Sorry Pming, I did not take the deaths of your campaign into account : information are too vague.What happened to your campaign that the death toll is so high ?!?
No problem...too many deaths to remember, really. ;)
I believe the death rate is so high because our DM doesn't pull punches, almost never adjusts encounters (sometimes he'll adjust it *down* in strength...sometimes), and never 'tweaks' rolls.
If 3.5e is played that way...especially these AP's...you will have a LOT of death. I guarantee that. Including me, we have 5 players. Our current group consists of a sorcerer (focused on fire-type spells), a rogue, a paladin, a wizard/rogue, and a favored soul (was a warforged 'charging-focused class' I can't remember; but he died in a fight with Xatzalaha's(?) avatar....[yeah, *that* was a fair encounter! :rolleyes: ).
As a matter of fact, in that last encounter, with the 'avatar of an evil bat god', our DM did do something uncharacteristic; he let us live by having the avatar let us give back the 'gifts'. I'm sorry, but there is no way in hell that that creature sould be in that adventure! It's EVIL to the core, and a supernatural evil to boot...any group that has a paladin, LG cleric, or other "fanatically devoted follower of Good" in it would be remiss if they didn't try and banish it. I have no idea what JJ was thinking there... That encounter has TPK written all over it, in big, bright, flashing neon letters.
Tides Of Dread...
Via Dance of Ruin-
Mazetelan- human Duskblade
Human Mystic Theurge (who's name escapes me)
Against Venthrus
The cleric and Thief from the Jade Ravens
and... GOODBYE FARSHORE! Thats right the town is gone, eaten by the savage tide! now the pcs will need to survive a zombie movie- I am so excited.
Tides Of Dread...
Via Dance of Ruin-
Mazetelan- human Duskblade
Human Mystic Theurge (who's name escapes me)Against Venthrus
The cleric and Thief from the Jade Ravens
and... GOODBYE FARSHORE! Thats right the town is gone, eaten by the savage tide! now the pcs will need to survive a zombie movie- I am so excited.
Now that's what I've been waiting to hear! Cool!
Bullywug Gambit
Savage Pirate
Seb - Shifter Scout 3rd level
During the second meeting with some savage beasts (mine are more akin to 28days later RAGE victims), the poor old shifter decides to hail tail ir away from the enrushing maniac with frenzy in his eyes.
Sadly he outpaces the party with his longstrider and scout improved movement, while the savage pirate pursues him down the beach.
The rest of the party seeing the futility of chasing decide to gang up and hammer the other savage pirate, only to turn as Seb decides he's had enough running and see him hacked down shortly afterwards.
They run as fast as there little legs can carry them, which in the cases of the dwarf and warforged isn't very fast. Only to find the brutally hacked renmains of the shifter, they soon claim vengeance upon the foul pirate that did this.
The fear has set in and now they are moving with terror and defeat in there hearts!
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Brand new update of obituaries' thread :
- 1st adventure (TINH) : 52 PCs / 9 NPCs-familiars-animals
- 2nd adventure (TBG) : 32 PCs
- sidetrek before 3rd adventure : 3 PCs
- 3rd adventure (SWW) : 45 PCs / 16 NPCs-familiars-animals (thanks to many kills by the blue slaad in DMfromplanetX's campaign)
- 4th adventure (HTBM) : 23 PCs / 8 NPCs-familiars-animals (not counting Avner's horse)
- 5th adventure (ToD) : 5 PCs / 2 NPCs (Steve, it's increasing !)
- 6th adventure (TLD) : 2 PCs
- sidetrek before 7th adventure : 1 PC
- 7th adventure (CoBI) : 1 PC
So far, the 3 first adventures have killed more than 150 PCs, NPCs, familiars and animal companions...
Here are a few more. I've never posted in this thread, so here are all the deaths we've had.
1st adventure: TPK (7 PCs)
1st adventure: 2 deaths under Parrot Island (2 PCs)
2nd adventure: 1 death by Ripclaw in Kraken's Cover (1 PC)
2nd adventure: 2 deaths by the Bullywug Chief in Lavinia's basement (2 PCs)
3rd adventure: 2 deaths by character diving into the water to fight the Flotsam Ooze (2 PCs)
4th adventure: 1 death by a charging Olangru (1 PC)
4th adventure: 1 death by a squeezing Lemorian Golem (1 PC)
Total of 16 PC deaths.
