You can use the Psionic Mind Flayer from the Psionics Handbook, or you can add class levels of Sorceror, that's always a nice touch.
Personally, get the Lords of Madness sourcebook, it's chock full of good stuff for the flayers.
Mind Flayer Alhoon (Mind Flayer Lich 12th-Level Sorcerer is a nice touch
or a Mind Flayer Ulitharid, a large version of the mind flayer and add some class levels to get it up to about CR16 to challenge the party.
There's also a Urophion CR13, a mind flayer roper which is a challenge for anyone.
If you use the Lich, mabye he's just looking for spell componenets and he had to take a chunk out of a surface city to get it.
A good 2nd Edition campaign that's easily converted for module is "A Darkness Gathering" if you can get the "PDF".. for it, or it's cheaper here at home "Paizo".. I've ran it as a 1-2 session in my home game. It's part of a 3 module set but I never used the last two modules.
If you just use the 3.0/3.5 stats for the creatures listed in the module, they are from the Lords of Madness and one or two from the Psionics Handbook, it'll be pretty smooth for a party of the level your using.
Battlelords Rocked! Looking back, I dont think I've ever had more fun with a group as when I was playing B23. The game was complex as all heck using percentiles but with sourcebooks like "Uncle Ernies Minions of Doom" you cant help but have fun with the universe.
Chronically Depressed Cloned Gene Humans
Smoking addicted six fingered space halflings (Orion Rogue)
Four armed mind-flayers who eat human flesh (Phentari)
Giant Stupid Lizards (Ram Pythons) who worship glorify farting because it's what the volcanos do.
The perpetually picked on smarter little brothers of the Ram Pythons (Python Lizard).
Neurotic Psychic aliens with powers to crush solar systems.
Cat people
Even the art is amusing. The system is just really complicated and they dont really have any rules for vehicles. I'd take shadowrun over it for a regular game but it's a great play anytime.
I use the description as per the detect magic spell. First off remember the spell is cone shaped, every time the target leaves the cone area and re-enters it, the concentration has to begin again. Or if the caster changes his position, the cone changes with him and the concentration begins again.
Another note is that the spells duration is concentration. So even if you do manage to pinpoint the location of an invisible creature you cant do anything about it. Once you stop concentrating on the spell, the spell ends.
1st Round - Presence or absence of magical auras. (You don’t actually see anything, there is no lighting up effect you just detect it).
2nd Round - Number of different magical auras and the power of the most potent aura. (Once again, you don’t actually see anything, and you only know the power of the most potent aura.)
3rd Round - The strength and location of each aura. If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Spellcraft skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. (Now, the person is still completely invisible to you, they don’t light up, they have 100% concealment from you and any of your allies. Just because you know where it is does not mean you can automatically see it.
My definition of detect magic works just like my definition of detect poison (another 0-level spell). You don’t have to visually see the poison to know it’s there, otherwise how could you tell if someone was poisoned. The poison itself has 100% concealment if it’s in a person, you cant actually "see it" but you still know it’s there.
Nothing in the spell says that items light up or stand out, you just detect the presence and location. I compare it to the skill Listen but you don’t have to roll skill checks. Detect Magic does not simulate see invisible. If the spell is dependent on actual visible sight, then how can a creature that doesnt use sight apply it or use it?
As far as a 0-level spell beating a higher level spell, that’s irrelevant in many cases.
True Seeing: Clr 5, Drd 7, Sor/Wiz 6 – Breaks many 9th Level Illusions.
Death Ward: Clr 4, Drd 5 – Breaks many 9th Level Necromancy Spells
Freedom of Movement: Clr 4, Drd 4, Brd 4 – Breaks any holding, paralyzing or impeding spells.
If I were being argumenativly difficult. I'd give the caster using detect magic a will save to see through the illusion of the person using the invisibiltiy spell.
One I've been using since the late 90's is Heavy Gear. Since then I've transferred to Jovian Chronicles. It uses a D6 success system for combat and its very good for integrating combat between different scales of vehicles. The Silhouette Core Book 003.1 is the core rules for all of the companies game world.
The PC scale isnt very in depth but there's room for adjustment. I use a modified White Wolf sheet I created for characters and keep the success system but scale it up to D10's for successes. Convert the way White Wolf PC's take damage to how Silcore does damage and it works great. More character freedom and Vehicle Combat integration.
Heavy Gear: Civil war on a newly inhabeted planet in another solar system. Recently Earth Showed up to take over.
Jovian Chronicles: Gundam in every sense of the word as far as story, mecha, and combat go.
Tribe-8: Post Apocalyptic Earth with angels and demons.
Core Command: Space Police, nothing else needs mentioned.
One of my favorite games that I have ever ran. Thank you Paizo for everything you've done for us. Our group will ever miss the adventures you've presented for us.
Bodies lay around the feet of the Prince of Demons. Blood pouring
into the cracks in the floor as has not been seen since the high age
of this temple to Dagon. The temple remembers and gives the
suffering to Dagon himself who waits outside ensuring that the Demon
Prince deals with the mortals. The mighty Eladrin Paragon Gwynharwyf
fallen twice by the creature lays to one side, while the corpses of
the four others lay nearby. Demogorgon lunges forward, blinded by
his hubris and rage, intent on dealing a killing blow to the
remaining two who had dared encroach on his realm and interfere with
his Savage Tide. Crippled knowing that the next few seconds would be
vital, Aameul teleports himself where he last saw the mortal wizard
and his companion. Upon appearance Hethradiah circles his body
attempting to level anything standing near him while Aameul readies
another spell for defense. Another strike comes in from the side
from the quick half elf that has been causing him so much trouble.
His thick hide absorbs most of the attack but another spurt of
demonic blood sprays the attacker as the prince feels a bit more of
his strength sapped from loss of blood. He roars in anger and swings
his massive body towards the attacker to no avail. The half elf is
gone.
From across the room in the pile of bodies the prince has
left behind. The mighty Kensai Kurn rises from the floor. He hangs
onto life by a thread, a small thin grasp of magic enabling him to go
on though death should have taken him long ago. The final investment
of Zilchus on the Kensai's life granted by Grensha Wavehammer, high
priestess of the profiteer god who also lay dead at the fury of
Demogorgon. Kurn pulls himself together, grasping his blade he wills
himself forward by the magic gifted him by Iggwilv the Witch Queen
who watches the entire scene from across the room waiting patiently
for her moment weather to swear fealty to the prince of bath in the
glory of being at the site of the destruction of the lord of all the
abyss.
