Hard to believe almost a year has gone by since The Whispering Cairn began the Age of Worms and soon we will learn what the third AP holds in store for us.
My group of players just started the adventure " A Gathering of Winds". In fact the last session ended with Illthane bursting forth from the ground issuing the players death sentences.
Where is everyone at in their AOW campaigns?
Mine are on their way to the Free City...the trap is already set. A player of mine as already been informed about being replaced by Dopplegangers. Fun times ahead
Finishing up A Gathering of Winds. All that's left is to get the Seal of Law and then enter the true tomb.
Just starting the second half of Hall of Harsh Reflections, rambling down to confront the re-named Zyrxog (sounded too gastrointestinal for me).
I haven't received 134 yet, so most of my anticipation is going towards Prince of Redhand. I intend to actually cook up a dinner party for the group.
Starting EaBK next week. Just finished up a little sideplot (The Murder of Smenk) last night. See Obituaries.
(Possible Spoiler Alert)
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I to look forward to the next AP as it will be one of my players turn to take the reins to DM the next path (no more headaches for me, LOL)
Currently the group has just defeated the ulgurstasta N'vesh-N'kar, uncovered the coin purse and have turned their sights to Thessalars keep(guided by the spirit in the bag).
Dont want to go into too much as I know some of my players take sneak peaks at the forums here.
Group consists of
Roscoe Thorngage - halfling(stout) arcane trickster
Slyne - halfling(ghostwise) druid/master of many forms
Marceon Marceon - human doomguide of Kelemvor
Nym - Elven (wild) monk
Earaviel - Elven (moon) bard/virtuoso
and a cohort of Slyne's
Stella - human sorceror
All party members have died at least once and some moreso than others. No TPK's as of yet but alot of close calls. I kind of expected alot more but I think the players were a bit more cautious during this AP as the shackled city AP ended after the third party through ended with a TPK in the 'Secret of the Soul Pillars' which ultimatly lead to me running the 'Age of Worms'
Kudos to all those working on these AP's. A true gift to the gaming community and to us DM's with little extra time on our hands.
Where is everyone at in their AOW campaigns?
Still trying to get momentum back after January (TPK + family death + my insomnia before session kinda screwed with stuff).
Anyways, my group has finished Theldrick's chapel in 3FoE, and will spend next Saturday's session going over the loot from the battle royale.
We are still stuck half way through the "Spire of Long Shadows." The mission tempo plus guys going home on leave has effectivly stalled the campaign since that issue came out. I wonder if we'll be able to finish it before we go back to the States. If not.... I see a few weekend marathon sessions in the not too distant future.
Just started Blackwall Keep last weekend..
We will do the second half of HoHR this week. With only three players and only play every other week it has been going kinda slow.
This Saturday my group will be descending the cliff in the temple of Bhaal (Erythnul). It's the last temple they need to clear out in 3FoE. Hopefully we can end the session just as they arrive at Criam Hold (Blackwall Keep) and see the 30 bullywugs (I switched out lizardfolk) arranged on the battlemat.
We're halfway through the caves of Erythnul in 3FoE. We play once a week and I am trying to complete one adventure per month.
We've got part of one session left in HoHR; they've killed Xyrzog but they haven't seen his laboratory yet, plus they plan to fight the Naga on the way out (they bribed their way in). We should have plenty of time to do downtime (craft items etc.) and intro the next adventure during that same session.
Starting 'Spire'; PCs just dealt with the (advanced)Devil cadre on the road to Magepoint-that got them so paranoid that some of them thought Tenser/ Maanzorian's absence was a setup...
Now having traded the Rod fragment and messed with the Fountain, they're ready to head into the Amedio...
My group has spent a few days in Greyhawk in the beginning stages of HoHR. The party rogue wasted no time in getting himself swapped out by a doppelganger. Finished the last session with the event at the Crooked House.
I'm running AoW for four of my kids - ages 15 thru 12. They aer mid-way through the Erythnul area in 3FoE. For some reason they chose that one first - even when they let one of the guards run back and warn the Hextor camp. That's going cost them later when they return to the main chamber....
