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The Scribbler's page
1 post. Alias of Steve Greer (Contributor).
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Hi, Everyone!
After many years of running games, I've called it quits as a GM. Over the years I've amassed a pretty large collection of hand-painted lead miniatures and books. There are a few people from these boards that have actually been in my home and seen my collection that can vouch that though I'm no Rembrant, I'm pretty skilled with a paint brush.
If anyone plans on being in the Las Vegas, Nevada area in the near future, I will be hosting a private sale of most of my miniatures and many of my books and other odds and ends for very cheap (or in some cases FREE).
The sale will take place June 6-7, 2:00-5:00 pm both days.
If you are interested in attending, you can e-mail me at sgreer@lvcoxmail.com for the location.
I still plan on playing in other people's games and anxiously await my first Pathfinder RPG game session. :) I also have not given up writing just in case anyone is wondering. :p
Oh, and FYI, many of my miniatures have been used during the playtesting of the modules I've written, if that kind of that thing interests you (I can give a little show and tell of each specific one).
Hey, all. I haven't been here in what seems like forever and a day. Family, business, and lots of other things have held my attention a lot most of this year. I've managed to bang out a couple projects I was asked to work on, but the old pen hand seems to have accumalated a bit of rust.
Anyway, hope all the regulars I know are still active on these boards and doing well. Looking forward to the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaing Setting game as we creep closer and closer to its completion. And hopefully I'll get the chance (and time!) to contribute some more to the game.
:)
So... Who's got it? Anyone have anything nice or not-so nice they want to post about it here? I've already seen one thread commenting on the succubus-on-girl action depicted in one illustration. Anything else?
As half of the writing team responsible for this diabolical look at virtue and vice, the weaknesses inherent in men, and the manipulative aspect of demons preying on weak minded mortals, I have to say that this one has had me more excited about anything I've written since Tides of Dread.
The final print (and .pdf) version is AWEsome! The editing was inspired. The artwork is top notch. Tim and I wanted to write some really gritty demonic stuff for this adventure (well, maybe Tim wanted to go a bit further than Steve with it) that hasn't really been done before. Who knows? Maybe somewhere it has been, but it felt very fresh and demonically sinister to me and I can't wait to get to run it for my own players.
Yeah, offices suck! I hate them. I hate the people that work in them. Thank goodness, I'm getting the hell out of ever working in an office again. Got my own business. It RULES being your own boss!
Anyway, I thought I'd start a list of the 100 most annoying/inane office comments ever. The crap you hear over and over around the office and wish you wouldn't.
I'll start it off.
1. "Are we having fun yet?"
Just like the thread title. Need a quick answer. Book's not on me. Thanks!
Or just come join my Friday gaming group.
Yeah, I know I posted a while back looking for players, but the group needs a couple new members.
So, if you're planning to move somewhere... Vegas, baby! Good weather, plenty to do, low cost of living... and a gaming group. What more could you want?!
If you haven't checked today's blog, take a gander at Wayne Reynolds' new artwork for "Sins of the Saviors". Stunning stuff! Great job, Wayne!
I've been reading through the print version of Rich's "The Skinsaw Murders" and especially digging what the editors were able to do with Foxglove Manor. I have to say that this is the PERFECT haunted house for a one-shot night of Halloween gaming. The creepines, the hauntings, the mystery solving elements... all very, very cool and perfectly Halloweeny. So guess what I'll be running on my October 26th game night? :)
Hmmm. Maybe Nov. 2nd, though, since it's actually closer to Halloween. :\
Hi guys! I'm at work and trying to compile a list of encounters for an editor. If you have access to Libris Mortis and Monster Manual III, can you please tell me what the CRs are for a couple monsters?
I need the CRs for the Forsaken Shell and the Shadesteel Golem. Thanks in advance, you guys.
I need to know what the character by wealth amount is for an 18th level character. Don't have my DMG with me. A cookie for anyone that can get me the info while I'm stuck here at work. Thanks!
