The Party:
Boblin, Goblin Rogue (Cleric of Sarenrae Multiclass)
Dweezil, Elf Cleric of Nethys (Wizard Multiclass)
Scruffy, Human Paladin of Iomedae
Weasel, Goblin Cleric of Sarenrae (the player was finishing up his character as he did have it fully prepared, and thus was not active during the first part of the adventure)
The individuals were tasked with enlisting the aid of Professor Verik Oscilar at the behest of their employers, the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye. The Eye has questions regarding the mysterious gemstone known as the countdown clock and its connection with the Dominion of the Black.
The party arrived at Sombrefell Hall and promptly knocked on the door. Lucvi Yasterna, the professor's graduate student, answered somewhat curtly, but once they state that they were here on behalf of the Eye, she fetched the professor. Jokes were made about her being evil (the last time this group of player's adventure was for my Carrion Crown Adventure Path, where I had modified the adventure narrative so that the Whispering Tyrant vessel was Professor Lorrimor's daughter, Kendra rather than Adivion Adrissant; this would be ironic due to some modifications I made to the narrative of this adventure, which I will get to later).
The professor was a bit squirrelly regarding his research, only stating that it was urgent. However, he hoped to finish soon and invited the PCs into his manor. Lucvi showed them around the kitchen, dining room, pantry, library, and the three upstairs bedrooms. Scruffy offered to share a room with her since there were only three rooms upstairs, but she rebuffed his advances and returned to their studies. The also made note of the locked door leading to the attic. The party headed to the dining area for a meal, then skimmed the books in the library, finding a crypt handwritten note. Boblin wanted to check out
the locked door, and Dweevil volunteered to distract the Verik and his students by pestering them in the research study. Boblin picked the lock, and he and Scruffy invested the attic, finding a desiccated, nearly skeletal corpse with a letter opener bearing the initials V.O. Boblin was able to identify that the body was supernaturally drained, as if some of its vitality was drained while spawning an incorporeal entity (this is a change I made as in the adventure it was simply a dead zombie; I wanted to provide more context for one of the monsters that will appear later). Boblin grabbed the letter opener and fled the attic with Scruffy, closing and relocking the door. He proudly displayed his loot to Dweezil.
The party then decided to retire for the night, and I teased them to being stripping their armor for the night by explaining how the new fatigue rules worked. However, they were soon interrupted by a slow, rhythmic knocking at the front door. They party then reversed taking off their armor and Stealthed downstairs just in time to see Verik open the door and be greeted with 5 ghasts.
COMBAT EVENT 1
The first round of combat was mostly the PCs moving towards the entryway and taking all three of their actions to move due to their starting position on the stairs. One of the ghasts grappled the Professor and began dragging him out the gate while the other 4 engaged the PCs. Boblin took advantage of his Fleet feat to run-down the ghast dragging the professor while the other PCs fought the remaining ghasts. The ghasts got a few lucky hits but were not much of a threat, though one did manage to paralyze Weasel towards the end of the fight. Dweezil used a couple offensive spells including searing light while Weasel used a single-target Heal one of the ghasts before he was paralyzed.
After the fight, the Professor admitted that he had been experiencing periods of dissociation at night time when he was not in control of his body. He believes that this was due to a ritual performed by a group of cultists called the Night Heralds, and that by identifying and slaying their leader he can end the affliction. He fears more undead are coming, but he cannot assist them as he must secure himself in the basement lest his actions not become his own. Lucvi stays to help the party and suggests forming a barrier of broken furniture by the front door. The party does so, and one of them used a Heal spell (Dweezil I believe) to mend their wounds from the ghast fight. The party then linger in the center hallway and wait for next wave.
COMBAT EVENT 2
Several minutes later, the door bursts open revealing four more ghasts and two pale cloaked figures. Weasel reacts first and fires a Heal spell in their direction, using his Conical Channel feat to fire it as a 60-ft. cone. One of the cloaked figures critically fails its Will save and is instantly knocked unconscious. Boblin wants in on the fun and lobs a bead from his necklace of fireball to destroy two of the ghasts as well. The remaining cloaked figure spider-climbs over the broken furniture and is met by Scruffy, who armed with a +1 Disrupting Silver Bastard Sword finishes off the figure just as Lucvi was sharing her knowledge about the creature: "The pale figures are vampires and as susceptible to...oh, nevermind." The remaining two ghasts plow through the broken furniture, which damages them as the past through it, with one of them hilariously killing itself on the broken furniture. The remaining, injured ghast is no match for the PCs.
