Nicolas Logue, you are a brillant man.
Last weekend our DM interjected the module, Carnival of Tears, into our Pathfinder Campaign (he put it in right after we dealt with the Skinsaw man and the haunted house but before we proceeded any farther).
This Module is one of the most creative and entertaining things I have ever been a part of. What really, truly, gets me is that this module actually affected me. I could almost experience a moment of true horror when I realized that the carnival was a cover for murderous fey and that everything we (our group) had been doing was actually inadvertantly torturing innocents.
You should have seen one of our player's face when she found out the true meaning of "You're as strong as three men" at the Titan's Wheel.
There were two parts that really got to me. Like really got to me. The first was the Ice carving contest. I don't know why, but for some reason that whole tableau bothered me. In a good way, mind you. I like to be scared.
The second part that got me was the pie eating contest. I almost felt really ill. Then my character really did get ill when he realized he had eaten some of that pie earlier! I want you to know that because of that little scene, my character, a cleric of Sarenrae, is damaged. He now is violently afraid of pie (goddess help the cook who tries to serve him meat pie!) and will now only eat things that he personally has cooked. I even started taking ranks in Profession(cooking)!
Story nonsense aside, this mixture of twisted cruelty and grotesque violence really had an impact on me. As I said above, it's a good thing because I enjoy being scared or bothered by a good bit of horror.
I guess I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed your work and can't wait to see more of it.
As an aside, I can't help but notice our game group is getting a whole lot of Logue. This module... then Hook Mountain is soon coming... and in my own Savage Tide game, our group is currently doing Bullywug's Gambit!
Thanks for the excellent work. I look forward to seeing even more.
P.S. The true meaning of the Blind Peep Show was downright brilliant. Thank you for that.
You should have seen one of our player's face when she found out the true meaning of "You're as strong as three men" at the Titan's Wheel.
I wish I could've seen that! I've not run the module yet but it was one very enjoyable read.
Thanks for sharing!
tfad
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As the Dm who ran this module for Crowheart, I can say I'm very pleased with how well this module turned out. Just reading through it had me excited to run it and different parts seemed to affect the different players pretty well, seeing each of them wanting to hurry to the different parts of the carnival they had participated in to see if they might have unknowingly caused some carnage.
Things fell very well into place, though to pull it off I had to pull a great deal of outside interference to get them there(one of the characters is going spherewalker this level, so I gave her a dream from desna warning of the corruption of some of her children at the hands of lamashtu who I more or less let take the place of the ice queen as the backing of this) and I provided them with a method to get there(a mushroom circle) since I set it in turtleback ferry.
There really were some beautiful moments. The character I knew believed such things and I suspected would go got her harrow reading, but then everyone else surprised me by getting ones as well so I had to make things up on the spot. There was a great scene later, because crowheart, being a cleric of sarenrae was warned against gluttony. Then after he realized he was the only one who ate the pie and found out what was happening there someone else at the table goes 'Gluttony? Did you know he was going to do that?'
I think my only regret is in myself rather then the module, since I didn't get a chance to enjoy something that was written into the swinomancers tactics- If I had hit crowhearts character with a pie while he was standing there freaking out I think there would have been a nervous breakdown. Ahh well, there is still time for that.
Anyway, I am loving the way all the pathfinder stuff is turning out and I think my players are too. Just to make sure I am not taking sides in the showdown of giants, I should point out that the players have been really spooked by skinsaw murders thus far and it seems this module has given them a taste of what to expect in hook mountain. So Logue and Pett both have managed to really spook my group, even if in different ways.
-Tarlane
While I like to see Nick getting all the props he deserves, it would be nice to see someone give Tim Hitchcock credit, too. He is, after all, the guy that co-wrote this module with Nick. Some of the things you really dug about the adventure were quite possibly Tim's ideas. Just sayin'...
While I like to see Nick getting all the props he deserves, it would be nice to see someone give Tim Hitchcock credit, too. He is, after all, the guy that co-wrote this module with Nick. Some of the things you really dug about the adventure were quite possibly Tim's ideas. Just sayin'...
The combined twisted hive mind of Logue and Hitchcock is an awesome thing to behold.
Yeah, their combined efforts are almost as good as Pett's.
-W. E. Ray
I love you WE, I just wanted to say that.
I'm sharpening my rapier for Ebon Shroud as well - he's finally going to get the cuffing he deserves - my only worry is he might start blubbing again.
Mr Hitchcock's areas shine out from the adventure like a beacon however, bravo sir.
Of course the whole ice fayre thing was my idea in the first place, but if you ask Louge he'll just deny it:)
M'nnnnnnnnnnar.
Dank moorlands out.
