Way of the Wicked - Book One GM Advice (May Contain Spoilers)

[Shar Tahl]

I am about to run this first book in the evil adventure path and have a question about how the beginning is run.

Issues I am having:

One of the characters is given something that allows them access to many other items. I am not sure how this is going to work with the character once they are back in their cell, since they have their legs shackled tightly and their hands shackled above their heads. How are they to get the lockpick from the magic storage container to pick the locks on their shackles? How was this item stored on the character when they are led back to the cell?

I am trying to get a good visualization of this so I can describe it in a way that makes sense.

[Fire Mountain Games]

Shar Tahl,

First, thanks for your interest in "Way of the Wicked". And now on to your question...

Spoiler:

Much depends on PC actions. Remember that when Tiadora gives them the veil, they are alone. Where does the PCs stash the veil. Remember that thanks to Tiadora's domination of Blackerly, the PC could hide it anywhere. Even simply clenching it in a fist. If they hide it somewhere they can't reach (like down their pants), then perhaps they will need the help of another PC, who can perhaps snag it with a simple acrobatics check with their feet.

Ultimately, be lenient here. The goal here is not to frustrate your PCs at the campaign's very beginning. The goal is to reward quick thinking and cleverness.

Hope that helps and if you have any additional questions, I'm glad to answer them.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

[Shar Tahl]

Spoiler:

As this second one won't show up in the hover-over preview, the players are slipped a silken veil that acts like a minor bag of holding or robe of useful things. They are slipped this during a visit by a stranger, then they have this with them when they are brought back. I am unsure how they are to use this with the restrained situation

*EDIT* Thanks! I can let the player run with it and be creative. I am still a novice at GMing, so I get nervous with things that are more open! That clears up a lot for me

[Shar Tahl]

I must say, I really like how the adventure starts. This should be a lot of fun.

[Douglas Muir 406]

Spoiler:

I would have Tiadora pass her hand over her mouth, pop the folded-up veil into her mouth, and then kiss the PC.

And then I'd emphasis that while she's gorgeous, something about her seems off, and the kiss is not erotic at all. Maybe add some disquieting detail like "her tongue is very sharp, and has a strange, almost scaly texture. She uses it to push something into your mouth..."

Also, consider giving the PC a Sense Motive roll for a bit more information. Like, DC 15 = "She seems sincerely to want to help you"; DC 20 = "She seems sincere, but her attitude towards you is not exactly friendly. More like, oh, amused contempt."

Doug M.

[Douglas Muir 406]

Also, for some reason I always imagine Tiadora as having a slight German accent.

Doug M.

[DocWatson]

Yes, this adventure looks great!

My players are really looking forward to playing. I'm almost done with the Player's Guide/ Houserule document, and then it's just scheduling.

One thing I didn't see is a recommended number of PCs. It feels like 4 is the "best" number, but I was curious if anyone felt 3 would be too difficult, or 5 or 6 too many? How many PCs are in your campaigns?

[Douglas Muir 406]

I have not run this AP, but I suspect that three would be hard. If you're running three in Branderscar, you might consider putting Grumblejack in the cell with them, so they can ally with him immediately.

Five or six would be very straightforward; just occasionally add another couple of mook opponents, raise some save DCs, or give a boss another HD.

Doug M.

[Fire Mountain Games]

Doc Watson,

Glad to hear your excited about "Way of the Wicked". When you game launches please post session reports. I for one love to read tales of actual play.

Your feeling is correct. It was built with four PCs in mind. Three can be challenging because the PCs may lack some critical skill or ability to overcome every challenge. You can make up for this deficiency by either changing the challenges or adding an NPC ally.

And as Doug said, five or six is easy. Adding a few more monsters is no great challenge. Just be sure to keep track of XP so your PCs are ready for the challenges ahead.

After all, the Way of the Wicked is a dangerous road.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games
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[Mirrel the Marvelous]

My group has managed it with 3 characters, no problem. Mind you, they do have Godlike ability scores.

