I think it's a technical glitch, if you let Chris or Liz know, they should get the pdf fixed. :-)
My book looks fine, can't check my pdf right now, alas.
Sorry!
As Samy notes, the adventure mentions that the research rules are in Ultimate Intrigue. They can also be found here:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/intrigue#TOC-Research
For the pool of blood in area D6, it says "The vertical pool of blood is opaque, but can be passed through as difficult terrain." and "making it pool vertically in the 15-foot-long hallway."
My interpretation was that it was vertical river (a bit like a floating curtain) that started under the wheelchair and flowed towards C15 as it got wider (or higher if you prefer).
"Vertical" is in reference to the pool, not the river (I originally thought it was referring to the river as well), and although the pool isn't really vertical the way I think of the term, I figure it was meant to mean sideways.
My interpretation was that it was like gravity was pointing "west" instead of "down" for the blood only. Blood is flowing out of Freeling's body, and instead of pooling on the floor, it's gushing in a constant stream that flows across the room suspended in the air until it hits the "pool" that fills the west hallway. So the PCs will have to walk through it (or get over it or teleport past somehow) and be subject to the bull rush to get to the other side.
This makes sense, but there is also mention of the blood rising in a wave (not sure of exact words, book not on hand), which is why I considered the blood to be flowing on the ground.
And, as cool as it is, a floating stream of blood looks more obviously dangerous, and I figure PCs would just go over and wheel her chair away from the window, effectively shortening the stream, and walk around it. If the blood flows along the floor, however, there's a slightly better chance someone will just try to hop it. Maybe not that big of a chance, but it's there.
That said, perhaps it's fine for the haunt to be relatively harmless. It's good imagery, and as long as something bad happens if a PC decides to tempt fate by walking through a levitating stream of blood (so that it is not an empty threat, so to speak), it's sound.
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The research rules as they are in Mummy's Mask are very cool, but way too easy for anyone with a specialization in knowledge skills (such as a bard archaeologist). My suggestion for implemenation would be to make them just hard enough so your PCs aren't guaranteed a "hit," and that there should always be some risk of encounter while researching. My guys simply killed everything first then cleared research areas in a few days (in MM) without any threat or challenge. Now that I know...
Keep in mind, it's a very cool concept.
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This is kind of a minor thing but it's bugging me. And I know my players are going to be confused. I can't reconcile the map of the basement and area A2 with the main floor area B1. The stairwell seems to be 7 to 8 feet from the chute, but I can't see how that lines up with the description of B1.
Where exactly would the stairs have been if not collapsed on the main floor? I don't see anything on the map that could be the shed-like structure, unless we're talking about the rubble between B1 and C1. Is the compass on the basement map mislabeled? I could sort of align things if north was actually pointing to the right.
What am I missing?
The "shed-like structure" positioning is the confusing part, since it isn't shown on the map, and is located in a place that might not be directly lined up over the basement stairs.
The chute from furnace to furnace lines up reasonably well, if you are willing to accept that it is not a cube, but kind of zig zags out like a Z at the top and bottom.
The chute to the service room lines up fine.
The confusing part is that the stairs look like a tight spiral, when they would not be, they'd be a long extension to the southwest.
If you really need it to line up in your mind: ignore the shed like structure reference, and connect the stairs leading up (collapsed area between B1/C1), and stairs leading down into the basement area, as one continuous stairwell, mentally.
The way you can rationalise it is that there is either:
or
This is a sketch of how you can reconcile either of those two:
(obviously a map spoiler)
But yeah, everything lines up except for the collapsed stairs, which will probably never be used, so it's more for the architects and draftspeople among us than anything that will affect the module :)
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This is a sketch of how you can reconcile either of those two:
That's brilliant, thanks. Yes, the apparent spiral on the basement map was throwing me. Your sketch makes perfect sense.
But yeah, everything lines up except for the collapsed stairs, which will probably never be used, so it's more for the architects and draftspeople among us than anything...
