Best Open Fiesta Mods? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best Open Fiesta Mods? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lomiat
06-05-07, 12:37 AM I'm curious what current regional adventures people think would make the best Open Fiesta mods.

As far as I'm concerned, the considerations include:
1) Gives a sense of the regional flavor
2) Plays somewhat quickly (given these are all the late-night slots)
3) Offers players challenging encounters
4) Offers PCs the opportunities to act as heroes
5) Doesn't depend upon players' outside knowledge of politics or NPCs
6) Offers fun AR access

Please vote for the best Open Fiesta adventure(s) from your region with a short explanation. I'm hoping to play in an Open Fiesta slot or two at GenCon, but I don't expect I'll be the only one to benefit from this discussion.
Lomiat
06-05-07, 12:44 AM And to start the voting...

I think there are three adventures from the Shield Lands that could make excellent Open Fiesta slots.

1) "Blood and Rain" by Jeffrey Dobberpuhl. SHL6-01: It's the introductory module in a story arc and features a lot of the Shield Landers versus Iuz flavor that (IMO) defines the region. You get to feel like an underdog. You get to be a hero. You get to be spooked out for a large part of the adventure...

2) "Ghosts of Amundfort" by Eric Anondson. SHL6-03: It provides a quick glance at some of the work involved in the Reclamation of the Holy Realm. Meanwhile, the PCs get to face some strange critters and other challenges.

3) "Iuz Strikes Back." This one always runs long when I DM it, but if "Blood and Rain" lets you feel like an underdog, this adventure has left many parties happy to come out alive (at least, for those who have). After a number of SHL adventures saw the war against Iuz progress at an easy pace, this one reminded a lot of players why Iuz conquered most of the Realm in the first place.
_metz_
06-05-07, 03:45 AM anything from the Nation Mocked Series in Perrenland.

I have only played a couple, but they are really excellent and the plot line is fantastic. (I want to travel nearly 1,000kms with a mate JUST to play the rest of The Schwartzstadt Heresy
thorinXXX
06-05-07, 11:25 AM Anything that I can get a table for.:D

I am having a sreious case of LG withdrawal.
Mommy was an Orc
06-05-07, 11:29 AM Anything that I can get a table for.:D

I am having a sreious case of LG withdrawal.

I don't know how practical this is, but aren't you now allowed to play Geoff intro mods? You still need 5-7 people willing and able to sit down at the same time, but at least you're not limited to Core Intros...
Genghis Cohen
06-05-07, 12:09 PM Although not from my region, I strongly recomend Bissel's BIS6-03 Back Taxes. Great regional flavor.

The blurb reads as follows:
A clerk at the Department of Tax Collection has discovered that the makers of Barrier Brew havent paid their taxes in years. During the Kettite occupation records were misplaced and this oversight is just now coming to light. How will the Medigkin clan react to this news? How will you fair as a tax collector? A Bissel regional adventure for APLs 2-12, and Part 3 of the Rebuilding the March series.
dkay807
06-05-07, 05:00 PM I don't know how practical this is, but aren't you now allowed to play Geoff intro mods? You still need 5-7 people willing and able to sit down at the same time, but at least you're not limited to Core Intros...

Where is this information from? Can one play Geoff intro modules anytime - or are you referring to being able to play Geoff intro modules during Fiesta?
Mommy was an Orc
06-05-07, 05:54 PM Where is this information from? Can one play Geoff intro modules anytime - or are you referring to being able to play Geoff intro modules during Fiesta?

If you're in an area without a specific region, then you're now part of the Geoff region. Thorin is in Iraq, right? As strange as that might sound, Iraq is part of Geoff.

It might be hard to get a group together for long periods of time to play something like Scourge, but intro mods typically take a couple of hours.

That seems a lot more practical, especially if you have people new to LG or D&D in general.
pedr
06-05-07, 07:00 PM If you're in an area without a specific region, then you're now part of the Geoff region. Thorin is in Iraq, right? As strange as that might sound, Iraq is part of Geoff.This is something I'm not entirely clear on. I think I asked it somewhere else, and as I'm not personally involved I might be missing something, but the DM for a Geoff module must come from Geoff.

