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Here is my advice:
First, be careful to avoid disparaging any real-world religion.
Second, the order that the tasks are presented is often the order that the PCs attempt them, so this may help give you a good guideline for prep.
Finally, a PC with 4 Heresy Points must roll twice for the first four d20 rolls they make (technically, the first four attack rolls, skill checks, saving throws, or ability checks). Once they have had four "roll twice and take the worst" rolls, their Heresy Points have no further effect on them. Is that more clear?
First four rolls. Ok, now that makes sense. And the Hare Krishna thing; I grew up on a hippy commune so I'm going to play the NPCs/cultists like the people I remember: Total peace loving people. But, in this scenario, the people are unaware that their leader is a demon.
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Remember that the poison in the food has an onset of 1 hour, which is conveniently in the middle of the worship service. It's a nice bit of misdirection if suddenly the PCs are taking WIS damage in the middle of the ceremony, especially if you roll the FORT saves in secret.
When you use Heresy points, have the PCs flashback to the action that caused them to gain the Heresy point.
Contributor
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The issue of the rerolls came up on the product page too, but for many reasons, Ron's explanation is clearly the best :)
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Remember that the poison in the food has an onset of 1 hour, which is conveniently in the middle of the worship service. It's a nice bit of misdirection if suddenly the PCs are taking WIS damage in the middle of the ceremony, especially if you roll the FORT saves in secret.
When you use Heresy points, have the PCs flashback to the action that caused them to gain the Heresy point.
Both of these are very cool points. Having your character suddenly incredibly distracted by the feeling that his eyes and mouth are sewn shut would be a great way of bringing up the painting.
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I ran the temple as a healthy living, health resort message + spa.
The NPCs are ALL Health buffs
Meditation is extreme pole dancing exercises
The talk by the leader is full body yoga lesson with breathing exercises and ending with a hands on facial massage lesson
The food are all "healthy infusions" of wheatgrass, raw vegs and other organic mixes. Hence they taste bad, no matter what! :)
To make it even more misleading, I conjure up a weird npc from one of the nameless mess to lead them around.
She spend half the time trying to set the players up with her daughter in the library. :P
Finally I have the halfling children pop up when the Players tried to enter some places... nothing stops Players better then crying children that goes.. "But... Mommy say we cannot.. can .. not.. go into that place.... mom..my.. say... WAHHHHH!!!!!"
Oh! And remember to have the concern mother running into the room the moment the Players try to do anything to the kids. :D
The nice thing about Temple of Empyrial Enlightenment is that it gives a lot of leeway on how it can be presented... GMs just need to go crazy with it.
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Kudos to Secane
Your creativity is awesome.
I too went for a Demiplane quasi-real effect.
The PCs approached a beautiful set of clothes washers in a glistening pool,just before the temple entrance, frolicking and folding robes, and unable to talk until a certain short time frame elapsed. They were described as a Halfling and Human having awesomely high charisma but with distinctly deformed and mutilated hands.
Finally able to talk, they offer the party robes.
Right at the door the Gnome admits he's evil and stares creepily at the party's hands. He claims to be on a pilgramage to become a better more enlightened soul, he apologizes for his past actions and hopes to attone with the help of the leader.
My party was weirded out, faction missions were completed two steps in, and then I lead them right into a sermon. We had full temple maps printed out and I filled the chapel area will a lot of minis for effect.
The leader preaches that the Pathfinders will not respect the rules, they will steal, and they should be assisted in any way possible so they can be out of the temple as soon as possible.
After the mass briefings the party explores trying to do faction missions.
I had the training room master old and asleep, and like thai chi, I hinted that the exercises could be mimiced but the guy was narcoleptically dosing off.
The party hated the Gnome, he lead them into the Garden and the trap missed, so the whole temple thought a player was the chosen one.It was so bad- so funny- so lucky.
The forbidden areas traps are devestating.
During the meal service none of my party ate. The other table tried to deliver food to the leader which is not allowed and it was softballed for them.
My party never went into the haunted area, the Gnome freaked them not to really rest, they did the temple like a dungeon crawl so they got lucky I guess?
You should plan for at least one player dying.
Boss fight was strange tactics and you might playtest with 4 or 5 pregens, I had a problem with the guy's movement and spell selection.
When I ran this Angel folk (aasimirs?) were rare, they can power the magic fountain which helps defeat the leader, but the bad guy aasimir guards are deceived. The other table had a boon player using the aasimir, but it wasn't obvious.
I think I'm a good DM, but the way I played the Gnome was the highlight, I had the bloating boss, preach that the dumb pathfinders had a chance for the ultimate gift and they chose a dirty quilt (the hoa jin tapestry after the ruby phoenix tournament) I was on a roll. The key is to call out mass forgiveness. We forgive you for not being respectful, not following the obvious forbidden area sinage and if you jab in offending or Angel kin brotheren to the point of violence, you can sway the party to fufill the warnings and hook them into investigating openly.
