The Shackled City AP is generally regarded as a very difficult campaign, and I've seen a lot of posters who say that they started at 2nd level, or with an introductory adventure, or something else along those lines to make sure the PCs were prepared for the difficulty. I just wanted to share what I'm doing, which I think has worked out very well
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The Burning Plague is a free adventure off the WOTC site. It's a fairly straightforward adventure with a couple of challenging combats that should get a group of 4-6 characters to just about 2nd level by the end. I tied this in by having the mines in the hills near Hollowsky. The mines are owned by Lord Ankhin Taskerhill, who was very happy when silver was recently discovered in the mines. Events proceed pretty much as detailed in the module, with the appearance of the plague and the disappearance of the miners.
Meanwhile, Adrick Garthun is trying to move in on Lord Taskerhill's business. He discovered Jakk, the wayward orc from the Torn Claw tribe that was destroyed 10 years ago. (I changed Jakk to worship Nerull) Playing on Jakk's desire for revenge, Adrick wrote the following note and had an agent disguised as a priest of Nerull deliver it to Jakk:
"Supplicant,
The Reaper has spoken to me, and through me, to you. Journey to the mines of Hollowsky, where the humans toil the stone and water seeps, and there spread the benediction of Nerull, so that His blessing can touch those who would deny His grace. Do this, and you do His work. <symbol of Nerull>"
I altered the plague so that, instead of being divinely inspired, it's simply the result of a few Contagion spells and a ready supply of rotting corpses, which Jakk has piled into the spring in the mines.
Faced with the difficulties at the mine, Lord Taskerhill's financier, Stefan Doverspeak (from The Burning Plague module) hires adventurers (the PCs) to fix things. The PCs journey to Hollowsky, being ambushed by 4 orcs along the way that wear tunics of the old Torn Claw clan. These are orcs that Jakk has recruited to reform his old tribe. Jakk's attempts to reform the tribe have been derailed by his new mission, however, and these are all he's managed to recruit. The ambush serves as foreshadowing for the encounter with Jakk.
After arriving at Hollowsky and gathering some information, the PCs journey to the mines to do their thing. While adventuring, however, Adrick moves in and offers to buy the mine from Lord Taskerhill at a steep discount. Faced with the disaster of the plague and disappearing miners, Lord Taskerhill agrees, and by the time the PCs return to Hollowsky, the mine's ownership has changed hands.
The adventure serves a couple of purposes:
- It gives the PCs some experience before starting the SCAP
- It introduces them to the region
- It introduces the PCs to some of the politics of Cauldron
- It sets up Adrick Garthun as a shady dealer and a possible supplier of the Last Laugh coins
- It creates a situation that could have further political ramifications down the line
Anyway, I just thought I'd share. My group right now has cleared out most of the kobolds in the mines, but hasn't returned to Hollowsky yet. If anyone has any other ideas, I'd love to hear them. Also, if anyone finds this useful, I'd like to hear that, too.
I started Shackled City with first level characters, and so far my players' characters have been at the right level and right amount of power for each adventure (they are currently just getting to 9th level). We did start with 5 characters in the party, and then went to 6, and then 7 for a short while before going back to 6 characters for most of the Path so far.
I started Shackled City with first level characters, and so far my players' characters have been at the right level and right amount of power for each adventure (they are currently just getting to 9th level). We did start with 5 characters in the party, and then went to 6, and then 7 for a short while before going back to 6 characters for most of the Path so far.
I debated just starting the party in the SCAP without an introductory adventure. However, I also have three players who have never played before. Given that, and the opinions of others on the difficulty of the campaign, I felt that my players could benefit from a small boost before the bloodshed really began. :)
I'm trying to come up with an intro adventure for the campaign, but I want the adventure to be entirely within the walls of cauldron with no dungeoncrawling. (But housecrawling is OK)
One of my disappointments of the campaign is that there wasn't enough urban adventure for a campaign that featured an urban setting.
I'm trying to fit an adventure that was intended for Waterdeep into Cauldron. It has the aunt and uncle of one of the PCs coming to the PC's family's house, terrified. Their building is haunted and they won't go back. The aunt is affected by some supernatural contagion, and begs the PC to please check out the building. Building contains a store on the first floor, the aunt & uncle's apartment on the second, and rental apartments on the third, fourth, and attic. PCs find no undead, but a couple of traps, evidence of breaking and entering, and a hidden alchemical mix that makes the building smell like a corpse.
Doing some more investigation (or guarding the house that night) leads the PCs to the bad guy, who flies into the building and looks like a glowing undead while casting nasty touch spells. The PCs have to go through his house, which is guarded by skelletons and thieves to confront him at the top. He will most likely get away since at this point he will fly out of the window when the PCs burst in, being a 5th level wizard. The PCs discover deeds to the house they are in and other properties that the bad guy "haunted", then purchased for a lot less than they are worth. (Potential bonus treasure for PCs if they are willing to forge his signature on the deeds and claim the properties, which is in itself a moral quandry).