So while Iraq is in Geoff, to play a Geoff module you need a DM who is either 'from' Iraq or some other region-less place, or from the part of the US which is Geoff. Hopefully this can get clarified a little better for those who are stationed overseas. Britt says "you need to be living there ... you know if you are living somewhere" (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=12458242&postcount=487) Whether being posted to Iraq means that you are 'living there' or not is something I'm not clear on.

Of course the LGCS does help people posted overseas in a different way: you can join regional tables taking place within the region where you do live via teleconferencing or the internet.
Haro
06-05-07, 07:37 PM Back on topic;

I think these Perrenland scenarios would be fantastic for an open fiesta slot, despite the fact that we are rushing to the conclusion of a very involved seven year plot arc.

PER6-06 March of the Hollows - Bruce Paris
Well, it's a Bruce Paris (Time's Tide on BS) adventure. 'nuff said.

When The Hollows were unveiled, the first town to fall was the beautiful alpine sanctuary known as Liesenbrau. No word has come from that once idyllic place in over a year - until now. Now, word has arrived that civilised life still struggles within a cauldron of darkness. It is time to reclaim the village in the name of Traft Canton and Perrenland. It is time to put a stop to the March of the Drow.

PER6-03 Fate of the Lina Gersiten - James Dempsey
A good stand alone adventure that has plenty of Perrenland flavour for the unititiated. Cool set pieces.

Welcome to the sacred Isle of Cli, where the Voice has its primary seat of learning, the College of Cli, and the Grove watches over a large Old Seed area. You have arrived for the biennial festival of Hachjemuziek, but are approached with a request to assist a very strange looking elf. Will you answer the request?

PER7-02 Needle in a Haystack - Joe Fitzgerald & Patrick Williamson
Um, well I wrote it and I am a shameless self promoter. ;) It also touches on the overriding plot arc while being a stand alone adventure.

Somewhere on the vast plains of the Chakyik horde lies the body of a man crucial to the defence of Perrenland. Hardy folk are needed to find and retrieve the corpse, no questions asked, but you can always count on the Tiger Nomads to be inquisitive types …

Anyway, Perrenland has brilliant writers but many of the current scenarios are a touch 'involved' to just jump in and play in a fiesta slot.

Joe
Timlagor
06-05-07, 09:52 PM Madhouse certainly seemed to have a fanbase -that's all I know about it though.
clannagh
06-05-07, 10:41 PM Madhouse is a no brainer providing you have a GM that can handle a non linear mod that requires some very lateral thinking. Not a good mod for a "lawful" GM :)

An non-perrenland IUZ mod I really liked was Stone Cold.

I have played all the Perrenland mods suggested and they are all excellent, lots of detailed background with tough combats.

One proviso .. Perrenland style mods tend to be quite manageable by people that regularly play Perrenland (they kinda know what to expect) but can occasionally be a bit of an issue for people that are not used to them.
NiTessine
06-05-07, 10:55 PM We have a few modules in Naerie that fit the bill. Although our adventures usually heavily feature the politics of the region, stuff is usually explained as we they go along.

NAE6-01 Danour, by Warren Banks.
The future of Naerie is endangered when an old enemy appears amongst the waves of a raging storm. An adventure designed for stealthy adventurers of character levels 1-13 (APL 2-10), with a possible optional encounter.

A remarkably good adventure that will teach gung-ho players some important lessons about the better part of valour. There's a bit of an easter egg for characters who show up with ships of their own.

NAE6-05 Sharafon, by Sampo Haarlaa and David Howard.
You rarely notice them. Sometimes you see them in the streets or on the docks. Many remain in labour camp servitude. Others have made the Menowood their new home. Hepmonaland Savages rampaged through Naerie in the service of the Scarlet Brotherhood, but now they are slowly entering Naerie Society. Will they always remain on the fringes of society? You will help decide. Naerie regional adventure for character levels 1-11 (APL 2-8).

Okay, it doesn't get much more tied into local politics than this, but I feel the module is very accessible even to outsiders, especially since its core themes are the kind of universal stuff that every character has an opinion on. In addition, it gives the players a very good picture of the nature of conflict in Naerie - law versus chaos instead of good against evil.

In addition, there is a Splintered Suns metaregional set in Naerie that you are much more likely to encounter at GenCon than any of our regionals...