Oh My Slashing Savage claws in the caves of the Kraken.
Adventure; Bullywugs Gambit
Catalyst; Ripclaw
PC's; Anvil Warforged Fighter, Zeptha Silvertalon Shifter Druid
Both PC's met an untimely end to the Claws and frenzied bites of the deranged Ripclaw, who had cunningly stalked them as they edged around the hall of hanging silks.
Just as they where leaving, the ambush begun and the blood flowed.
Anvil managed to survive 3 rounds of brutal Ripclaw full attack, with his adamantine body, buying the party the time they needed to fell the foul creature!
Ripclaw also took the Dwarf Artificier, Half-Orc fighter down to minuses and only the half-elf swashbuckler managed to stay conscious, with an amazing 2hp's.
Savage Creature indeed.
Character: Reshk, Hadrozee Rogue 2.
Adventure: There is no Honour
Location: The smugglers tunnels
Catalyst: A crtical hit from a zombie's bite.
The party's two warriors were holding the tunnel against a trio of zombies while Reshk was hanging back and ineffectively tossing daggers at the foul undead. Suddenly another one entered from the other direction forcing Reshk to turn and go into melee. He wasn't fighting it off overly well with his cutlass and had taken a hit. Then the zombie really got hold of him and scored a critical hit sinking its teeth into Reshk's throat- brining him to -9. On the next round the zombie feated on him and finished him off.
Forgot to add this one.
Character Name: Markos the Black, fighter/bard/swashbuckler or something or other?
Adventure: Here There Be Monsters
Location: Dark Mountain Pass, room 6
Catalyst: The black pudding (or "tar baby" as I've decided to now call them) in the pool of murky water
Descrption: Markos had great luck in the pool of "clear" water in the first room on the other side of the chasm. He found a cool do-nothing, non-magical red stone rod. He saw another pool of water and I guess he thought if he went for another swim he'd find more equally "cool" stuff down at the bottom. When he approached, the black pudding, aka "tar baby", made it's presence known. Unfortunately, it beat Markos on Initiative in the surprise round. Doubly unfortunate, Sarena beat the "tar baby" on initiative and not knowing any better, fired a crossbow bolt at it causing it to split into two tar babies. Their turn: critical hit, normal hit, successful grapple, auto constrict damage, and by the end of the round Markos and everything he was carrying was dissolved.
Mark one for the Mother of All.
Module: Sea Wyvern's Wake
PC: Althe, the whisper gnome rogue, more commonly called "that creepy gnome".
Catalyst: Small rogue meets big Momma. Bye bye creepy gnome.
Just signed in so that I could post up my group's deaths to the ST grand total...
1.
PC: Some wizard whose name I can't remember...Wiz1
Adventure: There Is No Honour
Location: The Parrot Island tunnels
Catalyst: Zombies, and failing to know the inherent spellcaster principle of survival.
Description: My player who was using a wizard was getting bored at not really contributing anything to the party so decided to remedy it when confronted with a gang of zombies in the darkened tunnels of Parrot Island. This involved moving in to attack the nearest zombie, which led to grapples being failed, and munchy death.
2.
PC: Another wizard who didn't have a name yet...Wiz4
Adventure: The Bullywug Gambit
Location: The Vandoboren Mansion
Catalyst: Significant lack of luck
Description: A different player had just created a new wizard, changing from his Psychic Warrior. After battling through the stilt-walkers (knocking some from bridges) the group arrived at the manor, to deal with it's invaders. The entered through the side door and promptly came across the cigar smoking barbarian lounging on a dining table in front of them. One of her minions threw his hand-axe, scoring a crit on the wizard. The wizard moved in to cast a Scorching Ray on the barbarian, as she eyed his arcane gestures. Unfortunately the mage failed his 5% failure chance. In response the bullywug raged, swallowed her cigar, charged and critically hit the wizard, cleaving him from shoulder to groin in one fell strike.
