I'm a little slow to read the latest Dungeon issues as my party continues to battle their way through these pesky mind-breaking shapeshifters, however I got to the Champion's Belt and the Free City Backdrop and had a couple thoughts.
Champion's Belt: I haven't read the ENTIRE adventure thus far, but the games appear to be totally team oriented. How is Auric THE champion? Wouldn't he share that glory with teammates. I plan on running not only a variation of the team championship games, but also to have an individual champion challenge.
And on that note, the arena holds 18,000 at capacity, and latest attendance figures show 10,000. Really? Time for Raknian to pick up and move to Green Bay or St. Louis! I mean its only the largest city on Oerth and this is for our purposes the Super Bowl. This is a fantasy world where people can fashion stone with the wave of a hand: why are they playing in the 18,000 seat Las Vegas' Thomas and Mack center instead of a 66,000+ seat stadium like Soldier Field? This event should be sold out - standing room only - and getting tickets to this thing is like the Super Bowl. It could very well be the biggest annual economic event on the planet. And it will be in my game.
I am going to include more teams (thus more managers) in the tournament and the games will span a greater amount of time. I think I will even have "play in" games - something akin to a quilification; there are too many losers out there who think they got what it takes.
That said, while I haven't read the entire adventure, I can't wait to run this adventure. It is well written; in fact, there are so many details in it such as Raknian's back story, it is sad that as a DM, I may never get to show the falling from grace ala Anakin Skywalker. Because of my party composition and the type of players I have, its not to far of a stretch to say that this will be the most anticipated single module ever played from a Dungeon magazine. I just hope I can pull it off in a manner befitting a champion.
Free City Backdrop: Another well written article, and I expect no less from Richard Pett. The many potential adventure hooks are especially welcome to a DM like me who likes to throw out many opportunities for adventure, but the icing on the cake are the tiny details that he adds, some that may go unnoticed by others (e.g. the Drarven gardner who talks slowly as the plants "have all the time in the world to listen".
Thumbs up on this issue!
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That thread should have some good info for you, IGR.
I understand your puzzlement over the poor turnout for the Champions Games. Some thoughts I've had:
There are numerous games/events/leagues that take place at the Free City Arena. There must be, otherwise why the arena? The quality of the Champions Games of the past have not been as good as other events. Thus, a low level Auric is the Champion two-years running. The populace has kept away from the games until the very end when they hear these Games are on par with other events. I like your real-world analogies, here's another. Consider the Arizona Cardinals. Hundreds of thousands of people live in the Valley of the Sun, by why pay good money for a cruddy product? Even in '98 when they made the playoffs, they only filled the stadium for two home games. The Champions' Games reads like a spin-off tournament; Raknian earned his fame in the "big leagues", his event is "small potatoes" for aspiring champions. Mostly it's a vehicle for wagering and the exchange of vast sums of coin for a minimum of investment.
So I would keep the "small potatoes" nature of the tournement intact. I'd even have NPC gladiators from the "big leagues" talking smack about the wannabe-gladiators of the Champions Games. This will make the PCs "convenient" entry not seem so far-fetched. Another real-world analogy: the NFL isn't going to let a last minute entry from Los Angeles into the NFL (and boy, do they want a team in LA) but the Pacific Semi-Professional Football League will let anyone in if they have the $$$, regardless of whether they're from LA, Sacramento, or Weed. The PCs are from Weed. ::smirk::
So why doesn't Raknian wait to hatch his plan on one of the big leagues? He's not running the show for those events. The Oligarchy steps in and has more control. His plan would be discovered most likely. So he plays it conservatively and goes for the "small potatoes" and also to get revenge against Auric.
There are numerous games/events/leagues that take place at the Free City Arena. There must be, otherwise why the arena?
You make some interesting points, Rexx, and none that I would argue with, except that I haven't read (that I remember) anything that indicates other more important games going on - although as you mention the arena could be used for a variety of purposes.
