll be a local kid, so I can act as the adventure instigator.

Okay, I think after I make a few changes, I will go with my Hedge Witch. I will need to make a few mechanical changes, and even less background/personality changes.

Below is his story

Stanley is a follower of Pharasma Wee Jas, but he works much like a hospice nurse. He considers it his job to ease the pain and suffering of those that are bound for the Boneyard to meet Pharasma their demise. All the same he does what he can to prevent it from happening by any means other than someone living their life to the fullest (dying of old age). As such he is prepared to fight sickness, disease, injury and the like. (hedge witch)

He was set along this path by an odd friend, his pet whippoorwill (using thrush stats as closest) Vesnik. The animal is recognized by the Pharasmin church folklore as a guide leading the dead to the Boneyard Beyond. As he sits in service to those recently dead, Vesnik stays with him, ready to deliver them. Due to the religious significance, Vesnik seems to be much more advanced than other birds of his type. (beast-bonded, eye for talent human trait)

He is a native Chelaxian of Diamond Lake, and has found that sometimes patients in his line of work are more than unwilling to discuss the nature or cause of their injury or illness. This makes it hard to treat them accordingly. He often has to convince them that he needs utmost honesty from them in order to do his best. (suspicious trait, silver-tongued human trait)

He learned that someone in his line of work has to look beyond the religious, political, or social preferences of his patients, as all men come to death in the end. As such, he is calm and easy-going with interacting with others outside his personal beliefs. (ease of faith trait)

Okay, not sure why/how I missed this but I can't be hedge and beast-bonded together. I will likely be dropping the beast-bonded archetype, and swap it for the Hex channeler one.

Also, he will also be a local, just because his career is more of a local name vice a traveler type.

I decided on a rogue. While I thought about the Thug archetype, I don't want to give up trapfinding, so I'm a straight rouge.

The mechanical parts are up - I'll add more background details later.

Yay!

How would you feel about me playing a magus? I have a rogue a witch and an inquisitor going on in other games. Something a bit more up front Fighty. I may be involved with the street gang that frequents the Feral Dog....

Vatts, have you looked at the unchained rogue? I haven't really yet but general consensus seems to be that it is an improvement.

Ok, the PC ideas and builds all look good so far.

Hmmm... On a fist pass, I think I want to play a semi-s$&!ty police deputy (I've read lots and lots of James Ellroy books and live in Phoenix, the home of sheriff Joe Arpaio) - the kind who is happy to take bribes and steal from the evidence locker, but also feels real loyalty to the town and its inhabitants. Dunno if I'll be a rouge or a fighter yet. I'll be a local kid, so I can act as the adventure instigator.

That background concept sounds fine. Your character would likely be a deputy under Sheriff Cubbin – a thoroughly corrupt alcoholic thug.

Stanley and Verrik may know each other; they are both locals, and their age different is not quite great enough that they couldn't have known each other as teenagers.

Yay!

How would you feel about me playing a magus? I have a rogue a witch and an inquisitor going on in other games. Something a bit more up front Fighty. I may be involved with the street gang that frequents the Feral Dog....

A magus sounds good.

The hook for the adventure is going to be pretty straight forward: the instigator(s) comes across some information which, coupled with something from years ago leads him/her to believe he may know the location of an unexplored cairn near Diamond Lake – which will presumably mean treasure. It may also presumably mean traps and/or guardians, so he/she decides to assemble a team. This would presumably be made up mainly of people known to the instigator(s), although they may also choose to recruit someone who has a reputation for a certain skill set.

It's probably a good idea to start thinking about some of those possible connections.

I wondered if Dohrlok would attach himself to Stanley, as he sounds quite upstanding and Dohrlok would respect that.

Where's a good place to look for sensible Elf names?

My magus is likely to be working for the street gang as a subtle, muscle for hire type... He'll be known to quite a few people as someone who gets things done.

It's probably one of things you can google.

Well of course I could google.... that would be far more work .....

Roughed out using PCGen, please point out any obvious issues.... I assumed max starting gold and HP and 20 point buy.... ;)

Bloodrager
Magus
Monk
Rogue
Hedgewitch

From a balance perspective we would want a full divine caster, but the hedge witch partially covers that role. I'm trying to decide between cleric or caster focused druid at the moment. Between a healer-witch and a druid we might be okay on that front. I'll try to make a decision by tomorrow.

With the abundance of undead in the AP, cleric seems like the mot obviousest choice, no?

The (over)abundance of gods allows for all kinds of cool concepts - a cleric of, say, Mayaheine or Heironeous is likely to be very different from one of Dalt or Joramy, though the are all Good.

There is a pretty undead presence in many of these adventures ...

And Ith, I recall that you played a druid last time I started this one (although Dag'ret was much more a combat oriented druid rather than spell focused) - if that makes any difference.

Roughed out using PCGen, please point out any obvious issues.... I assumed max starting gold and HP and 20 point buy.... ;)

Max HP at first

All good!

Only issues I notice are that you’re yet to choose spells, and that the name on your sheet doesn’t match your alias.

Yeah, but that druid was a failed experiment where I learned not to make the loner, or in my case a completely closed off character with no real ability to socialize. I switched to a rogue maybe around level 2, but if I recall the reason was social not class.
That said, I wasn't really thinking about the undead angle of the AP so that really makes the class decision. But it might take me a minute to figure it out. Cleric is one class I have never played outside of a few PFS games and I'll have to read up on the gods because the straight forward "honor and goodness" type have never really appealed to me.