Totally agree. It doesn't impact anything, but my players are very much a, "Wait a minute! Where did those stairs go?!" bunch of people.
This is a sketch of how you can reconcile either of those two:That's brilliant, thanks. Yes, the apparent spiral on the basement map was throwing me. Your sketch makes perfect sense.
But yeah, everything lines up except for the collapsed stairs, which will probably never be used, so it's more for the architects and draftspeople among us than anything...Totally agree. It doesn't impact anything, but my players are very much a, "Wait a minute! Where did those stairs go?!" bunch of people.
If it really bothers them then you can always use the reality altering properties of the mist to explain anything to them. Maybe there is a pocket of it somewhere in the area that is altering the space enough where they can't use the most powerful tool a player has, an automatic knowledge of geometry and spacial placement.
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I am running this for 7 players, I know it's written for 4.
The party has two witches, two paladins, an investigator, an oracle, and a monk.What simple and easy adjustments can I make to keep it fair and challenging?
I ran the 1st session with no adjustments, as they are still 1st level, and it was rough but fine. But I think in future sessions it may become too easy for them.
For groups of foes, increase the # encountered by x1.75. Add the Advanced simple template to single foes, or add in some mooks. Or both. Basically multiply the XP for the encounter by x1.75 and add in more levels/foes to reach the new XP total.
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Hi guys, I'm preparing myself to run this AP here in the boards in pbp and I have seen a couple 'inconsistencies'... would like to know how you plan to solve them (or if I just missed something).
1) "Doctor" Ilesi Scaen: This doppelganger is a though opponent but according to its tactics, it will try to escape ASAP... but where does she go thereafter? It would make sense that she'd alert the other doppels, but then what? If I put her together with any of the others ones, it will be a slaughter for the PCs (at least a CR5 for a 1st level party).
2) Winter Klaczka's lack of intelligence: In her entry in the end of the book, it is mentioned that she was in Briarstone specifically to investigate about "recently committed patients previously in the service of Haserton Lowls". It is fair to assume that she had no description of them but when four fully armed guys pop in front of her, would not she be at least suspicious that these are the people she was looking for? Also, there are a couple members who actually worked in the Asylum and once she starts to ask questions, she will easily discover that none of them (a support staff, kitchen staff, a veteran nurse, the bookish nurse, and a former orderly) have ever seen the PCs, it looks like the "recently committed patients" would ring a bell.
3) Map of the Whole Asylum: With a support staff, a kitchen staff, a veteran nurse, a bookish nurse, and a former orderly, what is stopping the PCs to ask for them to describe the place, thus getting a "full map"? Obviously this map wouldn't be precise and would not mark all the structural damage or secret rooms, but what I'm curious is if such much would spoil anything for them... I'm not really liking the possibility of just saying that none of the mentioned survivors remember enough to help them.
4) "Doctor" Wren Elbourne's 'big plan': Elbourne tries to dissuade the group to immediately go after Zandalus by pushing them to go to the west ward first, mentioning that besides his guards, there are a ton of cultists in the ground floor, who will then help their master. Since they actually get no new information regarding Zandalus (despite that the mist can be destroyed), sending them west is just Elbourne telling them "to get more xp before" (I have no problem with that).
The problem IMO is when they come back... Zandalus isn't weaker than before, and there are no less cultists also, but while describing the encounter with the guards in are F, there is no mention about help from the ground floor, which seems quite unlikely, since the first reaction of Aggra shriek! So, unless the PCs are able to distract all the cultists on the ground, without alerting the guards upstairs, this would soon turn into an impossible fight.
"Doctor" Ilesi Scaen: This doppelganger is a though opponent but according to its tactics, it will try to escape ASAP... but where does she go thereafter? It would make sense that she'd alert the other doppels, but then what? If I put her together with any of the others ones, it will be a slaughter for the PCs (at least a CR5 for a 1st level party).
