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As a player, I was a little angry with the permanent ability score damage from the 2nd fight. We had a large low level party and had to tier up. Only to face creatures that had to be hit with magical weapons and stole all of your wisdom permanently. Luckily we saved Lady Dacilane's daughter and hung out at her place until she had healed her daughter's wisdom drain :)
This is an instance where even though we're supposed to run Season Zero's as-is, I'd convert. In PF rules, they do damage, not drain. The fight still sucks and I think is completely unreasonable though.
I'm running this scenario for the first time at my group's next meetup. How do you pronounce Dacilane?
DASS-ILL-AIN
DASS-ILL-AIN
Got it, thanks! =)
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I ran this adventure over the weekend and had a question about GM credit - is the "Exemplar of Falcon's Hollow" reward something a GM gets? I only ask because I'm not sure if it falls under the "regional
boons, or future bonus dice rolls" heading.I'm guessing it does fall under this category and am not taking it regardless, but I'd like to know whether is does count?
Thanks in advance.
You are correct that a GM claiming the sceanrio reward does on receive any favors, boons, etc on the chronicle sheet.
Note, the favor you referenced is from PFS#43 The Pallid Plague and this is the thread for PFS#6 Black Waters :)
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So I'm getting ready to run this on Friday and I'm a little confused about the scry attempt. 1st how would the PCs know that they should voluntarily fail the Will save for this? Are you aware of the attempt as it happens prior to the Will save? Additionally Area 3 makes a terrible location for a store room doesn't it?
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So I'm getting ready to run this on Friday and I'm a little confused about the scry attempt. 1st how would the PCs know that they should voluntarily fail the Will save for this? Are you aware of the attempt as it happens prior to the Will save? Additionally Area 3 makes a terrible location for a store room doesn't it?
That mission is very easy to forget about unless it is done early in the exploration. It is either a gimme or it can be easily failed. What I recommend is to wait until the players are preoccupied, maybe when the ghost children are doing their campfire circle. As the players are figuring out the ghosts aren't a threat, tell the appropriate faction that their PC feels a presence behind them peering over their shoulder. If they turn around there's nothing there. Ask them if they want to resist the intrusion. Distracted players might forget about their mission and resist. I'd give them a DC 15 Will Save so they have a chance to avoid outright failure.
I'm not sure what you mean about the store room.
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That mission is very easy to forget about unless it is done early in the exploration. It is either a gimme or it can be easily failed. What I recommend is to wait until the players are preoccupied, maybe when the ghost children are doing their campfire circle. As the players are figuring out the ghosts aren't a threat, tell the appropriate faction that their PC feels a presence behind them peering over their shoulder. If they turn around there's nothing there. Ask them if they want to resist the intrusion. Distracted players might forget about their mission and resist. I'd give them a DC 15 Will Save so they have a chance to avoid outright failure.I'm not sure what you mean about the store room.
I was thinking about doing this after the zombie encounter for area 1, so we are kind of on the same wavelength here. But yeah, right after the room with the creepy kids is an excellent choice!
Area 1 seems like a much more logical choice as far as the map goes for the stated goal of 'Qadiran merchants seek a private location in Absalom to warehouse vast quantities of less-than-legal wares.' At least better than a room that's randomly flooded with sea water :) I know it doesn't say this room or that room will be used for that purpose, but having the 'trigger' for this even being in one of the least optimal rooms in the Necropolis seems strange to me.
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Area 1 seems like a much more logical choice as far as the map goes for the stated goal of 'Qadiran merchants seek a private location in Absalom to warehouse vast quantities of less-than-legal wares.' At least better than a room that's randomly flooded with sea water :) I know it doesn't say this room or that room will be used for that purpose, but having the 'trigger' for this even being in one of the least optimal rooms in the Necropolis seems strange to me.
Perhaps inside of the sarcophagi? Someplace nearly airtight and not likely to be checked by a casual watchman? If it's good enough for a 10 year old girl, it's good enough for "duty-free" goods.
Honestly I've never thought about this. The scrying seems like the pass/fail check, it's up to the smugglers where they stash their goods.
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So I'm working up a meal plan for the 10 course meal...I still need to substitute a few things for more Golarian regionalized versions, but my question is would an uppity Chelaxian noblewoman serve the Lamb (to the slaughter) last, or the cloven hooved pork (respect to Asmodeus) last? The tuna of course is a nod to the Inner Sea. Eggs play heavily into to soul
- First Course - Deviled (Asmodean) Eggs: Boiled eggs with the yolks whipped with lemon zest. Topped with fish eggs.
