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| Zobeck / halls of the mountain king pathfinder game |
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| terraleon |
 Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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Location: upstate NY
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The Clockwork Gate opened and closed to allow explorers/miners/risk-taking-crazy-folks into the mountain to brave the dangers and try finding more cursed ...er, more gold. 
The Great Stair is beyond the gate. It leads deeper into the mountain. The Gate wasn't *sealed* before it was shattered-- it opened and closed as necessary to allow people to take their chances inside.
The mammonites concealed themselves as part of the Journeyman's party, or as prospectors, or as explorers and went into the deeper parts of the mountain... now how they knew to go sabotage the Hearthforges, well, that's a whole other story I didn't address.
-Ben.
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| nmilasich |
| Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, Ben!
I appreciate the clarification. Very interesting adventures last saturday night. Hopefully I will have time/energy to write them up this week.
Nick |
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| nmilasich |
| Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 7:56 am Post subject: |
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Getting ready to run Roots of Madness starting tonight.
Definitely need to recalculate stats for my party. Looking to add 2 CRs to the critters so as to challenge my group. Planning on changing stats to pathfinder, adding new feats, and upgrading the forsaken. |
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| nmilasich |
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:05 am Post subject: |
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I'm afraid that my work schedule isn't going to allow me time to do detailed write ups, but I'll catch everyone up.
The party crashes the Manticore and uses mass feather fall to avoid too much damage. They go toe to toe with a pumped-up frost giant and take him down. Starving refugees swarm over the food, eating and squabbling, but eventually carry the boxes inside.
Within the golden citadel, a great crowd of starving miners has gathered, and is being held back by a line of heavily armed warriors. Another group of warriors stands of the food, guarding it from all comers.
Halston takes Clovis aside to negotiate with him and charms the dwarf. Pylas warns Clovis not to do business with him. "He's fat, Clovis. No one here should be fat."
Clovis returns cheerfully explaining that Halston is a good man and that he's sold all the goods to him. The group is immediately suspicious and casts dispel magic on Clovis, who suddenly realizes what has happened, and turns on Halston. Halston explains that there will be a riot unless the food is protected, and if the food is not sold to him he cannot protect it. Halston takes his troops and leaves. Pylas still mutters, "Kill fatty. We should kill fatty."
The crowd of refugees grows restive, and fights begin. A few cobblestones are thrown. Tialanna drops a wall of ice around the food as Klob and Eronk use their BIG voices to explain that each refugee will receive a pound of iron rations. Tialanna burns a small hole through the wall and passes two flasks of ink to the boys on the other side. As each refugee steps up, they are inked on the hand and give rations. There are fights in line, but after Eronk sends a bully flying and uses his intimidation skills, things calm down.
The wall of ice is recast several times, and the food is distributed. This is out of the party's share, and the rest is removed to one of the two guard rooms. Tialanna casts arcane lock on the door, and the group goes to sleep. Late that night, someone tries the door but fails to open it. The next day, Clovis sets up tables and prepares to sell food at standard prices. The profit will still be large. Before the doors open, Tialanna pulls out her deck of illusions. She casts down the first card: a goblin. Not very good, so she casts down the second. A perfect image of the giant outside rises up to the cieling, grunting and roaring.
As the doors open, a group of toughs rush the desk, carrying lead pipes and axes. Upon seeing the giant, the leader cries out "Mim's balls! Run for it!" and they disappear. The refugees flee in terror. Tialanna steps out and speaks.
"I summoned this Giant and it serves me. It is here to make sure that there's no funny business when food is being sold. It WILL eat you if you try anything. Food is for sale, make an orderly line."
The party explores the upper hold, make a cursory effort to enter the admantine door, have fun with Rabscuttle and verbally fence with both Halston and the dwarf captain Varden Redfell.
The night after, Vianna disappears, and the party chases her. There, in the darkness, the battle derro warriors who have brought up a 8 headed pyrohydra. The battle reaches a climax as Klob downs the creature, after cutting off 4 heads, leading to a 10 headed pyrohydra that was about to breath on the party.
