Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kinger 01-15-06, 11:16 PM	Hey all, I know there was a thread like this at some point, but I bet it's been pruned. It was rather a long time ago. Anyhoo, the idea behind THIS thread is to provide and develop ideas for set pieces that DMs can just insert as desired into their game. Not necessarily just statted opponents for combat encounters (though those could be good too), but more along the lines of action sequences, exciting combat locales, that sort of thing. Y'know, the stuff Eberron is supposed to be good for. The sewers in Forgotten Forge are a good example, or rules for fighting inside a burning building, perhaps. How about a fight while on a crashing airship, or a toppling tower of Sharn? Before you ask, yes, I did post this on the People and Places board first. I have since rethought that location, and rather than sheepishly bump that post, I figured I should instead put it somewhere more suitable. It's not really fitting for the other board, anyway. The General is the closest to an Eberron DM's board, I feel. I figure since I'm starting this thread I should probably contribute, so here we go. This is a snippet from an adventure my PCs will be embarking on at some point (I hope), and I'd like any comments or suggestions you may have. If you have an Exciting Eberronian Encounter of your own, post it up and I'll put a link in this post. (Note: Any blocks of text I write in italics are flavour-text of sorts. I don't really follow the exact form used in published adventures, which I probably should if I ever want to get stuff published.) The Snatch is intended for a party of low level PCs (3rd level, perhaps), at least one of which has good physical skills (Jump and Climb, predominantly). The PCs have something wanted by someone else (in this case, a briefcase wanted by House Tarkanan) and someone nicks it, so hey, the PCs have to give chase through the towers of Sharn! (In the adventure, the PCs pick up the wrong briefcase from the Lightning Rail station in Passage, getting someone else's by mistake. Fewgood actually wants the briefcase the PCs have, rather than the one the PCs think they have. This particular aspect can easily be ignored or modified.) After more than a week of simply sitting, the Lightning Rail finally pulls into the station at Sharn. People file out en masse, entering the throng waiting outside. Guardians of the Gate wait to inspect anyone looking suspicious. The station itself is situated on a circular plateau of sorts, at the top of a low, wide tower. One edge of the plateau is lined with rooms dealing with the ordinary business of running a lightning rail, while the other is open, towards Sharn. The City of Towers rises in a spectacular vista over the railing where skycoaches dock, awaiting passengers. Lurking in the crowd about Terminus is Fewgood, an agent of House Tarkanan, who is there to steal a black leather briefcase with gold trim. In this case, Fewgood is actually correct in targeting the PCs, since he wants the briefcase they have picked up mistakenly, not the one Elaydren wants. Fewgood is a slender half-elf with an unshaven face and an over-all unpleasantness about him. He possesses an Aberrant Mark on the palm of his right hand, granting him the use of Cause Fear once per day (Will DC 12, 25 ft range, 1d4 rounds). When he uses it, he thrusts his scarred palm at the target, where the mark painfully glows an eerie scarlet. Fewgood, Tarkanan Thief – Male Half-Elf Rog2; CR 2; medium humanoid (elf); HD 2d6 + 2; 9 hp; Init + 6; Speed 30; AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 11; Base Atk +1; Grp +2; Attack +3 melee (1d4+1 19-20/x2, mwk dagger) or +4 ranged (1d4+1 19-20/x2, mwk dagger); SA Sneak Attack +1d6; SQ trapfinding, evasion; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will –1; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Climb +6, Jump +6, Listen +5, Search +5, Sleight of Hand +7, Spot +5; Improved Initiative. Possessions: leather armour, 2 mwk daggers, featherfall token, travelling cloak As the PCs approach the railing (which they must if they wish to leave Terminus), Fewgood strikes and attempts to steal the briefcase. Have the PCs make Spot checks versus Fewgood’s Sleight of Hand check (PCs not carrying the briefcase take –4 to the check). If they succeed, Fewgood must make a disarm check when he makes his move (no touch attack required) to acquire the briefcase, and if they fail, he automatically succeeds. Over the railing, a deep chasm crossed by bridges lies open to the depths of Sharn. Directly beneath you, some thirty feet down, is a large bridge spanning the gap between the plateaus of Tavick’s Landing and Northedge. A constant crowd miles about below, heading too and from Terminus. If Fewgood fails to steal the briefcase, he will attempt to use his aberrant ability to frighten the most threatening-looking of the PCs and flee. If the PCs give chase, run the pursuit just as if Fewgood made off with the case in the first place. If Fewgood steals the briefcase, roll initiatives. On his initiative, Fewgood leaps over the railing and plummets to the bridge below. PCs may make a DC 