- Second Course - Feta Cheese with Pepper Honey
- Third Course - Poached Garlic Soup - garlic is always good before heading off to fight the undead :)
- Fourth Course - Salad with poached egg
- Fifth Course - Asiago & Sage Scalloped Potatoes
- Sixth Course - Verjus Mint Sorbet
- Seventh Course - Pan-Seared Orange Tuna with White Beans
- Eighth Course - Pork Loin with Pumpkin Sage Bread Pudding
- Ninth Course - Lamb with Port Sauce
- Tenth Course - Devil's Cake
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I don't recall what all I used, but I know the meal plan I used included whole honey-glazed baby songbirds (to be eaten whole), which I took from a historical fiction novel set in ancient Rome.
Also you might find these things from wikipedia's ancient Roman cuisine entry fun:
"The inherent flavours of vegetables and meat were completely masked by the heavy use of garum and other seasonings. It was considered an indication of the highest achievement in culinary art if a gourmet could tell neither by sight, nor smell, nor taste what the ingredients of a dish were."
Garum was a fish sauce made from mackerel intestines aged in the sun over three months.
"At a certain time goatfish was considered the epitome of luxury, above all because its scales exhibit a bright red color when it dies out of water. For this reason these fish were occasionally allowed to die slowly at the table. There even was a recipe where this would take place in the sauce."
"Newborn rabbits or rabbit fetuses, known as laurices, were considered a delicacy."
"For special effects, whole pigs were stuffed with sausages and fruit, roasted and then served on their feet. When cut, the sausages would spill from the animal like entrails."
All of those give a nice hint of diabolic/decadent Chelaxian culture I'd think.
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So I'm working up a meal plan for the 10 course meal...I still need to substitute a few things for more Golarian regionalized versions, but my question is would an uppity Chelaxian noblewoman serve the Lamb (to the slaughter) last, or the cloven hooved pork (respect to Asmodeus) last? The tuna of course is a nod to the Inner Sea. Eggs play heavily into to soul
- First Course - Deviled (Asmodean) Eggs: Boiled eggs with the yolks whipped with lemon zest. Topped with fish eggs.
- Second Course - Feta Cheese with Pepper Honey
- Third Course - Poached Garlic Soup - garlic is always good before heading off to fight the undead :)
- Fourth Course - Salad with poached egg
- Fifth Course - Asiago & Sage Scalloped Potatoes
- Sixth Course - Verjus Mint Sorbet
- Seventh Course - Pan-Seared Orange Tuna with White Beans
- Eighth Course - Pork Loin with Pumpkin Sage Bread Pudding
- Ninth Course - Lamb with Port Sauce
- Tenth Course - Devil's Cake
I ran this last night and I was thinking about the dinner party on the way to the game store. Your menu ideas had me thinking. What about a nine course meal themed on the nine layers of Hell?
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I ran this last night and I was thinking about the dinner party on the way to the game store. Your menu ideas had me thinking. What about a nine course meal themed on the nine layers of Hell?
I've been working on the details of the run I'm planning of Black Waters in about a week or so and was thinking of something similar.
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I ran this last night and I was thinking about the dinner party on the way to the game store. Your menu ideas had me thinking. What about a nine course meal themed on the nine layers of Hell?That could work nicely too!
Here's what I came up with:
Course 1
Avernus: Hors D’Oeuvres
Thousand-Year Egg w/ Pickled Ginger Root
Duck egg preserved in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime and rice hulls for several months. Through the process, the yolk becomes a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong odor of sulfur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with little flavor. The transforming agent in the century egg is its alkaline material, which gradually raises the pH of the egg to around 9, 12, or more. This chemical process breaks down some of the complex, flavorless proteins and fats, which produces a variety of smaller flavorful compounds.
The blackened color and history of the egg represent the black wastes and eternity of suffering endured by the denzins of this layer.
Course 2
Dis: Soup
Coda Alla Vaccinara
A thick stew traditionally served by the greatest families in Cheliax as a nod to those beneath them. Made of oxtail, entrails, and hide (specifically veal), and various vegetables (celery, carrots, tomatoes, garlic) and herbs (bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper). Raisins, candied fruit, and bittersweet chocolate accompanies the dish for the eater to prepare the stew to taste.
This course represents the relationship between the greatest city in hell and the subservience of its devils to Cheliax.
Course 3
Erebus: Salad
Mixed Greed Salad
This salad contains Almas golden caviar, Beluga caviar, kreel-caught langoustines, Cornish crab and lobster, plus Florette baby leaf salad tossed in premium olive oil, along with grated truffle placed in a basket hand-made from courgettes, red peppers and potato and decorated with gold leaf.
The nature of this dish demonstrates that even the most mundane of dishes can be made as rich as the gold-plated level of hell.
Course 4
Phlegethon: Fish dish
Fugu Kara-age
Also known as the pufferfish, the prepared meat from this dish is known for its dangerous and deadly neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin. Thin slices of the fish are deep fried and on an ornate plate with a chrysanthemum flower decoration in the middle(symbolic of death). A side of hot sake accompanies this dish.
