JwT's page

As for brand loyalty, I'd also note that the op is heavily biased in its positioning. The assumption is that brand loyalty is entirely an emotional reaction that allows producers to fob off poor quality products on slavish purchasers. It completely fails to note the positive aspect of brand loyalty, particularly in the realm of highly subjective entertainment products, which is that if a purchaser likes a particular author/producer's past products, they're probably more likely to like that particular author/producer's future products. That's not an "emotional" reaction, it's a rationale means of finding products a person will like.

Truth is, the OP has no idea of what brand loyalty really means. In most cases your loyalty to a brand tends to stick with the brand you first experienced. This is why new Coke failed, despite all the market testing where people told them time and time again it tasted better than Coke Classic. When they put out it on the shelves people hated it. It made them uncomfortable, and it caused cognitive dissonance. The familiar product didn't match the brand anymore. MRIs of the brain show that people actually derive pleasure from selecting a familiar brand - and if that product changes enough that there is a dissociation between the brand and what the consumer 'feels' is the product there is almost always a backlash. Sound familiar? It should.

The irony here is that it is likely a poorly understood emotional response on the OP's part that is stopping him from moving to 4th Ed. Certainly it is not brand loyalty that is causing folks to switch to 4th ed. Or not any brand loyalty that any marketer with half a head on their shoulders would understand. But he stated all that in the question he posed, no?

Moral of the story, as Sebastian said, play what you like. Leave the psychology of brand marketing to the people who know their stuff,
Christopher DeGraffenreid.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

I would rate it considerably higher than CR 11.... say around CR 15 - 17 minimum.

Epic Feats, saves of +22 +30 (which basically means he makes every save thrown at him at level 11.... ). Perhaps try comparing the stats to some of the CR17 critter in SoS and ItM ? This guy looking stronger ? I mean, the Greater Lemorian Golems at Divided Ire are CR 17... with 60% of the HP, lesser AC (like 10 points) , less mobility, lesser saves, similar DR... I am pretty sure this guy will beat up any opposition in ItM in a straight one on one fight. Cold Captain Wythers, the orlath, the Seventh the advanced Demon in the SoS treasury... against this ? In a maritime environment ? And these guys are CR 17- 19 !

Loads of attacks, at levels almost guaranteed to hit twice or more on a full attack on even the most defensively minded characters... for an average of 29 points/hit (and the option to Stun) ... With massive mobility, being nigh impossible to hit... I mean, how many characters at level 11 have total attack boni in excess of +20 - +22 ? which means a whopping 18 to hit him at all ? Without even a shred of Combat Expertise ?

OK, point taken already.....

Epic feats (on a CR-11, right )... massively enhanced stats... I mean, Wis 24 on a lycanthrope ? Sounds resaonable ? not to me....

Despite the bonus being listed in the template, despite the stat increases available for its hit dice. Oh wait - you didn't read that, did you. What are the rules when you can set about mocking someone? No good at all says vikingson, our stalwart role playing icon.

I am also pretty sure that a monk's speed bonus stacks only with his primary movement mode, not that of an alternate form, but that is details....

Fair enough, if that is the case. But I can't find anything to back up that assumption in the SRD or the errata. Good thing that won't enter into this build anyway until he gains a couple of Monk levels. But whatever, man - those jerks on the char op boards, reading the class before the dump on it and stuff.

And where the hec.. ahem where does the "Were Dire Shark"-template come from anyway ?

Ummm that hard to get source book known as the Monster Manual. Also that impossible to search thing know as the SRD.

Looks like premeditated murder to me. But then I am of the role-playing school, this looks like the typical offa... ahem stuff from the WotC "optimization" board. YMMV

Murder, maybe so. I am getting that impression. Premeditated. Well aren't we quick to make assumptions about folks - even ones based without evidence. Ever considered a career in rendition for the CIA?

PS as for the background story - If the Scarlet Brotherhood wanted Sasserine, they would simply dump this guy on the arrivals dock and step back to watch the carnage....

Couldn't resist one last dig could ya.

Well good thing Captain Role Player was here! He saved the day! Yay, for the best D&D player we all know!