Getting ready to run this as a PbP for some friends right here on the forums, and I was wondering about this myself... it's actually kind of a big problem. Ilesi is never mentioned again after the first encounter with her. She could be a wandering monster encounter - but it doesn't make much sense that she would run from four unarmed prisoners but pick a fight with four armed ones later on. Maybe the mist takes her.
Winter Klaczka's lack of intelligence: In her entry in the end of the book, it is mentioned that she was in Briarstone specifically to investigate about "recently committed patients previously in the service of Haserton Lowls". It is fair to assume that she had no description of them but when four fully armed guys pop in front of her, would not she be at least suspicious that these are the people she was looking for?
The rest of your point is pretty valid - especially given her Wisdom score of 17 (!) - but the fact that the PCs are armed and armored makes a pretty good case for their not being patients at all. Generally asylum inmates aren't permitted to walk around with battleaxes and things.
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Getting ready to run this as a PbP for some friends right here on the forums, and I was wondering about this myself... it's actually kind of a big problem. Ilesi is never mentioned again after the first encounter with her. She could be a wandering monster encounter - but it doesn't make much sense that she would run from four unarmed prisoners but pick a fight with four armed ones later on. Maybe the mist takes her.
The problem with this is how she would wander around. As soon as she runs away, she can't go north past the ruble in area B12 and can't past the guards in area B4, leaving her only a few rooms, many of them with other encounters (unless she hides in one Storage room).
Thinking about it, I'm inclined to make her turn back (if she managed to escape) soon before entering the Asylum, perhaps afraid about what Dr. Oathsday would do to her once she discovers that Dr. Scaen let the prisoners escape. This way she hides behind a tree and tries to correct her 'mistake'. This could lead to a very interesting fight with the storm effects.
The rest of your point is pretty valid - especially given her Wisdom score of 17 (!) - but the fact that the PCs are armed and armored makes a pretty good case for their not being patients at all. Generally asylum inmates aren't permitted to walk around with battleaxes and things.
I agree with you, but even so, she'll soon discover that they are no regular patients nor members of the staff. IMO, the first question she will make them is "Who are you?" and they will answer that they don't know, that they just have awaken in a cell with no memory. With the current chaos around the Asylum, nothing is telling she (nor the PCs) that the gear they found was indeed theirs.
So... if she indeed knows (or at least has strong suspicion) that the PCs are those she was sent to investigate, and that they were associated with Lowls, would she really be interested in making them recover their memory? I see reasons for both a yes (so she can complete her original mission) or no (so she is more certain that the PCs will help the survivors and not discover they were bad guys, risking to turn against her).
This makes sense, but there is also mention of the blood rising in a wave (not sure of exact words, book not on hand), which is why I considered the blood to be flowing on the ground.
And, as cool as it is, a floating stream of blood looks more obviously dangerous, and I figure PCs would just go over and wheel her chair away from the window, effectively shortening the stream, and walk around it. If the blood flows along the floor, however, there's a slightly better chance someone will just try to hop it. Maybe not that big of a chance, but it's there.
After reading the section again, I think you're right that it's just on the ground. My original interpretation would look cool but there's no way a player would walk through a vertical waterfall of blood. :D
2) Winter Klaczka's lack of intelligence: In her entry in the end of the book, it is mentioned that she was in Briarstone specifically to investigate about "recently committed patients previously in the service of Haserton Lowls". It is fair to assume that she had no description of them but when four fully armed guys pop in front of her, would not she be at least suspicious that these are the people she was looking for?
My guess is that she suspects but is keeping things to herself for now. She's apparently going to be in the next adventure, so I'm sure more of her mission will be revealed there.
3) Map of the Whole Asylum: With a support staff, a kitchen staff, a veteran nurse, a bookish nurse, and a former orderly, what is stopping the PCs to ask for them to describe the place, thus getting a "full map"?
Sure, they can get a decent idea of what the layout was, pre-earthquake. But how does that help them? They don't know what's where post-earthquake, and they don't know how to get rid of the mists keeping them in the building.
