Hey everyone,
My group is about to finish "Lords of Oblivion" tomorrow (Sunday the 3rd). I've searched the archives for the boards on info for "Foundations of Flame." Found some really great stuff in there and I've prepped a lot of stuff in the advance. The only thing I'm really looking for is some additional events and/or Volcanic Hazards for the night. The book suggests running the events more than once to make sure the party gets enough xp/evacuation points to clear Cauldron, but I'd like not to have to do that.
So far, I plan on having the Meeting of the Minds section to take place in the Malachite Fortress (since a prominent dwarf PC has been working hard to get the fortress back and in business). The attack by the psycho derro will then take place in there as well as a couple Volcanic Hazards to get the group running for the top to save the rest of the city. I plan on making the dwarves assist quite a bit in rescuing the citizens, building on the joint relationship between Cauldron and the Fortress.
Any other volcanic hazards or events people used to add some spice to and already great Chapter?
Idea #1
What about a collapsing building such as a church, noble villa etc that someone or something needs to be urgently retrieved from.
Perhaps the Church of St Cuthbert is collapsing and Jenya returned into the building to find the Star of Justice only to find herself trapped. Rufus calls for aid and the party only have a few minutes to find Jenya and then the Star of Justice while a rogue group of LL attempt to use the disaster to pillage the church and the Star of Justice.
This would equate to at least two encounters/problems all to be completed within a small time frame (say 3 minutes)-
(1)Locate Jenya and lift the rubble from her body without causing further collapses
(2)Locate the Star of justice and combat the LL troop who have it in their possession and are attempting to escape whats left of the church
Idea #2
What about a troop of kopru ghosts, disturbed from their endless slumber beneath the Phantom Lake (Kopru Ruins), 'swimming' up from the lake to wash over the lower streets and reclaim their ancient lake.
Idea #3
Perhaps their is only two gates to evacuate through and one gatehouse has been overtaken by demodands or collapsed meaning that the massive city portculus(sp?) needs to be somehow be opened.
Good luck with the game
Delvesdeep
Salamanders, fire elementals, thoqque; for just random encounters.
That gatehouse idea is great.
I'd look at what your PCs find precious and mess with that :) The book gives us some generic stuff to use, I'd looked to customize. They have homes or a favorite inn? Then that collapses. Have NPCs they like - they're in the collapsed building, carried off by salamanders, etc.
How about a river of lava flowing down the side of the cauldron, with huge boulders in it, the PCs/NPCs leaping/balancing boulder to boulder as they battle.
That gatehouse idea _is_ good.
You might want to bring up some things from the previous adventurers. What if the Kopru from Ch. 3 arrives from the lake? There is also the goblins from Drakhthar's Way and maybe the fire beetles from the Malachite Fortress. All these would be minor encounters, but would also add some continuity.
Thanks for the great responses guys. I took a couple of them and turned them into some additional events for those that may want to use them also (the gate idea was frickin' awesome):
Event 48: Enemy at the Gate (EL 16)
Location: City gates
Volcanic Hazard(s): Tremor (10%), Yawning Fissure (5%), Steam Vent (5%), Gas Vent (5%), Lava Vent (10%)
Time Element: None
Enemies: (2) Kelubar Demodands, (3) Farastu Demodands
Number of Citizens: 0
Citizen Aid: 1d6 for each DC 20 Diplomacy check; Aid another action to assist in opening the gate (Strength modifier +1).
Goal(s): (1) Slay the demodands guarding the gate; (2) Reopen the gate to allow the citizens to escape
Evacuation Award: 16; 8 if the gate is not reopened
Description: A group of demodands have taken over a main city gate, preventing scared citizens from escaping the city. The party must slay the demodand guardians and then reopen the gate. The gate has been stuck shut, requiring a DC 35 Strength check in order to open it again. For each PC that makes a DC 20 Diplomacy check, they can gain the aid of 1d6 citizens to assist in the Strength check to reopen the gate. A total of 12 people can attempt to repopen the gate.
The number of demodands may be too much for some parties, but mine is pretty uber, so I'm not worried about them. The percent numbers by each Volcanic Hazard is the chance that a Hazard happens each round.
And another....
Event 49: St. Cuthbert’s Fall (EL 14)
Location: Church of St. Cuthbert
Volcanic Hazard(s): Tremor (20%), Building Collapse (5%, +1% for each cumulative round)
Time Element: None
Enemies: (4) Last Laugh Harlequins, (6) Last Laugh Thugs
Number of Citizens: Jenya
Citizen Aid: None
Goal(s): (1) Rescue Jenya from the Last Laugh assassins; (2) Recover the Star of Justice; (3) Get out before the building collapses.
Evacuation Award: 14; 7 if the Star of Justice is not recovered; 0 if Jenya dies
Description: Using the disaster in Cauldron as a distraction, the Last Laugh guild sends some assassins to kill Jenya and recover the Star of Justice, giving a mighty blow to the party’s reputation and resources. Jenya has trapped herself inside a room in the church and it getting ready to fend off the assassins just as the party enters. One assassin is working to open the lock on Jenya’s door (DC 25 Open Lock check) and requires a full round action to open it. The Main Assassin’s Open Lock check is +14 instead of the normal +5. The others attempt to fend off the party while the main assassin goes after Jenya. Jenya has the Star of Justice on her, and should it fall in the Guild’s hands, it could be devastating to the plans of the party.