I put the Temple on one sleep cycle 14 hours of sleep "Beauty Rest".
After one night then the party can basically go anywhere without being observed.
The Heresy Points can really add up if you just do a lot of do not toch this "Pathfinder sinage".
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My suggestions:
Play the temple residents as the nicest people your group will ever meet. Be as helpful and nice as you can. Try to develop personae for the main temple inhabitants (the meditation master, Gastidem, the guards maybe, and any NPCs the group may encounter). If you can, try to put the group at ease as they move about the temple. I usually don't even hide the map when I run this. Remind them they are under no time constraints and to take as long as possible. Encourage everyone to chant the mantra out loud, in unison.
Read, then re-read the
Then just when everyone is relaxed and moving about the temple, drop the hammer on them. Don't let them browbeat you about how they always check for traps at a door, or how they always do some other thing that would mitigate the encounters.
One last bit of advice: Encourage the group to play in tier. Both tiers are deadly, I've TPK'd tables at both. This has become an issue for me since the last group I ran through meta-gamed the entire scenario something fierce.
Mr. Lundeen, you coming to Gencon? If so, you have a beer or yer beverage of choice coming yer way compliments of this guy.
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Make sure to make the NPCs eerily nice. There's nothing that will freak out the PCs more than having every single question they have answered and every request they make fulfilled.
^This.
Also, discourage splitting the party as strongly as possible. For most seasoned players, that's a given, but as it was a table of fairly novice players there was a player death.
Have fun with the stoned garden gnome!
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32
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I had some fun with this scenario by actually writing up the text of a sermon. I think it added a lot, personally.
(The crowd repeats the lines from the mantra)
Light Combines
My Peace Find
Calm my Soul
To Control
Woes I sift
Catching Gifts
My fellow Believers of Korada, I welcome you. It is indeed another peaceful day here in the Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment. I see that today, we have visitors! Welcome, Pathfinders, and may the blessings of Korada be upon you all.
*stretching*
As I was preparing for today's sermon, I heard of the death of Wei. My friends, do not be alarmed, do not be discouraged, do not be sad - for Korada has eased his suffering. As we all know, suicide is Korada's means of helping those who cannot bear to continue their life. Such events may seem tragic, but we must remember, his soul has been carried on to Vantian.
Vantian! The City of Open Windows! It is a city of peace. No crime, no heartache, no pain...just continued devotion to Korada. Indeed, Vantian is such a peaceful, blissful city that every day, portions of it fall into the sea - but the residents manage to rebuild without a second thought. Harmony, pleasantness, peace in all things - would that we could all take the path that Wei has chosen. I, myself, would have done it long ago were it not for my duties here. To all of you, though, I urge you - if you are considering such an act, please see me. Wei chose to take his own life, and he chose a painful method. I assure you all, suicide does not have to be such a grisly scene - the blessings of Korada have gifted me with means of achieving it painlessly, effortlessly and peacefully.
Regardless of your decision, however, I would encourage you all to attempt the Kiss of Korada. I, myself, have taken it a number of times. I know that the price of failure is great, but for those who are true of mind, sound of body and aligned with Korada in every way, it is a wonderful experience and a true show of your faith. Remember - every failure should drive you to try harder. If you fail, do not despair! Simply see it as the opportunity that it is - an opportunity to improve yourself, to focus on the true teachings of Korada and to try again soon. And, if you do happen to fail the final time, as Wei did, you should truly consider the advantages of leaving this realm of despair and traveling onward to a land of glory.
As we leave today, please take a moment to assume the symbols of celestial silence and contemplation.
*drawing*
May the blessings of Korada be with you.
*echo - And with you.*
Obviously, said sermon relies on the discovery in the kitchen.
I also tend to grin maniacally while GMming this scenario, reassuring everybody that everything is fine and this is a happy place all the time. Nothing could go wrong here!
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Hi Netopalis,
I am thinking of running this one too.
The idea of doing an actual sermon is very interesting, but I would be hesitant to speak specifically about suicide. If you have a player at the table that has lost someone to suicide, it could could be profoundly hurtful. I think a better/safer sermon would be to speak about enlightenment, looking for Korada for guidance, thoughtful reflection, preparing for the journey to Vantian, etc.
Otherwise, I think your sermon has some nice ideas and flow.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32
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Hi Netopalis,
I am thinking of running this one too.
The idea of doing an actual sermon is very interesting, but I would be hesitant to speak specifically about suicide. If you have a player at the table that has lost someone to suicide, it could could be profoundly hurtful. I think a better/safer sermon would be to speak about enlightenment, looking for Korada for guidance, thoughtful reflection, preparing for the journey to Vantian, etc.
