This is a spoiler-filled resource thread for GMs running the Agents of Edgewatch Adventure Path, specifically for the fourth adventure, "Assault on Hunting Lodge Seven."
The Darkside Mirror in the Harrowland chapter seems...very deadly and hard to redress as players. As I understand it, immediately upon being triggered the mirror sucks in the triggering PC, spitting out an evil version of that PC (DC 34 reflex save to avoid). Assume that only one PC is sucked into the mirror. To retrieve him/her, the remaining PCs must not only kill the evil duplicate, but also succeed on a DC 34 ('legendary') Thievery check to retrieve their friend. What if the rogue has been sucked in? Go and find a legendary thief to help? (But after ten minutes, the absorbed PC is no longer retrievable by a thievery check, and it's not clear what you're supposed to do after ten minutes have passed. Roll up a new PC and abandon that one to live in a different dimension? Is smashing it supposed to end the effect? If so, why bother including a Thievery check option at all?
Am I missing something?
The PC's should be level 14 at this point in the adventure, so the standard DC would be 32 (see CRB table 10-5: DCs by Level). The AC, DCs, etc. for this hazard are all around 32/34, which is only a bit harder. Granted, the nature of this hazard's effect is pretty steep for this level, but the Stealth DC of 24 should be very easy to spot and avoid for a level 14 party.
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I am still curious about the worst-case scenario, though. If a character is sent through the mirror, and the 10 minute timer to retrieve them runs out, is that just 'roll up a new character' territory?
Depends. This seems like something a wish or miracle could get them out of. How readily do the PCs have access to someone with that kind of ability, and how much are they willing to pay for it? Probably not in money, but in favors, loyalty, and the like.
Personally, I'd point out the possibility and see what the other PCs come up with for who to go to, then think what that person would want. There are certainly high enough level people in Absalom...
Also, reading through the Hazard, I'd probably allow a PC on the other side who avoids being captured or killed to to try to get back through. I'd probably make it the same check as to disable the Hazard (or a use of plane shift, perhaps, if they have it), and might have it do something really weird if the mirror back in the 'real world' has been destroyed, but it seems possible.
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First of all I'd like to say that I LOVE the In media res start of the chapter. It's very vibrant and ties back to a good DM trick I read back in the days: Always start a game by saying ''Roll for Initiative''.
That being said, this whole scene is a bit nonsensical to me. I get what it's trying to DO, it's just, how did the players get to Area A1 if they did not explore areas A3 and A4? The front door is blocked by rubble, the northwest passage too, and there's hidden treasure and traps in the areas to the north? Wouldn't they have cleared these rooms coming in there ?
Anyone have suggestions on how to run this area sensically AND keep the In Media Res start?
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
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I believe the front door collapses after the PCs enter, as part of the “opening with a bang” read aloud text.
So they’d come in through the front door, the front of the church collapses during the attack, and the PCs have to find a new way out through areas A3 & A4.
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For the most part, I'm a big fan of this book. In particular, I like the attention given to making the narrative and environment plausible. It's made clear why the enemies in level 2 of the temple won't band together in a TPK-guaranteeing horde, a plausible account is given for why the attackers seeking to reclaim Jonas Flakfatter are coming in waves instead of all at once, the different parts of the temple all have plausible reasons for being there, and are used in plausible ways by their occupants.
The big exception for me is the finale, where the party arrives just as Wynsal Starborn uncovers the body of his assistant, followed immediately by a horde of watch agents who pop out of nowhere.
This raises a lot of questions that make it hard to suspend disbelief. Why would the primarch go alone into an extremely dangerous area? If he's sending the PCs to the same location at the same time, why not accompany them? How would neither he nor the PCs make the perception check to notice a small horde of low-level watch agents lying in wait?
I am missing some way of thinking about this scene that makes this all plausible (and that I plausibly could sell to players)?
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FWIW, my inclination is to re-write the scene a bit to avoid these awkward questions.
Can anyone think of any plot holes left open by that approach?
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Well, the point as written, if I remember right, is that Wynsal is fully aware of the setup and informs the PCs of it too. His plan is to uncover the corruption within the Watch and the city governance as well, so he invites the PCs to join him in intentionally springing the trap.