PS. The battle against Drevoras and the cleric went so poorly the group had to retreat (after saving Lavinia) and barricade themselves in the family shrine. Could have easily been a TPK, but I have some sense of mercy, and when they opened the door they found a deserted and looted mansion.
3.
PC: The Rev, Cler5
Adventure: The Sea Wyvern's Wake
Location: The Sea Wyvern
Catalyst: Flotsam Ooze, stick to it and you die...
Description: The party was woken up in the night by a tremendous weight bearing down on the side of the ship. They crowded over and The Rev decided to look overboard to see what it was. Unfortunately what was revealed to be a gigantic sticky blob attacked him and pulled him overboard on to it. Despite it missing him twice in one attack round, the inevitable occurred and The Rev was no more.
4.
PC: The Priest, Cler5
Adventure: The Sea Wyvern's Wake
Location: The Tranquil Lagoon of Hydra Death
Catalyst: Not what you'd expect...
Description: The party set out on a little rowing boat to gather water from a fresh waterfall as a small group of passengers swam around, having fun. But in a Jaws-esque twist, the passengers started getting dragged underwater in great plumes of blood. One or two managed to swim back to the ship and escape, but it left the PCs alone on their boat. Then something rocked the boat, as the hydra burst from the tranquil waters in a spray of crimson water and screeching heads. All but The Priest made their low Reflex saves to stay in the boat, and so The Priest, weighed down in his heavy armour sank like a stone, and by the time the hydra was sinking back down in pieces, it was too late to save The Priest...
PS. I downgraded the hydra here, and didn't give it re-growing heads, and I had it spread it's attacks around equally, but the party still had tremendous trouble with it. BTW The will o-wisp in Tamoachan nearly got a TPK, and would have if it hadn't decided to secure their aid instead of just killing them...I'm merciful and I called it off.
5.
PC: Borgon, Rog2 Rang4 (I think...)
Adventure: The Sea Wyvern's Wake
Location: Journey's End
Catalyst: Questionable decisions
Description: As the group traversed the sargasso towards the centre of the island, night fell and the mists drew in. The sounds of Weed Horrors came from all around them, and the monsters emerged to fight the party. The party's support character, frequently berated for being useless decided that the best way to deal with Weed Horrors was to run away, into the fog-shrouded distance, surrounded by more Weed Horrors. Weak character + Self-Imposed Isolation = Death.
PS. The next character he made, Liger, a Druid studying the sargasso weed and who soon came across the party, had an animal companion that didn't last very long at all. His wolf got chowed down by a masher about a session later.
6.
PC: Goldd Monk/Paladin (Cant remember the numbers)
Adventure: Here There Be Monsters
Location: The tail-end of Dark Mountain Pass
Catalyst: Character Rebuilding Suicide
Description: By this point his player wanted to create a utility mage, and so the old character had to be gotten rid of somehow. I generally frown upon this and don't allow it, but I liked these monsters. The heroic hero of Goldd elected to charge straight ahead to combat the large monstrous crabs on his lonesome. It started out well, but eventually he was grappled by all of them, and the damage took its toll. Sated, the crabs left the rest of the party alone as they crunched away at their canned snack.
So in summary:
TINH: 1
TBG: 1
TSWW: 3 and 1 animal companion
HTBM: 1 (but the party has just entered The Shrine of Demogorgon, so we'll see how it turns out.)
This makes only one player in my party free from character death, as his unstoppable Barb/Fren/Bers rages/frenzies/berserks onwards.
This campaign is turning out great so far, we started late September, and I'd love to see this story reach fruition in the end. It's great to DM, and I hope that future adventures and paths match this high standard set.
Mark one for the Mother of All.
Module: Sea Wyvern's Wake
PC: Althe, the whisper gnome rogue, more commonly called "that creepy gnome".
Catalyst: Small rogue meets big Momma. Bye bye creepy gnome.
I'm going to chalk my mistakes on reporting to the fact it was three in the morning. That death happened two weeks ago and this one last Sunday.
PC: Queen Quong, the dire ape animal companion.
