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Warning: This thread contains spoilers.
Bengeirr's tactics note that he's going to focus The Beacon of the North on a new PC every round. This means that a mini portal opens up inside each of their bodies.
What happens if they don't win? Do I just write on their adventure records that there are miniature portals opened up inside each of them, along with the consequences?
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I'm going to be perfectly honest and say that I never considered how it would work if that happened. Partly because it seemed unlikely, but mostly because when I wrote it, I didn't really know how the organized play thing would work.
I'll leave it to Josh to make an official ruling on that, but my personal ruling would be that after Skelg dies of cold, Bengeirr eventually tracks down and Kills Natalya, then reclaims the ship and opens the big portal, closing the ones in the PCs. Or Natalya kills Bengeirr, and opens the big portal, with the same result. Or the PFS recovers the lantern, and another team of pathfinders tracks down the ship and either kills or negotiates with Natalya to end the curse
One way or another, the ship is being drawn towards the lantern, and eventually they will connect. Any afflicted PC will suffer for a few weeks, then mysteriously recover. Probably the PCs would never find out how the lantern and ship reconnected, unless it happened as part of the scenario.
The PCs should survive, since they will only have been exposed to the lantern for a single round (unless things go very badly wrong).
Also, bear in mind, Bengeirr needs to make a ranged touch attack and the PC needs to fail their save to open a portal. I've run this adventure seven times now, and every player was terrified of that lantern, but I haven't even once nailed one with the freezing curse! (Although I know that some other DMs have)
I hope that helps!
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When I played, we found the scenario very challenging. The first time we attacked the warehouse the spiritual weapon knocked one of us out and then my character got nailed by the lantern and a third PC got knocked unconscious by thugs. We (barely) managed to run away. The second time we attacked my character got attacked with the lantern again, but I wasn't hit. I shivered the whole rest of the game.
By the time we finished the warehouse encounter it was late and we were tired, but we had to do the rest of the module or else my character more or less became unplayable. I waffled over giving up my PC, but everyone else insisted that in-character they'd be looking out for him. The GM was just as glad since he didn't have any instructions on what to do in this situation.
So it sounds like if this happens when I run the game at a con next weekend I should just handwave it and say that the PC mysteriously gets better before the next scenario, right?
Also, bear in mind, Bengeirr needs to make a ranged touch attack and the PC needs to fail their save to open a portal.
We were all level one. I have Dex 10, so a touch attack against me isn't very hard, and at level one a lot of people will fail a DC 15 saving throw.
To be clear: I loved the lantern and the story behind it! :D I'm just looking for some direction on what to do when I'm running the game and this happens.
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That encounter is without a doubt the most challenging one in the adventure. It's just been my experience that groups I've run have either gone in with a very good plan, or been able to close with Bengeirr fast. Then the few attacks I've made with the lantern have either missed or the PC made their save. I'm pretty sure in one case, the player used their free reroll from their T-shirt to make the save.
The initial effects are also not too bad, if it does hit, but I can see how it would be an extra challenge if you've already had to retreat from the fight. I mostly wanted it to present an extra incentive to find a cure fast!
Still, though, unless Josh says otherwise, if the PCs fail to either get the lantern or deal with Natalya, and yet survive the encounter, I would have Skelg die and then the curse disappear. I might throw in some extra repercussions, but I would make them mostly role-play things that don't actually have an impact. So I might say that the PFS receives a message from Bengeirr, who has a new ship, that he'll slay any of their members on sight.
IMO the loss of the rewards from the adventure is significant enough in terms of concrete punishments.
Good luck running it!
EDIT: And I'm glad you liked the lantern! I was proud of it as a story and as a solution to creating a 'curse' that couldn't just be cured by normal magic. Thanks!
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Thanks for the input! This is a really fun scenario and I'm quite looking forward to running it.
I'm a little confused by the Special Reward Note. The implication is that the gp reward increases the maximum reward, but the adventure record stil gives a maximum of 467 gp. Is the real maximum gold reward for the scenario 467 gp or 824 gp at the lowest tier? (Our GM ruled that it was 467 gp, and I think I will too unless I hear otherwise.)
