Zenopus's page

My sorceror is making an impassioned, logical, argument toward's gaining the baby owlbear as an improved familiar. Now I know this probably won't work within the rules but I am interested on if and how others would handle this. Same as above? I have never considered animal companions to be the same as familiars and would love some input.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmm...................
NNNNNNNNNNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNN......
Monkeys............pool parties.........worms.........ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
GIVE IT TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I changed activation to "lays down on one of the beds" but let them find red clay scuff marks (taking 20 on search, with goggles of minute seeing, 29!? sigh...)in front of feet (from previous activation). When someone did lay down the statue was already on the floor, face down. Still gave it a free swing at character on bed (from prone position). It did some damage but went down without too much trouble,it had to stand up (AOO), was flanked, etc.

The way I imagined this area was that while being used, Nadroc simply didn't step on the trigger for the giant stone block. Without the "primary" trap being triggered that "secondary" (gas) trap was not active. That trigger was tripped a long time ago by tomb raiders and they set off the first part. For whatever reason, nobody moved the block to finish the 1-2 punch the designer had in mind. Personally, I moved one of the seeker corpses to this area and let the party find him under the block, after they set off the gas trap of course.

Forgot to mention....

The probability of serious woe goes way up with only 3 or 2 characters. I would change things, perhaps as mentioned above, if my party was that small. This is a challenging adventure, and I think experienced players will respond to the challenge. Small groups or newbies are just asking for it. Sooner or later they are going to get hurt and changes should definately be made.

Maybe I'm being a tad mean but I really just assumed that any spell with a verbal component would be useless underwater as opening one's mouth (short of the spells that would prevent this)would create an influx of water, not an outpouring of sound. I play that the sound is necessary to the spell completion. I guess I would give some kind of roll is the completion was one word (say a wand) but I can't see giving normal use a reasonable shot.
For what's it worth my group of 5, which had reached 2nd level by the time they reached this area, had little trouble with the encounter. One character entered the showers alone with the magical light and was attacked by the elemental. He was tied to a rope with the other 4 ready to pull at a moment's notice. If he didn't signal every 20 seconds or so, or if the rope started jerking, or if 2 minutes had been reached (somewhat short of his limit), they all pulled like crazy.
They lost the magical torch and he got beat up but he got out. The druid's summoned porpoises put a hurt on the elemental and the pary dove in with piercing weapons and finished it off. The ghoul was handled much the same way, though they did get lucky that he missed 9 attacks in a row.
My point is that even without good luck this encounter has the potential to get nasty, but it could also be fairly easy. If the party is smart the chance of things goin bad should be reduced to mostly bad luck.

Maybe it's late and I've stared at this too long but....
(major spoilers follow! Overcurious players will wake up with a fungus...or at least a profound sense of guilt, maybe both.)
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I'm looking at the map of the main level and the description leads me to believe that the webfilled archway in area 4 leads directly to the top of the steps in area 7. This is fine except for the strange seperation on the map from one area to the other (not really necessary for the mag, could have put rose on top). Would disregard oddity altogether but I'm looking at the glyph on the map/sarcophogi and I see a connection. The bottom of the cross resembles the first area of the dungeon. As you move forward the next set of wings contain/ed "entrances" to other areas. On the symbol this would be the circles above the cross. The next set of wings don't "go" anywhere and moving up the symbol the are two more lines/dead ends that correspond to these. Skipping to the top of the symbol there are three more circles, which match the "entrances" in the large room.
So here's the rub; in the middle of the glyph there are two more circles, connected by a line, that cross an interior oval/barrier of some sort. It almost seems like movement from 4 to 7 entails more than a few footsteps.
If this is crazy I apologize, if not it probably can't affect running this adventure, it is simply a matter of intense curiousity.
If you're still reading and curious....
The other symbol, with a little imagination, does fit the general layout of the other two levels associated with it.
I wonder if the highest ranking glyph is any indication of what's to come later (in terms of dungeon layouts)?
Any comments welcome...

Been reading these posts for weeks and feel the need to jump in on a few threads but I wanted to start here first. This is the first message board of any kind I've ever joined so if I commit a faux pas please let me know (I'd rather be embarassed than be offensive).

Erik,
I want to add my kudos for an excellent adventure. In addition the the comments I've read I have some thoughts of my own (pardon me if already mentioned and I missed it):

1. I love the fact that a first level party is not facing kobolds, goblins and/or dire rats. My party has just finished the wolves but I'm already hearing comments like "jeez, this feels like a higher level adventure what are we getting ourselves into?" Keep in mind these are veterans of 15+ years, yet they are spooked and are reacting much like a new party of 1st time adventures would on their first delve. I love it.

2. Someone mentioned a 1st edition feel; I agree but want to add that you captured the feel of 1st edition while addressing the tendency of 3.x to feel too mechanical/restrictive (video game-like if you will). I realize that a competent DM could accomplish this on his own but I just want to say thank you for making it incredibly easy.

3. New DM's and those of us with little time/tykes/patience are overjoyed at the detail and thoroghness. All of us had a meeting and decided to forgive the little discrepencies mentioned elswhere :) (my first emoticon-my god what have I begun?).

Thanks again for all of your hard work and for carrying the torch for Greyhawk and D&D as we old timers remember it into the new era.

DMH