I am getting ready to run this AP here in the next month or so and I just recently purchased Mythic Adventures and haven't had a chance to fully digest it all yet. However, I thought it would be a good opportunity to solicit advice. Also, feel free to ask your own questions about how to "mythic" your own running of Serpent's Skull.
I'm only just starting into reading new AP The Worldwound Incursion but the progression guide states that, at the end of the first book, following the climactic finish, the PC's should be catapulted to 6th level and attain their first level of mythic. I would run a similar progression of Mythic in Serpent's Skull. Perhaps they attain their first mythic tier by removing the island's curse.
But considering the nature of the curse you might have their mythic power have a dark feeling and maybe some representatives of Z**** come to do in the PCs and take back what was stolen.
As for me I had the PC become mythic when the spirit of Garund performed a ceremony on him while he was unconscious after the ship sank.
As for me I had the PC become mythic when the spirit of Garund performed a ceremony on him while he was unconscious after the ship sank.
At the beginning before they wake up on the beach? Also, do you mean the spirit of the county Garund? Or are you referring to Jask, the Garundi priest of Nethys?
I'd stay away from making a PC (or multiple PCs) mythic unless they have actually just done something worthy of it, nor would I make some PC's mythic without making the rest mythic - that sort of thing could cause bitterness between players or you and players. I wouldn't make them mythic from the get-go, but I'm mostly basing my thoughts on the matter off the first 3 pages of a module I'm just starting to read, so take it as you will.
Well there is only on PC for this adventure. It's me and my roommate playing and i'm the GM.
I had the PC wake up on the beach covered in more sand than he should have been. Also, when he checked for survivors there was someone there that wasn't on the ship. A neither young nor old mwangi man with a huge scar on his left shoulder named Arunj. As the PC, Jon Shelest of the Sargavan Military, scouted and explored the island he remembered in dreams being buried standing up in a whole in the ground with chanting coming from above and from the earth itself. He then half dug his way/ half was released from the earth where he later woke up on the beach.
I mean the spirit of the continent of Garund. As I set it up the spirit is starting to wake up in response to events that are happening but he is not fully awake so he needed a champion like in times past so he invested Jon as his champion. His motivation being that he lost children to Ydersius once and he won't that happen again.
Ah, responses!
I was going to have them earn their first tier by the end of the first book and I was going to do it by one of three ways: Fighting a Savage Dinosaur on the island; Finding an ancient set of weapons that appear to be "normal"; and one other way that I haven't quite figured out.
Where does it mention how to remove the island's curse?
Player just passing by ;-)
The Hidden Temple at the end of SfSS was described to us as incredibly old and saturated with very powerful magic. I think that it is a 100% appropriate setting for an ascension.
i was just going to say at the end of the temple, Zura's blood or something, not every moment of ascension needs to be caused by good after all:)
IIRC, the Blood isn't exactly real... But what if cleansing the whole island of its thousand-plus year old undead curse is enough to get the attention of the Fates?
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YMMV, and all that.
After reviewing the AP, this is what I've come up with, trying to keep the mythic elements from overwhelming the first two-thirds of the adventure. For non-mythic encounters, increase the number of opponents and/or add class levels as the party gains levels/mythic tiers to mostly keep pace (it's OK if the non-mythic encounters are slightly easier; it just highlights the less frequent/more difficult mythic encounters).
Ascension: Destroy the altar to Zura in the Temple of Blood (area Z8), lifting the curse on the Smuggler's Shiv; can use Aycenia to hint of an "underlying hunger" on the island caused by "an ancient power;" Tier 1.
Nkechi the Tempest: Replace Skill Focus (Swim) with Mythic Companion; can use Nkechi to talk about the PCs' "bond to the totems" is "unfinished."
Mythic Trial: Defeat Zakiyya (add Arcane mythic simple template; CR 8, MR 1) and free the Zenj spirit dancers (Hierophant 1; Inspired Spell; Tongue of the Land; Dodge (Mythic)); a PC that has their totem spirit awakened can expend one use of mythic power when channeling their totem spirit to gain a +10 sacred bonus (or can expend a use of mythic power to channel their totem spirit more than once per adventure); Tier 2.