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The chronicle sheet will always trump unfortunate development errors when it comes to available gear and max gold.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Yeah, about that Desecrate effect.
Just finished this one tonight. Unintended consequences. We've a Lawful Neutral cleric of Asmodeaus. Natural 20 on the turning role, and they owned the undead (rebuke, not turn.)
The bright side, as a DM, was the cleric went and stayed down there until the turn/rebuke expired. Then they ate into the party.
Also noticed some error on my copy.
After Hydra's fang, they didn't want to go anywhere near the waterside doors on the warehouse.
Best way to distract the guard goes to the rogue. I described the traffic and urchins, he bribed kids with silver to destract the guard. Picture the poor man dealing with 1d20 kids trying to distract him for a week's worth of food.
Oh, and we have a question. Said rogue got infected with Ghoul Fever, how do we resolve that? do we assume he got magical healing 'off panel' or what?
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Oh, and we have a question. Said rogue got infected with Ghoul Fever, how do we resolve that? do we assume he got magical healing 'off panel' or what?
I'd disregard them. As a DC 12 you'll succeed quite quickly, with aid from another character's Heal you get another chance with the save and recovering just takes a few days. A disease would only have a meaning if the adventure/scenario takes more than just one day, like in ...
I really don't want to bother with extra rolling and book keeping. Besides, having a hero die to some lousy disease is not a very desired way to die. Let's not have that as an option.
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Yeah, about that Desecrate effect.
Just finished this one tonight. Unintended consequences. We've a Lawful Neutral cleric of Asmodeaus. Natural 20 on the turning role, and they owned the undead (rebuke, not turn.)
The bright side, as a DM, was the cleric went and stayed down there until the turn/rebuke expired. Then they ate into the party.
By 'owned' do you mean 'successfully rebuked' or 'controlled?' I'm just curious. I wanted that check to be hard, but a Nat 20 is a Nat 20, and if a character is built just to turn undead, they should be able to do it more easily. Actually, in the playtest at Origins, when I told Jason Bulmahn to take a -3 to his turn check, there were cries of outrage. "That's too powerful! Tone it down in the final version!" But he also made a high roll and turned all of the undead. So I figured it was perfect. I like it when the players think they are doomed and then win.
Also noticed some error on my copy.
Tier 1 guards are listed with battle axes, but their melee lists great axe I decided the battleaxe was correct. Bengeirr is listed as Greatsword (1d12) I corrected on the fly to 2d6, then of course hit the halfling sorcerer.... for 3 points of damage.
The first is an artifact. I originally gave them greataxes, because I was writing it for 2nd level characters. I rolled it back to battleaxes but missed an instance. The second is just an error. Whoops!
After Hydra's fang, they didn't want to go anywhere near the waterside doors on the warehouse.
Best way to distract the guard goes to the rogue. I described the traffic and urchins, he bribed kids with silver to destract the guard. Picture the poor man dealing with 1d20 kids trying to distract him for a week's worth of food.
Nice! The most effective distraction I've had was the group that hired a prostitute to proposition him. He failed his Will save.
Oh, and we have a question. Said rogue got infected with Ghoul Fever, how do we resolve that? do we assume he got magical healing 'off panel' or what?
I think technically you are supposed to record it as a condition gained, and the player starts his next adventure with the condition. Still, I'd give the character some game time to recover if there was time at the end of the session to play it out and make the rolls. And Frozen Fingers can take a few days of game time as it is.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Thank you for the replies.
This time I was running it for my mixed group of teens and adults, so the kids seemed to be a way to steer the adult players away from the ladies of the evening. (They may be more comfortable with bringing such elements up around the kids. Me, not so much.)
Plus they loved the image of 17 kids swarming the guard "Hey Mister, are you a real viking?" "Hey Mister, are those real braids?" "Hey Mister, how heavy is that axe?" The rogue actually paid them each an extra silver for the show.
As to the (ungreatful) dead, I read desecrate as 'affects turn attempts' but not 'affects rebuke attempts' so he had a little band of zombies. The ghoul was just rebuked. I did also forget the bonuses the spell gives the undead, so it was a wash I guess.