If you want to rearrange it so that the PCs are unwittingly implicated and shortly jailed, that could probably work (albeit with a rewrite of the first part of book 5 as well). I do think the rails would work better if the players feel it's their choice to step into danger with all this, rather than making it something done to them. But that's all my opinion.
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Well, the point as written, if I remember right, is that Wynsal is fully aware of the setup and informs the PCs of it too. His plan is to uncover the corruption within the Watch and the city governance as well, so he invites the PCs to join him in intentionally springing the trap.
Yeah, that's how it seems as written, but I haven't managed to think of a way of pitching this that would be plausible for players.
For example, why would Wynsal venture alone into this extremely dangerous area? The Rabbit Prince alone is the same CR as Wynsal, and venturing into an area alone with both the Rabbit Prince and his associates seems suicidal. This especially stands out because there's an easy alternative available - namely, traveling with the PCs he's sending there.
Likewise, how are Lavarus and a small horde of watch guards loitering nearby in this abandoned part of town without either Wynsal or the party noticing? Wynsal's Perception is +32 and the PCs will have something similar, while most watch guards are going to be untrained in Stealth and wearing armor.
If you want to rearrange it so that the PCs are unwittingly implicated and shortly jailed, that could probably work (albeit with a rewrite of the first part of book 5 as well). I do think the rails would work better if the players feel it's their choice to step into danger with all this, rather than making it something done to them. But that's all my opinion.
I agree that making it seem like part of the player's choice is a nice feature of the as-written approach, and something it would be nice to save. But as is, I'm having a hard time seeing how to respond to the skeptical questions I'd imagine my players asking about this scene...
(Which contrasts sharply with the rest of this book, which, as I noted above, does a great job in making the locations and narrative plausible.)
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Having him travel alone is something easy to write out. As you said, just have him tag along with the PCs.
Who cares how stealthy the guards are? Everyone's intent is to spring the trap that they know is there, so noticing the trap just seems... normal?
Beyond that, how to convince your players to sign up for getting caught and thrown in a crazy prison is something you might just need to wait on until it's close to happening--might take some specific finagling of characters or motivations to make it work.
I feel like it's really only the Rabbit Prince that makes this all awkward. Perhaps you could separate his section away from the trap itself? Find a way to make them both stand on their own?
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What if the watch is tailing Wynsal (which, of course, he realizes).
He needs to go to Harrowland to spring the trap, but he doesn't want to put the rank and file guards at risk by dragging them into a fight with the Rabbit Prince and his minions.
So, he asks the PCs to head to Harrowland ahead of him and draw the Rabbit Prince out into the open, away from the Big Top. Have the Rabbit Prince come out to meet them once they've caused enough trouble in the park.
Then, after the park is mostly cleared, the PCs can head to the Big Top just in time to see Wynsal find the body and get caught by the watch.
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My two cents is that I have written homemade articles signed by Vancaskerskin that I give to the players between the games, where they get little highlights and he exposes other plot elements.
As for Wynsal, I plan to have him give a speech and give the players the ''Purple Star of Valor'' for their work in apprehending the skinsaw cult as they are being promoted to the starwatch. A well spoken speech and strong roleplay moment should endear him to the party. Later, in hunting lodge seven, I plan to have Reginald vancaskerkin be the one to deliver the news that Wynsal Starborn has gone on to save one of his friends in harrowpark. He would say he is informing the party because he and the primarch go way back.
Then when they go and Wynsal looks at them confused, saying ''why have you come here, this trap was for me and me alone...'' and they go: '' Well your old friend reginald told us to come help you'' he'd just go : ''I have never met reginald vancaskerkin in my life...''
SPOTLIGHTS! SKINNY AND LAVARSUS COME IN, cut to black.
Hope it's as dramatic in the game as it is in my head ^^
These are pretty good suggestions. I'm now seeing a couple different ways this could go that I can imagine players going for. Thanks everyone!
@AlastarOG: I might have to steal that. I *definitely* feel the drama in that scene!
These are pretty good suggestions. I'm now seeing a couple different ways this could go that I can imagine players going for. Thanks everyone!
@AlastarOG: I might have to steal that. I *definitely* feel the drama in that scene!
If you do tell me how it went! I want to know what I'm missing.
The framework even works better for my group because one of the agents is a worshipper of the reaper of reputations, so vancaskerkin plans to frame him as the rumormonger and wynsal starborn as the grey king.
