This is a spoiler-filled resource thread for the third and final volume of the Abomination Vaults AP, Eyes of Empty Death, by Stephen Radney-MacFarland.
The GM Reference thread for the first volume, Ruins of Gauntlight, is here.
The GM Reference thread for the second volume, Hands of the Devil, is here.
|
3 people marked this as a favorite.
|
So I just read through my pdf last night, and I have a question that's been bugging me about the final part of the adventure. If/When the party kills Lady's Whisper (which I imagine some will do on sight), do all the doors in the Temple become unlocked and opened?
It feels like the pacing and flow of the Temple Level really depend on the party just kind of waltzing into a temple of an unambiguously evil god and going along with the servant of evil directing them. Add in the fact that at that point a level 10 cleric would have about a +21 (+5 from Wis, +10 from level, +6 from master proficiency) to sense motive, which is a 75% chance that cleric figures out she is trying to kill them.
My off the cuff solution is have her innate spells altered so she can hide off in one of the hallways and cast a 2nd level illusory disguise before the party sees her to disguise herself as a Morrigna, guiding the party towards their fate of defeating a powerful servant of one of Pharasma's enemies.
|
1 person marked this as a favorite.
|
There's a sidebar about killing her, and notes elsewhere that the only way to open the doors without her is to smash them open. I think the expectation is actually that the players kill her and then smash their way through the temple, rather than letting her lead them around, but the option is there.
|
3 people marked this as a favorite.
|
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Finally got my pdf and I am so SO stoked to run this. The shootist archetype plus the repeating hand crossbow alone is an amazing addition, but using the lenses in the final fight is a really cool mechanic, so much more than just 'i hit the monster'.
Just wanted to compliment the team on this whole AP. Otari as a town is extremely fun and I love it.
Virellius wrote: Finally got my pdf and I am so SO stoked to run this. The shootist archetype plus the repeating hand crossbow alone is an amazing addition, but using the lenses in the final fight is a really cool mechanic, so much more than just 'i hit the monster'.
Just wanted to compliment the team on this whole AP. Otari as a town is extremely fun and I love it.
Can you tell me the rough idea of the shootist archetype and the level it's dedication is at?
|
1 person marked this as a favorite.
|
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
vagrant-poet wrote: Virellius wrote: Finally got my pdf and I am so SO stoked to run this. The shootist archetype plus the repeating hand crossbow alone is an amazing addition, but using the lenses in the final fight is a really cool mechanic, so much more than just 'i hit the monster'.
Just wanted to compliment the team on this whole AP. Otari as a town is extremely fun and I love it.
Can you tell me the rough idea of the shootist archetype and the level it's dedication is at? You're really good with repeating hand crossbows. The dedication starts at L2.
Also, stats for repeating hand crossbows appear in this book.
The maps in the pdf don't seem to have options to turn on grid, or much of anything. What scale should I set the maps to on Roll20 or is this a bug in my download?
Mine work fine in the map pack.
|
5 people marked this as a favorite.
|
So just going through it and noticed a hiccup with the map, specifically on A16. The room's description mentions some of the cages being marked to indicate their current occupants, but all of the cages on the map are blank.
EDIT: Should point out this is the PDF and I'm looking at both the map in the adventure PDF and the version in the maps PDF. Both have the cages unmarked.
|
1 person marked this as a favorite.
|
Are the maps printed backward, or are there some errors on directions? Multiple references to the black dragon Ravirex mention he's in the West, but his location is the easternmost section of the Hunting Grounds level.
|
1 person marked this as a favorite.
|
Tykane wrote: Are the maps printed backward, or are there some errors on directions? Multiple references to the black dragon Ravirex mention he's in the West, but his location is the easternmost section of the Hunting Grounds level. And now reading through a little more, this east/west confusion seems to extend to quite a few other places. The rooms around Lady's Whisper, as well as the description of room C2 at the least. Might be a good idea for anybody running this to pay extra attention and not just read the descriptions as-is.
I ran into two things that confused me reading through the book and making the maps in Foundry. The first is in area A16 - the monster cages on the map are 5x5, but two of the cages are supposed to have large creatures in them and 2 of the cages are supposed to have huge creatures in them. Not sure how to handle that if the players open the cages and all of the sudden the monster triples in size. The two large creatures could be squeezing, but that doesn't really work for the two huge creatures.
