Big Mac's page

I've not detailed it but I have been tempting the party's Wee Jas cleric with details of it. A ruined town/village (originally called Liduton) where everyone was killed by the undead that Kazmojen Lidu, a great necromancer and contempory of the mighty earth elementalist Surabar Spellmason, animated from the ancient underground necropolis (whose I wonder, spellweavers or kopru). Given Kazmojen was female she could have been Surabar's lover. Pretty sure her first name isn't Kazmojen, as that's a villain out of AP1 Life's Bazaar, but it's something similar, can't remember of the top of my head and I'm at work (my memory is not what it once was). Defenitely and opportunity for an epic level dungeon. If Surabar could quiet Cauldron's volcano and turn himeself into a mountain then Lidu must have been capable of terrifying necromancy.

Craig, where did you get the info on Surabar, and the making of Cauldron? Did I miss that somewhere?

I don't know if this may be of interest, but the wizards has a mini-adventure on their site: A Harvest of Evil. It details a plot including a vampire in a small town.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20011130a

I will check it out thanks

I would be interested to here if anyone has detailed this area. I'm not sure if my players will take the bait I threw them and investigate the village or not. However, I am preparing anyway. Currently I am looking at Ghost brutes and an evloved, swarm form vamp/cleric as some of the local inhabitants.

Well, my players had a ruff go of it, but they did finally defeat toungeater and his ruffians lastnight. One thing they learned is they really need to relook their tactics. The very confined spaces that you do battle in makes it very difficult to get everyone envolved in the battle. Toungeater really brought this home when he detected them with his scent ability and charged out "in a spoiling attack" as the party was assembling. Anyway, great fun was had with this scenario. Now my rogue wants to assume ownership of the tavern.

Depends on where you are in the path. If you haven't hit Zenith Trajectory yet, then picking up some Kuo-Toa, about 8, would be a good idea. A bunch of half-orc fighters would also be a good investment. Hmmm... I don't know what you would use for the demodands. The large and huge Red Dragon would also be of use later on in the campaign.

So, where are you in the path?

Squid

If you don't want to paint them then the dnd mini line is the way to go. Buy on ebay to get the specific figs you want. If you would like a high quality metal fig, that you can customn paint then the best out there imho is reaper.

Joseph Jolly wrote:

I'm am DM'ing a Shackled City campaign, and my party is very near to dealing with Adimarchus. I was just reviewing his stats tonight, and my question is this: has anyone else noticed that he can cast Blasphemy once per day as a 30th level caster? This means that if most characters entered this adventure at 19th level (as written), and even if they advanced one level to 20th over the course of the adventure, they are still ten levels below Adimarchus, and thus are subject to being instantly killed by this spell...no save! Therefore, Adimarchus can destroy the entire party, in theory, in a single round.

Yeah, isn't it great.

Sucks to be them!

Did anyone notice that in the Lucky Monkey, behind the bar are windows that look out into the courtyard, and thus the babboons. My party hasn't noticed them yet, and I was wondering if any other DM's had the babboons' get excited over the barfight and alert the rest of the tavern. Seems plosible to me.

I think it is great idea to set the new adventure path firmly in the realm of greyhawk. I and my players are really enjoying the first path. My only gripe was it was to generic. I also feel that your idea to have appendices of conversion notes is a bullseye idea. We all know DMing is a lot of work, however many of us just don't have the time to undergo a conversion of this size. Looking forward to path 2. Keep up the great work
Big Mac

Well, I got my swashbuckle on last night and the floor of the lucky monkey tap room is covered with blood, a lot of it the parties. I had a 7 person party last night including 2 clerics all members 3d level. So like every good dm I keep a "Red shirt" roster of extras to throw in to even up the odds when you have guest players etc. Total there were 7 thugs and 2 alley bashers in the tap room parting like it was 1999. The party snuck in through the side entrance, and crashed the festivities. There plan sucked and even against some thugs who had consumed a little to much ale they were soon overwhelmed. In the end they managed to pull it out with out loosing a party member, but at one point 4 of the seven party members were bleeding out on the inn floor. The session ended with the party reorganizing to face the rush from the upstairs thugs.

This is a very good point. I was wondering what opinions would be out there if it was a PC that was added as a cohort?

Craig said "It did have two more powerful cerics but they died in an accident last year." Is this published? I can't seem to remember it? Also, the Temple of Pelor in my campaign has sponsers a small hospital adjacent to the temple.

