ThreeCrows's page

Thank you thank you! Beautiful! I cannot tell you how much these have added to my campaign. Haven't gotten to play much (still in the first book, and running Masks of Nyarlathotep in CoC is taking much of my gaming time--plus job!) but my players love how gorgeous the maps are, and revealing rooms--instead of my usual drawing them on tactiles--is so much fun. I'm looking forward to printing/mounting/cutting out this set, too. Hope your game keeps you inspired to continue making them.

Huzzah! I am so excited you are finishing these! I'm just about finished with the first book. I'm hopping on PayPal now to show some love.

As a woman who started playing with the red box, I know there are plenty of women who do enjoy gaming. High school was the hardest time for me as a gamer. I could not get an invite to a game. I'd float by the table in the library where the boys were playing, and try to start a game related conversation. They'd answer, but never took a hint.

Luckily I met my husband in college as he was DMing a long home brew 2nd edition campaign. There were as many women as men in our ten-player party. We honeymooned at GenCon.

I'm running Mummy's Mask right now for a group with my husband, two sons, and two new players--both adult women. They mentioned WoW in conversation one day, so I told them about Pathfinder. Sometimes all it takes is an invite to the table.

My party just finished the Tomb of Akhentepi. After the bard ran straight into the first trap (poison darts down the hall) they became extremely cautious and managed to avoid most of the worst traps. They made some good combat choices (fire on the dolls, water on the sandling) but still struggled with the sarcophagus. Lots of fun!

Characters are:
Mahes Sekhem, human alchemist who believes he is the reincarnation of Sekhmet
Tara Hold, human wizard who is writing a pulp memoir
Andorrana Jones, human bard archaeologist played by my 10 year old son with age-appropriate impulse control, thus running straight into the first trap--he learned
Morrinth, Drow ranger, played by a first time player
Allerea Windrunner, human cleric, also a first time player

We haven't role played through the Tooth and Hookah encounter yet. I'm really looking forward to it, but I wanted the newbies to get a feel for exploration and combat before starting with a long talking bit.

What do you want to be the outcome? Continuity of gameplay, or continuing repercussions for the players?

If Deka was assassinated, it could either make it very difficult to obtain permission to enter the Vault of Hidden Wisdom (because with no mayor, the city is in an uproar and no administrative decisions are being made), or easier because a quickly appointed replacement may not have the same motive she does to prevent access. You could play it either way.

The same with an aide--they could be pro or con the PCs at your whim. It just depends on what your chosen path is.

Pulling this thread up from obscurity because there is good stuff here...

I'm just starting a Mummy's Mask campaign tomorrow. I feel pretty prepared, but there were still lots of helpful ideas above.

This will be the first time I'm using the GM D20 Pathfinder app. I liked that it was easy to import monsters from the Bestiaries, and that I could enter the PCs and track combat all in one place. We'll see how it works tomorrow.

I generally use the PFR on my iPad instead of dragging all the books out. I do save a list of bookmarks for all the monsters/spells etc. in the section of the AP I'm running.

I keep all my face cards/pawns/loot cards etc in order in card holders in a notebook. I've printed out maps, have them cut into rooms on foam core to go up as the party moves along. They are all labeled on the back in order. I use Map Packs for some other venues, and draw a few.

I also have a playlist on my iPad with music for each section, and notes in the AP so I don't forget to change the music.

could someone recap what was said, its rather long and with two kids i dont have the time (i did try to listen to it, but had to give up rather quickly because of the kids)

On the Chronicles podcast, they suggested leaving a scroll of Remove Curse (or several) in the office area (B23) of the House of Pentheru, amidst the decaying books and scrolls. Provides the characters with the ability to recover after the Div without having to leave for healing they can't yet provide or afford. I'm going to plant a wand with five charges at the same location.

There's a good thread down below on this subject. I don't know how to do a link, but it's
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2qt2b?What-to-use-as-inspiration-for-Egyptdeser t-theme
The Anubis Gates which is mentioned is a fantastic book, though only peripherally Egyptian.

I'm just starting my campaign as well, and feel like I'm some months behind the conversation. I like to have the entire AP in hand--and I wish the pawns and face cards were out--before I start. But it seems like so much conversation happens when the first volume comes out. Glad a few others are just starting too!

Well there is multiple ways I have seen it done.

1. I have seen the rooms and halls be cut out individual and placed down as the characters discover them. I believe when they did this however they mounted the cut out pieces on foamcore first.

Thank you so much! I mounted all the rooms on foamcore, and it looks amazing. It only took a couple of hours, and I used less than one full piece of foamcore, so it wasn't too expensive. This Sunday is my first session, and I can't wait for the big reveal. I hope you are still planning on producing maps for the rest of the AP? I'm happy to donate again for the next batch!

I love these and already donated! Question:

If you use tabletop maps like these, how do you deal with secret doors, etc? Even using paper to reveal each room, won't it be obvious that there is something behind that wall?

I like crows. Crows are smart. They use tools.

Yes, but a new (rewritten with clarifications and fixes, and maybe even re-done classes) edition of the rulebook, not a new version of the game.

So, because of what the majority tend to think because of the way it's been done with D&D over the years, that's a "no" in this particular vote.

