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Boaty McBoatface wrote:

I may be missing something here but at several points in the scenario it talks about reducing each pc's gold by x amount if they do not defeat specific encounters, but apart from the items and a necklace worth 24k I cant see any mention of getting any other money ?

Usually in those cases they are getting paid by the society or other sponsors. The reduction indicates that they got paid less by the society.

Thanks

I may be missing something here but at several points in the scenario it talks about reducing each pc's gold by x amount if they do not defeat specific encounters, but apart from the items and a necklace worth 24k I cant see any mention of getting any other money ?

I have some trouble understanding what is the issue with relighting the forge, granted, if the PCs also opt to leave the Hammer there as well, it would be even more troublesome.

Its not just a forge, its an evil altar to an evil giant god, if you have any good guys in the party they should probably not want to light it, as taking part in the ritual is an evil act in itself.

Saying that most of my party did not want to light it but the dwarf who has Agrimmosh managed to convince them.

On another note they are on their way to Janderhoff to talk to the Dwarves there about them sending a detachment to guard / use it. What would a Dwarven sky citadel pay as a reward for the party finding this , and letting them use the forge ?

Some good stuff on here. I'm just about to start the campaign for my group so will take not of all the suggestions.

Has anyone done this on Roll20 and if so any maps/tokens that I can purloin ?

Lots of poison mostly.

Dr doesn't really become a problem, but as I'm sure you're aware it is tacked on often at higher crs.

There is a lot of poison but any decent party should soon realise this and make sure delay poison is a standard spell available (most don't leave home without it on) , then it really doesn't become an issue at all.

For those of you that have run this, how long did it take? Do you think I could fit it in a one off day game 11am to 11pm ?

I'm just about to run this encounter next week, I'm going to nick your idea as it sounds great.

I've changed it slightly to 44 rounds in total with the pillars beginning to glow every 4 rounds.
I'll start with 6 Ossumentals as you did but I may not worry about the max number. I have a party of 6 very tough PC's who are all Mythic as well I gave them a Mythic level at the end of the pyramid.).

Also I've upped the stats on the Ossumentals and I have 6 types, (Fire, Air, Water, Sand,Poison and Earth) because I've got some great figures painted up for them in different colours.(Age of Sigmar Spirit Hosts)

Discrepancy regarding how to activate the Sekrepheres in the Chamber of the Sekrepheres. Chisisek says to use holy/unholy water, while the room description describes three (or four) methods. I'll probably go with "all of the above", but wanted to mention it for anyone confused.

Yep my party are about to get to this bet and have said ' we need to use holy water', but its not going to work - I'm sure they will figure it out.

There is an auction at the start of book 2 and it has some rules for running it. Perhaps let the party know there is an upcoming auction and to keep hold of the stuff until then. When you get to the start of book 2 its the first event.
If you want to do it sooner then just use the location "The Canny Jackal" as its a recognised auction house and will get the PC's familiar with it.

Link to photos

I mentioned this a while go but here are pics of my Playmobile pyramid remodelled for the Mummys Mask AP part 5. I was going to gut the inside and build the walls and floors from scratch but decided to leave mostly as it is. I’ve used ttcombats mdf tiles for the floors and to add a bit of the upper level, and I’ve managed to keep some of the features from the playmobile toy, such as the secret doors and trap door. I’ve also had to redesign some of the encounters in the AP but it does generally still follow the module ok. Also using a cake stand to rest it on so then when playing I can rotate it easily so all the players can see the relevant bits. It’s the first time I’ve actually built scenery for a game and I must admit, I’ve enjoyed putting it all together probably more than I will running it. It’s a great way to spend a few hours in the shed
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hps0XEyytM8tApVW2

Now that the Shining Children have the PCs backs against the wall perhaps they could request the PCs perform some action to release the Shining Children from their binding in exchange for the PCs lives. I don't see any love lost between the Children and Hakotep.

Any update ?

Unfortunately, it's not as clear as it could be, but here's how the Serpent's Path should work:

The description for area A6 mentions the serpent's mouth with the gaps for the fang keys. This is true for the Serpent's Path on every level. Notice there's a map tag for A6 on all four maps. That means the description for A6 applies to all four levels. So there are four of these mouths with holes for the fang keys: one on the entry level, one on the main level, one on the lower level, and one on the crypts level.

Without a fang key, area A6 ends in a dead end after 60 feet. This is true on whatever level you enter the Serpent's Path from.

When you insert a fang key, the passage takes 1d4+1 rounds to orient to its new position. You then remove the key to take it with you, and have 1d4+1 rounds to traverse the 60-foot-long passage to the next level before the path resets to its "neutral" position. If you're still in the passage at that point, you have to save or fall prone, and end up in a dead end passage. If you're within 5 feet of the exit (so 55 feet down the tunnel) you can make a Reflex save to jump out of the moving passage and into the new level.

