Post/Author/DateTime	Post
lugnut71 06-18-07, 04:06 PM	So for the summer I decided I'd run my group through Eyes of the Lich Queen. Figured it would be fun and something that we would finish before the end of summer. So I had them come up with 5th level characters and away we went. So I have four players Jonas an aasimar Lhazaar pirate cleric who worships the sea (Ocean and Travel domains) Sham a druid using the shapechange alternate class feature from PHBII (deceased) Sloan an Elven bard with fey heritage feats Scott a human warblade using the Tiger claw manuavers (Scott is new player and couldn't come up with a name so I just called him Scott) We started with the jungle attack as suggested. Nobody was able to spot the lizardfolk but due to poor rolling only one arrow struck home. Sham made his save. The lizardfolk were spotted and initiative was rolled. Scott got to the first one and killed it in one hit (which really wasn't all that good for the party). Sham was able to reach their leader but couldn't hit him (poor rolling seemed to be the order of the day for the party). Jonas hit the other lizardfolk with a line of cold from his rod. Still the lizardfolk manage to warn the people at the temple. Jonas wears the one down with spells well Sham and the Lieutenant trade blows (Sham couldn't hit the one at all and Scott couldn't get close enough due to the difficult terrain). Eventually the lizardfolk start to retreat. The lieutenant gets caught between Sham and Scott and is killed while the other one escapes. Some brief description and we switch back to the beginning of the adventure. After Sur'kil sends them the message, they pretty much decide to go and see him. Much pastry eating commences. He lays down what wants them to do. I ask them if they have any questions. Jonas asks him why he wants the relics. Sur'kil answers that they would further his research. After that they decide that they will help. (I see that they are not to big on asking questions more on that later). I gloss over the trip there to get them back in the jungle. Once in Adderport they decide they need a guide. One extremly gather information check and they find him asleep in rundown tavern. A surly half-orc, (a retired memeber of House Tharashk) who lost companions out in the jungle. They try bribing him to take them out be he refuses say that there ain't enough gold in the world. After a while they decide to just charm person him. So they head out and come upon the lizardfolk pilgrams. They end up healing them but really don't feel like talking to them beyond asking them about blackscale lizardfolk. So now they are upon the temple complex. I explain where the villages are and that the blackscale lizardfolk are patrolling the place. So they decide to sneak through the jungle to get closer to the temple. They summon a giant fire beetle and have it make a commotion in the blackscale village. I have the two patrol groups go off and check it out. They then rush the temple and engage Varmystix. Sham summons a thouqa and has it attack one of the blackscales. Sloan fires an arrow at it while Scott charges it. Jonas hangs back and waits. One of the blackscales falls and the other moves up to fight. Varmstyx moves up to Sham and criticals with his spear. Sham dies horribly. As Varmstyx does over 40 points of damage. Still the fight is over by the third round. Enter Hector the duskblade lost in the jungle finding them. They run into the temple and chase a blackscale over to the left side of the temple. They beat down the two Adepts pretty quick and then go and attack the still chained wolverine. One of the dragons shows up and breath weapons. They head over to the other side since they can't follow it. Another fight follows with the high priest, but this goes pretty quickly. This time expecting the dragons Scott climbs down by the door. The dragon flies up gets off two breath weapons but is killed on his return trip before he can get away. At this point I just have the other dragon escape as the characters horrible rolling (other than Scott) have forced them to use up almost everything they have. In most fights Scott was the only one hitting. So we will continue next week from the Dragons hoard.