I believe one thing all of us Dm's are learning is that we have to balance each individual adventure to our party to make it challanging and dramatic to them. Some encounters should allow them the fun of just kicking but, while others should test them to their limit, and a select few should teach them some hard lessons. I spent the better part of this weekend reading and balancing the "Lucky Monkey" to better challange my party (6 players: Human fighter 3, Elven sorcerer 3, Human sorcerer 2/barbarian 1, Halfling rogue 2/sorcer 1, 1/2 elven cleric 3, 1/2 orc monk 3). All I did was add a roster of additional thugs and alley bashers to beef up the encounters. I also upped Toungeaters HP to have him stay in the fight longer.
I still expect my party to have a good time kicking some drunk bandits butt and hope to stage a real swashbuckling like fight. I know my party will enjoy.

I just finished lifes bazzar and I still havent introduced the striders yet. I had planned on them rescuing the party in the MF but my guys did great so I am not sure were to insert them yet. One thing is certain it will be soon. On of my party members is moving away (elven cleric of CL) his spot has been taken by a cleric of Fharlargan (no idea how to spell this) so we will just have to see what happens with this new twist.

My party finally finished up Life's Bazzar. It was a great finish. Many of you have commented on the seemingly high El of the final encounter with Kazmojen & Prickles. Well, I am here to tell you it is all relevent to how the party handles it, and the party size. My party has 6 members, that usually means they will get more opportunities to flank, rescue down party members etc than your typical 4 member party. When the party enters the MF they have a short cut to the final encounter just like in Jazdirune. My party choose not to take the short route. That means they were able to eliminate many of the hobgoblins prior to reaching Kazmojen & Prickles this makes that encounter significantly easier. Finally, their is no accounting for dumb luck or in my case the lack their of. My party monk hit with back to back crits against Kazmojen during his opening flurry of blows, and then the rogue tumbled in for the flank, sneak attack and crit as well. My retalitory strikes both fell uselessly to the side when I rolled a 1 and a 2. My to hit rolls with Kazmojen that Prickles actually died in the same round as Kazmojen because I simply couldn't hit anyone that was hitting Kazmojen. He even got hit with a tanglefoot bag while in melee combat and failed the save. Fianlly, to add a little more drama I just fudged a die roll and knocked the monk down to -1. The next round the party fighter moved in hit pickles, who defended his masters back to the death, killing him and cleaved into Kaz and took him down to.

Oh well, time to move on to flood season.

My group (still unnamed) finally entered the Malachite Fortress. We have been playing every tuesday with very few exceptions since the first week of Sep. Yep, they are slow. They get so spun up over little things. Case in point - During their explorations of Jzardiune they entered the room which contained the sheet covered pulverizer automaton and the fans. They party cleric suggested that the previously discovered genterators, when activated would cause the fans to rotate, blowing the sheet off and unleashing the horror beneath. The farse that followed was like something from a Mel Brooks film.
Anyway, my party consists of 6 players and is about to include 7, and are all just 3d lvl. How are other DM's with parties greater than 4 doing maintaining treasure balance?

One other question. I am looking for some suggestions on trap xp. My party rogue is good, and thorough (I quit giving xp for all the darn Jzardirune door traps after about the first four and eliminated them all together after awhile because the just go to monotonous and predictable, this was really overkill in my opinion)If she locates and disables a trap I giver her the xp. Now she is quickly out distancing the rest of the party. Any help?

Does anyone know a company that makes a good beholder fig?

Tnks
Big Mac

Big Jake, one of the best posts I've read in a long time. Very, very well put.

The last of the Mohicans sound track has some great music on it. Dont over look LOR or the When we were soldiers Sgt Mackenzie track is great build up music.

Has anyone done a prestige class for this group?

How about any other prestige classes unique to Cauldron or the adventure path?

I would like to see a continuation of the use of the supplement books. That is one of the many elements that made the first AdvPath great, the players, most of whom are experianced in the game were surprised at almost every turn. If you plan on running the entire path buy the darn book. I can see not buying it for a single adventure, but for a 12+ series? Space in the magazine and on the web could be better used. As for the extraplaner travel, I enjoy that as well. Hey their is an entire multiverse out their to challange your pc's one or two trips their over a long series is a definite plus. Finally, I think having a completley generic campaign setting is a good idea for the series. That said however, give us (the dms) lots of background info (like the isle of dread stuff)I have read and reread every AdvPath1 issue constantly coming them for info on npc/enviorment/etc to present to my party. Having all that info readily available from the start would be great.

I would really like to see some miniature demodands.

My party is at the top of the stairs leading down to ancient jazdirune. I have the map layed out over several battlemaps. None of my party has really played out this size delve on the battle map before. They are in for a treat. One request to the map mapers of dungeon however. Since the DnD scale is 5'per square, could you all make the maps to that scale. If their isn't room in the mag for it at least do it for web enhancements. Saves a lot of time mapping.

Tnks

Were can you find these maps?

