Hiya,
First off new to the forum, but wanted to say that this AP looks really great. I hope to run it with my Japan Based Gaming Group (does this make me the first to run it in the Far East?). Anyway - good job to Eric and Co. I had let my subsricption to Dungeon Expire - and well my wife just might pick it back up for me based on my excitement about this AP.
Now on with some questions to other DM's and hopefully to the designers themselves.
(1) How important is Diamond Lake going to be to the adventures in the future?
I know my group, and well they can go "KODT" pretty fast. One of the driving forces is for them to explore the Cairn, to get enough gold to leave the town. But I know once they get hold of that owlbear chick, they will be off to the "Freecity" for that 3000 gp and probably not get into adventure #2?
(2) How are different people handling the groups interaction with the town at the end or middle of the adventure?
I mean if they whack the resident of the Observatory or the Mr. Tatoo at the Tavern, what are the repercusions. Is some nasty dwarven mine manager going to go after them?
What about the Mayor and the Sherrif - given the amount of loot and/or trouble the PC's are causing and their checkered past is the law going to run them out of town, or confiscate their gold etc, illegal gotten by tomb raiding?
(3) Do you have the Seekers show up at all once rumor that an unspoilt Cairn has been liberated. I could see this being a great sidetrek type adventure to help round out any missing XPs that the party misses? Or if you have a larger than normal group?
(4) How are you handling the other party in town. I was going to have them exploring the Stirenest Cairn to keep them out of the PC's hair. Having a bunch of 5th level characters could easily wipe out the PCs to take their loot.
(5) How are you handling the PC's not going straight for the cult once they find out about rather than go back to the Cairn?
(6) In general - how are you handling the all to frequent reststops in Town. I mean if they start selling stuff, and getting upto no good in town while half exploring the Cairn, are you going to have it change around them? Is the sherrif going to get involved? What about Smenk's cronies, Smenk would probably be curious knowing about a cult and all, about a group of "adventerors" taking up residence and plundering an "unknown Cairn".
Are you going to have the PC's put a stake for the Cairn and set up an offical Adv. Guild as has been suggested in some of the Playtests? How are you handling if the PC's backgrounds make them like runaways (like demonboy) or part of the institution like (Dram)?
I would think between Tirra and Khellek they could work out a way beyond the door that the ghost is guarding. Although I do think it would be funny if the PC's left the Cairn and came back to find Tirra's body at the bottom of the wind trap, with a broken neck.
I guess what i am really getting at in a very long-winded way (sorry) is how as a DM do you justify in a town full of rotten no good theiven *******d's that are all higher level than the PCs not having some of them try to take by politics or force the PCs (ill)gotten gains and send em back to the Emporium, Garrison, Mines, etc. if the PC's let the cat out of the bag.
Cheers for now!
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Well, mine went pretty much according to plan. They are keeping their mouths shut about what they have been up to, except for the Wizard, whom Khellek saw with the Seekers ring. He confronted the mage with the secret code, and when it was not answered correctly, he is plotting. What, I am not sure yet, we will see next issue.
They did a really funny thing. The Bard saw Kullens group return to town injured, so he decided to try to find out what happened. He found out that they lost a buddy, while in the hills, to a monster of some sort. Well, when they went to the Land house, they put 2 and 2 together. They decided they wanted to play a practical joke on Kullen and the boys, so they bought a serving tray, and hired the barmaid at the Feral Dog to deliver a special meal...The Owlbears Head, along with Skutch's arm. Well, Kullen went into a rage, then tore up the bar.