Second, the variant devourer in area B29 - there is no information about what the variant is that makes the level 11 devourer into a level 9 creature, the weak template would only drop it to level 10. Also the book states that the creature is small, but the monster entry says: "Regardless of their original ancestry, devourers are always Large—fully 10 feet tall—as the remains of their mortal form strain to contain the evil within." So... what gives?
|
2 people marked this as a favorite.
|
Ozymandiousrex wrote: I ran into two things that confused me reading through the book and making the maps in Foundry. The first is in area A16 - the monster cages on the map are 5x5, but two of the cages are supposed to have large creatures in them and 2 of the cages are supposed to have huge creatures in them. Not sure how to handle that if the players open the cages and all of the sudden the monster triples in size. The two large creatures could be squeezing, but that doesn't really work for the two huge creatures.
Second, the variant devourer in area B29 - there is no information about what the variant is that makes the level 11 devourer into a level 9 creature, the weak template would only drop it to level 10. Also the book states that the creature is small, but the monster entry says: "Regardless of their original ancestry, devourers are always Large—fully 10 feet tall—as the remains of their mortal form strain to contain the evil within." So... what gives?
The cages should be bigger. If they're 2 squares by 2 squares, even the Huge creatures can be squeezed in there.
The level of that creature is wrong; it should be Creature 11 (which would make it, appropriately, a Moderate encounter for 9th level heroes). Its only difference is that it's Small in size--that's all that makes it a variant.
[QUOTE="Ron Lundeen" The cages should be bigger. If they're 2 squares by 2 squares, even the Huge creatures can be squeezed in there.
The level of that creature is wrong; it should be Creature 11 (which would make it, appropriately, a Moderate encounter for 9th level heroes). Its only difference is that it's Small in size--that's all that makes it a variant. Fantastic, thank you for the super quick reply!
I am late to the party but I am reading through book 3 now and I am mightily confused about the stairs behind the secret door in A3. It claims on that map that they go to B21, but the next map clearly shows them connecting to B22.
Neither the text for B21 or B22 seem to reference the stairs at all so I am having a hard time figuring out where they are supposed to lead. Any ideas on what to do with the stairs? I have to imagine their placement can pretty heavily impact how going down them plays out.
LordDeathQuake wrote: I am late to the party but I am reading through book 3 now and I am mightily confused about the stairs behind the secret door in A3. It claims on that map that they go to B21, but the next map clearly shows them connecting to B22.
Neither the text for B21 or B22 seem to reference the stairs at all so I am having a hard time figuring out where they are supposed to lead. Any ideas on what to do with the stairs? I have to imagine their placement can pretty heavily impact how going down them plays out.
They lead to the hall to B22. The stairs are in kind of a dull hall both on levels 8 and 9, so the halls aren't numbered. But the "To B21" on the level 8 map is an error, and should say, "To B22."
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Have people run the Drow Hunters as having Hunt Prey - or have they allowed their Hunter's Wound action to be used on any target?
I'm leaning towards adding Hunt Prey (possibly flurry or just vanilla no edge) to their stats but I'm not sure if that is incorrect. Likely doesn't matter too much thankfully.
Has anyone figured out or drawn up a timeline of events for the whole adventure? I was reading the backmatter and got a bit confused with Quara until I realized I'd skipped over Belcorra being a ghost when they talked. I know about the one in book 1, but that doesn't include the happenings on lower levels and stuff in town.
|
2 people marked this as a favorite.
|
Xethik wrote: Have people run the Drow Hunters as having Hunt Prey - or have they allowed their Hunter's Wound action to be used on any target?
I'm leaning towards adding Hunt Prey (possibly flurry or just vanilla no edge) to their stats but I'm not sure if that is incorrect. Likely doesn't matter too much thankfully.
I would omit the reference to their prey, just make it useable against any target.