Adventure: Here There Be Monsters
Location of Death: The Ruins with the Olman Zombie.
Catalyst: Quong and Queequeg, her halfling druid buddy, taunted Olangru into killing the ape.
But, thanks to a house rule of DMs being merciful to their players, the ape came back after being dropped to -13 hp. And it was Quong's first outing, so I couldn't just let her be killed.
PC: Tranpor, Human Wizard6
Adventure: Sea Wyvern's Wake
Location of Death: His recently vacated cabin aboard the Sea Wyvern
Catalyst: His lust and Rowyn's vengence
Long Description:
Tranpor was relieved to find that he wouldn't have to share his cabin when sleeping anymore, with Amella sent aboard Purity's Prow to captain her, and his other bunkmates on another watch. He'd successfully pursued a romance with Liamae of the Jade Ravens and split his time flying between the Sea Wyvern and the Blue Nixie to spend time with her. On an off night, 6 weeks into the voyage, Rowyn visits Tranpor disguised as Liamae for Seduction #2(which took place before #1 due to a player absence). She quietly entered Tranpor's cabin. Tranpor barely made his Will save to recognize that it's a disguise of some kind, but before he could say anything the mystery woman motioned for him to be silent, with a come-hither look in her eyes. No worries, he was willing to go along with it, not questioning at all the presence of someone masqerading as his lover. She began dancing for him. Non-challant, he allowed her to dance long enough to cast her Hold Person spell. He failed his second Will save and to his stupification (not horror), he couldn't move. Rowyn/Liamae calmly pulled a wand from behind her back, morphed it into a rapier, and regarded the still-not-panicked wizard. A little unsettled by his apparent lack of concern, she deemed it better to finish him quickly instead of gloating. With a flick, she impaled the rapier through his throat and pulled it to the side. 18hp gone. He didn't die immediately from damage, but couldn't manage the nat20 for the DC28Fort save to stay alive. As the light left his eyes, he still didn't quite understand what had just happened to him. Perhaps Wee Jas will have answers for him.
I don't know if this is really appropriate or not, but I couldn't let it go by...
Savage Tide Obituary for... Savage Tide
PC: Dungeon Magazine
Adventure: Savage Tide Adventure Path
Location of Death: Renton, WA
Catalyst: WotC pulls the license for Dungeon out from under Paizo
I don't know if this is really appropriate or not, but I couldn't let it go by...
Savage Tide Obituary for... Savage Tide
PC: Dungeon Magazine
Adventure: Savage Tide Adventure Path
Location of Death: Renton, WA
Catalyst: WotC pulls the license for Dungeon out from under Paizo
You beat me to the punchline.
Premature... Premature...
There are still 3 issues of Dungeon to go and the Savage Tide will indeed reach the end of its lifespan with issue #150 at which time the "plug" officially gets pulled. Sadly Dungeon magazine has reached the end of its own lifespan as we know it. A sadly amusing post, though :|
So far, the 3 first adventures have killed more than 150 PCs, NPCs, familiars and animal companions...
That sounds about right. Low level adventures claim more young lives, it the way of things.
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I have not taken into account the sad news about Dungeon and Dragon 's death...
Brand new update of obituaries' thread :
- 1st adventure (TINH) : 63 PCs / 9 NPCs-familiars-animals
- 2nd adventure (TBG) : 38 PCs
- sidetrek before 3rd adventure : 3 PCs
- 3rd adventure (SWW) : 52 PCs / 17 NPCs-familiars-animals (thanks to many kills by the blue slaad in DMfromplanetX's campaign)
- 4th adventure (HTBM) : 27 PCs / 9 NPCs-familiars-animals (not counting Avner's horse)
- 5th adventure (ToD) : 7 PCs / 2 NPCs-familiars-animals
- 6th adventure (TLD) : 2 PCs / 1 NPC-familiar-animal
- sidetrek before 7th adventure : 1 PC
- 7th adventure (CoBI) : 1 PC
PC: shado, warforged ninja 3
Adventure: bullywug gambit
Location of Death: kraken cove
Catalyst: ripclaw being sneaky
the story is simple party was looking for a way out in the room of hanging silks and shado got jumped by ripclaw all attaks hit and massive damge later shado was no more. sad day for the crew it were.
