Age of Worms Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Age of Worms Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
scissors
08-06-05, 03:22 PM Curious about how others would feel about this:

Most of my player's are interested in starting in a sea-faring area and were excited when I told them I was planning a campaign that would start near Regalport. This was before I decided to run The Age of Worms however, and when I switched ran into some conflict.
Honestly, I don't want to set the beginning of Age of Worms in Breland, near Sharn. I was thinking more along the lines of putting it in the Lhazaar Principalities, and replacing "The Free City" with Regalport.

Another problem, is I'm having ideas of my own to fill in gaps. Such as, weapons of legacy quests, etc. How do I put these quests in without upsetting the balance, experience and treasure wise?
Do I just scale each adventure after the extra stuff I've put in? Do I defer experience points to anything not directly involved with The Age of Worms?
Thanks in advance.
Zalaz Mavi
08-06-05, 08:46 PM If you haven't already downloaded it, the outline for the entire serial is contained in this document (titled "Overload"):

http://paizo.com/dungeon/resources

There are a few adventures in there that end/begin with the players teleporting from one location to another. You could simply ignore that and have your PCs take their legacy quests, etc. as part of an overland trip between locations. As far as experience and treasure balance goes, the serials as written seem about a level or two tougher than the level of character they state they're are written for. So, having characters a level or two higher than the stated range might even out the challenge a bit. Otherwise, if they're having too easy a time at the beginning, use the "Scaling the Adventure" sidebar to push the challenge up a notch.
Speaking from personal experience with running the "Age of Worms," I've been running adventures in-between that serve to bridge one part to another. Each part is written without any sort of preample to getting the PCs to the next adventure site; each one begins with the PCs at the front door with no explanation as to how they got there. For example, to bridge "Whispering Cairn" to "Three Faces of Evil," my PCs were hired by the mine owner Gansworth to steal Smenk's accounting ledgers from his mansion (Gansworth is scratching for anything he can use to topple Smenk). While stealing the ledgers, they find Smenk's journal open on his desk at an entry detailing the murder of his lieutenant by the Ebon Triad. The news of the murder prompts Allustan to mention the trouble between the miners and the Twilight Monastery. This raises the suspicion that the monks could be the Ebon Triad. The next leg of the adventure takes them to the Twilight Monastery where the mission is to search, undetected, for signs of cult activity. Fortunately/unfortunately, the PCs were detected. But, they managed to explain the reason for the intrusion to the head monk who then offered to assist in destroying the Ebon Triad. Upon returning to town, the PCs are again contacted by Gansworth. He has found some puzzling entries in the stolen ledgers and wants the PCs to investigate the docks. Arriving at the docks, the PCs and their monk allies discover members of the Ebon Triad unloading crates from a river barge. The crates all carry the mark of Smenk's company. After sending a runner with this news to Allustan, the PCs attacked the cult. Following the battle royale, a captured cultist reveals the location of the Ebon Triad's headquarters after being questioned by Allustan.
The impetus for "Three Faces of Evil" becomes the PCs and the monks must infiltrate the cult's temple, in order to recon their numbers, the form of their activities, etc. then report back so that the militia can derive a plan for storming the place. That's the plan any ways...
scissors
08-07-05, 05:01 PM Thanks for the info - I actually thought about keeping actual experience totals a secret, only telling players when they level up and then not telling them during my side quests. While a number of DM's I've spoken too have done this, it poses the problem of how to handle Craft Feats, and XP costing spells. Also, there may be some players out there who like to actually know their EXP total.
I've read the conversion notes on Paizo, and I was just wanting to use an alternative to running the campaign near Sharn. I'm doing the published series right now, and quite frankly I'm a little burned on the area.

I just wasn't sure if locating the arc near Regalport would make problems for future modules.
BloodyRoots
08-07-05, 05:19 PM Did anyone catch this in the conversion notes provided by KB?

Spoiler alert(dont know how to camo the text sorry).

The Aspect of the Overgod
At the end of the adventure, the heroes may have to battle an aspect of the Overgod, a creation of the faith of the Ebon Triad. Its appearance should be altered to reflect the gods it represents. As such, it has the body of a flayed giant, its raw muscle glistening with blood. Its head is that of a skeletal dragon, though fleshy eyes peer out of its bony sockets. The entire creature is surrounded by halo of dark mist—the cloak of the Shadow. It still has six arms tipped with vicious talons. Two belong to the flayed giant. Two are the bony forelimbs of a skeletal dragon; the left is missing its forelimb and paw. And two are limbs of pure shadow; these are insubstantial and cannot actually harm anything solid.

