I've resumed my campaign, and I'm starting a new thread for it. Here is a recap of the first game session.
The campaign officially began with the 1st Edition d&d module C1 The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (modified for Pathfinder rules). Once the player characters reach 6th level, I'll put them through the meat grinder in the Ravenloft adventure ‘Hour of the Knife.’ At 7th level, I'll either do Savage Kings or Ghost Tower of Inverness.
The line up of five player characters is as follows (note, the nicknames are mine):
Bates the Rogue #8 (a skulk 3rd level Rogue)
Medic, a 5th level Cleric: Wis 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Cha 14
Red Shirt #1, a 5th level Fighter: Str 20(22), Con 16, Dex 13
Squiggy, a 5th level Wizard: Int 18, Dex 16, Con 14, Wis 12
& Lenny, a 5th level Dwarf Fighter Str 18(20), Con 18
I had to spend a little time covering the intro, and the surroundings, but the players got down to playing in short order last night. The group was chased by a swarm of bounty hunters through the jungle. They stumbled into the clearing that housed the Pyramid of Tamoachan. The group fell into the collapsing hole and started at area 1. Given that this happened at night, and on account of the poison gas and the steep drop in the dark, I decided that the bounty hunters would not immediately follow the PCs into the hole which leads to Area 1 on the Map. Since the bounty hunters couldn't see the PCs, shoot arrows at them in the dark, or get down safely, I had them hurl more rocks and insults down at the group and wait for sunrise before coming after the PCs.
The PCs puttered about in area 1 & 2. Bates the Rogue wanted to search for traps all along the hallways. When I started giving each character 1 HP of damage from the poison gas per turn, Bates quit searching for traps in the corridors, and the group hurried along. The group found the dead giant hermit crab (where's the Rancid Crab Butter when we need it) in Room 3, and went Left down to areas 8 & 11. Nothing of consequence happened in these areas, apart from the players taking more time then they probably needed.
We finished for the evening at Room 13. The characters booted in the door and found the Lamia waiting for them. The Lamia used a Suggestion Spell while the group tried to decide what the hell to do. Naturally, Red Shirt successfully made his save and didn't do what the Lamia suggested he do... something about shoving his weapon in a certain place... Initiatives were rolled, and Bates the Rogue went first and rolled a 19+24=43 Stealth roll. Yes, my misery returns with Bates the skulk and his insane stealth rolls. Not to worry. I've got some things in store for dudads flopping Bates the skulk...
In yesterday's 2nd session of the new 2014 camapign, there were Two (2) Player Character fatalities. It was something of a comedy of errors.
The group left off last week in the beginning session in room 13 of the Hidden Shrine of the Tamoachan. The group was facing a standard CR 6 Lamia. It seemed like a run of the mill encounter, but didn't turn out quite that way... On the round the group kicked in the door last week, the Lamia had tried a Suggestion on the PC Fighter ‘Red Shirt #1,' but Red Shirt had made his Will save successfully.
When we began this week with Round 1, the players all won initiative and the Lamia went last. The group began to enter the room, and moved about half way into it. The lamia was at the far north end of the chamber. On her action in round 1, she cast Charm Monster (DC 15) on Lenny the Dwarf, and did not take a move action. Lenny failed his Will save, and became the Lamia’s charmed 'special friend.' The Lamia told Lenny to defend her at all costs. Lenny said "D'uh, Okay George."
On Round two, the player characters moved up to attack the Lamia. Red Shirt #1 took his swing at the Lamia. The player rolled a ‘Natural 1’ on his d20, followed by a ‘Nat 3’ to Verify the failure. That result suggested that he hit the Medic the Cleric, who was next to him. Happily, Red Shirt #1 had previously declared a Power Attack, and as a result, Medic enjoyed 16 HP of damage, and was whining enthusiastically. Sadly for Medic, the real fun was just beginning. When the player of Lenny the Dwarf's turn came, I informed the player that the best thing Lenny could do to help his new “special friend,” would be to stop the "evil cleric Medic" at all costs. Lenny did his best “D’uh, Okay George” impression and swung on Medic the cleric. The player rolled a ‘Nat 20’ and then rolled the confirmed critical, as Lenny Critted the Hell out of Medic with a Dwarven War Axe, doing 48 HP of damage and cutting Medic in half (who had 45 HP at FULL and was down to negative 19 HP) [Casualty #1]. At this point, the players were beginning to get concerned… The PC wizard Squiggy cast Lightning Bolt at the Lamia and did 19 HP damage, but the Lamia saved for half. The Lamia ended the round by scoring a critical hit on Red Shirt #1 with her dagger for 14 HP damage.
In Round 3, Bates the Skulk Rogue successfully hit the Lamia with a sneak attack and did 21 HP damage. Lenny the Dwarf then defended his new special friend again and hit Red Shirt #1 for 13 HP damage, and dropped Red Shirt #1 to 0 HP remaining, and Red Shirt #1 proceeded to face plant on the floor and sprawl mightily. Squiggy the wizard Hit the Lamia with a Magic Missile for 10 HP. And on the Lamia’s action, she stabbed the already unconscious Red Shirt #1 again for 10 HP damage and finished his sorry ass off [Casualty #2]. She then proceeded to miss Bates the Skulk with her hoof attack but did hit him with her Wisdom Drain attack.