That was the campaign from one week ago. I'll do yesteday's soon. It was a short game, my wife was feeling unwell. The group really enjoys the mystery, and the starving masses are both chilling to them, and an interesting problem to deal with. |
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| nmilasich |
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:32 am Post subject: |
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he group very voluntarily headed down to explore the hearthforges.
(These guys are total white hats. I mean, one of them is a saint, for goodness sakes)
The reach the hearthforges after exploring several side areas and discovering signs to great violence. Upon reaching the door the the hearthforges, they haste and charge the greater Xorn. I upgraded the Xorn, and it very nearly killed a party member. It struck with 3 +24 attacks, doing 1d6 +10 each. I think I perhaps overpowered it a bit too much, but with teamwork and healing assistance from the thief (want of cure moderate wounds), they were able to take down the Xorn and finish off the dwarfs with a few well-placed fireballs. The choking up of gold freaked out the players, and the definitely are feeling the local gold here is bad news.
The group immediately followed Abelard's voice to the forge area, while attempting to prepare him for the fact that Eronk is a half-orc. They use a series of disable device and strength checks (enhanced with bull strength) to work the gears to open the doors. (I had a lot of fun with that. Okay, you've prepped the mainspring, now you have to wind it. . . ).
Abelard is released. He immediately takes the group to the temple of Mim, to prepare it for the ritual. Abelard also insists upon stopping to quickly pray over and prepare the bodies of the dead dwarves as they move through the compound.
The party kicks down the door to the temple, and Pylas is immediately struck blind. The quarrels of the forsaken go wide, and the enlarged Eronk and Klob rush into the temple, laying waste to their foes. Klob is paralyzed by the evil cleric as the other derro fight a desperate delaying action. In the end, it is all for nought, exploding bodies notwithstanding. The derro are slain. The evil creatures were decorating for Mimstag, apparently, with bunting made from intestine, and instead of cheerfully holly sprigs, florettes of severed dwarf fingers are hung from the pillars.
At this point, they say prayers over the altar and the dead shrine-keeper, and head for the rest of the level. At the entrance to this part of the level, Abelard suggests the party rest. This was when we broke the adventure.
All in all, we quite enjoyed this adventure. I had to up the monsters some, as this is a 10th level party with a lot of magic. It is a very atmospheric adventure with a mix of combat and exploration. Questions for the upcoming part of the adventure:
When Abelard suggests resting before the final two adventures, does he mean an eight hour spell-recharge?
What effect will strong direct-damage spells have on the engine room? Should I hamstring my mage like that when the opposition is so tough (I gave the 3 characters a one level upgrade)?
Any tips for the final two battles?
I hope to go back and do a more detailed write up, but I'm working a lot and my wife is working and going to school.
Nick |
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| nmilasich |
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:33 am Post subject: |
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Joined: 26 Apr 2009
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he group very voluntarily headed down to explore the hearthforges.
(These guys are total white hats. I mean, one of them is a saint, for goodness sakes)
The reach the hearthforges after exploring several side areas and discovering signs to great violence. Upon reaching the door the the hearthforges, they haste and charge the greater Xorn. I upgraded the Xorn, and it very nearly killed a party member. It struck with 3 +24 attacks, doing 1d6 +10 each. I think I perhaps overpowered it a bit too much, but with teamwork and healing assistance from the thief (want of cure moderate wounds), they were able to take down the Xorn and finish off the dwarfs with a few well-placed fireballs. The choking up of gold freaked out the players, and the definitely are feeling the local gold here is bad news.
The group immediately followed Abelard's voice to the forge area, while attempting to prepare him for the fact that Eronk is a half-orc. They use a series of disable device and strength checks (enhanced with bull strength) to work the gears to open the doors. (I had a lot of fun with that. Okay, you've prepped the mainspring, now you have to wind it. . . ).
Abelard is released. He immediately takes the group to the temple of Mim, to prepare it for the ritual. Abelard also insists upon stopping to quickly pray over and prepare the bodies of the dead dwarves as they move through the compound.