Bold is mine. Pure speculation.

This makes me think that the aspect of the keeper is missing its left dragon claw becuse he gave?/lost? it to the emerald claw and Vol herself. Keeper involed in Blood of Vol? They worship the dead of couse. All the gods have a dragon ascpect I have heard. Did Erad..Eradinis..blah Vol gain both her lichdom and her draconic heritage from the Keeper?
Charles Phipps
08-07-05, 06:05 PM Remember, the gods worshipped here are actually the Rajahs of the Rakashasa, not actually the real gods themselves. They're completely unrelated to the Keeper despite the Ebon Triad's intention.
shemov
08-08-05, 07:03 AM Two belong to the flayed giant. Two are the bony forelimbs of a skeletal dragon; the left is missing its forelimb and paw. And two are limbs of pure shadow; these are insubstantial and cannot actually harm anything solid.

Bold is mine. Pure speculation.

This makes me think that the aspect of the keeper is missing its left dragon claw becuse he gave?/lost? it to the emerald claw and Vol herself. Keeper involed in Blood of Vol? They worship the dead of couse. All the gods have a dragon ascpect I have heard. Did Erad..Eradinis..blah Vol gain both her lichdom and her draconic heritage from the Keeper?

Thank you, thank yolu, thank you!!!!! great you have noticed it and let us know about it :D
Feefait
08-08-05, 10:06 AM Im running Age of Worms but its set and starting in the Eldeen reaches. My party are members of the Wardens of the Woods and its a daelkyr thats being released. The wind lords were from Syrania and were unable to make it back to their plane before dying. The Whispering Cairn is hidden in the reaches because of the keys it holds to potentially opening a gateway and because the druids can )hopefully) protect it.
Diamon Lake is an abandoned Aundair town that has fallen on hard times without the Aundair trade and the diamonds running out. i set it in the southwest near the mountains and droaam.
I think this can fit almost anywhere in Eberron personally, iu just think right now there is so much available for Breland resource wide its not a bad place to start.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
scissors 08-06-05, 03:22 PM	Curious about how others would feel about this: Most of my player's are interested in starting in a sea-faring area and were excited when I told them I was planning a campaign that would start near Regalport. This was before I decided to run The Age of Worms however, and when I switched ran into some conflict. Honestly, I don't want to set the beginning of Age of Worms in Breland, near Sharn. I was thinking more along the lines of putting it in the Lhazaar Principalities, and replacing "The Free City" with Regalport. Another problem, is I'm having ideas of my own to fill in gaps. Such as, weapons of legacy quests, etc. How do I put these quests in without upsetting the balance, experience and treasure wise? Do I just scale each adventure after the extra stuff I've put in? Do I defer experience points to anything not directly involved with The Age of Worms? Thanks in advance.
Zalaz Mavi 08-06-05, 08:46 PM	If you haven't already downloaded it, the outline for the entire serial is contained in this document (titled "Overload"): http://paizo.com/dungeon/resources There are a few adventures in there that end/begin with the players teleporting from one location to another. You could simply ignore that and have your PCs take their legacy quests, etc. as part of an overland trip between locations. As far as experience and treasure balance goes, the serials as written seem about a level or two tougher than the level of character they state they're are written for. So, having characters a level or two higher than the stated range might even out the challenge a bit. Otherwise, if they're having too easy a time at the beginning, use the "Scaling the Adventure" sidebar to push the challenge up a notch. Speaking from personal experience with running the "Age of Worms," I've been running adventures in-between that serve to bridge one part to another. Each part is written without any sort of preample to getting the PCs to the next adventure site; each one begins with the PCs at the front door with no explanation as to how they got there. For example, to bridge "Whispering Cairn" to "Three Faces of Evil," my PCs were hired by the mine owner Gansworth to steal Smenk's accounting ledgers from his mansion (Gansworth is scratching for anything he can use to topple Smenk). While stealing the ledgers, they find Smenk's journal open on his desk at an entry detailing the murder of his lieutenant by the Ebon Triad. The news of the murder prompts Allustan to mention the trouble between the miners and the Twilight Monastery. This raises the suspicion that the monks could be the Ebon Triad. The next leg of the adventure takes them