[Patman]

Gary and the rest,
I'll ask my question, since the spoiler tag is here..

First off,looking at the map, what is to keep the PC's from simply putting the window frame on the wall that connects with the courtyard and dropping down/ Seems pretty easy. I may put them in an interior cell, so they have to go through the prison and get some stuff, otherwise i can see my players figuring that out.

As far as the XP situation goes, I think instead of XP, I am just going to tell the players when to level..I sometimes have 4 and sometimes have up to 6, so it varies due to family obligations etc...

I cannot wait to actually get the books in my hands, and we are eagerly awaiting that time to begin the campaign...wishI could be a player, because i have like 11 characters i would love to play in this...

it would make a great computer RPG...

[Douglas Muir 406]

Well, since the spoiler tag is up at the top:

This could work -- and if it does, it drops the PCs right down into the courtyard, with nothing between them and the front gate. However,

-- the PCs probably don't know what's beyond that wall. After all, they were brought in hooded, given their brands, and thrown in their cell. And the map doesn't show any windows in the cells. So, for all they know, the wall gives onto a sheer 50' drop onto waves and rocks.

-- they don't have a rope, so they must either make Climb checks, jump down (Acrobatics check), or eat a d6 of falling damage. Gary doesn't specify how smooth or rough the outer wall is, but I think you'd be justified in a DC 25 check ("a typical building's lower-story wall", according to the SRD. Clever PCs might think of using their chains as ropes somehow; I'd say it's a judgment call whether to allow that or not.

-- they don't get any weapons or armor from the guards in the guardroom.

-- they don't recruit Grumblejack.

-- the courtyard is under observation by the guards on the walls, so they'd better do this at night.

That said, if the PCs do think of this, I'd let them try it. It seems like a high risk, high gain strategy -- either they'll win big and escape clean (there's a 75% chance there's just one guard at the outer gate, with the other one playing dice and drinking with Blackerly), or they'll get spotted and caught. It does bypass Grumblejack and some potential action and xp, but what the hey -- if you really like Grumblejack, you can work him in later somehow, and if they pull this off, I'd give them a bonus xp award for sheer audacity.

Doug M.

[Douglas Muir 406]

A couple of other thoughts:

-- I would start with a cutscene where one PC is brought in and branded. (If you do this with every PC, it will get repetitive, but doing it with one should bring it home more than just saying "you're branded on the hand".) It'll be Blackerly and at least four guards, so if the PC tries to fight, he should get clobbered.

-- Make Blackerly a real @sshole. Not evil -- that's the PC's job -- but a smug, smirking SOB who is obviously enjoying his job and loving life.

If you really want to drive this home, consider an optional scene where Blackerly takes one PC into the interrogation room (with a couple of guards outside the door, of course) and grills him about the loot from his crime. It should be a PC who selected a crime trait like "robbery" or "fraud". There is no loot, of course, but Blackerly figures it's worth checking!

Blackerly will first try to persuade the PC to tell where his treasure is hidden -- you might be here for weeks, you know; we can make things nice for you, or less nice -- then will try to Intimidate it out. (He has +9 Intimidate, so he might as well get a chance to use it.) He'll hit the PC once, with a club, as an aid to memory -- d4 of damage. He's CN, not CE, so when interrogation fails he'll just roll his eyes and have the PC put back in the cell.

(Why do this? To hammer home that "you're a prisoner with no rights" and "you're a villain and everyone hates and despises you". Also to give the PC some revenge motivation early on, because that's always good.)

-- Let the PCs introduce each other and do some basic exploration (Listen checks on the guards, examining the chains and such) before Tiadora shows up. But don't delay her appearance too long, or the PCs will begin serious escape attempts, and may think that you've put her there to help them with those. You want them thinking "Tiadora is the hook", not "Escape is the goal, she's just a diabolus ex machina who's there to make sure we have a shot".

Doug M.