4) "Doctor" Wren Elbourne's 'big plan':
Ultimately the adventure wants the party to go west so they can destroy the oneirogen over there before hitting the climax upstairs. Otherwise they have to go wipe out the ghouls and the oneirogen over there after killing the Tatterman, which would probably be a little anti-climatic. Maybe a better rationale could be concocted to push the PCs in that direction before confronting Zandalus.
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we Had our first session today. The players ended up getting beaten up pretty badly by some of the doppelgangers before coming along a "injured" "Iza Weeds" They decided to barricade themselves in the laundry room with her as they tended to her "Injuries" and got in a nights rest. they took turns keeping watch but when it came to be the Monk's turn (who had received the most damage that day)Doctor Oathsday revealed himself and stabbed the monk in the back, knocking him unconscious. His scream of pain woke the rest of the party up, but do to a series of rather unfortunate rolls on their part, Oathsday made quick work of all of them.
We are gonna start over next week with a new party member and I was wondering if any one had any ideas how to make that segment of the adventure a little newer and more interesting for those who have already been through it.
Slumber Hex characters are in for a bad time in this chapter. I hope that trend continues throughout the rest of the AP.
Slumber Hex characters are in for a bad time in this chapter. I hope that trend continues throughout the rest of the AP.
One of my players will be running a sleep-casting mesmerist capable of stacking up to -6 on saves vs. sleep (at level 1). Worse: mesmerists can take away mind-affecting communities from NPCs... even undead, constructs, etc.
So I have that to look forward to.
Slumber Hex characters are in for a bad time in this chapter. I hope that trend continues throughout the rest of the AP.One of my players will be running a sleep-casting mesmerist capable of stacking up to -6 on saves vs. sleep (at level 1). Worse: mesmerists can take away mind-affecting communities from NPCs... even undead, constructs, etc.
So I have that to look forward to.
Well ... at least not until 3rd level it looks like. So you can enjoy that not being an issue for the first 2 levels! ;)
Do the players even know their names? IIRC the description of the room where their records are kept implies that they don't, but I don't recall that showing up in the Player's Guide, nor earlier in the adventure. Would be interesting if the players had to forgo their "real" names until they learn them, and how they handle the logistics of that up until that point.
I've checked the Player's Guide and the Adventure, and I believe that's the only occasion where it's mentioned.
At the end of the day, I think it's up to the GM and the group how they'd like to handle that. The Player's Guide says that they can choose how much or how little they want to remember of their past, but the last several years are a blur.
I'm going to have my players not know their names until they find their own records, which will be personalized handouts as recommended by Order of the Amber Die. I think I'll have them give me a list of three or four names so it can be something of their choosing, but they just won't know which one until later. Until they discover their names, they'll have to make do (with my group, I'm sure nicknames will surface quickly).
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So I'll be starting this one soon and one thing I'm having issue with is where do I fit in/explain any random encounters. I know I could use the fog to make things magically appear probably but I feel that that's a super cheap way of doing things. Also anybody know of a good general number of random encounters I should have the PC's go up against?
If you don't like the idea of trying to incorporate random encounters, just don't. If you feel like the party is feeling too confident or safe, or think they need an extra challenge, just use the random encounter table as a guideline and plan out an encounter to occur more naturally.
Ran another session and this one was rough. They met with Winter and automatically asked for chores/what they could do to help. They chopped wood, got the patient to take his meds, helped heal up the two injured survivors (by the way, why does magical healing cure them? Winter has like 5 channels a day and has the healing domain. I find it hard to believe she hasn't healed them.), and hit a 23 on the survival check to make dinner. Needless to say the survivors love them.
They were able to solve the Argus door easily enough, what else would you show a giant eye other then a mirror? After that though... things went bad. They opened the front door, and the hungering flesh got in. That thing is pretty darn mean, luckily they passed a knowledge check and knew to avoid slashing and piercing damage, also the evocation wizard had prepped burning hands a few times, so they just coincidentally stopped the regeneration. Still though, the alchemist was grabbed and constricted, then the next turn the grapple was maintained for damage and constrict. 2d6+8 damage a round is pretty rough at level two, but the healer kept the alchemist up. Though they did need to run to Winter after. The alchemist also contracted the tumor infestation.