The consumption of fugu is representative of the danger and pain of this layer of hell coupled with the pleasure of the dish.
Course 5
Stygia: Chicken Entree
Tori-sashi
Two chicken wings are skewered with leeks, dipped in barbecue sauce and seasoned with a red pepper salt before being grilled lightly, leaving the meat slightly raw. While salmonella typically infests most raw chicken, the high-quality chicken used by the noble houses makes poisoning an exceedingly rare, but still occasional possibility. This dish is served with a small serving of a rare trappist ale from Cheliax, the recipe of which is a closely guarded secret by its monk brewers.
The dangerous nature of this dish and the rare ale represent the secrets and poisoned waters of Stygia.
Course 6
Malebolge: Game Meat with Vegetables and Potatoes
Leg of Boar w/ Red Current Jelly and Root Vegetables
Heavily seasoned leg of boar is marinated for roughly two days in a wine brine with bay leaves, thyme and black peppercorns before being slowly roasted in a wood-fired oven for several hours. The succulent meat is then cut immediately before serving, covered in a red current jelly and and presented with boiled fingerling potatoes and taro leaves.
The cloven hoof and stubborn and dangerous boar is one of the only game animals capable of defending itself and represents the terrible armies of Malebogle.
Course 7
Cocytus: Wine and cheese or a fruit dish to cleanse the palate
Ice Wine and Baked Brie in Puffed Pastry
A traditional aged amber-golden Riesling wine made from hand-picked grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine, this wine has a concentrated sweet taste. The accompanying brie has been wrapped in a puffed pastry crust and cooked until the cheese is nearly molten.
This course represents both the frozen wastes of cocytus and the underlying fires that fuel Hell.
Course 8
Ciana: Nuts
A Variety of Hard-Shelled Nuts
A wide variety of nuts, still in their shells. Each diner is provided rusty and bizarre implements which, with some instruction or experimentation can be used as nutcrackers.
This course is less about the nuts, and more about the instruments used to expose the meat of the difficult-to-open fruit. The instruments themselves are representative of the rusty implements of this layer of Hell.
Course 9
Nessus: Dessert
Devil's Food Cake
A personal-sized rich and decadent devil's food cake made with fine Chelaxian cocoa and a rare highly caffeinated espresso bean. The cake is served with a dark chocolate frosting decorated with a red pentagram.
Only the blackest of desserts can represent Asmodeus' dark and unknowable domain.
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I just did ran the module in Germany as I was visiting the Spielertage in Essen - Europes biggest games convention - alas - no RPG gaming. So I gathered a few interested players here on the web and some friends who wanted to go out for a dinner and got a game instead.
Black Waters was played with 4 characters - a second level witch, a second level wizard, a first level bard - started at GenCon UK in 2008 and hadn't played since. So far it looked VERY bleak - so I encouraged the fourth player to take the pregen Fighter or Cleric (she went with the fighter which in the end seemed the best solution).
I was afraid of the makeup of the party - knowing the witch specializing in hexes and mind influsencing was pretty much no help at all.
But I should not have worried. The new fighter gave some remarks around 'looting' in the opening description and was told that this isn't the philosophy of the society (at least - if we do it - we use different terms to refer to it).
For the dinner the group got seated at a small table in a corner. After all - even the two characters having bought some courtiers outfits would have been underdressed.
Marinchen worked find and was on the way showing them the entry when the wizard staying a little bit behind had to try a disrupt undead on the children in the class room. Marinchen rushed back and used color spray. I only had the options to color spray 3 without or 2 with the wizard - as he was the one responsible and whom the rage was against, I opted for the latter.
It was fitting that he went down - and luckily the fighter - also in the cone - made his saving throw. Marinchen didn't make it to another spell as he took too much damage inbetween und just couldn't make the concentration check.
The water bug nearly got down the bard (0 HP) and managed to get the fighter into minus terretory. Just when he tried to retreat (2HP left) with the fighter in his grasp, he got a magic missile and got down (yep - wizard was exploring on his own and it took a while for him to arrive).
The zombie went fine - and no trouble with the mission. We did have a 100% Andoran group. I told the group - yes - the Andoran venture captain was soooo afraid of anything leaking out - he rather wanted some inexperienced characters instead of different factions. The group therefore didn't distry the pages - they handed to whole diary to the Andoran Venture Captain. I was fine with that - given the lack of other factions.
I wasn't sure where to place the knights coffin - so it went into the southern room. The group went there ahead of meeting the children (and ghouls). Having a fighter in plate+1 and her being in the front did help to sustain the onslaught of three ghouls without any scratches (albeit one claw nearly got to her).