Still, with the power, adoration, and respect that Loris has garnered from all of the Free City through the supposed success of his games, that would indicate that his games are extremely important. As an example, who is the commissioner of the Arena Football League? We all know who Paul Tagliabue is....
I don't think I can undercut Loris' games by telling my players that this is the minor leagues - it wouldn't motivate them and in my opinion doesn't agree with other story details. Instead I'll just make the changes to the attendance and interest levels.
I understand your puzzlement over the poor turnout for the Champions Games. Some thoughts I've had:There are numerous games/events/leagues that take place at the Free City Arena. There must be, otherwise why the arena?
I had a few ideas for my future AoW Campaign, and one of these involves the history of the Arena itself. The arena wasn't build for the current entertainment market in the free city. It was built for the market at the time of its construction, which may have been much greater. In my game, the building is an old, old structure, and reflects a past of both great economic proserity and dark entertainment.
Over a long enough period of time, the structure would have been filled to capacity, closed down, repoened, changed ownership, etc. many times. Seriously, if the current owner has to beat down some encroaching ghouls, etc. in the depths of his own structure, then I think that this is a reflection of a stadium that is a shadow of its former self.
Also, once I learn a little more about Kyuss's past history as a mortal via future installment, I may decide to include him in the originial contruction of the arena, in some darker age there was a more manevolent pulse to the city's populace.
Adding Kyuss to the aren'as ancient history may also serve to tie everything together - explaining why the champion's sacrifice holds so much power in the arena, add some weight to Raknian's seduciton to the machinations of Kyuss' followers.
Just my two cents.
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Still, with the power, adoration, and respect that Loris has garnered from all of the Free City through the supposed success of his games, that would indicate that his games are extremely important. As an example, who is the commissioner of the Arena Football League? We all know who Paul Tagliabue is....
Sure, after 20+ years, we all know who Paul Tagliabue is. When he took over for Rozelle, we didn't have a clue.
If the commissioner of the Arena League were Joe Montana, I think we'd know. Would Joe's signature put more people in the stands? Most likely not as the product is still "inferior" to the norm. Plenty of famous people have tried their hand at minor-league ownership/management figuring their name would be enough to sell tickets. For the most part, it never worked out well, in so far one league (CBA) nearly died because of a big name (Isaah Thomas). Granted, Loris' name-worthiness is much more than Isaah's. Still, if Loris = Michael Jordan, I doubt a Jordan-run league would be selling out if the product doesn't hold up to the consumer's expectations.
Chris brings up outstanding points and the adventure mentions enough to back up his assumptions. The lower levels were designed for the original arena specifications which have subsequently been expanded. So the Arena's origin is certainly based on established events that predate the Champions Games and likely are much more prestigious. The Adventure Begins alludes to events that are current; I'll check my Living Greyhawk Journal that detailed that portion of the Clerk's Ward, I bet there's some tidbits too.
Having the Champions Game being the pinnacle of the Arena's events is perfectly logical as well. Especially if you have it paired up with a Festival period. Mine will be tied with the Vernal Festival (name escapes me here at work) with the Summer Festival's events being more prestigious. That's where I'm coming from in my logic.
Have fun with the scenario. It was fun to read and will be fun to run. Post details here as you get there!
Good points....
We'll probably spend between 4-8 sessions in this module; I'm figuring 4 of them above ground fighting for glory, and 4 of them underground fighing for revenge.
It should be great!
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Gleaned from the pages of Living Greyhawk Journal #5 and the article “Gem of the Flanaess: Clerkburg” by Erik Mona and Denis Tetreault. I post this only in the interest of sharing information that may be hard to come by for some.