Mythic Trial 1: Defeat the Azlanti Idols (add Divine mythic simple template; CR 4 each, MR 1) to gain their memories and activate the pillars of light.
Mythic Trial 2: Defeat Sozothala (Archmage 2; 22 Int; Arcane Surge; Mythic Spellcasting (x2; choose 4 mythic spells); Command Undead (Mythic); CR 12); Tier 3.
Mythic Trial 1: Restore (clean) and use the Argental Font; mythic heroes can expend 5 uses of mythic power to benefit from the Argental Font more than once per year (+1 use of mythic power for each additional time: 6 for the second extra benefit, 7 for the third, etc.).
Mythic Trial 2: Defeat Illaghri (add Invincible mythic simple template; CR 15, MR 2); Tier 4.
Mythic Trial 1: Defeat Sskhavo (Champion 4; 28 Dex; Sudden Attack; Backlash, Clean Blade, Fleet Warrior, Incredible Parry; Combat Expertise (Mythic), Weapon Finesse (Mythic); +2 darkleaf cloth leather armor; CR 18).
Mythic Trial 2: Defeat Khavath (Archmage 4; 29 Int; Arcane Surge; Energy Conversion, Flexible School (Enchantment), Arcane Metamastery, Mythic Spellpower; Mythic Spell Lore (x2; choose 8 mythic spells); CR 17)
Mythic Trial 3: Free Aveshai from stasis/retrieve Eroeme and activate the Seven Spears; Tier 5.
Mythic Trial 1: Defeat 2 Advanced Thessalhydras (add Savage mythic simple template; CR 16 each).
Mythic Trial 2: Defeat Emperor of Scales (MR 8; 28 Str, 28 Dex, 25 Con; Bleed 3, Feral Savagery, Fortification, Mythic Magic, Poisonous Blood, Second Save, Summon Snake (as Mythic Medusa); Improved Critical (Mythic), Improved Initiative (Mythic), Power Attack (Mythic), Toughness (Mythic); CR 19) and 4 Iron Golems.
Mythic Trial 3: Defeat Vyr-Azul (Hierophant 6; 26 (30) Wis, 22 Cha; Contingent Channel Energy, Mighty Summons, Mythic Companion, Blessed Companion, Enduring Blessing, Conduit of Divine Will; Improved Channel (Mythic), Improved Initiative (Mythic), Toughness (Mythic); CR 22); Tier 6.
Finally: Avatar of Ydersius (MR 9; 33 Str, 33 Dex, 26 Con; Bleed 3, Divine Source (x4; Chaos, Evil, Nobility, Scalykind, War), Mythic Magic, Mythic Presence, Second Save; Critical Focus (Mythic), Extra Mythic Power, Improved Critical (Mythic), Improved Initiative (Mythic), Power Attack (Mythic); CR 23).
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I'm considering introducing the Mythic rules into my Serpent's Skull game, albiet later on than you guys have suggested. When the final Mythic rules came out my group was already right around the start of chapter 4, though I've been going out of my way to emphasize that the PCs have been brought together and seemingly guided by destiny and the gods toward Saventh-Yhi.
My current thought is that, if I do use the mythic rules, I'll have them kick in once the PCs enter Ilmuria, and I'll confine mythic adversaries and allies to the serpentfolk city. I'm also planning on depicting the city as almost miraculously unchanged from ancient times, its terrible glory waxing bright once again as the time of Ydersius' return draws near.
Basically, I'm running with the idea that mythic heroes and monsters belong to a bygone age of Golarion's history, an age when gods like Ydersius walked the earth. As Vyr-Azul works the ancient magics to bring about the return of Ydersius, so too do other ancient powers begin to awaken in Ilmuria, and the PCs find themselves bolstered with the strength of the ancient heroes who first laid the serpent-god low.
Any thoughts?
