Great day for us, we had a blast and extended into a double session today. Our normal 4-5 hours turned into 8 hours.
Two important areas my group made it through without a death were the Wind Tunnel Trap and "The Juicer" trap (false elevator). I was happy because as a DM these two areas (along with the sunken area and Wind Warriors later) had me concerned, so my group made it past 2 out of my 4 "danger zones" in relatively good shape so far.
Some details...
Wind Tunnel- The Rogue approaches the face to search it for traps without searching the tunnel on the way to it. :) She gets paralyzed, everyone else saves. Three of the five ran back to the chain as the wind kicked up. The Fighter decided to push the paralyzed Rogue to one of the sides of the face around the mouth and huddle there till the winds died down eventually. I didnt expect some of them to head closer to the mouth as the winds kicked up.
Unexpected move (a standard with my experienced players), and I figured the mouth to be about 5' wide at best, so it left 2 1/2' on each side of it.
The Juicer - The Fighter (at 10 hp from 12) was trapped in it as it started to lower, she took 6 points of damage as the party quickly lodged a longsword below the lip of the cylinders top edge. The Cleric further braced the sword while the Sorcerer, Ranger, and Rogue pried the doors open. So the Fighter survived.
They finished the whole Upper level, Lair of the Architect, and most of the Lair of Laborers (up to the sunken area) and decided to head back to the town for the night (we started early evening in game time) to rest and resupply.
Great start so far, next game is in 2 weeks. We usually play biweekly, with an extra session here and there when work/life schedules permit.
The Fighter decided to push the paralyzed Rogue to one of the sides of the face around the mouth and huddle there till the winds died down eventually. I didnt expect some of them to head closer to the mouth as the winds kicked up.
Just had my first session on the weekend, and my PC's did the same thing, Bullrushed the paralysed one into the corner next to the mouth! Left me floundering for a moment about how to handle it :-).
The funny thing with my players was after finding the red lantern they lit them all, and had them all in place, but before thought to check out the mouth again, someone had the bright idea, that maybe we need to take them down into the Hall of the Architect and finding the statues with the hands outstretched needed to put the lanterns there instead! Except the yellow one, because they had gone down the yellow lift :-)
We had to leave the game there, I'll be interested to seewhat bright ideas come up next session!!
Nice to see your group was quick thinking too. :)
Let me know how it goes for your gang too, I find DM note comparing to be pretty interesting. :)
Nice to see your group was quick thinking too. :)
Let me know how it goes for your gang too, I find DM note comparing to be pretty interesting. :)
I'm currently running the Whispering Cairn and my players have avoided the deadly areas quite nicely. Only the rogue ventured up near the wind trap. He set off the trap as he was trying to disable it and made his save versus paralysis; he quickly jumped back to the chain and descended safely. It was the description of the face's eyes that set him off to how to disable the trap. The party didn't have anything to do with the false elevator trap.
They are currently having much more trouble getting the info on Filge out of Kullen's gang; they don't want to start any trouble so are just tip-toeing around asking about the missing bodies.
Overall its been an incredibly fun module; I'm really looking forward to the rest of the campaign.
They are currently having much more trouble getting the info on Filge out of Kullen's gang; they don't want to start any trouble so are just tip-toeing around asking about the missing bodies.
You could always just have them pay one of Kullen's gang when he's alone for the information. It would be easier with one of Kullen's cronies instead of Kullen himself. :)
Overall its been an incredibly fun module; I'm really looking forward to the rest of the campaign.
Yeah, we had a great time so far as well. One of the better campaign starts for us.
They are currently having much more trouble getting the info on Filge out of Kullen's gang; they don't want to start any trouble so are just tip-toeing around asking about the missing bodies.
One of the female players in our group decided to tease/seduce the info out of Kullen. The ploy worked, but got a little dicey when Kullen decided it was time to conclude the deal.
One of the female players in our group decided to tease/seduce the info out of Kullen. The ploy worked, but got a little dicey when Kullen decided it was time to conclude the deal.