The final battle was an epic fight - with several members being blinded multiple times. I did roll for the Ghast as well as I didn't assume he would be immune to the water. This did rescue the wizard. In my only good dice rolling I managed to score a 20 - and confirmed. This was the bite - and the player was already pale. But the bite went in vain as the blinded condition of that round prevented the hit.
All in all - the group enjoyed it a lot. I aim to GM it again for my local group (only one of them was with me traveling). There had been one or two occasions where it could have gone badly - but the dice were with the players.
Oh - and they nearly left the girl behind. When I gave a hint that the hand of the girl seemed suprisingly warm to the touch, the wizard tried to convince the rest of the party - this has to be the salamander ring (assuming it to have fire powers - not being a rind of sustenance).
Thod
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Venture-Captain, Michigan—Mt. Pleasant
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I ran it on Halloween last year, and I believe it was the first time I've ever had a group run away from something... :) Incorporeal creatures can be a pain if you aren't prepared for them. The new years holiday boon would have been quite handy to have had for that scenario... :) Guess they should have taken my hint the week before about ghost salt...
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Running this on Saturday, going to be snagging that menu from Ryan.
Any suggestions for PFRPG conversions? I need an appropriate bloodline for Deris, and I'm not sure the CR 5 Giant Advanced Aquatic Ant (waterbug) is going to be a fair fight at tier 1-2. The thing is a potential TPK for a group of 1st level characters with it's AC 20, stinger, and grabbing bite.
I want to update the other monsters too but I want to stay as close to the original HP's listed in the scenario, especially that bugbear zombie, don't know how I'm gonna get him up to 42 HP.
The Ghasts should be at least 4 HD, shouldn't they? That's the cap it takes to turn a person into one from ghoul fever. I plan on taking the Ghast Kings bite away (he's wearing his golden funeral mask) so that he doesn't completely destroy the party if they are particularly weak at that point.
About the maps, the outdoor map is very small and has no scale, I realize it was just taken as a clip from the map in the back of the "Hangman's Noose" module but really, it's of almost no use at all. I suppose I'll just get by by drawing out the edge of a pool for the battle in the water. What did other people do for this?
Also, if the players dispel the haunts in the school house and start a fight there. Any suggestions? Maybe the magical academy map pack?
The Necropolis map has a flaw in it, the southeast room with the two lights has a 5ft stair leading down from the north, and a 15 ft stair leading down from the west. Both stairwells start at the same level?
I think I'm going to have to include a 10 ft stair between that north junction and the room with the ghouls, just so the horizontal layout makes sense. I'm also going to make that 5 ft step crumbled and hazardous and fill the room with 3ft of water. The Gebbite General is also going to be placed in that room along the East wall in the alcove there. My basic idea is to prevent the players from wanting to go down the crumbled steps into the water, once they make it through the room with the ghouls, they will be able to take the southern passage and the find the longer stairwell, which going down will give them a straight on view of the armored form. At that point, they know they'll have to enter the water to get to him, and hopefully I can creep them out for no good reason. Adding the 10ft of stair between the long hall and the ghoul room will also give me the benefit of not letting the players see into the room before they enter it.
Also, the main hallway stair from Area 1 to Area 2 should be going down, not up. The final chamber has 50ft ceilings for crying out loud. Unless that entry shaft was a good 80 ft deep, the characters need to go down. Down is always creepier anyway.....
The South-most chamber will be where the carved relief the Taldor player is looking for is located. It serves no other purpose and I hate telling players, "You enter the room, it's dark and empty".
The North-most chamber will be the lair of the 3 ghouls, I was thinking that they are former teachers that ate the bodies stored here to stay alive when they were trapped here by the quake, only able to claw their way out once they transformed, so when they attack they'll be wearing teachers uniforms. Would someone like to try writing up some flavor text for this chamber? I plan on putting three broken open coffins in here, one in each alcove, but other than that, anything that makes this room seem like a place of desperate depravity and creepy garbage would be great.
The two easternmost chambers in Area 3 will each hold a ghast if playing at the higher tier, again I hate empty rooms and, the undead coming from every direction will be an interesting change in the combat dynamic.
The text describes the entire necropolis as dark, but the map shows several glowing yellow spots. I plan on changing these to be continual light globes that are flickering and dim, barely giving off shadowy illumination as the negative energy churning through the complex drains their magic slowly away.....
Anyone think of anything else that needs doing?
I thought this was a decent scenario, but the (possible) combined encounter with ghouls and a caster with Color Spray was pretty brutal in our case. Our GM was pretty merciful, otherwise he could have easily slaughtered us all (after several PCs got Color Sprayed and several got paralyzed).
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Yes, I'm looking forward to the ghoul/color spray mess when it happens.
I've decided to split up the Faction missions for the 10 different groups and extrapolated some new text for them.