Hey, what d'ya guys think of the cover art? Gorgeous, right? :) And considering much of the subject matter is about art, you can only imagine what kind of great stuff will grace the inside of the module.
I know there's a Wheel of Time thread already a little further down the list, but it's been eating at me to just say something about my favorite author and his devotion to finishing the series as he's very literally dying. He has a rare disease called amyloidosis. His doctors have given him about 2 years to live, although it has been said he could fight this thing for a good 5 years.
It saddens me so much everytime I think about it. Yet, he's plugging away at the Wheel of Time and his other projects and taking part in support groups, maintaining a blog, and talking to fans. He's a remarkable man and an extremely talented writer from which my own writing aspirations owe much to. He was the first person I ever wrote an honest-to-goodness fan letter to. And he wrote me back. Not just, "Thanks for your interest. Keep reading." A real letter of substance as if he was talking to an equal. I really appreciated that.
Anyway, I love the Wheel of Time series and really hope he has enough days left to finish it. If not, I still have to admire his dedication to at least trying to.
Hello, everyone.
I recently lost two of my players due to a move out of state and a new work schedule, respectively. So, I find myself with two spots that need to be filled. If there are any Vegas gamers that frequent the boards that are interested drop me a line at sgreer@lvcoxmail.com and we can discuss it in greater detail.
Current plans are to run some of the GameMastery stuff, Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk, and perhaps the Rise of the Runelords adventures. I've also had some requests from my players to run some short Dungeon adventures. Anyway, I run a Core rules-rules-as-written style game with the focus on gritty combat, entertaining role-playing, and fun, fun, fun. Hope to hear from you all soon.
Terrorism. Natural disasters. Biological hazards.
These are things that are a sad and alarming reality these days. Preparedness is something I've thought a lot about lately.
So, if you had to plan for a general state of emergency, no specific type of emergency, what would top your list of things to have?
As far as food goes, are there some suggestions on food that will keep for a long time (canned or otherwise) and cover the dietary needs of the average person?
Wierd question, I know. But there are a lot of really intelligent, knowledgable people here so I figured I'd ask.
I read this a few minutes ago and it is just so sad. I only know what has been reported, but I've always felt that a strict vegan lifestyle was very dangerous to a person's health. To impose this on a newborn baby that needs all of the nutrients that were intended for human beings to grow makes me sick to my stomach. I don't want to condemn vegans becuase I know a few on these boards that I highly respect. I would just say, people, please be careful about alternative diets and your children.
September 4, 2007
After completing his field training with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Deparmtment, Rob is taking a break in his patrol car under the shade of a large tree at the side of the road to finish a snack and call his wife, Andrea.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Stanley has had a shaky start in the real estate business after getting his license, but he's finally landed a spot with a really awesome realtor and loves the people he works with. He's been helping Dan and Crystal find a house and is, in fact, on his way out to a new community out at the end of West Gowan to show Dan & Crystal a house they're interested in.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dan and Crystal have just got home from work and quickly grab something to eat and rush out the door to meet Stanley after printing out a map on Mapquest with directions to the house they're going to check out this evening.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
April is relaxing on her bed. Steve and Alyssa just left to run some errands and she's going to take advantage of their absence to get a nap in. The music playing on the stereo out in the living room is crooning her to sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
After surfing the net for a while, Jon is headed to bed after a long day of work. He has to get up really early tomorrow, so he's going to hit the hay early. He clicks on his favorite playlist on his laptop and slips under the covers, the music soothing him in to sleep as he shifts this way and that until he finds a comfortable position.
If you're a cabbage and you know it, raise your hand ::stomp, stomp::
If you're a cabbage and you know it, then you're greenness will be showin' it. If you're a cabbage and you know it, raise your hand! ::clap, clap::
(Best sung to "If You're Happy and You Know It")
OK. Corny song out of the way. I'm coming on here to publicly "out" all of the Were_Cabbages. We've been talking about ourselves cryptically and even teasingly for a long time. How about we let this messageboard community know who we are.
Me first. See my profile here.
