Running The Lightless Depths

[ericthecleric]

OK, I've finished reading the above, although I'm a LONG way off running it. But it's good to plan ahead. I'm wondering what the best way to run the Golismorga section, from the point of view of the large map. Hand drawing it would be a total hassle, so it seems reasonable to just show the full page map, asking the players where they wish to go. Does this seem reasonable?
Also, as I read it, the PCs movement is slowed to a third in that cavern, so if I have it right, a group of PCs with dwarves, halflings or gnomes would move 200 feet every 3 minutes?

[Tom Qadim]

ericthecleric wrote:

OK, I've finished reading the above, although I'm a LONG way off running it. But it's good to plan ahead. I'm wondering what the best way to run the Golismorga section, from the point of view of the large map. Hand drawing it would be a total hassle, so it seems reasonable to just show the full page map, asking the players where they wish to go. Does this seem reasonable?

Just looking at that awesome map almost induces vertigo. I couldn't imagine having to hand draw it! When the online PDF supplement for the issue comes out, it will likely have an un-numbered version of the map. Just give that to the PCs and let them go from there.

[office_ninja]

I'd just run some of the recommended bizarre encounters and not worry about the particulars of direction and distance. I can't see the PCs getting specific other than "we head for the middle", "we poke around", or "we go to the giant purple fire thingy". The way it's written, the PCs just have to kind of stumble around until they find Tlaloc's tear or the kopru ziggurat.

[Gold Katana]

I agree. There's no way I'd actually map out this massive, jumbled ruin. In the event(s) of combat, I'll quickly sketch out something on the battle map which may or may not coincide with the "official" version. However, if Paizo supplies a player's PDF, I'd also use that.

[James Jacobs]

When I ran Chaosium's "Beyond the Mountains of Madness," I sketched out the ruined city on a battlemat and basically laid it all out for the players to see. I'd recomend doing the same thing with Golismorga, since it's kinda the same situation. We'll hopefully have that issue's map & art supplement out soon here, at which point you'll be able to print out the tagless version of the map for the PCs to be overwhelmed by.

[Curaigh]

I'll have to recheck, but I think the PCs come 200 feet above floor level? They would have a drake's eye view (all well lit with glowing evil purple) and there are only a few things that would stick out as different-which are the numbered items anyway. I figured I would simply show them the map in all its colored and detailed glory, and just sketch the individual encounters.