ESA6-05 A Point of View, by Sampo Haarlaa
Since 590CY, the Ahlissans have worked to build a fortification to guard the Adder's Pass that separates Principality of Naerie from the Kingdom of Sunndi. The work is nearing completion but acts of sabotage have hindered the progress. Perhaps you can discover what is really going on? A one round meta-regional set in Principality of Naerie for character levels 1-11 (APL 2-8). Recommended for groups of adventurers who do not have conflicting loyalties.

Works very well for outsider characters, actually, because of that last recommendation. Works also very well as a module in general, due to some interesting encounter setups, and a key plot element that was thought through and written up taking into account the setting and how magic and high-level characters affect certain things.

It should be noted that while all Naerie modules (this goes for A Point of View, too, since the writer is our Triad) give you the opportunity to be the hero of the day, they also tend to be fairly unforgiving of stupidity. A good example being the Year Five metaregional The Sun and the Nightingale, also by Haarlaa, that one group managed to completely fail, since they couldn't be bothered to investigate and figured that if they went to sleep, the plot would nudge them along. What actually happened was that the plot played out according to its own schedule that the party failed to interrupt since they never discovered it, and the players received ARs with no gold or experience.
Simpi
06-06-07, 12:19 AM NAE6-05 Sharafon, by Sampo Haarlaa and David Howard.

I will be running this in GenCon UK in september. Don't know if Cycplotic Squirrel is coming there though.

Sampo Haarlaa
Naerie Triad
LeeShort
06-06-07, 12:33 PM Madhouse is a no brainer providing you have a GM that can handle a non linear mod that requires some very lateral thinking.

I've got to step in and mildly disagree with this. I've played and run Madhouse, and it's a fun mod...but you need not just a GM who will go with the flow, but a player base that will step up and make things interesting. It's a *very* roleplaying heavy mod, so a group of tired players staying up late might fall flat if they don't have the energy to pull off the mod. Given Fiesta scheduling, I think that's something worth paying attention to.

It's also better if the players know each others' characters.

That said, if I make it to the con, I'll be running it.
Britt
06-06-07, 02:05 PM I've got to step in and mildly disagree with this. I've played and run Madhouse, and it's a fun mod...but you need not just a GM who will go with the flow, but a player base that will step up and make things interesting. It's a *very* roleplaying heavy mod, so a group of tired players staying up late might fall flat if they don't have the energy to pull off the mod. Given Fiesta scheduling, I think that's something worth paying attention to.

It's also better if the players know each others' characters.

That said, if I make it to the con, I'll be running it.
QFT
catsclaw
06-06-07, 02:19 PM From Verbobonc in the past year all I'd really recommend as a Fiesta slot is the Skyroad Series -- (VER6-02 Delve the Wizard's Dungeon, VER6-07 Ride the Merchant's Highway, and VER7-02 Storm the Dragon's Bastion). They're fun, with a mix of roleplaying, puzzles, combat, and regional flavor. But you're gonna want to play them in order, and they're all aimed around APL 4 so finding a character that fits might be an issue.
gomeztoo
06-06-07, 02:27 PM I'd run VER7-02 (or VER7-03, even) if I had the idea that it would be fun without background knowledge. I'd always wanted to run you-know-who ;)
But I have the impression that most of those scenarios won't work that well if that is missing. And I can't run more than one (well not for the same people anyway).
As it looks, I'll likely be running VER6-01 at Gencon UK.
catsclaw
06-06-07, 02:46 PM I'd run VER7-02 (or VER7-03, even) if I had the idea that it would be fun without background knowledge. I'd always wanted to run you-know-who ;)
But I have the impression that most of those scenarios won't work that well if that is missing. And I can't run more than one (well not for the same people anyway).If you can't run more than one mod, then the Skyroad series isn't a great choice, since they build on one another. You don't want to keep people stranded after just the first one. That's kind of mean.

All the other Verbobonc mods are really heavily invested in the plotline. If you don't know the political players and the backstory, there's not much of a hook for you, and the mods end up feeling a little like "talk to so-and-so, go to location X, fight these random bad guys, rinse, repeat".

If push came to shove, I'd run VER6-04 Sign of the Black Orchid as a one-shot. It's interesting and atypical. But is is an investigative mod (which can be dicey, even with a good judge) and there's some issues with the editing.As it looks, I'll likely be running VER6-01 at Gencon UK.Really? Did someone request that specifically? It just seems like an odd one to pick, since it kicks off the plot arc and all.
gomeztoo
06-06-07, 03:29 PM Did someone request that specifically? It just seems like an odd one to pick, since it kicks off the plot arc and all.