The party kicks down the door to the temple, and Pylas is immediately struck blind. The quarrels of the forsaken go wide, and the enlarged Eronk and Klob rush into the temple, laying waste to their foes. Klob is paralyzed by the evil cleric as the other derro fight a desperate delaying action. In the end, it is all for nought, exploding bodies notwithstanding. The derro are slain. The evil creatures were decorating for Mimstag, apparently, with bunting made from intestine, and instead of cheerfully holly sprigs, florettes of severed dwarf fingers are hung from the pillars.
At this point, they say prayers over the altar and the dead shrine-keeper, and head for the rest of the level. At the entrance to this part of the level, Abelard suggests the party rest. This was when we broke the adventure.
All in all, we quite enjoyed this adventure. I had to up the monsters some, as this is a 10th level party with a lot of magic. It is a very atmospheric adventure with a mix of combat and exploration. Questions for the upcoming part of the adventure:
When Abelard suggests resting before the final two adventures, does he mean an eight hour spell-recharge?
What effect will strong direct-damage spells have on the engine room? Should I hamstring my mage like that when the opposition is so tough (I gave the 3 characters a one level upgrade)?
Any tips for the final two battles?
I hope to go back and do a more detailed write up, but I'm working a lot and my wife is working and going to school.
Nick |
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| nmilasich |
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:35 am Post subject: |
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Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Posts: 84
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he group very voluntarily headed down to explore the hearthforges.
(These guys are total white hats. I mean, one of them is a saint, for goodness sakes)
The reach the hearthforges after exploring several side areas and discovering signs to great violence. Upon reaching the door the the hearthforges, they haste and charge the greater Xorn. I upgraded the Xorn, and it very nearly killed a party member. It struck with 3 +24 attacks, doing 1d6 +10 each. I think I perhaps overpowered it a bit too much, but with teamwork and healing assistance from the thief (want of cure moderate wounds), they were able to take down the Xorn and finish off the dwarfs with a few well-placed fireballs. The choking up of gold freaked out the players, and the definitely are feeling the local gold here is bad news.
The group immediately followed Abelard's voice to the forge area, while attempting to prepare him for the fact that Eronk is a half-orc. They use a series of disable device and strength checks (enhanced with bull strength) to work the gears to open the doors. (I had a lot of fun with that. Okay, you've prepped the mainspring, now you have to wind it. . . ).
Abelard is released. He immediately takes the group to the temple of Mim, to prepare it for the ritual. Abelard also insists upon stopping to quickly pray over and prepare the bodies of the dead dwarves as they move through the compound.
The party kicks down the door to the temple, and Pylas is immediately struck blind. The quarrels of the forsaken go wide, and the enlarged Eronk and Klob rush into the temple, laying waste to their foes. Klob is paralyzed by the evil cleric as the other derro fight a desperate delaying action. In the end, it is all for nought, exploding bodies notwithstanding. The derro are slain. The evil creatures were decorating for Mimstag, apparently, with bunting made from intestine, and instead of cheerfully holly sprigs, florettes of severed dwarf fingers are hung from the pillars.
At this point, they say prayers over the altar and the dead shrine-keeper, and head for the rest of the level. At the entrance to this part of the level, Abelard suggests the party rest. This was when we broke the adventure.
All in all, we quite enjoyed this adventure. I had to up the monsters some, as this is a 10th level party with a lot of magic. It is a very atmospheric adventure with a mix of combat and exploration. Questions for the upcoming part of the adventure:
When Abelard suggests resting before the final two adventures, does he mean an eight hour spell-recharge?
What effect will strong direct-damage spells have on the engine room? Should I hamstring my mage like that when the opposition is so tough (I gave the 3 characters a one level upgrade)?
Any tips for the final two battles?
I hope to go back and do a more detailed write up, but I'm working a lot and my wife is working and going to school.
Nick |
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| nmilasich |
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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The next question I have about the adventure is this:
How much does Abelard know about the history of the Citadel, the Eye of Gejava and the tear of Grejava, and the brotherhood? My players are already asking, and I've had him say things like "It is a long and sad history. I am not to speak of it." etc.
Players are VERY curious about the brotherhood, but do not yet know that they are running the show for the dwarves.
Any input from either the authors of other GMs who have played this out is much appreciated!