Bones broken in hundreds of places, lungs punctured and
organs that have failed or been utterly crushed by the life draining
and flesh crushing blows of the Prince Kurn rises. His only grasp of
what is going on is that there is an enemy in the room and his
diehard will forces him to engage. He charges, flying, mangled bone
and flesh hanging from where his legs once allowed him to stand he
drives a blade of hardened Adamantine enforced with his very own
essence directly into the back of the blind and wounded Demogorgon,
the base of Aameul and Hethradiah's spine where the two join in
chaotic anti-harmony. Both minds gape in shock, unable to even look
back at their killer. The heads twitch as they attempt to drive
signals to their limbs to retaliate against the attacker, but the
disconnected spine denies them movement. They will their body to
heal the wounds but Kurn twists the blade reflexively from months and
years of practice and deadly combat. Their spine breaks immediately
stopping their dual heart from beating, gasping for air they cry out
using telepathy and their mastery of demons to bring aid. But the
impenetrable walls of Wat Dagon block any attempt communicate with
the outside world. Only Dagon who waits patiently outside hears the
Princes cries of agony and pleas for help. The pleas, unbefitting of
a demon and certainly a plea of that nature would be ignored by any
other demon, Demogorgon knows this. His body dying, lack of oxygen
to the brain and blood to the body cause him to begin hallucinating.
He remembers his mother, the Queen of Chaos, casting him out as a
child and he cries to her as a child to a mother, she hears him not
on her own realm, more focused on her lost lover than any
illegitimate thought aborted child.
He cries to gods unseen, those who have helped him in the past and given him mortal souls on which to feed, all of them go silent. Thrumming, slow beating is the only
sound in his ears as Aameul's skull hits the hard floor of Wat Dagon
whilst Hethradiah continues to gasp of air as his mind's eye closes
into utter oblivion. As he dies he reaches out his very essence
towards his aspects, commanding them to flee. His last remaining
hope is to one day awaken again in the body of a child, he dies with
dreams of grandeur as great as those he held in life.
Watching in anticipation as to what may happen next, Alonzo and Tomaz
stand several yards from the body, unknowing of what may happen when
one as mighty as the Prince of all Demons dies. A black mist begins
seeping from the corpse as it quickly decomposes. Like ice thrown in
fire the corpse melts down to acidic liquid in seconds. Iggwilv ever
anticipating rushes in with the Flask of Tuerny pulling the stopper
as she moves. She mutters an incantation activating the artifact
which begins drawing in the demon's very escaping essences. She
smiles at Kent and Shade, "Well done and thank you" Kurn looks up
sheepishly, his mind destroyed by the princes feeblemind spell, mind
destroyed nearly and body crushed, looking like a sheepish dog who
has just fetched a bone for his master and awaits a treat he steps
towards Alonzo for help which the wizard cannot give. Then there is
a moment of silence as the last wisp of the prince's essence enters
the flask and Iggwilv places the crystal stopper in its mouth a force
unlike any felt for eons begins to pull together above the ooze that
was once a demon prince. A crown forms out of the aether, golden and
beautiful in its vile nature. All who witness it feel its pull
demanding that the seat be filled. There must be a prince of
demons. Obox-ob was the first self declared, killed by the Queen of
Chaos and replaced by Miska the Wolf Spider who was killed by the
Vaati who were in turn weakened to a state of extinction. Demogorgon
quickly rose to take the place and held the title for several
centuries and with his demise another must take its place. The abyss
demands a worthy ruler. The sign crossed the heavens in the twinkle
of the mind's eye, like a call to battle every demon lord, heard its
glorious sound and made their bid at the grand infinite kingdom that
is the abyss. The gods watched in anticipation some in fear at the
events unfolding. In the midst Malconthet commands the mind of Kurn
to take the crown for himself, but his stupefied state barely enables
him to reply intelligently and his fumbling attempt to take the crown
fails in marvelous fashion as the Queen of the Succubi tears her
unholy mark from his flesh scarring his body and soul even further.
The wills of Orcus and Grazzt quickly reach a crescendo but Orcus
recently crushed and defeated by Demogorgon himself cannot hold
against the powerful controlling aura of the Prince of Darkness. The
crown disappears and there is a universal sigh across the planes as
Grazzt takes his place as the new Prince of Demons.
Orcus, angry but never one to quite a fight, orders legions of his
undead to quickly enter the once capital city of Demogorgon Lemoriax
and hold the place against all hosts. He may have lost the throne
but he will have this place for his self and no power of Grazzt will
ever take it from him. Grazzt knowing this disregards Orcus' attempt
to strike a blow at him. He wills himself to the temple of Wat
Dagon, sending a message to Dagon that he should be long gone from
this layer before he arrives.
Using his newfound power over thephysical realm of the abyss he brings Wat Dagon fully into existence in the Gaping Maw and with a single thought causes it to entropy to dust leaving the three survivors from the material plane and the Witch Queen standing there gathering up the corpses of fallen allies. "Be gone and I will spare you mortals, you have been of great assistance and someday I may grant you a boon in reward but leave this place now." He motions a hand to Iggwilv "but you will stay my dear". Iggwilv smiles knowingly "But my prince, you know I just cannot bring myself to obey you" she disappears fast as a though crossing planes into an unknown place of her own making, holding the very soul of the former Prince of Demons. Clearly angry Grazzt looks to the mortals who remain; they keep from looking him in the eye as Kent casts a planar travel spell bringing them to the River Styx where the Sea Wyvern waits for them. Kurn looks Alonzo in the eye
with a moment of knowing clarity in his befuddled state as Zilchus
pulls out her delay death investment in the warrior and his body nearly explodes into a mass of flesh and bone. Several of the weathered crewmen vomit overboard at the sight. Kent motions for Harliss to take the beaten ship back to the Abyssal Sea where it can be transported back to Sassarine with the Wake Portal.
I don’t believe that Anti-magic Field will do that at all, you would have to find out what the supernatural ability is specifically and find a spell or ability to oppose it such as Death Ward or Mind Blank, especially on Demogorgon.
"Should a creature be larger than the area enclosed by the barrier, any part of it that lies outside the barrier is unaffected by the field.” (PHB, 200)
Since Demogorgon is Huge 15/15/15 ft., unless you had it centered on the middle of him you would never have his body totally encompassed by the field unless you could extend the area. Not impossible (especially at that level) but difficult to keep the big man down. If you somehow got someone to grapple him so the area would stay on him it would work.
The real downside is that it would bring down the parties abilities much more than Demogorgon's! Any magic or epic weapons would not be considered epic or gain any bonus's to hit him b/c to hit him they would need to enter the anti-magic area since he does not lose his DR in the field he's that much more deadly. He would be immune to any other spells except prismatic ones. And if he knew who cast the spell, he could just walk away from that person and nullify the anti-magic effect on himself since it's targeted on the caster only. He's not really any weaker when he can’t use Su or Sp like abilities, just angrier.