Nived 06-18-07, 07:48 PM	Sounds solid, for some perspective, if you don't mind, I'll share my group's first adventure through it. Interestingly enough they got just as far as your crew. The PCs. Pointe Blank (pronounced Point Blanc, speaks with a Aundairian "French" accent) Warforged Ranger, Combat Focus Archery. With wolf animal companion designated "Wulf" Altruis "Bolts" Dmarked Sivis Gnomish Artificer. Ender Swiftclaw, Talentian Swordsage. Primary Discipline Shadow Hand, with some Setting Sun maneuvers. Member of the Wayfinders. Alexander "Reaper" Human Fighter. Orphaned by the war, fought in the Brelish army... fighting is all he knows, bitter. (First time guy is playing so yeah bit of a cliched background can be excused) Weapon of choice: Scythe. Unnamed Shifter Fighter (emergency phonecall during character gen caused the player to miss first session) With a new player I decided not to do the flashback opening. While I was originally going to I wanted to keep it straight forward. Bolts being marked got the message and rounded up his usual crew to hear this job offer. The scene played out fairly well, they kept pressing Sur'kil for more information, he continued to say "I'll fill you in once he have established a contract," it was the Reaper (the new player) surprisingly who decided to negotiate for more money if that was to be the case. The deal was struck and the team gathered their gear to head out. I more or less described a travel montage. Describing the lightning rail and the coach... then describing Sur'kil sitting with them elaborating on what they are to find, then described the wind galleon and them boarding, being greeted by a friendly Lyrander Cap'n (he wont always be friendly), then the travel scene with Sur'kil continuing to give details. Finally with their pulling in to Adderport I finished giving all the preparatory information. Like these conversations had been ongoing to the week it took to get there. Before departing the ship (Which Sur'kil would be staying on, he already commissioned it why rent a hotel room). The crew decided Sur'kil didn't' know enough about the Lizardfolk and asked around. Had some of the local gaurds tell them about the three tribes. With all that done they set off through the forests. I described the heat the bugs the weariness of the travel. While traveling Pointe took point followed by Reaper who tried to stay off to the side of the path. He didn't like the idea of being in a straight line (smart for a newbie). Bolts followed next ready to run up to infuse Pointe if need be. Ender took the rear. They traveled, Pointe keeping watch during the nights and requesting to make a survival check to catch local fauna to provide food for his fleshie friends. Which is why Bolts woke up with a dead snake next to his head. Yes there are plenty of little role playing moments I've glossed over, Pointe's perchance for wine, after being given his freedom he models his behavior after an Aundairian officer he knew in the war. Reaper asking in Adderport how to identify female lizardfolk because he prefers to avoid killing women... regardless of species. Anyway the party came across the Dying Sun tribe Reaper spotted that they were injured. They politely inquired about what hurt them and in a round about way learned of the Temple and the Dying Sun's failed attempt at resistance. Reaper slipped about where the party was going... they didn't turn the Lizardfolk's disposition to helpful... but I threw them a bone with the Dying Sun deciding to tell the party that if the Temple were to be attacked it would be at least two days before they saw fresh reinforcements. I'll admit I was worried about my players charging in and getting overwhelmed.... boy was that foolish. The party proceeded. At the ambush point Pointe managed to spot the Luitenant, Reaper spotted the other two. Pointe's first action was "Enemies spotted" Hand signal so I decided to forgo the surprise round. Here is where I may have made my mistake. I rolled the Lt's init then rolled one init for the remaining two PD's. The two regular Poison Dusk rolled a 1... so they lost their first action. Bolts hit Pointe with a Cat's Grace infusion since he couldn't see the danger, Pointe unleashed a volley of Rapid Shot at the Poison Dusk LT. Scored two hits, and Pointe ordered Wulf to go after the PD on the right. The Lt returned fire, for now aimed at the metal man that was hitting him. Ender made another spot check to see the PD on his left fumbling for his bow. He dashed into the undergrowth and used a Setting Sun maneuver to hip toss the PD into the middle of the path, out from behind his cover. Right at Reaper's feet. Reaper unleashed heck on the prone lizardfolk. The battle continued like that, Reaper dispatched the PD when he tried to get up and provoked an AoO. Bolts and Pointe plinked the Lt. Wulf got poisoned fairly badly and was pulled back, but by that time Ender was on the other PD, with Reaper coming over to finish it off. The Lt tried to run but Pointe's Rapid Shot and Bolts actually managed to bring him down. None of them had a chance to use the whistle. So the party decided to move on, creeping using stealth. Ender and Pointe with their ungodly Move Silent checks scouted ahead, found the huts... they decided to watch and learn how many they were up against. They were watching when nightfall came and three more PDs (a Lt and two lackeys) started down the path for for their shift. Guessing what was going on Pointe signaled Ender with a bird call "Ka-Kaw Ka-Kaw Tookie Tookie" (cookie if you get the reference). The Poison Dusk, all rangers... you know NOT ONE OF THEM HAS KNOWLEDGE