Hi all!
I've been running Iron Gods for over a year now and, after a lengthy hiatus, am picking up with book 4 of the series. I have read this chapter of the AP a couple times, but I would really appreciate thoughts and suggestions that could help me run this part of the adventure more smoothly.
The party consists of- Human Magus, Human Rogue, Android Wizard, Human Mystic Theurge (witch/cleric), Human Bloodrager, and Human Skald. The Skald and Bloodrager are what I would consider optimized characters.
I haven't deviated from the storyline of IG except for a couple of things- They picked up a Ratfolk friend from Scrapwall during that part of the adventure, as well as using a combination of magic and science to implant Nargin's (Worm that Walks) personality into a new android body. They also used diplomacy to redeem Illaris Zaleshi.
They like to collect people apparently...Anyhoo.
I also ran a mini adventure that consisted of a sudden surge in a very potent drug in Torch (starspore) being spread by the Technic Leauge in an effort to bring the people to heel. They were able to drive them out, but events during the adventure garnered them not only a nemesis, but the need to abandon Torch completely. They decided to refurb the Choking Tower for this and, since the Technic Leauge agent had specifically targeted Val, Khonnir decided to go with them.
I guess my real question is how much I've shot myself in the foot with that last bit? I haven't read the later chapters recently, so I can't recall if they have to return to Torch for anything that Khonnir might be involved with.
I apologize if this is long winded, but any assistance would be appreciated. Thank you!
The fifth module lists Khonnir Baine as a person who can give the party advice about the city of Starfall. That is the only reference to Torch.
I am amused by the character class similarities between your party and mine. My party has a Half-Elf Magus, Dwarf Gunslinger/Rogue, Human Fighter/Investigator, Strix Skald, and Human Bloodrager NPC (Val Baine, age 17).
Valley of the Brain Collectors is a random walk. The party suspected that the Compact AI with Casandalee's memories is somewhere in the valley and their only plan was to search all caves. NPCs Paeytr, Isuma, and Hyrsek Caio gave some guidance. I added some of Casandalee's equipment in a watertight crate buried in the mud in Nemgedder's Folly, Section J, as a clue and as a way of putting useful treasure in their hands. But, of course, the Compact AI is in the most dangerous location.
I deliberately arranged an encounter with a neh-thalggu and an athach (Bestiary 2, page 33) on patrol before the party leveled up to 12th level, so that they had a hint what what would face them in the Dominion Hive and could make effective choices for their new class abilities.
After the stories from Paetyr and Isuma and the encounter with a neh-thalggu, the party was frantic: Dominion of the Black invaders were in this valley! Hellion had told them about the Dominion of the Black and even shown them images on his hologram projector. The party was willing to accompany Hyrsek Caio to the south in exchange for his information, but other than that, they put off exploring most caves in order to stop the Dominion Hive. They burned through a lot of resources, especially a red nanite hypogun they had found on a lucky treasure roll, rushing through the Dominion Hive without stopping or resting.
Thus, my party never entered the machine part of section E, and their only encounter with the mi-go was Lrrhech directing the party toward the last escaped Dominion creatures. They finished the module still at 12th level.
P.S. I am curious about your name, "BlackSwanTheory." You wouldn't happen to be a mathematician/statistician like me?
Thank you for the feedback! I was concerned I had borked something completely.
The only major story point I'm adding is that the missing father of the Skald and Bloodrager (They're both Halit barbarians) is somewhere in the valley. I haven't decided yet if he is going to be seriously injured in a random location, or under Isuma or Paeytr's care.
Mathmuse- I am not a mathematician, in fact I am a graphic designer. I have always liked the imagery of swans (despite their grumpy goose-ness), and as the black swan theory applies to outliers, I kind of adopted it for myself many years ago. :p I find the theory itself fascinating.
"The black swan theory or theory of black swan events is a metaphor that describes an event that comes as a surprise, has a major effect, and is often inappropriately rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight."
The only major story point I'm adding is that the missing father of the Skald and Bloodrager (They're both Halit barbarians) is somewhere in the valley. I haven't decided yet if he is going to be seriously injured in a random location, or under Isuma or Paeytr's care.
Imagine the father and Paetyr escaping Paajgat together and becoming fast friends. If Paajgat had put a restraining collar on the father so that he caould not travel more than two miles from the Dominion Hive, that could give an explanation--besides madness--why Paeytr never left the valley. The party could find the controls to the collar in Paajgat's surgery.
My party knew that Hyrsek Caio would report back to the Technic League. The Technic League would capture Paeytr to study his artificial leg. The party persuaded him to accompany them out of the valley, telling him that Isuma was more comfortable with him nearby. Expect your party to collect more people.
Later, our skald healed Paeytr's Wisdom drain with Restoration via spell kenning. He decided to surgically remove his artifical leg. He joined Isuma in her quest to find a hidden tribe of Kasathans. I placed the hidden tribe 100 miles south of Torch, decendents of kasathans who had been in the ship beneath Torch but survived.
The Numerian barbarians are Kellids; their language is Hallit. According to Numeria, Land of Fallen Stars, the Numerian tribes are Blades of Aaramor (north of Scar of the Spider), White Stars (around Starfall), Black Horse (east of Torch and tribe of Kevoth-Kul), Sunder Horns (evil slavers east of Chesed), Ghost Wolves (technology haters east of Scrapwall), Tiger Lords (east of Ghost Wolves), and Blood Gars (river pirates). The Mountain Crow tribe (north of Sunder Horns) died mysteriously 80 years ago, but I made Val Baine a descendent of them.
Mathmuse- I am not a mathematician, in fact I am a graphic designer. I have always liked the imagery of swans (despite their grumpy goose-ness), and as the black swan theory applies to outliers, I kind of adopted it for myself many years ago. :p I find the theory itself fascinating.
"The black swan theory or theory of black swan events is a metaphor that describes an event that comes as a surprise, has a major effect, and is often inappropriately rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight."
Among us statisticians, black swan theory is a reminder about humility. Our algorithms cannot predict black swans, but they do occur.
I used to write user documentation about our statistical software, so I appreciate a good graphic design.
That's actually a pretty great idea!
Their Kellid (thanks for the correction, not enough caffeine today) tribe is the Silver Wolves, an offshoot of the Blades of Aramor (I think). That was their idea, so I integrated it in.
I like the idea of humility. You can predict a lot, but not everything.