Hmmm. You sound like an Anti-Fanboy. "Unimaginitive"... Brutal! >:)
I appreciate your honesty Ray. The whole thing about these boards is to get feedback - I don't agree in this case but who knows, maybe I have something (or somethings) in the pipeline that may interest you when the moment comes to share.
Rich
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As a note, I was less aware of Tim Hitchcocks earlier works which is probably why Logue's name was focused on by my player, since it has been noticed in a lot of favorable modules we have done in the past.
However, I am really digging 'the demon within' after having just read through it. I have to suspect that when I find a chance to run it, the players might just end up remembering Tim's name too as one they should be wary of(in a good way).
-Tarlane
I wanted to also say that I really dug reading this module. I havn't been able to run it yet.. and it will be awhile. but.. I'm going to launch my next campaign with it.
My players will all be from this little town see... (Not Falcons Hollow.. but a similar town) and the carnival is coming. The players all have npc classes and will go to the carnival and something bad is going to happen someplace else. They'll go save the day and the carnival will leave.
So, when it comes back in a year or six months or whenever.. and they're like.. oh good.. it's back! And the fey start ripping through their home and people they know...
yeah.. it's gonna be ugly.
Oh.. the meantime and in-between time will be filled with Castle Whiterock
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Thanks Liz, Steve, and Rich!
Seriously, I have a fantastic time working with Nick. I assure you, for a good three months we were quite convinced we'd written the worst module ever and nobodied ever figure out how to run it. I might add, that Jeremy Walker added a considerable amount of organization and editing to make the piece work. Its kind of wierd with the multiple stuff going on.
But really, I'm thrilled you dug the piece.
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I'd like to chime in with a bit of praise: this is a damn fine adventure. Its so full of vibrant, disturbing life it seems to jump out of Adobe Acrobat and into Realplayer on my laptop.
When I get the chance, I intend to run the whole set of falcon's hollow adventures in sequence, and I look foreward to this one the most. Damn, do I love creeping out my players, and this one doesnt require candles or dim lights, like Pett's.
also, the cold rider: DAYUM, he's scarry.
While I like to see Nick getting all the props he deserves, it would be nice to see someone give Tim Hitchcock credit, too. He is, after all, the guy that co-wrote this module with Nick. Some of the things you really dug about the adventure were quite possibly Tim's ideas. Just sayin'...The combined twisted hive mind of Logue and Hitchcock is an awesome thing to behold.
Would that be Hitchlogue? Or Loguecock? Just wonderin'. *whistles and walks away*
Titan's Wheel = Tim Hitchcock
Swinomancer = Tim Hitchcock
Most of the Awesome Things in Carnival = Tim Hitchcock
There's a reason he's my favorite co-writer. He's a madman genius.
Soon, oh soon, his evil will flow freely from Sinister Adventures as well.
I'm gonna be runnin' this thing right after Seven Days to the Grave in CotCT. Any tips?
I accept the fact that they will never let me DM again. I'm scary.
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I'm gonna be runnin' this thing right after Seven Days to the Grave in CotCT. Any tips?
I accept the fact that they will never let me DM again. I'm scary.
For props,
I recommend handing out carmel apples. But... carve out the centers first, put one of those EYEBALL gumballs in the center, then cover the apples in caramel.That way the players are all happy eating the carmel apples until they find the eyeballs in the middle.
I'm gonna be runnin' this thing right after Seven Days to the Grave in CotCT. Any tips?
I accept the fact that they will never let me DM again. I'm scary.
For props,
I recommend handing out carmel apples. But... carve out the centers first, put one of those EYEBALL gumballs in the center, then cover the apples in caramel.
That way the players are all happy eating the carmel apples until they find the eyeballs in the middle.
Man that would have been awesome, in the TWO seperate groups I ran through this they each had a person who's immediate interest was the caramel apples, and having real ones with a "prize" would have definately made an impact I think.
As a side note, I must throw out there Great job on a wonderful adventure that made my halloween gaming awesome.
I'm gonna be runnin' this thing right after Seven Days to the Grave in CotCT. Any tips?
I accept the fact that they will never let me DM again. I'm scary.
For props,
I recommend handing out carmel apples. But... carve out the centers first, put one of those EYEBALL gumballs in the center, then cover the apples in caramel.
That way the players are all happy eating the carmel apples until they find the eyeballs in the middle.
And yet another reason I love Tim Hitchcock.
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Note to self: Only DM for Tim, do not accept "treats" when he is running.
Note to all: If you see me running, there's probably a reason I'm running. Therefore I suggest you run as well, or you might get blamed for whatever mayhem I have created and am running from. If I hand you a "treat", its most likely a beer.