Spoiler:
His spell like abilities and supernatural abilities would be ineffective while he was in it but he wouldn’t be much weaker since the party should have reduced most of those abilities by the time they fight him anyway, if they fight him at all, it's not absolutely necessary, (I don’t know if I'll let my party survive fighting him if they decide to on a whim). With anti-magic whoever stood next to him would have no magic supernatural or spell like abilities either, so unless they had an unmodified non-magical AC better than 40 they would almost definitely take ten attacks (he would lose his magic fang but not his dual action) for 234-328 points 4xtentacle/2xtail/4xbite damage in that first round of pissing the guy off. And then he'd walk over to the next guy, if he even had to move! I actually tinkered with having him blow an anti-magic scroll on himself just prior to entering combat with the party for this reason, since he obviously would know the threat level of his enemies such as the party wizard and cleric, but then I didn’t want it to be that unfair, Demogorgon is no weakling idiot, dont play him like one. If the party prevents the Savage Tide but cannot defeat Demogorgon, then so be it the multiverse will continue with Demogorgon as the Prince of Demons, nothing keeping an Epic party from coming back two levels later to take him on again. Anyone who can do the things he does in the lower planes deserves every advantage he has pried from the cold dead fingers of other demon lords and mortals.
I started running in the beginning of August 07, we're 23 sessions in. We have 4-5 players regularly at 18th Level right now. Saturdays 3-4 times a month 4-10 hour sessions on average, and we will complete "Into the Maw" (Module 10) this Saturday. The Tide has been good to us.
I dont think anyone was demanding the suppliments, well except for the guy who expects more of them, (it's not like they asked Wizards to take away some of their glory in D&D, did you guys :(? ) I was not expecting it of them, only hoping.
In other words I was "Begging" -to ask for as a gift, as charity, or as a favor:
It's not an expectation. I simply know the quality of product that the Paizo artists put out, and regardless of if I scan it at maximum dpi and Photoshop the heck out of it, I'll still come up short of the origional artists work.
It's the quality of the producers that I'm hoping for. The only way I can get equivalent quality is when I Dundjinni it or use Campaign Cartographer 3 to re-create it for digital purposes but even that's sub-par most of the time without hours of work.
Heck, I've been using Tac-tiles for almost the entire adventure, draw/erase all day long, but when I get to use the original copies on the projector it's something else personally and for my players.
Quality from the professionals. With a side of brown nosing.
"A magic item doesn’t need to make a saving throw unless it is unattended, it is specifically targeted by the effect, or its wielder rolls a natural 1 on his save. Magic items should always get a saving throw against spells that might deal damage to them— even against attacks from which a nonmagical item would normally get no chance to save. Magic items use the same saving throw bonus for all saves, no matter what the type (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will). A magic item’s saving throw bonus equals 2 + one-half its caster level (round down). The only exceptions to this are intelligent magic items, which make Will saves based on their own Wisdom scores.
Magic items, unless otherwise noted, take damage as nonmagical items of the same sort. A damaged magic item continues to function, but if it is destroyed, all its magical power is lost." (DMG, 241)
Unless it's the "One Ring", falling into "Normal" lava does not really offer a saving throw at all for the character, and thus does not offer a saving throw for an item, I'd rule that the items would begin to take the 20d6 of fire damage every round from immersion.
In regards to Suggestion, the SRD says.
"You influence the actions of the target creature by suggesting a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two). The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell. "
Therefore it would automatically fail unless the PC was somehow compleatly unaware of the dangers of jumping into Lava. Even if he had fire immunity, the possibility of drowing in "Liquid Hot Magma" would most likely deter him from committing the act, or at a minimum give him a bonus to the save.
I would have used her Telekinesis ability to use Violent Thrust and launched him in the lava anyway.
Yeah, area effect spells pretty much don’t do anything to images. Our wizard had a fit about it because his fireball didn’t get rid of all of a minions images and I had to point it out verbatim. We pretty much narrowed it down to you have to make an attack roll against the target to make an image away. Magic Missiles always win!
It's not all day every day, he's a 14th Level Sorcerer with a Ring of Wizardry II. So it's not all day, but it's pretty much as long and whenever as he needs it.
Regardless of time, the Scent ability says "Whenever the creature comes within 5 feet of the source, the creature pinpoints the source's location." (MM, 314) Barring overwhelming odors the creature already knows that the target is within 15-60 ft. on wind direction. He just has to be within 5' to pinpoint.
Thanks guys. I was just looking into it for a PC who uses Mirror Image all day, every day. On with the Yuan-ti assassins!
Mirror Image says you cant use Vision or Hearing to identify an Image. Would I be safe to assume that if a creature has Scent that it can detect which target is the correct one?
I know this post is nearly dead, but Reaper came out with an awsome Aboleth like mini a month ago, I'm using it in Savage Tide. It's called Goroloth and it's nearly 10 inches long.
Though Zotzilaha is a god, the aspect is not, it is a Chaotic Evil Outsider. And as far as the description of the Whirling Fury
Enemies and Allies: The Church opposes "all" who would traffic with demons and who wuld seek to allow demons and their influence to extend into the Material Plane. "Evil Religions," cabals of conjurers, and demon cultists are view with equal contempt... (Dragon Magazine 348, pg68)
Therefore I'm under the impression that associating or accepting gifts from evil gods or their aspects is just as bad as dealing with their lesser minions.
No, the Aspect is a Chaotic Evil Ousider, I can only assume what plane it's from, and the PC didnt take the tooth, he was after a more rogue compatable item. ;) If he knew about the tooth and took it I'd burn him on the spot.
The Whirling Fury are about opposing the influence of evil outsiders on the material plane, but befriending those who associate with and accepting boons is a definate no no.
Ok, I have a difficult decision to make concering my Daggerspell mage. He's a Chaotic good PC who follows the Whirling Fury wholeheartedly. I'm running Tides of Dread where...
Spoiler:
We just returned the key to the shrine of Zotzilaha, I had told the PC that returning the item to the demi-god would not be against the church because in the long run, it really does diminish the aspects interference on the prime. i.e. it stops burning the Olman with firebats.
I'm ok with him doing the task but he accepted the reward without flinching, in fact, he chatted with the creature about all of the possible rewards. Now I'm torn, I've told him that accepting such a boon falls somewhere between the -2 for associating and -20 for accepting a boon. Out of game I was willing to reward him for his faithfulness in not accepting anything from evil (not that I tell him that), but now he's arguing for his characters sake to keep the item, since he didnt know how his faction would react to his accepting such a gift.