Come on, Cabbages. Raise your hands :)
When the big announcement was made yesterday and everyone started voicing their opinions on the matter, I thought I saw a lot of posts from names I had never seen before. Now that I've looked around in some of the threads today I'm sure there are a helluva lot more new posters here. I suspect that most of you have either been regular posters to other boards that were drawn to Paizo's site to see from them if the big news was true and how they were handling it OR lurkers to the site that finally had something to create an account and talk about.
Anyway, whatever the case, welcome to the Paizo boards! It's a great community.
This is a message from Goodman Games regarding Free RPG Day on June 23. Please read and follow the contact instructions. Thanks.
Hello! I'm sending this mass email to ask for your help with Free RPG Day. It is the first major effort in years to grow the RPG market, and it's very simple: show up to your favorite game store on June 23 and get free RPG products! Goodman Games is the founding sponsor of the event, and we've now signed up 14 other publishers including White Wolf, Green Ronin, Paizo Publishing, Mongoose Publishing, Troll Lord Games, Black Industries, and others.
Here's where you come in: I need you to help us sign up retailers! We have 100+ signed up already, and we need to make sure EVERY retailer is aware of the event. The next time you are in your local game store, please ask the owner: "Are you guys signed up for Free RPG Day?" If they're not aware of it, please point them here.
That's all it takes. And hopefully, when you come in your game store again on June 23, they'll have all the freebies ready for you to grab! So, whenever you get a chance, please spread the word to your local retailers.
Additionally, please feel free to forward this email to your local game
group, your local con's mailing list, and any other venue you think might be appropriate.
Thanks,
Joseph
--
Joseph Goodman
Goodman Games
www.goodman-games.com
goodmangames@mindspring.com
Hmmm. The prank actually is quite counterproductive to the intent of my message. When is this program going to end?
Inspired by the numerous accounts of TPKs in the Savage Tide Obituaries thread, I'm interested to hear how you DMs that have killed off entire parties handled (or are handling) moving on.
Are you picking up with new player characters and proceeding with the STAP?
Or are you and your players moving on to something new?
How are you tying the new characters into the campaign if you are continuing to run the STAP?
Perhaps some suggestions here would also help if you're stuck on how to keep things going.
Maybe I posted in the wrong section. Just wanted to see who in the Paizo boards community will be at Gen Con this year. I'm running some games and hope to generate some interest and maybe see some of you at my table.
Hey, everybody. I'm very excited to be going this year and wondered if any of you will be there. I'm running two D&D adventures and would love to see some of you show up at my table.
I know a few of the rest of Paizo's contributors will be there this year as well. It should be a really great one this year!
Just relocated this from the STAP forums:
vega moonshine wrote: Daughter of 3 years, soaked my Dungeon issue #125 I need the Supplement of Age of Worms Adventure "PDF, or scanned what ever" my D&D community can do running the Adventure re ordered the issues on back order and can not get it in .... party is meeting tomorrow night if someone out there can help please let me know
Hello all. A lot of you are rooting for more epic level adventures on these boards. James has mentioned a few times that he doesn't get very many proposals for them or perhaps there might be more.
Anyway, myself and a fellow writer have set our collective sights on writing some and we have a couple of solid ideas so far. However, I'm interested in hearing from you all what you would and would not like to see and thoughts on the kind of rewards that would make even going on such high stake adventures worth it.
Hey, all. I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about the mixing of iconics on the cover of #144. Just in case you all missed it, the monk from STAP and the paladin or fighter (?) and red garbed rogue or ranger (?) from AoW are heading down to Golismorga together through the Temple of the Ancient Ones from The Lightless Depths.
OK. Discuss.
Hi, everyone. The precedence has been set by the likes of Greg Vaughn and Nicolas Logue on these boards that shameless self-promotion and plugging is OK. In the spirit of self-aggrandizement, tooting one’s own horn, plugging yourself, etc., etc., ad infinitum, PLEASE BUY MY ADVENTURE here at the Piazo store or here from the Goodman Games website. You may notice that there are 2 different colors. The official product color is the old school Keep On the Borderlands purple (an extremely cool color, IMHO).