Thanks
Nick |
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| terraleon |
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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Location: upstate NY
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I'd have Abelard know the full story of the fall, but refuse to discuss it with uninitiated non-dwarves. He's a sworn member of the clergy and a defender of the Mountain. The adventurers may have helped out, and that's appreciated, but it doesn't buy all the dirty secrets.
Besides, those secrets are going to be revealed later on, as the adventure progresses.
-Ben.
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| Therabyd |
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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I'd keep the info on the Eye and Teardrop of Grajava even more sketchy. All the current members of the Brotherhood remember is that the Teardrop is some sort of weapon hidden in something called the Eye, and I can't imagine Abelard - even if he remembered more than that - would reveal it to someone he's barely met.
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Contributor to Halls, Red Eye, Tales of the Old Margreve, and Lost City
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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Hi,
One thing you can do is to make sure you are giving out all the clues mentioned at the start of the Eye of Grajava chapter - these can be written on the walls of the Great Stair or found in various parts of the Halls. Watch out as the table in this chapter doesn't always match the text for the places the clues are meant to be find. It's also worth playing up Rabscuttle's penchant for strange utterances.
My players had a lot of clues but weren't sure what to do with them until they met the Illuminated Brotherhood at the start of chapter 3.
Cheers
Richard |
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| nmilasich |
| Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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thanks for the tips, guys.
Yeah, making sure to get some screen time for the eye of Grejava in the next adventure, perhaps a mural or some graffiti. It's going to be interesting. . .
Nick |
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| terraleon |
| Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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| nmilasich wrote: |
When Abelard suggests resting before the final two adventures, does he mean an eight hour spell-recharge?
What effect will strong direct-damage spells have on the engine room? Should I hamstring my mage like that when the opposition is so tough (I gave the 3 characters a one level upgrade)?
Any tips for the final two battles? |
I think it depends on the kinds of magic used. Things like fireball or lightning bolt might not do too much, but say, force lance? Yeah, that's going to leave a mark, and extend the amount of time Abelard needs to repair the damage-- possibly causing more unfortunate exposure deaths in the upper galleries.
And personally, I don't consider it "hamstringing" per se. You're forcing him to work creatively with a new environment, using his spells differently to maintain a primary objective. They can smash things in the face anytime, and they'll almost always win. This is about keeping the Ventshafts functional so that the Hearthforges can reheat the upper gallery. Killing the saboteurs is secondary, but nice since it prevents a second attempt at sabotage. They need to focus on what their real goal is, and consider their tactics with regards to it.
I blame my time in Living Greyhawk for that kind of encounter. "Yes, yes, you smash their faces in. I expected that. I counted on it. Unfortunately, you paid no attention to the pipe they opened when the fight started, and now the slave pits are flooded. Well done, heroes. Well done."
-Ben.
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| Amy Carrier |
| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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| terraleon wrote: |
I blame my time in Living Greyhawk for that kind of encounter. "Yes, yes, you smash their faces in. I expected that. I counted on it. Unfortunately, you paid no attention to the pipe they opened when the fight started, and now the slave pits are flooded. Well done, heroes. Well done."
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I've only done something like that to my players a very few times over the years, but it has had a wonderfully lasting effect. Nowadays when I mention that the bad guys are doing something that seems unrelated to the immediate combat, my players immediately scramble to stop/prevent/undo/reverse whatever the bad guys are doing. |
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| terraleon |
| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Amy Carrier wrote: |
I've only done something like that to my players a very few times over the years, but it has had a wonderfully lasting effect. Nowadays when I mention that the bad guys are doing something that seems unrelated to the immediate combat, my players immediately scramble to stop/prevent/undo/reverse whatever the bad guys are doing. |
It's even better when you can do it in a way that makes it seem like the attack was intended to hit the characters and the secondary effect is just collateral damage.
"You dodge out of the way of the lightning bolt which strikes the tank and destroys the pumping mechanism... Half damage, half damage, half damage, rogue evades, and he's done. Ragnar, your initiative."
"I'll charge and power attack. Why are you chuckling?"
"Uhhh, because you're going to paste him. Yes, yes. Now roll!"
-Ben.
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