Lucvi states that they should stake the vampires to prevent them from being healed. Doing so to the one inside the foyer is no issue, but the PCs need to safely clear a path to reach the one outside. One he is staked as well, the close the door and rearrange their furniture trap for the next wave.
COMBAT EVENT 3
Unfortunately, the next wave enters through the glass windows of the salon/research study and the dining hall. Weasel heads towards the research study first, followed by Boblin whereas Scruffy moves to secure the dining hall. Both windows have been breached by a pair of wights who move to engage the three PCs (Dweezil is still in the main hall with Lucvi as he has yet to act). The fourth wight chants something in a strange tongue (Necril) and Lucvi begins to hover. He skin melts away as she takes the appearance of the corpse found in the attic. The PCs all resist being fightened by her appearance as she vanishes from sight (as written, the poltergeist as just a spirit that happened to be at he manor from times past--I modded this a little to better provide context for its presence. Lucvi was the corpse in the attic. The Professor, during one of his periods of dissociation, noticed her growing suspicions and killed her one night, hiding her body in the attic. When her spirit showed up the next morning to continue her research, the Professor assumed this was just a bad dream, though he never found the courage to investigate the attic. As for Lucvi herself, she has a mental block preventing her from remembering her death, until the wight removed it and she lashed out in uncontrolled anger as a poltergeist).
Jokes are made of knowing she was evil ("Every time we come to his country the Professor's daughter turns out to be evil!"). Dweezil finally acts, casting an offensive spell into the room with the goblins. Weasel follows up with a fireball spell, and I describe how the Professor books and research notes are incinerated by the blast. Boblin moves to flank a wight with Weasel, and using his +1 Dogslicer, he begins dealing serious damage.
Lucvi, now revealed as a poltergeist, begins angrily throwing books, broken furniture, and other various sundry at the party while remaining invisible. Dweezil erects a globe of invulnerability to protect himself. One by one the wights fall with little issue, only getting an occasional hit, but one does manage to enervate Boblin on a critical hit (he otherwise would have made the save, but if I recall correctly, riders on a critical hit are treated as if the save was one result less, so the Success becomes a Failure). Lucvi turns her attention to Scruffy. After the goblins finish off their wights, Weasel joins Dweezil in the globe of invulnerability while Boblin uses his scroll of see invisibility. Lucvi, realizing that she is no longer protected, attempts to use a telekinetic maneuver to disarm him of his dogslicer, but fails to overcome his Reflex DC. Boblin and Scurry, who has likewise finished off the second wight in the dining hall, both join their allies inside the globe of invulnerability.
After reading its description, the globe only protects against Spells, and it does not appear that the poltergeist's telekinetic object/telekinetic storm ability qualifies, so I began using the group version on the clustered party. Dweezil, after spending several rounds doing so, finally succeeds at his Seek check and follows up by blasting Lucvi with a glitterdust spell, and although she made her save, it still negates her invisibility for one round. Boblin moves to flank, though he does not get his Sneak Attack bonus damage against her. A Heal spell from Dweezil on her followed by some Strikes from Scruffy and she was defeated before the glitterdust wore-off.
(Couple notes as I forgot a couple special abilities in this combat. First, I forgot the wight's Final Spite ability, which would allow them to make one final Strike before being destroyed. However, given the hard time they had at hitting the PCs, it likely would not have made a difference. The poltergeist was a little more effective at hitting targets, and she might have gotten off a couple of telekinetic object strikes through her turns, and definitely should have gotten one against Boblin in the last round).
We got a late start, so this is wear we had to call it for the night. We should be able to finish next week (probably Monday, but maybe Thursday depending on the player's schedules) and will likely have time to update their PCs for the next part of Doomsday Dawn.
