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.
My players did exactly the same thing (one of them even tried to force-feed the wall the coin, which caused them to get bit). The way I'm dealing with the haunts is to have at least one player each night have the dream with the ancient Kelishite woman who will give them a clue about each haunt (even if they haven't encountered them) in riddle form, so they won't spoil the haunts before the players ever get to them.
The way I'm dealing with the haunts is to have at least one player each night have the dream with the ancient Kelishite woman who will give them a clue about each haunt (even if they haven't encountered them) in riddle form, so they won't spoil the haunts before the players ever get to them.
Why not just give them the information about ending the haunts straight by having them make Knowledge (Religion) checks?
I can also confirm that RuyanVe's analysis is spot on. [...]
The way I'm dealing with the haunts is to have at least one player each night have the dream with the ancient Kelishite woman who will give them a clue about each haunt (even if they haven't encountered them) in riddle form, so they won't spoil the haunts before the players ever get to them.Why not just give them the information about ending the haunts straight by having them make Knowledge (Religion) checks?
Having the players solve the haunts by giving them clues through dreams is very thematic and can help to immerse the players in the atmosphere of the story whereas just having them role and get it loses some of that immersive magic. Though Knowledge (religion) roles are certainly one way to go about it.
Kind of worried about the Tatterman TPKing the party with his fear auras. The DC 17 will vs. fear aura will either panick them for 5 rounds or (best case scenario) leave them shaken with a -2 vs. the DC 17 frightful presence he has. If they fail that, they're out of the fight for 5d6 rounds. I'm all for end bosses being strong (and this guy is pretty scary so the saves vs fear make sense) but what's the counter play? Just seems pretty frustrating for a party. Especially for characters with even medium will saves. What are your thoughts?
Nightmare creature's Fear Aura is only shaken. So you don't need to worry about it panicking them. The Frightful presence is still rough though.
Oh okay. That's not that bad. Still seems unfun for the players but it IS a 4v1 fight...
remove fear, just for one suggestion ;)
remove fear, just for one suggestion ;)
Big question is whether any of the PCs will think about prepping it; otherwise: bring a pally!
I'm slightly worried about the fear effect(s), too, and will make sure to stress the fact that in a mythos-themed AP horror, fear, occult content is predominant.
Otherwise, Winter might hand them a scroll warning them that with all the horror they're going to surely whitness it will become handy?
Ruyan.
So the Tatterman cast shadow walk to move himself out of the fight. He was at one third health, and one of the party had just rolled rather high on Knowledge Planes (I had assumed the Nightmare template would fall under that), but also rather well on Knowledge Dungeoneering, to learn some stuff about the Tatterman. The PCs at that point already had put together that the Tatterman had been in Zandalus's head and the dream ritual had messed with it, thanks to the notes in the office and the failed Oneirogen there, so I felt that was enough to allow the check.
I let them know that Nightmares were basically impossible to kill, although silver would allow them to hurt it. One of them shouted out for another to grab the silver dagger they had found, and the Tatterman, knocked prone at this point and at 1/3 health, cast shadow walk on himself to get out of the way. He gambled that he wouldn't be able to get them all, as all but one had made all his spell
Given his desire to help his master the King in Yellow, I assume he won't just seek out and fight the PCs outright but will look for the Briarstone Witch, or at least other followers of his lord in the areas? Or will he go back and try to fight them knowing they know his weakness?
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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.
I found the thing with the healing odd too.
Having them at 1 hit point is odd, it probably should be changed.The only reason i can think off is that Winter needed the channels away from the chapel to heal guards or to keep undead away in the days just before the PCs arrive.
That brings me to another thing.
In the room with the antlers haunt (C something to the southeast), it is stated that using positive energy to damage/destroy the haunt has another effect somewhere else, but i think this is not mentioned anywhere again...?
The way I'm dealing with the haunts is to have at least one player each night have the dream with the ancient Kelishite woman who will give them a clue about each haunt (even if they haven't encountered them) in riddle form, so they won't spoil the haunts before the players ever get to them.Why not just give them the information about ending the haunts straight by having them make Knowledge (Religion) checks?
Because that's boring. "Ok I happened to get a lucky roll, give me all relevant information in a 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced Word document. Thanks." As a player, I derive way more satisfaction from overcoming obstacles by solving them myself, rather than having the right stat allocation and lucky rolls. It's reasonable then to believe that my players feel the same way (backed up by their reactions to solving the Argus Wall).
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I'm more concerned about the unique encounters involving the dopplegangers, the nightgaunt and the Tatterman. Do I tweak their stats or do I include additional mobs as a distraction? What do you guys advise?
Either/or. In general, you should increase the total XP of a given encounter by about 7/4. So a CR 5 encounter (1600 XP) should instead be worth ~2800 XP.