NATURE! Anyway the signal was set up by the group beforehand for fall back to where Reaper and Bolts were. They headed back Pointe told them what was up told them to catch up and cast longstrider to run and beat the Poison Dusk (who were walking) back to the sight and hide the signs of the battle with a survival check (if it can be used to find tracks it can be used to hide them). So the PD got back to the site and were confused by their comrades not being there. They looked around, failed to find the hidden signs of battle. The Lt decided to wait and see but sent one of his lackeys back to get some Blackscales just in case. Pointe stalked after the lone PD... moving silently, but with longstrider. When they were halfway between the ambush point and the camp Pointe ran up and burst out of the foliage tackling the PD and pinning him (per grapple rules I figured 'pin' would be appropriate for clamping their mouth shut). He then used his natural slam attack to kill him while keeping his grappled, and dragged the body off into the woods. This just kept on going. Pointe and Ender snuck up on the other two PD grappling them and Reaper and Bolt slit their throats. The party moving silently snuck up to the huts and waiting and all through the night picked off one lizardfolk at a time. Ender had picked up the Lt's small might composite bow, Reaper with his throwing axes, bolt with his crossbow, Pointe with his bow... they snuck around taking them down in an opportunistic manner all of them attacking one in a surprise round (then Pointe or Ender would win init and finish them off). Though they had to go into the Blackscale camp after taking out two to get the two in the huts. Ender snuck up to one, went inside tried to coupe de grace a sleeping one failed... but on his next action managed to throw (with a Setting Sun technique) the 9 foot tall lizard man out the tent onto the fire where he burned to death. Reaper went to the other hut and got his wish to stand toe to toe with one of these giants and cut him down. I couldn't believe this. I was worried that the party was going to be overwhelmed and they were breezing through commando style! I was actually kinda proud of my players for being smart. Proud and slightly annoyed. They decided to rest a bit and wait to launch their assault on the temple "At dawn,". Using the oldest trick in the book (throwing a stone and making a noise to get a guard to come over and investigate) they drew one of the door guards away and slaughtered him. Went the long way round, and snuck up along the wall on the other one and slaughtered him. This was seen by the Dracotaur. Finally I figured this could get interesting... But the party swarm attacked him and knocked him to zero hp... since it had been so long since the PCs took damage I had his dying action be spitting his burning goop in Reaper's face. Reaper was not pleased and took his head. They looked inside and decided to go left. Bolts took point because he had lowlight vision and could see best in the predawn light. They found the adept's rooms and found the Adept trying to break into his fellow's chest. They attacked and killed him in a small skirmish. Then decided to take the time to open the chest. THAT was their mistake. The other adept heard the commotion cast protect from good and came to have a look. Saw Ender standing out in the hall. The Blackscale charged Reaper who was still out in the hall and caused some damage before being taken down. the Party then decided the wise tactic of "we can come back for loot." They healed Reaper up with some potions and went down into the large room. Spotted the wolvie and decided to keep their distance. Looked in the well and decided to see what was down there. Bolts enchanted Pointe's fist with light and he climbed down a rope they tied off. He couldn't see anything and asked asked Bolts to come down to look for a hidden door all the while stomping on the bottom of the well to see if he could get it to open. So it opened. Pointe had to make a reflex save to keep ahold of the rope... but he moved his light fist to look down and looking up at him was a black dragon. Bolts was also on the rope... with gave the dragon a line of attack. He attacked then screamed to shut the door. Which didn't matter as Bolts and Pointe already made clear their intentions to "Climb the *explative deleted* back up,". I had the dragons go alert their high priest. All the while Pointe and Ender made ready for something to come down the hall, while Reaper made ready to attack any dragon that came up the well. An adept did come down the hallway. Pointe shot it, and Ender hiptossed it into the well (I have a feeling he's going to be using that maneuver a lot). Because of this none of them saw the Adept come out of the secret door and swing his club at the peg chaining the wolverine to the wall. The wolverine now loose it tore into Reaper (who was closest), the Adept watching. Reaper and Ender both got tore up by the wolvie before dropping it. They also made listen checks to hear the well door open, a scream, a colision, some Draconic yelling (none of them understand draconic), and the door closing again. (what it is a funny thought, the Blackscale falling on one of the siblings). This is where we called it for the night as it was 4am. Knowing that there was "a dragon", the high priest alerted. I figure I can open with the shifter (read missing player) waking up in one of the cages in that room in time to see them kill the Wolverine... them 'saving' the shifter having the shifter join up. The High Priest bellowing through the temple threatening them in common... then go from there.
