Same question here. We could not figure out the point of this mechanic. Since the bonus would not stack and you got got 4 leaders to invest you always would choose positions in which every Ability is covered. Did we miss something here or is there another reason to invest the Treasurer AND Viceroy (since both have culture as key ability and the bonus would only be applied once)?
I have a question about the Oasis. Is the doubles fight going to be too easy if I don't do the tree fight? The tree really just seems unnecessary for the story, and it really doesn't make sense for it to occur and then the Mad Poet walks out and is all like "oh hello, didn't know you were here." So is the party going to be too strong for the final fight without it? Any unique experiences in general that anyone had with this section would also be appreciated. In my opionion this adds to the strangeness of the encounter. I had an guest player acting as the mad poet. He did not mention the destroyed tree with one word - my player where freaked out by this even more. The guy playing the poet just discarded the "priceless" presents like; " Oh thats nice - just drop it there, will you?" He also threw one item over the shoulder, ensuring the pc´s that this is a nice gift. The look on their faces was priceless.
You should also foreshadow his fear abilitys of the tattermann to alow the casters to prepare some countermesures. in my game the godess of the she-elf cleric liftet her panic so that she could safe her companions. using horror adventures improved our gaming experience so much. i strongly advice you use the sanity system as well.
Thats the point cause i mentioned this one. @Midnight Anarch: You are absolutely right that these encounters and encounters in later books are designed to be tough and frightening. But it will slow you game down, killing characters where there is actually no way you can bring them back. You will have to introduce new characters and these players will miss out the big revelations in book 3 about their characters past. I did not want to imply that these encounters are too difficult and you should leave them out. I just wanted to point out that a GM should be prepared to intervene if players are too bold or to careless in their approach. But after all it comes down to the playstyle your group´s preferring. I and my group are fixated on the plot. Other may prefere a simulation where a character dies when the dice aren´t in the favour of the player. Both are legit playstiles. Just wantet to point that out for the OP.
As mentioned in another threat, i had some issues as the amount of madnesses slowed down my game to a point where some characters started to misstrust each other and decided to pause their exploration until they got a chance to heal their afflictions So my advice: Be a little creative in ways to lift these madnesses from time to time. Healing them magically take some serious time in which storry progression nearly comes to a dead end (especially when it comes to greater madnesses) Feel free to come up with a solution to replenish your players sanity points more often. One of my houserules switch a greater madness to the dormant condition when the character is at least on half on his sanity points. Risi is a pain in the ass, as it is the revenant. Both encounters can easily kill of one character. The lack of resurrection spells in that town make this even worth. Risi is chaotic evil. In my second group she was a lover of one of my players. So she decided not to kill the party and instead was trying to get a personal benefit by helping them. Cause she was not ready to openly work against Melissen. For the revenant. I hintet my group that this creature could not stand his own reflection. So they came up with the idea to use a shield as an mirrow. Remember that some good old "protection from evil" will prevent the revenant to touch his victim. My group managed to do some kind of aggro ping pong.
Wow, seems like a player to have fun with - i hate those kinds of poeple and probably would have dropped him for that. After all you are the GM and said it right at the beginning you might change it so it fits with the plot. For my first group: They got their memory back and here is a generall overview of their backstory´s where i used a mix of my stuff with their individual thoughts. Danda is elderly gnomish bard which was part of an artistic group. Her children where killed during a coup on Lowls life some years ago during a privat show for some high ranked politicians. The poeple behind this coup where never been caught. Lowls promised her revenge, if she agreed to spy for him. She agreed Wes is a young mage who worked for a secret society before he met Lowls. One day he was tasked to kill an elven politician and her family. Since he killed the she-elf and her husband. Killing the child in his sleep was to much for him. He ran away. Later he got caught by his former associates and was brought to the moon-prision in the dreamlands as pushinement. There he was bought from Wairalay and later on sold to Lowlth. Cinty, an half elf cleric, failed her village as she was a young child. She met a young drow boy who ran away from home. Providing him with a map of her village, she doomed her clan. The boy was caught by his parents, they got the map and killed everyone at the village. Cinty was exiled for her crimes. Her uncle was a high ranking officer of an elvish secret service. He offered her retribution if she could spy on Lowlth and bring back some vital information about his plans and strange behavior in the last years. To get close to the count, she became his mistress. Brüllwiesel got cast out by his clan when his bloodrager powers manifested themself. Later on he was caught by slavers and was destined to get killed by wolfs in an arena for amusemet. But he refuses his fate, killing the beasts with his bare hands. Afterwards he was given to Lowlth as a gift by his old buisness partner biting lash. Agnes, a young human female got caught breaking into Iris hill. Her father got very sick and needed medicine. Cause her family was not very rich, she tried to steal the money needed. So she made a deal with the devil. From this day on, she "fetched" stuff for the count whenever he needed something he could not buy with money and Lowlth payed for the medicine, her father needed. All lived in Iris hill for some time and all got introduced to risi back in the day. For my second group i´ll post by the time they get their memories back
Okay, here is another one for you guys: My second group just managed to clear fort hailcourse with some wits and a little bit of winters healing magic. They went to check on their prisoner (they took the femal druid captive and chained her in the abandoned bookstore) when i hit them with two cliffhanger. First they found the druid dead in her own blood. Her throut was cut and jokersmile was carved in her face. Her killer carved a heard on her bare chest, within the letters "R+L". The players immidiatly figured out that R was for Risi and L was for Loyd (a player Char) Like i told before, Risi is not going to kill the PC´s cause she is seeking revenge on Melissen. Second they found a former group member running from the revenant. I needed to get rid of this char, because the player moved town and told me he will be unable to join my table in the future. As the players reached her former companion (she was held captive because her loyality to the group was in question) the undead had chocked her to death, vanishing in oblivion. To my players shock the dead body was not of her former companion. It was the dead body of a doppelganger.