In Round 4, Bates the Skulk critted the Lamia with a Nat 20, but didn’t verify. Squiggy the wizard finished off the Lamia before Lenny could successfully castrate duddads-flapping Bates the Skulk, and the encounter ended there…
Following the encounter with the Lamia, the three remaining PCs, joined shortly thereafter by newly arriving PCs, “Red Shirt #2” and Medic #2 proceeded through a door and up & over to the Great Hall (area 15). The group found the secret door and at length entered room 22, that housed the 7th and 8th level Monks who were under the potion of dreadful sleep. I deemed an encounter with a 7th and a 8th level monk to be beyond the capacity of my players’ characters, but I allowed the group to search the room, and elected to have the monks continue to lie dormant (the module text specifically states that the monks wake up and either beat the crap out of the characters or demand a stiff bribe—which the PCs clearly couldn’t pay…) until/unless the players starting talking about greasing the monks in their sleep or taking their stuff. Bates the Rogue made a ‘Nat 20’ check on his Search check, and I decided to be nice and tell the group that stealing stuff from these two ‘felt like a bad idea.’ The players got the hint (amazingly) and moved on quickly from the room.
At some length, the group traveled up & over to room 25 with the fire beetles. After some deliberation, the players elected to Fireball the Fire Beetles, and got a +1 dagger for their troubles, and likely alerted most of the nearby inhabitants of their presence. The group also learned that cave ins occur when you throw fireballs, causing 3d10 in the area of the blast, with no Saving Throw (as per module instructions)…
The characters went up the long stairs in area 27, which saw Medic #2 and Squiggy the Wizard get squashed by the Loadstone. The adventure really didn’t give a good damage approximation, so I had the trap do 6d6 damage, and both characters enjoyed -16 HP damage.
The group finished for the evening in room 28, where they dispatched a Gelatinous Cube (CR3) before it could paralyze any of the characters present… Poor Cube. Next game is next Thursday. ~KGM
KillerGM: Just a quick question from looking at my old copy of Tamoachan — you mention the giant crab in Room 3 and the lamia in Room 13. Are these substitutions for Pathfinder from the original? And why was the crab dead and the crayfish gone?!
"When the player of Lenny the Dwarf's turn came, I informed the player that the best thing Lenny could do to help his new “special friend,” would be to stop the "evil cleric Medic" at all costs. Lenny did his best “D’uh, Okay George” impression and swung on Medic the cleric."
In fairness, did you give Lenny the Charisma check?
From the SRD on Charm Monster:
"This is mostly in the purview of the GM. If you ask the creature to do something that it would not normally do (in relation to your friendship), that is when the opposed Charisma check comes into play."
As much as I just adore making the PCs pay, that would certainly seem to have come into play as something that he wouldn't normally do. A grapple, maybe. But an actual attack? I'd even have had to give Lenny a bonus on his roll.
"The player rolled a ‘Nat 20’ and then rolled the confirmed critical, as Lenny Critted the Hell out of Medic with a Dwarven War Axe, doing 48 HP of damage and cutting Medic in half"
Ahh, good chuckles, particularly after the fumble. I love dice.
"If the potion is drunk the taster will sleep for 5,000 years, or until the potion’s effects are neutralized"
I also love the Old School.
"...which saw Medic #2 and Squiggy the Wizard get squashed by the Loadstone. The adventure really didn’t give a good damage approximation, so I had the trap do 6d6 damage, and both characters enjoyed -16 HP damage."
I'm assuming they lost 16 hp, as opposed to being at -16.
Re: Area 27, the original states: "To dodge the millstone a saving throw versus petrification must be made. If the characters react quickly, they may save at +2 by hugging the walls. Failure to save results in one of the following:
1-4: 1-8 points of damage
5: Backpack and contents are smashed and destroyed.
6: Pack and contents are torn away, but recoverable."
Oh, if only you had them roll a 5.
But what I love most? What's coming right up. Play your best game! Anything that says "it always hits" is no less than a recipe for sheer beauty.
KillerGM: Just a quick question from looking at my old copy of Tamoachan — you mention the giant crab in Room 3 and the lamia in Room 13. Are these substitutions for Pathfinder from the original? And why was the crab dead and the crayfish gone?!
The Lamia is a substitution, mainly substituted because it is a CR 6 opponent. I didn't find a satisfactory stat block for the crab. I also figured that the crab wouldn't realistically survive long in such a place...
"When the player of Lenny the Dwarf's turn came, I informed the player that the best thing Lenny could do to help his new “special friend,” would be to stop the "evil cleric Medic" at all costs. Lenny did his best “D’uh, Okay George” impression and swung on Medic the cleric."
In fairness, did you give Lenny the Charisma check?
From the SRD on Charm Monster:
"This is mostly in the purview of the GM. If you ask the creature to do something that it would not normally do (in relation to your friendship), that is when the opposed Charisma check comes into play."As much as I just adore making the PCs pay, that would certainly seem to have come into play as something that he wouldn't normally do. A grapple, maybe. But an actual attack? I'd even have had to give Lenny a bonus on his roll.
I did not give Lenny a Charisma check. The group I've played in for the past 13 years has a house rule of sorts of having Charmed PCs "defend" whatever monster has charmed them, IF the other player characters are attacking the monster. Were the other PCs not trying to grease the Lamia, Lenny would have no cause to attack his fellow characters, and would Not have done so. As the group were trying to clobber the Lamia, without any other diplomatic efforts, I thought it reasonable to have Lenny stick it to them. The first swing proved to be formidable...