Well, I sorta picked it because it is the first one in the arc, as in: no actual background story necessary (for all them furiners). Plus it runs near Ketter's Hearth and I know a bit about that area.
VER7-04 was actually my second choice. I figured it would entail a bit more background knowledge so I kept it second choice.
But I may reconcider. I actuall know Twilight Falls, and all the tension with the elves, better.
kenobi65
06-06-07, 04:49 PM If push came to shove, I'd run VER6-04 Sign of the Black Orchid as a one-shot. It's interesting and atypical. But is is an investigative mod (which can be dicey, even with a good judge) and there's some issues with the editing.

Although, I wonder how good a choice a heavy investigative module is, if the Open Fiesta in question is going on during the Midnight Madness slot.
JohnduBois
06-06-07, 05:44 PM A couple thoughts:

1. Vernon has personally recommended to me than I not play VER6-04 Sign of the Black Orchid in a late-night slot.

2. Furyondy adventures I would recommend for Open Fiesta:
-FUR6-02 Crop Circles (APL 4-10) is a good, self-contained adventure that gives an idea of regional flavor without shoving it down your throats.
-FUR6-05 Darkest Night (APL 2-8) is a relatively self-contained adventure that plays strongly into regional themes and introduces one of the region's major villains well, although it's known to be a bit on the difficult side.
-FUR6-06 and 6-07 Invocation and Intrigue and Conjuring Trouble (APLs 2-6 and 2-8) are very good adventures that tie strongly into regional plot elements and politics, but in a fashion that gets outsider PCs involved. If you plan to use Open Fiestas as a "taste" of the region before you come up to a later con, I STRONGLY recommend playing both of these adventures in order while they're still around.

3. I cannot think of any Iuz adventures I would currently recommend as Open Fiesta slots. Madhouse would be a good choice only pending how well your group games tired. If your group tends to get slap-happy after a full day/weekend of gaming, Madhouse is a good call. If they tend to doze off during MM slots, I don't recommend it.
pedr
06-06-07, 06:11 PM Note that at least some of the people posting on this thread are going to run/play an Open Fiesta module at GenCon UK where we schedule things differently (more sensibly?) - the two Sunday slots are given over to Open Fiesta (no other LG modules run). Players can only play in one of them: there are two so people offering to judge can judge one slot and play one slot. This has the added advantage of allowing people to play when they aren't exhausted!
gomeztoo
06-07-07, 08:18 AM Although, I wonder how good a choice a heavy investigative module is, if the Open Fiesta in question is going on during the Midnight Madness slot.

At Gencon UK, it pla to run it on sunday afternoon (last slot of the Con).
Lomiat
06-10-07, 09:48 AM Anyone from the BK or Pale care to identify the best Open Fiesta adventures from their regions? (I'm curious to get a taste of those regional flavors.)
DerekSTheRed
06-10-07, 11:39 PM Anyone from the BK or Pale care to identify the best Open Fiesta adventures from their regions? (I'm curious to get a taste of those regional flavors.)

My BK suggestions would be BDK6-07 Love Letter (especially if you're a female character) and BDK6-06 Never Stir the Wasps Nest. Love Letter revolves around one of the BK's most notorious NPC's (and he's real fun for the judge to play). Wasp's Nest is full of BK flavor and has a classic BK ending.

Derek S
JohnduBois
06-11-07, 10:13 AM My BK suggestions would be BDK6-07 Love Letter (especially if you're a female character) and BDK6-06 Never Stir the Wasps Nest. Love Letter revolves around one of the BK's most notorious NPC's (and he's real fun for the judge to play). Wasp's Nest is full of BK flavor and has a classic BK ending.