Maybe this is the time you need to hit them hard in the head. If your players keep ignoring hints and directions you throw at them they need to suffer the consequences. You also need to talk to you people which type of game they like to play. If they like confrotation first and the storry is not so important, maybe this AP is not the right choice for them. If the will keep charging in, guns blazing, they won´t come far. They will get their asses kicked very very hard. Maybe you should let this happen, leaving them a last minute chance to escape. After that they might get more carefull in their approach. This AP has a fantastic plot - it would be a shame when your player would miss it.
I´ve run this twice, too. Both of my groups decided to go to fetch the shadow lamp to dispel the deeper darkness. As soon as the darkness faded, the attic whisperer crumbled to dust. As mentioned before, my players got more taste for the creepy mood than for combat. This heartbreaking moment of realisation will be more memorable for them instead of another monster killed on the way along.
I have run this baby with 2 groups. The first time i played it by the book which was a little bit dull. The players startet to get a little frustrated and i had to speed things up. For the second group i decided that it is not necessary to kill all your players. As it was clear they could not defeat the tatermann, our paladin charged him and they both disapered in the mist, leaving the rest of the party with cries of pain and horror just before they woke up
Okay, here we go. Most of these text share a small connection which should make it quite easy for your players putting together the right books. I told them that they somehow know that it´s always a pair of 3 books they need to fit together for a dream quest. A few of don´t have a clue on them at all (Like Spiders of Sin and sky). These one will be left ofter if your players connect the other books. Make sure to point out that "Dichotomous Translation of Aklo Syntax" is not part of that riddle cause it holds the list of gifts, the player need to aquire. Sorry in advance for any bad grammar or spelling errors. Fell free to change the text if you don´t like them or you got a better idea. Have fun! :-) Atop the valley´s soul Spoiler:
What is the soul and what makes it stand out? According to pertinent opinion, the soul is the spiritul center of a thinking creature. Some philosophers are also of the opinion that constructs or structures in rare cases can also develope a soul. In this work, the author addresses these critical questions and attempts to break down these numerous theories for either prove or invalidate them.
German: Auf des Tales Seele Was ist die Seele und wodurch zeichnet sie sich aus? Nach einschlägiger Meinung stellt die Seele dass das Zentrum der Spiritualität einer denkenden Kreatur dar. Einige Philosophen sind darüber hinaus der Meinung das Konstrukte oder Strukturen in seltenen Fällen ebenfalls über eine Seele verfügen können. In diesem Werk widmet sich der Autor diesen kritischen Fragen und versucht, diese zahlreichen Theorien aufzugliedern und entweder zu belegen oder zu entkräften. The codex of Three Prescriptions Spoiler:
Ancient and powerful magic lingers on the three rune stones that connect three great necropolises of the underworld. Where do they come from and what power did the ancient kings draw from them? This treatise tries to answer all these questions and might open your eyes.
German: Der Codex dreier Insignien Alte und mächtige Magie liegt auf den drei Runensteinen welche die drei großen Nekropolen der Unterwelt verbinden. Woher stammen sie und welche Macht haben die alten Könige aus Ihnen gezogen. Diese Abhandlung versucht all diese Fragen zu beantworten und wird ihnen vielleicht die Augen öffnen. Curses of the black lake Spoiler:
Arventon was once a flourishing city of the dreamlands before it was cursed by the Black Lake. All life ended and all inhabitants who did not freeze to pottery now roam where turned into undead, cursed to to roam the empty streets in neverending hunger. What sins have the inhabitants taken upon themselves for this terrible curse?
