Just a few questions and concerns with the adventure.
1Has anyone played through this adventure yet?
2Is their any magical items of worth in this adventure? After a brief skim, as far as I can see their is only potions and an amulet of natural armour.
I am interested to hear what players reactions were to the Half-Orc Mercenaries.Does this stop Vhalantru from filtering in the half-orcs into the city and gaurd?
[/b]3[/b]I am not sold on having Jil and the Last Laugh set up almost as 'allies/informants' to the party. By this stage Jil has already threatened the party and the players have actively battled Last laugh members in the first scene of the AP. I have always seen them as villians. Wouldn't the alleybashers, Striders or even a detective/city agent be better.
The rationale to having the Last Laugh help the investigation and party is that Captain Terrem threatened them that he would crack down on crime in the city unless they assisted but again this doesn't wash with me. The Last Laugh are a very powerful organisation and Vhalantru has corrupted the gaurd. Surely the LL would know this is a hollow threat.
In addition if Terrem is the unwavering lawman I believe him to be he would have been attempting to crack down on all crime regardless. Whether the LL assist him or not he would be determined to bring down all criminal elements in the city. And how does he contact them in the first place?
4Does Drakthar rip the heart out of the group. I mean to say he appears both a fearsome and cunning villian with more than enough abilities, allies, tactics and powers to face of against mid level characters let alone low level ones. He is written up as being 'underpowered' but he appears pretty powerful to me.
5 Lastly does it gel with Life's bazaar and Flood Season? Does it act as a good stepping stone or does it just seem like a side trek? Does it reveal any new facets to the adventure or it is just a stand alone adventure. The Half -Orc entre point is the crux of the adventure but what impact, if any, can the party have on this operation whether they win the day or not? Is the adventure just a means to discover a slither of information that fits together later? What is your opinion.
Thanks
Delvesdeep
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There are several things.
1) This graffiti spree in the city is a desaster for the upcoming Flood Fest. The Lord Mayor is fuming about these raids and paintings. I have incorporated the raids and graffitis as soon as I was able to and Severen Navalant has issued a contest between the Stormblades and our heroes. The group first to find out, where this threat comes from und to neutralize it, will get the honour to make the opening declaration of the Flood Fest.
2) Vhalantru does certainly have some connections to the Last Laugh. If he thinks Drakthar's got to go, he can certainly pressure the Last Laugh, to help in the investigation.
3) Jil had some run-ins with my group so far, and she has gotten quite curious about them. If she has to choose about which party to help, she will certainly not choose those snotty nobles (no one likes Todd).
4) The group learns in the adventure about the Cagewrights themselves, the fact, that there is an organization in the town with this name. This will give them more clues, if they bring this information to the Striders of Fharlanghn (perhaps after they rescue Shensen in the first part of Flood Season). Otherwise they would think the beholder is the main villain of the campaign. This way they learn, that there are definietly more villains in the city.
I didn't have a problem with Jil but I did have a problem with the "clues" of the adventure. The adventure states that the graffiti is not central to any one location yet the goblins enter the city through the bathhouse. Are we to believe that the stupid goblins evenly disperse themselves, moving all the way across town? That seems real unlikely.
I'd change it that the graffiti is centered in the section of town with the bathhouse. Clever PCs should be able to see that, stake out that area, and then follow the goblins back. No need for Jil or Terrem.
Oliver, as always great work.
The mayors annoyance and the ensuring 'contest' is a clever idea. Helps build up the rivalry between the Stormblades and players as well.
I have set Jil up as a evil villian who murdered the Pelor highpriests and then took their bodies to Embril to be desposed of. The whole assassination was covered up as a terrible accident when the priests went to assist a family is escaping a fire. The party rogue saw the whole event with his mentor from the rooftops and Jil saw him also. Bringing her in as an informant seems two demeaning to her and contradictory. I am going to use another network (most likely the Acquirers - an organisation from my game and one I posted on this messageboard). IMHO they seem like a more likely and sensical choice but the Striders would also do.
The Cagewright foreshadowing was something I missed. If the group is referred to then this will be productive.
DMFTodd, I can see goblins wandering a vandalising all over the city (they are stupid little blitters after all) but I agree with your idea about having most of the graffiti centralised around the bathhouse.
One thing no one has referred to is the implications of having the Half-Orc Mercanaries entre point discovered. Do you believe this will have an impact on the half-orcs infusion into the gaurd later on?
Thanks for your responses
Delvesdeep
First, have not run adventure yet.
Next, my first thought's about how this adventure incorporates with the other AP settings is mixed. Having goblins sneak into Cauldron to create mischief reminds me of having skulks sneak into Cauldron to create mischief. Even the context for both campaigns is similar: Ghelve = Orak, dungeons under Cauldron, an appearance of Jil. A little repetitious. Jil helping the PC's is incongruent as well, but is not unworkable. In fact, the characters should not even recognize her. I have Cauldron’s chief investigator infiltrate the thieves guild and she may pass the message on to the PC’s. Or my standard bum might have info for the PC’s.