I love the rapidity of Ron's responses to these things. It's made these threads really useful for running the adventures!
|
7 people marked this as a favorite.
|
vagrant-poet wrote: I love the rapidity of Ron's responses to these things. It's made these threads really useful for running the adventures! Thank you for noticing. I try to keep browser tabs open showing the threads of each of the APs I was lead developer for, and I monitor them for questions, points of confusion, or places I can improve.
I generally pay a little more attention to whatever's most recent, so I pay a bit more attention to Abomination Vaults than I do to Extinction Curse, to which I pay a bit more attention to Tyrant's Grasp.
Enjoy this spot at the top of the list from now until the Strength of Thousands forums get going. :-)
|
1 person marked this as a favorite.
|
Dragon's Blood Buffball's Bloom attack(p. 79) is missing something. It is a range attack without a range. I'm thinking it should be a melee attack? :)
It speaks of area A47 in area A1 comment. It should be area A37.
Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
How does the elevator/lift work between the end of book 2 and beginning of book 3?
The map at the end of book 2 shows what appears to be an elevator platform lifted up to the prison level. In the description for A17, it sounds like the lift is down on the ground and may not work at all.
Is there some way I'm missing that the lift can take players down to the farm level? Or are they expected to choose between jump/feather fall and clearing the stairs? (I know my players won't take Urevian's deal, so I'm ignoring that possibility)
Sean D wrote: How does the elevator/lift work between the end of book 2 and beginning of book 3?
The map at the end of book 2 shows what appears to be an elevator platform lifted up to the prison level. In the description for A17, it sounds like the lift is down on the ground and may not work at all.
Is there some way I'm missing that the lift can take players down to the farm level? Or are they expected to choose between jump/feather fall and clearing the stairs? (I know my players won't take Urevian's deal, so I'm ignoring that possibility)
There isn't a lot about how to operate it from above; I would take all the notes from area A17 in book 3 about how it works, and place the elevator beyond the forcefield in area D3 of book 2.
I assumed that the elevator platform was on the lower level and that the force field simply blocks off the shaft.
|
3 people marked this as a favorite.
|
I let them take the elevator down and then had it break at the bottom where they're assaulted by the children of belcorra, made for a reasonable "welcome to book 3" encounter. Also they're stuck in the swamp with bog rot until they can find a teleporter back up.
My group has started Book 3, we have just finished the first level. They befriended both the drow and the caligini. The goliath spider was a bit of a nightmare and it dragged off two of them paralysed to eat later on. The other members of the group managed to reach its lair in the ceiling and kill it before it had them for lunch.
The froghemoth is however utterly ridiculous. It is a level +5 more than extreme encounter for level 8 PCs which with improved grab and greater constrict is basically impossible to run away from. I ran the encounter and then handwaved the TPK as a disturbing, haunting vision.
The introduction of Belcorra very early on is also very badly tuned. On the first encounter she dropped 3 of 4 PCs with ridiculously high DC level 6 phantasmal calamity. She then withdrew, as per her tactics, which makes basically no sense. I have since decided to not run any of the other attacks at least until the group reaches near the end of the second part.
andreww wrote: My group has started Book 3, we have just finished the first level. They befriended both the drow and the caligini. The goliath spider was a bit of a nightmare and it dragged off two of them paralysed to eat later on. The other members of the group managed to reach its lair in the ceiling and kill it before it had them for lunch.
The froghemoth is however utterly ridiculous. It is a level +5 more than extreme encounter for level 8 PCs which with improved grab and greater constrict is basically impossible to run away from. I ran the encounter and then handwaved the TPK as a disturbing, haunting vision.
The introduction of Belcorra very early on is also very badly tuned. On the first encounter she dropped 3 of 4 PCs with ridiculously high DC level 6 phantasmal calamity. She then withdrew, as per her tactics, which makes basically no sense. I have since decided to not run any of the other attacks at least until the group reaches near the end of the second part.
The frogehemoth has the weak template, and lots of groups of their friends can foreshadow it, as well as all the busted houses and lake encounter.
Belcorra is not a brilliant tactician, she's a ghost who hangs out in a ghost eating temple to enact a mad plan of hopelessly cruel misdirected revenge. She wants to bully and run off the heroes, and only cares more about them if they get a lens.
