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...what would they be? I ask this because in my current gaming group, we are running a collaborative campaign where we are taking turns running an adventure. So I'm trying to figure out how I can run a condensed Age of Worms path while still keeping the main theme. I've heard that Three Faces of Evil is a bit more like a side trek, so I was thinking of skipping it and letting someone else handle the level 3/4 adventure. But I want to make sure I don't miss anything reeeeally important, so for you veteran AoW DM's, which ones do I need to run?
...what would they be? I ask this because in my current gaming group, we are running a collaborative campaign where we are taking turns running an adventure. So I'm trying to figure out how I can run a condensed Age of Worms path while still keeping the main theme. I've heard that Three Faces of Evil is a bit more like a side trek, so I was thinking of skipping it and letting someone else handle the level 3/4 adventure. But I want to make sure I don't miss anything reeeeally important, so for you veteran AoW DM's, which ones do I need to run?
You really need:
The Whispering CairnThe Champion's Belt
The Spire of Long Shadows
Into the Wormcrawl fissure (might skip some parts)
Dawn of a New Age
You need for (main) plotline, but may want to rework:
Encounter at Blackwell Keep (starts Ilthane plot)
Three faces of Evil (Ebon triad seed)
The Library of Last Resort (phylactery hiding place info is a must, prophecy thing is nice, trials can be easily substituted)
You don't exactly need, but don't want to skip because it so fun:
Hall of Harsh Reflections (if skipping, keep Eligos, he can be a cool fellow)
The Prince of Redhand (if skipping, keep Ebon Triad final; Lashonna gotta be in there as well)
Kings of the Rift (phylactery is a keeper)
You can skip without much problems:
A Gathering of Winds (rework items into other adventure if you want to keep them, star Ilthane in other adventure)
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While I do not disagree with the suggestions above, an abbreviated AOW should still communicate the feeling of the campaign. I suggest:
Three Faces Of Evil
Encounter at Blackwell Keep (I find the Ilthane subplot to be a good one, skip otherwise)
The Champion's Belt
The very first part of the Gathering of Winds (I skipped all but the Ilthane portion in my full AoW campaign - see note below)
The Spire of Long Shadows
Prince of Redhand (Can be radically shortened to deal with Lashonna, Ebon Triad and finish Ilthane subplot)
The Library of Last Resort (agree you can rework this any way you want just as long as players get the info they need, so it could be greatly shortened)
Into the Wormcrawl Fissure
Dawn of a New Age
One's that you *should* skip
Although everyone gives the Whispering Carin kudos and it is a good dungeon crawl, it offers *nothing* to help the players understand the Age of Worms and even sets them up thinking that the lore learned in the adventure is somehow important. All it does it bring the party together. Any good module set in Diamond Lake will work in its place.
The same holds true with A Gathering of Winds, maybe especially true. Its another crawl into the Whispering Cairn. It's only redeeming value to the plot is Ilthane. I talk about that here.
Hall of Harsh Reflections is just filler. Its good wholesome whipped creme filler, but it is just filler.
Whispering Cairn sets up alastor Land and the wind duke connection. It is a must.
Hall of Harsh reflections is the adventure that was the least fun to play through and to run. I would recommend substituting an adventure of your own.
I don't recall what the Wind Duke Connection was? Nor do I remember Allistor Land playing a significant roll later in the plot. I'm not saying that there is no major connection but if there is its a little odd that I can't recall it.
Alastor Land comes back when the group in the citadel of weeping dragons and tells the party that they are descendents of the Vaati, just like he is. It also explains how he got through the screaming face trap in whispering cairn wthout the lanterns.
Alastor Land comes back when the group in the citadel of weeping dragons and tells the party that they are descendents of the Vaati, just like he is. It also explains how he got through the screaming face trap in whispering cairn wthout the lanterns.
A nice touch to play this up is the side adventure "Thicker than water" on the old WoTC site. I do recommend it strongly. LINK
Alastor Land comes back when the group in the citadel of weeping dragons and tells the party that they are descendents of the Vaati, just like he is. It also explains how he got through the screaming face trap in whispering cairn wthout the lanterns.
OK - but it certainly does not seem that hard to run the AP without this scene. Whether the players are Vaati or not does not strike me as particularly critical.
I think it ties in nicely as to why Zosiel's circlet keeps increasing in power and such. But if you cut out alot of whispering cairn and GoW, guess you wouldnt really need the Vaati backstory at all
I think it ties in nicely as to why Zosiel's circlet keeps increasing in power and such. But if you cut out alot of whispering cairn and GoW, guess you wouldnt really need the Vaati backstory at all
To be clear I'm not saying the scene is bad or anything. But if the question is what can one cut if one is determined to halve the size of the AP then this can go.
Personally I'd cut rather little and might choose to rin something else instead of doing 1/2 this AP but thats neither here nor there in light of the OPs question.
Oh yeah definately. I was just mentioning that you wouldnt need the Vaati backstory at all if you cut out whispering cairn and GoW. I think Alastor's re-appearance is a nice touch of you do keep them, but would be a complete and utter red herring if one would have Alastor show up in Kongen-Thulnir, but skipped out on most of the build-up in WC and GoW.
yes i believe so, at the end. goes from +2 to +4 and gains power as circlet of persuasion too, IIRC. Think it increases again right before kyuss or dragotha fight too; not too sure though, dont have mags in front of me.