Derek S

From what I've heard, I have a PC would would absolutely LOVE to play Love Letter at APL 2 at either an Origins or GenCon Open Fiesta slot, if someone can bring it (although there would only be certain evenings I would be able to do so).
echoota
06-14-07, 10:21 AM Although not from my region, I strongly recomend Bissel's BIS6-03 Back Taxes. Great regional flavor.
[/i]

Yeah, Back Taxes was a lot of fun to play and offered up some unique encounters that even let the powergamers roleplay a bit more.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lomiat 06-05-07, 12:37 AM	I'm curious what current regional adventures people think would make the best Open Fiesta mods. As far as I'm concerned, the considerations include: 1) Gives a sense of the regional flavor 2) Plays somewhat quickly (given these are all the late-night slots) 3) Offers players challenging encounters 4) Offers PCs the opportunities to act as heroes 5) Doesn't depend upon players' outside knowledge of politics or NPCs 6) Offers fun AR access Please vote for the best Open Fiesta adventure(s) from your region with a short explanation. I'm hoping to play in an Open Fiesta slot or two at GenCon, but I don't expect I'll be the only one to benefit from this discussion.
Lomiat 06-05-07, 12:44 AM	And to start the voting... I think there are three adventures from the Shield Lands that could make excellent Open Fiesta slots. 1) "Blood and Rain" by Jeffrey Dobberpuhl. SHL6-01: It's the introductory module in a story arc and features a lot of the Shield Landers versus Iuz flavor that (IMO) defines the region. You get to feel like an underdog. You get to be a hero. You get to be spooked out for a large part of the adventure... 2) "Ghosts of Amundfort" by Eric Anondson. SHL6-03: It provides a quick glance at some of the work involved in the Reclamation of the Holy Realm. Meanwhile, the PCs get to face some strange critters and other challenges. 3) "Iuz Strikes Back." This one always runs long when I DM it, but if "Blood and Rain" lets you feel like an underdog, this adventure has left many parties happy to come out alive (at least, for those who have). After a number of SHL adventures saw the war against Iuz progress at an easy pace, this one reminded a lot of players why Iuz conquered most of the Realm in the first place.
_metz_ 06-05-07, 03:45 AM	anything from the Nation Mocked Series in Perrenland. I have only played a couple, but they are really excellent and the plot line is fantastic. (I want to travel nearly 1,000kms with a mate JUST to play the rest of The Schwartzstadt Heresy
thorinXXX 06-05-07, 11:25 AM	Anything that I can get a table for.:D I am having a sreious case of LG withdrawal.
Mommy was an Orc 06-05-07, 11:29 AM	Anything that I can get a table for.:D I am having a sreious case of LG withdrawal. I don't know how practical this is, but aren't you now allowed to play Geoff intro mods? You still need 5-7 people willing and able to sit down at the same time, but at least you're not limited to Core Intros...
Genghis Cohen 06-05-07, 12:09 PM	Although not from my region, I strongly recomend Bissel's BIS6-03 Back Taxes. Great regional flavor. The blurb reads as follows: A clerk at the Department of Tax Collection has discovered that the makers of Barrier Brew havent paid their taxes in years. During the Kettite occupation records were misplaced and this oversight is just now coming to light. How will the Medigkin clan react to this news? How will you fair as a tax collector? A Bissel regional adventure for APLs 2-12, and Part 3 of the Rebuilding the March series.
dkay807 06-05-07, 05:00 PM	I don't know how practical this is, but aren't you now allowed to play Geoff intro mods? You still need 5-7 people willing and able to sit down at the same time, but at least you're not limited to Core Intros... Where is this information from? Can one play Geoff intro modules anytime - or are you referring to being able to play Geoff intro modules during Fiesta?
Mommy was an Orc 06-05-07, 05:54 PM	Where is this information from? Can one play Geoff intro modules anytime - or are you referring to being able to play Geoff intro modules during Fiesta? If you're in an area without a specific region, then you're now part of the Geoff region. Thorin is in Iraq, right? As strange as that might sound, Iraq is part of Geoff. It might be hard to get a group together for long periods of time to play something like Scourge, but intro mods typically take a couple of hours. That seems a lot more practical, especially if you have people new to LG or D&D in general.