It also clearly involves ghost/horror stories into the adventure which gives it thematic variety.
Totally fine of that's not for you, but my group and I will remember the frogehemoth and the ghost attacks much more than any normal encounter years from now.
andreww wrote: My group has started Book 3, we have just finished the first level. They befriended both the drow and the caligini. The goliath spider was a bit of a nightmare and it dragged off two of them paralysed to eat later on. The other members of the group managed to reach its lair in the ceiling and kill it before it had them for lunch.
The froghemoth is however utterly ridiculous. It is a level +5 more than extreme encounter for level 8 PCs which with improved grab and greater constrict is basically impossible to run away from. I ran the encounter and then handwaved the TPK as a disturbing, haunting vision.
The introduction of Belcorra very early on is also very badly tuned. On the first encounter she dropped 3 of 4 PCs with ridiculously high DC level 6 phantasmal calamity. She then withdrew, as per her tactics, which makes basically no sense. I have since decided to not run any of the other attacks at least until the group reaches near the end of the second part.
I'm wondering if my party can handle that even with the weak template. That creature looks nasty.
I might have the ghost watch early on, feel out the party. I'm not sure exactly what Belcorra knows about the PCs.
I had Sacuisha escape in the 2nd module without battling the PCs. She knows the prison level has been abandoned and the way down is open again. She knows it is likely because of the strange group of wanderers she saw moving through the dungeon.
|
2 people marked this as a favorite.
|
vagrant-poet wrote: Belcorra is not a brilliant tactician, she's a ghost who hangs out in a ghost eating temple to enact a mad plan of hopelessly cruel misdirected revenge. She wants to bully and run off the heroes, and only cares more about them if they get a lens.
It also clearly involves ghost/horror stories into the adventure which gives it thematic variety.
I'm quite allergic to the "I'm only toying with you, letting you power up until you're strong enough to defeat me" trope.
So I won't have it.
Belcorra will not voluntarily retreat. If the players do retreat, she will visibly struggle and be unable to pursue them. If they don't, and I think they deserve mercy, I'll have an unknown force yank her away after, say the second round. (I don't have to explain this force any more than the adventure explains why the lighthouse doesn't work)
And, of course, if the players bloodthirstily assault her, I'll mercilessly do my best to TPK them.
After all, she's not exactly strong for a level 12 creature. She's a spellcaster in a game where teeth and swords rule. Apart from the odd high level spell she is eminently defeatable.
I fully know that the first encounter is her only real shot at routing the player characters. Later on, she might just be two or three levels higher. Alone, she won't stand a chance. At that time, it's time to break the instructions and have her attack when the heroes are down, for there to be any uncertainty about the outcome.
|
1 person marked this as a favorite.
|
Deriven Firelion wrote: I'm wondering if my party can handle that even with the weak template. That creature looks nasty. Sure, but "utterly ridiculous" is not what a L+4 fight is.
If your party is weaker than average, you go right ahead and play up the foreshadowing. Maybe the party will avoid it until they're 9th level.
Of general note:
While a L+4 fight can be utterly crushing at low level, 8th level heroes aren't really low level anymore. A L+4 fight at mid level is IMHO totally fine.
There is a noticeable shift in the power balance heroes vs monsters from low to high level in Pathfinder 2 (something the encounter guidelines unfortunately pretends does not exist): At high level (15th and above) the heroes will eat a single L+4 for lunch.
Zapp wrote: Deriven Firelion wrote: I'm wondering if my party can handle that even with the weak template. That creature looks nasty. Sure, but "utterly ridiculous" is not what a L+4 fight is.
If your party is weaker than average, you go right ahead and play up the foreshadowing. Maybe the party will avoid it until they're 9th level.
Of general note:
While a L+4 fight can be utterly crushing at low level, 8th level heroes aren't really low level anymore. A L+4 fight at mid level is IMHO totally fine.
There is a noticeable shift in the power balance heroes vs monsters from low to high level in Pathfinder 2 (something the encounter guidelines unfortunately pretends does not exist): At high level (15th and above) the heroes will eat a single L+4 for lunch.
We will see. Creatures that can grab and constrict can be quite nasty as they take a character out of action while doing damage.