<evil grin>
I don't think it's odd at all... it takes several months for the web enhancements to become available (and they are worth the wait). But given this lag time...I can't imagin someone starting the AP without a coupl'a months of 'Buffer'. I didn't actually even start the AoW 'til mid Feb. The Players have just (finally) completed WC and will be headed into the 3FoE on the 22nd of April (we've spent a lot of time in Diamond Lake). I'm runninng two large groups thru and it lookslike we'll take about 6 sessions per 'dungeon' and probably a session (or two) between each for down time and small side treks. This AP should get me THRU 2007 ;-)
I just wrapped this week's session with a Bozal cliffhanger. By the way, if you want to make your players nervous, double the number of spawn in the training area. Before that point, my players hadn't been too concerned by spawn. A couple of them had gotten worms on them, but had taken care of them before they started burrowing. It was quite a sight when the cleric/barb got three at once and didn't get a chance to get ANY of them before they started burrowing. On top of that the full cleric got paralyzed by the Morgh and then got worm-burrowed. They just managed to pull the last worms out as Bozal made his entrance. No one's too badly damaged, but they've already used up quite a bit of their firepower. Next week should be fun.
My party's still tramping around the Mistmarsh, right before finding the lizardfolk lair.
Where is everyone at in their AOW campaigns?
Finishing "Spire of Long Shadows"
Well, it's been about nine long months of battles, trudges through dungeons, arguments over rules, and dealing with all manner of powerful creatures; finally, we battle Dragotha.
My group was so excited to fight him that to set up the meeting with almost all of them, all I had to do was call each of them and say, "Dragotha. Showdown. Right now." They came running.
Yeah they're about halfway through with him. Possible spoilers.......
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By some sort of severe experience miscalculation, my players had an average party level of 21 when they reached the Tabernacle of Worms. So, to make up for this (I'm very cruel) I had Balakardes prediction come true: every guardian of the Tabernacle was in the Writhing Sanctum, because they were forewarned of the party's presence and motives by the ulgurstasta N'vesh-N'Kar. Yes, this includes about 10 avolakia, Mahuudril, Venk, Zyrith, and Dragotha himself. That's an encounter level of I think about 32....in hindsight, that was probably against the eighth amendment of the constitution (at least I think that's the cruel and unusual punishment one). Anyway, by some dang well thought out tactics, timely uses of the "delay death" spell, and a few lucky rolls, they've got Dragotha on his own. Still, a TPK is always a possibility nonetheless. ;')
My group just finished the Three Faces of Evil, and though they don't know it yet, will be heading to blackwall keep on saturday. playing every-other-week is slowing us way down, but it gives me some fun opportunities when it comes to adding my own material into the adventure path.
We've also had a slowdown or two, and now that we're hitting higher levels it takes a little while to finish each module up. My group is still in the "Spire", headed to take on the three Knights of Kyuss (replaced by wormforged, I think) and the Harbinger. Should be a blast; I've worked up a whole new set of prophecies for Eberron ;)
The intrepid heroes have battled their way through the Tabernacle of Worms. Very soon, the powerful force of chaos known as Tempest Verdigris will clash with the ancient evil of Dragotha (and Mahuudril, the only other survivor). Only one side will emerge victorious...the epic battle begins on Saturday!
Tempest Verdigris:
"Izzy," male rilkan incarnate 20 (Magic of Incarnum)
Laftilith, male elf fighter 10/tempest 5/champion of Corellon Larethian 5
Xylithzeric, male human wizard 7/alienist 2/fleshwarper 10
Ahliss, male orc (reincarnated aasimar) favored soul 8/divine oracle 10/incarnate 1
We wrapped up Blackwall Keep last week, and will begin on HoHR one week from today. We managed to finish Blackwall in only 2 sessions, and I hope to keep up the momentum, although I am sure to be disapointed.
My lunchtime rpg group just finished the Three Faces of Evil.
The home group just started Lords of Oblivion (Shackled City). A few more adventures to go before I start them on Whispering Cairn.
Hard to believe almost a year has gone by since The Whispering Cairn began the Age of Worms and soon we will learn what the third AP holds in store for us.
My group of players just started the adventure " A Gathering of Winds". In fact the last session ended with Illthane bursting forth from the ground issuing the players death sentences.
Where is everyone at in their AOW campaigns?
We're exactly at the same place your party is at!
- The group returned to Diamnod Lake and were shocked to see the devestation wrought upon it by Ilthane.
- They ran willy-nilly out to the Whispering Cairn and were ambushed by a very, very angry Ilthane (I advanced Ilthane to Mature Adult because my party consists of 7 members rather than the standard four).
- Ilthane's use of Darkness, Fog Cloud, Flyby Attack, and Power Attack soon had the group on its knees.