@AlastarOG: So you too have a worshipper of the Reaper of Reputations among your players' group?! Ah, players.
This particular character even has a vendetta against Wynsal Starborn himself, who executed her big brother under what she thinks is the pretense of him being a traitor nicknamed "the Skinner". I think you can see where this is going (they haven't got to Book 2 yet): I want to sow doubt in this cleric of the Reaper of Reputation's faith by showing a compassionate, emotionally clever and good-hearted Wynsal Starborn and by playing up the atrocities other followers of Norgorber commit; thus, hopefully, when they get to what should be the perfect opportunity to turn on Starborn (the end of this Book 4), she doesn't act on it and is mentally carried by her fellow agents through Book 5 up to a point where she would either turn back to Iomedae, or use Norgorber's powers against even the Rumormonger and the Gray Queen, and maybe take on one of these titles herself.
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I've got a player who took the Cultist background, so we decided they were an inductee of The Skinner's cult, but chickened out when it came time to actually do a murder.
They just barely escaped the catacombs (they got some help from their witch patron), and joined the watch as a way of atoning for involvement with the cult.
They didn't make it far enough to actually meet The Skinner, but they know the name, and the Skinsaw cultists will definitely remember them.
@AlastarOG: So you too have a worshipper of the Reaper of Reputations among your players' group?! Ah, players.
This particular character even has a vendetta against Wynsal Starborn himself, who executed her big brother under what she thinks is the pretense of him being a traitor nicknamed "the Skinner". I think you can see where this is going (they haven't got to Book 2 yet): I want to sow doubt in this cleric of the Reaper of Reputation's faith by showing a compassionate, emotionally clever and good-hearted Wynsal Starborn and by playing up the atrocities other followers of Norgorber commit; thus, hopefully, when they get to what should be the perfect opportunity to turn on Starborn (the end of this Book 4), she doesn't act on it and is mentally carried by her fellow agents through Book 5 up to a point where she would either turn back to Iomedae, or use Norgorber's powers against even the Rumormonger and the Gray Queen, and maybe take on one of these titles herself.
Sounds very legit ! My player is an infiltration agent who got ousted. Ratfolk alchemist. So far he's been very suspicious of wynsal, I'm hoping it'll help lead them down the wrong path ;-)
Also they really liked quorein, that they managed to rescue in chapter 2, but she died vs the Skinner and they then resurected her, but critically failed the check. So I am now working towards making her the rabbit king, having her mind be fractured from the way back because to her she was tortured in the harrows for several years before she came back.
I'm just trying to find a way to plug that storyline into the whole dramatic reveal .. if someone has suggestions ?
You might want to make the PCs meet again with Graycloaks, especially those who served under her command in her last mission. Being reminded -not beaten over the head, mind you- that the Watch misses Quorein will make the PCs and their players remember her more vividly when they meet again.
Then, what explanation have you prepared? Why would this have happened to Quorein in particular?
You could also look a the Harrow cards, and try and pick the one that would most make sense for her to impersonate/immitate/remake herself into. The Rabbit Prince might not necessarily be the one befitting her best.
You might want to make the PCs meet again with Graycloaks, especially those who served under her command in her last mission. Being reminded -not beaten over the head, mind you- that the Watch misses Quorein will make the PCs and their players remember her more vividly when they meet again.
Then, what explanation have you prepared? Why would this have happened to Quorein in particular?
You could also look a the Harrow cards, and try and pick the one that would most make sense for her to impersonate/immitate/remake herself into. The Rabbit Prince might not necessarily be the one befitting her best.
Yeah but at the same time I don't want to overhaul the base stats of the rabbit prince too much.
I've made his sword into a bastard sword already because that was her style... I guess I don't know the harrow much, I'll take a look at the link.
My explanation would be that while her soul was in the river of souls and taken back through the resurection ritual either something latched onto it and was reborn with her, taking over her body (the rabbit prince). Either that or she came back broken, her soul having spent what felt to her like an eternity in the nightmarish lands of the harrow.
But tbh I never really got into the whole harrow thing so I don't know if that tracks.
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What are the six Norgorberite poisoners using in order to fire down at anyone remaining in the chapel? The thrown daggers from 30 feet above in The Sanctuary of Prescience do not seem to be much of a threat as the book states.
