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How have people handled the Animus trap from a practical perspective? Did you get the sheets of your PCs in advance? I had my players play their own duplicates, encouraging them to do so to the best of their ability. Everyone did with no holds barred. It was actually quite cathartic for some of the PCs to attack and gang up on each other in a fight to the death. :)
Has anyone prepared a handout of the false map (area A3, p13) that they would be willing to share? Instead of a “map”, I used an image of several pictograms that suggested other rooms in the complex. The images included things which could be of interest, including treasure vaults and secret paths that the PCs were expecting to find. I then used connector arrows with markings that the PCs interpreted as measurements and angles, allowing them to calculate the locations of these rooms within the Five Pointed Sun. Of course, all were fake. If you’re still interested, I’ll re-post the image I used, assuming my players didn’t destroy it after they learned it was all fake...
Please correct me if I've missed something, but if the adventure assumes the PCs are taking the riverboat from Tephu to the Parched Dunes, when/how does the 'outside of town' ambush go off? Just on that embankment between the city and the docks as seen on the map, with the risk of being seen from the city? Or do the PCs have to catch the riverboat someplace not clearly indicated? We just played this encounter. I based it on the riverboat scene from the Brendan Frasier Mummy movie, with the cultists rowing in under the cover of night and secretly boarding the boat after it had left Tephu earlier that day. The starsoul sorcerer flew upriver a short ways, hiding in the starry night sky. The charmed sphinx made several screeching flyovers to distract the party while the cultists boarded and got into place, and then they leapt to the attack to try and recover the Mask. The outdoors and nighttime setting made it particularly favorable for the sorcerer's call lightning storm ability. No one died, though it was close -- they did lose their prize racing camel in the aftermath of the inevitable fireball. Of course, because it was based on an action move, the boat caught fire, and people were diving into the river to escape the flames. Overall, it was a great capstone encounter after all of the role-playing and politicking in Tephu.
Hey Crystal! In Empty Graves, the "far older legends" that inspired the blue tile trap wouldn't be about a princess named Zelda, would it? That scene definitely Linked back to my Past, if you follow me. :)
So the big question is... Will they wrap up the Downer storyline by Issue #150?
Still have not recevied my issue of Dungeon 146, could you please credit my subscription now? I just called customer service about it, and my replacement is on its way. You'll probably need to contact them directly.
I am missing #146 as well. Paizo customer service has asked that we hold off until Friday 4/20 before declaring #146 officially M.I.A....
Glad it worked for you! I'll happily submit it to Koromado's site... Where would that be again? :) Oh, yeah.... TheRPGenius.com. I knew that...
Glad it worked for you! I'll happily submit it to Koromado's site... Where would that be again? :)
Just ran the first session of the Demonskar Legacy for my group, and now the city is in chaos :) . For those who are interested and would like to use it, here's the speech that I wrote for Maavu to deliver to the assembled (pre-riot) crowd: "Fellow citizens, hear me! Hear my voice, and repeat my words tenfold so that those who have turned their backs on us are forced to hear! Hear me, for I speak for all of us! My name is Maavu Arlintal, and I am one of you! I call Cauldron my home! I live and I do business here, and have for many years! Many of you know me, and I know you… We are all hard-working, trustworhy people! Hard times have fallen upon this land! The roads grow more dangerous, and threatens to cut us off from our neighbors and partners in trade! An inn full of people – one of them the high priest of one of our own temples – were all senselessly murdered not a days ride from here! In recent days, dragons – yes, dragons – have threatened the skies and the passes! Stories of creatures unthinkable lurk in the fringes of the wild. But we are a tough people, and have weathered tough times before! Heroes and brave citizens like yourself have answered the challenges of protecting us and our lands, though others have been charged with that duty… But the troubles have also found us at home… We have suffered in recent months, as our sons and daughters were stolen away from us by evil lurking beneath our streets! We have suffered as the rains came and flooded our dear city, and threatened to erode the very foundations of our livelihoods! A vile umber hulk from the darkened tunnels of the Abyss itself have torn through our homes and businesses in broad daylight – I know, for I suffered a great loss that day, though I came away with my life, and consider myself fortunate, and mourn those who perished. But again we have not lain down, for we know how to get through hard times. Again, we have been blessed by the actions of brave citizens who have put their lives on the line to defend the defenseless. And again, others who should have answered that call have done nothing! Alas, I misspeak, for actions have been taken. The leaders of Cauldron have spoken through the voice of the tax collectors! They offer promises with each outstretched palm, with each cut they take! For the good of Cauldron, they say! To repair the damage, they claim! To help those in need, they promise. But what have they done with your hard earned coin? Nothing! Where are the repairs to the buildings damaged by the flood? They haven’t done any! Warehouses stand abandoned, about to fall into the lake! Where are the repairs to the street and the structures attacked by the hulk? They have not been done! And I was not the only one to lose business and property that day… There are many who have received nothing but empty words for their suffering! As I said, many of you know me, and you know me as a man of action. I am not one to complain without a plan of recourse! I am here to say that Cauldron needs new leadership, a new protector who is not corrupt on power or gold. I am here to tell you that a challenge has been issued for the removal of Terseon Skellerang as Captain of the Town Guard. I have here in my hand the formal written challenge, which has been presented to Skellerang and the Lord Mayor. This challenge invokes one of Cauldron’s oldest laws, the Law of Peers. Under this law, the five founding families of Cauldron have the right to challenge the office of the Captain of the Town Guard if one of them should feel that he unworthy, immoral, or incapable of seeing to his duties, which is the protection of the people. This law, laid down with the founding stones of our city, has never been needed – until now. By the Law of Peers, only one of the five founding noble families has the right to challenge the Captain of the Guard. This does not leave much hope that one with the interests of the common citizen – of you and I – will be represented. But I am here to tell you that the one who has issued the challenge is such a person. They herald from one of the founding lineages, but their life has not been one of pampered luxury. They know what it means to suffer, as you do, and to rise above it, as you have before. The challenger is indeed one of the brave, heroic citizens who I have spoken of, who is willing to risk death to protect and help our city. I am speaking of Alek Tercival. Sir Tercival, a paladin of St. Cuthbert, has issued this challenge in accordance with the old ways, and the Laws of our city. But so far no response has been made. By law, the issued challenge should be made public by the Lord Mayor, but Fatty Navalant hopes to protect his puppet Skellerang by keeping the challenge secret! No doubt that he hopes to send his new army of half-orc thugs – an army feeding off of your bread! – to deal with the upstart challenger with a crossbow bolt in the back! By the Law… But look, citizens! Another puppet of corruption, with his thugs to protect him! Sent, no doubt, to silence the will of the people! (enter Sergeant Krewis...)"
Don't forget to use the two Striders, Fario and Fellian. In our campaign, they had shadowed the party into the Malachite Hold, and stepped up to assist when things got a little rough. They weren't spoilers at all, but they did help with a few quick arrows and healing spells, enough to get the party back on their feet. They could easily arrive to help break the party out of the cells (after they've been left to stew in their failure for a bit...) and then fall back into a supporting role once they party recovers a bit. With the cells right there and slaves already being part of the story, I would use that as part of the natural progression of the adventure. The party could wait for several weeks even before a buyer shows up, so there shouldn't be a timetable for escape. Throwing low level characters into Underdark mines could be rough, and it could get away from the Cauldron-centric campaign that follows... |