Well, my obit. list seems kind of tame compared to some others now.
The intial T-Rex encounter after the wreck killed the barbarian in my party. After swallowing him TWICE hehe.
He cut himself out once and managed to get swallowed again.
He was not amused.
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The Bullywug Gambit
Kraken's Cove
Ripclaw
Duncan Sharlysse, Human Ranger 5, Excoriate of House Orien
Our party artificer was examining the books in the hall of hanging silks. Ripclaw manages to sneak right behind him, when the artificer turns around. Had a very Jurassic Park moment, with the dinosaur and him blinking at each other for a couple of seconds, before both screaming. In an attempt to save the artificer, Duncan jumps in front of him, and takes two max damage critical talon swipes to the face and chest. We luckily managed to force a healing potion down his throat at the last second, but it was a close thing.
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From the Bullywug Gambit:
1. Lucas Bish, Human cleric of Lathander. Died fighting a swarm of Shadow creatures in Kraken's cove.
From the Sea Wyvern's wake:
1. Remal Kang, Gnome sorceror/monk. Died fighting the mother of all.
2. Sarna Seaweaver, Asimaar rogue/swashbuckler. Died in same battle with mother of all.
Chock up another kill for Ripclaw. He was in melee with the party's goliath fighter. The party druid cast a spell that granted the the fighter the 'diehard' feat (I don't rememeber the name of the spell) rather than heal him, and this caused his undoing. Ripclaw disemboweled him the next round, since the fighter didn't go down when he went into negatives he instantly died when critted with a talon.
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another death for our party
Name: Torrin
Class: Ranger/Fighter/Dervish
Lvl: 10
When: After Tides of Dread, hunting down the legendary monsters of the Isle.
Catalyst: Advanced Dragon Eel, low HP, and dropping his animated tower shield.
The party has saved farshore, and they set out to get some of the legendary 7 before heading back to Sasserine for some R&R and shopping.
The dragon eel charges the ship, misses the ranger. Next round, he whacks his towershield away (tried to sunder, failed, dervish dropped it next action)
2 rounds later, poor Torrin gets eaten and swallowed whole, ending up at -20 or so and inside a big eel.
he's been replaced by a dwarven Warblade with many many many more HP.
Just had another one Saturday.
PC: Kip the Disgraced (Kobold Dragon Shaman 9)
Adventure: Tides of Dread
Location: The Tar Pits
Catalyst: Trying to remove the large T-Rex from killing people who needed tar
The kobold was in the T-Rex' threatened area. The monk moved in, provoking an AoO, and hit. On Kip's turn, he used his breath weapon and then moved out of the threatened area. I told him "the T-rex takes an attack of opportunity on you" to which the player replied, "but he took his AoO on the monk." I said, "I know. Now he's one taking on you." Everyone at the table muttered "Combat Reflexes" and the t-rex bit and grabbed the kobold. On its next turn, t-rex swallowed Kip (we verified that "swallow whole" does additional bite damage). The cleric cast Close Wounds on Kip immediately before the t-rex swallowed him, knowing he was extremely hurt and hoping it would help.
The sorcerer and the cleric then tried to Dimension Door into the t-rexes stomach which didn't work because it was full, so they go shunted out. The cleric then went in by herself just in time to see Kip succumb to the workings of a t-rexes gizzard.
I realize that with PCs low hit points in early adventures they can be quite deadly, but I think a lot of the death toll stats just reflects that fewer people have made it to the later adventures. In my campaign we are only just about to start the second adventure. And in the end who knows what percentage of gaming groups that start the campaign will actually see it through to the finish. I find that most campaigns fizzle out before they can ever make it all the way from 1st to 20th level. I'm sure STAP will be no different, despite the best intentions of dms and players to see it through to the end.
That sounds about right. Low level adventures claim more young lives, it the way of things.
So far, the 3 first adventures have killed more than 150 PCs, NPCs, familiars and animal companions...