I mean really, I posted here to get advice. I am very new to this BBEG creation thing, and I knew I had the potential to screw it up. I welcome structured critisim that includes a reading (and understanding) of the rules.

Admittedly, small bits of what you had to offer was useful; albeit not very original. But then you dive into this weird place where you think its OK to call something poop, you screw the rules up, and call any one who optimizes (which by the way this is NOT by any stretch of the imagination - trust me, you should have seen the nastiness that was suggested) are incapable of role-playing.

Creating BBEG (like pricing magic items) is an art and a science. I am not so skilled at the art part of it, but I can run the numbers. So I will take what constructive advice I can from your post, and toss the rest aside as posturing.

Got anything useful to add? Got any suggestions on a build that I can use that won't decimate the party, as this is NOT my goal (despite your ill-informed claims to the contrary)?

Now that ugliness aside.

I do not wish to destroy the party, and I would like them to meet this guy in their mid career, as several PCs have based their backgrounds around this guy. I am betting that making the base fella human, then making him a were-shark of the large variety will tone him down considerably. This gives him the added benefit of more monk levels, which are easier to estimate (for me at least) their CR.

I also think it will lower the hit dice so that there will be no epic feats (at least until they get back up in levels)

I still really want something that can jump over the deck and pick off a party member. And I love the mobility aspect.

OK back to the drawing board........

Yeah - I have wondered about that. I am not sure where to put it tho - 13 or so? Anyway, it is going to go up against the group right before the end of ToD, and will likely only be testing them. So they will be lvl 11 (or so) and there are 6 of them. So they are likely to best it (but not kill it I hope) I can get a better feel on the CR after that.

Unless the CR is way out of wack. In which case, I can note that then have him lose interest and just leave them with their boots full of liquid fear. Maybe have him stand on deck and have a little soliloquy describing how he and his men are coming for them and the good people of Farshore, then bugger off. Perhaps he might use intimidate and overrun to stroll through them knocking them aside like ten-pins.....

That it make it so very sweet when they do get to lay the smackdown.

Due to some character backgrounds, I hade need of a dire-shark and a BBEG in the Crimson Fleet / Scarlet brotherhood. Here is what I came up with with the help of the wotc Char Op boards.

This was initially posted (and developed) on the wotc boards. Thanks Balthanon! But I know many of you might not go there, so I wanted to share with you guys as well.

Feel free to let me know how it might be improved. Just so you know he is designed to be a sweep the decks and run kind of monster. He will race at the ship, leap across its decks - power attacking, bull rushing and shadow striking all those in his way (and some not quite in his way.) He may do this in hybrid form, but typically he get much joy out of being in shark form.

He hates fighting on the land (or in the air), and will generally not go inland too far. If the PCs go inland he will typically just leave to come back later. If he leaves some people behind on a raid, he figures thats just more terrified souls spreading his legend.

You might note that this ties the Crimson Fleet and the Scarlet Brotherhood much closer together. This is deliberate on my part. If the PCs discover this tie, they can likely deal Hambre Kappal a serious blow, and weaken the SB a little. This will be a big win for several of the characters, so I made some stronger ties that were not initally there.

'The Maw' CR 11
Merrow 3/Were-Dire Shark 18/Monk 3 (Hybrid)
LE Large Giant (Aquatic, Shapechanger)
Init +9; Senses Darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent; Listen +18, Spot +18
Languages Common, Giant, Orc
________________________________________
AC 36 (40) (-2 size, +6 (8) Dex, +7 (9) natural, +7 Wis, +1 monk, +1 Dodge, +3 Deflection), touch 19 (21), flat-footed 30 (32);
hp 374 (27 HD); DR 10/silver
Fort +30 (33), Ref +30 (32), Will +22
________________________________________
Speed 80 ft. [6 squares] or 60 ft., swim 110 ft or 140 ft.