PLAYTEST TRACKING DATA
How long did it take to play this part of Doomsday Dawn: 2.5 hours.
How long did it take to prepare this part of the adventure: 2 hours.
How many sessions did it take for you to play through this part of the adventure: 1 so far, though almost certainly 2 total.
How many Hero Points (in total) did you give out during this part of the adventure: 6 (1 for each PC, with an extra one to Dweezil for hosting at his house and 1 for Boblin for rescuing the professor).
How many times was a player character reduced to 0 Hit Points during this part of the adventure: 0.
How many player characters were killed during this part of the adventure: 0
How many times did a player character cast a heal spell that had only one target: 3.
How many times did a player character cast a heal spell that affected more than one target: 4.
How many times did a player character use healing abilities other than heal: 0.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 1: 4.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 2: 2.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 3: 8.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 4: N/A
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 5: N/A
For the continuation, we lost Boblin due to the player unable to make it this week, but our 5th player, who was unable to attend the first week, joined the party in his place (with some magical hand waving).
Merwin, Elf? Sorcerer (Angelic)
We picked right where we left off, and after the paladin healed himself up (using Channel Life feat for 7d8+3 healing), we resumed with...
COMBAT EVENT 4
The sounds of windows breaking upstairs drew the attention of the party. All save Scruffy (who rolled low on the initiative), headed up the stairs to investigate. Alone on the ground floor, Scruffy found himself soon flanked by two greater shadows! However, some poor rolling plus his high AC meant little for the first round, even with a -2 from flanking. He struck back, scoring a critical hit against the shadow (as shadows are no longer immune to them in the Playtest).
The zombies made themselves known, but Merwin's Angelic Halo kept them out of melee range. The PCs focused on the fight upstairs, leaving Scruffy to face the shadows by himself. A disrupt undead, searing light, and a conical Heal spell quickly dropped all but one of the zombies. Scruffy meanwhile was hit once by the greater shadows (I continued to roll poorly) and became Enervated 2 as it began tugging at his shadow.
By now, it was clear that the shadows were the greater threat, and Merwin and Dweezil moves to Scruffy's aid. One greater shadow struck him again, increasing him to Enfeebled 4 and creating shadow spawn as it pulled his shadow from him. The shadow spawn and the remaining greater shadow moved to flank Dweezil, with the greater shadow scoring a critical hit, immediately inflicting Enfeebled 3 and spawning a second shadow spawn! Weasel finished off the last zombie with his +1 Scimitar.
Merwin's Angelic Halo, which proved extremely effective on the zombies, now backfired on the party, as it forced the shadows to continue to assault Dweezil even though they would rather move to a different target. The shadows were positioned between him and Merlin, so Dweezil was forced to withdraw to the far side of the hall. The PCs then began blasting the shadows with one Heal after another, killing one greater shadow and shadow spawn. Unfortunately, Dweezil had taken the most damage had withdrawn to outside the range of almost all the burst and conical Healing being fired at the shadows.
The remaining greater shadow and spawn (now a regular shadow since the greater shadow that spawned it had been slain) made their saves against the Angelic Halo and moves to flank Merwin, inflicting Enfeebled 4 and spawning a third shadow spawn! However, continued blasts of Heal and other attacks such as Force Bolt downed the last of the shadows before they could begin enfeebling Weasel.
Merwin cast restoration on Scruffy, to reduce his enfeebled from 4 to 2. Most of them were well recovered in terms of hit points from all the burst Heal spells, except for Dweezil who used a single-target Heal to restore his health.
COMBAT ENCOUNTER 5
A booming telepathic voice taunted the PCs, and then their barrier of broken forniture was telekinetically thrown from the front door. Dweezil spotted two vampires hiding by the door and cast fireball into the doorway, striking the two vampires hiding on the sides of the door. The vampires moved in to attack, but where quickly dispatched by the party.
It was then that the invisible vampiric brain collector Ilvoresh revealed itself, and attempted to confuse Merwin, but he made his saved and was only slowed for one round. Merwin, being trained in Occultism, also immediately recognized that Ilvoresh had cast mirror image on itself before the fight. Merwin cast Divine Wrath (we could not find which type of save was required, but quickly decided to go with Will), but between Ilvoresh making its save and poor die rolling, he only took 4 points of damage. Weasel then cast fireball, and Ilvoresh critically failed his save and took 30 points of damage. Scruffy readied his shield and decided not to move into melee range.