15 Knowledge: Local check to note that the bridge supplies a constant Featherfall effect on everything falling near it (including falling thieves). Fewgood drifts gently down to the bridge below and runs. Should a PC (or PCs) give chase, roll 1d10 every round to determine how the chase progresses. Consult the following table with the result. The PC and Fewgood begin 20 feet apart and run simultaneously. When the distance between a PC and Fewgood is 0, the chase ends in the PCs’ favour. If Fewgood has a faster speed than the PC, add the difference to the distance between them every round. Likewise, if the PC has a faster speed than Fewgood, subtract the difference from the distance between them every round. If the PC has the Run feat, treat his speed as 5 higher for the purposes of catching Fewgood. If the PC can fly, he need only make DC 15 Dexterity checks every turn (failure by more than 5 increases the distance by 10, and failure by less than 5 increases the distance by 5), unless he has a manoeuvrability rating of Good or better (in which case he need not make any checks at all). Regardless of his manoeuvrability, treat his speed as 10 higher for the purposes of catching Fewgood. Fewgood is assumed to succeed all checks unless otherwise specified. d10 Result 1 Fewgood leaps atop a parked skycoach and onto another balcony above. The PC must make a DC 10 Jump check to follow. Failure by 5 puts an additional 10 feet between the PC and Fewgood, while failure by less than 5 puts an additional 5 feet of distance between them. Success by more than 5 shortens the distance between them by 5 feet. 2 Fewgood scrambles up a stack of crates, DC 10 Climb. Failure by more than 5 puts 10 feet between the PC and Fewgood, and failure by less than 5 puts 5 feet between them. Success by more than 5 shortens the distance between them by 5 feet. 3 Fewgood leaps over the edge of a bridge to another below. The PC must make a DC 10 Jump check to land on the bridge below. Failing the Dex check causes the PC to miss the bridge and fall 10d4 feet, ending the chase (Reflex DC 14 to negate fall but still end the chase by catching the edge). If successful, the PC must make a second DC 10 Jump or a DC 10 Tumble check to avoid taking 1d6 nonlethal damage from the fall. Failing the second check by more than 5 adds 10 feet between the PC and Fewgood, failing by less than 5 adds 5 feet, and succeeding on the second check by more than 5 narrows the gap by 5 feet. 4 Fewgood jumps from the balcony of one tower to another, DC 15 Jump. Failure by 5 or more ends the chase as the PC jumps too short and falls 10d4 feet (Reflex DC 14 to negate the fall but still end the chase by catching the edge). Failure by less than 5 puts Fewgood 5 feet ahead, and success by more than 5 puts the PC 5 feet ahead. 5 A fruit merchant’s cart is pushed in front of the PC, requiring him to make a DC 15 Tumble check, DC 20 Jump check, or a Bullrush DC 20. Failure by more than 10 ends the chase as the PC cannot get around it, failure by more than 5 puts Fewgood 10 feet ahead, and failure by less than 5 puts Fewgood 5 feet ahead. 6 Fewgood darts up a narrow beam to a higher level, DC 10 Balance or DC 20 Jump. Failure by more than 5 puts Fewgood 10 feet ahead, failure by less than 5 puts Fewgood 5 feet ahead, and success by more than 5 puts the PC 5 feet ahead. 7 Fewgood leaps from a balcony onto a passing skycoach, leaping off again to another balcony further away. The PC must make a DC 10 Wisdom check to time the jump to another skycoach correctly, or miss entirely and fall 10d6 feet, ending the chase. If he succeeds the Wisdom check, he must make a DC 15 Jump check to reach the skycoach. Failure by more than 5 ends the chase as he misses and falls 10d6 feet (Reflex DC 14 to negate the fall but still end the chase by catching the edge). Failure by less than 5 puts Fewgood 5 feet ahead, while success by more than 5 puts the PC 5 feet ahead. The PC must then make another DC 15 Jump to reach the balcony Fewgood jumped too, with the same possible outcomes as the first jump. 8 Fewgood runs down a flight of stairs to a level below the PC. There is a 50% chance that the bridge he runs onto has a permanent Featherfall effect. If the PC makes a DC 20 Knowledge: Local check, he knows whether it does or not. If it does, he may drift down to the level below and gain 10 feet on Fewgood. If it does not, he may still jump down the 20 feet (Jump or Tumble DC 10 to negate 1d6 damage) to gain 5 feet (or no gain if he fails the Jump or Tumble by more than 5). If the PC fails the Knowledge check by more than 10, he is wrong about his knowledge of the bridge, believing it to have no featherfall if it does, or have featherfall if it does not. 9 Reroll, ignoring results of 9 or 10. Fewgood is considered to fail the first skill check by less than 5 (roll any others), with the PC benefiting rather than himself. The PC must still make the necessary checks. Both results are combined. 