Although I like this adventure, I want to include more Caulron NPCs and organizations into it so the PCs gets to interact with the city during the adventure. Right now, I'm not going to use it. Maybe the DMG, DMG II, and Races of Destiny has some potential plots for an urban environment.
I'm trying to come up with an intro adventure for the campaign, but I want the adventure to be entirely within the walls of cauldron with no dungeoncrawling. (But housecrawling is OK)
One of my disappointments of the campaign is that there wasn't enough urban adventure for a campaign that featured an urban setting.
I'm trying to fit an adventure that was intended for Waterdeep into Cauldron. It has the aunt and uncle of one of the PCs coming to the PC's family's house, terrified. Their building is haunted and they won't go back. The aunt is affected by some supernatural contagion, and begs the PC to please check out the building. Building contains a store on the first floor, the aunt & uncle's apartment on the second, and rental apartments on the third, fourth, and attic. PCs find no undead, but a couple of traps, evidence of breaking and entering, and a hidden alchemical mix that makes the building smell like a corpse.
Doing some more investigation (or guarding the house that night) leads the PCs to the bad guy, who flies into the building and looks like a glowing undead while casting nasty touch spells. The PCs have to go through his house, which is guarded by skelletons and thieves to confront him at the top. He will most likely get away since at this point he will fly out of the window when the PCs burst in, being a 5th level wizard. The PCs discover deeds to the house they are in and other properties that the bad guy "haunted", then purchased for a lot less than they are worth. (Potential bonus treasure for PCs if they are willing to forge his signature on the deeds and claim the properties, which is in itself a moral quandry).
Although I like this adventure, I want to include more Caulron NPCs and organizations into it so the PCs gets to interact with the city during the adventure. Right now, I'm not going to use it. Maybe the DMG, DMG II, and Races of Destiny has some potential plots for an urban environment.
Frank, what is the name of this FR Adventure that you described above? And was it from Dungeon? If so, which issue?
Thanks,
Olaf the Stout
I'm trying to come up with an intro adventure for the campaign, but I want the adventure to be entirely within the walls of cauldron with no dungeoncrawling. (But housecrawling is OK)
Although I like this adventure, I want to include more Caulron NPCs and organizations into it so the PCs gets to interact with the city during the adventure. Right now, I'm not going to use it. Maybe the DMG, DMG II, and Races of Destiny has some potential plots for an urban environment.
G'day Frank,
I have a few ideas for you if you are interested using a mystery/investigation rather than a series of battles. Great thread Schmoe by the way and nice little intro also.
Why not get Adrick (the LAst Laugh forger) involved as the main villian - perhaps he has a wizard ally and the whole 'haunting' is a facade.
Uncle and aunt could live next door to the operation completely unbeknownst to them and Adrick uses the skeletons as gaurds and deterents. Perhaps they glow because they have a special illusion cast on them that is transferable (aunts ailment.
In the basement Last Laugh members mint the coins.
The party is approached by their aunt who has contracted the strange disease and are fearful of their lives due to the ghosts in their home.
Perhaps investigation here reveals the mages familiar covered in the strange illusion and perhaps a secret door?
Other clues could include a small gold bar bearing the Taskerhill insigna (used to mint the coins), strange ash (Vortimax? the potion maker/alchemist reveals it to be a rare pipe weed sold at Zanders Provisions, the illusion taught by an elderly professor from Bluecrater acedemy to only his most gifted students and a waywood skeleton (six fingers, deformed skull etc) of a well known last laugh rogue and friend to the mage.
This type of side trek would be a great way to introduce Cauldron as a whole, important NPCs, future plots and evil organisations.
You could even have the party capture Adrick before the gaurd take him away for trial only to find out later that the arresting 'gaurd' were infact corrupt (Event One gaurds?) or disguised Last Laugh members.
Anyhow good luck I'm sure you will come up with something good - you usely do :)
Delvesdeep
Frank, what is the name of this FR Adventure that you described above? And was it from Dungeon? If so, which issue?
It probably was from a Dungeon magazine, back in the 2nd ed. days. What I have is the DM's adaptation notes, which I have converted to 3e because I liked it so much. I don't know the source, though.
I could e-mail you the adventure if you want.
Frank, what is the name of this FR Adventure that you described above? And was it from Dungeon? If so, which issue?It probably was from a Dungeon magazine, back in the 2nd ed. days. What I have is the DM's adaptation notes, which I have converted to 3e because I liked it so much. I don't know the source, though.
I could e-mail you the adventure if you want.
That would be appreciated if you could Frank. My e-mail address is ac (underscore) marafioti (at) hotmail (dot) com
Thanks,
Olaf the Stout