The issue with putting all that extra XP into one critter is both that the foe may be too tough, in that it has abilities that the party can't handle, and too fragile, in that it gets the focused attention of 7 PCs and can only make 1 action/round in response.
So personally I favor spreading the extra XP around when possible. Give a single foe the Advanced template or another 1-2 class levels, and also add in some minions. Zandalus/the Tatterman could have some Apostle guards, for example.
I also give "named" foes max HP, because the focus fire takes them down too quickly for my tastes otherwise.
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Given his desire to help his master the King in Yellow, I assume he won't just seek out and fight the PCs outright but will look for the Briarstone Witch, or at least other followers of his lord in the areas? Or will he go back and try to fight them knowing they know his weakness?
Your usual Mythos horror is, like a cat, very unwilling to move from their home turf. What the Tatterman is likely to do, if he wasn't destroyed, is hang around the Asylum, and prey on anyone foolish enough to go back to the island. If someone rebuilds the place, he could be there for CENTURIES waiting for another casting of the ritual, getting his jollies on any inmates with sleep disorders.
remove fear, just for one suggestion ;)Big question is whether any of the PCs will think about prepping it; otherwise: bring a pally!
I'm slightly worried about the fear effect(s), too, and will make sure to stress the fact that in a mythos-themed AP horror, fear, occult content is predominant.
Otherwise, Winter might hand them a scroll warning them that with all the horror they're going to surely whitness it will become handy?Ruyan.
I usually tell my players to take Iron Will at first or third level in horror environs. The Indomitable Will trait is nice, too.
I can also confirm that RuyanVe's analysis is spot on. I didn't nail things down in the text because I wanted to allow for some GM flexibility, but I did keep a calendar when plotting things out so they'd make sense.
(A) That's one in the "win" column, RuyanVe.
(B) What would a poor, hapless GM have to do to procure that calendar, Adam?
Ran another session, they met Ratch Mamby who they loved, they also fought Losandro, which was a good time. Overall they enjoyed the session, and are starting to recover from their diseases. They also did some research in the library but need another day or two to finish it off.
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I'm three sessions in now. Here are some thoughts.
I gave each of the ratlings 10 nonlethal starvation damage to make them less frustrating and it seemed to work well. Their stats don't seem to have Throw Anything factored in, by the way.
As far as the haunts go, I believe players are supposed to figure out how to resolve them by communicating with them. I mean, the haunt WANTS to be resolved, yes? Plus, it gives the social PCs some time to shine.
I'm moving all of the oneirogens to the top of the tower so the PCs have more of a reason to go there. Now they have to go there to clear the fog in Zandalus's room before fighting him.
Looking ahead, Aggra Loomis having the advanced template is very strange. I don't think it's meant for humans like that and her ability scores are ridiculous.
Overall, though, I feel that the mood is just right and the players really do want to figure out what's going on. I've gone out of my way to foreshadow everything (especially the ambush encounters) and it's working wonderfully.
Just about anything, but especially humanoids, with the Advanced template has ridiculous stats. +4 to all stats is a lot! Klades, as an Advanced ghoul, has pretty crazy stats, too. I imagine Aggra has it to combat the aging penalties.
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Just finished up this book tonight (third session). Definitely the fastest book 1 of any AP I've ran or been in. However, the players like it a lot and the Tatterman fight will be remembered for some time. It's unfortunate that the NW side of the map went ignored for the most part but I guess I can't get upset as a DM about missed content when I didn't take the time to come up with it myself :P
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They don't have to do it all in one day, so they can sleep outside of the chapel at least once, forcing them to experience nightmares.I feel like I am missing something here.
The characters start ready to go, and most likely will have a scrape or two from the rats and zoog before coming across the survivor encampment.
Who wont let them in. Unless they prove themselves by dispatching...
3 Doppelgangers. At 1st level???
AC 18, 26 HP for 2 of them and a leveled one with spells and more hp.
This seems unlikely.
Again, what am I missing?
I just played this through in our first sesh last night, in the room where they come across Doctor Oathsday (b14) there are two dead doppelgangers on the pile of bodies described in the room. My group did perception checks to search the room after defeating Oathsday and discovered them. That being said, Oathsday was so powerful that it could have easily resulted in a full party wipe had their Paladin not used smite evil. They triumphed though and presented the 3 dead doppelgangers to the guards and they will now be starting our next sesh leveled up to 2 with a safe nights rest!
Has anyone encountered b13 with the 3 prisoners yet? My group did last night and they found the weird eye wrapped in a handkerchief on the body of the middle prisoner. Does anyone know what the heck that is? All of the PCs were really intrigued (especially with the other prisoner yelling "Zandalus sees!") but all the book says is its a minor curiosity that can be sold. Which seems a little underwhelming given its cool description.