Lol, that's awesome. Actually Kullen is now dead IMC. After some interesting events including Kullen beating Auric in an arm wrestling competition, the two entered into a duel. Auric destroyed the unruly half-orc, and now the free city adventurers are quickly returning to Greyhawk. Smenk is calling for Auric's head and is currently plotting the gladiator's demise.
The PCs should quickly be able to get the info out of the dejected remainder of the gang.
Both me and my players are having a blast with the game.
Lol, that's awesome. Actually Kullen is now dead IMC. After some interesting events including Kullen beating Auric in an arm wrestling competition, the two entered into a duel. Auric destroyed the unruly half-orc, and now the free city adventurers are quickly returning to Greyhawk. Smenk is calling for Auric's head and is currently plotting the gladiator's demise.
IMC the PCs didn't encounter the Free City adventurers until they had already run afoul of Balabar Smenk for exposing his involvement with Filge's necromancy. At that point, Smenk actually hired Auric's group to ambush the PCs in the Whispering Cairn after the PCs were released from jail for "trespassing on private property" (i.e., the old observatory).
The PCs, with Melinde's help, managed to kill Khellek and to rout Auric and Tirra. They suspect Smenk's hand in the attack, but can't prove anything, of course.
Great day for us, we had a blast and extended into a double session today. Our normal 4-5 hours turned into 8 hours.
You managed to accomplish a lot in a pretty short amount of time, IMO. My group plays 4 hour sessions, as well, but took three or four sessions to get to where you are. They took a lot more time getting to know Diamond Lake and meeting Allustan.
Part of the reason for this, though, was that I began the campaign in Furyondy using another 1st-level adventure from Dungeon #130--"Within the Circle" by Sam Brown. Among the yuan-ti texts that the PCs recovered there, they discovered some clues about a prophecy that the secrective yuan-ti leadership feared might come to pass. The information also contained clues about a treasure hidden in the Cairn Hills that might aid Furyondy in its eternal war against Iuz.
One of the PCs, whose player joined the campaign late, comes from Diamond Lake and is a cousin of Luzane Parrin. Her mother is Luzane's aunt. She's the one who managed to seduce information about of Kullen.
Some details...
Wind Tunnel- The Rogue approaches the face to search it for traps without searching the tunnel on the way to it. :) She gets paralyzed, everyone else saves. Three of the five ran back to the chain as the wind kicked up. The Fighter decided to push the paralyzed Rogue to one of the sides of the face around the mouth and huddle there till the winds died down eventually. I didnt expect some of them to head closer to the mouth as the winds kicked up.
Unexpected move (a standard with my experienced players), and I figured the mouth to be about 5' wide at best, so it left 2 1/2' on each side of it.
Interesting tactics. My group's approach was pretty mundane. A couple of the players are paranoid and thorough enough that they actually figured out the lantern puzzle before ever searching the wind tunnel (although they had no idea what the purpose of the lanterns was). They never did figure it out. They simply lit them all, left them burning, and chalked it up to "completeness". As a result, they casually strolled down the wind tunnel, none the wiser. Although they did spot the grooves on the floor and found them curious.
You managed to accomplish a lot in a pretty short amount of time, IMO. My group plays 4 hour sessions, as well, but took three or four sessions to get to where you are. They took a lot more time getting to know Diamond Lake and meeting Allustan.
It normally takes us a 4 or 5 sessions to finish an adventure. Longer for larger modules. We do move slow normally. The Whispering Cairn is designed to start fast IMO.
I wanted to do more with Diamond Lake but the abandoned mine office worked a little too good. Being that I had them meet at noon, the only thing they did in Diamond Lake is buy last minute gear like Rope, Oil, etc. After that they stopped into the Spinning Giant for a drink with Melinde to pass the time as they agreed to hit the Whispering Cairn at nightfall.
One of the PCs, whose player joined the campaign late, comes from Diamond Lake and is a cousin of Luzane Parrin. Her mother is Luzane's aunt. She's the one who managed to seduce information about of Kullen.
That was an interesting approach to Kullen. :) I thought about running Michael Kortes' "Home under the Range" from Dungeon #134 but scaled back to 1st level as this campaign start, but even at 1/2 XPs , I didnt want them to level too fast. Then I would have to rework Erik Mona's flawless tomb.