In my opinion, he should have know better but I've been a hard @$$ a lot of the time so I'm not sure.
I've required that he perform one of a few options.
1. He stops using the item until he brings about the evil creatures destruction via personal destruction or leading in a hit team.
2. He seeks atonement and pays a cleric to cast it for him.
3. Or he can just deal with the penalties.
Am I being unreasonable? Give me options and opinions.
As it stands, I would go ahead and replace her with your NPC of choice. Let your NPC take the position of fortune teller with or without her caravan of Vistani and be a noncombatant advisor from her position, I would probably move the Forest Fane a little further from the Tzar Pool if you were going to use an unrelated NPC for the position though. Keep Madam Eva in the Forest Fane position, as she is still it's guardian and the game continues as normal. Each of her two Hag Sisters can still guard the other Fanes.
Are you running actually in Ravenloft or in another realm?
Thanks guys, all good info. I needed the extra weight of logic in the argument. Sometimes an ability just seems to be wrong when used in some ways. Other times it's because the rules actually allow you to do something way out of proportion.
Um, the spell in question is Scorching Ray.
Scorching Ray is a 2nd Level Sorceror Spell
4th Level Sorcerors get 2nd Level Spells.
A 4th Level Sorceror/With Four Hit Die of anything else with Practiced Spellcaster (Sorceror) will bump the Sorceror caster level up by up to four levels.
Therefore Caster Level is >7th.
Therefore 2 Scorching Rays...
I know he can sneak attack with it, that's not the question, its the number of melee attacks (not touch attacks) he can make with his dagger if he uses Daggercasting to cast Scorching Ray...
Since Daggercast obviously allows you to make one attack with your dagger to impliment a touch spell. What happens if that spell allows for multiple targets with multiple attack rolls?
1. Does the caster get to make additional melee attacks to use those extra rays? (Rediculous as per the example I gave).
2. Does the extra ray just dissappear?
3. Does the caster get to use the extra ray as the spell normally describes?
4. Or can you even use a spell that says you make a ranged touch attack to use it but is not defined as a touch spell by spell mechanics. Earlier you were very correct that in a spells description there are pretty much only about five range types of spells.
Personal
Touch
Short/Medium/Long
So are we limited to only spells with a range of touch which is what I'm beginning to believe strongly in due to complexity of higher level spells.
I can’t say it's really broken, just not well defined enough.
My issue was I had a potential Sor4/Rog2/DSP1 with Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer), that's a BAB of +2 but an (Arcane Caster Level of 7)
But he would have access to Scorching ray as a 7th level caster thus two rays that are both touch attacks.
By his argument he could cast the ray, and then make the two ray attacks as melee attacks with his dagger to hit targets with the rays. (This wasn’t pointed out to me until now what he was attempting to do). He put up a vehement argument in his own favor for using the ranged touch spells with the dagger but it nonetheless seemed ridiculous to even consider a potential multiattack/spellcasting standard action at this point. Until 10th level in the DSP Mage class.
Sometimes it takes the weight of logic from the masses before someone will even consider that their request is ridiculous.
I'll go with the spells with a "Range of Touch" descriptor only, he'll pitch a fit, but I feel like he tried to pull one over on me.
Ok, I'm having a few problems with the Daggerspell Mage prestige class.
First the description of their first level ability states that "A daggerspell mage can deliver a touch spell with a dagger attack (either a melee touch attack or anormal melee attack, but not with a thrown dagger)" (Complete Adventurer, 32).
Now defined harshly I would take it as only melee touch spells could be used in conjunction with the melee touch attack or normal melee attack).
But defined generously I would take it as any touch spell could be used in conjunction with the melee touch attack or normal melee attack channeled through the dagger. Herin lies the problem.
Spells such as scorching ray, which create multiple rays, all of which require an attack. Does only the first ray go with the said attack, does the caster make seperate melee attacks for each ray. Or does the caster/attacker get to let loose all of the rays within in that single attack?
Secondly, and one that I'm willing to make exceptions for because of the nature of the class.
If you cast a standard action spell, you cannot attack with a dagger normally? Now taking the Daggercast (Ex) ability, it kind of says you can make a normal melee attack with that dagger and I would assume it does normal dagger damage as well as doing the damage of the channeled spell.
Now taken into account, can you make a regular melee attack on the same round as casting a standard action spell with the Daggercast ability. Still a problem with multiple rays. If you get multiple rays, you get to make multiple attacks. So a daggerspell mage with a caster level of 7 could cast scorching ray and make two melee attacks with a standard action?!!! Wtf? Broken???
Protection from Evil says "blocks any attempt to posess the warded creature (such as magic jar) or to excercise mental control over the creature... The protection does not prevent such effects from targeting the protected creature, but it suppresses the effect for the duration of the protection from evil effect."
So the Kopru, Aboleth, whatever else is up there still really have the upper hand. (I'm just running the third module now). If the monsters cast dominate or charm on the PC's while they have the protection, the PCs may still fail their Will saves and be Dominated/Charmed but the spell wont effect them yet, but as soon as the Protection from Evil spell ends, the effects of Dominate/Charm kick right in.
I know there is a decent post on Wizards about Protection from Evil.
Four PC's
Darfallen Monk
Human Sorcerer/Rogue
Human Wizard
Seacliff Dwarf Cleric of Zilchus
The fight with Rowyn and Gut Tugger was a humorous event for us, the entire fight lasted almost eleven rounds of combat with very little damage. There were more "1"s rolled in that fight than in three sessions combined. No one hit anyone for about three rounds. They successfully hit Rowyn with a Ray of Enfeeblement and Cause Fear but had her corned behind her desk so she was trying to fight her way out most of the way. When she tried to use the Potion of Gaseous Form our Sorcerer grappled her, pinned her, and covered her mouth up then the Cleric used some Manacles from the Training Room to keep her held as they gagged her.
Our Monk beat poor little gut tagger to a pulp after Rowyn was down. Using her Wand of Animate Dead, the Wizard animated the critter as a skeleton and now uses it as his little pet in his house to guard stuff. It's coming on the Sea Wyvern for the journey.
I'm sure there were some other factors in the ending of the game, the PC's just dont know what they were.
We wouldnt have been to far above the XP curve, but the DM had a house rule where you didnt lose a level for death, no, you lost a point of Constitution permanently. Harsh for my Barbarian and Knight as they were in the front every fight. I was incorrect about the levels, only a couple were 21'st level and they had not died the entire module and only very rarely missed a game so they had the definate advantage. The rest had just barely made 20th.
I've heard and read nothing but good things about Savage Tide. I'm looking forward to it. I'll miss everything that Paizo has done and would do for Greyhawk and I dont think that Wizards can ever thank them enough for fleshing out their world more than ever. I used to be an avid Realms player, but the works of Paizo made it much more interesting and enjoyable for myself and a few friends to play in.