lugnut71 06-18-07, 10:04 PM	That sounds excellent. I hope to draw some more roleplaying out of three of my players. Jonas does pretty good work and Sloan isn't too bad but I would prefer more. I was rather suprised when my playes skipped the villages all together, I honestly figured they were going to charge right into them. Which probably would of been the death of them. Your players did good work on not alerting the adepts. If they can protection form good on themselves their AC becomes 23, my players had a heck of a time hitting them. The blackscales do make pretty good challenges as a whole.
Sergikins 06-27-07, 05:43 PM	Thought i would share my experience since it was teh first session to kick off the campaign, i had a little fun drawing the PCs together. The characters were as followed Lesser Teifling Soul knife (Dragonmarked, I bent the rules since the teifling meant he had extraplanar heritage) dragon mark of house Orien Minotaur (progression via savage speicies) of the goblinoid lands Khalastar Psion hailing from Breland Halfling druid riding a clawfoot EVERYWHERE from Talenta The took the mission, but didn't seem particullary intrested in what they were looking for. they traveled, arrived in Qu'Barra, and traveled through the jungle. on encounter A1, they used a combinatin of diplomancy and a well placed suggestion power to make the leader lizard folk lead them to the temple. after the spell wore off, he continued to travel with them, until he was in the safe clearing. when the druids watch came, he ran off. the party suspected he was plotting an ambush, but after tracking him with scent (minotaur and clawfoot) they determined he ran back to his tribal grounds. encounter a2 took place and went well. the alarm was raised though (it wouldn't have been if the minotaur didn't miss on his AOO). they all hid, except the minotaur who searched a corpse. the Blackscale came to investigate, and thanks to the brush and a botched spot check, didn't notice him. then a grease spell and a mind thrust later, they relocated. the druid and soulknife approached the temple from the southwest (not on the trail) the poison dusk spotted them and shot them the alarm was raised once again, and patrols were sent out. but the players had a better idea of the layout of the temple grounds. to get an idea of the full layout, the druid wildshaped into a cheetah and srinted across the entire temple grounds. yes, teh alarm was raised again, but nothing they weren't used to then they decided to invade teh temple throuugh the windows. and yes, they alarmed everyone thats where we ended
Majoru Oakheart 06-27-07, 06:16 PM	thats where we ended Hmm, I certainly wouldn't have let the Druid explore the whole place like that without dying. Keep in mind he can only sprint in a straight line, so, not very fast around corners like are all over the inside of the temple. Plus, once the alarm was raised, the dragons should have come up out of their holes and roasted the cheetah. Plus, the lizardfolk could have arranged a couple of them to stand at the entrance to prevent the cheetah from leaving without a really good tumble or an overrun. It should have been suicidal.