10 Reroll, ignoring results of 9 or 10. Fewgood is considered to fail the first skill check by more than 5 (roll any others), with the PC benefiting rather than himself. The PC must still make the necessary checks. Both results are combined. If failure in such a fashion normally ends the chase, the chase does not end if both participants could conceivably continue (ie: both make the Reflex saves after failing the Jump in 3, 4, or 7). Note that Fewgood possesses a Featherfall Token, so the chase could conceivably continue even if he fails to jump to a skycoach or balcony and falls. When there is no distance left between Fewgood and a PC, he and the PC meet atop a very large skycoach (10x30ft) rather like a bus, with no escape plainly visible. Fewgood will use his aberrant ability against the PC if he has not used it already, hoping to scare the PC away. Failing that, he will draw a dagger and enter combat. If he is injured, he will threaten to hurl the briefcase over the side of the skycoach. If the PC attacks, he will do so on his initiative (roll new initiative at this point). If Fewgood hurls the briefcase over the side, the PC may leap after it. The PC may make 3 unarmed attacks against the briefcase during the fall of 60 feet. If the PC hits AC 20, he manages to grab the briefcase during the fall. There is a 10% chance that the fall takes the PC over a bridge with Featherfall, which would allow him to take the fall with no damage.
Kalanth 01-16-06, 01:28 AM	Well, it won't be as pretty as yours, but here we go with a little something I just did to my group: Ambush The adventurers meet in a secluded backroom of a random inn to speak with a contact (in my game a goblin woman named Elva; hereby refered to as such) about a recent series of disapearences. While in the room, their contact brings forth a House Phiarlan elf who is dressed in head to toe crimson silk, and her bodyguard (in my game a half-orc Ranger). When all people are in place, Elva shuts the door and waves hear hand in the motions of magic, casting a Silent Spell on the door that resembles an Explosive Rune [Spellcraft - DC 10 This will tell the player that Elva is casting a silent spell / Spellcraft - DC 25 The spell that Elva is casting is a triggered teleportation spell that is designed to move a specific area from one location to another. (This spell was homebrewed for this encounter specifically)] . Elva produces a Scrystone from her pocket and explains to those gathered what the stone is and what it can do. [Knowledge (Arcane) - DC 30 will tell the character that makes the check that this stone is not a Scrystone at all, but instead a magical stone infused with a powerful illusion effect; the check is made high to detract from the players discovering this fact and ruining the ambush] After her explanation the elf will drop his robe to reveal his body covered in the Siberys Mark of Shadow [Knowledge (Arcane) - DC 15 to identify the mark as Shadow]. As Elva tosses the scrystone into the air, the elf activates the powers of his mark and the illusion comes to life [Will save DC 25 (remember, we said powerful magical illusion)]. In the vision the characters see the party they are chasing (In my game they were chasing a Daelkyr who kidnapped twelve dragonmarked children and one unmarked child from House Medani) heading through a dense forest [Knowledge (Geography) - DC 15 The vision shows their targets going through the Skyraker Forest, just east of the Graywall Mountains]. An individual of the group is the focal point of the vision as it goes along. The person in the vision stops and turns to look at the elf with the Siberys mark and tugs gently on an unseen arm. Entering into the picture is a single Daelkyr with a widebrim grin on his angelic face. With a wave of his hand and a few unspoken words, the Scrystone explodes [Reflex Save - DC 15; Failure results in 1d4 points of damage from the crystal shards]. As the players discuss the unfortunate events, the half-orc and Elva slip out from the room [Either run opposed Hide and Move Silently checks here, or use these predetermined numbers: Spot - DC 17, Listen - DC 21]. Those that make their spot check see not only Elva and the half-orc leave the room, but also snow finding its way into the room and a glimpse of a mountain range outside. Those that make their Listen checks hear the door and the rush of wind as the door is opened and closed. As they exit the room any observant character [Search DC 15; Spot DC 17] will see that the rune placed on the door is no longer glowing [Knowledge (Arcane) - DC 10 The rune is no longer active]. If they search the locks over for traps they will find none, though Elva did lock the door for the purpose of trapping the party. If an individual touches the door in anyway the Phiarlan elf will rise from the dead and attack the party [Use stats for a standard Wight found in the Monsters Manual for the purpose of this encounter and any Knowledge (Religion) checks]. With the monster defeated the party can once again look to the lock on the door [Open Locks - DC 15]. Openning the door will trigger a second rune to activate [Spellcraft - DC 12 The second rune is from the Alarm spell] and the players will see that they are no longer in an inn but now on a peak in a mountain range [Knowledge (Geography) - DC 20 The players are in the Blackcap Mountains / Survival - DC 25 Roughly in the