Again, buy it, buy it, buy it. You won’t regret it. And if you do... well... sorry.
*End of shameless plug*
Dungeon of Rust and Fire
A Savage Tide Adventure Path side adventure by Stephen S. Greer
High in a stony alpine valley stands the massive Dungeon of Rust and Fire, a windowless pillar of jagged, rusting metal. No paths lead to or from this monument, but those tracing the Emerald River to its subterranean headwaters occasionally catch a glimpse of the tower outlined against the sky. Several of these tributaries spring forth from caves and tunnels which burrow endlessly into the earth, some large enough to admit a person, and deep thrumming and clanking noises grow louder the deeper one explores.
At night, the top of the silent tower erupts in periodic bursts of flame, and close to dawn spindly, insect-like forms can sometimes be seen moving ponderously around its base, several stories high and glinting metallically. It’s at these times that the streams feeding the Emerald run black or red, with fish floating belly-up or bearing strange mutations.
Though scholars who have studied the tower from afar believe it to be somehow related to the ruined gnomic enclave of Jzadirine in Cauldron, perhaps a project left unfinished in the wake of the Vanishing, such conjecture has yet to be supported, and the few who have braved the mountainsides for a closer look have not returned.
—Savage Tidings: Beyond Sasserine, Dragon 349
The tower atop this mountain peak some 50 miles south of Sasserine is a venting shaft for an enormous iron factory deep beneath the earth. It is powered by water turbines, iron golems, massive furnaces, and enslaved duergar miners. The factory once supplied the gnomish enclave of Jzadurine beneath Cauldon with its marvelous mechanical wonders. However, the same mysterious cause for the Jzadurine gnomes’ disappearance also claimed the gnomes of this factory which at that time was called Rhexchlon. Years later, a gnome artificer learned of this place. His name was Paralane Goldhammer.
Paralane was the first of any living beings to enter Rhexchlon. He found what he had hoped to find and much, much more. Responding to the first gnome to enter the subterranean factory in long years, the construct workers began to once more operate the complex machines, fire up the forge, and help Paralane create anything he desired.
Paralane was obsessed with discovering the mystery of life and perfecting its flaws. At first he made more construct guardians and workers, but he began delving into augmentation on living creatures. His first experiments were on the duergar that he had managed to enslave to mine for iron ore which he needed for his creations. He then began applying his experiments on himself.
After so many years of self-artifice, Paralane barely resembles his former self. He is now a half-golem driven by creating the “perfect being”. He has not yet attained his goal, but he continues to work at with unfailing dedication.
The rest of this adventure is a simple draft of some ideas I had, but only developed a bare beginning for. Since my group asked for an adventure they could get their next level from, I only wrote enough to give them a hint at what might be hidden beneath the lofty iron tower that rises from the top of the mountain and perhaps plant a seed to make them want to revisit it at some future time. Feel free to go whatever way you want with this if you decide to use it. The rest assumes the players have made the journey there and have scaled the mountain peak the iron tower rises from.
1. THE EXHAUST SHAFT (EL 5)
A massive shaft of pitted and rusted iron juts out of the rocky mountainside. It rises nearly 200 feet into the air, tapering towards its jagged tip.
The iron shaft is 1 ft. thick (hp 360, hardness 10) and 180 ft. tall. It is 50 ft. in diameter at its base and tapers to 25 ft. at its top. It may be scaled with a DC 15 Climb check as there are plentiful hand and footholds. A PC touching the iron shaft may feel a slight vibration coming from it.
From the top of the shaft it is a 20 ft. drop down to a thick metal grill hinged down the middle (2 in. thick, hp 60, hardness 10). A locked trapdoor in the grill (Open DC 30) towards its outer edge allows access to an iron ladder descending 20 ft. to another identical grill 5 ft. below its bottom rungs. The second grill is nearly identical to the first one, but the seem down the middle is a trap. Any weight greater than 30 lbs. placed on the grill causes it to drop out like a huge trappdoor. From there it is a 100 ft. drop to another iron grill.