They managed the Taxadermic wings well enough, but then they hit the library. My god ratlings are surprisingly powerful, with summon swarm and invisibility, plus bleed 1 on bite. It doesn't help that the barbarian failed his save vs cause fear. But after eight rounds of combat they finally killed two of the ratlings, causing the final one to surrender.
My worry now is that all of them have filth fever and one of them also has tumor infestations. The groups con is about to take a huge hit.
The DCs are low enough that use of the Heal skill could alleviate the diseases (not sure about the infestations). The worry I have is how long it is going to take a group to get through. It looks like they only have a week...
Has anyone worked up a timeline of events?
How much time has passed between the PCs getting dumped, Winter arriving, the quakes, and the place falling apart? How long have the people in the chapel been holed up?
Has anyone worked up a timeline of events?
How much time has passed between the PCs getting dumped, Winter arriving, the quakes, and the place falling apart? How long have the people in the chapel been holed up?
If anyone has one let me know, it was the very first question my player's asked.
Is there any particular reason we get no combat tactics for:
-Aggra "Bag Lady" Loomis
-The Tatterman
-Ulver Zandalus
- Or any of the other appendix NPCsBut we do for Ratch Mamby and pretty much every named NPC before them.
Is it an oversight? OR a space consideration?
I mean, I know I often have to ignore that stuff because it doesn't make much sense, but it's nice to have an idea of how you intended important NPCs to act- e.g. What would Loomis gain with her Versatility?
Aggra's tactics can be found and pieced together by reading the text above her statblock:
Upon noticing the PCs, the apostles here stand up from the table at the room’s center and demand they leave. If the PCs refuse to back down, they attack. A round later, Aggra joins the fray, rising from her
pallet and shrieking at first to “keep it down,” but swiftly switching to “drive out the nonbelievers!”
With her backstory and her given feats, her tactics should be quite clear.
Regarding tactics for Ulver and The Tatterman they are given in the text:
Zandalus cannot be reasoned with and fights until slain.
The Tatterman attacks immediately, intent on completing the job he couldn’t in dreams.
Both are spellcasters. Ulver seems more of a road bump. The Tatterman can fly so taking to the air by taking a double move to "step forth from the mist" and fly 10' up into the air. Next round he attacks with his spells before closing in for melee (remember he gets +1 to attack for attacking from above/higher "ground").
Ruyan.
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Attempt at creating a timeline:
As I see it all events fit within 1-1/2 weeks:
- PCs are dumped at Briarstone Asylum on Moonday (see Handout #1), fugue state/amnesia is in place
- ritual happens on Wealday, two days after the PCs are brought to the asylum (again confer Handout #1)
- during the night to Oathday: The Tatterman arrives/is set loose due to ritual (during Ulver's sleep)
- at the same time the quake occurs due to stirring bhole, people flee to the chapel
- the present/start of AP: one week and a day (Oathday of the present week) after ritual the PCs arrive at the chapel (see section Prepare Food on p22: "If the PC succeeds by 5 points or more, the meal is the best the survivors have had all week")
Ruyan.
OK. Two questions:
In E1 where is the tented area where Dr. Elbourne has his hospital set up?
The room with the beds inside?
Second: how do the stairs leading upwards connect to the stairs shown on the map on p.12 as the first set of stairs on the map on p.51 are longer then the ones shown on p.12?
I guess this can be handwaved...
Ruyan.
OK. Two questions:
In E1 where is the tented area where Dr. Elbourne has his hospital set up?
The room with the beds inside?
Second: how do the stairs leading upwards connect to the stairs shown on the map on p.12 as the first set of stairs on the map on p.51 are longer then the ones shown on p.12?
I guess this can be handwaved...Ruyan.
I believe the stairs / chute issue was discussed on a different thread.
Also - thanks for the timeline work. Looks solid.