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Qadira Faction Handout
Servant of the Satrap,
As you well know, we seek trade and economic advantage above all else. Collecting debts and supplying the demands
of other nations’ peoples is how our great empire has spanned the seas and why thrones around the world crumble to
dust at our command. Qadiran merchants seek a private location in Absalom to warehouse vast quantities of less-than-legal wares. A locked down necropolis buried under an abandoned district of the city may be the ideal warehouse and distribution hub. When you enter the necropolis beneath the Drownyard, take detailed notes of the layout. Be aware that our agents will attempt to divine your location magically at some point—be sure to allow them to do so. Go well, and do honor to our satrapy.
Respectfully,
Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri
Lantern Lodge Faction Handout
Friend to the East,
In order to attain a more perfect understanding of the rituals that govern their lives, and their deaths, our agents are seeking a greater knowledge of the burial practices followed by the natives of the Inner Sea. In particular, there is an Osirian funeral mask made of solid gold that they believe might be in this ancient necropolis, and they wish to examine it. If you should find it, be certain to deliver it to me intact.
Seeking Enlightenment,
Venture Captain Amara Li
Andoran Faction Handout
Most Liberated Soul of Justice,
Greetings, Scion of Freedom. It is with great shame I confess my needs on this dark eve. The Tri-Towers Yard was
home to my younger brother Grishan, a young student who fancied himself a spy. After feigning friendship with other
students, Grishan collected incriminating information about their families and made regular reports to my predecessor.
My brother engaged in shameful acts and any evidence of such must be expunged. If his misdeeds come to light, it will
result not only in my family’s great shame, but also my expulsion from this post. Go with haste, and preserve the fires of freedom.
Gratefully Yours,
Captain Colson Maldris
Silver Crusade Faction Handout
Stalwart Champion,
You know our path to victory lies in detecting evil and routing it out wherever it is found. Deciphering communications between hidden cells of evil groups is a paramount activity and we’ve reason to believe our recent decryption techniques have been compromised. It’s a long shot, but we also have reason to believe a famous Gebbite general was buried in the very same necropolis you’ve been sent to. You should recognize him from the distinct ceremonial bronze armor and shield he was buried in. The shield, in particular, is covered in Kelish scrypt. Recover the shield as we believe it holds the key to an ancient cipher we believe is being used by the spies of our enemies.
Faithfully,
Ollysta Zadrian
Taldor Faction Handout
Servant of the Empire,
Taldor possesses a mere fraction of its former glory. One of the keys to restoring the empire’s sense of purpose lies in
rediscovering the nation’s august past. As we know the various necropolises beneath Absalom were once used to bury the
honored dead of Old Taldor, we hope you might find any evidence of our glory over the Isle of Kortos or victories against any of our ancient enemies and bring it to light. Such evidence might help us stoke the fires of patriotism in the cold hearth of our empire.
Your service shall not be forgotten.
Honorably,
Baron Jacquo Dalsine
Scarnzi Faction Handout
My Good Friend,
The most adroit swordsman is well skilled at turning aside a foe’s attack, and the best schemer can stoke the ire of an
enemy and send it surging at a rival. My mission for you this day involves sparking old enmities between two of our business rivals. You shall find with this message a missive, properly falsified and aged. This meticulously forged letter appears to be from
the last Headmistress of the Tri-Towers Yard, an Osirion named Kiwu, and is written to the Qadiran Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri
demanding complete payment for necropolis treasures that Muhlia requested and Kiwu sent. We intend this letter to implicate
Osirion and Qadira in grave robbery. Plant it secretly somewhere in the necropolis, but where it can easily be discovered.
Fuggedaboutit,
Gueril Karela
Cheliax Faction Handout
Delicious One,
You’ve been assigned a most distasteful task by this tiresome Society you swear allegiance to. Thankfully for us all,
Asmodeus finds glory in even the darkest shadows of the world. A certain loyalist to our faction, Lady Miranda Dacilane,
lost her only child, her beautiful daughter Junia, to the disaster that befell the Tri-Towers Yard. We believe Lady Dacilane
to be a spy for the Taldans and need an object from her person to better help our agents keep track of her movements.
Without doing any harm to the Lady Dacilane and without arousing her suspicion, acquire the bejeweled skull broach
that she so often shows off at Absalom dinner parties. Hurry now in your task—I have further pleasures to show you.
Deeply Yours,
Paracountess Zarta Dralneen
Shadow Lodge Faction Handout
One of my Sharpest Tacks,
I’ve long suspected that the earthquake responsible for the collapse of Beldrins Bluff was no natural occurrence, there are far too many dead things creeping around that area at night for their not to be some kind of connection to a greater evil at work. I want you to acquire some of the putrid black liquid that it said to pool about the grounds of the Drownyard. Particularly, there is a pool there that is said to bubble most unnaturally and I suspect it has some kind of necromantic property that can be used to track this evil to its source. Take the flask attached to this note, fill it up, and bring it to me.