What is Savage Kings? I haven't ever heard of that adventure.
The group I've played in for the past 13 years has a house rule of sorts of having Charmed PCs "defend" whatever monster has charmed them, IF the other player characters are attacking the monster.
Well then, fair enough, sir. As long as everyone is on the same page, I can happily adjudge this a:
PROPER PC DEATH!
And may there be so many more to come.
As an aside, I'd like to point out that the lamia (depending on your Edition) seems to have a little lion and goat heritage. They're both make for good eatin', (A lion burger was surprisingly tasty, and goat is just plain good)
ALSO: Never forget the true old school — wandering monsters. I'd rule that they play hell on spellcasters' rest.
What is Savage Kings? I haven't ever heard of that adventure.
My short, lazy way of referring to the Dungeon Crawl Classic #17 Legacy of the Savage Kings. Howdy PH.
Well then, fair enough, sir. As long as everyone is on the same page, I can happily adjudge this a:
PROPER PC DEATH!
And may there be so many more to come.
As an aside, I'd like to point out that the lamia (depending on your Edition) seems to have a little lion and goat heritage. They're both make for good eatin', (A lion burger was surprisingly tasty, and goat is just plain good)
ALSO: Never forget the true old school — wandering monsters. I'd rule that they play hell on spellcasters' rest.
Given the group, there undoubtedly will be more PC demises. Hour of the Knife at level 6 almost guarantees it... plus with Bates the Rogue's (the Player's) mental errors and the fact that his family members are new to the game, honestly, what else can happen...
I've never tried lion or goat. Red Shirt #1 got a few goat hooves in the mouth before he bought the farm... probably didn't like it...
Given the group in question, I have not yet applied the reality of 'wandering monsters.' Such would no doubt do what you indicate. I don't know that the players could cope with that:) I've been merciful thus far. I guess we'll find out when it happens...
Ahh, good chuckles, particularly after the fumble. I love dice."If the potion is drunk the taster will sleep for 5,000 years, or until the potion’s effects are neutralized"
I also love the Old School.
I'm assuming they lost 16 hp, as opposed to being at -16.
Re: Area 27, the original states: "To dodge the millstone a saving throw versus petrification must be made. If the characters react quickly, they may save at +2 by hugging the walls. Failure to save results in one of the following:
1-4: 1-8 points of damage
5: Backpack and contents are smashed and destroyed.
6: Pack and contents are torn away, but recoverable."Oh, if only you had them roll a 5.
I share your appreciation for all things Old School. You are correct that they lost 16 HP, and were Not at negative 16. I see you've got your trusty copy of C1 also. I thought the 1d8 HP of damage was significantly underpowered for Pathfinder/3rd ed characters. I was of the opinion that if you got run over by a loadstone, you ought to take a decent amount of damage. Had I been thinking like you Cap'n, I'd have smashed the contents of their backpacks in addition to giving them the 16 HP of damage... Live and learn.
The game continued today for the 3rd session of the 2014 campaign. I arrived late and we only played for about 45 minutes today, but there was still One (1) PC fatality. The player characters (all are 5th level) moved on from where they last left off (in room 28) after defeating the Gelatinous cube (a CR 3) encounter. The group chose the correct hallway, mainly because they are going "North" whenever possible. Happily, Bates the Skulk Rogue botched his Reflex save, and fell into a pit and ate 14 HP of damage from the fall and some spikes. Little Creep...
The PCs thereafter entered room 30, and got to tangle with the Were-Jaguar. There are no stats for a Were Jaguar in Pathfinder terms, so I used the standard book Were-Tiger instead, which is a CR 4. Seemed easy enough. The encounter rather reminded me of the old SNES game Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, with the fearsome jaguars that usually tear you apart, and yet you dare not use your powerful "magic blue rocks" as you need to save those for the final boss, and so you just get pummeled by the jaguars without recourse...
The Were Jaguar threw his spear and tagged the PC Wizard Squiggy for 14 HP of damage. Initiatives were rolled. Bates went first and moved into the room, hiding on a 42 Stealth Roll... Didn't matter as it turned out. The Were Jaguar moved towards the other characters, but away from the Skulk. The PC cleric Medic #2 was the only one besides the Skulk and Lenny the Dwarf that could see the hiding Were Jaguar.
Red Shirt #2 moved into the room, but couldn't spot the hiding Were Jaguar. Lenny made it only ten feet into the room with his paultry 20' move. On the PC cleric Medic #2's action, the player took a rather bold move, and (knowing where the Were Jaguar was) cast Hold Person, moved, and attempted a Touch Attack. Had the player managed to slap a Hold Person on the Were Jaguar, it could have been curtains for me straight out of the gate. Fortunately, the player's bravado didn't pan out when he rolled a Nat' 5 to Hit and missed me altogether. On Mr. WereJaguar's action, I proceeded to bite the crap out of the Medic #2, the cleric on a 'Nat 20, but did not verify, and I also hit on one of the claw attacks. As Medic #2 was already damaged before entering the room, he ended up at Negative HP, and proceeded to face plant in front of the Were Jaguar. The PC Wizard Squiggy kept whittling away on the Jaguar with Magic Missiles, but I couldn't go after the wizard, or I'd have ate attacks of opportunity from everyone else, even Lenny, who's 20' move was his biggest obstacle of the evening... He never managed to get in harms' way in time...