Attacks In Base Form
Melee Unarmed Strike +27/+22/+17/+12 (3d8 + 9) or
Melee Flurry of Blows +25/+25/+25/+20/+15/+10 (3d8 + 9)
Attacks In Hybrid Form
Melee Unarmed Strike +33/+28/+23/+18 (3d8 + 15) and 2 claws +28 (2d4+15/x2) and bite +29 (3d6+15/(19-20) x2) or
Melee Flurry of Blows +34/+34/+34/+29/+24/+19 (3d8 + 15) and 2 claws +28 (2d4+15/x2) and bite +29 (3d6+15/(19-20) x2) or
2 claws +35 (2d4+15/x2) and bite +31 (3d6+15/(19-20) x2) or
bite +36 (3d6+15/(19-20) x2)
Attacks In Dire Shark Form
Melee bite +36 (3d6+15/(19-20) x2)

Space 10 or 15 ft.; Reach 10 or 5 ft.
Base Atk +18; Grp +29 (39)
Atk Options Power Attack, Flurry of Blows, Spring Attack
Special Actions Alternate form, curse of lycanthropy, lycanthropic empathy
Combat Gear Monk's Belt, +2 Shadowstrike, Brutal Surge Amulet of Mighty Fists
Equipment Ring of Jumping (+10), Ring of Deflection (+3), Monk's Belt, +2 Shadowstrike, Brutal Surge Amulet of Mighty Fists
________________________________________
Abilities Str 24 (36), Dex 22 (26), Con 22 (28), Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 16
SQ Special Qualities Curse of lycanthropy, alternate form, damage reduction 10/silver, lycanthropic empathy, Scent, Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Improved grab, swallow whole, Keen scent
Feats
Bonus: Improved Natural Attack (bite), Toughness (5), Weapon Focus (bite), Iron Will, Flying Fish Leap, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Improved Natural Attack (Unarmed Attack), Cleave, Skill Focus [Jump]
From Levels
Great Cleave, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Bounding Assault, Rapid Blitz, Run, Power Attack, Improved Overrun, Leap Attack, Rapid Swimming, Leadership, Epic Dodge [Epic] (only in Dire Shark Form), Epic Speed [Epic]
Skill Tricks Extreme Leap, Leaping Climber, Walk the Walls, Quick Swimmer, Speedy Ascent, Up the Hill

Skills
Jump +52 (58) (remember +4 for every 10ft move over 30)
Tumble +33 (35)
Climb +20 (22)
Spot +17
Search +17
Listen +17
Swim +25 (31)
Profession (sailor) +17
Sense Motive +17

Note: I am using variant rules where there are stat increases every even level and a feat every odd level, so if you are trying to validate the build keep that in mind.

Now for the Fluff:

Bred as part of a Brotherhood eugenics program "The Maw" was born to be a raider. Little was known of the We Jass aesthetic whose mad cross-breeding led to "the Maw's" creation. What is known, however, was that he failed a brother of the scarlet sign - some say it was the father of obediance himself.

After his creator was assassinated, "the maw" (although he was yet to be named) passed into the hand of the a Brothers of the Scarlet Brotherhood, named Hambre Kappal. Much Hambre's chagrin, "the maw" soon became a problem. For however, he also turned out to be, (for an ogre at least) smart and a born leader. Looking to turn this asset into a liability, Hambre began to train "the maw" in the ways of Brotherhood combat. His initial hope was that he would have a very effective bodyguard. "The maw", bred for blind obedience, was amazingly well suited to the training.

As time went on Hambre rose within the Brotherhod ranks. He played a key part in the planning of assault on the Hold of the Sea Princes. Some say Hambre was best suited to come up with the plan to use the savage races - after all he consorted with them daily - look at his body guard. And soon Hambre saw that "the maw" was holding him back politically. That is why, when Hambre was tasked with creating a method of taking over Sasserine by projecting naval power he decided to send his favored bodyguard away.

The plan was to fund a band of Privateers. Such a band of chaotic misfits could and would be kept at arms length, but still serve at the Brotherhood's (and Hambre's) whim. Although technically a Vitiates, or "flawed," and unable to rise any further in the brotherhood itself, "the maw" had found a comfortable niche, where he can flourish. Given his blind obedience to the Brotherhood, he would never question his status. But as part of the Crimson Fleet - a band of shadowy privateers he could rise in status that befitted his power. But he had yet to realize just how much power he had.