A phanaton? cool! none of my players took me up on the offer of phanatons even though it was one of the few monster races I allowed.
Character: Ancelynn, CG female human duskblade 13
Adventure: CoBI
Location: Taboo Temple
Catalyst: Too many acolytes, throwing too many fireballs.
After forcing Xerkamet to flee, the party bypassed the Symbol of Death and entered Taboo Temple, and found themselves in a nest of Skinwalkers. The common grunts were largely ineffective, useful more for bottlenecking the entranceway. The Acolytes, and their Rods of Lesser Empower and fireball spells really took their toll. By the time Chief Achcauhtli, the two Acolytes, and the 12 Skinwalkers all lay dead, the party's bard was at -8 and stable, and the duskblade was at -12 and dead (it was the acolyte's last fireball that dropped both of them, the rest of the party was barely standing, too.). Fortunately, amongst the supplies purchased by the party before setting off for the mesa were three scrolls of Raise Dead. Only two left...
PC: Kratos,longstride shifter,bab 4
Adventure: bullywug gambit
Location of Death: the vanderborn manor
Catalyst: exchangeing blows with drevoraz
the group had made it to the master bedroom after haveing cleared every other room in the manor. they charged in and proceeded to clear the room with ease really, untill kratos frenzyed and went one on one with drevoraz with only 15 HP. he got 2 good hits in bringing drevoraz down to 7 however after ding hit and crited by drevoraz the frenzyed shifter was lost to the world at -12 HP. drevoraz was soon after disembowled by an angry drawf who delt 32 points to him.the fight ended that round all to late to help kratos.
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Character Name: Mika, Ranger 4
Adventure: Bullywug Gambit
Location: Vanderboren Manor, general melee with Chief Lorpth and the boys.
Catalyst: Taking on the manor with only two PCs, one of whom was fatigued.
Description: Mika and the party Rogue/Wizard approached the mansion stealthily, hoping they'd beat Drevoraz to Sasserine so they could setup some kind of ambush against the attack that they knew was coming. Unfortunately, they ended up fighting most of the Bullywug tribe themselves. Chief Lorpth administered the killing blow with his greatclub, taking Mika to -7. Her friend Lissa ran all the way back to Mika's ship for help. Mika bled out. It's never a pretty game session when you knock off your wife's character!
On return, the party Monk/Druid invoked the Earth Elementel Gem inside the manor, causing much structural damage, but turning the tide of a battle that was almost a TPK. Lavinia is footing the bill for Raise Dead, so Mika will sail again!
It's never a pretty game session when you knock off your wife's character!
QFT! They have ways of showing their displeasure outside of the game. And boy does it suck!
Adventure: Lightless Depths
Deaths: Michael Fiendfoe, Human Ranger 3/Fighter3/Rogue 3(Cohort) Darius (Dragonborn Dragonshaman 11), August Simons IV (Factotem 11)
Cause of Death: Devourer and then the thing that should not be, the Neh-Thelggu Scion.
Being a party of Lawful/Neutral Good demon killers, merely seeing the Devourer in Golismorga brought feelings of revulsion and an inclination to attack, despite the monster's diplomatic overtones. Melee ensued, and poor Michael Fiendfoe was devoured. The beast was defeated, and the main PCs decided to continue on to Tlaloc's crater.
It was there that true death reared it's head. The uber-buffed brain collector used its horrific speed and damage output to put us on the ropes. Its brain-absorbtion abilites proved horrific as it unleashed vampiric touch after touch with nearly each bite. Darius (who had yet to be slain the entire path) was smitten by confusion and rolled the least advantagoeus percentage roll each time, causing him to attacks allies and flee when the monster closed. August got slain by melee attacks from Darius coupled with the Collector's flying charge/ Vamp touch combo. My wizard Skelthane delievered the killing blow with nearly 35 hp remaining from a much used Staff of Frost (used it 6 times during the fight.) Whew! We almost all died!! I love it.