For the love of the Gods don’t drink any of it,
Torch
Osirion Faction Handout
Wise One,
The Tri-Towers Yard was an institute of great learning for Absalom’s elite—it was also a source of important intelligence offered to the Ruby Prince’s cause by the Headmistress, a woman of Osirion birth named Kiwu Quadin. Kiwu was a highranking spy among my inner circle. It is of grave import that you collect her records, if they still exist, and not allow
them to fall into Pathfinder Society hands. Beware the restless spirits of the Tri-Towers Yard and may Pharasma’s shroud shield you from their rancor.
Eternally,
Amenopheus, The Sapphire Sage
Grand Lodge Faction Handout
Fellow Seeker,
Our necromantic researchers are seeking samples of a variety of undead from across Golarion, trying to ascertain what spawns and sustains them under different conditions. They believe you’ll find a variety of specimens in the necropolis beneath the Tri-Towers Yard. Find a living corpse of obvious noble birth—a king, perhaps—and bring a sample of that corpse’s body to me. Doing so will give our scholars greater insight into the world of the dead, which may be put to good use by the Society in combating and destroying them.
Respectfully,
V.C. Ambrus Valsin
Let me know what you think.
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Venture-Captain, Michigan—Mt. Pleasant
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+1 to what Malag said. Also, the only time you can change enemies is when they have the same name and CR in one of the Bestiaries. Which means any npc has to be run as is, not update (except for figuring CMB/CMD).
Season 0 (Scenarios #1–#28): Season 0 scenarios
were written under the 3.5 rules set of the world’s oldest
roleplaying game, before the release of the Pathfinder
Roleplaying Game. All 3.5 scenarios are in the process of
being updated to the current rules and re-released. In the
meantime, scenarios are to be run with minimal changes
by GMs, limited to adding CMB/CMD scores to NPCs
and monsters and using newly combined skills such as
Stealth and Perception instead of Move Silently and Spot.
If a creature appears in the scenario that also appears
in the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2,
or Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 and maintains the same CR
between both rules sets, you may use the Pathfinder RPG
stats in place of the 3.5 stats. This is the only substitution
allowed in these scenarios.
Now, if you're not running it for PFS, go wild (though then having the faction missions doesn't make as much sense...)
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They look good, unfortunatly you aren't permitted to change them for PFS conventions and stuff.
That's too bad, seems like it would only make sense since each of the 5 factions had two missions for this scenario. Splitting them this way would give each faction a mission that was already written into the scenario, break them down according to how they are split in the guide for the newer factions, and all that was done was to change the wording a little here and there so that the mission made more sense for the new faction is was assigned to.
Also, the only time you can change enemies is when they have the same name and CR in one of the Bestiaries. Which means any npc has to be run as is, not update (except for figuring CMB/CMD).
Ok, so what are your suggestions for the CR 2 waterbug and the ghasts?
Too bad about the sorcerer, I was going towards the undead bloodline so he could have Still Spell. This would logically be how he is able to cast prestidigitation on the way to the schoolhouse without the PC's noticing. It would also explain away his strong ties to the arua of death surrounding the place.
I guess we can just say all of my previous changes will count as suggestions for when the scenario is updated.
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Venture-Captain, Michigan—Mt. Pleasant
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Now, the ghast is technically in the Bestiary, its just a ghoul with the advanced template and their stench aura. I think you could just use the bestiary for that. I don't remember what I used now, its been a while.
I've seen that you can rewrite the missions to reflect the new/different factions, but you can't split up the missions. (At least from what I remember Mike &/or Mark didn't seem to have a problem with it.* Just don't quote me on it. ;D)
What I usually do is the new faction heads owe the old faction heads favors, so are letting their members work for the old factions "this one time". One of my lantern lodge players got really ticked off by the being watched mission (I gave them the chance to make a will save or not at a random point, she chose to and made it...) and vowed to never do another mission for Qadira again, as she'd been screwed over several times by Qadiran missions. :)
EDIT: * Ok, just found the thread I was thinking of. M&M didn't post in it, just a couple of VO's (at least Doug was VC at the time), but I'm thinking since they didn't object... <shrug>
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Good call on the free ungrapple check,
I'm not too worried about the encounter, looks like we'll have 5 or 6 players sitting at my table due to our RSVP system. They should be able to kill it in a few rounds.
Heck, a couple of weeks ago they got into a fight with 4 enlarged druids with shilleaghs that were doing 3d6+5 per swipe and I didn't manage to knock even one down.
I also found the bugbear zombie stats on another website:
I'm going to re-skin him to be the old groundskeeper with one arm like Ryan suggested, his morningstar will be some kid of old gardening tool.