Well, they returned to the Cairn, and Alastor told them he was not freed, that they had to recover the bodies. Well, they did not want a fight, and didn't think of bribing them, so the Halfling Bard again devised a plan I loved so much, I let it work. They sold the Owlbear cub to the Druids. then spent all the money from that to have the Alchemist make a poison that would render the imbiber unconscious about a half hour after drinking it. They slipped it in our friendly ruffians drinks a half hour before closing time. Kullen and the boys left, to go sleep one off, and collapsed about halfway home. Along came the rest of the party, and loaded them into a wagon, and drove them to the Land property. They then buried them, up to their necks in the open graves. When Kullen and the boys finally came to, they were told " someone is getting buried tonight, it can be the bones from these graves, or you!!" The Hexblade cursed them, and then criticaled his intimidate check. I ruled that combo made them start singing like canaries. So, my party of 2nd level adventurers, have scared the piss out of the local ruffians, and have Khellek as an enemy, but have made friends with Tirra and Auric.
I cannot wait for more. Next Sunday they head to the observatory, and deal with Filge and his nasties
I did the Land Farmstead and the Old Observatory last night. My party found the baby owlbear and sold it to the Emporium for 1000gp. They were told if they wanted more, they would have to go to Sharn. They took the cash and watched as the Emporium owners crated it up and put it on the next boat to Sharn.
Of course, these relative nobodies suddenly getting rich got some attention. Kullen and his group would have been mad if they had found out, but right after selling the owlbear, the group headed directly to the Dog and plopped Skutch's arm right in the middle of Kullen's table. Merovinn freaked, and a fight broke out. It ended with Kullen running for the hills and the rest of his crew on the ground and bleeding. They took the wounded and dead to the Sheriff, who, after a bribe, decided that it was about time Kullen got what was coming to him.
They headed to the observatory, were freaked out about what they saw and got into a fight with Filge. They beat him and then questioned him. They healed him up afterwards and decided to take him along for the Dourstone Mines.
Future plans: Smenk is going to hire them to replace Kullen's gang. :)
1) My guess is that after the second or third adventure, Diamond Lake will take a bit of a backseat in the campaign.
2) Obviously Smenk will go postal when learning of Filge’s defeat/demise/defection, and his reaction will probably be dealt with in the second installment. The Sherrif and/or watch can be bribed if they catch the PCs doing murderous-type stuff to albinos – this is Diamond Lake, remember? The PCs should be careful not to flash around any newfound wealth; I’m still figuring out a way to inconspicuously warn them of this if they don’t get it.
3) Again, I’m going to try to get the PCs to keep their actions quiet.
4) Ditto; they’re wandering around Stirgenest.
5) Hmm, can’t really control that, but I’ll have Three Faces of Evil in hand by the time the PCs learn of the cultists, so hopefully it won’t matter in what order they do things.
6) My group will barely go back to the abandoned mine office, let alone town. They rest in the cairn. I think a wandering monster or two in the future will cure them of that habit.... ;)
For the rest, again, bribery and secrecy (hopefully).
The PC backgrounds are a little of both types. I’m setting AoW in Eberron, which is more logical in handling NPC power than Greyhawk/default. The NPCs are lower level and mostly have NPC classes, not PC (e.g., the “working girls” are Exp1, not Rog5 or whatever).
1. explore the Cairn, to get enough gold to leave the town. But I know once they get hold of that owlbear chick, they will be off to the "Freecity" for that 3000 gp and probably not get into adventure #2?
1. I plan on making the surrounding area plagued with lizardfolk so if the party tries too leave they will be severly punished. Of course Allustan will warn them that they are not ready for the journey.
2. How are different people handling the groups interaction with the town at the end or middle of the adventure?
2. Read my post i "invented bad guys for the PCs to slaughter"
3.do you have the Seekers show up at all.
3. Nope, but super idea!
4.How are you handling the other party in town.
4. i belive 1 and 2 explained this.
5. How are you handling the PC's not going straight for the cult once they find out about rather than go back to the Cairn?
5. Being th DM has benifits such as lieing about a gather info they cant find any info tell, well YOUR ready.
6. In general - how are you handling the all to frequent reststops in Town. I mean if they start selling stuff, and getting upto no good in town while half exploring the Cairn.
6. a couple O' nights in the stockaids and a hefty fine should smarten 'em right up!