To leave a level, you follow the same rules. Put the fang key in the proper hole, wait for the passage to move, remove the fang key and head to the new level before the Serpent's Path resets.

Hopefully this will clarify things.

I'm presuming from this then that the party could just leave the fang key in place, go down the passage, do the level and then return through the passage and then remove the fang key and put it in another socket?

The Vault of Hidden Wisdom seems to be at street level. I find it strange that there would be a whole building on the streets of Tephu, which includes a chamber with a large dome, and no one knows what it does.

I recommend having the PCs descend a ladder 50-100 feet after finding the Vault before doing the first room. I'm still not sure why the builders would build a dome shaped building completely underground, but I find that possibility more plausible then an entire complex at street level and no one's gone in for a long time. Perhaps the vault is built into a large natural limestone cave under Tephu, and so the dome makes sense as it is contained entirely within this cave.

I did the same and had my placers descend a long shaft before getting to the first room.

Good luck, keep us updated on how its going. I'm running book 5 at the moment.

Don’t worry about it being an old thread, I’m just about to start running this book for my group so interested in seeing how you go with your players

Not sure if this has been mentioned before or if I am just missing an ability in the stats but, Thmei the oracle in K16. In combat it suggests for her to cast anti life shell to keep melee attackers at bay, and then cast spells such as harm and poison from the safety of it, but they are both touch spells. I’m happy with her casting range spells from it but am I missing an ability or item that lets her cast touch spells at range ?

What does the knowledge bonus for all the libraries (e.g., Knowledge Bonus +2) do?

Has anyone prepared party handouts that I could steal for when the party gains new information in the library?

Yep I've done some handouts. Will post links to them when I get home later

Ok I think I have it. I'm going to let the wish work and all spell casters will have their spells back. However the power needs to come from somewhere so a mages disjunction is going to go off over the whole party. Plus all spell casters will gain a number of spellblights for the remainder of the day.

Ok so the party are in the Sphinx, they have drifted to the right so have met the Bodaks, Zombie Lord and Vrocks etc. They have not rested so are mostly out of spells, but have enough to keep going (apart from the Mage who is moaning like a b*$!*) , and have just arrived at the wall of electricity.

They convinced the monk to 'run through and have a quick look' as he is best equipped to avoid any damage, which he did quite easily.
Upon entering he examined and tried to remember the layout of the room, and then noticed the Marid lying down on the far side of the room. she said hello in a weak voice and being a goodly and inquisitive monk instead of heading back he stayed and said hello back.

A few rounds of conversation later the monk agrees to help the captive Marid escape the cultists of Areshkagal and in return she grants him a wish. He wished the party had all their spells back.
The Marid changes form and shows her(his) true self and replies 'Granted' with a large grin.
The monk turns around and dives back through the electricity to the party, exclaiming 'Oh oh'.

Session finished, so I have until next week to sufficiently and amusingly pervert his wish. Any suggestions ?

I built Chisisek's tomb in Sketchup, so I could figure out the dimenisons and have a visual reference. I had to do some adapting, since the bridges as described go from 20 feet to 40 feet, then jump up to a 100 foot platform, then go from 120 feet to 160 feet, then jump up again to a platform "nearly 200 feet high"

Picture with the part of the canyon wall behind the crawl cut away.

This was my setup for the Tomb, I had the heights of the paths drawn on although you cant see it.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByK6dFaFFDfnX0s5d0tvMkNrNzg

Muminofrah would be ideal to send the PCs on this quest for her as well, as she reports directly to the Ruby Prince.

PCs found the sphinx a full level too early after a beeline towards it.

Currently they're back in Wati after the wizard died and needed to be raised. Any thoughts on stalling them a bit? I'd prefer for them to gain another level before going inside there (particularly because the wizard is nearly finished with her lichification, and it'll be awkward if she levels up and gets a template halfway theough the dungeon).

If they have already found it and had to travel back to Wati (Why not Ipeq, its nearer?), they just throw more encounters at them, more assassins trying to kill them, more cultists attacking them, and if the encountered the Girtablilus at the Sphinx then the FP could send them after them as well. Either in Wati or whilst they are travelling back to the Sphinx.

Ouch, tpk on the last boss is a rough but epic way to go out.

No hero points left for a re-roll on the save ? Or at that level any items to provide a re-roll?

Please correct me if I've missed something, but if the adventure assumes the PCs are taking the riverboat from Tephu to the Parched Dunes, when/how does the 'outside of town' ambush go off? Just on that embankment between the city and the docks as seen on the map, with the risk of being seen from the city? Or do the PCs have to catch the riverboat someplace not clearly indicated?

