delvesdeep wrote: Sounds great Intrepid!
I'm going to use the Purple Worm as an alternative challenge to the Tunnel Terror ..
I also like the idea of stealing the enemy armies weapons but won't most of them be held by the troops already?
Delvesdeep
The Tunnel Terror at CR15 was just too tough for my level 9 party. The Purple Worm worked really well and its sheer size and ferocity scared the bejeezus outta 'em.
I'm going to try using nib's writeup(on rpgenius, natch!) of the enemy camp raid for stealing weapons. My gang REALLY seems to like the idea of raiding the camp via stealth or invisibility, so we'll give it a shot. Nib has contingencies for PC capture in this event. The tools should be even more fun, seeing as how they are in a locked, guarded hut in the center of a lit compound!
Of course, this is the same group that came up with Operation Secretariat: hanging in special harnesses from a flying, invisible, bull-strengthed paladin's mount to rescue prisoners from a walled city, so I have faith they will figure out something!
Is that really you nib? :)
You should probably start up another thread devoted to discussing nibs version of the Seige. I was hoping to use this thread to discuss mine. :(
I'm not sure if you know but I emailed a almost completed version of my document to nib a week or so before I began this thread so you will find that most of nibs adventure is based almost entirely on my version. I don't mind this as long as I you realise this simple fact. :)
A couple of questions you can answer here or on your own thread -
1 - Is there a serperate stockpile of weapons the army are carrying alone with them other than each troops personal equipment?
2 - How are you finding the point system nib is using?
3 - Do you find 3 days is enough time to fit everything in without making it unrealistic? Is nib using all the defenses, adventures etc I have included?
Glad you are enjoying the seige nomatter what 'version' you are using.
Delvesdeep
DD -
Nib made it clear that his was based on yours, never fear! I'm using mostly yours with a couple of nib's tossed in, but will keep posts here to what is in your version.
I'm using your victory points divided by 100. I'm even simpler than you! :-) I have a definite timeline; VP's will work better.
I went midway between the two timeframes and gave them two days to prep before the Cauldron army's Ultimatum and another two days before the demon army arrives. Demon army activities will run from there. I figure 7 days total.
My party has zero craft(seige weapon) or knowledge9engineering) skill, so preparing the defenses will have to be changed - that's why I added nib's arms stealing. I also added an event for scouting. If they scout the entire area, they have a shot at spotting the demon army early. I will give them a VP for each day in advance they find it because it will give the Chisel a chance to "prepare the basalt bastions" for the army, and also more time to find Sundabar's cache and recruit the Cauldron army as an aid.
Saturday, I plan to give them results of scouting information and run Cauldron army's arrival and Ultimatum, town defences (not much we can do there), and hopefully counterattack to steal the battle plans and destroy seige engines. If it's a long session, I'll do Captain's betrayal as well, then advance the demonic army and do the infernal heralds. Will let you know how it goes.
Treppa
delvesdeep wrote: Treppa wrote: delvesdeep wrote: So tonight I will use this adventure on my party.
Any last minute advice, changes, corrections before I begin?
Delvesdeep
How can the Foreman create a stone golem? He is effective Wizard CL9 and creating a stone golem requires caster level 14. I didn't see anything special in High Handcrafter that would allow golem creation. Can you clarify? I'd be happy to jack him up to CL14, no prob, just curious how you got there. Thanks! This one is called creative license :)
I reasoned that Sundabar had left behind the knowledge and magical capacity to allow such earthen creations to be constructed without the normal spell requirements. So unless your a stickler for the rules, there is no need to bump up the Foreman to CL14. It can be explained away with unique earthen powers that Sundabar once possessed and the earthen defenses/facilities he created with them. The Basalts and Hall of Carvings are two such examples, the 'workshop' which is needed to create the Malachite Golems is another one.
The golems are as much for flavour (showcasing the Chisels/Redgorges link to earth) as for anything else.