German: Flüche des schwarzen Sees Arventon war einst eine blühende Stadt der Traumlande bevor sie der Fluch des Schwarzen Sees traf. Alles Leben endete und alle Bewohner welche nicht zu Keramik erstarrten streifen nun als lebende Leichen durch die leeren Straßen, wo ihr einziger Begleiter der nie endende Hunger zu sein scheint. Welche Sünden haben die Bewohner auf sich geladen, dass sie dieser furchtbare Fluch traf? Dichotomous Translation of Aklo Syntax Spoiler:
The language of the fey is like the small folk itself: moody and constantly changing. Sentences that open all doors to someone on a specific occasion place may trigger a blood feud if the wrong emphasis is placed. This set of rules will help you practicing the language and to master the subtleties of expression.
German: Der Aklo Syntax: Übersetzungsspielräume und gegabelte Ausdrucksmöglichkeiten Die Sprache des Mondhofes ist wie das kleine Folk selbst: Launisch und ständig im Wandel. Sätze, die jemandem eines Orts alle Türen öffnen, mögen bei einer falschen Betonung anderer Orts eine Blutsfehde auslösen. Dieses Regelwerk wird ihnen dabei helfen, sich im Umgang mit der Sprache zu üben und die Feinheiten des Ausdrucks zu meistern. Through the spirals of time Spoiler:
Time is described and perceived by many Scholars of this and other spheres as a linear phenomenon. But there are places and worlds that seem to contradict these laws of physics. The most potent example is Celephais. Here, the elements of time seem to be rearranged so that they can both astonish and confuse the mind. On this basis, some well-known Scholars question the knowledge they believe to know about the structure of time.
German: Elemente in der Spirale der Zeit
Emotions of the past Spoiler:
For over a year I was a slave of Captain Vadrak and was forced to serve on his cursed ship. This journal describes my path of suffering from the first hour to the day of my glorious escape and the regaining of my freedom.
German: Emotionen der Vergangenheit
The Falling Silk Spoiler:
While "The pillars of power" is dealing with the great aristocratic houses and rulers of the dreamlands, the author in this volume would rather like to deal with the caste of diplomats, advisers and ambassadors. During the study of this work, you will learn many interesting and astonishing things not only about these historical persons themselves, but you will also be able to see the finesse with which alliances have been forged or destroyed.
German: Die fallende Seide
Festival oft he snake Spoiler:
The festival of the Snake honours no one less than the mighty water lizard Bokrug, one of the most powerful of the great and ancient gods. Created to appease this mighty deity in her boundless rage of destruction, the festivity follows a strictly dogmatic process that has been handed down orally from generation to generation. With this text, the complicated ritual is for the first time stored in written form.
German: Das Fest der Schlange
The forgotten servants Spoiler:
Even in scholars' circles, the history of Ib is an almost lost myth. Little is known about the once numerous servants of the great water lizard. Where did they come from, how did they live, and why were they abandoned by their patron in the hour of greatest need? What about the mystical idol statue, which never seems to stay in one place for very long? Immerse yourself in the secrets of a long past culture!
Deutsch: Die vergessenen Diener Selbst in Gelehrtenkreisen ist die Geschichte der Stadt Ib ein nahezu verlorener Mythos. Nur wenig ist über die einst zahlreichen Diener der großen Wasserechse bekannt. Woher kamen sie, wie haben sie gelebt, und warum wurden sie in der Stunde der größten Not von ihrem Patronen im Stich gelassen? Was hat es mit der mystischen Götzenstatue auf sich, welche nie sehr lange an einem Ort zu verweilen scheint? Tauchen sie ein in die Geheimnisse einer längst vergangenen Kultur! The Illusion oft he weeping ones Spoiler:
Sarnath has always been considered a memorial for all peoples and cultures. The inhabitants of this city, about which people dares to speak even today only in whispers, had to endure the suffering that they brought about the city of Ib. The aim of this chronicle is to reconstruct the last days of the city of Sarnath as precisely as possible and to record them for posterity.
German:
In admiration of keeping pacts Spoiler:
Whether with a mortal or an external being, making pacts is a complicated process that often involves risk for the one creating a pact. The art of masterly creating a pact often lies in the detail of the accompanying formulations. Learn from leading diplomats of the dreamlands common and pertinent treaty bases and discover rhetorical loops and stumbling blocks when encountered.
German: Die Kunst Pakte einzuhalten
Manual of Silence Spoiler:
Undead are usually considered horrors and monstrosities, which have nothing but destruction and downfall of the living in mind. Nevertheless, if you take a closer look, there are sometimes very complicated and nested social structures. Looking at ghoul society, one will be amazed how little their social structures are different from the others. In addition, the author puts forward the thesis that this species of the undead could in many respects be far superior to ours.
