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| Halls of the Mountain King - session write-ups & queries |
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| richgreen01 |
 Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:27 pm Post subject: The Ritual |
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Hi,
We played this Monday, running through the ghast encounter in the Vent Shaft bailey and a very exciting battle in the Ventshafts themselves as the Mammon cultists performed their ritual on Vianna/Bragollach. I was using increased damage as per the latest rules update in both encounters which made the second one particularly challenging - three PCs went unconscious at different points and everyone got bloodied at least once. Despite naming the Journeyman, the players insisted on calling him that, and got very annoyed by his ability to make multiple attacks with his whip and scepter. Orodak the tiefling wizard replaced Sebastian in my campaign to fit in with one of the PCs' backgrounds.
16th Quintilis (contd.)
The PCs, with Abelard the Fire Shepherd in tow, approach the metal doors leading to the Ventshafts. Here, the brave but cautious Ella listens at the door and catches a whiff of a ghastly (!) stench. The party can also hear talking on the other side but are unable to understand the language. They open the door to find themselves facing ghast centurions of the Ghoul Imperium and their gutripper lich hounds - the undead are standing on the other side of barricade. Saethus, quick as a flash, casts wall of fire which catches most of the ghasts and two of the hounds. However, the foul canines soon escape by teleporting behind the party and attacking the rear ranks, as two of the ghasts move forward to attack the front PCs. Bolval is paralysed by a claw attack, then bitten by one of the ghasts - this “Imperial conscription” means he will rise as a ghast on his death! Krivinn moves forward to defend the party but his thunder smite triggers the unstable ceiling, bringing tons of rubble down on the others, trapping Ella and Abelard. With all visible foes dead, Saethus lets the wall of fire drop and the paladin teleports into the fray, attacking the three surviving ghasts, two of whom have been blasted by Sharden’s written in fire. It doesn’t take long for the PCs to win the day but Krivinn also ends up “conscripted”. Both he and Bolval need to have the Remove Affliction ritual cast on them.
The party dig out the agitated Abelard and make their way down the corridor leading from the chamber. When they arrive at a round room with three different exits, the azer sends the PCs off in one direction to put an end to the saboteurs’ activities while he goes off to try and round up the fire elementals. The Fire Shepherd says he will meet the heroes back in this room once he’s completed his task.
The PCs head to the Ventshafts - as they approach the doors leading into the room, they can hear the sounds of machinery at work but when they get nearer, they can also hear chanting - some kind of ritual is in progress. The room is filled with enemies! The owner of the Manticore, Vianna, is being held by a darakhul ghoul and a tiefling wizard (the mysterious Orodak Khuma has been following!). A spined devil stands behind them and an older dwarf wearing the robes of a gearworker and a kobold are close by. Other goldveined dwarves stand around the room, looking on, as Carod the Journeyman approaches Vianna, bringing a steaming crucible held in tongs.
The older dwarf calls out “Bring the blessing. The ceremony will be completed!” The spined devil pulls back Vianna’s head and pries open her mouth as the Journeyman dumps molten gold down her throat. As he does this, Vianna changes into a gold dragon and bellows defiantly, blasting the older dwarf and the kobold with molten gold from her mouth, killing them both. Then, she completes her transformation, claws a hole in one of the air shafts and leaps inside.
At this point, the PCs charge forward with Brave Ella in the lead. This doesn’t work out too well for the ranger as she is subjected to attacks from the whip-wielding Journeyman, a crazed dwarf hammerer bearing the symbol of Ninkash on his shield and the ghoul, as well as crossbow fire from the goldveined dwarves, ending up dazed and poisoned. She soon goes unconscious, forcing Bolval to heal her. Meanwhile, the rest of the party are all bunched up together in the corridor, allowing Orodak to target the PC spellcasters with gifts of Mammon and knives of the mountain. The tiefling takes Sharden down as the other enemies attack the front ranks. Bolval brings the invoker round and Sharden casts avenging flame on the Journeyman. Ella manages to get out of the corridor with evasive strike and shoots the annoying dwarf twice - her arrows and Sharden’s ongoing fire damage are enough to finish him off. Saethus’ casts Bigby’s icy hand to attack the ghoul but Orodak’s knives of the mountain knocks him unconscious so the Hand disappears. By this time, Bolval has run out of healing magic and has to help the eladrin by triggering his second wind. Krivinn kills the hammerer leaving Orodak as last tiefling standing. The PCs gang up on him - Bolval delivers the final blow which knocks him unconscious.