- The party is now holed up within the Whispering Cairn - Ilthane kicked their sorry arses. Because I advanced Ilthane to Mature Adult she is now Huge, meanig she can't get into the Cairn without a lot of digging.
- We ended the last session just as the last party member rounded the corner toward the portal to Icosiol's tomb with a stream of acid on their trail and Ilthane's taunts echoing behind them.
- The party, as you might imagine, is not happy.
The party just found lodgings in Greyhawk before heading to Eligos' place. They were clever enough to find out some info about Shukak (the lizardfolk king's) gladiator background and are already planning on investigating the Free City Arena to see who sponsored/managed Shukak back in the day... (A good question, actually. Wish I knew!) One of them already wants to enter the Champion's Games just to win the glory. Needless to say, I think they'll be pleased with where the story is headed.
And all this with the doppelgangers to deal with coming up. Can't wait!
My party has just finished A Gathering of Winds, and are eagerly awaiting their meeting with Tenser with the fragment of the rod of 7 parts in hand.
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Well, I am presently DMing "Red Hand of Doom" and as soon as this is finished, I will start the AoW! So, all the fun's ahead!!!
Anyway, what's really strange: Since the AoW's first installment, I have a hard time preparing my actual game, because it's just too cool to read and already start preparing AoW... I need to get it started...
My PCs have just found Lashonna's ledger in the Well of Tryptich knowledge and our next game will be Zeech's banquet.
My PC's are:
Human Cleric 14 of Tymora (and the only party member never to die)
Halfling Wizard 9/Warshaper 5 (reincarnated sun elf and an original PC)
Elan Psychic Warrior 14
Changeling Rogue/Thief Acrobat/Dungeon Delver in some combination to 14
Quite an interesting little team.
Made it through the last section of the 3FOE (the Vecna temple) last week, capped with a marathon session for the long battles with TFO and the Ebon Aspect. The party narrowly escaped alive. After some downtime and urban roleplaying in DL, the party set off for Blackwall Keep, and met with its first casualty. The party paladin fell during a night-time surprise attack at Shank's Rest. Allustan did not accompany them, and Smenk (who wants to still their tongues so they don't reveal his connection to the Ebon Triad cultists) sent Kullen's gang (advanced one level) to do them in. Fortunately, a high-ranking Hieronean clergyman's procession happened to be passing by the next morning, and the party were able to have the paladin raised in exchange for a big IOU on the party treasure. We finished the week with a triumph over the lizardfolk at Blackwall Keep (18 dead, 6 prisoners including the shaman, 8 fled), and will be picking up sometime in June with the party setting out into the Mistmarsh for (they hope) a prisoner exchange and a consultation with Hishka. (They interrogated the cowardly Shesht and found out quite a bit about the Twisted Branch and their recent problems with the Kyuss worms.
My group is resonable close to finishing the The Whispering Cairn. This Tuesday will be our 5th session.
Hehe, I just started running my group through Whispering Cairn. They just figured out the sarcophagus/elevator room at the end of session number 1. I expect 2 more sessions before they get their first sidetrack adventure, then its off to 3FoE.
My group of players just started the adventure " A Gathering of Winds". In fact the last session ended with Illthane bursting forth from the ground issuing the players death sentence.
Well, the Battle with Ilthane is over. The players confronted the dragon with not a sign of cowardice or common sense. Spells and steel won the day over talon and tooth. Most of the party was decimated by Ilthanes powerful attacks and one poor soul was crushed under the Dragon when his spells brought the Dragons wrath upon him.
With the party on the verge of defeat one lone Magebade (Arcana Evolved setting) with a few hit points to his name landed to the final death blow on Dragotha's servant and collapsed from exhaustion before he forced himself to his feet to administer healing salves to save his fallen comrades.
The party has begun exploring the tomb and when we last left off they had been washed away by the Blood river falling over the waterfall to in unknown fate.
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I had Balakarde,s prediction come true: every guardian of the Tabernacle was in the Writhing Sanctum. That's an encounter level of I think about 32. Anyway, by some dang well thought out tactics, timely uses of the "delay death" spell, and a few lucky rolls, they've got Dragotha on his own. Still, a TPK is always a possibility nonetheless. ;')
if they do survive, Kyuss won't be nearly as hard as he's supposed to be. ***SPOILERS*** I read that he'll effectively be CR 32, so you might try upping him to at least 35 or so. (This may also be against the 8th amendment)