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Howdy All! I'm about two months out, at my current rate of play, from the Test of the Smoking Eye. Unfortunately, 3 people in my group have played through that section of the AP, and I want to change things up so that everyone is surprised. On the other hand, I don't want to significantly change the plot of the path after the test (and bumming around the planes is always fun). The way I see it, any three part test that judges integrity, dedication, and moral fortitude ought to do it. Anybody out there have any ideas for tests of this type? Published adventures, fairy tales, literature, and good old fashioned imagination are all fair game.
Thanks for any help
thefool
You can probably get away with just changing the opponents in the first test. An ice devil might be a neat opponent and you can make the room have ice and chasms everywhere.
The second test would probably require a fundamental change in how things work. But the plain of cysts is pretty neat. Perhaps you have a set up like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The second test was walking across the correct letters or you fall through. In this case, you could maybe put in waypoints that have to be crossed in a certain order. If you fail to cross them correctly, it teleports you back to the beginning (or maybe something far worse). This lets you keep the plain as it is.
The third test is tricky, particularly if some of your players already know what is going on. Maybe you can make it simpler, and it requires sacrificing an enemy. When Kaurophon turns on them, they are now enemies and so they can try to sacrifice him. That is an intersting combat, because, obviously, he will be hard to throw in there. That probably isn't an evil act because he is a bad guy.
Maybe that helps?
Dedekind
The point of each test is announced by the proctor at the end of each test. The tests are a bit opposite of what you would normally see in fairytales and such. If your players have really good memory then nothing will help you. But if they don’t remember the point to each trial, it would be easy to replace the tests.
Use the Proctors statements as your guide to what the test need to accomplish.
Test one;
The demon/devil and the angel offer themselves as allies, you can only have one as an ally.
Or many doors with various good and evil behind each door.
Correct answer would be to choose the most powerful and intelligent evil and kill it.
Test 2; the proctor gives the party 20,000gp and plane shifts them to Broken Reach.
Correct answer is a plane shift rod to Occupitus cost 20,000gp in Broken Reach and if they spend that money on anything else, they fail.
Test 3, is a bit harder, perhaps the correct answer is the party must sacrifice all of their magic items, or one person must, or the most valuable item from each person
If you have good backgrounds for the characters you can make them sacrifice the person closest to them like their mother. K would still need to kill a party member because he has no friends or items.
Or no one may claim the Prize while his allies remain (there can be only one). K takes this as he must kill everyone to win but is that the real answer or not.
My GM did the second test as follows:
The PCs have a magic lantern that lets them see dead creatures within the Cysts. If they come close, the creature will rouse and talk to them. They can let one out, but only one, and it will be their champion in a future test. The question is, which to pick?
Our PCs then went *maniacally* across the Plain talking to things, using up all of the GM's prep and then some. They talked to a coatl, a bodak, an athack, a sentient sword, a grey slaad, a celestial lion, a lammasu, a vrock (didn't have much to say!), a babau demon, a spellweaver lich (that one scared them), and several more I've forgotten. In the end they picked the coatl. Later, the new Lord of Occipitus came back and sprang about half of the remaining critters to start building her personal forces.
It's only a good scenario if your players like to talk, but we had a blast with it.
Mary
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Casts resurrection on thread
Thank you all for the help on the first two tests, but does anyone out there have a good replacement for the third? This one is the real clincher for me, as it is the most dramatic event in the chapter (and one of the most dramatic events, IMO, up to that point in the AP).
I'd really like to go for some sort of sacrifice, but that isn't necessarily the only way to go.
For info on my party, we are just starting chapter 5. We have a Paladin (who has DMed the first 5 chapters in the past and read the entire AP). He is completely devoted to his brother, a fighter who has never played the AP before. Then there is a combat rogue and a mage who have both played through the end of chapter 6 (the chapter in question). Finally, we have a Dwarven Cleric of St Cuthbert who has also never played in the path before.
The three who have seen this chapter all are the type of gamers with really good memories, and no-one in the party is the type to betray the other members.
I don't know if the background is worth anything, but I'm willing to give any sort of info to get a little more help on this quandary.
Thank you all again for the previous help, and thanks in advance for any help to come.
Any love for this one?
Going back to the fundamental purpose of these tests, they were meant to select who is capable/worthy of ruling Occipitus. The original tests were:
1) The Test of Judgement is meant to show that rivals (in this case rival demons) should be dealt with before one's enemies.
2) The Test of Resolve is to show that distractions should not waylay you from your final goal.