Two particular issues come to mind. First, is an old issue from way back I cant remember the number but what made it memorable was the "Fedefencer adventure" I was a sophmore in high school and playing the paladin in our group. Needless to say we/I played the adventure every lunch/study hall. It is a great memory.

The second is issue #306. A kick ass cover, and the very same weekend that issue hit the stands, my rouge Ash in our groups RTOEE campaign was charmed by a succubuss. I SO tried to get our DM to let me take the tainted template, but to no avail. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN!

I loved the "dark ones" ecology, and plan on implementing quite a bit of that into my current Cauldron campaign. Keep up the great work.

I keep and use them all. I am a huge miniature guy and most of my player are/have been painters, but for large battles or specific monsters the tokens are great. I usually cut them out and mount them or print them on cardstock, number them on the back to keep track of them on a master chart during large battles. I love the maps and mats, and templates. Keep these coming, and if possible make back issue items available for down load on both sites. I would like to see alot more urban stuff. I began the cauldron adventure on one of the street maps and my players loved it. Helps bring the city more to life.

The battle has been joined. I began the shackled city arc on Tuesday, at our local game store. A great time was had by all and we are all looking forward to next weeks episode when the adventure begins with the party enroute to have a discussion with Keygan.

I chose to begin with each individual party member out on a raining evening seperatly. Rufus (sp) encounter with the thugs was the catalyst that brought them together. It was a great little encounter, that the party managed to handle with very little violence and no bloodshed what so ever (well rufus was a bit beat up)

The time at the orphanage was great as party slipped into sleuth mode. Interviewing and searching over the entire joint, much to head mistress distress (the childern were quite excited by all the fuss. Once again much to the head mistress'distress).

The party wanted an inn close by to the Church of St. Cuthbert so we now have "The Wayward Badger" (their name choice). The place caters mostly to the working class people of the area, and the few visitors that come on temple buissness. The proprietor is Alsard Igaldun, a kind baldheaded man who inherited the inn from his father on his passing. His wife Galinda, and daughter Ista see to the cooking and cleaning. A room here is a gold a night and is quite comfortable. Mornings come early as local craftspeople and mercants often enjoy a light breakfast of fruit tarts, boiled eggs, and fresh Kafi (coffee). Evenings tend to be conservative but jovial and the occassional local performer stops by to entertain the customners. Although Alsard doesnt contract for this specificly, he doesnt complain about it either. Dinners are usually hardy yet simple consisting of stews, meat pies, and bread. Ale is 2sp mug, spirits 5sp, and wine 3 sp.

Hope this of use to some of you. The tobaccoist above is great and I plan on using him soon.

Being a sub tropical enviormennt I believe I will use Coffee, as a possible export exspecially in the foot hills, and spices such as vanilla and more exotic campaign specific type stuff might be nice.

I am starting the adventure path series this coming tuesday and my party will include a cleric of Correllon Larethian. Any suggestions on were to place a shrine? It will probalby be a small unattended spot were the few elves the call Cauldron their home and those visiting the city on buissness can pay their respects.

Olaf the Stout wrote: The use of more standard creatures. A few adventures where orcs, kobolds, gnolls, etc., I felt that a few of the creatures in the Adventure Path were used just to try and encourage people to buy the Fiend Folio.

I disagree, I think it is great that theses creatures finally saw some time in an offical published adventure. I am prepareing to run the adventure path starting next tuesday and the best part is most of my players are going to be pulling their hair out trying to figure these new guys out. Even with all the options 3.5 offers to make those orcs, kobolds etc less cookie cutterish, they are still the same old same old. And love them as much as I do, it is great to throw new and unexpected things at my players.

I agree 100%. A new map is a must.

I agree 100% with medesha, bring the tokens back. I am a figure painter, but I still love the tokens, exspecially when they support the adventures in the magazine.

I did not like the cover art on the new issue, way to cartoonish for me. IMHO

What I would really like to see is an adventure for greyhawk/forgottenrealms/eberon/adventure path in almost every issue. I like the features like critical threat and the occassional isle of dread style issue, but the one per setting would be nice. A little something for everyone.

I would like to see some type of web enhancement for every issue. Maps and handouts would be the best, but NPC backrounds, side quests, and other things would be great. I am sure the editor hacks out a lot of cool stuff to save space in every issue.

I am really excited about setting down to run the adventure path for my players starting this fall. I am glad I waited for the series to almost end so I have a great sense of the entire plot and story arcs.

That said, what I would like to see in the 2d series is that the level of political intrigue be maintained or expanded upon. The hidden gem in the first series is how the players actions dictate the political conscious of Cauldron, and her citizens. I like this alot, and feel it is especially important if the players will continue to inhabit/game in the area following the conclusion of the series.