On a routine raid "the maw" jumped into the water - the better to raid the other ship. Perhaps it was the rush of the salt water combined with the blood, but once submerged "the maw" found out another secret of his breeding. He was a true were dire shark. With that began his carrer of terror. And when reports came back from Sasserine on that first attack, "the maw" also gained a name.

Soon tales flew around of the great dire-shark that raided pirates and merchants alike - anyone who tried to run the terrible blockade surrounding the city. It was not long before "the maw" stood at the head of the Crimson Fleet, operating at Hambre's command to control the seas surrounding the Almedio Jungle.

OK. There he is. Enjoy all! And thanks for everyone's help.

I would love a copy.

trigont at yahoo

Well for the first battle, I don't want to buff him up too much. After all he has the campaign ender in his hot little hands.

I will look at these PACT spells.

How is he for the first fight? Does he need any pumping up there?

I know he stinks on ice in the prison battle. Anyone got some ideas on how to make him scary again for this tussle?

As I go through the savage tide, I am really enjoying the subtle hints for what is in store.

Some examples of symbolism in the AP so far.

Duality:

The most obvious duality is that of the savage tide itself.

Vanthus Vanderboren (VV), and his ahm... fascination with his other half.

There are others, but they escape me right now. I need to write them down as I come across them.

Anyone got anything else?

They are beginning to remind me of Fox TV. People who care about their work toiling away making as best a product they can (The Designers or Show Developers) are constantly trumped by poor decisions from clueless executives, whose very actions are so ignorant they appear to be malicious, but are merely very incompetent.

Any chance the new supplements will be available for download soon?

Also, can you make the hi-res editions available as well. The last two have been low-res only. The low-res maps look like chess boards once I blow them up to mini map size.

Thanks!

I have never enjoyed any of her books. Her writing style just irks me to no end. Her analogies especially annoy, as they are (IMHO) inept and excessively florid. Her characters too are one dimensional and stupid for no reason.

As always YMMV, but for me, I read two books and was out for good.

But then again I like the terse but dense structure of George RR Martin.

My players had the pleasure of meeting Avner last session. And they too HATE the fella. Best part. They left the horse on the docks in Sasserine, and have managed to conceal this from Avner so far.

When Avner boarded, the squabble for the cabins began, and he happened to walk in on the PC druid feeding his dino. Screaming in terror, Avner fled, which provoked a chase from the dino. Urol, seeing the fascinating creature, began to chase it in turn. So there they were, below deck running around, and generally causing chaos. While all this was going on the PC captain said. "I set sail."

Avner keeps telling the young PC thief "Cabin boy, go see to my Destrier." When they stopped at the Fort, a major scene was averted via a charm person spell. When Avner told the "cabin boy" to saddle up his steed as he wanted to go riding through the jungle, the wiz PC (who funnily enuf, had set up his noble family's house to be right across the road from the merchanti family) stepped in and convinced him that he didn't want to leave the ship.

The thing about a charm person spell is that it doesn't make Avner less of an ass, he just a conciliatory ass. It's like what Bill Cosby said about Cocaine.

D'oh. Had another one die on me last night.

Character: Lorraine, Swashbuckler and former noblewoman on the run from an arranged marriage
Adventure: Bullywug Gambit
Location: Lavinia's Kitchen
Catalyst: Multiple attacks, all criting, one with a double crit.

After first going right to the master bedroom and making embarrassingly short work of the EL8 encounter (seriously, the half-orc fighter could hit NOTHING), the party set out to find the remaining two Jade Ravens. There was a little overconfidence when they sauntered down the back steps into the kitchen. There a lvl6 Bullywug fighter stepped close to the swashbuckler, and in an incredibly lucky series of attacks did 57 pts of damage in 2 hits.

The rest of the party withdrew up the steps and were able to use that bottleneck to get the situation back under control.

When I first read that part, I had the same thought but I had forgotten about it. So I did a quick search for words that end in "aut" and there aren't that many. My guess at the most likely would be words that end in 'naut' like Cosmonaut, Astronaut and my choice, Juggernaut.

