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In the module when you read and look at the map for the taxidermist shop there is a secret door leading to the hideout of the lotus dragons but are never told anywhere that I have seen where this entrance leads to.... am I insane or correct about this, the area is listed as G8 it has a strange black square in it that the text seems to elude to being the entrance but never says to what room in the lotus dragon hideout...
In the module when you read and look at the map for the taxidermist shop there is a secret door leading to the hideout of the lotus dragons but are never told anywhere that I have seen where this entrance leads to.... am I insane or correct about this, the area is listed as G8 it has a strange black square in it that the text seems to elude to being the entrance but never says to what room in the lotus dragon hideout...
Actually if you look a little farther it says where it leads to in the description of D1 Taxidermy Entrance.
RPJ
Actually if you look a little farther it says where it leads to in the description of D1 Taxidermy Entrance.
Yupper. That's what the module layout *says* but we didn't use it that way as it doesn't make much sense.
If the party can just jump down from the taxidermist's shop into the complex at this point, it puts them just one room away from the start of the final "big boss area" finale, bypassing most of the adventure! Why would the guild trust Nemien Roblach so much that they would give a 3rd level CE illusionist such a strategic access to their facility?
So for logistic and gaming fun reasons, the ceiling trapdoor was moved from area D1 to the round room just to the east of area D10, and the corrodor with the secret door exiting that room is removed. This way, if the party does enter the complex thru the guildhall, at least they must go thru most of the defended areas before getting to the climax.
For similar defensive purposes, the door in area D1 was made a secret door, and D1 was changed to "Cruncher's Guardpost" (normally area D14), to cover the sea entrance when the guild is on alert. (This allows a party coming in via boat access from area D18 to have a chance to see his tracks in the sand, and prepare for combat with a worg...)
Just some suggestions...
Creative Director
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Actually, the taxidermist's entrance isn't really that close to the "end boss." The guildhall's not really intended to be a linear dungeon crawl from point A to point Z; there's a lot of entrances and ways to get in there. And if the PCs beeline for the boss, they'll have a tougher time since they'll be missing out on XP and treasure, and will probably have to fight their way back out after they've depleted most of their resources on her...
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Actually if you look a little farther it says where it leads to in the description of D1 Taxidermy Entrance.
Yupper. That's what the module layout *says* but we didn't use it that way as it doesn't make much sense.
If the party can just jump down from the taxidermist's shop into the complex at this point, it puts them just one room away from the start of the final "big boss area" finale, bypassing most of the adventure! Why would the guild trust Nemien Roblach so much that they would give a 3rd level CE illusionist such a strategic access to their facility?
So for logistic and gaming fun reasons, the ceiling trapdoor was moved from area D1 to the round room just to the east of area D10, and the corrodor with the secret door exiting that room is removed. This way, if the party does enter the complex thru the guildhall, at least they must go thru most of the defended areas before getting to the climax.
For similar defensive purposes, the door in area D1 was made a secret door, and D1 was changed to "Cruncher's Guardpost" (normally area D14), to cover the sea entrance when the guild is on alert. (This allows a party coming in via boat access from area D18 to have a chance to see his tracks in the sand, and prepare for combat with a worg...)
Just some suggestions...
The group I am DMing, entered the Guildhouse through the taxidermist guildhall and made a beeline for the "boss" area. They cut through the 6 rogues guarding the first room easily enough, but had a near TPK against the Rhagodessan in D28. So they had to retreat, fighting rogues because the guild was on alert after they tried to get to the "boss". So for their next foray I can guarantee they will think more tactically or this place will chew them up like a meet grinder. Specifically, Rowyn will have the 3 remaining Rhagodessan moved to protect her along with Cruncher and Kersh Rheftun. I plan on even dropping a few hints that the players should approach the guild through the underwater passage since the guild is aware they breached the Taxidermist's Hall.
Certainly, I think it is unwise to try to get to Rowyn before the characters are 3rd level, so if they beeline for her while still 2nd, there is a decent chance or party deaths.
The guildhall's not really intended to be a linear dungeon crawl from point A to point Z; there's a lot of entrances and ways to get in there.
Gotcha. And I can see how a low-level gang of thieves would probably want it that way. It does give an invading party a lot of different ways to infiltrate and take down this band of thugs (or get taken out by them if not cautious). But it just seemed a huge waste to have Area D9 all set up to trap and disable invaders only to leave basically a cakewalk NPC the only thing guarding a major entrance.
Or maybe it's just that we're thinking of what kind of potential PC-run complex this could be in the future once the guild is all mopped up. After all, if the campaign lasts for quite some time, and the players have opportunities to come back to Sasserine regulary, they are going to need a base of operations. I'm sure Lavinia Vanderboren won't be too keen on the PCs moving in to Vanderboren Mansion. And with Dead Dog Alley being mostly abandoned buildings, there is even the possibility of the PCs tearing down the block, and building their *own* Mansion/Castle up above, complete with a recently-emptied dungeon and hidden sea-entrance. Once they haul some treasure back from the Isle of Dread of course...
BTW, James, thanks for a great launch to this Adventure Path. This has convinced me to renew my subscription all by itself. Looking foreward to your tenure @ Dungeon.
Archetype