A locked trapdoor (Open DC 30) in the second grill opens onto a chain ladder that descends to the last grill 100 ft. below (Climb DC 10).
Hinged Grill Pit Trap: CR 5; mechanical; touch trigger; manual reset; 100 ft. deep (10d6, fall); multiple targets (all targets on 15-ft. diameter grill); Search DC 15; Disable Device DC 20
2. VENTING THE FLAMES (EL 5)
At 10 pm, 12 pm, and 2 am each night, flames shoot from the top of the exhaust shaft as the raging furnace deep beneath the earth builds up intense heat and pressure and must be vented. Anyone in the shaft during this time is subject to the scorching flames that may very well incinerate them.
Exhaust Shaft Flames: CR 5; mechanical; timed trigger; automatic reset; flames (4d6/round, fire, DC 25 Reflex save half damage); multiple targets (all targets in shaft); onset delay 5 rounds; Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 30
3. THE BASE OF THE TOWER
A large iron grill affixed to the inside of the iron tower straddles a gaping pit 10 ft. below it. The stonework is blackened as if by fire. In fact, a faint flickering glow can be seen coming from the depths of the hole. At one side of the grill, an opening reveals metal stairs descending past the scorched pit.
This iron grill is much sturdier than the others the PCs have encountered up to this point (6 in. thick, hp 360, hardness 20, Break DC 70).
4. IRON MAN (EL 7)
The iron staircase descends into a large room of hewn stone and iron. A huge metal door appears to be the only exit.
The metal door (2 in. thick, hp 60, hardness 10, Break DC 30, Open DC 30) is guarded by a
nimblewright created by the gnome artificer deep below this room.
Creature: The nimblewright calls itself Sir Steelheart and imagines itself as the lone guardian holding off vast forces of evil from entering the “castle” beyond the metal door. Something he read in a book down below in the living quarters adjacent to the factory. It hails the PCs as minions of the vast hordes of evil and warns them that they may not pass. If treated diplomatically, it converses with the PCs suspiciously, but maintains its position guarding the door.
If the nimblewright hears the PCs coming it casts altar self to appear as a human warrior with golden eyes in bright plate mail wielding rapiers in both hands. It then casts all of its other spells and keeps them active until the PCs are defeated or withdraw.
Nimblewright Guardian CR 7
CN Medium Construct
Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3
Languages Common, Gnomish
AC 24, touch 17, flat-footed 17 Dodge, Mobility
hp 75 (10 HD)
Immune construct; SR 27
Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +6
Weakness cold effects slow the nimblewright for 3 rounds, fire effects stun it for 1 round
Spd 40 ft.
Melee 2 rapiers +12 (2d6+5/15-20)
Base Atk +5; Grp +10
Atk Options Spring Attack, tripping thrust, Improved Disarm, Combat Reflexes
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th)
At will–alter self, cat's grace, entropic shield, feather fall, haste
Abilities Str 20, Dex 24, Con --, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 19
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Mobility, Spring Attack,
Weapon Finesse
Skills Balance +9, Jump +19, Listen +3, Spot +3, Tumble +22
Tripping Thrust (Ex): A nimblewright's rapier-hand attacks are powerful enough to push over creatures its own size or smaller. An opponent who is the target of a successful critical hit from a nimblewright must make a Reflex save (DC 19) or be knocked prone as if tripped.
Tactics: The nimblewright uses its speed and Spring Attack feat to move around the room quickly attacking any PCs that are being the most obtuse or causing the most trouble. It focuses its attacks on foes attempting to get past the door.
While under the effects of cat’s grace and haste the nimblewright’s stats are changed as follows: AC 27, touch 20, flat-footed 18; 2 rapiers +15 melee; Ref +13.