I've found the size of the party can greatly affect the CR+ they can take. Bigger party, easier they can handle extreme CRs. 4 person party like I'm running in this particular campaign, it can be pretty rough. One strong creature can really tear into a 4 person party.
Deriven Firelion wrote: Zapp wrote: Deriven Firelion wrote: I'm wondering if my party can handle that even with the weak template. That creature looks nasty. Sure, but "utterly ridiculous" is not what a L+4 fight is.
If your party is weaker than average, you go right ahead and play up the foreshadowing. Maybe the party will avoid it until they're 9th level.
Of general note:
While a L+4 fight can be utterly crushing at low level, 8th level heroes aren't really low level anymore. A L+4 fight at mid level is IMHO totally fine.
There is a noticeable shift in the power balance heroes vs monsters from low to high level in Pathfinder 2 (something the encounter guidelines unfortunately pretends does not exist): At high level (15th and above) the heroes will eat a single L+4 for lunch.
We will see. Creatures that can grab and constrict can be quite nasty as they take a character out of action while doing damage.
I've found the size of the party can greatly affect the CR+ they can take. Bigger party, easier they can handle extreme CRs. 4 person party like I'm running in this particular campaign, it can be pretty rough. One strong creature can really tear into a 4 person party. My party just went through this encounter. The only reason we lived was a miraculous series of nat 20s. Some of these encounters have been brutal.
The Frogehometh is super dangerous. Even at lvl 9 with a four person group, it was brutal.
It has All Around Vision which makes it unflankable. It's AC even weakened is 30. Uniformly high saves.
It has Aquatic Ambush with DC 38 Perception check to spot it before it can attack you in the environment you face it. It is set up in an ideal spot to do an aquatic ambush by a dock.
It has a 30 foot ranged tongue that can drag a target to it with automatic grab.
Then it's attack sequences is Tentacle Flail with a 15 foot reach with Improved Grab with a +25 to hit attacking up to 4 targets within 15 feet of the creature.
Then it has a 1 action Greater Constrict, which allows it to Constrict everyone it hits and grabs with its tentacles which is a free action with Improved Grab.
This is a brutal attack sequence. An average level 8 character has an AC of 27 to 29 with shield and a lvl 9 character has an AC of 28 to 30 with shield.
This monster hits on a 2 to 4 for lvl 8 and 3 to 5 against lvl 9 characters. Then crits on a roll of 10 above, which means it will crit generally crit once a round unless everyone is spread out and ranged.
This is an extremely brutal encounter. Be wary as a DM if your party is the standard four person party, maybe even 5. This monster can destroy melee martials easily.
Deriven Firelion wrote: The Frogehometh is super dangerous. Even at lvl 9 with a four person group, it was brutal. The idea is that super brutal encounters are actually fine if they're only foreshadowed, so more timid groups can avoid them until later, and more clever groups can try to bypass them using something else than the usual deathmatch.
Again, the point is that lots of groups actually **like** how not every encounter is "reasonable".
What I'm saying is, if you and your players want and need a game where the party can expect everything to be eminently defeatable, *you* need to make that happen - it won't be written like that by default.
In other words, there is nothing necessarily wrong with encounters just because you and your players find them unreasonably hard.
You just need to learn your party's capabilities and inclinations. And once you do, it's decision time. Either choose to make sure they never bite off more than they can chew, or teach them sometimes you can and should avoid/run away/trick/talk yourself out of.
Cheers and good luck with your game!
Zapp wrote: Deriven Firelion wrote: The Frogehometh is super dangerous. Even at lvl 9 with a four person group, it was brutal. The idea is that super brutal encounters are actually fine if they're only foreshadowed, so more timid groups can avoid them until later, and more clever groups can try to bypass them using something else than the usual deathmatch.
Again, the point is that lots of groups actually **like** how not every encounter is "reasonable".
What I'm saying is, if you and your players want and need a game where the party can expect everything to be eminently defeatable, *you* need to make that happen - it won't be written like that by default.
In other words, there is nothing necessarily wrong with encounters just because you and your players find them unreasonably hard.