Wow a smidgen of a clue says that I dont know what's going on in the game?! I'm glad that Dr. Freud can tell me this that the PC's seem to be having the problem. As far as I know as a DM, it's the DM's job to make sure the players are having fun, players can be delt with individually away from the table if there is a problem with gameplay. Ditching a table of six is another thing.
I've been confusing Allistan and Ahlaistar since we found out about Zeech's city. Funny enough, I do know the major details about what's gong on as I have been playing and keeping notes. Last I checked, we put the smack down of Dragotha, missed the Monolith and found out that it's calling power to the city to bring about the freedom of Kyuss. Nice call though turning the players out to be the ones who caused the games ending, all six of us who are still waiting to finish.
We know why the DM ditched us, he decided he wanted a hand in running an upcoming local con and simply stopped DMing, in fact, none of us even recieved a phone call or an e-mail about not playing again and two of the PC's work with the guy, yet he continued with LG weekly. He has not taken up the reigns as a DM at any other table either, we just stopped playing without notifying any PC's and have not continued since April. In fact, I've been asked to play Warhammer 40k with him, something I wouldnt mind doing if I hadnt found a replacement table to run Savage Tide. So he's not busy, he's not out of gaming, he's just done with his game.
I am simply dissapointed at the no notification drop and the fact that we didnt finish when we were so close to the end. If you want to start psycho analyzing the player/DM synergy, you go have fun with that.
I dont know, he's been planning for an upcoming con, but he's not continuing the game afterwards, he's actually began playing in a few other groups completely. Like we've been ditched.
One session into the 12th Module, we started in the 1st module. We're ready to take on Ahlistan (or however you spell it.)
Five 21st level characters and a 20th level cohort, two legions of Hironian foot soldiers using teleportation circle to enter the city. The battle for Oearth is on.
And the DM up and quits running the game, talk about anticlimactic.
-And I cry!
I will begin running the Savage Tide in two weeks, hopefully I wont lose interest by the end. I like what I've seen.
Umm, wow, that didnt really answer anything, thanks Fatespinner, I'll go with that, I actually found some options in the Complete Adventurer. And a character never really breaks even if they sell it for the crafting price, they still lose XP even if their NPC's.
I'll go with the Diplomacy ruling from the Complete Adventurer for Haggling and treat the NPC/follower as helpful, since followers are technically NPC's and when you buy something from an NPC it costs DMG price.
Even if it were run as a business, which it is not, the owner of the business most likely would not take items from his own organization for personal use, I would think that would make the followers less loyal if the employer was simply cashing in on their hard labor.
How far can you take the Leadership Feat. For example, I have a 15th Level Knight/5th Level Legendary Leader, with over 1700 followers and a 19th level cohort using the feats from the Heroes of Battle after all is said and done.
Now with those followers assume that in Greyhawk mabye 5% of them are wizards or clerics. So approx 50-100 of them maby be able to scribe scrolls, even a few who have craft feats. What would be a good limitation on having followers scribe spells. I cant find a ruling anywhere, but I personally dont believe that the followers would go out on a limb to spend their days scribing spells for free for their patron.
Followers do not have XP and they only have access to NPC treasure so that gives me the idea that they cant spend XP for the sake of making magic items for a patron. Or for that matter, if I had 1700 weaponsmiths would it really be logical to put them all to work crafting weapons to sell!
What I'm looking for is a round about logical solution for the PC who wishes to have a bunch of scrolls crafted for his party by his followers.
I'm thinking of charging DMG gold piece value and calling it a day. Since NPC's generally dont track XP, but even though they are your followers would they really do it for free or even for the simple crafting price since they theoretically would lose XP in the process.
I asked one guy who made a collosal Kyuss and posted his video earlier. He went for Collosal for the impact but told me it was huge, I just wanted to stick with huge, it's easier to make a figure that size with what I had available. Bigger kitbashing requires heavier duty materials.
In short I used wire to make a skeleton, paper towels for the cloak and crafted wood and plastic to look like the mace/axe weapon. Wire for the worms and a good bit of paint, it took a total of about 8 hours of work over a period two weeks to compleatly finish.
I got everything from Michaels Craft Store for about $12.00, and I've got materials to make a few more. I want to make at least one more and see what I can do it better. Another of the players suggested going out on the deep end and giving it glowing eyes using some of my electronics background. I want to do it, it's just time right now.
I'll take pictures of how I did it when I try the second.
Hey, thanks for the bragging rights, the Dragotha Project was freakin awsome, no one expected that. I lost my Barbarian for the 7th time there, but it was worth it.
I was suprised with the cavernous setting the same day I suprised him with the Kyuss mini. All the other PC's knew about it, I was just holding out, for the beginning of the final installment.
Thank you Mike for all of the effort in this battle.
SPOILER ALERT!
OK, so my AoW group will be making their way into Dragotha's lair tomorrow. We had last weekend off because Shawn (player of our Heironian cleric) had to leave town for the weekend and no one wanted to venture into Dragotha's lair without divine support. Since I had the weekend off I decided to do something special for the group. I made a 3D model of Dragotha's lair. I've posted pictures of it here:
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/sobustooms/albums
(FYI - You need to double click on the photos to get a full sized image)
Here is our story as the players. Dont read it if you havnt done it. ;)
Count Andrew Byron: Human Knight 12, Fighter 2, Legendary Leader 5
Brendolf the Rhino: Bugbear Barbarian 6, Fighter 12
Bendix Flux: Human Cleric 19
Vardoom: Human Cleric 4, Wizard 4, Mystic Theurge 10
Santana: Human Warlock 15, Fighter 4
Jack: Human Druid 12, Rogue 7
Breaching the top of the down flowing river of hellish worm, the scattered winds regain their composure and take measure of their surroundings. Knowing that Dragotha must be near, they hurriedly re-secure their gear and handle their weapons. A gaping maw of a cavern lies before them, disappearing around the corner into the darkness, the steady flow of liquid and worm towards them giving of an iridescent glow, slightly illuminating the cavern, but giving no clue to the height of the cavern or what may be hidden in the shadows.
Brendolf the Rhino, the Enlarged Bugbear strides foreword, weary of stepping in the flowing worm water in the center of the passage he hops over the oozing stream and peers into the darkness, sniffing the air for unknown scents. His damp slime infested fur trembles in the shadows as he secures his locked gauntlet to his enormous Adamantine Greatsword, the sword itself signals it’s holder that danger unseen is all too close. Brendolf holds his adrenalin in check and waits on his patron in whom he holds a life debt for, the Count Andrew Byron of Diamond Lake.