How eager is Natalya to fight with her husband? When the undead attacked the wizard and cleric still down below, the rogue asked her for help. I had her toss a flaming sphere down below decks to roll across teh room, but didn't care if it ran over prone characters or not. (The above mentioned cleric, now at -5, paralyzed and stable did not appriciate this.)
Also she kissed the rogue, and cast mage armour on him to help him against the undead. Player was really paranoid about that.
I had fun running this, and will have fun Tuesday.
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That sounds awesome. I think the kids distraction is more amusing than the prostitute, hands down, and certainly more appropriate for a younger audience.
I wasn't thinking about the desecrate not affecting rebuke. Good point!
My original concept was that The undead don't attack Natalya, and to a limited degree, they are her minions. She gets a kick out of her husband's undead state.
However, I'm happy to have different DMs interpret things differently, and I particularly like your version. The kiss is perfect, and that would make me worry as a PC. Good show!
This is the first time I've got to see such a variety of outcomes for an adventure I wrote. It's really neat how different groups and different DMs approach it.
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"I've had was the group that hired a prostitute to proposition him. He failed his Will save".
My group had a paladin with ranks in Profession(coutesan)(former slave
from Cheliax) who was very effective in distracting him and the other
guards. They were suprised when my Chelaxian fighter burst in and shouted "what are you doing with my daughter". Was also instumental in obtaining a personal item from another NPC. Of course, it was an all adult table.
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Co-owner - Battlegrounds to Board Games
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I am going to be running this scenario in my home on Christmas Eve. This will be the first time that I or any of my players have played in a living campaign type game. I have a question about the Chronicle sheet. Are the items that are on the sheet the only ones I should be concerned with or should I write down every piece of equipment from everyone they encounter? When they finish off an encounter do they just get the listed amount of gold or do they get all of the equipment too? For instance, If the charaters took down the ulfen warriors would they be allowed to upgrade thier armor to chain shirts if they did not already have one from thier fallen foes? Or would they have to buy the chain shirt from the moey they get for defeating the ulfen warriors?
Or would they have to buy the chain shirt from the moey they get for defeating the ulfen warriors?
This.
I like to think of it as such: The group thwacks the bad guys and takes all their stuff. At the end of the module, they report back to the society and give back everything they got. The Society pays out each PC an equal share of that loot, as reflected by the scenario reward gp amounts. The PCs can then use this money to buy whatever stuff they want back from the Society.
Thus, the gp gained is instead of the traditional encounter loot, not in addition to it. You don't need to note down anything else because PCs can always re-equip between scenarios using the PHB, and the campaign setting hardcover.
Also note that this particular scenario mentions a reward over and above the gp cap on the chronicle. This statement is erroneous--the gp cap is firm.
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My original intention was that while it would be theoretically possible to acquire more oil or have some manufactured from a sample, it was not something the PCs could do within the context of the adventure. So, yeah, if the oil runs out, the PCs are hooped.
It's possible that this changed during development and I missed it, so consider my answer unofficial.
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Ran this last weekend...
Act 1 went amazingly smoothly when the Taldoran calls out the guards for being 'out of uniform' and beat down the slow guards to a pulp. The mad Chelaxian finished one, claiming himself some personal power. Both times the hair was gathered in, strange ways, before I even had chance to mention the unattended brush.
Act 2 The Chelaxian (or is it Chelish?) Sorc provides distraction via a celestial poo flinging monkey. Then the party entered like a SEAL team dropping the enemy before Bengeirr could bring to bear the Beacon of the North. The Taldoran wake Bengeirr, parading him in his unmentionables down the main street, proclaiming in ostentatious display how Taldor is not to be triffled with.
Act 3 Both groups were apprehensive about the giant drum, staying clear. With clerics in both parties the zombies were little threat, but Haldyr managed to apply some hurt. The Chelaxian Cleric was very interested in the mask, claiming it as his own before making it to Natalya's quarters. From there it turned to horse trading and all ended well with Skelg and Natalya sailing off together.
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Whenever something with a user interface is encountered during a scenario, the writer's intent is that said item is to be used. Thus, levers are pulled, buttons are pushed and, obviously, drums are banged. Obviously some groups have had way too many averse repercussions of the "hitting every button" tactic. ;)
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** spoiler omitted **Sounds like everything went well! I hope everyone had a fun time.