Cheers
Richard |
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| Dan Voyce |
| Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:52 am Post subject: Re: The Ritual |
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Still McLovin' the writups!
| richgreen01 wrote: |
| three PCs went unconscious at different points and everyone got bloodied at least once. |
So 'perfect' from a DM's point of view, right? 
| richgreen01 wrote: |
| Despite naming the Journeyman, the players insisted on calling him that... |
Could be worse. During the design and playtesting, I continually got 'gearworker' and 'gearforged' mixed up. My players turned it into a running gag, until I had NPCs shouting "I AM A DWARF!" all the time. 
| richgreen01 wrote: |
| ...this “Imperial conscription” means he will rise as a ghast on his death! |
I love it for this very reason: A long-term effect (in a system that doesn't really do them; that always annoys me) to worry the character without mechanically impairing them for the rest of the adventure... and of course a ready made villain if they 'buy the farm.'
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Dan! This last session was the best one so far - plenty of challenge and excitement with the players genuinely in fear for their characters' lives.
We're not playing until September now but we're having great fun with Halls so far. I have a subplot to insert soon involving the party's nemesis, Heinsoo - I'll probably use some of the Iron Gazetteer stuff for this.
Cheers
Richard |
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| Demicorn |
| Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:07 am Post subject: |
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First my congrats to all who contributed to this work. I purchased last night and what a great adventure. This adventure along with the writing on Courts gives me hope for fourth edition. Many of the 4e adventures are so combat heavy. You guys did a great job of interweaving backstory with intrigue thus creating multiple opps for role-play.
That being said...
Mod is written for four 8th level. I run a game at FLGS and can expect anywhere from 8-12 players each week. Would you still stay at 8th and bump the numbers of monsters or start the Pc's lower say 6?
thoughts?
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:45 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Demicorn"]
Mod is written for four 8th level. I run a game at FLGS and can expect anywhere from 8-12 players each week. Would you still stay at 8th and bump the numbers of monsters or start the Pc's lower say 6? [quote]
Wow! I don't think I could run for that many players!
Each encounter has a 6 PC version so I would stay at 8th, add a few extra monsters to the 6 PC encounter and increase monster damage as I've been doing. You can always tweak as you go along. If you lower the PCs' levels, they may have trouble hitting which will just lead to grindy encounters.
Cheers
Richard |
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:23 am Post subject: Question for Ben |
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Hi,
Going to be running on Monday - woohoo! - and I have a question. On p.63, the text says Abelard casts all of his protective and enhancing spells on the PCs. Is this a hangover from the 3e version as I think all he has is Mock the Forge's Flame which gives Resist 10 Fire as an encounter power?
Cheers
Richard |
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| terraleon |
| Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 8:33 am Post subject: |
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I'm away from my text, but yes, unless Abelard has any rituals that would work (and I can't recall if he does), he would grant the resist 10 to one of the party.
-Ben.
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 9:59 am Post subject: |
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| terraleon wrote: |
I'm away from my text, but yes, unless Abelard has any rituals that would work (and I can't recall if he does), he would grant the resist 10 to one of the party.
-Ben. |
Cheers. I can't find mention of any rituals so I'll just go with that. They don't need much help anyway!
Cheers
Richard |
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:21 pm Post subject: The Elemental Rebellion |
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Hi,
Here's what happened in last night's game. We'll probably finish Roots of Madness next session.
16th Quintilis (contd.)
The battle with the cultists of Mammon over, the PCs turn their attentions to their captive, the tiefling spellcaster, Orodak, who Khuma has been trying to track down for some time. The shifter brings him round and starts questioning him aggressively, learning that the tiefling had tried to get Khuma’s tribe off their land to gain control of valuable silver deposits for the Cult of Mammon. He hasn’t heard of Khuma’s missing totem - it seems as if the men Orodak hired via the fixer Jinam must have stolen it. The tiefling also says that the cult in Mount Rygar is trying to gather as much gold as possible but that’s it for information and Sharden walking past in the apron and regalia of the Illuminated Brotherhood fails to have any noticeable impact.
Meanwhile, Abelard has returned, explaining that a corrupted magma elemental named Gefangak has led the other elementals astray. He needs the PCs to help him deal with this ringleader but first he asks Saethus to help him fix the gaping hole Vianna the dragon made in the vent shafts.