pedr 06-05-07, 07:00 PM	If you're in an area without a specific region, then you're now part of the Geoff region. Thorin is in Iraq, right? As strange as that might sound, Iraq is part of Geoff.This is something I'm not entirely clear on. I think I asked it somewhere else, and as I'm not personally involved I might be missing something, but the DM for a Geoff module must come from Geoff. So while Iraq is in Geoff, to play a Geoff module you need a DM who is either 'from' Iraq or some other region-less place, or from the part of the US which is Geoff. Hopefully this can get clarified a little better for those who are stationed overseas. Britt says "you need to be living there ... you know if you are living somewhere" (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=12458242&postcount=487) Whether being posted to Iraq means that you are 'living there' or not is something I'm not clear on. Of course the LGCS does help people posted overseas in a different way: you can join regional tables taking place within the region where you do live via teleconferencing or the internet.
Haro 06-05-07, 07:37 PM	Back on topic; I think these Perrenland scenarios would be fantastic for an open fiesta slot, despite the fact that we are rushing to the conclusion of a very involved seven year plot arc. PER6-06 March of the Hollows - Bruce Paris Well, it's a Bruce Paris (Time's Tide on BS) adventure. 'nuff said. When The Hollows were unveiled, the first town to fall was the beautiful alpine sanctuary known as Liesenbrau. No word has come from that once idyllic place in over a year - until now. Now, word has arrived that civilised life still struggles within a cauldron of darkness. It is time to reclaim the village in the name of Traft Canton and Perrenland. It is time to put a stop to the March of the Drow. PER6-03 Fate of the Lina Gersiten - James Dempsey A good stand alone adventure that has plenty of Perrenland flavour for the unititiated. Cool set pieces. Welcome to the sacred Isle of Cli, where the Voice has its primary seat of learning, the College of Cli, and the Grove watches over a large Old Seed area. You have arrived for the biennial festival of Hachjemuziek, but are approached with a request to assist a very strange looking elf. Will you answer the request? PER7-02 Needle in a Haystack - Joe Fitzgerald & Patrick Williamson Um, well I wrote it and I am a shameless self promoter. ;) It also touches on the overriding plot arc while being a stand alone adventure. Somewhere on the vast plains of the Chakyik horde lies the body of a man crucial to the defence of Perrenland. Hardy folk are needed to find and retrieve the corpse, no questions asked, but you can always count on the Tiger Nomads to be inquisitive types … Anyway, Perrenland has brilliant writers but many of the current scenarios are a touch 'involved' to just jump in and play in a fiesta slot. Joe
Timlagor 06-05-07, 09:52 PM	Madhouse certainly seemed to have a fanbase -that's all I know about it though.
clannagh 06-05-07, 10:41 PM	Madhouse is a no brainer providing you have a GM that can handle a non linear mod that requires some very lateral thinking. Not a good mod for a "lawful" GM :) An non-perrenland IUZ mod I really liked was Stone Cold. I have played all the Perrenland mods suggested and they are all excellent, lots of detailed background with tough combats. One proviso .. Perrenland style mods tend to be quite manageable by people that regularly play Perrenland (they kinda know what to expect) but can occasionally be a bit of an issue for people that are not used to them.
NiTessine 06-05-07, 10:55 PM	We have a few modules in Naerie that fit the bill. Although our adventures usually heavily feature the politics of the region, stuff is usually explained as we they go along. NAE6-01 Danour, by Warren Banks. The future of Naerie is endangered when an old enemy appears amongst the waves of a raging storm. An adventure designed for stealthy adventurers of character levels 1-13 (APL 2-10), with a possible optional encounter. A remarkably good adventure that will teach gung-ho players some important lessons about the better part of valour. There's a bit of an easter egg for characters who show up with ships of their own. NAE6-05 Sharafon, by Sampo Haarlaa and David Howard. You rarely notice them. Sometimes you see them in the streets or on the docks. Many remain in labour camp servitude. Others have made the Menowood their new home. Hepmonaland Savages rampaged through Naerie in the service of the Scarlet Brotherhood, but now they are slowly entering Naerie Society. Will they always remain on the fringes of society? You will help decide. Naerie regional adventure for character levels 1-11 (APL 2-8). Okay, it doesn't get much more tied into local politics than this, but I feel the module is very accessible even to outsiders, especially since its core themes are the kind of universal stuff that every character has an opinion on. In addition, it gives the players a very good picture of the nature of conflict in Naerie - law versus chaos instead of good against evil. In addition, there is a Splintered Suns metaregional