On the Jaguar's next action, I bit Medic#2 the cleric again, and put him below -10 HP, [Casualty #1 for the day], and then laid into Red Shirt #2 for 14 HP as well. On their next action, the rest of the PCs then managed to drop the werejaguar. We ended shortly thereafter. Next session, the PCs will meet "Tamoachan" (who I'm throwing at them in lieu of the 7th and 8th level monks in room 22 that probably would have beaten the group to a pulp.) I have the odd feeling that by the time were finished next week, the PCs would have preferred the monks instead...
*Sigh*
KGM, it's not that I don't love the fact that you're out there killing.
But I must admit that I admired your deft handling of your previous groups. Just letting them, well, for lack of a better word, kill their own dumb selves. That is your sheer genius — you just give them what the dice say.
Is this group actually vaguely sentient?
You haven't gone soft, right?
Vaguely sentient: probably. Have I gone soft? See below.
In Thursdays forth session of the 2014 campaign, there were FOUR (4) player character fatalities. When we left off from last week, the PCs had finished the encounter with the Were-Jackal in Room 30 of the Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan. Today, the group chose the door to the south-east, and ended up in room 36. There was no encounter there, and the group quickly moved onto Room 39. Here in this large chamber was fresh air, and the group was finally away from the poisonous gas that had annoyed them during the previous parts of the pyramid/dungeon. The room was dark, but the group could feel the breeze from outside. As the player characters moved into the room, they were attacked by two CR 4 Degenerate Serpentfolk (EL 6). The combat was largely unremarkable, save that Lenny the Dwarf was critically hit by one of the Serpent Folk who was wielding a battle axe, and took over 30 HP of damage for the critical. Red Shirt #2 critically hit both Serpentfolk with his heavy flail, doing over 40 HP of damage on each critical, and Red Shirt #2 was instrumental in polishing off the Degenerate Serpentfolk. The characters healed up, removing most of their damage, save that Lenny and Squiggy were still modestly damaged. The characters then began to search the huge chamber, when things really got interesting.
None of the characters heard a one-word phrase being uttered, which activated a Wand of Fireballs. The characters were hit by a Fireball, discharged by a very tall, green-skinned monstrosity (which is depicted on the cover of the C1 Module), none other than Tamoachan himself. This of course was NOT the real Tamoachan, who died centuries ago (according to the module). I opted not to use the scripted Doppelganger, and instead inserted an Advanced 4th level Fighter/2nd level Anti Paladin, who was using a Potion of Alter Self to appear as the ancient Tamoachan. This encounter was sort of a replacement for the 7th and 8th level monks that I opted not to use previously. This guy was the leader of the bounty hunters who had been pursuing the player characters when they fled into the Shrine of Tamoachan. An advanced 4th level fighter/2nd level Anti Paladin, with basically NPC value gear (his wand had only 1 charge in it) versus Five 5th level characters seemed like a tough but fair encounter. "Tamoachan" successfully used his Use Magic Device skill (maxed out) to successfully use the wand. "Tamoachan" also had prepared Bulls Strengh and Bear's Endurance" while the PCs were tangling with the Serpentfolk.
Saving Throws were rolled, and all players present successfully saved, except for Lenny who has a +2 Reflex save. All characters took 12 HP of damage, except Lenny who took 24; and ALL characters took an additional 17 HP of damage from a cave in (module stipulates this occurs whenever anyone uses a Fireball spell). This put Lenny the Dwarf at Negative (-1) HP, and he fell over. Initiatives were rolled. The player characters all went first, and I ended up going last. The Skulk Rogue hid and moved around (stealth of 44!). Squiggy the wizard on her action cast a Fireball, and baked "Tamoachan" (he made his saving throw and took only 6 HP of damage, but also ate 21 additional HP damage from the cave in, following the fireball. Red Shirt #2 the Fighter moved in and nailed "Tamoachan" for 22 HP damage with his heavy flail. On my action, "Tamoachan" returned the favor, and nailed Red Shirt #2 with my Great Axe, two times, and killed him outright [Casualty #1].
Squiggy the wizard blasted "Tamoachan" with a lightning bolt. I made the saving throw and took half damage. At that point, "Tamoachan" had taken 60 HP of damage. The player of Bates the Skulk Rogue (given that there are five characters and only four players) was playing Medic #3 the cleric. Medic #3 used selective channeling to heal all the player characters of some damage. This put Lenny the Dwarf at Positive HP, and although Lenny was prone, there were now a total of four remaining player characters, and "Tamoachan"s situation was starting to look very bad. Things got worse when Bates the Skulk Rogue moved in, and rolled a 'Nat 19' to hit and a Nat' 19 to verify the critical hit/sneak attack. Bates did 22 HP, leaving "Tamoachan" with only 5 HP left plus the extra HP from his Bear's Endurance spell, which go away after the spell would later wear off. I thought I was screwed, but the tide miraculously changed. "Tamoachan" took a five foot step, and Successfully scored a Critical Hit on Bates the Skulk Rogue on his first swing, with his Great Axe. I did 65 HP of damage and Destroyed Bates the Rogue in one hit [Casualty #2]. Bates was at Full HP minus the remaining Cave in damage at the time. That allowed me to put my second attack into the prone (but at positive HP) Lenny the Dwarf. I hit Lenny, who only had 13 HP, and finished him off [Casualty #3]. At that point, there was just Medic #3 the cleric and Squiggy the wizard left. I used "Tamoachan"s free action to yell "Leave my room Now!" Squiggy the Wizard (played by the wife of Bates the Player), who didn't have a single 3rd level spell left, made a full movement and ran like hell. Bates the player, who was annoyed at just having lost his Skulk rogue to "Tamoachan," opted to try to get even with the monster. He had Medic #3 cast Hold Person, and try to deliver the touch attack. I chose not to mention that Medic's casting of the Hold Person provoked an attack of opportunity (being right next to Tamoachan), just to see if he could pull it off. Medic #3 hit "Tamoachan," and I successfully saved against the Hold Person spell. I then used both of my attacks to Demolish Medic #3 for a total of 40 or 50 HP of damage, and ended his unhappy existence [Casualty #4]. With the wizard Squiggy nowhere to be seen, I had Tamoachan drink the now deceased cleric character's Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds and ended the encounter. This was where we left off for the evening.