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Ok, I threw together some flavor text for the three empty rooms. Area 4 is the southeast room with the two lights, Area 5 is the sourthernmost room at the end of the stairs, and Area 6 is the small circular chamber at the bottom of the stairs where the 3 ghouls laired.
Remember, these are just wild random ideas, kind of like making an entire dinner menu......
Area 4: Tomb of the Gebbite General
As you descend the final steps before entering this room, you see that the entire chamber floor is covered with black, brackish water. The scent of preservative spices fills your nostrils and two dimly flickering globes set into the eastern wall spread their shadowy light across its oily surface. The pitiful illumination reveals a shrouded form in a raised alcove set behind the lights.
After the PC’s brave the harmless water, read the following
You see the figure is that of an armored man, wrapped by white silken gauze, laying atop a crimson cloth. He is wearing full bronze plate armor that appears to be in excellent condition, his gauntleted hands are clasped across his chest and his dark skinned face seems peaceful. He has a prominent brow and sharp cheekbones and his fine white hair and beard are curled into oiled ringlets that still glisten in the light. He appears remarkably preserved.
Mission Notes: A DC 15 Search check finds the Gebbite general’s shield under the cloth beneath his corpse that PCs of the Silver Crusade faction are seeking.
Area 5: Shrine of Taldan Glory
As you climb the stairs, your lights fall upon a room from the distant past. In the center of it lies the remains of a broken stone coffin, sitting on a waist high pedestal, you can tell that at one time the lid was an amazing piece of carved stone scrollwork. The coffin appears to have been shattered apart from the inside, as pieces of it lie strewn across the floor. A carved relief depicting a massive battle fills the walls along the entire perimeter of the room. The scene covering the southern wall displays an awe inspiring and masterfully crafted sight, the figures of ancient Chelish warriors with pikes being shattered by a phalanx of Taldan Knights at full tilt seems so lifelike and powerful that you almost feel that the warriors are about to leap from the stone to continue their immortal battle.
Mission Notes: A DC 15 Knowledge (history) or bardic knowledge check reveals the relief on the south wall to depict Taldor’s first victory over the Chelish rebels. A rubbing of this relief fulfills the Taldor faction’s missions.
Area 6: Lair of the Ghouls
As you round the corner, you find a small circular burial chamber. Piles of rubble at the entrance seem to indicate that there was a collapse here at one point, but the path seems to have been cleared out by hand from the inside. Your eyes reveal to you a mess of broken wood, torn scraps of cloth, shattered stone, and a stench so foul you begin to tear up and gag. Set in three alcoves lining the chamber are the remains of a trio of stone and wood coffins that have been broken open. Their contents have been removed to be strewn about the room in the grizzly tableau you see before you. Your watering eyes take in skulls that have been cracked in half like rotten eggs to have their contents devoured, shards of gnawed bone lie everywhere, splintered to get to the withered marrow at their cores, and strips of meat too dried and leathery to be digested by even a ghouls insatiable hunger lie strewn about.
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Ran this today as my first PFS scenrio and had a great time! The scenario was easy to read, and the NPCs were very fun to play.(the contrast between insane deris and the snobby lady dacaline was quite interesting) I read and prepped the adventure and ran it in about 3 and a half hours. Really liked playing up the spookier side of things with all of the spirts. Recommend this one to beginners, granted you have some time to read and reread the adventure to understand it in its fullness
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So now that faction missions are optional, and I might be GMing this on Monday (backup GM, not sure if we'll have enough players for a second table), I'm wondering what opinions are on these faction missions.
I still use the factions if I think they're interesting or fun, and avoid the bad ones like the plague. In this case, there's a couple of decent bits, but for the most part, I don't think I like these enough to retain them.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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Had a very short run of this tonight, the combat heavy party didn't attempt to gather any more information about the TriTowers Yard. As a result, they were never invited to the dinner party and skipped the entire encounter with high society.
They were creeped out by the sorcerer and his student puppets, but viewed him as harmless and allowed him to tag along before leaving him with his daughter in the necropolis.
I had Junia reflexively grab the hand of the Gunslinger PC when he attempted to remove the ring, just to add a jump scare to the end of the scenario. Unfortunately for her, he responded with his only Crit of the night, and despite a valiant parry effort by the swashbuckler, found herself with a big hole in her head! I noted her death on his chronicle sheet.
All in all, a fun time was had!
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I think I'd have them get invited to the party even if they don't gather information. ie Somehow, the high society folks found out that the Pathfinders were sending a mission and decided to check out the Pathfinders involved.
My run earlier this month didn't happen. Not only wasn't I needed to GM a second table, but we didn't even have a first table. We put it on the schedule again for next month, because I still want to run this scenario, and I know we have newer players who haven't done it.
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I'll be running this game in less than two weeks. Mainly because Season 7 is out, and there's a part 2 available. So this one, then that.