set in Naerie that you are much more likely to encounter at GenCon than any of our regionals... ESA6-05 A Point of View, by Sampo Haarlaa Since 590CY, the Ahlissans have worked to build a fortification to guard the Adder's Pass that separates Principality of Naerie from the Kingdom of Sunndi. The work is nearing completion but acts of sabotage have hindered the progress. Perhaps you can discover what is really going on? A one round meta-regional set in Principality of Naerie for character levels 1-11 (APL 2-8). Recommended for groups of adventurers who do not have conflicting loyalties. Works very well for outsider characters, actually, because of that last recommendation. Works also very well as a module in general, due to some interesting encounter setups, and a key plot element that was thought through and written up taking into account the setting and how magic and high-level characters affect certain things. It should be noted that while all Naerie modules (this goes for A Point of View, too, since the writer is our Triad) give you the opportunity to be the hero of the day, they also tend to be fairly unforgiving of stupidity. A good example being the Year Five metaregional The Sun and the Nightingale, also by Haarlaa, that one group managed to completely fail, since they couldn't be bothered to investigate and figured that if they went to sleep, the plot would nudge them along. What actually happened was that the plot played out according to its own schedule that the party failed to interrupt since they never discovered it, and the players received ARs with no gold or experience.
Simpi 06-06-07, 12:19 AM	NAE6-05 Sharafon, by Sampo Haarlaa and David Howard. I will be running this in GenCon UK in september. Don't know if Cycplotic Squirrel is coming there though. Sampo Haarlaa Naerie Triad
LeeShort 06-06-07, 12:33 PM	Madhouse is a no brainer providing you have a GM that can handle a non linear mod that requires some very lateral thinking. I've got to step in and mildly disagree with this. I've played and run Madhouse, and it's a fun mod...but you need not just a GM who will go with the flow, but a player base that will step up and make things interesting. It's a very roleplaying heavy mod, so a group of tired players staying up late might fall flat if they don't have the energy to pull off the mod. Given Fiesta scheduling, I think that's something worth paying attention to. It's also better if the players know each others' characters. That said, if I make it to the con, I'll be running it.
Britt 06-06-07, 02:05 PM	I've got to step in and mildly disagree with this. I've played and run Madhouse, and it's a fun mod...but you need not just a GM who will go with the flow, but a player base that will step up and make things interesting. It's a very roleplaying heavy mod, so a group of tired players staying up late might fall flat if they don't have the energy to pull off the mod. Given Fiesta scheduling, I think that's something worth paying attention to. It's also better if the players know each others' characters. That said, if I make it to the con, I'll be running it. QFT
catsclaw 06-06-07, 02:19 PM	From Verbobonc in the past year all I'd really recommend as a Fiesta slot is the Skyroad Series -- (VER6-02 Delve the Wizard's Dungeon, VER6-07 Ride the Merchant's Highway, and VER7-02 Storm the Dragon's Bastion). They're fun, with a mix of roleplaying, puzzles, combat, and regional flavor. But you're gonna want to play them in order, and they're all aimed around APL 4 so finding a character that fits might be an issue.
gomeztoo 06-06-07, 02:27 PM	I'd run VER7-02 (or VER7-03, even) if I had the idea that it would be fun without background knowledge. I'd always wanted to run you-know-who ;) But I have the impression that most of those scenarios won't work that well if that is missing. And I can't run more than one (well not for the same people anyway). As it looks, I'll likely be running VER6-01 at Gencon UK.
catsclaw 06-06-07, 02:46 PM	I'd run VER7-02 (or VER7-03, even) if I had the idea that it would be fun without background knowledge. I'd always wanted to run you-know-who ;) But I have the impression that most of those scenarios won't work that well if that is missing. And I can't run more than one (well not for the same people anyway).If you can't run more than one mod, then the Skyroad series isn't a great choice, since they build on one another. You don't want to keep people stranded after just the first one. That's kind of mean. All the other Verbobonc mods are really heavily invested in the plotline. If you don't know the political players and the backstory, there's not much of a hook for you, and the mods end up feeling a little like "talk to so-and-so, go to location X, fight these random bad guys, rinse, repeat". If push came to shove, I'd run VER6-04 Sign of the Black Orchid as a one-shot. It's interesting and atypical. But is is an investigative mod (which can be dicey, even with a good judge) and there's some issues with the editing.As it looks, I'll likely be running VER6-01 at Gencon UK.Really? Did someone request that specifically? It just seems like an odd one to pick, since it kicks off the plot arc and all.