Worse yet, the church structure has been compromised by the continuous tremors. Each round there is a tremor, there is a 5% chance the entire building collapses. For each additional round a tremor occurs, the chance the building collapses increases by 1%.
Thanks again guys!
And one more....
Event 50: Arcane Explosion (EL 11)
Location: Weer’s Elixirs; Southeast Section
Volcanic Hazard(s): Tremor (10%), Building Collapse (5%, +1% for each cumulative round)
Time Element: 2 minutes
Enemies: None
Number of Citizens: 1; Weer
Citizen Aid: 1d6 for each DC 20 Diplomacy check; Search check modifier (-1); Will help carry out Volatile Potions
Goal(s): (1) The party must carry out all Volatile Potions from the burning building before they explode in a devastating fire
Evacuation Award: 11; 5 if the potion shop explodes but the fire is contained; 0 if the potion shop explodes and the fire is not contained.
Description: Weer’s Elixir shop has caught fire and he is afraid that the Volatile Potions held within will explode, causing a massive fire that could spread throughout the rest of the city. The party must locate the hidden elixirs and carry them out before the building collapses and the area catches fire. Fire reaches the Volatile Potions in 2 minutes.
There are a total of 12 Volatile Potion crates throughout the building. To locate 1, it requires a DC 15 Search check. For each 10 points the check exceeds 15, an additional crate is located. It requires two rounds to lift and remove a crate from the building.
The building is already weakened by the fire damage it has sustained and is in risk of collapsing each round there is a tremor. For each round there is a tremor, there is a 5% chance the entire building collapses, causing the Volatile Potions to explode. For each additional round a tremor occurs, the chance the building collapses increases by 1%.
If the building collapses or the Volatile Potions catch fire, they explode 1 round later, causing 10d6 fire damage (Reflex DC 17 half) to all within 30 feet and setting fire to anything combustible or that failed a Reflex Save. This has the additional effect of setting fire to surrounding buildings (see Event 37 for fire dangers).
Great write ups Ogre_Bane. You wrote them up quick!
Glad you liked the ideas and your own Potion Shop event is fantastic also. I'll definiantly be using them in my campaign.
Don't forget to post them up on the RPGenius.com site in case I lose the version I'm saving now.
Delvesdeep
Great write ups Ogre_Bane. You wrote them up quick!
Glad you liked the ideas and your own Potion Shop event is fantastic also. I'll definiantly be using them in my campaign.
Don't forget to post them up on the RPGenius.com site in case I lose the version I'm saving now.
Delvesdeep
Thanks! Just uploaded it now to the RPGenius site. I also made an entire events breakdown for the chapter in an identical format as seen here. It also includes a section to keep track of the total Evacuation Points earned in each city section.
Thanks for the help!
How about a demondand that swoops in, grabs some NPC in it's claws, and flies off? PCs have to fly or run (jumping lava, etc.) to catch it.
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Thanks! Just uploaded it now to the RPGenius site. I also made an entire events breakdown for the chapter in an identical format as seen here. It also includes a section to keep track of the total Evacuation Points earned in each city section.
Thanks for the help!
Ogre Bane, I just wanted to say that this was a great thread - and your contributions sound great.
I haven't gotten that far in the book yet but I considered a few other options (I know your session is already over - but perhaps other readers can benefit)
PCs see a child/children being trampled by fleeing villagers. Or a woman or elderly or other frail persons.
Also, the Lantern Street Orphanage is great target for collapsing and persons being trapped inside.
An animal stampede from a livery - scared from the explosions - that stamped barreling right towards the PCs and a group of innocent people.
DMFTodd, that idea of rock balancing on the lava flow just sounds so cool - it really conjures vivid images of high-action stunts - right out of an Indiana Jones movie.
Delvesdeep, I similarly like the idea of a demodand swooping in to carry off an NPC - if it's someone the PCs care about that could really create quite a tense moment.
1) demodand swoops in and carries off Rufus just as PCs are returning from church after saving Jenya and Star of Justice. 2) the PCs immediately launch a ranged attack on the demodand.
3) Upon getting wounded, the other cleric slips from its grasp - crashes through a roof of a nearby residence.
4) PC rush into the house to find him - and stumble upon a looting attmept by one of the thief guils - they snuck in, slayed the homeowner, and has their pockets full of loot.
For added tension have that house right next to the blazing potion shop, which could blow at any moment and set this house ablaze, trapping Rufus in there somewhere. While the PCs were rushing towards/in to the house where the cleric crashed into, the potion shop owner is concurrently begging PCs to help put out the fire. Do the PCs seperate and attmept to do both? Do they have time for both?
Heck, I'm building a sweat just thinking about tense moments!!
Robert
As I mentioned in an earlier post this part of the AP ranked as the favorite amongest my self and the players. The animal stampede event was the only time the barbarian really got to use the handle animal skill, and everyone at the table was surprised he had even one rank let alone max ranks.
Overall I would say this is the best single adventure I've been a part of in a long time.
The events you've added are superb and I wish I had them available to me when I ran FoF, it would have made a great evening even better.