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Brand new update of obituaries' thread :
- 1st adventure (TINH) : 63 PCs / 9 NPCs-familiars-animals
- 2nd adventure (TBG) : 44 PCs
- sidetrek before 3rd adventure : 3 PCs
- 3rd adventure (SWW) : 54 PCs / 17 NPCs-familiars-animals (thanks to many kills by the blue slaad in DMfromplanetX's campaign)
- 4th adventure (HTBM) : 28 PCs / 9 NPCs-familiars-animals (not counting Avner's horse)
- 5th adventure (ToD) : 12 PCs / 2 NPCs-familiars-animals
- 6th adventure (TLD) : 5 PCs / 1 NPC-familiar-animal
- sidetrek before 7th adventure : 1 PC
- 7th adventure (CoBI) : 2 PC
PC: Waldengast half elf ranger 5/rogue 3
Module: Tides of Dread
Catalyst: A hungary Ananconda.
A combination of ungodly grapple modifiers on the part of the anaconda and crappy dice rolls on the part of poor Wally led to his early demise.
His sidekick Queequeg, distraught at the loss of his hero and best friend, decided to chance the Fates and reincarnate him. After a tense dice roll, Wally was reincarnated as....a half aqautic elf.
PC: Waldengast half elf ranger 5/rogue 3
Module: Tides of Dread
Catalyst: A hungary Ananconda.A combination of ungodly grapple modifiers on the part of the anaconda and crappy dice rolls on the part of poor Wally led to his early demise.
His sidekick Queequeg, distraught at the loss of his hero and best friend, decided to chance the Fates and reincarnate him. After a tense dice roll, Wally was reincarnated as....a half aqautic elf.
This is the great irony in writing adventures. When I designed this encounter outside of the temple, I intended it mainly for some cool jungle flavor. Yet, I've read more PC deaths from the emerald anaconda than any of the other "more lethal" encounters (or so I assumed) in ToD.
BTW, I love the name Queequeg :)
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that anaconda hit the party's monk with a critical bite, and combining the bit and constrict damage dropped him from full hp to -11 in one shot
if not for the houserule that you die at -Con Score, rather than -10, there'd be one less monk/drunken master running around hitting things with ladders.
-the hamster
PC: Waldengast half elf ranger 5/rogue 3
Module: Tides of Dread
Catalyst: A hungary Ananconda.A combination of ungodly grapple modifiers on the part of the anaconda and crappy dice rolls on the part of poor Wally led to his early demise.
His sidekick Queequeg, distraught at the loss of his hero and best friend, decided to chance the Fates and reincarnate him. After a tense dice roll, Wally was reincarnated as....a half aqautic elf.
This is the great irony in writing adventures. When I designed this encounter outside of the temple, I intended it mainly for some cool jungle flavor. Yet, I've read more PC deaths from the emerald anaconda than any of the other "more lethal" encounters (or so I assumed) in ToD.
BTW, I love the name Queequeg :)
Yeah, that character is amazingly cool.
And you did acheive the desired jungle flavor, the death of a party memeber made the encounter with the couatl all the more inspiring. Two party members changed alignments in order to get the weapons and the others swore to defend Farshore with their lives. And when Wally came back a little bluer, he told some interesting stories about a silver haired woman who fought like a whirlwind. :D
So, in the end, the death of Wally wasn't in vain. And he came back, anyway.
Character: Taggart Ishram Vitu, Human Druid 1
Adventure: There Is No Honor
Location: Blue Nixie's Hold
Catalyst: Trying to save the innocent caged animals
Jeez, that rhagodessa is turning out to be an utter meatgrinder. I ran the first session of There Is No Honor tonight, and after reading through this thread I was worried about how badly it might maul my (tactically non-brilliant) group. They managed to get through Vark and all his thugs before taking it on, fortunately, but it still brought the samurai all the way down to -9hp before the dragon shaman managed to squish it...
Second death in our campaign, and another point for Drevoraz.
PC: Egric, human Cleric 2/Wizard 3
Adventure: "The Bullywug Gambit"
Location: Vanderboren Manor
Catalyst: A critical hit from Drevoraz
As the siege of Vanderboren Manor was reaching a climax, Drevoraz Kabran and Bua Gorg sprang out of the stairwell; before the PCs could produce Captain Javell's marilith earring, he made two consecutive critical hits, beheading Egric and Tolin Kientai.