direct center of the mountains]. They are also greated to a heavy cloud cover, limited light from the moonlight, and a heavy snowfall. If the players turn to inspect the room they had just exited they will discover that the room is not there, and only a portal into the room that they had just left can be seen. [Spot - DC 20 -3 for adverse conditions: A series of footprints leads away from the room they are in and off to the east, away from where they should want to be heading] Following the tracks into the mountains the characters will aproach a dead end where the tracks seem to go off of a cliff's edge. [Spot - DC 20 -3 Adverse Conditions: Four Blackscale Lizardmen are approaching the party from the Northwest and seem to be splitting apart with the intention of flanking the party] As they approach the cliff a bright light illuminates the area around the party in a 100ft radius in a bright White-Green light*. The light is produced by the Lizardmen from behind the party, [Listen - DC 20 -3 Adverse Conditions: The sound of a Fire Elemental Airship can be heard powering up from the other side of the cliff] while from the opposite side of the cliff an Airship with no identifying markings appears and comes to a hault roughly 15ft above the ground and 10ft from the edge of the cliff. Ten archers line the Starboard rail along with two Balista siege weapons aimed to fire [Spot - DC 20 -3 Adverse Conditions: This will give the player the exact count on the bowmen, crew of each ballista, Elva standing in the center reading a spell, and two ropes hagning from the open areas where the ballista are housed] Options in this situation include to leap from the cliff, which is certainly not a good option unless they have feather fall or fly available to them. They can leap for the ropes [Jump - DC 15 / Dex - DC 15 / Climb - DC 15] and climb into the Siege Engine House, fighting their way to the top and eliminating their enemy. Or they would be able to fight through the Blackscale Lizardmen and retreat into the mountains [Survival - DC 15 to find adequate shelter from the Airship and storm]. Retreating in anyway will result in having to traverse the dangerous mountains during the snow storm while being persued by the Airship. Their are a series of tunnels nearby [Survival - DC 20 to locate the tunnels] where players could loose the ship and still move in any given direction, and they also could loose the ship in the storm which is reducing the visability of the ship as well. They are not required in any way to fight through the Lizardmen, and avoidance of those particular creatures can be acchieved once the flare has died out*. Leaping onto the Airship is more dangerous, but lets admit, more fun and adventurous. If a player has a Jump result higher than 25 you may allow them either a Dex and Climb check for grabbing the Starboard rail, or do as I did and ask for a Tumble check to land on the deck of the ship. Those on the ship are vastly outnumbered [10 lvl 1 Warrior Archers, 5 lvl 1 Warrior / 1 Expert crewmembers, 1 lvl 2 Magewright, 1 lvl 3 Wizard (Elva)] and will be in for a very tough fight. However, killing off the wizard (Elva) will bring the crews actions to a hault. [Search - DC 15 A gem in Elva's pocket is found and is warm to the touch / Knowledge (Arcane) - DC 20 This gem is a Gem of Mass Charm** and was what was controlling the crew of the airship, killing Elva broke her control on them] Most crewmembers will not know what was occuring, but the original captain and first mate can be found below decks because they were able to resist Elva's charm spells. If the players opt to enter the ship through the Siege Engine Housing they will encounter the crew's of each engine along with the half-orc who was with Elva in the inn [10 lvl 2 Experts (Siege Engine Operators) / 1 Half-Orc lvl 2 Ranger / 1 Barbarian]. The players will encounter the original ship captain and first mate before encountering Elva if they take this route. The Siege Engine Housing area is a 15 x 25 area and filled with several obstacles such as the amunition for the ballista's. When the players interogate the Captain and First Mate they will explain that Elva would constantly come aboard the vessel with several Daelkyr and the crew would fly east and into the Mournlands constantly. The reason is unknown to the Captain and First Mate, but this information should tell the players that the path they had originally been planning to follow was false. * - This item is a homebrewed modification of the Sunrod in the PHB. To craft this item a player must have Craft (Woodwork), a knife, Bat Guano, and a Magewright or Wizard capable of casting Fireball. The item is designed to ignite into a ball of White-Green light at a height of roughly 100ft and will illuminate an area of 100ft for 2d4 rounds in bright illumination. ** - As a DM, this gem ignores all rules of the charm spell in regards to moral issues of the NPC's it has effected. The gem is at its maximum capacity when the players encounter Elva and so she cannot use the gem on the players in any way. When the players obtain the gem it has one charge left which can be used as per the Mass Charm spell in the PHB.