to the Twilight Monastery where the mission is to search, undetected, for signs of cult activity. Fortunately/unfortunately, the PCs were detected. But, they managed to explain the reason for the intrusion to the head monk who then offered to assist in destroying the Ebon Triad. Upon returning to town, the PCs are again contacted by Gansworth. He has found some puzzling entries in the stolen ledgers and wants the PCs to investigate the docks. Arriving at the docks, the PCs and their monk allies discover members of the Ebon Triad unloading crates from a river barge. The crates all carry the mark of Smenk's company. After sending a runner with this news to Allustan, the PCs attacked the cult. Following the battle royale, a captured cultist reveals the location of the Ebon Triad's headquarters after being questioned by Allustan. The impetus for "Three Faces of Evil" becomes the PCs and the monks must infiltrate the cult's temple, in order to recon their numbers, the form of their activities, etc. then report back so that the militia can derive a plan for storming the place. That's the plan any ways...
scissors 08-07-05, 05:01 PM	Thanks for the info - I actually thought about keeping actual experience totals a secret, only telling players when they level up and then not telling them during my side quests. While a number of DM's I've spoken too have done this, it poses the problem of how to handle Craft Feats, and XP costing spells. Also, there may be some players out there who like to actually know their EXP total. I've read the conversion notes on Paizo, and I was just wanting to use an alternative to running the campaign near Sharn. I'm doing the published series right now, and quite frankly I'm a little burned on the area. I just wasn't sure if locating the arc near Regalport would make problems for future modules.
BloodyRoots 08-07-05, 05:19 PM	Did anyone catch this in the conversion notes provided by KB? Spoiler alert(dont know how to camo the text sorry). The Aspect of the Overgod At the end of the adventure, the heroes may have to battle an aspect of the Overgod, a creation of the faith of the Ebon Triad. Its appearance should be altered to reflect the gods it represents. As such, it has the body of a flayed giant, its raw muscle glistening with blood. Its head is that of a skeletal dragon, though fleshy eyes peer out of its bony sockets. The entire creature is surrounded by halo of dark mist—the cloak of the Shadow. It still has six arms tipped with vicious talons. Two belong to the flayed giant. Two are the bony forelimbs of a skeletal dragon; the left is missing its forelimb and paw. And two are limbs of pure shadow; these are insubstantial and cannot actually harm anything solid. Bold is mine. Pure speculation. This makes me think that the aspect of the keeper is missing its left dragon claw becuse he gave?/lost? it to the emerald claw and Vol herself. Keeper involed in Blood of Vol? They worship the dead of couse. All the gods have a dragon ascpect I have heard. Did Erad..Eradinis..blah Vol gain both her lichdom and her draconic heritage from the Keeper?
Charles Phipps 08-07-05, 06:05 PM	Remember, the gods worshipped here are actually the Rajahs of the Rakashasa, not actually the real gods themselves. They're completely unrelated to the Keeper despite the Ebon Triad's intention.
shemov 08-08-05, 07:03 AM	Two belong to the flayed giant. Two are the bony forelimbs of a skeletal dragon; the left is missing its forelimb and paw. And two are limbs of pure shadow; these are insubstantial and cannot actually harm anything solid. Bold is mine. Pure speculation. This makes me think that the aspect of the keeper is missing its left dragon claw becuse he gave?/lost? it to the emerald claw and Vol herself. Keeper involed in Blood of Vol? They worship the dead of couse. All the gods have a dragon ascpect I have heard. Did Erad..Eradinis..blah Vol gain both her lichdom and her draconic heritage from the Keeper? Thank you, thank yolu, thank you!!!!! great you have noticed it and let us know about it :D
Feefait 08-08-05, 10:06 AM	Im running Age of Worms but its set and starting in the Eldeen reaches. My party are members of the Wardens of the Woods and its a daelkyr thats being released. The wind lords were from Syrania and were unable to make it back to their plane before dying. The Whispering Cairn is hidden in the reaches because of the keys it holds to potentially opening a gateway and because the druids can )hopefully) protect it. Diamon Lake is an abandoned Aundair town that has fallen on hard times without the Aundair trade and the diamonds running out. i set it in the southwest near the mountains and droaam. I think this can fit almost anywhere in Eberron personally, iu just think right now there is so much available for Breland resource wide its not a bad place to start.