Sergikins 06-27-07, 06:35 PM	no, not the temple the temple grounds
Sergikins 06-27-07, 06:41 PM	double post
lugnut71 07-08-07, 09:01 PM	So we played for a little while again last week Sunday. I was looking foward to see how my players would handle the traps and such. So Sloan quickly finds the secret door by rolling a great search check. The characters than enter the trapped hallway. Jonas casts light on somone's helmet (I don't remember who not that it is really important.) They march down the hall. Hector seeing that the way is barred runs down and pulls the switch. Well he sets off the trap in the floor before anyone can do anything. A massive panic occurs as they search for something to help them. They do not find anything. (pretty bad search checks). The wall creeps closer. Sloan asks if she can try to squeeze through the bars. I decide to use DM's fiat to allow it if she rolls high enough. She rolls a twenty plus her bonuses for some really high check so I figure sure you can squeeze through. Once through she attempts another search check. She gets a really good roll but there isn't anything on this wall. She does notice that the wall along the other side is week. She informs the three men. After two attempts they finally succeed in knocking down the wall and escape. In the next room they enter. Hector casts detect magic, the dragonshard glows etc. Jonas moves to the end of the platform and beseeches his goddess for advice on how to get across. The cannoloths appear and a fight breaks out. Both cannoloths jump across. One makes it easily the other lands on Jonas, I have them make reflex checks to see if they can stay on the platform since Jonas is standing right on the edge. Jonas makes his and the Canoloth rolls a one. The other canoloth makes a good showing but without his buddy dies. Scott jumps across, Jonas casts flight and flies across. Hector watches them go and pulls on the chains and walks across with Sloan. Much nashing of teeth commences from Jonas. They attempt to take the Dragonshard. So I have Jonas make a knowledge arcana check. I tell him it is a prison for the Cannoloths. If you take it the Cannoloths come with. They wisely decide to leave it. This next room terrified everyone. They wouldn't even go in the room. Jonas wasted about five or six low level spells attacking one of the blades. I let him destroy it. Eventually they wandered far enough in to let the homunculous (sp) out. They quickly backed up and fought them by the entrance. Eventually everyone ran through and broke down the stone door. (I allowed it to be easier since no one could pick locks.) We stopped there for the night. All in all this is an well done part of the adventure allowing every type of character to shine. Stuff to break, stuff to disarm, and stuff to kill.
Sergikins 07-09-07, 09:22 AM	I ran again too. Surrounded by the carnage of the lizardmen inside the temple all in the main hall, they had one round to prepare.... and then Varmystix and four blackscales came through the main door. everyone except the druid decided to run. he sent his animal companion in to try and get a hit, but an AOO took hi down to 1 hp. he decided to run then. teh minotaur had already smashed open a window and jumped out, so had the soulknife. the druid sent the animal compainon in, he got hit, and made him turn around to jump out the window. the animal compainon went unconsious from the fall. then the druid jumped. the psion released a huge frost bolt and then jumped out the window, and nearly killed the animal compainon (I ruled it a DC 10 jump check to jump out the window and not land on the animal companion. he rolled a 3. action point to 8.) Since everyone was down there, i decided to allow everyone a reflex check, DC 15, that two of the three had to pass to push him out of the way. fortunatly, the animal companion lived, and after a vigor and being slung on the minotaurs back, they ran into the forest. They decided to take camp. that night, a group of four posion dusk hunted down their position, and tried to kill them. since they were all sleeping in trees, it was funny watching them go down. Then they decided on their final solution to get in. A peace offering. this made me think, what?????, but i let them try..... more like, it was a standoff until the blackscales and Varmystix charged. I peppered in the black dragons, and they managed to make the blackscales abandon their temple. but the black dragons were in. I decided to make the legendary spear, Armekrixner, a huge Halberd, because the minotaur has monkey grip and is about to go large size. alot of the equipment in the temple is quite helpful for him. but the entire time, while they were looting it, they were being hit with black dragon acid. finally, they got on a door, and smashed it open. the dragons attacked, one died, the other ran. They looted the hoard, and searched for a door. they managed to find it. thats where we ended.
The White Sorcerer 07-09-07, 01:02 PM	With a new player I decided not to do the flashback opening. Flashback opening? Is this something in the module or just something you do? "Ka-Kaw Ka-Kaw Tookie Tookie" (cookie if you get the reference). Evolution.
Majoru Oakheart 07-09-07, 01:32 PM	Flashback opening? Is this something in the module or just something you do? It's something written into the mod. It suggests that you start with an action sequence so you play the first battle at the very beginning then flashback to the very beginning of the mod where they got the mission.