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Has anyone encountered b13 with the 3 prisoners yet? My group did last night and they found the weird eye wrapped in a handkerchief on the body of the middle prisoner. Does anyone know what the heck that is? All of the PCs were really intrigued (especially with the other prisoner yelling "Zandalus sees!") but all the book says is its a minor curiosity that can be sold. Which seems a little underwhelming given its cool description.
It's just a weird item from the Dreamlands. However, you can make it anything that you want it to be. It might be best to let your player's imaginations drive what you change it to become. Maybe it'll make them paranoid or overly cautious or maybe it'll just creep them out (which was the intended effect).
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Has anyone encountered b13 with the 3 prisoners yet? My group did last night and they found the weird eye wrapped in a handkerchief on the body of the middle prisoner. Does anyone know what the heck that is? All of the PCs were really intrigued (especially with the other prisoner yelling "Zandalus sees!") but all the book says is its a minor curiosity that can be sold. Which seems a little underwhelming given its cool description.It's just a weird item from the Dreamlands. However, you can make it anything that you want it to be. It might be best to let your player's imaginations drive what you change it to become. Maybe it'll make them paranoid or overly cautious or maybe it'll just creep them out (which was the intended effect).
Gotcha, one of my PC's is now cultivating an eye collection (he took the eyes from the Zoog too) haha
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One of my player's is interested in playing a Spiritualist. Since they are amnesiac, they asked that I choose the Phantom for them. Can I run an idea by you all about their phantom?
Could take it many ways for the character - the phantom is protecting the body it still sees as its own (Despair? Jealousy?) . Perhaps it seeks to redeem the wrongs it had in life after a glimpse on what awaits on the other side (Fear? Remorse?).
Hatred emotional foci are described as possibly "dark and dreadful knights, their armor bristling with spikes and their hands seeming to grasp barbed and terrible weapons." I'm imagining the reveal that underneath this armor, under the helmet, the player's face is reflected here, showing their shared fates and bodies, perhaps this reveal saved for when the players first uncover their names - the phantom now remembers who it was, who it now is, and what their relation to the player is.
What do you all think?
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One of my player's is interested in playing a Spiritualist. Since they are amnesiac, they asked that I choose the Phantom for them. Can I run an idea by you all about their phantom?
** spoiler omitted **
Bonus points if the phantom wears some sort of concealing garb or Armor. Then you get that whole "I AM YOU" reveal later. Could time it at a momentous occasion in the story.
Has anyone encountered b13 with the 3 prisoners yet? My group did last night and they found the weird eye wrapped in a handkerchief on the body of the middle prisoner. Does anyone know what the heck that is? All of the PCs were really intrigued (especially with the other prisoner yelling "Zandalus sees!") but all the book says is its a minor curiosity that can be sold. Which seems a little underwhelming given its cool description.One of my players ate it. That was unexpected.
Haha that's awesome.
What is the source of Aggra 'Bag Lady' Loomis's +2 natural armor? Is she supposed to have an amulet in addition to her bracers?
She has the Advanced Template which besides adding +4 to all stats (effectively increasing all her rolls by +2), also gives her +2 natural armor.
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In this AP, one of the minor NPCs, the child Brenton Lieklan, carries with him an item referred to as a 'shadow lantern'.
As I can't think of an item specifically notated as 'shadow lantern' in any of the books that I know of, it leads me to assume that the item in question is actually the Lantern of Dancing Shadows (which is a rather expensive item to be found on some level 1-4 adventurers.)
I'm about 60% certain that this is what this item is, and while it is a 41k gold item, it does not really change the balance of power for the party and could probably prove vital in some encounters later on down the road.
Just wanting to make sure that I have the right idea about it since my group will almost certainly either take it from the kid, or trade it for the appropriate item once they find it.
The item in question is a mundane shadow lantern, which is what that magic item you referenced is based on.
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So on Page 27 I think (reading pdf), for room C4 with the bird haunt, the treasure seems.... out of place to put it mildly since it mentions cultists and their gear. I imagine that this is an error and that this will be updated?I don't understand your question. The gear that you find is on the bodies that are in the room.
Is the Taxidermic Wings acting on initiative zero a typo or intentional? Haunts usually act on initiative 10.
Adam, did you have a certain starting date or month in mind for the campaign? I have no problem picking a date myself, but I think it'd be nice to go with what you were working from, since you're in this thread. Thank you!
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Is the Taxidermic Wings acting on initiative zero a typo or intentional? Haunts usually act on initiative 10.So on Page 27 I think (reading pdf), for room C4 with the bird haunt, the treasure seems.... out of place to put it mildly since it mentions cultists and their gear. I imagine that this is an error and that this will be updated?I don't understand your question. The gear that you find is on the bodies that are in the room.
The Haunt has the weakness 'Slow', which would imply the Initiative 0 is intentional.