The Fire Shepherd leads the PCs down the corridors to the fire-damaged Lower Market where a large elemental of earth and fire stands atop a pile of burning rubble in the centre of the room. Three groups of fire elementals are gathered around the chamber. Krivinn steps forward to negotiate with Gefangak and gets off to a good start with Bolval’s help. Unfortunately, Sharden’s attempt at helping by taking off his Brotherhood apron and denouncing the “cult of mmmmmm...” [mumbles] doesn’t work and the elemental demands that Abelard’s champions face him in combat.
Battle is joined but Krivinn and Bolval find it hard to get into melee with Gefangak as his crushing hammerblows send them spinning into the watching fire elementals, and his devastating bellow’s wrath sets them and the other PCs on fire. Ella wisely hangs back by the entrance, firing arrows at the elemental, as Khuma, Saethus and Khuma attack with their magic.
The party’s attacks whittle down Gefangak’s strength and after a while the elemental is bloodied. Ella and Krivinn try again to reason with him but they don’t get anywhere. In fact, their words seem to anger Gefangak, causing small spark-like minions to appear! The party’s fighters still can’t get toe to toe with him so Bolval uses his turn elemental power, shoving the creature towards Sharden and Ella who have been trying to keep out of harm’s way. Then, Khuma’s bear spirit gets in for an attack and does 23 hp damage (!) allowing Bolval to finish Gefangak off with lance of faith.
The PCs take a short rest, then Abelard leads the elementals back towards the Hearthforges. When they get back into the main corridor past the ghoul barricade, the azer says he can hear voices from the Shrine to Korak. Brave Ella scouts ahead, listening intently. There are indeed voices coming from the doorway to the west - the insane ramblings of a female derro and the chanting of her male compatriots. Wounded and almost out of surges, the PCs form a huddle to discuss tactics.....
Cheers
Richard |
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| Dan Voyce |
| Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:20 am Post subject: |
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Hurray, the writeups are back!
Sounds like Gefangak was a fitting climax to the Hearthforges...
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:44 am Post subject: |
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| Dan Voyce wrote: |
Hurray, the writeups are back!
Sounds like Gefangak was a fitting climax to the Hearthforges...
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yeah, for various reasons there was a big gap between sessions but we're now on a regular fortnightly schedule.
Gefangak was cool - his ability to shove the PCs away and into the fires was very amusing!
Cheers
Richard |
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 6:44 am Post subject: Questions on The Eye of Grajava |
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Hi,
I'm rereading Eye as that's up next and have a few queries:
1. When the PCs first enter the Forge of the Fire Blessing, what door do they go through? Presumably the one from the Great Stair on the upper ledge?
2. On p.74 it says the adventure assumes Bradobaraxas has survived until this point. Where did he appear beforehand to get killed?
3. The PCs need a gear key from Rabscuttle to open the puzzle doors so I'm going to have him give that to them when they take him apart to read the inscriptions inside him! Make sense?
4. On p.77, it mentions magma pools but there is nothing obvious (i.e. red) on the map. Are the pools the 3 oblong areas in the centre of the Test of Valor map? I think the magma mephits' ability to heal themselves in these pits is going to wind the players up 
5. The Test of Valor map shows two magma mephits, two fire mephits and a fire elemental, rather than the flame of Volund, 3 magma mephits and 4 sparks of Volund. This looks like an error when doing the 4e version so I'm going to have the magma mephits fly into the vents and move behind the PCs to attack.
That's it for now. Any comments appreciated!
Cheers
Richard |
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| Therabyd |
| Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 7:11 pm Post subject: Re: Questions on The Eye of Grajava |
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Hey, Rich. Hope I can help.
| richgreen01 wrote: |
Hi,
I'm rereading Eye as that's up next and have a few queries:
1. When the PCs first enter the Forge of the Fire Blessing, what door do they go through? Presumably the one from the Great Stair on the upper ledge? |
Yep - they enter at the unblocked one closer to the stairs leading to the lower level.
| richgreen01 wrote: |
| 2. On p.74 it says the adventure assumes Bradobaraxas has survived until this point. Where did he appear beforehand to get killed? |
p.37 in an adventure hook for Area 29. Brandon didn't think it was worth considering the - admittedly remote - possibility that he would be killed, but in my experience, as soon as you make that assumption about a random NPC, he's dead meat. 
| richgreen01 wrote: |
| 3. The PCs need a gear key from Rabscuttle to open the puzzle doors so I'm going to have him give that to them when they take him apart to read the inscriptions inside him! Make sense? |
Yep.
| richgreen01 wrote: |
| 4. On p.77, it mentions magma pools but there is nothing obvious (i.e. red) on the map. Are the pools the 3 oblong areas in the centre of the Test of Valor map? I think the magma mephits' ability to heal themselves in these pits is going to wind the players up |
Good catch. Those were supposed to be the magma pools, but I didn't make that clear for the cartographer.