You just need to learn your party's capabilities and inclinations. And once you do, it's decision time. Either choose to make sure they never bite off more than they can chew, or teach them sometimes you can and should avoid/run away/trick/talk yourself out of.
Cheers and good luck with your game! My party killed it. Having a party fighter, rogue, and monk champion MC with two reaction abilities that went off was quite helpful as was combat healing.
I'm warning other DMs so they know the specific mechanics that they are going to be dealing with and how they work. It's quite the brutal encounter and extremely difficult to avoid or run away from given the high perception roll required to see it.
Some folks were posting it was easy to run, but for a creature with the ability to grab so easily and from such a distance it will not be easy to run. I could see quite a few parties having to sacrifice a party member to get away.
One last thing I forgot with the Frogehometh. If a player misses the DC 31 Greater Constrict save, they are knocked unconscious. Fortunately, if you get lucky and make the initial save, you are immune for the duration of the combat. Thankfully my party was extremely lucky with this save.
Love to hear more stories of how this combat went for other groups.
Deriven Firelion wrote: Frogehometh Psst.. It's froghemoth
Deriven Firelion wrote: If a player misses the DC 31 Greater Constrict save, they are knocked unconscious. At least for characters, it's easy to wake them up again - just apply healing - which they likely will appreciate anyway! (Having dropped your weapon can still be inconvenient, however)
Zapp wrote: Deriven Firelion wrote: Frogehometh Psst.. It's froghemoth
Deriven Firelion wrote: If a player misses the DC 31 Greater Constrict save, they are knocked unconscious. At least for characters, it's easy to wake them up again - just apply healing - which they likely will appreciate anyway! (Having dropped your weapon can still be inconvenient, however) They'll likely wake up from the next application of damage. It has +25 to hit. It isn't missing much.
|
1 person marked this as a favorite.
|
I'm going through this book to prep some foreshadowing about how Gauntlight works, and I wondered about its power source being centered on the 4th level - after Lasda is removed from Lasda's Lament, Volluk is defeated and the Forever Stairs are opened, what's to stop any of Belcorra's minions "re-powering" the lighthouse from another similar Gauntlight location within one of the various chambers where the blue light runs from floor to ceiling within the lighthouse structure? I'm struggling to suspend my disbelief that there would be no attempt to re-activate Gauntlight on the enemy side between the time the adventurers make their way into the training grounds and the time they arrive at the final level. Would love a second opinion on the various ways that Gauntlight is powered, and why Belcorra would turn her attention elsewhere after the finale of Ruins of Gauntlight.
zonum wrote: I'm going through this book to prep some foreshadowing about how Gauntlight works, and I wondered about its power source being centered on the 4th level - after Lasda is removed from Lasda's Lament, Volluk is defeated and the Forever Stairs are opened, what's to stop any of Belcorra's minions "re-powering" the lighthouse from another similar Gauntlight location within one of the various chambers where the blue light runs from floor to ceiling within the lighthouse structure? I'm struggling to suspend my disbelief that there would be no attempt to re-activate Gauntlight on the enemy side between the time the adventurers make their way into the training grounds and the time they arrive at the final level. Would love a second opinion on the various ways that Gauntlight is powered, and why Belcorra would turn her attention elsewhere after the finale of Ruins of Gauntlight. I think you should reactivate it and start attacking again. The only plot reasons Belcorra might not do it again is she is waiting until she can attack Absalom. If she invites too much attention, some adventurers might show up to thwart her again.
|
2 people marked this as a favorite.
|
Deriven Firelion wrote: zonum wrote: I'm going through this book to prep some foreshadowing about how Gauntlight works, and I wondered about its power source being centered on the 4th level - after Lasda is removed from Lasda's Lament, Volluk is defeated and the Forever Stairs are opened, what's to stop any of Belcorra's minions "re-powering" the lighthouse from another similar Gauntlight location within one of the various chambers where the blue light runs from floor to ceiling within the lighthouse structure? I'm struggling to suspend my disbelief that there would be no attempt to re-activate Gauntlight on the enemy side between the time the adventurers make their way into the training grounds and the time they arrive at the final level. Would love a second opinion on the various ways that Gauntlight is powered, and why Belcorra would turn her attention elsewhere after the finale of Ruins of Gauntlight. I think you should reactivate it and start attacking again. The only plot reasons Belcorra might not do it again is she is waiting until she can attack Absalom. If she invites too much attention, some adventurers might show up to thwart her again. This is my thinking. The test firing at the start of chapter 2 is successful, in that it both animates the dead and successfully sends in an aberration. Once the PCs get into the lower levels, Belcorra can't help but face them, as she did the Roseguard: "Again with meddling adventurers?!? HOW DARE THEY!?!?!"