Treasure: A few other explorers have come this far over the years only to be slain by the nimblewright guardian. The bodies have been disposed of. However, their gear is piled in a corner of this room. It consists of +1 studded leather armor, a masterwork heavy steel shield (formerly owned by Joe the paladin of Zilchus), 3 masterwork daggers, a +1 coldsteel longsword with owls in flight along its blade and an owl with diamond eyes for a pommel, +1 bastard sword (formerly owned by Joe the paladin of Zilchus), a sack of mixed coins worth 2,566 gp, and a small mithral breastplate.
5. THE ELEVATOR (EL VARIABLE)
Beyond the metal door, a platform extends out into a hewn stone shaft descending into darkness. A series of pulleys and hooks are bolted into the ceiling 20 ft. above you. Taught iron chains affixed to the complex mechanism in the ceiling disappear into the darkness.
A casual Search (DC 10) of the platform reveals a metal lever affixed to the wall just inside the doorway. At the moment it is pointed down. By pushing it up, a grinding sound begins and the chains and mechanism in the ceiling begin moving. After ten rounds, a 15-ft.-by-15-ft. metal lift appears from the darkness below the PCs. It rises until it is even with the platform.
A DC 15 Knowledge (architecture and engineering) check allows the PCs to identify the lift as such and that the lever in the wall causes it to either go up or down. It can hold 8 medium sized creatures or one and a half tons. Putting more weight than that on the lift has a cumulative 5% chance of causing it to collapse for each 15 ft. it moves up or down the shaft.
The shaft is 200 ft. deep.
If the lift collapses under too much weight, all creatures on it can make DC 20 Reflex saves to grab onto something and avoid falling.
A metal lever at the bottom of the shaft next to another metal door identical to the one at area 4 operates the elevator from there.
6. CHAMBER OF THE BRASS BEETLE (EL 7)
The door opens into a large chamber of hewn stone lined with rusty iron slabs. A pair of corridors exits the chamber in opposite directions. The center of the room is occupied by a huge beetle made of polished brass. The top of the construct is nearly 15 ft. high.
Creature: This massive beetle shaped construct was designed to perform repairs on the metalwork of the dungeon, but also doubles as a guardian against trespassers into this room. It crawls up the exhaust shaft when necessary and uses its ray of fire to repair damages to its exterior, smoothing any deep pockmarks created from part of the metal flaking away from the elements and the intense heat from the nightly fires.
Brass Beetle CR 7
N Huge Construct
Monster Manual 14
Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0
Languages Understands Gnomish
AC 13, touch 7, flat-footed 13
hp 84 (8 HD); Hardness 10
Immune construct traits
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will -3
Spd 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee slam +9 (2d6+7)
Ranged ray of fire +3 ranged touch (4d6, fire)
Base Atk +6; Grp +19
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Atk Options trample 2d6+7
Abilities Str 20, Dex 8, Con –, Int –, Wis 1, Cha 1
SQ construct traits, hardness 10, improved speed
Skills Climb +13
Ray of Fire (Ex): The brass beetle can create a ray of fire from its mouth as a standard action. The ray can be up to 30 ft. long. Any creature hit with the ray on a successful ranged touch attack takes 4d6 fire damage.
Trample (Ex): The brass beetle can trample creatures two or more sizes smaller than itself, dealing 2d6+7 damage. Opponents who do not make attacks of opportunity against the brass beetle can attempt DC 19 Reflex saves to halve this damage.
7. PIT OF ELEMENTAL FIRE
The short hall ends at a large spiral staircase. The stairs wind downward with a thick round window every so often looking into a fire filled pit. The flames seem alive, blowing fiercely against the windows as you near them.
The massive pit is filled with magical fire sucked from the Elemental Plane of Fire. It provides the heat necessary for the forge from which the gnome half-golem creates many of his mechanical contraptions. The PCs are safe on the staircase. The windows are made of magical treated glassteel.
8. GEAR CHAMBER (EL 15)
Hundreds of gears of all sizes grind against each other in a screeching, rumbling cacophony. Here and there, massive iron humanoids oil the gears or use strange tools to tighten or loosen them. The air feels extremely hot, almost unbearably so.