What are the six Norgorberite poisoners using in order to fire down at anyone remaining in the chapel? The thrown daggers from 30 feet above in The Sanctuary of Prescience do not seem to be much of a threat as the book states.
Yeah I just straight up gave them crossbows....
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The PC's should be level 14 at this point in the adventure, so the standard DC would be 32 (see CRB table 10-5: DCs by Level). The AC, DCs, etc. for this hazard are all around 32/34, which is only a bit harder. Granted, the nature of this hazard's effect is pretty steep for this level, but the Stealth DC of 24 should be very easy to spot and avoid for a level 14 party.The Darkside Mirror in the Harrowland chapter seems...very deadly and hard to redress as players. As I understand it, immediately upon being triggered the mirror sucks in the triggering PC, spitting out an evil version of that PC (DC 34 reflex save to avoid). Assume that only one PC is sucked into the mirror. To retrieve him/her, the remaining PCs must not only kill the evil duplicate, but also succeed on a DC 34 ('legendary') Thievery check to retrieve their friend. What if the rogue has been sucked in? Go and find a legendary thief to help? (But after ten minutes, the absorbed PC is no longer retrievable by a thievery check, and it's not clear what you're supposed to do after ten minutes have passed. Roll up a new PC and abandon that one to live in a different dimension? Is smashing it supposed to end the effect? If so, why bother including a Thievery check option at all?
Am I missing something?
actually means the stealth DC is 34! no idea how they're supposed to do the legendary theivery check, being lvl 14...
just noticed something on reading pg 15-16 then 77, the poisoned halfling is lvl 3 and has low saves relatively to match, so if the poison is death knell powder then they'll die within 1-2rnds, not the stated 1 minute that the PCs have to save her as she'd likely crit fail the 1st save then crit fail again and if she's not yet at 0 from the 19d6 dmg, she will be quickly, then she'll crit fail the will save for when you get to 0hp very likely.
which brings me onto if it actually is that poison? it says in the text, "Vilkin noticed that the whiskey has been used, so he knows it’s only a matter of the poison’s onset time before its effects become obvious." there is however, no stated onset time, also the poison is injury and not ingested - did they mean one of the 3 new ingested poisons?
Repulsion Resin is even higher lvl and would have complications due to it's effect on those around the poisoned
Sight-Theft Grit does no dmg so that doesn't work
Spectral Nightshade might be a bit better, the dmg is higher but you don't immediately die at 0hp when you fail a will save (but you'd die from the dmg) and it has 1 minute onset, so is a bit better fit
All the other new poisons are either contact or injury
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For the assault on hunting lodge seven part... I'd just like to point out that I like the chandelier trap, but I don't think it adds a lot to the story and is kinda counter intuitive.
Their superior tells them: go to this safehouse and protect the prisonner!
Get to safehouse..Immediately gets attacked...
With the way my players are it was hard to convince them THIS was a safe house because of apparent corruption in the government already...
We breaked after first wave but I'm thinking of either waving it entirely or repositioning it somewhere else... maybe in the basement, maybe in the observatory post shining child explosion to make repairing it harder (and I can explain that the confluence has infused weird energies in the instruments).
Another comment I might have is the treasure in the hunting lodge. This place has been a squat house for 15 centuries, and it still has gardening gloves worth 4000 gp lying around ? and a book worth 400 gp for bounty as well as teaching a high level ritual and containing a magical scroll in a place supposedly sweeped by the starwatch? Not to mention a bag just hanging onto a chandelier. My advice is to just reposition ALL loot to the basement.
The book on summoning and scroll with the Quelaut, the bracers of mage armor with the leng spider.
For the assault on hunting lodge seven part... I'd just like to point out that I like the chandelier trap, but I don't think it adds a lot to the story and is kinda counter intuitive.
Their superior tells them: go to this safehouse and protect the prisonner!
Get to safehouse..Immediately gets attacked...
With the way my players are it was hard to convince them THIS was a safe house because of apparent corruption in the government already...
We breaked after first wave but I'm thinking of either waving it entirely or repositioning it somewhere else... maybe in the basement, maybe in the observatory post shining child explosion to make repairing it harder (and I can explain that the confluence has infused weird energies in the instruments).