Ran this last night and all went pretty well. Except the the players were certain that the eyeball found in the pocket of the corpse was the answer to the Argus Wall puzzle. Eventually they figured out it was the mirror but the eye definitely served as a red herring (it's technically the answer to the haunts question). One player even crushed it, thinking that would solve the puzzle. I would consider putting the eye later if you're worried about it.
How does the research system work in this In Search of Sanity AP book? There's no reference to any other book nor explanation in the AP book itself.
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I'm trying to plan things out in muy head as to how the encounters may go and I'm having some luck. I'm finding myself more worried about making sure that the PC's make it to level 2 before they proceed into part 2. And for that to happen the group needs to earn a little over 1k xp total I think.So I'll be starting this one soon and one thing I'm having issue with is where do I fit in/explain any random encounters. I know I could use the fog to make things magically appear probably but I feel that that's a super cheap way of doing things. Also anybody know of a good general number of random encounters I should have the PC's go up against?If you don't like the idea of trying to incorporate random encounters, just don't. If you feel like the party is feeling too confident or safe, or think they need an extra challenge, just use the random encounter table as a guideline and plan out an encounter to occur more naturally.
Shicil is giving you good advice: if you don't like random encounters, just don't have random encounters. They can be very swingy and dangerous at low levels because, well, they're random. You might roll a tough encounter at the end of a day that your PCs are tapped out on resources. Then you just have some dead PCs for no story reason at all.
If your concerned about how the PCs will earn enough XP to reach a certain level by a certain point without random encounters, then just don't use XP. The AP already provides you with information like, "The PCs should be level X by the time they reach <milestone>." Level your characters according to that and you'll be fine (unless you <=3 players, or >5, in which case you'll need to make challenge adjustments anyway).
My group has been playing APs sans random encounters and XP since before Pathfinder was a thing and it works just fine.
-Skeld
How does the research system work in this In Search of Sanity AP book? There's no reference to any other book nor explanation in the AP book itself.
Research in the library can be conducted using the research rules presented on pages 148–153 of Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Intrigue.
Ultimate Intrigue is not yet online on the PRD though, but can already be found here (link).
OK. Two questions:
In E1 where is the tented area where Dr. Elbourne has his hospital set up?
The room with the beds inside?
Second: how do the stairs leading upwards connect to the stairs shown on the map on p.12 as the first set of stairs on the map on p.51 are longer then the ones shown on p.12?
I guess this can be handwaved...Ruyan.
I believe the stairs / chute issue was discussed on a different thread.
Also - thanks for the timeline work. Looks solid.
Thanks, Firstbourne but the chute and stairs are a different site entirely.
Some further ideas? Or additions/corrections to the timeline?
Ruyan.
A week (as outlined above).
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Good morning people.
Long time lurker.
Minimal poster.
I am hoping for some help.
I am wondering how long it has been since "that night" where the uprising occurred and much of the asylum was destroyed in the tremor and when the PCs actually awake from their dream and we start the adventure?
I can't imagine it's been too long as the "sane survivors" in the chapel wouldn't have had enough supplies inside the asylum for too extended a stay? Still it has to be long enough for the dopplegangers and such to have established their twisted routine and research?
So I'm thinking...a month to two months? Maybe as short as two weeks?
See my post above:
As I see it all events fit within 1-1/2 weeks:
- PCs are dumped at Briarstone Asylum on Moonday (see Handout #1), fugue state/amnesia is in place
- ritual happens on Wealday, two days after the PCs are brought to the asylum (again confer Handout #1)
- during the night to Oathday: The Tatterman arrives/is set loose due to ritual (during Ulver's sleep)
- at the same time the quake occurs due to stirring bhole, people flee to the chapel
- the present/start of AP: one week and a day (Oathday of the present week) after ritual the PCs arrive at the chapel (see section Prepare Food on p22: "If the PC succeeds by 5 points or more, the meal is the best the survivors have had all week")
Ruyan.
Edit: Wow, 12 min delay...