Majoru Oakheart 07-09-07, 02:48 PM	I ran the first session of this last week, the second session will be tomorrow. Since there were 6 players and I let them start off with 32 point buy, I decided to start them all at level 4 instead of level 5. Also, it was warranted since: My group jointly decided to be ALL Warforged. They decided that at the end of the last war their former commander got drunk when they were told the war was over and gave them all names as they weren't given them before then. However, being drunk and not having a large amount of respect for Warforged. They ended up being named(these weren't they actual ranks, they were just given them as part of their names): Captain Crunch: Fighter type(can't remember the exact classes, and I believe ranger and barbarian was involved). Wields 2 light picks. Major Malfunction: Artificer. Repairs the others. Can't do much damage. Soon will have a Simulacrum named Private Parts. Commodore 64: Wizard, 64th Warforged in his regiment. Has a weasel familiar. Major Defect: Spellthief, Warforged Scout. Completely insane. Does 1d3-1 points of damage with his fists. We have agreed after the first session to let him change his stats and classes since he's a little too weak to be fun. Private Eye: Scout. Good Spot checks. Uses a bow. One member of the group didn't show up for the first session. Don't know what they will be. --- We started off with the flashback beginning. Everyone failed their spot checks. The party had a difficult time hitting the lizardfolk, since all of them seems to have low plusses to hit. However, the entire group being immune to poison and a number of them having adamantine armor made it a LONG fight when very little damage was dealt on either side. Captain Crunch was the only one capable of actually defeating the enemies at a rate of more than 3 points a round. The surprise star of the encounter turned out to be the Weasel familiar of Commodore 64. It attached itself to a lizardfolk and kept doing one point a round until it killed one. The leader of the lizardfolk managed to sound the alarm before they killed him. A Blackscale showed up but died before he could even attack in the first round to a crit by Captain Crunch with the light pick. Then, we flashed back to the beginning. They got the message and headed to the tavern. They met Sur'kil and he offered them food....though as he was in the middle of his sentence he noticed they were all warforged and mentioned that he expected some of the human members of their unit to show up. Major Defect ate all the food anyways. I mean ALL of it. He figures he's insane and thinks he's human. However, he never seems to get full. Plus, he's a drunk. Yes, he knows he can't get drunk but thinks he does anyways. At any rate, they accepted the job, puzzled as why they'd need antitoxin, then they did as Sur'kil asked. They waited at the Lightning Rail station for him. For 2 days. Straight. They took the rail, the boat, and they left town without incident. They ran into the "friendly" lizardfolk who they were originally going to kill. Then some members held everyone back in order to make a diplomacy check (2 of them even know Draconic), however the best check in the group is +2. They all failed. They decided to pass them by and continue. Leading us back to where the flashback started. They continued down the road. When they saw the clearing and the temple, they stayed out of sight and sent the Scout and the Spellthief in to hide in the jungle and scout the area. Since all the Blackscales were near the temple, patrolling, they weren't seen. They saw the Girillion and snuck back to the party. They cooked up a plan where they turned the scout invisible, he let the girillion out. It made enough noise that 2 blackscales came to investigate. The Girillion ripped the two of them apart and ran into the jungle. The party then proceeded down the path, searched all the empty tents and then headed over to the other tents. They were attacked by the poison dusks in the tents. A couple of them were fairly low on hit points. However, the artificer realized that he could use one of his infusions to give the weasel BANE(Humanoid(reptilian)). When it attached it does it's bite damage every round. Plus, the wizard cast a fist of stone and shared it with the weasel. The weasel then took out most of the enemies. That was the end of the session.
lugnut71 07-09-07, 10:36 PM	Flashback opening? Is this something in the module or just something you do? Evolution. Actually I think it is from George of the Jungle. Although I believe they used it in Evolution (which while not being a great movie I like a lot)
Sergikins 07-13-07, 10:33 AM	hah, i like that. puzzled as to why they need antitoxin. you shold have given them something useful for warorged, like maybe something of repair light damage or something.