Another comment I might have is the treasure in the hunting lodge. This place has been a squat house for 15 centuries, and it still has gardening gloves worth 4000 gp lying around ? and a book worth 400 gp for bounty as well as teaching a high level ritual and containing a magical scroll in a place supposedly sweeped by the starwatch? Not to mention a bag just hanging onto a chandelier. My advice is to just reposition ALL loot to the basement.
The book on summoning and scroll with the Quelaut, the bracers of mage armor with the leng spider.
I thought the chandelier was meant to be some sort of a haunt spooky thinghy. I don't like those mundane-now-magical loot neither, so I'm definitely going to change those gloves somehow.
BTW, what do your players think about the Infector just surrendering himself?
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noticed another mistake (maybe), Kalyn Pouch (used later as priest of blackfingers) has 6th lvl cantrips and max 6th lvl spells, but has 7th lvl focus spells - this seems to be a mistake?
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For the assault on hunting lodge seven part... I'd just like to point out that I like the chandelier trap, but I don't think it adds a lot to the story and is kinda counter intuitive.
Their superior tells them: go to this safehouse and protect the prisonner!
Get to safehouse..Immediately gets attacked...
With the way my players are it was hard to convince them THIS was a safe house because of apparent corruption in the government already...
We breaked after first wave but I'm thinking of either waving it entirely or repositioning it somewhere else... maybe in the basement, maybe in the observatory post shining child explosion to make repairing it harder (and I can explain that the confluence has infused weird energies in the instruments).
Another comment I might have is the treasure in the hunting lodge. This place has been a squat house for 15 centuries, and it still has gardening gloves worth 4000 gp lying around ? and a book worth 400 gp for bounty as well as teaching a high level ritual and containing a magical scroll in a place supposedly sweeped by the starwatch? Not to mention a bag just hanging onto a chandelier. My advice is to just reposition ALL loot to the basement.
The book on summoning and scroll with the Quelaut, the bracers of mage armor with the leng spider.
I thought the chandelier was meant to be some sort of a haunt spooky thinghy. I don't like those mundane-now-magical loot neither, so I'm definitely going to change those gloves somehow.
BTW, what do your players think about the Infector just surrendering himself?
They found it weird as hell !! And they're very suspicious. and so far I've been playing him as being above it all, and trolling them despite their best attempts to interrogate him with poison and dominate.
I've given him Norgorber's Greater Boon as a way to keep him tight lipped and moved him to immune to poison but that's mostly because I don't want to reveal to the players that he just doesn't have a plan.
I mean what was Flakfatter's plan? Get captured and then sprung by his minions so he can escape ? You know what works better than that? ESCAPING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I've moved his plan over to ''let's fake my death during a botched escape attempt'' instead. He figures if his troops can spring him and kill all the agents he can leave a decoy body behind so his former allies don't kill him (especially since he knows that his actual death would in no way release him from the pact, as per the info in chapter 6). But even then, its not that great a plan, so I prefer to have him say nothing, troll the PC's and have a myysterrrrrious plan that will get ''thwarted'' so no one actually knows what it is.
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That being said, this whole scene is a bit nonsensical to me.
It is basically nonsensical, at least mechanically speaking. A party of 12th level PCs who have zero spells cast on the day is fairly likely to have access to Breath of Life, a 5th level spell, and that’s just the easiest way to keep Thraskul alive despite his GM Fiat death.
To prevent the PCs saving Thraskul the adventure hand waves an attack from an enemy that the PCs have NO opportunity to see no matter their Perception DC, and have no chance to act before no matter their initiative. Because the attack apparently somehow happens while we’re in Exploration Mode, the PCs have no reactions, and so can’t use Breath of Life, Shield Block, or any other ability.
Then there’s this from the adventure text for A2.
The agents should quickly realize that [6 more Norgorberite Poisoners] can likely overpower them unless they promptly leave the chapel.
Why would the agents “quickly realize” that? One, it goes against the basic psychology of players everywhere. Two, those enemies seem wildly unlikely to overpower a party of 12th level PCs.
First, they’re 30 feet in the air and their only ranged option are three (3) non-magical daggers each. So they’ll be making ranged attacks at a minimum penalty of -4 (PCs on the ground are at least in their third range increment, and that’s assuming there is a PC almost directly under each attacker).
Second, even before they either come down to the ground after running out of daggers or run away, Air Walk is a 4th level spell on two lists, and Fly is level 4 and on three lists. There’s a decent chance a melee PC can get up there.