There is no apparent exit from the vantage point of the stairs the PCs are coming from.
Attempting to snoop around looking for one is an invitation to die. The room is indeed very hot. Every minute the PCs spend here they must succeed on a DC 15 Fort save or take 1d6 points of non-lethal damage. The save DC increase by 1 every minute.
Creatures: There are a total of 4 iron golems in this room. Their main purpose is to keep the gears turning and working properly. However, if they notice the PCs here, they attempt to slay them.
Iron Golem (4): hp 129 each; Monster Manual 136
Development: A massive metal door exits the room on the far side. It is locked and is identical to the one at area 4 except the Open Lock DC is 40. The gears in the room operate the forge machines and open the valve to the exhaust shaft.
9. THE MINES (EL 5)
The corridor slopes downward to a massive metal door with a thick lock. Faded bas-relief designs on the door hint at humanoids with picks.
Beyond the metal door (same as area 4), is a mine complex that could take days to fully explore. It is populated by enslaved duergar miners. As the PCs investigate the mines, they initially encounter groups of 5-6 duergar armed with heavy picks. The number of duergar encountered increases the further the PCs explore the mines.
The duergar dig for iron ore, gold, and silver which the PCs will see raw samples of in the mining carts the creatures have filled. The carts are taken up a lift like the one at area 5 to a refinery for use in the forge.
Duergar Miners (?): hp 9; Monster Manual 91
Development: Perhaps iron golems patrol the mines or other automatons like nimblewrights; possibly even half-golem duergar that are beyond caring for their own kind; all of these crafted by Paralane himself, of course.
The mines and its slave masters are up to you to develop further.
I'm starting this thread for those of us that want to share their "near kills" that keep finding their way into the STAP Obituaries thread.
Here's mine...
We're close to finishing "There Is No Honor". The party decided to investigate area D19. A couple of them entered the cave to investigate the slimy pool and the dead halfling and were attacked by the 3 rhagodessas. First the party druid was pulled up into a grapple by one on the wall above and taken into negatives. Then the paladin was grabbed and he also dropped to negatives. Whenever one of the other party members attacked and dealt damage to one of them, it would drop its victim and rush that person.
Long story short, the bard was using a CLW wand like crazy to to get people back to consciousness, everyone at some point during the fight was dropped to negatives, and everyone eventually made their stabilization rolls (I've never seen anything like it before!) - one of them got as far as -8 before stabilizing. There was a point where only one person was actually conscious and everyone was ready to make up new characters, but by doing tag-team healing they survived.
They finally dropped the rhagodessas with help from a summoned dire bat and good team work. I thought for sure they were all dead. The dice gods smiled on them last night.
I got #140 yesterday and just got a chance today to really look at it. As one of the authors for the Savage Tide, I got a chance to read the original drafts of several of the adventures as they were finished since we all had to make sure everything was knit together well and cohesive. I really liked Nick Logue's "Bullywug Gambit" the first time I read it, but after seeing what James Jacobs, Jeremy Walker, and James Sutter did to transform it into a right proper Dungeon adventure, I'm totally in awe. And frankly I can't wait to see what they do to the one I wrote.
Nick, I really loved the stiltwalker and the new rules for using stilts in the game. I honestly have never seen them used and congratulate you on showing me something totally new. Great innovation! Way to go, Were_Cabbage!
Oh, and sorry about that level loss at the hands of Vaughn and Pett, but with this adventure you should definitely earn the level back and be close to the next bump up ;)
Yeah, I'm a little bored and felt like shooting the stuff with you my fellow board surfers. I'm running my regular Friday night game tonight and will probably wrap up "There Is No Honor", the first installment in the Savage Tide.
So, what about the rest of you? Are you gaming and if so what's the adventure/setting/system?
Not too much more I can say. #138 shipped on July 18. So, it stands to reason that #139 should have shipped either yesterday or in the next few days. Anybody have an answer?
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