German: Leitfaden der Stille
Men and Vultures: Denizens oft he Darkend Dephs and Dead Skies Spoiler:
What are abberations and how exactly do they occur? Are they really all the creatures of confused magicians and scholars? Or is it possible that they too are part of the creative power of nature and that they differ only from their grotesque appearance from the other mammals. This encyclopedia is not only a collection of all known and peculiar abberations, it also deals with all ethical and philosophical questions which accompany the handling of such creatures.
German: Menschen und Geier: Bewohner der geschwärzten Tiefen und der leblosen Himmel
Monnuments of the forest Spoiler:
The forest - a symbol of nature and the forces connected with it. The forest gives life, but can cause death just as quickly. The monuments of the forest, which once brought the seed of the World Tree to blossom and nourishes it until today, are inhabited by all kinds of fairies and magical beings. Few mortals can claim to have ever seen the splendour of this place. Get ready for a magical journey into life itself.
German: Monumente des Waldes
The Shadow´s ship Spoiler:
The bloodwind! One of the best-known and most feared ships of the dreamlands has to tell a scary and fascinating story. This work is devoted to one of the last unanswered questions: where does this ship come from and who created it? In the course of his research, the author was able to reveal some important clues that could support his theses on these questions.
German: Das Schiff der Schatten
Shards of Sight Spoiler:
The desire for knowledge is the driving motivation for most sholars. Many people move into the world in search of the right answers, but only a few know how to ask the right questions. Many, on the other hand, fail to climb the pillars of knowledge. The inhabitants of the cursed Arventon also believed in their arrogance that they had deciphered all the secrets of life and death when they faced oblivion. However, time has always proven to us that the ultimate truth is a lie.
German: Splitter der Hellsicht
Spiders of Sin and Sky Spoiler:
Hardly a creature is as indestructible and adaptable as the species of the arachnoids. These robust creatures can exist and thrive even in the most unreal and life-despicable regions of the world. Its poison is already used in many areas of medicine and there are supposed to be various cults that see these creatures as sacral creatures.
German: Spinnen des Himmels und der Sünde
Theological Agreements of the kingdom Spoiler:
A new edition of the 1646 theological manifestos of the United Kingdom. Written, approved and signed by his majesty.
German: Theologische Einigungen des Königreiches
Tigers and Flies Spoiler:
The tiger, beside the lion, is considered one of the rulers of the animal world. Many different subspecies of this wildcat inhabit the different regions of the dreamlands and other worlds beyond. This book deals with the very rare species of the forest tiger. This subspecies of this predator has adapted itself perfectly to forest environments.
German: Tiger und das Fliegen.
The unfied Manual of Understandanding Spoiler:
Volume 3 of the Chronicles of the Underworld. In this volume, the author deals with the rise and fall of the scholar Shazzira, one of the most brilliant thinkers of his people. Not only his very daring and controversial theses are taken into consideration, this book will shine a light on his allies and political enemies who once plunged him and his entire house into ruin.
German: Der einheitliche Leitfaden der Erkenntnis
Voyage oft he rainbow servant Spoiler:
Little is known about this traveler and his origin. Some claim that he is a resident of Leng, others suspect that he was a creature from the fairy kingdom, and yet others are sure that this figure never existed. Whoever he may have been: his stories about the sea and adventures have remained in our minds to this day. This volume contains all travelogues of the sagas of the shrouded Rainbow Servant. The resourceful reader should decide for himself whether they are true stories or just vivid imagination.
German: Die Reise des Regenbogendieners Wenig ist über diesen Wanderer und seine Herkunft bekannt. Einige behaupten er sei ein Bewohner von Leng, andere vermuten dass es ein Wesen aus dem Feenreiches war und wieder andere sind sich sicher, dass es diese Gestalt niemals gegeben hat. Wer auch immer er gewesen sein mochte: Seine Geschichten über das Meer und Abenteuer sind uns bis heute in Erinnerung geblieben. Dieser Band umfasst alle Reiseberichte der Sagen umwobenen Regenbogendieners. Ob es sich bei Ihnen um wahre Geschichten oder nur um Seemannsgarn handelt, sollte der findige Leser für sich selbst entscheiden. The wise harmony Spoiler: The life and work of druids and their equals belongs to one of the greatest myths of our time. Hardly any of your well-kept secrets found their way into theoutside world. If this should happen under rare circumstances, most uninitiated people will be able to draw little or no information from this knowledge. What connection do these ancient guardians have to their forests, valleys and lakes?
German: Die Harmonie der Weisheit:
I did asume the same, but my players did a marvelous job on this one. Our bard hid away and used alter self to give herself the appearance of Hasorton Lowls at the age of 5 As she stepped in front of Nemira and called out to his "mother", i decided that Nemira is so shocked and confused by this that she lost her concentration which ended her projection ability. |