The Necromancer King 01-16-06, 04:16 AM	Neither as pretty, nor as detailed (I've never gone into that much detail for a fight in my entire gaming career; kudos to you guys), I present to you (in the broadest possible terms): Going Vertical (Or: A Scene from The Musketeer!) Probably in Sharn, or some other Brelish city that's big on the towers, a rich noble happens to own a Sparkley Hoozit. The problem is that the noble's tower is almost entirely impenetrable from the ground (I'm figuring low-level characters, DC 30 locks, in a neighborhood where bashing in the door is a bad idea); the only way in is through his bedroom balcony, on the "wrong" side of the tower. By "wrong," we of course mean the side inaccessable from anything resembling a ground. Climbing around the tower is half the fun; there are plenty of handholds, to be sure, but it's still a challenge (DC 15 climb check; plenty of time to take 20 if they want to). When most of the heroes are on the wrong side of the tower, a number of ropes equal to the climbing heroes drops, and with them come bad people! Every time the players would like to strike, they have to make a DC 15 climb checks. If they fail, the strike automatically misses, and they need to make a DC 10 Climb check to hold on to the ledge. Falling sucks. Don't fall. Every time the bad guys want to attack, they need to make a DC 10 jump check. If they fail this check, the strike misses, and they must make a Use Rope check at DC 15 to keep from doing that falling thing. Every time a player character is hit, they must make a DC 10 Climb check to keep from falling off the ledge. Every time a bad guy is hit, they must make a DC 15 Use Rope check to keep from falling 10 feet down the rope. If a character falls, he can make a DC 15 Reflex save to grab the rope 20 feet below the current battle. Use normal climbing speeds for movement along the tower. Jumps can be made up to 20 feet, so long as no one is lower on the rope than the character attempting the jump. Use normal climbing speeds for moving up or down the rope. Attacks made on an enemy directly above or below you are made at a -4 penalty, but the defender loses his or her dexterity bonus to AC. Let the wire-fu action commence!
igotsmeakabob!! 01-16-06, 05:17 AM	Holy crap this is a super useful thread.. I've just started an Eberron campaign (my first DM attempt actually, after 9 years of playing since I was 10). Awesome stuff here. Keep it up.
Kinger 01-16-06, 06:55 PM	EXACTLY what I hoped for. What's been posted provides interesting situations and could easily be adapted to something else. Thanks, all. :) Now, anyone care to whip up some rules for fighting on a crashing airship? I don't plan to have such an encounter in a game any time soon, but I do think rules like that'd be cool to have around, just in case.
Kalanth 01-16-06, 09:18 PM	EXACTLY what I hoped for. What's been posted provides interesting situations and could easily be adapted to something else. Thanks, all. :) Now, anyone care to whip up some rules for fighting on a crashing airship? I don't plan to have such an encounter in a game any time soon, but I do think rules like that'd be cool to have around, just in case. A crashing airship is covered in the second Eberron module, Whisper of the Vampire Blade. Roughly pages 21 and 22 will cover that for you nicely, but if you don't want to pay the cost then its rather simple really. - Spot DC 15 to see the ship intent on ramming - Intiative count 0 the ships collide - Balance DC 20 to maintain footing; failure results in 1d6 points of damage. - Have the players roll initiative if they have not done so already and keep very close watch on the passing time; the airships will hit the ground at initiative count 0 on the 4th round of action. This crash results in 12d6 points of damage to each person, unless decent is slowed somehow. - There are normally skiff's (escape boats) onboard an Airship that move at a rate of 2 mph. Flying one requires no real skills since they are designed as life saving rafts. Doing tricks with one should require a few Reflex saves or Dex checks, your choice. Base the DC on the difficulty of the trick. And that is really that in a nut shell.
igotsmeakabob!! 01-18-06, 06:31 PM	Ah man I need more of these.... PLEASE pump them out!