Going through here, there's definitely some eyebrow raising aspects.
Firstly, Deris is built with 40 pt buy. Seriously? That said, with the new Dual-Talent human option from ARG, the build actually works as a 25 pt buy, if you drop the Int to 16. He's still the CR 3 in the book. Just need to adjust his hp to 21 and it fits perfectly.
Second, the giant ant queen of course is CR 5. This works fine by itself for the Tier 4-5, and you won't need to put in a second "water bug", but I'm good with the original being converted and having it be an actual water bug.
Thirdly, going by PF rules, the bugbear zombie is CR 1, not 2. I don't think that's too much of an issue. I know we have to use the other one, but for once it'd be nice to have the PCs get an easy fight. Worst case, instead of two allips you get two bugbears.
Forth, I can't say much on the ghast which is now CR 2, not 3. Still, at Tier 4-5 having a ghast and three ghouls can still be a threat. That said, the ghast is still CR 2 for the next encounter as well. Besides that, while I know we have to use the 3.5 version, Multiattack isn't something you use anymore with a basic set of three attacks.
In Act 6, did anyone notice the Tier 3-4 typo?
I think I'm looking forward to this, but I'm hoping I have a properly equipped team. This could be very interesting.
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I think I'm looking forward to this, but I'm hoping I have a properly equipped team. This could be very interesting.
I'd worry a lot less about the combats in this one and think a lot more about the role play aspect of the "caretaker". Run things as is with 3.5 stats and most non-new PC parties will have pretty much no problem. The ghouls and ghast have to come down the stairs to the party making it pretty easy to set up flanks and bottleneck them. Back to the "caretaker", I suggest running him as Jimmy Stewart and staying friends with the PCs as long as possible, he's a much more memorable part of this scenario than any combat and a reason why it's so popular. The Jimmy Stewart impression is how I had it run for me and after doing it for my players a year ago I had one of them bring up the voice just recently.
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Honestly, that CR 2 Ghast may not be, quite, as innocuous as you may think. If they fail that first Fort save, against the stench, it makes it more likely that they will also fail the paralysis saves later.
I had a 6 player party, low tier, and 4 of them, plus the eidolon, all were paralyzed at the same time. Not doing CdGs, just making sure that as they came back into motion, he hit them again. They finally won because the elf bard decided to join the battle after he ran out of performance rounds.
Deris is built with 40 pt buy. Seriously? That said, with the new Dual-Talent human option from ARG, the build actually works as a 25 pt buy, if you drop the Int to 16. He's still the CR 3 in the book. Just need to adjust his hp to 21 and it fits perfectly.
You can't update NPCs, even if they have the same CR. It only works for monsters appearing in the Bestiaries. From the rule text here:
If a creature in the scenario also appears in the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2, or Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 and maintains the same CR between both rules sets, you may use the Pathfinder RPG stats in place of the 3.5 stats. This is the only substitution allowed in these scenarios.
The NPCs don't appear in any of the Bestiaries, so they cannot be swapped or updated. Just add CMB/CMD, and run as-is, even if the stat block gives them outrageous stats or HP.
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Deris is built with 40 pt buy. Seriously? That said, with the new Dual-Talent human option from ARG, the build actually works as a 25 pt buy, if you drop the Int to 16. He's still the CR 3 in the book. Just need to adjust his hp to 21 and it fits perfectly.You can't update NPCs, even if they have the same CR. It only works for monsters appearing in the Bestiaries. From the rule text here:
If a creature in the scenario also appears in the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2, or Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 and maintains the same CR between both rules sets, you may use the Pathfinder RPG stats in place of the 3.5 stats. This is the only substitution allowed in these scenarios.The NPCs don't appear in any of the Bestiaries, so they cannot be swapped or updated. Just add CMB/CMD, and run as-is, even if the stat block gives them outrageous stats or HP.
I'm aware. I was just pointing it out. As I mentioned elsewhere, a couple of the Season 3 scenarios are due for a proper PF conversion now that a few of them have "sequels".
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I have run this scenario 4 times. I like to play this as a horror adventure. The class room i describe as the children ofthe damned, but I do not use that reference. I say the children stare blankly through you.
The caretaker I have obviously with severe issues and I allow the PCs to be friendly with him, but they can take him off the deep end quickly if they do not back pedal. I tpked one group because they went out fo their way to provoke him right before the ghouls attacked and they all failed their will saves vs color spray.
That bug is deadly at low levels. I killed two people from that thing. One a crit, and the other 10 con tanking. Before it attacks if the pcs do not notice the hand I have it float up to them and then I slap a giant bug looking mini on the map and have it charge the first PC.
while they are are in the cave whenever anyone make a perception check i describe various water noises they hear. Be it something scamper through a puddle, or the sounds of someone splashing violently.
My goal is to creep players out when they play this.