C12: Free City Arena
Oeridians have been obsessed with bloodsport since before the migrations, and a common truism throughout the Flanaess hold that one can determine the influence of Oeridians upon a given city by measuring the size and resplendence of its coliseum. Originally built during the reign of Ponjes the Bull, when Greyhawk was considered a de facto outpost of the Great Kingdom, Greyhawk’s once impressive arena was allowed to degenerate throughout the years, as the city swelled with autonomy and individualism. In ruins by the time of the infamous Zagig Yragerne came to power, that worthy figure made improving the arena a crucial part of his early agenda. “We can still ignore the arrogance of the Overkings,” he once said, “without ignoring the fact that it’s amusing to watch two gladiators kill each other for the adoration of a loving public.”
Zagig employed a cadre of architectural virtuosos to craft one of the most spectacular arenas in modern times. After Zagig’s disappearance, the Directing Oligarchy forbade lethal combat in the arena, preferring to focus on athletic competitions between the city’s many colleges (the brutal sport of jumps remains popular, no doubt in part because its players occasionally manage to suffer lethal injuries on the field). Last year ((590 CY)), Mayor Gasgal reinstated lethal combat in the arena as a means to deal with the overcrowding in the city’s workhouses ((Raknian’s origins perhaps?)). Hardened criminals are now given the opportunity to do battle against imported creatures or each other at biweekly day-long festivals of violence. The irony that vicious criminals now rank among some of Greyhawk’s most popular residents is not lost upon the cynical inhabitants of the city.
In addition to sport and gladiatorial combat, the Free City Arena sees action as a home to militia and city watch drills, countless open air performances, musical concerts, and holiday celebrations. At least once a year, guild wizards seal the field’s two entrances with walls of force and flood the playing field allowing for simulated naval battles that draw observers from as far as Nyrond.
Subsequent information is trumped by the details in The Champions Belt.
I've done some more reading in this module (and I'm STILL not done reading it yet!) and have had another couple thought:
The TRAPS in this module are awesome, but deadly! The party better have a good rouge or they better have a few body-bags in their inventory.
Problem: I'm not sure how I am going to get my party to find the "secret level" that is obviously critical to this module. The only paths to it are very inconspicous and likely will be avoided or not considered a potential route.
Problem: I'm not sure how I am going to get my party to find the "secret level" that is obviously critical to this module. The only paths to it are very inconspicous and likely will be avoided or not considered a potential route.
I had this same thought.
In my game Bozal will have a fungal disease growing between the cracks of his hooves, which are very sensititve to water. He had to use the wretched water tunnel himself a couple of times, running a few errands to gain last minute supplies. They were at times when using Rakenain's palace as an exit was not a good idea.
I am planning on placing a small chest in area 20 that contains a couple pairs of oddly shaped rubber boots and some thicker, oil-treated trousers. They will belong to Bozal, and give the PCs a clue that there is something beyond the cavern along the stream.
Thats a GREAT idea!
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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The Champions Games is meant to be just one of probably a dozen or so major events at the Free City Arena each year. As impressive as it might be to watch teams of gladiators fight each other, it's even more impressive to see armadas fighting each other when the field has been flooded. That might explain the low attendance, but of course if you want more fans there it's really easy to make that change.
--Erik
The Champions Games is Triple-A ball. Everyone knows that the Challenge of Champions is the Big Leagues.;-)
I guess that makes the "Dirty Faced Killers" (my PCs) the equivalent to our Las Vegas Area 51's; its pro baseball, but only barely!
The TRAPS in this module are awesome, but deadly! The party better have a good rouge or they better have a few body-bags in their inventory.
Yes, we wouldn't want to be caught without our make-up when facing deadly traps. Nosiree. We have to look good or else we'll never survive!
:D
I was pretty sure that it stated the final battle between the PC's and Auric's group had the highest attendance which makes sense. When the average commoner only has so many cp's to rub together you have to make those gold orbs count, so why not see the best battle of the week if that's all you can afford?
Also if the Urgulasta hasn't made an appearance yet, then there is the possibility of 18,000 wights running around at maximum attendance. :)