Kinger 01-19-06, 08:24 PM	Insert this where you may... The Moderately Tall Inferno is a combat encounter meant for adventurers with a few levels under their belts, but who still possess a justified fear of mundane fire and falling from heights. Level 5-6, maybe? Beefy characters with Improved Bullrush, characters with high fortitude saves, and spellcasters with featherfall and various protections from fire shine in this encounter. The basic idea is that the arena of combat (as it were) is a burning building that's on fire. With flames. The building in question has multiple stories (the taller the better). At the beginning of combat, in scattered locations on every floor are 5-foot squares of fire. Each square of fire expands into a random adjacent square (roll 1d8 to determine) every 1d4 rounds, forming another square of fire which itself may expand. Everyone standing immediately adjacent to fire takes 1d6 fire damage (no save) on their turn. Anyone actually within the flames takes 3d6 fire damage, and must make a DC 14 Reflex save or catch fire. On each floor above the first, designate 20 5-foot square locations (but don't reveal them to the PCs). Every round, roll 1d20 for each floor. The corresponding squares of floor fall through, forming a 5-foot square hole to the next floor. Creatures on the square when it collapses may make a DC 15 Reflex save to grab the edge of the hole and stop the fall. Creatures beneath the falling section of floor take 1d6 damage + 2d6 fire damage (Reflex for half) from the falling debris, with potentially more physical damage if the rubble falls from a higher story through an existing hole. The overwhelming heat of the burning building is considered Extreme Heat (see DMG pg 303), with all that that implies, 1d6 lethal damage per minute if breathing the air being the main problem. The building is filled with thick smoke from the blaze. Everything beyond 5 feet of a character has 25% miss chance from the concealing smoke, and beyond 15 feet has total concealment, giving a 50% miss chance. Every round on their turn, a character must make a DC 10 Fortitude save or suffer a coughing fit that limits them to a standard action. Each failed save deals 1 Strength damage to the character and increases subsequent DCs by 1. A character reduced to 0 Strength falls unconcious. Creatures that do not breath or are immune to poison are not affected by the smoke. To make the encounter interesting, consider blocking the entrance/exit of the building with burning rubble, requiring a new means of escape such as a top-story window or a newly formed doorway (aka a big hole in the wall). Occasionally cause means of accessing different floors (such as the stairs) to collapse or light on fire, encouraging alternate routes. Suggested enemies: Warforged Juggernaut for bullrushing Salamander Flame Brother Fire Elementals Magmins Living Burning Hands A Standard Issue Swarm of Mooks (Cultists, Hobgobs, LoB followers, Emerald Claw agents, skeletons, whatever) could work, though note that low-hitpoint creatures with no ability to withstand the fire may not last long enough to provide an adequate challenge for the PCs. Another "party" (rivals perhaps) would probably serve as the best challenge, though the situation would probably result in little looting-time for triumphant PCs. This could be justification to outfit the enemies with equipment that you'd prefer your PCs not aquire, though realize that they will often find a way.
igotsmeakabob!! 01-23-06, 03:49 AM	Bump for hopes of more goodness, cuz its just so good.
ChronosCrow 01-23-06, 04:53 AM	Does anyone have the link to the first thread like this?
MarkB 01-23-06, 05:20 AM	Does anyone have the link to the first thread like this? I had a look for it after seeing this one and couldn't find it, so I assumed it'd been a victim of the Great Prune. But a bit of Googling unearthed it: For DMs: Set Pieces (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=287428) I've bumped it, to (hopefully) ensure its survival.
Kalanth 01-23-06, 05:23 AM	I had an idea for another encounter, but I scrapped it, it just did not feel right. Bad thing is that it took me until I had finished writing it all up until I realized I did not like it.
ChronosCrow 01-23-06, 05:46 AM	I had a look for it after seeing this one and couldn't find it, so I assumed it'd been a victim of the Great Prune. But a bit of Googling unearthed it: For DMs: Set Pieces (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=287428) I've bumped it, to (hopefully) ensure its survival. Ah great! way to go.
igotsmeakabob!! 02-03-06, 01:07 AM	These threads are damn useful, bumpin them for hopes of more.
igotsmeakabob!! 02-11-06, 11:58 PM	:bump:
Kinger 02-12-06, 12:30 AM	Generally, it's better to bump a thread by actually contributing, rather than requesting others to contribute for your benefit. Just an observation.
igotsmeakabob!! 02-12-06, 01:17 AM	Oh yes, you have a point. However I've only started DMing, 3 or 4 sessions now. And it hasn't been anything original yet.