The Knight and Nobleman Byron makes his way foreword as well, taking a short jog and leaping over the pool to cover the far side of the passageway opposite to Brendolf. The movement is graceful if not so silent as the mithral plate mail hammers against his mithral shield and war hammer, the sounds echoing down the passageway, possibly giving away their position. Byron looks back on the party and readies his locked gauntlet as well, ensuring his long sword is handy if needed. He awaits the rest, prepared to defend the party if needed; he whispers a silent prayer to Heironeous as he stands readied for combat.
Bendix Flux, Cardinal to the church of the Invincible one kneels next to his counterpart, Vardoom, Master of the Arts Arcane and Bishop of the same church. The chanting prayers from the two echo within the confines of the passageway. “Heironeous, protect your followers from the powers of the undead, our lord grant us courage in our time of need, enable us to smite your enemies and those of mankind.” The casting would go on for a while longer if the locations security would not have been breeched.
Santana, Warlock Gypsy of Diamond Lake in the back activates his final wand as the screeching of the twice damned wraiths burst from the walls, tearing their incorporeal hands across flesh and through armor. Caught by surprises, Bendix feels the better part of his life force being pulled from his very being. Jack, Druid and ever faithful to the woodlands attempts to drive the creatures away with his weapons but fails to pierce the ethereal bodies of the creatures.
As the rear of the party is suddenly struck by the wraiths, the front of the party composed of Byron and Brendolf similarly come under attack, but by a much more threatening foe. A huge black creature lurches through the darkness; it pauses just inside of sight and whispers something evil out loud. Suddenly, the once Giant Bugbear reduces to his normal size, many of the party feels their divine protection failing in the sight of the huge Nightstalkers. The Knight and Barbarian hold their ground waiting for the party to recuperate when a second disruption strikes from the unseen darkness, further removing the Invincible one’s protections.
From the Rear, the party quickly recoups and takes measurements to reduce the enemy’s abilities. Santana empowers himself into the air through the power of his patron and readies his holy, undead bane chain to strike any creature daring to come near to the party throwing powerful bolts of eldritch power into the air. As the wraiths move out to strike again Bendix calls out to Heironeous pulling his granted divine power into the destruction of the undead creatures. Three of them scream their final wails and disappear from existence, their incorporeal bodies dissolving into a mist, leaving only two remaining.
Jack, no longer threatened by the creatures reaches his hand to the ground and commands the very stone to obey him; it complies quickly, raising a tall wall between the front Nightstalker and its ally. Very soon, the group hears trembling stone as the enraged creature attempts to break the newly formed wall down. The Nightstalker in the front, faced with two enemies reaches down towards Byron the Knight, it grabs the head of the Holy Disrupting warhammer and rips it from the hand of its wielder tearing the locked gauntlet nearly in half. I screams out as the magical power in the weapon begins to disrupt the powers granting the creature its quasi life. Brendolf screams as he drives his Greatsword into the side of the creature, tearing away undead flesh and cartilage, the Stalker reels from the heavy blows but disregards them as it breaks the holy warhammer in half and throws the remains into the river of worm. Byron stands staring in wonder at the creatures might, he readies his shield and drives it into the creature to make another opening for the bugbear.
Still recovering from the onslaught, Vardoom and Santana strike the remaining wraiths as Bendix uses the power of Heironeous to obliterate the remaining wraiths. Vardoom moves forward to the front and tosses his own magical longswod to Byron, who quickly covers it with silversheen and tosses a second vial to the bugbear who silversheens his own greatsword and activates the disruption spell in his magical ring. As the remaining silver drips down the blade covering the black adamantine the second Nightstalker destroys the wall containing it and steps through. It quickly tries to pull the longsword from the Knight as yet another Nightstalker behind it commands any remaining protective powers of the group to fail. One of the clerics ready for the creatures let loose a mighty holy bolt towards the creature felling it with one blow of Heironian power. The third soon follows by the mass strength and discipline of the remaining party.
Seconds later, in a vain attempt to restore and recover from the dispelling power of the Nightstalkers Byron looks around the corner to see a large ziggurat with worms flowing from its center, pouring down and creating the river of worm that flows past the party. A dragon, larger then he has ever seen or known of sits on top of the pillar, staring back, the glowing green sockets giving off a hellish light as it falls on the Knight, glistening off of the mithral.
“So you have finally come to face me mortals, I will make an end to you here and add your flesh to my army and your treasure to my hoard,” The Dracolich Dragotha announces calmly, awaiting a response.
“Your time comes to an end you unearthly creature” Byron shouts, charging to the far left of the room as the bugbear charges to the right to flank the giant ziggurat.
“So sad” the creature sighs as it rears back and fire like never seen before flows from it’s gaping maw, it illuminates all the way to the top of the hundred foot cavern, both warriors are caught in it’s path, the bugbear narrowly falling behind some slight opening in it’s cone, the Knight awed by the sight is blown nearly off of his feet. The corners of the room glow from the heat, a shimmer of gold and silver glows from the back of cavern, eons of treasure stolen by the undead abomination. As the party recognizes the threat a sudden feeling of calm comes over them as those chosen by Balakard blesses them with some of his essence to take the battle to the dragon.
Byron and Brendolf Reel as the rest of the party enters the room when the fire dies down. Quickly Vardoom calls forth his arcane powers and a huge cloud of fog appears over the ziggurat effectively blocking all sight to the Dragon, it roars as the confines of the solid acidic fog holds the creature place tightly. Brendof begins his charge up the Ziggurat’s steps and tears a gaping chunk of bone from the creatures fore claw.
As the Jack and Santana finally enter the room, six Avolokia clerics peer over the high ledges of the room, and begin raining divine fire from Kyuss onto the party. Byron quickly up a wall to confront three of the creatures yet faithful to Kyuss and his minions, and Jack in the form of a bird seals in two others by commanding the stone to cage in the parties enemies. He then flies to the opposite side of the room to assist Byron on the three others. Vardoom begins his actual assault by pulling out a scroll and reading the powerful arcane words, suddenly all movement stops around him as time itself rears to a halt. He removes two other scrolls, one calling fort a sphere of ultimate destruction and placing it beneath the dracolich’s feet, he continues by summoning some other effects and using his remaining time to call on Erroneous’ blessing to bolster his own might as time suddenly speeds up again around him. The sphere tears a powerful chuck of undead bone from the dracolich’s lower body as it begins to eat at the very matter of the creature.