I keep seeing Tiamat. But obviuosly that isn't right. Unless thats how they spelled Tiamat in 'ye olde commonne' language.

"Looke Venger, verily yon Cavaliere useth his bulwarke oft majik force to fend offe Timaut's foule spittleth." Or somethin.

What is the significance of the mast in Kigante's trophy room. It is marked T...M...AUT. What am I missing here.

Thanks

Sorry. A little more detail here. This is in the Bullywug Gambit (issue 140). Room K8 in Kraken Cove. Kigante Valeros has a room dedicated to various trophies, esp ones taken from plundered ships. One of the trophies is a mast with the above mentioned markings. It just seemed like it has greater significance, given the detailed description. I am betting it refers to a ship found in an old module. Barring that maybe the author put it in there as a personal easter egg.

Either way I was hoping the paizo boards knew what the deal was.

Plus Valeros was eaten by savage pirates in Kraken Cove.

I'm just saying.....

What is the significance of the mast in Kigante's trophy room. It is marked T...M...AUT. What am I missing here.

Thanks

After much contemplation, here's how I think I will play it out.

BACKGROUND: This is (pretty much) the same group that played the Age Of Worms AP. A few of the characters have backgrounds tying them to the AoW characters. One of the AoW characters is currently living near the Spire trying to ensure there is no eruption of more Kyuss yukiness. Two more of the "old" PCs are in town to visit their old friend, and join in the general celebrations for the Age of Worms festival.

Harliss emerges from Kraken Cove, and begs passage on the Sea Wyvern. They sail back to Sasserine, but before they get there Harliss absconds with their dinghy and all their potions of restoration. Harliss will definately show two faces to the group. Her better side and her savage side will be in obvious conflict throughout the trip (a litle foreshadowing). However, it is important to note, Harliss is not really a viable disese vector since she has not yet yet sucummed to Savage Fever (and therefore doesn't have the template, etc. etc.) Soon after her departure there will be a Savage Seagull Swarm attack (to emphasise the spread of the tide.) The gulls will be seen ripping into some rats - thus providing the disease vector needed.

Once back in Sasserine The festival will be set to go in 2 days. But in the meantime word will come out that the savage tide is beginning to affect Sasserine. The "old PC" cleric will be petitioned by the city, and he will try to solicit ideas on just what the heck is going on. Hopefully the PCs will come forward with what they know. With some divination the "old PC" can figure out the vector of the rats.

The old PC can then start to fix some of the PCs Boo-Boos. But in the meantime he needs them to stamp out a couple of the Savage Tide fires that have started in Sasserine while he goes to Kraken Cove to stop the spread there.

In this way the PCs can still fight Savage Creatures, but do so from the city, not a days sail away. I can explain away the Kraken Cove infestation, and the "old PC" can let them know that the delay of even one day turned the infestation into something that an epic character had a great deal of trouble fixing (foreshadowing the potential nastiness of the tide.)

I dunno. I think this may work. I am a little leery of using the "old PC" saw. But they have enjoyed the reappearance of the old PCs so far. And I think they might need some perspective on what exactly the savage tide means. So far they are just trying to pwn Vanthus (which is good), but I want to transition them into loftier goals, while not losing that Vanthus hatage.

@ surprised no one has offered Throat Warbler Mangrove as a pronunciation.

Oi've been repetn' ye pirate alphabet to meself, but I seem to get stuck on 'R'. Say it with me, me boyos.

R

RRRRRrrrrr

RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRR

These are all great, and it got us started. I will let you al know more as we progress.

Well, they have discovered the broken pearl. They have a good idea that Vanthus caused that mess, and Harliss can fill her in on the rest. They have recovered the Wyvern, and have a fairly competent plan on how to get it out of there. Still, I get what you are saying....

Maybe Harliss can hint that there is something left in the caves that the just can't live without.

Still I just can't see how there will still be savage creatures there after the (at a minimum) 2 day round trip back to Sasserine. (They plan on picking up some magic items that they maybe should have got before Kracken's Cove.) I reckon they will have all eaten everything else up.

This is fantastic. Thanks!