In the Fifth session of the 2014 campaign, there was One (1) PC Fatality. The PCs are in the 1Ed module C1: The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan. The five player characters present were all 6th level for this adventure. All PCs have way-above-average ability scores. Following the events of the last game session, the group used their “Cheat Death” ability (which I’ll describe below), to allow their deceased characters (four of them) to ‘return to life.’ The five player characters then all healed up, to full HP. The group then went upstairs to the upper level in the pyramid complex, and ended up fighting the Gibbering Mouther. As the PCs were now all 6th level, I advanced the CR 5 Mouther to a CR 6 via the advanced monster template. Bates the Skulk Rogue began searching the room, while Red Shirt the Fighter was standing in the doorway. At some point, Bates, who rolled a Nat’ 1 on his Search check noticed several ‘eyes’ looking up at him from the floor. Bates and Red Shirt were surprised, as were the other player characters who were just outside the doorway.
The Gibbering Mouther plastered Bates and Red Shirt, and started chewing on Bates. Then after Initiatives were rolled, the Mouther started Gibbering. Four out of five PCs failed their WILL saves, and went bonkers for the remainder of that round. Squiggy the PC wizard (now insane for 1 round) attacked Red Shirt #3, via a magic missile. Medic #4 (I think he’s on 4 now) (who was also insane for 1 round) smashed Lenny #2 with his mace and scored a critical threat, but didn’t verify. At that point, the players present all jointly decided that this was an opponent of legendary status, and bravely ran away. Back out in the large room that connects to the Mouther’s room, they were poking around, and at length figured out (with some help from me…) that there was a tunnel inside the decorations of the room (“the hill”) that led out of the room to another place. The Players debated whether or not to take the tunnel, when their old pal “Tamoachan” (Advanced Human Ftr4/Anti-paladin2) caught up with them again. As one of the players had already started into the tunnel at this time, the rest decided against fighting “Tamoachan” and started down into the tunnel also. “Tamoachan” (who had healed up with a wand of Cure Light wounds, silently followed them. The group hurried through the Five-foot wide tunnel, but Lenny the Dwarf #2, who moves only 20’, and was last, was slower. The four PCs in front got to the ladder up, and managed to get up out of the tunnel. Lenny #2 got to the base of the tunnel to end his turn when “Tamoachan” caught up to him. Faced with eating an attack of opportunity if he tried to climb up, Lenny #2 had a “come at me bro” moment, and opted to be brave and face off against “Tamoachan” down in the tunnel, and buy his pals another round or two to try to get the hell out of dodge. Lenny #2 took two swings at “Tamoachan” and connected on one of the two (power attacking) and did 23 HP damage. “Tamoachan” (on his next action) Power attacked, I rolled a ‘Nat 20 on the first swing, verified, and annihilated Lenny #2 in one incredible shot [Casualty #1]. “Tamoachan” then silently continued up the ladder in pursuit of the other four meatheads (PCs) who were running from him.
The PCs entered the final alter room (area 54) when we finished. They were picking up all the gold and loot from the altar when we stopped. They were too happy to be scribbling down treasure to do much else, and we stopped. When we resume next time, “Tamoachan” will catch up to the gold-happy PCs and resume the butt kicking routine. ~KGM
‘Cheat Death’ is an idea that Turin the Mad came up with, and listed it as a house rule for the brief and ill-fated Carrion Crown campaign that Haru, the Resident Artist, Agent J, one other player and myself participated in. It’s a good idea, and I’m going to print it verbatim from what Turin wrote. The PCs can Cheat Death once per character level. Regards to Turin for the idea.
‘Cheating Death’ must result in the character having outright died despite the abilities and efforts of the rest of the PCs (such as receiving a breath of life spell that did not bring your character to a low enough number of negative hit points to otherwise survive). Doing so still results in being ‘dead for the fight’, the precise consequences will vary. If you ‘cheat death’ in a lava flow, you’re going to be looking like Darth Vader before he got the fancy cybernetics. If you ‘cheat death’ after getting hacked into chunky salsa by a big ass sword, something got lopped off. And so on. There are game mechanical penalties of course. How severe depends on how far past “dead” you went. If you only went a little bit past dead, maybe you had a finger or toe lopped off. If you took an arrow, crossbow bolt or bullet to the brain, you lost an eye and maybe some cognitive function (Int and/or Cha penalties) depending on how far past ‘dead’ your character went. If you were killed by a big ass sword, your disemboweling leaves you permanently weakened but alive (Con penalty), or you lost a hand, an arm or a leg. If you did the Darth Vader Dive into a lava pit, you are missing both of your legs, an arm, a hand and are sucking on some serious internal organ damage – but you survived! The “darth vader dive” assumes that your character’s immersion in lava is what killed him.