Dragotha, not one to be outdone and held still in the matter around it reaches it’s head from the mist and lets loose another flaming breath on the party, it catches the bugbear full force from a few feet away but the powers granted by the fallen archmage Balakard protect the bugbear from the inferno issuing from the beast. Dragotha, for all of its effort catches a holy greatsword by a now enlarged bugbear right in the face, the bugbear tears chunks out of Dragotha’s bones and undead flesh. Pieces of cartilage fly around the room as the powerful blows dislocate age old bone, Dragotha retaliates quickly, tearing much of the bugbears own flesh from the bone. But as the barbarian begins to fall, blood pouring from a dozen wounds a blessing from the Invincible one shines forth through the stone even and Brendolf stands again, healed of nearly all of his wounds. Dragotha rages at this readying another terrifying blow.
As Byron and Jack subdue the remaining Avolokia clerics, Santana glides foreword readying a scroll to grant the bugbear stone like skin to protect against the Dracolich as Brendolf tears even more of the creatures body away from it. Seconds too late to bolster his ally Santana looks in horror as Dragotha reaches out of the fog cloud and tears the bugbear completely in half in a few seconds. Byron shouts in anger from the ledge above as he kills a cleric and leaps from the ledge to attack another, falling flat on his face a dozen feet below.
Seconds later, Bendix completes his summoning and a creature of stone and earth pulls itself from the ground and strides up to Dragotha’s ziggurat, it proceeds to smash into the undead dragon time after time breaking away more bone, but not faster than the dragon can call on power from the negative plane of energy and heal itself. Not afraid of death itself, Dragotha then uses its arcane power to shift its position to stand above the Cleric Bendix whom retreats but is still ripped asunder by the Dracolich. The monolithic earth creature gives one last assault as its caller dies and it returns from the realm it was summoned from. In hopeless abandon Santana opens a special door and transports Brendolf’s body to a safer location on the ledge and re-enters the fight. Blasting away with his remaining eldritch power at Dragotha he checks on the fallen Bendix and attempts to aid Vardoom in his standing fight with the dragon. Vardoom calls out to the group as he knee’s above Bendix’s fallen body, “retreat, everyone to me, we have to get out of here”
Byron yells out over the dragon’s roars and the sounds of bone on stone. “Not without Brendolf” as he strikes against the bone dragon’s hindquarters.
From the ledge above, Jack shouts that he’ll get Brendolf’s body out and to leave. Byron agrees and charges beneath the gargantuan dragon and reaches Vardoom and Santana unscathed. In a burst of magic Vardoom, Byron, Santana and Bendix return to Greyhawk City, as they re-appear worms burst from their flesh causing even more damage to the severely weakened trio, having somehow followed them here from the fissure. Santana declares we have to go back for Brendolf, I have two more scrolls of teleport, I’ll take us back, Byron will grab Bendix and you return us, we can’t leave behind Brendolf!” Quickly the group agrees and begins to cast from the scrolls ignoring the worms infesting their living flesh.
In the meanwhile, Jack, alone in the belly of the Wormcrawl fissure, at the very heart of Dragotha’s lair he stands facing the Dracolich as it turns quickly to face its remaining living foe. “Now you die it cries as it leaps up and takes a bite at the Druid” Jack reels back into a side cavern as the dragons teeth rip away some of the flesh, he huddles in the back, calling on all of the forces of nature to protect him and he releases his remaining store of energy in the form of a bolt of energy from the moon of Oearth itself and it strikes Dragotha dead between it’s glowing green eyes.
Suddenly they fade slightly as Dragotha's form stumbles back, out of control it falls from its perched ledge into a pile prone on the floor. Jack can feel the powers within the dragon reeling in fear of ultimate destruction and raging at its new predicament. Running out of his cave to grab the body of the bugbear suddenly the retreating trio re-appears around Brendolf’s body on the ledge. As Brendolf reaches down to grab the bugbear and Vardoom automatically begins casting from the scroll they realize the new situation, and Dragotha’s current weakness. Vardoom drops the scroll and calls to Heironeous for power as he calls down his most powerful spell of healing and reaches out and touches the twitching bone body; it reels as the positive energy disrupts its essence further. Byron, reeling from the worm infestation in his body falls to the ground but the Heironeous shines his light on yet again and heals the fallen knight. Santana and Jack add their remaining small but effective bursts of power into the Dracolich, breaking bone, tearing cartilage and taking away its spiritual ties to its body.
Under the combined power of the remaining group they crush the body of Dragotha to dust, a silent wail emits from its mouth as the burning lights in its sockets fade to nonexistence. The eon old dracolich finally dies its last death and its soul, with no phylactery to return to, disperses to the reaches of the unknown. The remaining of the scattered winds stand next to their fallen looking on the dead creature in wonder. Feeling a sigh of peace and release as Balakard leaves them a final time as well they look over to the hoard of Dragotha and wonder if it has all finally come to an end.
Hello, I renewed my annual subscription last month but never recieved Dragon Issue 353 either? Did I lapse in my subscription or did it ship and just never arrive? Dragon Issue 354 says it has shipped and I am waiting for it, I just never got 353.
We're at the Wormcrawl fissure, We have a party of 4 19th Level Characters and 1 18th Level Cohort, all of them are Core books only, ie. Complete, Races, or PHB.
Almost all of the PC's are about 200,000-300,000 gp behind the bell curve to what the DMG reccommends for value in equipment on table 5-1.
I'll agree with a lot of insta kills. Save or die, save or die, save or most of your equipment dies. The extra equipment would definatly increase survivability. Since about Blackwall Keep we've been at almost half of DMG reccommendation for level and it's been tough.
I was going to post our kills on the Obituaries, but here it is. Almost all of the deaths occured after 12th Level.
Our party deaths.
1 Wizard
1 Rogue 5th Level
1 Scout 16th Level
1 Druid 15th Level
1 Barbarian/Frenzied Berserker 12th Level
Barbarian/Fighter Died 7 Times
Knight/Legendary Leader Died 5 Times
Cleric Died 2 Times
Only a couple were from bad PC actions, this campaign is simply tough. The first three times the Barbarian Died was in the Spire of Long Shadows. You loose the initiative. About a dozen Kyuss creatures mass inflict, bleah, dead. then about a half dozen Dark Nagas, Flamestrike, bleh, dead. 3 Party Deaths from Desintigrate, and similar spells, one death from kyuss worm infection, a heal and a restoration were dropped on him before he went. So on and so forth.
If Death Ward isnt constantly going on, that and a lot of resistances, you never know whats going to tear you apart. We're finding that it's always best to flee the instant the fight starts and then return five minutes later buffed.
I think our party snubbed Zeech, but we survived any poison that came our way, thank the gods for "Heroes Feast". We all gave valuable presents based on what the event called for but they were not very hospitable.