I would love a fixed and revised edition of the Core Rule books that didn't make major changes, but made the bloat easier to manage. All the feats and traits in one place! All the possible classes together, maybe tweaked a bit. Again with spells, etc. Sort of an advanced version of the beginner's box.

I know that I'm probably not the perfect Paizo customer... I tend to like simplicity, but I played 3.5 for so long (and 2.0 before it) that Pathfinder was a natural progression for me. I stay for the APs and I LOVE all the support materials--pawns and maps and minis and cards. It's all so pretty! Must have all the shiny things!

But I really am just bogged down in too many new rules. I voted yes, but for a new encyclopedic and well organized core book with updates, not a rules overhaul.

Caderyn wrote:

Why is your Div acting like a melee brute?

You are primarily a debuffer and should be kiting (using your at will DDoor) to get out of sight and then slap them with at least 3 curses (-6 ST, 50% chance not to act, -6 Con, - 6 Wisdom first if they have good saves), never allow the PC's to get a full attack until you have the advantage and then pressure them when they are weakened (they get quite a few free rounds to hit him with single attacks but if you cripple the frontliners you should last at least a couple of dozen rounds).

With his DR10/Cold Iron mooks occupying the low damage melee fighters (preferably people with natural attacks so they cant bypass the DR easily), you can easily make the fight seem much more impressive despite it actually being quite easy (and low risk) for the PCs.

The risk here to the PCs is fairly low, but to the continuity of the AP itself? Very high. Chance of death is low, I'll grant you that, but the curses are permanent in duration. The cost to remove them is significant and the disruption to the AP "timer", such as it is, is also very significant as well. Food for thought.

We cover this design issue in detail in the most recent podcast review of this volume of the Mummy's Mask AP. The Div encounter is far and away the biggest potential pitfall in the Half-Dead City. http://ChroniclesPodcast.com/

First time listener to your podcast, and enjoyed it a lot. I'm getting ready to run Half-Dead City this coming weekend. The fix for the Aghash Div you come up with is great... I'm planning on using the planted wand. Thanks for pointing out the pitfalls before I walk into them with my campaign.

The german Band "Erdenstern" has made some Background CDs, one of them named "Into the Gold".

It is really great for the AP.
You can listen into it: http://www.erdenstern.de/music/intothegold/

Thanks for the heads up on Erdenstern! I'm getting ready to run Mummy's Mask, and this music is perfect. Plus their other albums are great as well. Into the Red for battle music, Into the White for Reign of Winter., and so many more. Wonderful!

I've thought about buying the Desert Ruins flip map for my upcoming campaign, but It seems to have limited replay ability. I already have a collection of map packs and I'm planning on using the taverns, shops, market, etc for the smaller city encounters. For the big set-pieces, I use Tact-Tiles, which have seen a lot of use in our home in the last ten years or so. I pre-draw the maps and reveal them a tile or two at a time. They were out of production forever, but there is a Kickstarter right now for a new run.

I imagined something like a large Campaign Coin... With a Goblin on it.

I had a great time watching the money roll in... Especially nice to hang out with some gamers, especially when my family went to sleep. i could only do $50, but it still felt like a shared victory.

aka Kay B.

I've been following this thread interestedly for a while, so I guess it is my chance to jump in.

Yes, GMs make all the difference. One who is flexible and role-playing oriented would make or break an attempt to role-play a redemptive scenario. No matter what is "written", it is your game, so play it like you want. I'm planning on running Skull & Shackles, despite my misgivings with walking the "evil" line, but I sure want someone to try to save Isabella.

However, I have to chime in with the OP that I would love to see more included redemptive themes as well. One of the things I have loved about Pathfinder adventures is that there have been many scripted ways to succeed without kill-kill-killing everything in sight. I haven't read or run all the APs (my husband calls some, I call others), but I like the alternative game mechanics that pop up in many adventures.

A good romantic subplot or two would be fun as well... very traditional narrative trope, to turn to good because you find true love.

Or would it just be too uncomfortable for most men (and I'm assuming most players are men) to role-play? I don't think my friends would have a problem with it at all. Speaking of which, this thread seemed to have more female input than most I read, going by names and comments at least.

I just picked up two boxes of the Hero's Hoard and Relics of War on sale, so I'm looking to fill out missing cards. Anyone still trading?

HH wants: 107, 104, 96, 82, 67, 57, 46, 39, 38, 37, 31, 30, 12, 11, 7, 4, 1

HH trades: 3, 5, 20, 22, 25, 28, 33, 41, 42, 44, 47, 49, 51, 53, 56, 58, 64, 66, 69, 83, 84, 88, 89, 97, 101, 105, 106

HH foils to trade: 110, 108, 107, 106, 101, 69, 64, 39, 28, 24, 10, 4

RoW wants: 93, 76, 38, 18, 13, 10, 6, 2, 1

RoW trades: 98, 91, 87, 86, 75, 70, 62, 59, 56, 54, 52, 47, 45, 41, 37, 33, 11, 9, 4

RoW foils to trade: 97, 89, 78, 58, 55, 53, 46, 38, 34, 30, 16, 2

You can reach me at PastrKay at aol dot com.
--Kay