Well Ripclaw and the savage pirates ate the party a new one. They are terrified, and are basically fleeing for their life, back to Sasserine. Thing is, they barely got through the first two rooms.

Since this section of the adventure is hard to really return to, I am thinking this is appropriate. Harliss Javell manages to fight her way out of the caverns (along with a replacement character for a dead party member). She will beg passage on the ship, claiming she can sail them out safely.

She will reveal all that she might with a successful diplomacy check (I will assume that if the PC give her passage, she does them a good turn.) Then sometime in the night she will steal their smaller boat and get away from the party.

Will this work? Am I forgetting something?

I just don't like the idea of the PCs returning to Kraken Cove only to find Javell still fighting for her life, etc., etc.

Character: Ak'sad, 3rd level Rogue/Ranger.
Adventure: The Bullywug Gambit
Location: Kracken Cove
Catalyst: Ripclaw

During the battle with the cook and his two savage pals in the mess hall, Ak'sad wandered into the room of hanging silks, investigating some movement he saw there. That movement was Ripclaw. He fled before being ripped to shreds, and the swashbuckler Lorraine DuConst bravely intervened (and so ALMOST became the second kill of the night). While the rest of the party tried to fend off the hungry pirates from the mess hall, Ak'sad moved off to pepper Ripclaw with arrows. And (with his sneak attack and favored enemy) began to really hurt the savage beast. That is when Ripclaw turned and charged the sailor, pouncing and hitting with every attack (and doing some criticals). There was naught left but a bloody smear.

After his brief feast Ripclaw turned back to the retreating party. Lorraine was left in the tunnels, and so was vulnerable to the savage phanaton that dropped her to 0 and began to feast on her unconscious body. He was only able to eat a finger before the Spear Wielding aquatic human killed him with a great shot.

The party then climed onto the Sea Wyvern, and beat feat for Sasserine.

I think they have good incentive to stop the savage tide.

The Fluff:

Chitin's Doom was an ordinary buckler, found on the floor of the training room of a Thieves Guild by Lear Cain, a budding psionic warrior. Soon after he wore the shield, he was attacked by Rhagodashes, fearsome silverfish-like creatures from the Almedio Jungle. Lear had always been unnerved by such vermin, and this soon turned to outright terror as the creatures captured him in their nigh inescapable grasp, then began to fight over him like starving dogs over fallen table scrap. But the buckler, picked up by mere happenstance, repeatedly saved his life in that battle. Time and again the beasts jaws crunched inches away from Lear's face. And as Lear's fear began to shift to confidence in the newfound buckler, something began to change the buckler itself. Lear could sense that somehow his destiny was now tied to that once castaway hunk of wood.

Chitin's Doom is made out of a carved piece of drift wood.

Themes for the shield:

Nautical (Lear is a former pirate, and the entire campaign is nautical themed.)

Psionic (It must be psionic in nature; Lear is a psycic warrior.)

Vermin (The player HATES creepy crawly things, and this always bleeds into every character I have seen him play - so any sort of defense against bugs would be great.)

The Character is now 3rd level, so the first abilities should manifest soon.

I will post more once I get my mitts on my books, but I wanted to see what ideas y'all might have.

TIA.

Really! I didn't see it with the other supplements.

Can you point me in the right direction?

EDIT: Wait - I found it here.

I hate to be a pest, but any chance of seeing the online supplements for issues #144 and up?

Thanks

JwT, you have your Pathfinder and GameMastery Modules going to two different addresses, so they didn't get combined into the first wave of labels. Contact customer service if you'd like to change the shipping addresses so they can get combined.

K - will do. Any word on the PDF?

Yup - checked just before I posted here, and I have both the Gamemastery Modules as expected, but no Pathfinder.

Now I'm bummed.

I know you guys are slammed, but I still have not gotten my Pathfinder book, nor received the pdf. Do I need more patience, or should I have these things? Thanks!

The bustling metropolis of Kernersville. The heart of the Piedmont Triad.

It was not completely co-incidence that threw you all onto the same ship. Each of you knew your way around on the seas. And truthfully each of you were a little short on cash. So when you heard about an opportunity to sign on with captain Smithson's crew, it seemed like a good option for a sailor down on their luck. So not complete coincidence.