Otherwise, I think your sermon has some nice ideas and flow.
Well, with all due respect, if a player has lost somebody to suicide then they shouldn't be playing this scenario anyway. I realize this is metagaming, but...there's an awful lot that will trigger poor reactions that isn't even included in the sermon.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32
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Honestly, not really. All I'm saying is that my bit doesn't really add that much to the already startling theme.
On the other hand, good literature evokes emotions, both good and bad. Personally, I think that scenarios like this one and Encounter at the Drowning Stones are necessary to maintain the emotional investment that makes PFS such an engaging campaign.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32
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LINK. to the earlier thread on this subject...
I think this was covered very well in an earlier thread.
I will only add that I would (personally) need to leave the table if I were playing and my judge read that sermon in game... and I know I would not be able to use it if I were judging. I'm sorry if that detracts from your play, but I play for the enjoyment, not for evoking bad emotional responses...
I respect your opinion, but I do fundamentally disagree. I don't run or play scenarios to invoke bad emotional responses either, but I do play or run scenarios because I enjoy stories in which good triumphs over evil. The creepier the evil, the more delicious the victory. That is why scenarios like Haunting of Hinojai, The Beggar's Pearl, the Pallid Plague and the Lissalan are popular - they present a very creepy, very disturbing atmosphere that feels like it must be cleared.
Additionally, one has to remember that what happens in Empyreal Enlightenment is not *actually* suicide - it is magical compulsion. In other words, Empyreal Enlightenment isn't about suicide at all - it's about murder that is disguised to look like suicide. No good-aligned character in the scenario advocates suicide; the party is fighting against it. Therefore, as I see it, the party is fighting against it as they would any other evil - the suicidal aspect simply adds a creepiness factor that would otherwise not be present.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32
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An additional point here, based on your comments in the other thread. I have ran this twice, and both parties thoroughly enjoyed the suicide compulsion haunt. Why? Because it is something that an engaged party playing for a nonagressive GM should not die to, but it is very flavorful. Let me write up how it went down for my party:
Party walks into the room with the knife and the body. I edit the description slightly so that it isn't clear that Wei is dead until the very end - "You see a halfling behind the counter. His face is blue, and he is swaying back and forth...back and forth....You find it odd, but you soon realize why he is swaying - he is hanging from a rope around his neck. Based on the fact that he isn't twitching, he is almost certainly dead." I give the party a bit of time for reactions, then the first person walking into the room [I have the party keep moving their miniatures on the map regardless of combat or non-combat] triggers the haunt. Roll perception, roll initiative. About half the party sees the knife shaking. Both times, the person first in the room grabbed the knife, figuring that it was an animated object. Great. They fail their will save, and I describe to the rest of the party that a maniacal look flashes over their eyes as they pick up the knife and study it. The party gets the idea that something is wrong. One of the parties stopped the player here, the other waited until the possessed player had the knife to their throat. Either way, there are a full three rounds to stop the haunt from killing.
The key to this haunt is in the description and in making the players feel a bit of pressure. "What do you do, Takaah? He has the knife at his throat, he looks like he just might do it! Do you run, try to save your friend, do nothing? What do you do?" Done well, it comes across as intense and flavorful with no real chance of death. Done poorly, it feels cheap and comes across as unfair.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32
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Well, I'm afraid that we'll have to agree to disagree. While you're right, I would tone it down if I knew that a particular player was particularly sensitive to this issue, I don't feel that there are a substantial number of people who are who also play PFS. In order for this scenario to work, the cult has to *feel* evil. Otherwise, the players just waltz in, scribble down some info from some books and coffins, do some stretching exercises and leave. They miss the vast majority of the import of the scenario.
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When I ran it, I gave a sermon, just badmouthing how Pathfinders never obey or respect laws. How chosing a dirty blanket as the ultimate prize is par for their twisted course. Foreshadowing the haunt may or may not add value to the game. I did make my cultist sad that they were not enlightened yet and self-concious about the appearance of their hands.The Gnome found these feelings very enjoyable and exploited every second of their misery.
Huaunts are a part of this game, my group just never got there for whatever reason. I didn't bait them, the other table was not so lucky.
If a creative DM disagrees with your opinion so be it. It was a stolen idea, and now I'd have to disclaim it before I ran this module again. Mature themes- play at your own risk.
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For people suggesting that Dakang describe the Pathfinders knowing about the Hao Jin Tapestry - hasn't he been trapped in the tapestry for a number of years now? How would he know the Pathfinders won the Hao Jin Tapestry if Dakang has been stuck in the tapestry for at least 300 years? (assuming the Pathfinders don't tell him...)