Anyway I hope everything goes well
Delvesdeep Just to add that if you don't want the creation of the golems the Foreman can "activate" them to come out of the walls of Redgorge.
Hi, Delvesdeep,
Your big adversaries in the writeup (Stormblades, etc.) are level 13 and on up (Tunnel Terror at CR15). My party is currently at level 9, so these baddies are really tough for them. I think we are both running this in the same spot, after rescuing Tercival from the Demonskar and prior to the Occipitus adventure. Is your party level 13 at this time, or do you deliberately have the Stormblades ahead of the party?
Thanks,
Treppa
delvesdeep wrote: Two things I need assistance with here are -
1. I have no maps draw up for this mini-adventure
2. I am not happy with the method the giants use to get the blocks into the city. I did not wish to use the 'old tunnel under the town' clique. Any one have any ideas?
I scoured the Hall of Carvings description pretty carefully to write an exposition and found that the Foreman opens the passage by "singing" some of the paving stones into insubstantiality - so insubstantial are they that they float to the ceiling. I placed a hanging rope/plank footbridge across the river to the south for the party to use to get to the east side of the river. I'm having the Foreman meet them at the bridge and use his mysterious earth power spells to sing them into insubstantiality and float them across the footbridge. Nobody would expect large stones to be coming into town via a flimsy hanging footbridge! Or use another similar route with that same hook.
I guess it would be a lot more exciting if he had a chance to miss a check midway across the bridge and have the rock suddenly become substantial.... nah.
I'm still reading, but haven't even thought of promoting my own version by posting under different names (No worries, I saw the smiley ;-)
Just to clarify:
The whole Redgorge siege possibly wouldn't even have been mentioned at all in my campaign if not for Delvesdeep's brilliant and continuous side-trek motivations. Clearly his work has made my own excursion into warfare at all possible.
I was just under pressure to get it ready since it seems I'm about to overtake DD's group (we play weekly ATM) and I put the event before TotSE which also made many tune downs necessary and the need for cutting it much shorter, although I think, for realism, it should last at least as long as DD is suggesting.
I wouldn't even have posted my version, if not for the fact that I got the feeling there was about a 50/50 decision amongst board members about whether to play this trek before or after the Occipitus adventure. Mine is based before, while DD's is clearly after (hence the different CR's)
Cheers,
Nib
I apologize for the confusion; I pulled the rpgenius version and could not tell it was nib's, thought it was Delvesdeep's. I have both copies clearly denoted now and will keep commentary to Delves' original work, though mine is modified for before Occipitus.
My players love Delvesdeep's mods. They are by far the most popular of the AP and they seem to bring the world to life in a way that much of the hardcopy AP did not. Will keep you posted on feedback for Redgorge.
Thanks so much, DD.
Treppa
Hmmm...
My party repelled the initial attack, finding Skellrang dead inside the passwall tunnel afterward, which caused much fun consternation. That alone was a stroke of genius. Haven't seen them that riled in a bit.
One has a (formerly) secret romantic relationship with Zachary Aslaxin, who saw her on the wall and flew down to see what was going on. He then met with the group privately, was convinced something was rotten in Cauldron, and convinced the surviving Stormblades to stop helping the army.
Unfortunately, my party has decided that the entire Redgorge thing is a diversion to get troops out of Cauldron and is now on the road back to Cauldron with the Stormblades, to deliver Todd's body and try to have one of their own become the next guard captain. They also imagine that they are saving Cauldron from some yet-unguessed threat.
They have left the human guard under Skylar Krewis and the half-orc army under the Blue Duke behind. I never got a chance for them to spy on the battle plans, so they have no idea the demon army is coming.
With seven L9 chars on the road to Cauldron, I could have a fun EL 15 encounter, but it would need to make sense in the context of the seige. Also, I need to hook them back to Redgorge. Shensen has remained there to monitor things for the Striders, so she can always send a telepathic message to the Striders to send help, but they may be too late in returning to do any good.