Hello, Mr Killer, good to see you again, and good to see that you haven't grown soft in your old age. The variety and brutality of the PC deaths are a joy to behold. Please keep posting, I'd love to see just how many more of the sorry group of ne'er-do-wells "Tamoachan" is able to take out single-handed.
Good to see you again Mr. Meomwt. It should be interesting. We missed yesterday's game, but play again next Thursday the 17th. We'll see how many more sheep buy the farm courtesy of "Tamoachan." Never gets old...:) Are you from the UK?
Good to see you again Mr. Meomwt. It should be interesting. We missed yesterday's game, but play again next Thursday the 17th. We'll see how many more sheep buy the farm courtesy of "Tamoachan." Never gets old...:) Are you from the UK?
Yup. English and proud. And busy harassing PC's in a game of Shadowrun this evening, hopefully if they come up against a nasty I've whipped up from scratch (a Mud Elemental, no less!), I might be able to toast a couple of them.
In yesterday’s… I think its the 6th session, of the 2014 campaign we’re on, there were Three (3) Player Character fatalities. All Five characters present were 6th level, and have above average ability scores and Hit Points. The characters are in the final room (#54) of the 1st Ed module C1 The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (using the Pathfinder rule system). They were gathering up all the loot from the altar they could make off with, as quickly as they could, as they were being chased by a bounty hunter (Advanced Human Fighter 4/Anti-Paladin2) who used a potion of Alter Self to appear as “Tamoachan.” Lenny the Dwarf had been gutted by “Tamoachan” at the end of last session. Lenny used his “Cheat Death” ability to return to life, and I awarded him 1/3 of his total HP to boot. Lenny #2 began to make his way toward room 54. Back in room 54, not only did the morons, (player characters) gather up all the loot, but the player of Medic #4 the cleric (apparently not feeling any need for haste) opted to start healing up Red Shirt the Fighter, casting cure moderate wounds on him. Medic was preparing to cast yet another Cure moderate wounds when “Tamoachan” entered the room, moving his thirty feet, and making an attack on Red Shirt #3 the Fighter. I opted to power attack/smite, rolled a Natural 20 to hit, but failed to Verify the critical hit. Red Shirt never the less took about 30 HP of damage. Initiatives were rolled. Bates #2 the Skulk Rogue went first and bravely hid with a 43 Hide check. Tamoachan couldn’t find him successfully. I went next, and finished off Red Shirt the Fighter with another Power Attack [Casualty #1]. Tamoachan then nailed Medic the Cleric with a Power Attack for around 30 HP to conclude his action. The remaining three characters present (Bates the Skulk Rogue, Squiggy the Wizard, and Medic the Cleric) all opted to run like hell. The players wanted to use a full move/retreat, but the terrain and the need to climb through holes in the wall in order to get out of the pyramid, prevented this option. As a result, I got an attack of opportunity when the PCs attempted to flee, and Tamoachan slammed Medic the Cleric again, and dropped him [Casualty #2]. Bates and Squiggy were out of the pyramid when Lenny ran into the room, and Tamoachan then crushed Lenny, AGAIN, [Casualty #3]. Tamoachan then climbed out of a hole in the wall and began to descend the pyramid, albeit on a different side than the two surviving PCs.
The two remaining PCs Bates & Squiggy then ran through the jungle (past all the other dead bounty hunters outside the pyramid) towards their boat. Upon arriving at their boat, they found hordes of demonic pygmies sacking their boat. The captain of their boat was hiding in the nearby jungle scrub, looking like a Quivering Mound of Flesh, when they spotted him. The PCs then moved to where the captain was, and the captain suggested to the perplexed PCs that they requisition the Bounty Hunters ship, which the demonic pygmies had already ransacked and abandoned. The PCs also managed to find one wounded crewman from their ship and hauled him quietly onto the bounty hunters boat along with their ship captain. The four then proceeded to set sail. Before casting off, they were joined by one of their comrades (Red Shirt the Fighter) who had used “cheat death” to return to life, and by the apparent lone surviving crewman of the bounty hunter’s boat, who came running out of the jungle underbrush at the last minute. The players, (morons the lot of ‘em), gladly had their characters extend a hand to help the sailor into the boat, happy to have another NPC proficient at sailing on board to help pilot the craft. And so the journey back to civilization began. And our friend, “Tamoachan,” now appearing as a sailor on board the boat with the PCs, quietly smiled as the ship sailed off into the sunset…
The players spent the rest of the time talking about things they wanted to buy upon arrival at port. We’ll play again next Thursday… :D
Yup. English and proud. And busy harassing PC's in a game of Shadowrun this evening, hopefully if they come up against a nasty I've whipped up from scratch (a Mud Elemental, no less!), I might be able to toast a couple of them.
Good place to be from. I trust your Shadowrun group wished you were elsewhere by the time you were finished with them...?
Had the pleasure yesterday of watching your 'Reds' from Liverpool handle Norwich. If the Reds can win two of the next (final) three and draw the other, they're due the EPL title for the first time in the last 24 years. About bloody time...
Weekly death sentences. Too funny.
I'm glad / entertained that you're using "cheating death". By my estimate, the current characters have a few more cheats per character before they're totally hosed...