And the regeneration is supposed to be annoying.
| richgreen01 wrote: |
5. The Test of Valor map shows two magma mephits, two fire mephits and a fire elemental, rather than the flame of Volund, 3 magma mephits and 4 sparks of Volund. This looks like an error when doing the 4e version so I'm going to have the magma mephits fly into the vents and move behind the PCs to attack.
That's it for now. Any comments appreciated!
Cheers
Richard |
Yes, that key never got updated from the OGL version. The intent was to have the flame of Volund/fire elemental occupy the party while the magma mephits harrassed them from the flanks and rear, using the vents just as you suggest to move more easily.
Can't wait to hear how it went!
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 10:46 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Mike!
We probably won't get on to Eye tomorrow but you never know.
Cheers
Richard |
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| richgreen01 |
| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:25 am Post subject: Lighting the Fires |
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Hi,
Here’s what happened in last night’s game which marked the end of Chapter Two of Halls of the Mountain King.
Despite being low on healing surges and daily powers, our brave heroes are under orders from Abelard to deal with the intruders defiling the Shrine to Korak. Ella creeps up to the doors, studying the impressive spray of blood decorating the walls outside. She can hear a voice chanting in Deep Speech beyond and catches the name “Addrikah” (the derro goddess of madness). The ranger then sneaks down the corridor to the south and pokes her head through the broken doors into the darkened hall beyond. Satisfied there are no enemies lurking there, she returns to the others and Krivinn opens the doors.
Inside the temple is a horrific sight. A blood-covered Forsaken priestess is in the process of dropping a dwarf corpse into a large glass alembic filled with thick, red slurry that stands on the broken altar. Other derro, armed with crossbows, stand guard and a trussed-up ghoul lies at her feet. When the PCs enter, the priestess, Indrecalla Bateater, releases the ghast so it can attack her enemies. Ella shoots first from the doorway, then Krivinn teleports into the chamber and stands atop the altar where he strikes Indrecalla. Khuma, Bolval and Saethus move into the room to support while Ella stays outside, shooting arrow after arrow into the derro reavers swarming out of the hall behind the party. Bolval, bloodied and out of healing surges, manages to stagger into a trap - a dead body has been rigged to explode if anyone comes too close. Sprayed with poison and dwarven body parts, he is not best pleased!
Indrecalla falls first, then the ghast, followed by the derro marksmen. There is no time to rest though! Abelard has got the fire elementals back into the forges but needs the PCs to keep the Forsaken at bay while he performs the ritual that binds them to the Hearthforges again. The party do have time to search the bodies, finding a +3 rod of deadly casting and a +2 cloak of survival. In the shrine keeper’s quarters through the door in the west wall, they find some interesting graffiti reading “Investigate the Fire Blessing for the Teardrop!” Abelard explains the Fire Blessing was once the greatest temple to Korak in the Golden Citadel and is located off the Great Stair.
The PCs set up their defences: Saethus casts a Make Whole ritual to repair the doors to the south and furniture is dragged into the corridors to form barricades. When the attack comes, it comes from two directions - north and south! Hordes of derro reavers and bombardiers attack the PCs. The Forsaken aren’t hard to kill but the bombardiers cause quite a few problems - their murderous bombard shots dominate Ella (who shoots at Khuma) and Krivinn (who strikes poor old Bolval) and sloughide shots inflict acid damage and immobilize Khuma and Bolval. The PCs start moving north intending to withdraw to the forges but eventually the Forsaken stop coming. Abelard completes the ritual and the Hearthforges are restored!
The azer activates the Linked Portal, transporting the PCs and the food supplies up to the Great Hall. Here the party are welcomed back as heroes - they have restored heat to the halls above and brought food too which they hand out to the needy! Varden Redfel, First of the Stair Guard, thanks them profusely and gives them a reward - 3 days rations and 100 untainted gp each.
Cheers
Richard |
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