Third, when they do use up their three (3) non-magical daggers each, there is no really good way for them to get to the ground. They are equipped with no ropes and have no listed Athletics bonus. I guess they could just jump down, land prone and suffer 10 damage, but I don’t see how that’s supposed to communicate competence to the players.
But what is communicated to the players by having a bunch of Norgorberites attack from the rafters of a building with a largely missing roof is that they can just climb out of the building when they mop up the Norgorberites. There’s nothing really indicating that the PCs should instead continue to explore the temple complex.
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Given Thraskul dies with a crossbow bolt in his neck, and the reinforcements are described as "firing down” on them, I’m guessing the poisoners are supposed to have crossbows.
As for being overwhelmed, I haven’t crunched the numbers on the poisoners stats, but six level 11 creatures should be an Extreme encounter for a group of level 12 characters. That’s a pretty tough fight, but you’re right that it’s not quite “you have no chance, run away” overwhelming. I’m probably going to sell it as at least six more are getting into position, with the implication that additional waves are coming soon.
If it helps anyone, my players got there before meeting time and cleared the meeting area (BECAUSE OF COURSE) and then placed down traps and glyphs of warnings to secure the area.
I had Thraskul be previously poisoned by long acting poison (Hemlock, which was also a hint for later in the puzzles) and die in their hands of the second stage damage (crit fail).
None of them were clerics so they didn't have breath of life, and even if they did the DC is much higher than his save so second stage would have killed him.
I had the Leucodaemon's dimension door in while the Norgorberite assassins came in from the roof but also the secret doors to the north after blowing the exit, and screaming '' we've found them, gather the others'' while they did.
That got my players out the door after clearing the ennemies ASAP.
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noticed another mistake in Wynsal Starborn's statblock - his determination ability says "counteract lvl 17th", which would mean he's lvl 33-34 - obviously supposed to be 9th!
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I've notice that the name of Absalom's First Siege Gear has slightly changed from the original Guide to Absalom. In the old book, her name was Chun Fe Seung, in this adventure she is mentioned in Wynsal Starborn's NSC gallery entry as Chun Hye Seung. Which one is correct? I'll assume it's the newer one.
Curiously though, there is a professor at the Colorado State University by that name.
Did anyone else have Flakfatter put up a fight before surrendering? With all of the nonlethal damage the PC's are distributing to their adversaries, wouldn't a little exhibition be advised. Flakfatter just giving in straight away doesn't sit well with me. My party would be sorely disappointed missing out on doling out some punishment.
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Did anyone else have Flakfatter put up a fight before surrendering? With all of the nonlethal damage the PC's are distributing to their adversaries, wouldn't a little exhibition be advised. Flakfatter just giving in straight away doesn't sit well with me. My party would be sorely disappointed missing out on doling out some punishment.
I found it much more intriguing and infuriating/stressful to have him surrender with a smirk.
The only downside is that he either A: Had a terrible plan after getting captured. B: Had no plan other than ''Kill everyone for fun'' after getting captured. C: All of the above.
But the surrendering part sounds nice narratively speaking.
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Small mention: The Darkside Mirror trap has a glaring weakness: if you make the save vs its first reaction, it's incredibly easy to break it. Also, breaking the evil mirror is probly the first reaction PC's will have.
So I thought it'd be like this HUGE thing. Turned out the bard just made his save and then broke the mirror and I was left with a woefully overwhelmed shatterling.
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**Brag alert**
So for those who have been following this thread and others, I have been building up Reginald Vancaskerkin as the shadow villain for months now. We started the campaign in September, and every time the PC's clear a part of the story, I would write a 1,2 or 3 page article on their deeds in Reginald's name. I even did some detailed fluff pieces about them, with full on advertising from local businesses in them. Some of the PC's got fan mail from the pieces.
Yesterday, it all came together and I am so happy how it turned out. The PC's, after having gotten a visit from Vancaskerkin telling them that he was worried about his ''old friend'' Wynsal Starborn venturing alone into Harrowland, cleared out the whole place, facing off against the ghost of Hendrid Pratchett that had possessed one of their friends (didn't like the rabbit king, replaced him with recurring Pratchett).