Yeah, that's about the size of it. Lenny the Dwarf is hosed, having gotten greased at 6th level after having already used his "Cheat Death" at 6th level, and a replacement character is reportedly in the works. I'm personally hoping for a return of Meathead the Paladin, but who knows.
Yup. English and proud. And busy harassing PC's in a game of Shadowrun this evening, hopefully if they come up against a nasty I've whipped up from scratch (a Mud Elemental, no less!), I might be able to toast a couple of them.
Good place to be from. I trust your Shadowrun group wished you were elsewhere by the time you were finished with them...?
Had the pleasure yesterday of watching your 'Reds' from Liverpool handle Norwich. If the Reds can win two of the next (final) three and draw the other, they're due the EPL title for the first time in the last 24 years. About bloody time...
How cruel can be football. Liverpool lead 3-0 with minutes to go and end up lucky to claim a point at 3-3. The Blue half of Manchester play this evening, and a draw will see them atop the table for the final game. We will see what Sunday brings.
Last time I played Shadowrun, my players elected to enter the local sewer system in the hunt for a missing mage and the Mud Elemental he accidentally summoned. There are three on the ground, there is a fourth sustaining buffs on the Physical Adept and other Shaman, and sitting sweating in a van.
The three intrepid sewer rats have already spotted a force of Orks (actually Mages with Illusion spells up) who they left alone, and have now found a bunch of mega-Corp goons, locked and loaded, also after mage and elemental. The rats are out-gunned 2:1 but look up for the fight. Given how lethal SR2 can be, I'm expecting blood on the carpet before long.
Odds may be evened if I can persuade Mrs meomwt to rejoin the fray, her Hacker/ Rigger might be able to even the odds somewhat (even if only by running interference on the opposing drones). We'll see.
How cruel can be football. Liverpool lead 3-0 with minutes to go and end up lucky to claim a point at 3-3. The Blue half of Manchester play this evening, and a draw will see them atop the table for the final game. We will see what Sunday brings.
Last time I played Shadowrun, my players elected to enter the local sewer system in the hunt for a missing mage and the Mud Elemental he accidentally summoned. There are three on the ground, there is a fourth sustaining buffs on the Physical Adept and other Shaman, and sitting sweating in a van.
The three intrepid sewer rats have already spotted a force of Orks (actually Mages with Illusion spells up) who they left alone, and have now found a bunch of mega-Corp goons, locked and loaded, also after mage and elemental. The rats are out-gunned 2:1 but look up for the fight. Given how lethal SR2 can be, I'm expecting blood on the carpet before long.
Odds may be evened if I can persuade Mrs meomwt to rejoin the fray, her Hacker/ Rigger might be able to even the odds somewhat (even if only by running interference on the opposing drones). We'll see.
Sadly, the blue half of Manchester won. That said, I'd prefer the blue half of Manchester to the Red half. Alas... I will be glued to the tele from June 12 to July 13 in an addictive stupor known as the World Cup.
Good to see you doing something with Shadowrun. I'm glad Mrs. Meomwt is favorably disposed to your hobby activities. Mrs. Killer GM is far less favorably inclined...Regards, KGM
In the next chapter/adventure in the 2014 campaign, I've opted to scrap "Hour of the Knife" in favor of another Ravenloft adventure from 2nd edition, "Touch of Death." The PCs will be 6th level for this adventure. I will be making some plot overhauls to "Touch of Death", and "Scooby-Doo-a-fying" the adventure to a certain extent. As to why I'm making these changes, I should probably give a little backdrop of the campaign thus far and why the player characters 'find themselves where they are.'
The backdrop for the campaign is that the player characters are themselves basically crooks & con-men. They (the PCs) were previously working for a criminal organization, known as "SCUM" (Serious Criminals and Unscrupulous Mercenaries). SCUM had previously stolen a large hoard of gold bullion from the local monarch, King Stephen. During the course of their work for SCUM, the PCs had succumbed to temptation and made off with a decent portion of the already stolen gold bullion. The result of this was having both agents from King Stephen looking for them, as well as bounty hunters from SCUM looking to rub them out and recover the gold also.
The PCs had hidden the stolen gold of King Stephen in a warehouse, in the port city of Anchorside, and were nearby, seeking to buy passage on a foreign freighter to sail off into the sunset with their stolen gold. The bounty hunters from SCUM and their minions arrived to thwart the perfect getaway by the PCs. The PCs had to flee on the small boat they were on while attempting to buy passage, leaving behind their hidden gold in the warehouse. The PCs sailed south in haste, seeking to escape death or capture, before returning to try and re-claim their stolen gold. The PCs arrived at the jungles to the south, and had the adventure in the Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan. The (barely) surviving PCs then sailed back to their original port, after the bounty hunters (all except one) were dispatched by demonic pygmies in the jungles near the pyramid of Tamoachan.
Upon arrival, the PCs discover that their stolen gold has vanished from the warehouse where they had hidden it. They learn immediately that a large wagon was parked just outside their warehouse, loaded, and left immediately thereafter. The PCs will now give chase, as the agents of SCUM, who have re-stolen the gold from the PCs seek to vanish with the gold.