I do think Valhantru pressured the Last Laugh/Guard to deal with this embarrassing situation. For one thing, this is the second event which Valhantru let get out of hand recently. Kidnapping, graffiti – this bad press could draw the attention of more heroes and crusaders. Niether Valhantru nor the Cagewrights appreciate this situation.
Until I DM the adventure I won’t know if Drathkar is a TPK. But I am glad Skie’s sells a raise dead scroll. I will heighten Drathkars dramatic attacks for role playing purposes, he will certainly be memorable after his third encounter with the PC’s.
Drathkar’s Way does an extremely good job in providing the characters with experience points so that they can complete Flood Season.. When I first read Shackled City I thought; Life’s Bazaar, 1st level; Flood Season 4th? Where’s the adventure path? I added more side treks to insure the players would reach 4th in time for Flood. The dungeon trek itself continues SCAP’s tradition of new and invigorating settings. Drathkar’s Way succeeds brilliantly in this regards.
Incorporating the Blue Duke and the half-orcs helped me tie the preface adventures I ran for SCAP. There is no impact on whether the orcs will enter Cauldron according to the editors. For my campaign, the players might realize the impact they made when they united two barbarian tribes. Some of the tribe members dislike the union enough to leave it and become mercenaries. Valahantru is especially pleased with this turn of events. United they stand, divided they fall.
I'm not going to have success in Drakthar's Way impact the half-orcs. The players stop the last of the half-orcs, most are already in in the city.
Hopefully this shadows Vhlantru as a bad guy. When he starts using half-orcs soldiers the players hopefully put two and two together = half-orcs being snuck into the city by bad guys + Vhlantru now using half-orcs = Vhlantru is a bad guy.
Also, I'm going to plant some goods in the tunnel with the mark of House Rhiavaldi on it to foreshadow Thifirane a bit. Of course the Rhiavaldi will claim the goods were stolen, but it gives some foreshadow.
Shorter version: The purpose of Drakthar's way is not to stop the half-orcs, it's more to foreshadow other events. That's what the PCs gain.
DMFTodd & Oliver, both explanations and ideas are good. Just a couple of questions/comments though.
DMFTodd, where are the Half-Orcs, that have already been smuggled into the city, hiding/residing? I would have it known in the city (a rumour/news spread by House Rhiavaldi) that a caravan of their goods was recently taken by bandits outside of Cauldron.
Perhaps you could also tie this in with Olivers idea but have House Rhialvaldi report their fears of bandits, have Vhalantru 'respond' to the threat by sending troops of city gaurd to escort the caravans and patrol the area and have the gaurds attacked and house Rhialvaldi's goods 'stolen' by the bandits. This would mean discovering the goods is not automatic prrof of traitorous behaviour but still instils suspicion.
Oliver, what would be Vhalantru's explanations to the availability of such a large group of Half-Orcs when he filters them into the gaurd?
Delvesdeep
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In order to guarantee the security of the City of Cauldron Lord Vhalantru has come to an understanding with Halgor, the leader of the band (and an intimate enemy of a player of mine), that his force shall now be part of the town guard. This way they get money to ensure the safety of the city, and they are not hired elsewhere (for example, to raid any caravans)... this player will be fuming.
>> DMFTodd, where are the Half-Orcs, that have already been smuggled into the city, hiding/residing?
Um, good question.
The "Behind the Scenes" says that they don't appear in mass until Chapter 4 which means they'd have to be hidden throughout Flood Season.
Chapter 5 tells us there are so many half-orcs that overflow from the town barracks is residing at Minuta's Board. That's too many in my mind for House Rivaldi to be hiding them in a warehouse or something.
If we do it as the adventure suggests, that the smuggling tunnel is just getting started, then how do you get the half-orcs into town? It's unfair for the PCs to succeed (shut down the tunnel) and the DM just fiats it anyways (the half-orcs get in regardless).
And then there is the question of why smuggle them in anyways? Vhlantru is the ruler of the city. Why doesn't he just bring them in the front door?
I'll have to think on those and come up with some scheme to handle them all.
Here's my take: The PCs shut down the tunnel, so the Cagewrights and Vhalantru can't bring the merks in town secretly. I think Vhalantru doesn't want to bring them public yet, and wants to wait until his control on the city is more secure before using the merks publicly (possibly until after the mayor is killed). But the PCs throw a wrench in this plan- without the secret smuggling tunnel, now the only way to bring in the merks is publicly- by going before the mayor and city council and requesting permission for the city to officially hire them. The players should find this curious that after this adventure all of a sudden Lord V. wants to hire the merks, and it should be a clue that perhaps Lord V. has some sinster plans for the Cauldron.
My biggest problem with the Way as it stands is that I don't know how I'm going to fit it in.
4 seperate groups that I'm running through the path. 2 of them are beyond the way already; both of them were 5th level after going through Life's Bazaar (meaning that Flood Season was already a level behind them).
The other two groups are both in the Bazaar (one of them having just encountered and been defeated by Kazmojen, the other still in Jzadirune), and seem to be on a similar path. There's just way too much XP in those dungeons to *not* have gained enough, especially for the type of players who are either "Leave no stone unturned, or we may be ambushed from behind" or "Leave no stone unturned, or we may miss some treasure".