Our Heironian Thuerge gave him a silver bound copy of the book of Heironeous.
Our Heironian Cleric got him some expensive artwork.
Our Heironian Knight procured him rare volumes of ancient history in relation to the fall of the Empire he built his city on.
Our Warlock had one of the Small Black Dragons we killed stuffed as a trophy to give Zeech.
I cant remember what other two got him, but we were pretty stand offish towards him with good reason. Thankfully Lashonna entered before our Rogue could meet him.
All and all, I dont think we'll be invited to ever visit the city again. If Lashonna didnt stand up for us, we might have simply been assinated by the hovering devils all around us.
Our Knight 12/Legendary Leader 5 is working with the Zeech's General to use his personal troops (Leadership Score 28 + Extra Followers Feat) to assist the general and usurp the evil leaders of the city. Hextorian princes are simply too evil to stay in power.
In addition to the posted rules you have, I would make a divine influence known to the participants, after all, Faerun gods have always had a lot of physical pull in the mortal realm.
The regional Deities for the Sword Coast are Bane, Beshaba, Chauntea, Lathander, Mask, Mystra, and Tempus. (Players Guide to Faerun, 15), and the Waterdeep Pantheon is anything from Faerun.
Of the group, Tempus has the most interest in the event, many pc's or npc's will go to him with their prayers prior to each round, and he will most likely have an avatar watching from the shadows somewhere.
In the Faiths and Pantheons book, “Tempus looks with favor upon those that acquit themselves honorably in battle without resorting to such craven tricks…” “Clerics of the war deity are charged to keep warfare a thing of rules, respected reputation, and professional behavior, minimizing uncontrolled bloodshed…” (Faiths and Pantheons, 71)
If you make the characters aware that he might be out there, it may only give you a roleplaying effect but you can feel free to have Tempus effect things if he feels someone is playing unjustly against the given rules of the tournament and the magisters don’t catch it. Honestly, I’d have most of the Magisters be Clerics of Tempus or of a warlike god anyway.
I would let them know that Helm, Tyr and Tempus are diligently watching the events and that any unfair or outlawed actions may bring forth their wrath in addition to being disqualified. Tempus may have much influence in the events that go on in the arena but Tyr will see that the rules are sound and Helm will enforce them.
We used Kord for ours, it’s a nice roleplaying effect when the church of Kord knows he’ll be somewhere near to watch the events.
Awsome setup dude, you've got some talant in creating your own minis. Is Kyuss Gargantuin or is he Huge, I'm running the Wormcrawl Fissure right now. I was going to begin crafting a Kyuss for my group and I though that he was huge?
In addition to what has been said, 3.5 dumbed down the DR of creatures. So what was previously a DR 20/+5 is now pretty much a DR 20/magic, which means a simple +1 item can now hurt what used to require a 50,000 gp+ weapon in 3.5.
A +1 weapon is 4% of what a +5 weapon would have cost you. It seems to me that the same effect would apply with DR/Epic. What in 3.0 required a +10 Enhancement bonus is now simply /Epic. Your +4 Bane Outsider is about 8% of the price of a +6 Enhancement Epic weapon but it has that wonderful ability to treat your Enhancement bonus as being higher.
Berserker from the Unapproachable East is a little more specific than Bane but the effect is the same. If I have berserker on my +5 Greatsword the effect is there.
"When the wielder is raging, the weapon's enhancement bonus increases by +2." (Unapproachable East, 54)
There is no question that the weapon does not have a +7 enhancement bonus to attack and damage.
The SRD says an item with even one of the characteristics gives an epic magic item.
“Grants a bonus on attacks and damage greater than +5” It does not say before or after any bonus’ or that the enhancement must be +6 or greater, simply bonus on attacks and damage greater than +5. So if you have Bane Outsider on your +4 longsword, you have a bonus to attack and damage of +6 to said Solar period.
The SRD does not say it must be 200,000 gp in addition to anything so you could effectively have an epic weapon that is less expensive. This is just one of the possibilities that make a weapon or armor Epic.
I believe the artifact was created long before the Kopru empire "Monster Manual II", was in power The island doesn’t really leave any hints along the way to find out what actually happened that long ago, and if the party didn’t know about the island in the first place, they probably don’t know about the events that took place eons before they showed up. That's kind of the theme of the adventure so far, no one knew how deep this conspiracy goes and all of the powers involved yet.
You could let Olman rumors may say that there were great dwellers within the island that controlled the minds of others and took away their will, I'd let the party think Illithids or other such abberations, but I wouldn’t let them know or even get the hint that it was Aboleth or that it will free other Aboleth to return.
Aboleth are disastrously intelligent for the most part and fiendishly patient. Read "The Night Below" if you want to know how much so, this one would never give away the fact that destroying the artifact would let them come back to power. And unless they discover something carved into a material that doesn’t decay or let plants/fungus cover it up over two, three, or even four millennium, then they aren’t going to find any evidence at all to give it away.
Mabye a Knowledge (History) check DC40 to even know that Aboleth used to rule here.
It's all frontloading man, if your running the game, read ahead to about "Here There Be Monsters" and add up the treasuer rewarded and the opportunities to purchase treasure and gear they get to sell. The city of Farshore has an 800 gp. limit. If you dont have a crafter/brewer/scriber in the party your SOL for better gear betweeen the 2nd through possibly the 5th module. Especially if you hold tight to the crafting/brewing/scribing rules, then you might not be able to do anything until they get to Farshore.
Let the party feel heavily rewarded for their efforts early on, that way when they crash on the Isle, and begin to feel the pinch for purchasing new gear over the next few levels, you can use that to raise the feeling of isolation and the need for survival, I can tell my party will definatly be changing thier skill and feat choices by the time they hit the 3rd module. If they dont feel the pinch, they might not be as obliged to help organize the people of Farshore.
I guess if you’d let your PC's research it learn it and maybe modify it for them to use. Like maybe it doesn’t create Kyuss minions, it just does the Intelligence drain. Would you think it's a balanced spell to use against say the dragons in Kings of the Rift? I dont think a Garguantuan dragon could fall faster than by loosing it's mind in a few rounds.
We had 8th level spells there and if we had that one, there would defiantly be a few less dragons left lying around then there were after we got through with em.
Prismatic Wall has all kinds of death in it and it lasts awhile, but everything gets a saving throw to reduce or eliminate damage, same for the 9th Lvl Prismatic Sphere, but nothing about "No saves, no SR and creating uber minions in the spell effects spare time".
Defiantly 9th Level at a minimum. I really like the effect, I'd have someone use it on the party in the Worm crawl Fissure, just for fun, and put a side note if you can cast Greater Restoration or Heal on the member before they loose all of their Int the effect ends.