They then went into the tent, where Starborn looked surprise to see them and was like: ''why have you come here fools? this trap was meant for me and me alone!''
Then the PC's go: Your old friend Reginald sent us, he's worried (this is even better cause the Norgorber cultist in the group always suspected Starborn of being the ultimate villain)
Starborn: I have never met Reginald Vancaskerkin in my life.
Crossbow bolts with light spells get shot in, edgewatch comes in, Lavarsus with his booming voice going :'' agents, Primarch, for high crimes and treason against Absalom, Terrorism, Murder, Rape, animal cruelty and being generally despicable individuals, you are under arrest'' (this being made even better because Vancaskerkin has been constantly slamming Lavarsus in his articles and glorifying the squad as being much better than him)
De Gyr comes in with the jurisdiction change, then on the next day (which just, by coincidence, happened to be Inheritor's Ascencion holiday, 1st of Arodus) articles hit. Eye witness testimony, each of them gest accused of incredibly horrible crimes (rape, murder, arson, animal cruelty) and one of them (the norgorber cultist) is being framed as being the rumormonger, while wynsal starborn is being framed as being the Gray King.
Father infector, who survived hunting lodge seven and was tight lipped about his plan, suddenly has a ''pang of remorse'' and gives a full confession, implicating Starborn and Norgorber Cultist fully. All the other agents who lived in the barracks and could give them alibis had been killed earlier in the campaign in a random (or so they thought) assassination attempt on their sleeping quarters (arcane lock on doors and windows and level 7 cloudkill dumped on the barracks).
I'm thinking of swapping some of the next chapter around and making the black whale portion a ''prison break'' portion where they know how to escape, but they're fully convicted and get put there through lawful means.
It all came together so beautifully and I just... I'm just very happy with it, but I'm also hoping this can help someone else with their own interpretation of this great adventure path.
Let me know.
This is amazing. We are about to start the 4th book, in a mid-season hiatus right now.
I presented Reginald as a fanboy of the party. I place him in the Irorium, he as meant to praise the party for the heroic act... But they failed, killing almost 75% of the stadium's attendees.
In book 3, they did all of their deeds undercover. In their exchange at the Irorium, he told them that he figured out their previous missions. The party then asked him to not reveal their identity, and he agreed.
I hope they get devastated when I do the big reveal.
Great idea for the skinner! Wish I'd thought of it !
And yeah I had Wynsal be the kind of guy who knew he was walking into a trap, but couldn't let a friend in peril alone. He walked in there fully geared and expecting assassins, and found the body of his best friend instead. As he gripped him crying, the agents come in and the trap gets triggered.
He's surprised, depressed and appalled, but also rightfully angry and willing to go to political war on this.
if flakfatter leaves, the lesser death does too i think? that's what i did anyway!
Hi folks,
Party managed to get Flakfatter away from the Lesser Death, but there's pretty much no way they can kill it as a melee heavy party, vs a monster with good AC and a very nasty misfortune aura.
So it'll just murder everybody now?
How did your parties beat it?
Party struggled a bit to get hits in but eventually managed to take it down.
The bard activating his double wand of manifold missiles helped a lot.
I guess my call would be: don't make only martial parties for just such a scenario?
Otherwise make it weak and it should make it easier?
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So, the Darkside Mirror in the Harrowland Funhouse. The party is expected to be level 14 for this encounter, the check to pull a character out of the mirror is gated to Legendary Thievery, and I’m not aware of a way for a 14th level character to have a skill at Legendary. My on-the-fly solution was to drop the gate to Master, but even then I had to allow a PC inside the mirror to make a check to free himself because the only Master Thief was grabbed. How have other GMs handled this issue?
Also, do the evil counterparts and, more importantly, their gear bamf back to the Mirror Universe when the original comes out? If not, that seems like a windfall. I ruled that they do, but I don’t think it’s clear.
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With the trapmaker feat:
You have an intuitive sense that alerts you to the dangers and presence of traps. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Perception checks to find traps, to AC against attacks made by traps, and to saves against traps. Even if you aren’t Searching, you get a check to find traps that normally require you to be Searching. You still need to meet any other requirements to find the trap.
You can disable traps that require a proficiency rank of master in Thievery. If you have master proficiency in Thievery, you can disable traps that require a proficiency rank of legendary instead, and your circumstance bonuses against traps increase to +2.