For my Players backgrounds we worked out the following (if you are interested).......1) Baylos Skuljin (Human Sorcerer), read rumors of the numerous old tombs in the Cairn Hills during his studies as Allustan's apprentice. He believes that the Whispering Cairn may still hold some valuable treasures. Baylos has currently invited three other would-be adventurers (Miriam, Vala, and Melinde the Paladin of Heironeous) to a meeting in an old abandoned mine office nearby. He hopes to recruit them to explore the Whispering Cairn.
2) Miriam Cobblesteel (Human female Fighter) is an orphan and a miner working in Luzane Parrin's mine. It was her younger sister that vanished at the Whispering Cairn six years ago. Miriam is trying to make enough money for a new start somewhere else. A few days ago she saved Baylos from thugs at the Feral Dog tavern. Baylos was there looking for potential recruits for exploration of a nearby Cairn and handed Miriam an invitation to a meeting at an abandoned mine office on the outskirts of town. Miriam is currently staying at Jalek's Flophouse.
3) Askalar Kantomar(Myself/NPC Human), a Cleric of Obad-Hai from the Bronzewood Lodge, has come to Diamond Lake to discuss the rumors about an increase in undead activity in the region with the priests of Heironeous, and to report back. Being that Melinde the Paladin of Heironeous is an old friend of Askalar's, he was chosen to go. Melinde was invited by Baylos to the meeting, but due to her duties and obligations to the garrison, she could not attend. So she asked Askalar to take her place. Askalar is also staying at the Able Carter Coaching Inn. He usually travels with the ranger, Verdant Greentree.
4) Verdant Greentree (Elf), is a Ranger affiliated with the Bronzewood Lodge. He was asked to travel with Askalar as a traveling companion and guide. He is also staying at the Able Carter Coaching Inn.
5) Vala (Elf female Rogue), is an indentured elven miner working for Balabar Smenk. She was caught at the scene of a murder in Safeton and sentenced to a work term of 10 years in the Diamond Lake mines. Her term has been up as of two years ago but Balabar has lofty contacts and keeps getting her term extended every year. She is hoping to make enough gold to escape Diamond Lake. She is also staying at Jalek's Flophouse and has had casual contact with Miriam.
Interesting tactics.
Thanks. My group has been playing together for many years. They are clever most of the time.
That was an interesting approach to Kullen. :) I thought about running Michael Kortes' "Home under the Range" from Dungeon #134 but scaled back to 1st level as this campaign start, but even at 1/2 XPs , I didnt want them to level too fast. Then I would have to rework Erik Mona's flawless tomb.
For my Players backgrounds we worked out the following (if you are interested).......
I enjoyed reading your party's character backgrounds. I liked the way you've woven them together with other NPCs in the campaign.
We wound up playing another marathon session today (9 hours). We had so much fun we finished the module. No one died.
The Ranger almost had the party killed by Kullen's gang by picking a fight in the Feral Dog. Patrons ran out, Jamis investigated and was told by a Raging Kullen to get out (which he did). The party Rogue (who fled outside earlier as it escalated, she roleplayed a prior fear of Kullen) offered Jamis "anything you want" to go back in and intervene to stop the battle. Good thing too, the sorcerer was dying from a Greataxe wound and the Fighter was Sleeped. Things looked bleak. Jamis forced Kullen to back down and they grudgingly left vowing to finish this later. Jamis was abaout to walk off with the rogue for a "bordello-like" payment when the fighter paid him 50g to get lost. He accepted.
They got the jump on Filge and took him down quick with missile fire alone, Cleric turned all the undead except the Bugbear and one of the Trog zombies. Filge was turned over to Melinde and the garrison.
The party later fought the hard battle with the Wind Warriors and barely prevailed. Cleric was at 1hp and out of healing, the Fighter at 2hp, etc.
Allustan identified the Talisman and the Circlet for the group and we ended the game a few minutes later, deciding to investigate the Dourstone Mine when we play again in 2 weeks.
Campaign is excellent so far, this was a brief recap but we had alot of inter-party roleplaying. My players are really working on their personalities now. Great Stuff.