I just created a map of some docks and had the cultists jumping out at the party as they were attempting to board the river boat. Had my first party death here as the cultists surrounded one of the party members and hacked him into bits.

I've got 6 optimized players, I tend to up the number of mobs and give them advanced template. Plus there are just about to start book 4 at lvl 10 and I think I will just up them to 12 by the end of it leaving them a lvl behind as Grumpus has done.

I have a group of 6 optimised and experienced players so I generally have all the creatures as advanced and more of them. I've also upped the treasure a bit as well.

Also as a reward I gave all the characters a free story feat that includes something either from their background or from their experiences in the scenario so far. (enemy Cult fits in nice).

In book 3 on another thread people were asking about the medusa so I have added a plot arc in as below in answer to another question:

"I was intrigued by the Udjebet encounter and all the possibilities that could come from it. Is the Uraeus Ring that she is looking for supposed to play some role later on in the AP or is this meant more as a side-trek that left up to the GM's discretion to explore?"

The uraeus ring does not appear later in the AP; it is a plot hook for the GM to play with or not.

I did a little sidequest re this, once Muminofrah heard about the ring she did some investigation herself and 'asked' the party to go and retrieve it for her, as she thought it might be nice. I did a separate little dungeon to get the ring back from an ancient sorcerers tower (Just happened to be a few days travel from Tephu).

Once the party got the ring they found it it was ring of splendid security, plus something extra !(a powerful item) So some good role playing on should they give it to Muminofrah, or just keep it.
They eventually decided to give it to her (begrudgingly), which is cool as I intend to keep it going. Once back from the desert they will find out Muminofrah was petrified and robbed (We know who by).
And I'm thinking of some news will reach them that a pretender to the throne has appeared in Sophis, with a item that proves they are the rightful heir (Uraeus - a representation of a sacred serpent as an emblem of supreme power, worn on the headdresses of ancient Egyptian deities and sovereigns.)
The party will eventually be asked to help disprove and tackle the medusa, or I may have her send royal guards after them.

Human Warpriest of Pharasma
Aasimar Cleric of Pharasma
Half-Elf Summoner
Human Barbarian / Fighter (lore Warden)
Tiefling Arcanist
Tiefling Alchemist

Currently at lvl 9 doing Shifting Sands.

Laric wrote:

I was intrigued by the Udjebet encounter and all the possibilities that could come from it. Is the Uraeus Ring that she is looking for supposed to play some role later on in the AP or is this meant more as a side-trek that left up to the GM's discretion to explore?

The uraeus ring does not appear later in the AP; it is a plot hook for the GM to play with or not.

I did a little sidequest re this, once Muminofrah heard about the ring she did some investigation herself and 'asked' the party to go and retrieve it for her, as she thought it might be nice. I did a separate little dungeon to get the ring back from an ancient sorcerers tower (Just happened to be a few days travel from Tephu).

And I'm thinking of some news will reach them that a pretender to the throne has appeared in Sophis, with a item that proves they are the rightful heir (Uraeus - a representation of a sacred serpent as an emblem of supreme power, worn on the headdresses of ancient Egyptian deities and sovereigns.) what do you think ?

Exactly, you use item creation feats and spells exactly as you would to create a magic item, so why wouldn't the end result recognise the same on detect magic ?

I've read several threads on this but can't seem to find a definitive ruling on how it works (or not). Does anyone know if there is an official ruling on how detect magic works vs constructs ?

Just be unsubtle, "your research discovers xyz, but you are sure this library has more secrets yet to uncover"

Ran the Spiral Archive and then the Chariot Race last night for my group. Two of their chariots spectacularly crashed and burned, and the third one managed to cross the finish line on round 9 to win the race.
The populace of Tephu were both amused and surprised to see the race being won by a 14 year old female and her summoned Eidolon companion in the form of a giant teddy bear !

We got through the race and Dark Depository between last week and this weel. While the DD was tough, the 2 clockwork soldiers in The Vault of Hidden Wisdom were murder. Granted, I advanced them both (party of 6, 25 PB), which was a mistake. Still, oof, that one battle drained them and nearly resulted in a TPK. Very fun so far. Well finish the Vault next week then face Khebek-shu and the cultists!

I was planning on putting 3 advanced soldiers in against my party (6 x 25pb same as yours) as they seem to cruise through most things, will be interesting to see how they handle them

Taks :
Cool, you'll have to let me know how it goes when you start. I should be starting in about 2 or 3 weeks, were are just finishing book 4 of Skulls and shackles with another DM.

Add the simple advanced template to most mobs, up the numbers where possible and put put more grunts in to soak up the extra PC's.

Add a bit more loot, but not to much, if they start moaning about cash then a decent party should be able to come up with plenty of ways to make money.

I'm just about to start running book 3 for a party of 6 experience players with high tatted characters.

Im running it at the moment, did you find any?