Year of the Shadow Lodge special [SPOILERS]

[David Foley]

The Aveiro and Porto lodges are coming together at RiaCON to play the multi-table special for season 2: The Year of the Shadow Lodge

Yeah for us!

There has been some discussion amongst GMs preping for the event about a part of the scenario and we would appreciate some advice from GMs who have already run or played the scenario.

What is written for Act 4 regarding whether tiers other than 10-11 can fight the dragon Zythrustianax doesn't make any sense and seems contradictory

First we have

pg 17 wrote:

While upper tier parties can attempt to slay the dragon, lower level PCs have ample opportunity to sneak or run past the beast and into the Mausoleum

ok so clear here only upper tier parties (we will have no tier 10-11 alas) can fight the dragon

However then later it has

pg 17 wrote:

If a group chooses to engage the dragon, then a runner from that table should be sent to inform the Overseer GM. If at least half of the tables engage Zythrustianax, she is unable to attack other parties entering the Mausoleum.....
If more than three-fourths of the tables (of any tier) engage Zythrustianax, she realizes that she is outnumbered and flees Absalom

What does engage mean here and it specifically mentions "of any tier".. so it does look like lower level tables can engage the dragon somehow (no matter how unwise that might be)

But however finally it also states..

pg 18 wrote:

Tier 10–11 (CR 14)
Only Tier 10–11 PCs are afforded the opportunity to bring down Zythrustianax

So the scenario seem to be simultaneously telling us that tiers other than 10-11 may and may not attack the dragon and that presents us with some possible but ridiculous conclusions

for instance

imagine a CON running the scenario with 4 tables tier 1-2, if 2 or less of the tables attack the dragon that leaves a whole pile of dead PC attackers, but if 3 tables attack then the dragon flees!

Also what does a non 10-11 tier engaging Zythrustianax entail? because

pg 18 wrote:

At this point, the Table GM of any Tier 10–11 table should ask her players to roll initiative, as the dragon looks as though she’s preparing to launch herself off the roof.

It would seem she doesn't come off the roof for anyone who is not Tier 10-11, so they can throw rocks at her but she ignores them, but if 3/4 of them throw rocks then she flees away.

So can lower level tables "engage" the dragon? and if so what does that mean for them? and if they can't "engage" the dragon how is it that GMs are to present that to players without making it seem rail-roading them or requiring their players to metagame. I.E. I don't want to present to my players "The dragon looks busy, you can sneak past her perhaps" when there is nothing at that point that indicates the dragon is not the objective and sneaking past her is not obvious. I like to think my PCs are heroes no matter their level and I'd hate for them to go OOC and have to think that dragon's CR is way to much for my character I better not fight it.

To me it is clear there is no way for lower level tables to engage the dragon and I am in favor of adding some narrative device to present the fact that the lower level tables have less choice in a better way. Perhaps by having the lower level PCs encounter a well know pathfinder say a master or a VC and have them say that the dragon is too powerful and they will go look for a group perhaps strong enough to fight it and in the meantime would the low level group please try to sneak past the dragon and see what it is guarding inside?

[Mike Bramnik]

My impression was always that it means only the 10-11 tables engaging the dragon - if there are *that* many of them, the Dragon goes "wow, they're confident for some reason...bye!" and flees :)

[David Foley]

Thanks for replying

The consensus here seems to be going towards the interpretation that any tier can attack or "engage" the dragon

if a character of any table tries to attack the dragon then it counts as a table engaging the dragon and also as an autofail at sneak and the dragon will respond with a tail swipe and two rounds later will attack

pg18 section for Tier 1-4 wrote:

If Zythrustianax spots the PCs before they enter the
Mausoleum, she initiates her attacks with a single tail
slap, causing part of the building to collapse and sending
a shower of flying rubble that deals 2d4 bludgeoning
damage to all targets within a 20-foot-by-20-foot area
(DC 14 Reflex save for half ).
Following the tail slap, the PCs have 2 rounds to dash
inside or flee before she attacks.

If enough (3/4) tables of any tier engage the dragon then the dragon flies away, if 1/2 of them do so then every body else can sneak in easier.

Those that fail sneaks or fight and then dawdle will be toast 2 rounds later or very soon after.

I am not sure if the scenario intended this, but it seems to be as per the wording.. I guess we couldn't ever imagine 3/4 of the tables being 10-11 seeing as we won't even field 1 table 10-11.

BTW the map for the Courtyard has 2 doors leading out of it to the right and to the left.. I take it that the door on the left (unmentioned in text) is unopenable and goes nowhere.. are players to know that somehow?? you could get in a lot of heat if you were trying to open an unopenable door and the dragon came!!! did anyone GMing this draw that second door as an player destination option?

[Mike Bramnik]

When we ran it, we had it on the map, but were nice and made it clear to the players that it was sealed and not accessible within the scope of the scenario.

PS - also check out the thread that Raul has about this one just in case any of the other things we did in Bloomington spark any ideas :)