gomeztoo 06-06-07, 03:29 PM	Did someone request that specifically? It just seems like an odd one to pick, since it kicks off the plot arc and all. Well, I sorta picked it because it is the first one in the arc, as in: no actual background story necessary (for all them furiners). Plus it runs near Ketter's Hearth and I know a bit about that area. VER7-04 was actually my second choice. I figured it would entail a bit more background knowledge so I kept it second choice. But I may reconcider. I actuall know Twilight Falls, and all the tension with the elves, better.
kenobi65 06-06-07, 04:49 PM	If push came to shove, I'd run VER6-04 Sign of the Black Orchid as a one-shot. It's interesting and atypical. But is is an investigative mod (which can be dicey, even with a good judge) and there's some issues with the editing. Although, I wonder how good a choice a heavy investigative module is, if the Open Fiesta in question is going on during the Midnight Madness slot.
JohnduBois 06-06-07, 05:44 PM	A couple thoughts: 1. Vernon has personally recommended to me than I not play VER6-04 Sign of the Black Orchid in a late-night slot. 2. Furyondy adventures I would recommend for Open Fiesta: -FUR6-02 Crop Circles (APL 4-10) is a good, self-contained adventure that gives an idea of regional flavor without shoving it down your throats. -FUR6-05 Darkest Night (APL 2-8) is a relatively self-contained adventure that plays strongly into regional themes and introduces one of the region's major villains well, although it's known to be a bit on the difficult side. -FUR6-06 and 6-07 Invocation and Intrigue and Conjuring Trouble (APLs 2-6 and 2-8) are very good adventures that tie strongly into regional plot elements and politics, but in a fashion that gets outsider PCs involved. If you plan to use Open Fiestas as a "taste" of the region before you come up to a later con, I STRONGLY recommend playing both of these adventures in order while they're still around. 3. I cannot think of any Iuz adventures I would currently recommend as Open Fiesta slots. Madhouse would be a good choice only pending how well your group games tired. If your group tends to get slap-happy after a full day/weekend of gaming, Madhouse is a good call. If they tend to doze off during MM slots, I don't recommend it.
pedr 06-06-07, 06:11 PM	Note that at least some of the people posting on this thread are going to run/play an Open Fiesta module at GenCon UK where we schedule things differently (more sensibly?) - the two Sunday slots are given over to Open Fiesta (no other LG modules run). Players can only play in one of them: there are two so people offering to judge can judge one slot and play one slot. This has the added advantage of allowing people to play when they aren't exhausted!
gomeztoo 06-07-07, 08:18 AM	Although, I wonder how good a choice a heavy investigative module is, if the Open Fiesta in question is going on during the Midnight Madness slot. At Gencon UK, it pla to run it on sunday afternoon (last slot of the Con).
Lomiat 06-10-07, 09:48 AM	Anyone from the BK or Pale care to identify the best Open Fiesta adventures from their regions? (I'm curious to get a taste of those regional flavors.)
DerekSTheRed 06-10-07, 11:39 PM	Anyone from the BK or Pale care to identify the best Open Fiesta adventures from their regions? (I'm curious to get a taste of those regional flavors.) My BK suggestions would be BDK6-07 Love Letter (especially if you're a female character) and BDK6-06 Never Stir the Wasps Nest. Love Letter revolves around one of the BK's most notorious NPC's (and he's real fun for the judge to play). Wasp's Nest is full of BK flavor and has a classic BK ending. Derek S
JohnduBois 06-11-07, 10:13 AM	My BK suggestions would be BDK6-07 Love Letter (especially if you're a female character) and BDK6-06 Never Stir the Wasps Nest. Love Letter revolves around one of the BK's most notorious NPC's (and he's real fun for the judge to play). Wasp's Nest is full of BK flavor and has a classic BK ending. Derek S From what I've heard, I have a PC would would absolutely LOVE to play Love Letter at APL 2 at either an Origins or GenCon Open Fiesta slot, if someone can bring it (although there would only be certain evenings I would be able to do so).
echoota 06-14-07, 10:21 AM	Although not from my region, I strongly recomend Bissel's BIS6-03 Back Taxes. Great regional flavor. [/i] Yeah, Back Taxes was a lot of fun to play and offered up some unique encounters that even let the powergamers roleplay a bit more.