** spoiler omitted **
Yep, my bard did exactly the same thing when I played this at GenCon UK. I really liked it because it seemed placed there just for bards. (And bard tasks are one of the main reasons I liked Silent Tide, too!)
Interesting too that the three of us discussing the drum are all Taldor faction...
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I'm just curious if any PCs have offered themselves in Skelg's place as a companion for Natalya? I ran a table last weekend where one of the PCs was a cleric of Gorum (same as Bengeirr). As soon as he recognized a fellow cleric of Gorum in the warehouse, he called Bengeirr out and defeated him. It was an interesting conversation at the table about Viking/Ulfen culture and the attitudes toward Skelg's action in shaming Haldyr and spurning Natalya. The PC later slew Haldyr (or what Haldyr had become). Then he suggested he was a better match for Natalya than Skelg, as he had killed Bengeirr & Haldyr and held the treasure as well. Possession is 9/10th of the law and might apparently makes right (accounting for the remaining 1/10th). Natalya was dismissive of him, which didn't go over well. The PC applied a non-lethal 'attitude adjustment' and defeated Natalya in single combat as well (He was playing down to the lower Tier for a less-capable table). I felt it was very appropriate for him to marry her. It's going to be a rocky relationship though.
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I know it happened at at least one table at Gen Con, although I'm having trouble remembering the details.
I originally had a pretty extensive note in the adventure that boiled down to: If a PC offers themself as a companion for Natalya, she accepts. I originally conceived that this would take the character out of the campaign, but really, there's no reason why the PC can't come back later (especially with access to the lantern).
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The PC applied a non-lethal 'attitude adjustment' and defeated Natalya in single combat as well (He was playing down to the lower Tier for a less-capable table).
Chris Brown approves.
The times I ran it she was played like an ice wench pining for the studly man what ransacked her ship. Though if any man wanted her they'd need to have been a capable brute.
I think it would've been quite the send off for a character though.
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I know it happened at at least one table at Gen Con, although I'm having trouble remembering the details.
I originally had a pretty extensive note in the adventure that boiled down to: If a PC offers themself as a companion for Natalya, she accepts. I originally conceived that this would take the character out of the campaign, but really, there's no reason why the PC can't come back later (especially with access to the lantern).
Actually the way i remember Josh statement on the matter is that they are based in Iresen<sp?> but the players are brought back to Absalom for their missions thus not out of the Setting. Thus some players get to have cake and eat it as well.
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I know its not necessary, but since its allowed, i took the liberty of converting the warriors, clerics, sorcerers and barbarians in this adventure as a google document.
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dg7p75ws_19c66nptg8
it presumes npcs receive the +1 to hp or +1 skill point each level.
it takes into account the errata that the warriors have battle axes, and adds in their weapon focus feats. converts all the 3.5 humans to Pathfinder humans. their +2 went to strength.
Bengeirr is given the War and Destruction domain powers and channel energy, loses his weapon focus (greatsword), and takes armor proficiency (heavy) as his 3rd level feat to keep him up to date. his +2 went to strength.
Natalya loses Alertness, since she has it from her familiar, and gains spell focus, and some metamagic feats to make use of her Bloodline Arcana (arcane bloodline sorceress) with Flaming Sphere. She loses Combat Reflexes at 7th level since... well it didn't make sense.
the undead are statted out from the 3.5 MM with the listed changes.
so everything you need to beat the PCs senseless is included in one simple document! split up by tier 1-2 and tier 4-5.
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Thanks for doing the conversion. I was a little baffled that Combat Reflexes "didn't make sense," but I never noticed until now that Natalya's long spear was changed to a normal spear during development. It's funny how you don't see what something actually says when you have an idea in your head of what it is already!
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Thanks for doing the conversion. I was a little baffled that Combat Reflexes "didn't make sense," but I never noticed until now that Natalya's long spear was changed to a normal spear during development. It's funny how you don't see what something actually says when you have an idea in your head of what it is already!
I just discovered this thread. Craig, I met you at the premiere of this scenario and Pathfinder Society and was one of the first GM's to run it. I'm both proud and amazed that it plays differently almost every time, as I'm sure you must be. The lantern in particular seems to be played a little differently with every group and it's more fun that way, honestly.