And perhaps it was not coincidence that the ship was struck on its way back into port. The shipping lanes you were plying have become dangerous of late. Tales of deep sea beasts sinking vessels so they may pluck its treasures at their leisure were on the rise. In fact the captain did not seem too surprised when the cry went out. He merely turned to the crew and asked for "Somebody hold them off."

No matter how much fate was involved, the fact remains that you stood forward, and took on the invaders when no one else would. in the face of overwhelming odds, you stood forth, and held off the beasts long enough for the captain to summon help. And what fell beasts they were. Horrible mantas with teeth that could gnaw through wood, all led by a giant, slug-like, many tentacled beast that was later identified as Kopru. Spells flew from Vaar and Lollilar's fingertips, and the brave souls Lorraine and Lear hung off the side of the ship in an effort to repel the invaders. Then, when all seemed lost, and the Kopru was poised to fell Phiprion, a green man also defending the ship, the captain re-emerged, and summoned a beast composed of water.

And that is what led Lavinia to notice you. So later that week she invited you all to her mansion. There she asked for your aid and shared her tale of woe. Lavinia recently became an orphan. Her parents, renown explorers, were caught aboard a ship when it burned to the waterline. While he parents were well respected in the community, they were less than savvy financially, and they left Lavinia with mounting debts and no immediate access to funds. Lavinia too, was certainly not up to the challenge of managing a mercantile explorers company, and she had turned to captain Smithson for help.

Foremost in Lavinia's mind was the recovery of her hijacked ship, 'The Blue Nixie'. She last saw it at pier 5 in the harbor when she pair the docking fees in arrears. But when she tried to reclaim her ship she was rebuffed. Laviaina rightly suspected it was now in the hands of a smuggler Sollar Vark. Your newly formed company set off to liberate the lady's ship, and to find Lavinia's father's signet ring. With the ring Lavinia might be able to access the family vault.

But it was not to be that easy. Yes, Sollar Vark was using the ship to smuggle contraband. As it turns out he was smuggling dangerous beasts. With some struggle, the company managed to climb the ships anchor chain, and defeat the smuggles, but in the process a giant arthropod escaped below decks and nearly killed Lorraine in the process. In the ensuing chaos Sollar Vark escape (exhibiting miraculous swimming prowess in the process.) But now you had Lavinia's ship, the signet ring, and a mysterious clue, that would soon prove vital to helping Lavinia get back on her feet.

Returning to Lavinia, ring in hand, she asked you return tomorrow to accompany her to the family vault. The clerk took some time to verify the signet ring, and more importantly Lavinia's heritage. But eventually he let you and Lavinia pass into the vault room. Ther, in the first antechamber a fearsome metal snake arose to defend the family treasures. It looked impossible to defeat until Lollilar asked Lavinia to stand forth and present her signet ring as credential. This quited the beast, and after a brief search Lear was able to find a secret door giving egress deeper into the vault.

In the final room of the vault. After much collaboration, and studied teamwork, you hazarded a guess at the solution. You intuition served you well (GOOD JOB ON THIS BTW) and you unlocked the vault on the first try. But there still were surprises in store, for Lavinia's vault was nearly stripped of all it treasures. All that remained was one chest, and a strange journal written in a foreign tongue. With that revalation, Lavinia began to sob great gasps despair that echoed around her now empty family vault.

This is the game I GM which just got started on 8/13/07. We are all in NC, and all are long time gamers. Enjoy!

Certainly nothing to the extent of the spelljammers crewed by kender that descended into Athas towards the last days of 2E.

For real? Where / when did this happen? Was it in a novel or a sourcebook? My curiosity is piqued sir.

Thanks in advance.

You seriously understate the difficulty of obtaining a rare 9th-level spell.

I got a Wizard in my campaign with Mage of the Arcane Order. In fact, I have heard that this is pretty essential to having fun playing a Wiz in this game what with the lack of spell books. Boom - he gets the spell with one round of concentration.