I like the Gauntlight attacks That was fun. Some mysterious lighthouse beaming monsters and raising the undead is a cool idea.
zonum wrote: I'm going through this book to prep some foreshadowing about how Gauntlight works, and I wondered about its power source being centered on the 4th level - after Lasda is removed from Lasda's Lament, Volluk is defeated and the Forever Stairs are opened, what's to stop any of Belcorra's minions "re-powering" the lighthouse from another similar Gauntlight location within one of the various chambers where the blue light runs from floor to ceiling within the lighthouse structure? I'm struggling to suspend my disbelief that there would be no attempt to re-activate Gauntlight on the enemy side between the time the adventurers make their way into the training grounds and the time they arrive at the final level. Would love a second opinion on the various ways that Gauntlight is powered, and why Belcorra would turn her attention elsewhere after the finale of Ruins of Gauntlight. I had the Seugathi have four freshly fleshwarped Dreshkan bring up a Shanrigol Heap, in order to beam a new monster to attack Otari. That worked... kind of.
(This was during level 6ish)
But it drove home the point that, given time, the lower depths of the Vaults would rebuild all the damage done by the heroes to the upper reaches, negating their progress (if they just sit on their hands for weeks if not months). And also that many creatures are still influenced by the newly-rewakened Belcorra.
|
3 people marked this as a favorite.
|
So one of my players is trying to make a deal with Nhimbaloth.
He's been using the Whispering Reeds *a lot* and after another party member bit the dust, he decided he couldn't take any more chances, aside from this one on Nhimbaloth of course. He set up this really cool ritual and honestly I think deserves to at least draw her attention a little bit (he also rolled a really great Will save after he did all this). Was trying to think of a good way to do this, I want some good stuff up front before his soul probably gets consumed by her, of course.
Was thinking maybe a bonus of some kind with the Lenses, a bonus to hit the attack with them most likely. Then afterwards while she's dragging Belcorra's ghost down, she might snag on to him as well? Honestly I'm ok with him dying there, the player probably would be too, the PC has had it coming for awhile and the player knows this.
What do you guys think? He's been really into the Whispering Reeds and I wanna reward his great RP in some way, but also have it bite him in the ass later down the line.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
How would a group befriend the caligni when they have to take the lens from the cult prophet in the Gug?
BobTheCoward wrote: How would a group befriend the caligni when they have to take the lens from the cult prophet in the Gug? This is a great little scenario because the players don't really know much about the lenses yet when they meet the caligni the first time. 'So I know we helped you get access to your prophet again, but we're going to need that lens...'
The caligni of course won't have it, although if the players can show that they have the ability to destroy belcorra and guarantee safety for the caligni (like they collected the other 2 lenses first) they may be able to convince the caligni.
Or maybe the cult will move out with the other caligni group when the players escort that group.
Ekaj wrote: So one of my players is trying to make a deal with Nhimbaloth. I've been playing Nimbaloth as this uncaring diety. She doesn't grant you power. You 'leech' it off her and hope she doesn't notice.
What he gets as a reward should be alligned with what he wants to get out of it I suppose? If it's power then the lenses are indeed a good way to go. Or you use them for inspiration for an ability.
Like gain the benefits of the Crimson lens (bonus to melee ) but on a critical miss maybe something bad happens? or it forces a roll similar to reading from the Whispering Reeds.
|
1 person marked this as a favorite.
|
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Is it just me or is the amount of XP provided on the Farm level totally insane? Even excluding the XP from the Froghemoth encounter, the potential random encounters, and everything with the drow, I added up 1,700 XP that players can get from handling everything in Chapter 1. Are players not expected to see all of those encounters?
|