Enter "Touch of Death." The two chief agents of SCUM (known respectively as "Avarice" and "Menace") have previously been instructed to first take the gold through a magic gateway/portal into a Pocket Dimension (or a Fading Land for those of you Greyhawk fans), which is Har A'Kir, (from the Ravenloft campaign setting), in order to throw off any pursuit. Avarice has traveled ahead with the gold into Har A'Kir. Menace was the lead bounty hunter that had followed the PCs to Tamoachan, and was disguised as "Tamoachan" as he began greasing the player characters during the previous adventure. Upon arrival back at the port city of Anchorside, the Menace separates from the PCs, as the PCs go to the warehouse, hoping to find their gold there, and Menace, who already knows the gold has been moved, travels to rejoin Avarice in Har A'Kir.
The PCs at length will be able to track the wagon into Har A'Kir. Then follows the adventure "Touch of Death."
The basic plot to this adventure is that the wagon of gold travels through the village of Muhar and onto Pharaoh's Rest. At Pharaoh's rest, some (not all) of the gold is hidden in one of the tombs there, while Avarice and the rest of the gold continues on past Pharaoh's Rest and into another portal/gateway taking the wagon and travelers back to the Prime Material Plane/physical world. Upon learning that the PCs have arrived in Har A'Kir, Menace tarries behind, to thwart the PCs efforts to find the hidden gold in Har A'Kir or continue pursuit out of Har A'Kir after the rest of the stolen gold.
The listed plot elements in the "Touch of Death" adventure have been altered. Senmet the Greater Mummy is not a part of this adventure. Ankhtepot, the ruler of Har A'Kir does not enter into this adventure either, unless the PCs go find him and cause trouble (in which case I'll annihilate all of them for their trouble). A third agent of SCUM, a rogue named "Scoundris" has secretly been searching the tombs of Har A'Kir (Pharaoh's Rest) for gold and valuables, which are secretly being carted out of Har A'Kir to another hiding place, to help fund SCUM's operations. This grave robbing & removal of gold from Har A'Kir is totally at odds with Har A'Kir's laws, and Scoundris would be severely punished if he were caught. He is however aided and abeted by Isu Rehkotep, the Cleric of Mudar. Isu was already falling from grace due to her desire to gain greater power over undead to improve her power and influence over others. The charismatic Scoundris, and his promises of great wealth, and a life away from the veritable wasteland Dump, that is Har A'Kir proved too much for Isu to resist. So when a few villagers from Mudar observed that a mysterious wagon traveled through the village of Mudar in the middle of the night without stopping and went straight on to Pharoah's Rest, those villagers had to be silenced. That provides the backdrop for the murders that are occurring at the time the PCs arrive in Har A'Kir. When the PCs are being attacked by the desert zombies (as in the adventure text) it is instead Isu, rather than Senmet the mummy, who is controlling the zombies. Menace will effectively fill the role of Senmet the mummy, as he will don funeral wrappings (to look like a mummy from a distance) and then proceed to stalk the PCs over the course of the adventure.
If the PCs are fortunate and survive the adventure, they will manage to pull a "Scooby-Doo" and solve the case, and Scoundris (if he even survives) will then get to lament "those meddling kids" as he's dragged off to prison or worse. Upon return to the Prime Material Plane/regular campaign world, the PCs are contacted by representatives of King Stephen, and given the opportunity to surrender the gold and themselves. Assuming the PCs agree, they will meet with the King, and after hearing the PCs story of stealing the gold from "Devious" (the mysterious leader of SCUM), King Stephen will scold them for working for crooks, and being stupid enough to steal from Devious. The King will then offer the PCs the chance to avoid ending up in his prison in exchange for recovering the Soul Gem for him from the Ghost Tower of Inverness, as a means to clear their slate with him if they can recover the Soul Gem for the king.
C2 GHOST TOWER OF INVERNESS: The PCs will be 7th level for this adventure. While in the Ghost Tower, the PCs will be contacted by a representative of Devious (leader of SCUM) who has learned of the PCs deal with King Stephen. Devious’ representative tells the PCs that if the PCs give Devious the Soul Gem, they will have half the gold returned to them as a reward, and then keep their lives (no more bounty hunters will be sent after them).
If the PCs successfully recover the Soul Gem, they will then have two choices. If the PCs bring back the gem to King Stephen, he tells them to seek Devious in the plains to the Southwest, telling them they can keep half of the gold if they can get it. The King also charges the PCs to stop Devious before he can build an army and start a war, which the king believes Devious intends to do.
If the PCs hand the gem over to Devious; Devious’ main assassin (Menace) then attempts to rub the PCs out ANYWAY, and (if any PCs survive) they subsequently learn that Devious is attempting to marshal an army to start a war. The PCs would then go after Devious to settle the score.
So did your merry band of victims call the campaign quits, or what?
So did your merry band of victims call the campaign quits, or what?
The game is on hiatus. Sean, began to work late, and also (I think) find other excuses to avoid the game. And as his wife and teenage sons are the players, if Sean isn't attending, then they aren't either, and there is no game. These shameful lapses began following two consecutive game sessions that each had (if I recall correctly) 4 PC demises in each, courtesy of "Tamoachan"/"Menace" who was actually a 6th level version of Sir Laughsomore with a Tamoachan costume. I have myself been working later on Thursdays, so I haven't pushed an attempt to resurrect this game at the present time. Sean's memory is pretty short term though, and if I have the time in a month or two, he'll be ready for more punishment by then, and the mayhem may begin anew...
After an extensive lay off, my monthly Saturday game looks to be back in session come February or March. I'll start a new thread. Hope all you delightful chaps are well. KGM