<snippage>

Now, with all of that said, its possible that a few things are relevant to Demogorgon's situation. It could be that he...

Also - somewhere in 2nd ed the idea of Avatars was introduced. This concept of certain very powerful beings being able to project certain parcels of their essence into vessels that maintain that beings shape and certain powers (depending on how much essence is devoted to building the Avatar)

With this concept came the idea that killing an Avatar does not kill the entity; while it certainly may hurt them, perhaps significantly if the entity has invested a lot of power into it.

As to Demogorgon:

Ok, the title is a bit cheesy, but Orgosh has to be one of the coolest villians ever!

I am trying to figure out a way to foreshadow his coming - maybe in the Bullwug Gambit the frogmen might mention a brother who has ascended?

If so which ones for which adventure? Just curious.

I have found anything with a level adjustment is either overbalanced and too powerful, or ends up not being worth it to the player in the long run.

Or both - ie Too powerfull by a half in the lower levels and boring and weak in the high levels.

I tell my players this though, and they never beleive me.....

Thanks all.

And thanks for the correction on spelling his name. Since I was a player in AoW, I never got to see his name in print.....

You could also change the Meravanchi family to be the Smenk family.

I like this idea best, methinks. The only trick then is how to get him back into the story later. Not completely neccessary, but AFAIK the players leave Sasserine and never look back.

My group wanted to know if they'd find Filge skulking about Sasserine. :)

In our AoW Filge managed to reform his necromantic ways, albiet he was still a jerk - just not an evil one.

I was thinking that a Marshall (Mini Handbook) would be AWESOME for the assault on Farshore.

I like her dirty mouth. I've been trying to write up her scandalous tirade against Vanthus, but my rule is no modern cussing, at most using words like "arse." More getting the feel of a cussing tirade, rather then just using modern (anachronistic) cusswords. It's fun, but difficult.

Well - according to the expert cussers at Deadwood the really bad curse words seem pretty innocuous today. In fact, Milch (Deadwood's creator) alegedly had to punch up the swearing since it sounded silly for the characters to go around saying 'crap' all the time. (Which was a nasty word back in the day).

More here if you are really interested - Caution contains some nasty words!

Did anyone who used the "Funera; Procession" make the funeral for Lavinia's parents?

Remember that in Mystara, Demogorgon is a woman.

A woman who like to hide by rodesides and make crying child noises so she can eat gullible adventurers.

Maybe its just me, but nuttin' sez pirate to me like a motley crew of exotic non-humans. From the looks of it I am getting a fine crew of missfits in my game, and I am mighty excited!

Nuttin' I tells ya.

Coming late to the game, but -

Can I get on the list, and a copy of all the stat blocks that have gone before?

I was just about to spend the whole weekend typing all of this up so THANK YOU! My wife and kids want to thank you as well.

trigont(at)yahoo

No - I didn't post this in the wrong place ;-)

Balabar (or as I called him mallowmar) was such a popular baddie in the last Adventure Path that I really want to use him in STAP. (I was a player in the the AoW AP, so I am not sure on his details, but in our game he lived the Kenku assault and fled with some angry PCs wanting his hide.)

My current plan is to make him a member of the Crimson Fleet - a high up, but not the big bad guy. I may make him part of an early assault force on Farshore.

Any ideas?

I am running this, but if I were playing, my thoughts would go to a reconnacence coupled with guerulla warfare.

You know, a couple of well placed divination spells get you in the general area of the fleet. Next up - you set the group up with flying and invisibility. Then you scry the area, then pop in via teleport and you strafe them (or hole thier ship or otherwise make yourself a pain in thier piratical bottoms). At two attacks a day the PC could probably (given enough warning) take out all the ships.

Keep in mind this can occur WELL before the fleet gets even close to Farshore, and the minimal engaement helps keep the PCs healthy.

Of course my group ain't gonna think of this (I doubt I would were I not GM and privy to all that is going on in the adv.) But if they do, I will surely let them get away with this. I might even give them extra VP for just being awesome!

I still would have some destruction oriented pre-programmed flesh golems showing up some days later (assuming the PC didn;t kill them.) And Vanthus would likely escape as well.