I would have loved to go through this as a player.
I just played this about two weeks ago. It is easily one of my favorite modules – thanks for writing it!
I just played this about two weeks ago. It is easily one of my favorite modules – thanks for writing it!
Played it a couple of days ago, my players really enjoyed it as well. The dwarven ranger bit the dust as he first fumbled his attack roll (and was Exhausted, thanks to the Fumble Deck), then a guard critted him with a great axe. I fudged and ruled him to -8, this being a home game after all. Greataxes are really really dangerous in the hands of raging barbarians.. 54 hp is quite a lot of damage on 4th level.
Natalya left with the half-orc fighter. The brother of one of our regular players was in town, and this was a cool way to write him out of the campaign.
The dwarven ranger bit the dust as he first fumbled his attack roll (and was Exhausted, thanks to the Fumble Deck)...
Quoth the Guide:
Critical Hit/Fumble Deck
Neither of these GameMastery accessories are legal for play.
The dwarven ranger bit the dust as he first fumbled his attack roll (and was Exhausted, thanks to the Fumble Deck)...Quoth the Guide:
Critical Hit/Fumble Deck
Neither of these GameMastery accessories are legal for play.
I'm just using the scenarios in a home game :)
Which is totally cool. Just had to be sure. :-)
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Ran this mod at Draconis, Montreal's RPG Con, this past weekend. Love this scenario. Players got a kick out of the 3D treatment.
Some photos.
My view.
Players view
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Ran this mod at Draconis, Montreal's RPG Con, this past weekend. Love this scenario. Players got a kick out of the 3D treatment.
Some photos.
My view.
Players view
Nice work! I always have trouble impressing upon the players how high the loft is, the 3D model was an excellent idea...You haven't patented that idea or anything, have you? [Yoink!]
Ran this mod at Draconis, Montreal's RPG Con, this past weekend. Love this scenario. Players got a kick out of the 3D treatment.
Some photos.
My view.
Players view
Wow. I can't even imagine the amount of time it took you to do that. Well done.
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I played this module back in 2008 at Gen Con and our group FINALLY got around to starting up a Pathfinder Society game. Since I was the only player to run through it, I've gained the ignominious distinction of getting to GM our first session.
The google docs page is tremendously useful (I too had noticed a number of the inconsistencies) and thanks a ton for it.
Interestingly, I have no idea what tier our GM at Gen Con actually ran us at. He was constantly rolling the greataxe dice, and was using the much higher hit point totals for some things, but then dropping down to tier 1-2 for others like the encounter on the boat. I never realized this until I actually got around to reading the module today.
Is it my imagination or is this one of the shorter modules too?
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Is it my imagination or is this one of the shorter modules too?
It depends on how much work you make the players do. Some GMs will gloss over a lot of the plot, like fast-forwarding the game by summarizing the seach for Bengeirr's warehouse, how the lantern works or Natalya's story. A party can make it through with only three combats if they do things right. Many players spend a lot of time coming up with a plan to assault the warehouse.
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Nice! The most effective distraction I've had was the group that hired a prostitute to proposition him. He failed his Will save.
My group was about to try the same exact thing tonight. They figured it wouldn't work so their final plan was much more devious. The rogue snuck in via the water, climbed aboard the ship when the guards were looking the other way, and tossed an alchemist's fire onto the closest Ulfen warrior for maximum damage. When the Ulfen warrior started screaming, the guard outside ran in to see what the commotion was and the rest of the group trailed in behind him and closed the door.
The enemies were really nicely divided and the gangplank kept the rogue pretty well insulated from the rest of combat. The really funny part was watching Bengeiir continue to try to channel energy to get his guards up (they got him surrounded pretty quickly), while the two gnomes (one a sorcerer, and the other a cleric) kept taking pot-shots at the Ulfen Warriors that continued to get healed, go down, get healed, go down...etc.
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I co-opted this out of PFS into my regular Rise of the Runelords game with a lot of success! The players and I all enjoyed it. I transplanted it to Magnimar and used it as a side-trek during the Skinsaw Murders. If I ever run it again, I will learn from example here and work up the boathouse with some cardboard... Great idea, Acev!