Ilvoresh closed for melee and first bit Weasel, and with poor rolling on saves, Weasel began stricken with both the brain collector's venom and was enervated as it drained his energy. A claw attack then knocked him unconscious. Dweezil blasted it with an acid arrow, and the 1d6 persistent acid damage continued to gradually reduce Ilovresh's health each round. Merwin took out his wand of searing light and began blasting away, but missed completely. Scruffy then moved into flanking position and struck with his bastard sword, not being tricked by his mirror images. Weasel, meanwhile, critically failed his recovery save (DC 26!) dropping him to dying 3. The player prematurely cashed in his hero point to return to 1 HP, but the poison damage in turned dropped him back to dying 1. Between failed recovery saves and the poison, he would ultimately die (afterwards my players said they would have Healed him but did not want to also heal Ilvoresh--they had forgotten they could use Heal on a single target as they were used to the old channels form 1E).
Ilovresh then turned his attention to Scruffy, who did better on his saves. Dweezil used his wand of flaming sphere, but Ilvoresh made his save and evaded the attack. Merwin hit with a searing light, but only succeeded in blasting an image. Scruffy struck true once more with his bastard sword, stating proudly that he doesn't "fall for this s**t!" However, being the most effective so far, Scruffy was targeted again by Ilvoresh, who this time used a vampiric touch in an attempt to bolster his hit points against the persistent acid damage. However, poor die rolling meant that he only struck for 5 HP, but that was enough to drop Scruffy (who was at 3 HP). There as some debate about whether we found heal 3 or 5 HP. As per the spell description:
You gain temporary Hit Points equal to the negative energy damage the target takes (after applying resistances and the like).
I thus ruled that he regained 3 since that was how much damage he dealt.
Dweezil then found himself on the receiving end of a bite attack, but in turn struck with his flaming sphere. Merwin blasted a second mirror image, and Scruffy made his recovery save and stabilized at 0 hit points (he had also staved off the poison, so unlike Weasel, he was not in danger of dropping from ongoing damage).
Ilvoresh struck Dweezil with his bite and one of his two claws. Dweezil struck with his flaming sphere again, and cast mirror image on himself while Merwin blasted the last of Ilvoresh's images with his wand of searing light. Ilvoresh then dispelled Dweezile's mirror images with dispel magic, and bit him once more, but it was still not enough to drop him. He was nonetheless poisoned by the brain's collectors venom. Dweezil then dealt the final blow with another strike from his flaming sphere with a critical fail on Ilvoresh's Reflex save (and he rolled nearly max damage too!). Dweezil then made his save to end the poisoned condition, and with no PCs in danger of being damaged, combat was officially ended.
CONCLUSION
The professor emerged from the basement, stating that with Ilvoresh's death, he was free from the foul influence on his mind. He was saddened to learn that while in his disassociated state that he did in fact murder Lucvi, but agreed to help the order learn more about the countdown clocks and their connect to the Dominion of the Black (though it might have been easier had someone not torched the research salon).
PLAYTEST TRACKING DATA
How long did it take to play this part of Doomsday Dawn: 4.5 hours.
How long did it take to prepare this part of the adventure: 2 hours.
How many sessions did it take for you to play through this part of the adventure: 2.
How many Hero Points (in total) did you give out during this part of the adventure: 12 (1 for each PC per session, with an extra one to Dweezil for hosting at his house; 1 for Boblin for rescuing the professor; 1 for Merlin for bringing pretzels for the group).
How many times was a player character reduced to 0 Hit Points during this part of the adventure: 3.
How many player characters were killed during this part of the adventure: 1
How many times did a player character cast a heal spell that had only one target: 6.
How many times did a player character cast a heal spell that affected more than one target: 10.
How many times did a player character use healing abilities other than heal: 0.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 1: 4.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 2: 2.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 3: 8.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 4: 7.
How many rounds or partial rounds where spent on combat Event 5: 6.