PC: Kelric, human Cleric 1
Adventure: "There is No Honor"
Location: Blue Nixie
Catalyst: Rhagodessa, Not playing it safe
Party is already badly hurt when the Rhagodessa bursts onto the deck. Thinking fast, the cleric puts up an obscuring mist that the vermin is not willing to venture into. After a couple rounds of safety, the paladin decides he's not going to hide in here forever and charges out. Grapple, bite, paladin is in the negatives. Fighter rushes out to help the paladin. Drop the paladin, grapple the fighter, bite fighter, fighter is in the negatives. Cleric rushes out to help the fighter. Drop the fighter, grapple the cleric, bite the cleric, cleric dies.
Party could have easily ducked in and out of the mist and filled the R with arrows, but no, they had to get imprudent.
Today's game session was another tough one with 2 deaths and 2 more very near deaths. Ripper nearly tore the party apart but they manged to lure it out the side tunnel and it fell in the water while trying to run across the planks. It consistently made terrible rolls on its swim check and the party peppered him with arrows while he sputtered int the water. Thus the poor dinosaur made no kills. However, the savage pirates landed a couple.
Name: Czar
Race: Human
Class: Monk 1/Barbarian 2
Adventure: Bullywug gambit
Cause of Death: multiple scimitar slashes from a savage pirate and an inability to roll higher than 10. Going out of rage after he dropped below 0 finished him.
Name: Meena Vanderboren
Race: Human
Adventure: Bullyug gambit
Class: Fighter 1/Favoured Soul 2
Cause of Death: a critical hit from a Savage pirate's scimitar that inflicted 16 damage. She had 6 hp and after killing her opponent she saw that her friend Czar was in trouble. She rushed over to save him (instead of healing herself) and ended up taking a Crit that put her at exactly -10.
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another couple of deaths, this time from a side-trek on the way back to Sasserine.
(the party handily defeated the crimson fleet attack and Vanthus is 6 feet under. the cleric currently has the un-annointed shadow pearl)
Name: Olan
Class: Cleric/Radiant Servant of Pelor
Lvl: 11
Area: Island I (Ruiza?) about 2 weeks northeast of the IoD.
Catalyst: Despite getting many many foreshadowing messages of doom and danger, along with plenty of escape vectors, Admiral Olan leads the party into the caverns beneath the Island surface.
They handle Dread Harpoon Spiders, a Bulette, and the terrain fine. Then, they come across the tribe of Redcaps. 9 regular CR2 ones, and 1 Elder CR7 one.
A good charge from the elder redcap, followed by a full-attack next round, and poor Olan's head is separated from his body. Again.
Luckily, his Raise Dead scroll was UMD'd by the ranger/pyrokineticist and he was brought back to the living.
Name: Devlin (and Kitty, dire-tiger companion)
Class: Druid
Lvl: 11
Area: Island I, all the way in.
Catalyst: He-Who-Hums, the kaiju yrthak strikes back.
So, the party ignores the danger i wash them with. they proceed all the way to the end, encountering a huge geode-like structure with a 60' wide, 50' tall pile of crystal, with a 30' yrthak-like horn protruding from it.
They proceed to fight it, getting some really good, lucky rolls and with judicious use of sudden max, sudden empower, and orbs of sound, they finally beat it with the Pyro's bolt of fire (cracked the SR by 1).
Death throes occur (i changed it from elec to sonic energy) and 78 hp to everyone w/in 100'. Dead Devlin, dead kitty, almost dead warmage (@ -14 with a 15 con, houserule is you die @ -con score). Poor Devlin didn't stand a chance. among the other PC's (besides the cleric w/ Protection from Sonic up and the Ranger/Pyro who rolled a nat-20 on the save) there were about 15-20 hp to go around. Among 6 of them.
-the hamster
(and this was supposed to be an easy, laid-back RP based adventure...stupid PC's and their "gotta get into everything")
Dwarven Defender Dies with honor....
Green Star Adapt Ate by Giant Croc,
Monk beat to death by furry little shape changing bunny rabit,