3) The Test of Sacrifice is to show that you are willing to give up something you hold dear in order to complete your goal.
If you want to change the tests, you need to start with what Adimarchus believes is important for the new ruler to be/learn and make sure they are not repeated in previous tests.
So, what have you decided the new first two tests should be? And what do you think Adimarchus would want to teach/check is true for the next ruler to verify their worthiness?
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Any love for this one?Going back to the fundamental purpose of these tests, they were meant to select who is capable/worthy of ruling Occipitus. The original tests were:
1) The Test of Judgement is meant to show that rivals (in this case rival demons) should be dealt with before one's enemies.
2) The Test of Resolve is to show that distractions should not waylay you from your final goal.
3) The Test of Sacrifice is to show that you are willing to give up something you hold dear in order to complete your goal.If you want to change the tests, you need to start with what Adimarchus believes is important for the new ruler to be/learn and make sure they are not repeated in previous tests.
So, what have you decided the new first two tests should be? And what do you think Adimarchus would want to teach/check is true for the next ruler to verify their worthiness?
I broke the first test down into three parts. 1) being the choose to deal with rivals first (which is part of it), 2) The mummy lord gave the PCs two doors to choose from - one had a very low level and minor demon to fight, the other door had the big bad nasty bebilith. They would need to vanquish one or the other. 3) the mummy lord asked "who among you is willing to take this task?"
The point of the first part is known via the SCAP book. The point of the second one is "per the teachings of Admiarchus - the test of one's mettle is not discovered in times of peace. The correct path to success is rarely the easiest. You must deal with the most potential obstacle first while you are ready for it - lest it take you by surprise." So the PCs are to choose to deal with the bebilith. If they had chosen the lesser, they would be fighting it, and then the bebilith would come into the fight too - forcing the PCs to deal with both obstacles at once. The third part of the test was to see if anyone was foolish or bold enough to step forward without first discussing it with the rest of the party. This is per Adimarchus' teachings, "To be successful as a leader, you must confer with your advisors and generals. To make a hasty decision could lead to your demise."
The PCs passed the first two parts easily - but one character stepped forward immediately when the mummy lord asked and said, "I will do it!" (he was a swashbuckler). The Mummy Lord told him that since he was the bold one, he would be required to fight the powerful demon by himself. The swashbuckler didn't like this - and realized his error in judgement. He asked what his options were, the mummy told him he can either go through the door and take on his challenge he boasted, or claim he forfeits and failed the test - the player did the latter, and was teleported outside the cathedral not able to re-enter.
The rest of the party conferred with each other, made a decision of what to do, and planned their strategy.
This of course was the successful way to overcome the third aspect of the first test in Adimarchus' style.
I ran the second test as per the book.
The third test - which will be part of my next game - I have replaced the lich encounter (as I didnt see it as truly neccessary) with Karaphon. Essentially, I made Karauphon as the lich - and so the encounter will ensue when Karauphon reveals his true greed and nature as he tries to kill a PC to appease the "sacrifice." Karauphon will be preparing all his prep spells etc during the fight with the Fire Giant - seeming to be doing so for THAT fight - but really doing so in preparation for his final betrayal.
I have also considered the following scenario as an alternative: When the PCs meet Saureya (sp?) (the dying angel outside the skull), he explains to the PCs that someone must sacrifice themself to become the true leader of this plane. When the PCs find the flame, Karauphon now takes his opportunity to "taunt" the PCs for a moment (in good old fashioned machevillian style) that he has finally reached the final test and now shall once and for all lay ownership of this plane and be the dominant overlord of it!! Muahhaaa! The encounter turns into the PCs having to STOP him from being able to sacrificing himself to prevent him from becoming the overlord.
Robert
I've been trying to wrap my head around the very real possibility that my ENTIRE party might sacrifice themselves willingly. Certainly more than one.
Whats really got me interested is that the most likely character to sacrifice itself willingly is actually the construct bodyguard of one of the PCS (a sort of nimblewright/shield guardian hybrid). The bard is one of the more "purely good" characters, and I can see her sacrificing herself (im using a group dream event during one of their rests to give them an idea of what to do). But the construt's standing orders are to safeguard her life to the best of its ability.
So what if she jumps, and it intercepts, but goes in instead? A construct as ruler of Occipitus?
Very significant necro: I’m running this now and at least one probably 2 of my players know the trick to the final test so I’m looking for any alternative tests.
The test of judgement is a bit weak as well though I like the way the test of resolve works.
What other suggestions for tests do people have?