Any ideas would be appreciated! I can always write off Redgorge as lost to the demon army because they did not get enough VP, but I hate to do that.
Let them go back and use the time to set up Vhalantru as the next Mayor.
How is there relationship with Lord V.? Do they know of the absence of the Mayor?
If the relationship is good have them contacted by Vhalantru inviting them to his office. If they choose to attend tey find him extremely drunk and extremely upset at the disappearance of the Lord Mayor. He explains that Lord Vanderbourn has taken control of the council and has called for an immediate vote for a new Mayor because of the need for strong leadership while Cauldron is at 'war'.
Vhalantru explains that is currently standing unopposed and will surely be elected to office without a council member there to oppose him. Vhalantru fears that Lord Vanderbourn disposed of the Mayor himself and he has decided to flee Cauldron to return back to the safety of Sasserine.
Of course this is all a set up. Vhalantru is hoping that they will attempt to persuade him to become the next Lord Mayor and will at first decline any suggestions to do so but will eventually relent.
Even if the party fail to fall for the bait latter the party will later find out that he nominated himself and was miraculously elected.
The party may also take the body of Tersong to Vhalantru to discuss their concerns and interest in adopting the Captains previous station. He will saddly let them know that with the death of the Captain the Blue Duke automatically adopts the position as second in command.
If the party snoop about the council chambers they may find a copy of the battleplans there revealing the approach of the demonic army or even a letter.
Failing this, Jenya may come to them with the results of an Augury confirming that the fate of Cauldron is linked to the fate of Redgorge. If Redgorge falls then so will all that they hold dear within these very walls.
Sounds like your game is going along beautifully
Delvesdeep
Wow! Very good stuff guys. I will definately be using it when the time comes. My party just discovered the entrance to the Kopru Ruins in Flood Season, so I suppose I should be looking more at the Demonscar Ball... good stuff though!
My only comment would be that some of the round by round things just seem a little fast... not sure how some of those would actually play out though. Slower or faster here or there... just not sure.
Sean Mahoney
Sean Mahoney wrote: Wow! Very good stuff guys. I will definately be using it when the time comes. My party just discovered the entrance to the Kopru Ruins in Flood Season, so I suppose I should be looking more at the Demonscar Ball... good stuff though!
My only comment would be that some of the round by round things just seem a little fast... not sure how some of those would actually play out though. Slower or faster here or there... just not sure.
Sean Mahoney
I'm still play testing the Siege Sean. Our next session in this Friday where the Demonskar Army should arrive. I'll let you know how the round by round events pan out.
Delvesdeep
delvesdeep wrote:
How is there relationship with Lord V.? ...
Sounds like your game is going along beautifully
Delvesdeep
My crew HATES Vhalantru, and have hated him from the get-go! My LG player thinks it's incredibly wrong for a stinking drunk to be in charge of the treasury. So much for my ability to RP an amiable drunk.
I had a brainstorm this morning - I ran the seige before Occipitus, so have been out of whack with your stats so far because we're level 9. I think Kaurophon (who has already been set up with the party) will hijack them on the way back to Cauldron and claim his due, taking them to the Abyss. That will run them through the test of the smoking eye and should get them on the right level for the rest of your Seige. The Seige can settle down for a while as the Cauldron troops rebuild their destroyed seige engines with what tools they have left.
Then when they get back, the mayor will have disappeared, the Blue Duke will be ready to roll again, etc. If they don't want to return to Redgorge, Jenya can certainly use the Star of Justice to craft the divination and set them on their way, or Shensen can wire the Striders about the demon attack. I'd sure like to get them there before the initial vrock invasion, because it's pretty spectacular.
The game is going beautifully, thanks! I'm not finding the lack of maps for your adventures to be any problem at all. I can ad hoc them at the proper size to fit on my mat, which most of the published dungeons don't.
Thanks for the help.
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