Kalanth 02-12-06, 04:04 AM	From my buddy Tulmak's game comes this little gem: The Wreck of the Minotaur Using two diving bell's (Shipwreck) the party of four is lowered into the ocean just off the coast of Regal Port. The captain of the salvage ship known as the Bitter Lady claims to have discovered the sunken wreckage of the Minotaur, a massive supply ship that flew a flag in the name of Breeland during the Last War but was sunken by pirates in hostile waters. The adventurers are higherd to go through the sunken ship to recover all the treasure aboard, most specifically a mirror that was being transported to the Wardens of the Wood for safe keeping. If the characters have found a way to breath underwater (from using Psionic Tattoo's as we did, to the Air Plant found in Shipwreck, along with spells) they will discover the area to be quite dark. Hopefully they had aquired the direction of the wreckage before going beneath the surface of the water. Their is a strong south-easterly wind that will send the anchored ship slightly adrift for as far as the slack in the anchor line will allow, thus causing the diving bell's to land on the ocean floor roughly 120 feet (or further at your discression) away from the ship. Low Light and Darkvision will help to see, but the range is cut in half due to sedement in the water that had been stired up by the landing of the diving bell's. Once clear of the landing areas the players will (hopefully) head in the direction of the sunken ship. With proper lighting or Darkvision available they will see the wreckage laying on the ocean floor, all damage that may have occured in it's sinking has been repaired and the vessel looks as though it could easily sail again if not for being fully submerged. With a successful Spot Check: DC 20 players will notice figures moving on the deck (Spot results of 25 or higher will reveal the figures to be Skeletons). A Proffesion: Sailor check DC: 10 will reveal that the skeletons on the deck are performing the standard, day to day jobs one would expect to see on any ocean going vessel that were sailing in normal conditions (Swabbing decks, checking rigging, checking speed and heading, etc.). Once they arrive on the deck of the ship the skeleton's will attack: 5 Standard Skeletons (Human) from the MM, each armed with Short Spears. Normally this is a no problem encounter (Skeletons being 1/2 CR and not to hard to hit) but with the -2 to hit, and half damage penalties for being underwater with a weapon that is either slashing or bludgeoning, this encounter should prove to be more difficult than usual. Searching the top deck will reveal the cabins to the both the First Mate and Captain, along with a set of steep stairs that lead to the lower decks. The First Mates cabin is relatively empty, aside from some rotted papers and waterlogged furniture. The captain's quarters is now home to a warforged named Patch (N Warforged Rogue 4 / Artificer 1) who has gone as mad as a warforged can go. Not violent in anyway, Patch will explain that he was repairing the Minotaur for it's next voyage. If the players have not found the ships logs located in the lower decks then Patch can also inform them of his prior use of Zombies to do the repairs, but due to unforseen circumstances (Giant Sea Crabs kept taking away the bodies), Patch was forced to find other means to accomplish his mission, and so he switched over to using the skeletons which where much less desireable to the Sea Crabs. When they are finished with Patch, or if they bipass him completely, they will enter the crew quarters (2nd deck). A long haul is lined with doors and a single ladder that leads down to the ships hull. Behind the Forward doors lies the mechanics of the enourmous anchors that belong to the ship, each is presently lowered fully to the ocean floor. Two of the other doors lead to what used to be storage rooms for perishables such as wheat and flour, and as such these rooms are largely empty. One of the final two doors leads to the office where the treasure they seek is located, and the other to the galley where the bodies of several Breedland troops are packed like sardeens (The troops were part of the original crew). The locked door cannot be opened by any means arcane, divine, mental, or physical. The players must enter through the ships hull instead. The hull is broken into three rooms, the foreward room being the storage area for the more hazardous materials and ship equipment. The aft room was for the cargo master, however their is a hole in the southwestern most portion of the ceiling (leading up and into the office that was barred from above). The room is covered wall to wall and ceiling to floor in thick ivy (Assasin Vines). A single creature is located in this room directly underneath the wall (The original monster escapes me, but it was from the Fiend Folio. Roughly any relatively intelligent Plant based creature will work). If the monster recieves 15 hit points of damage or more it will retreat from the room and off of the boat. In the office the players will find three chests, one small, one medium, and one large adamantine chest covered in moss. There is also a desk, ships log, and cargo manifest found in this room. Though damp, everything here is rather dry thanks to the baring of the door, no water has entered this room as of yet. The cargo manifest lists the items in the chest, starting with the Mirror, 5 crates of Gold Bars (2000gp a crate - only 4 crates remain), 1 Bronze statue, 16 Copper Pieces, 87 Silver Pieces, Solid Gold Comb (500gp), Small Portraint of King Boranel (150gp), and a Letter of Mark (750pp). The medium and large chests are both bolted to the floor and simply removing the chests will not be possible. The smaller chest can easily be carried, however. If a player touches the mirror they must