Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 derelictman Nov 11, 2008 18:56:26	Show So, has anyone actually ran ADAP1-2 - 4 yet? I've read over most of the published mod twice now. It seems like a decent framework for a good adventure, but it seems unfinished. The fact that the last encounter with Lady Saharel is basically a "roll your own" seems ill-conceived. I understand that a DM using this mod in a home campaign would need to do some tweaking to the prophecies, but it seems it's on the DM in this case to create this encounter nearly out of whole cloth. I was surprised to see this sort of thing in a published adventure. The task of creating this encounter becomes even more difficult, IMHO, when you are running it in the context of LFR. I was hoping there would be some helpful information in ADAP1-4 regarding how to handle this as a DM. Unfortunately I found what was there to be lacking. The general gist of the "Concluding the Adventure" section seems to be: make up some pointlessly empty prophecies because they can't possibly come true anyway. I understand because this is a living campaign and not a home campaign that we as DM's are limited in what kind of answers we can give. But frankly the prospect of designing an encounter that is basically pointless is not one I look forward to. Why pretend to give a prophecy that both the DM and the players (if they consider the situation for more than 2 seconds) knows cannot possibly factor into future adventures? It seems like a waste of time, and the fact that it is supposed to be the climax of this adventure makes it even worse. Does anyone have any suggestions on how the ending of this mod could be retooled? What I'm looking for is an idea on a final climactic encounter that doesn't involve some sort of prophecy for the player characters at all, so that whole issue can be avoided. Failing that, has anyone actually run this mod to completion yet? If so, I would love to hear your experiences. Please understand that I'm not trying to bash the efforts of the authors of the module or the adaptation... I'm just looking for constructive advice on how to make this a workable mod for my group of players. Thanks in advance.
#2 syrsuro Nov 12, 2008 0:22:46	I'm working on adapting the adaptation now and my take on that is: I'm not worrying about that - yet. But it is something I will have to deal with eventually. I think that alot will depend on the players. If you have a steady group of players (as I do) and if those players are interested in more than simply killing and avoiding being killed (i.e. at least some roleplaying, as some of mine are) than I think that situation will take care of itself. Especially if you follow the advice on page 5: Show However, you should strongly encourage every player to reveal his or her character’s question to you. Although the PCs might be less than optimistic regarding their chances of gaining an audience with Lady Saharel, the players likely realize (because they’re engaging in this adventure) that such a meeting is well within the realm of possibility. Because a character’s question might be far-reaching—perhaps even glimpsing into the future —that character’s player will receive a more interesting answer from the Sorceress of Spellgard if you have foreknowledge of his question (and thus time to prepare an appropriate reply).
#3 derelictman Nov 12, 2008 2:37:27	Show Thanks, that is helpful. I guess I hadn't considered the fact that they will write their question (and I'm assuming the answer too) on their adventure logs. That does at least provide some hope that a suitably personal prophecy could be fulfilled to a degree, especially if future DM's have the presence of mind to read it and try to incorporate it. (Not likely in the general case but it is at least possible.) That is enough to make it not totally "pointless". I guess I was just taken aback by the overall tone of the "Concluding the Adventure" section, which seems a bit negative in places. As a newbie to organized play and a veteran of home campaigns, one of the things I miss the most when playing and running LFR is the continuity of the campaign on a personal level. This prophecy aspect of this mod just seems to take one of the major weaknesses of a living campaign and put a spotlight on it. And for the record, I don't necessarily think it follows that because a player finds the prophecy exercise pointless he or she must not be interested in roleplaying. Personally I am very interested in roleplaying myself, but if faced with this prophecy business as a player I would find it hard to summon much enthusiasm for the exercise... not because I can't convert it to a mechanical combat bonus or something, but because it requires putting time and effort into something that will likely not be a factor in the future, even in a narrative sense. But, as I said, the adventure log angle does provide sufficient hope that a suitably focused prophecy might come into play later (even if only in the modules that I run for the group), and I think that is enough. If you think of it, post back later about your experiences with the prophecy aspect as you get futher into the mod, and I'll do the same. Overall I am really looking forward to running this mod, as I think it is a good one in general. The freeform nature of the monastery and ruins exploration should be a welcome change of pace from the typical LFR mods that have come before. Thanks again!
#4 Madfox11 Nov 12, 2008 5:01:54	Also note the the sticky threat at the top of this board. We want to see those questions, so that we might be able to do something more with it then DMs empowerment. Belief me when I say that this aspect of the adventure has been discussed extensively by the globals and Chris and that it is really difficult to do in satisfying way (especially in a way that made the adventure available within an acceptable time frame). Pieter Sleijpen RPGA LFR Global Administrator
#5 derelictman Nov 12, 2008 6:08:28	Thanks Pieter, I definitely appreciate the fact that it is a hard problem to solve. I will post my players questions in that thread as soon as I have them...
#6 syrsuro Nov 12, 2008 15:14:33	Show And for the record, I don't necessarily think it follows that because a player finds the prophecy exercise pointless he or she must not be interested in roleplaying. Personally I am very interested in roleplaying myself, but if faced with this prophecy business as a player I would find it hard to summon much enthusiasm for the exercise... not because I can't convert it to a mechanical combat bonus or something, but because it requires putting time and effort into something that will likely not be a factor in the future, even in a narrative sense.