make a Will Save DC: 20 or face possesion. The mirror is set in a frame of polished steel with several Kyber Dragonshards linning the frame. A demon of unknown power is held within the Dragonshards and will do all it can to posses any persons willing to come into contact with it's prison (Use the rules of possesion from the Book of Vile Darkness if available). The possessed individual will not go on a murderous rampage, but instead the demon will do all that it can to prevent the others from knowing of the possesion along with insisting that the mirror be kept safe and returned to the individual that seeks to reclaim it. If any other person attempts to wrestle away the mirror the Demon will boost the possessed individuals strength, increasing it by +6. The possesser can do this to any one ability to a maximum bonus of +6. The ships log will indicate the ship was having a normal trip across the Principalities until they began to be attacked daily by a Silver Dragon. The dragon would pick off one sailor a day before retreating to his or her home. Eventually the dragon left but they were instead hounded by rogue pirate vessels. The damage was enough to cause the captain to insist on returning to Breeland. When their ship changed heading the dragon reappeared and sank the vessel. Three crewmen survived, Patch, Olfgar, and Vinx. Patch began to repair the ship so as to maintain the lives of the living survivors. Vinx worked to convince Patch that the warforged should be incharge of the vessel instead (Vinx is an Imp in disguise), while Olfgar (LG Male Dwarf Paladin of the Silver Flame 3) insisted on standing watch over the mirror. Patch went out into the ocean to find survival for the three, and came across a race of aquatic elves with whom the warforged negotiated the safety of the two living crewmembers (1 crate of gold bars). Olfgar refused, and Vinx left happily. Olfgar would eventuall starve to death (his body still kneeling before the adamanatine crate) and Patch went into seclusion in the Captains Quarters. After comming to the conclusion that the ship needed repairs, Patch began to use a wand of Ressurection to form his crew. When the players exit the ship the will see the cables to the diving bells cut (Spot DC: 25) and as they approach the waters surface they see bodies floating on the surface. If the players can swim to the surface in three rounds (200 feet) then they will be able to see the Silver Dragon just as it dissapears over the horrizon. The Bitter Lady is slowly sinking into the sea and her crew is dead. There is enough debris that one could craft a makeshift raft (Craft DC 15) and navigate their way to land (Survival or Proffession: Sailor DC 20). If a character is possessed or they still have possession of the mirror, the Silver Dragon will begin to hunt the party along with the original group that wanted the mirror (could be any power group).
igotsmeakabob!! 02-14-06, 09:57 PM	I used Going Vertical and The Snatch in one adventure, it worked out great!
stone_river_glory 02-15-06, 01:28 AM	I'm working on one for a player who is a veteran of the Last War, and escaped Cyre with his life and relative sanity. Relative... As an evil Quori has figured out that he's a gateway to the material plane. But anyway, the adventure takes place in the capital of what was Cyre, which is in the Mournlands right now. My players are treasure hunters working for an antiquities dealer in Sharn, and they will soon be having issues with this particular one. It turns out that Prince Oargev lost a ring when the Mourning happened, and he suspects that it would be in the Temple of (Insert proper deity here.) They leave for the Mournlands, on a Privateer Airship from the Explorer's Handbook. The Airship won't enter the Mournlands, as the pilot fears the elemental will get loose. He'll wait for 10 days, past that, he'll make for Sharn at half speed. The players need to follow the conducter stones to the capital. Once there, they find that the church and parts of the palace is the only thing standing. Just after the tragedy and all that, people went to the temple to seek salvation, and died. Within the last few years, a blue dragon has taken up residence and gone more than a little insane. It believes that the dead who aren't decaying are actually its worshippers and that all the treasure its managed to find inside the city are their offerings. The ring happens to be in the loot, and when identified it turns out to be a used up ring of three wishes. The dragon will start with the usual evil guy banter, and if the PCs try to reason with it, it becomes very angry and demands that its followers take care of the infidels. When they don't move, he blasts the divine users, or the person that tried to reason with him, whichever is the most important of the two. He'll take a few hits, and then flies up through the broken open ceiling and flies around the group. If the PCs leave the temple, the dragon performs flyby attacks on any ranged users or divine casters. If the PCs don't leave the temple, the dragon spends a few rounds flying around, until his breath weapon becomes available. Then he swoops in and blasts the same PC who started it all from the hole in the ceiling. If the PCs somehow make it out of the capital without getting rid of the dragon, it hounds them, attacking everytime they stop to take a break. If it still isn't dead by the time they break through the fog, it will wait just inside until they get back aboard the airship, then strikes when they are getting aboard. The Captain of the Airship shoots it down with ease. The PCs get half experience for the fight.
BoneLord_of_Skullthrone 02-15-06, 03:31 PM	I am working on an encounter where the PCs find a thorpe of lycantrope elves in the deep forest. (any forest as long as it's a few days from civilization)