Way back in the 20th century, I played in a D&D 3e adventure called The Sunless Citadel. My friend DMed it and my 1st-level character - a freshly-minted cleric of fire and goodness by the name of Iserith - slew many a goblin and kobold. Our group barely made it out of the climactic encounter alive. Some years later, I joined the forum with that name. Ten years after that, I'm still here. I don't recall many details of the adventure (something about a Meepo?), but I remember having a good time.
By way of what I can only assume is a series of miracles, it looks like I'm going to have some time in (mid to late) September to run this adventure for others, updated to D&D 5e. I'm building the dungeon in Roll20 in great detail as we speak and I'm even using dynamic lighting to impart the feel of dungeon delving. It looks goooood. I've even got some pre-generated characters that you might recall: Jozan, Tordek, Lidda, and Mialee.
My plan is to record these sessions, probably on YouTube, and post them for all to see. To that end, I've enlisted the help of KelvanNailo, one of my regular players, to figure out how to do this since I won't have time to figure it out or do the job of recording while running the game. If anyone has any advice to share on this or suggestions on things you'd want to see in the broadcast, I'm all ears.
I'm also not sure who the rest of my players will be, since I'm not exactly sure about the dates just yet. But I'm thinking it's going to be two to three of sessions on days that are back-to-back. It'll probably be in the evenings Eastern time. If you're interested in joining, drop me a line and I'll keep you advised as to the dates once I get everything finalized.
Finally, did you play or run The Sunless Citadel? What stories do you have to share about it? What was the most fun scene you can recall? Have you updated it and run/played it in D&D 5e yet?
Update 09/01: Currently looking at September 18th as the first session. Starting early evening Eastern time, approximately 8 pm and running till 11 pm to maybe midnight. I'll firm this up as soon as I can. If that sounds about right to you, post here or PM me.
Oooo, shiny. Depending on schedule and times, I might be down to delve. Assuming there's an open slot available for me, of course. And assuming I can figure out how to set myself up with the necessary equipment and software to use speech over the interwebs. Never done that before. I'm kinda old school I guess.
As per usual, I think the New Zealand time difference is gonna get in the way. Otherwise I'd be on it like a bonnet.
I ran sunless citadel for my children, my wife, my good friend and his son. We ultimately continued on with that loosely linked adventure path, completing it about a year ago. Those same players and characters are now adventuring "Against the Giants" in a mega party consisting of this group's other set of adventurers in one large group, with a few NPCs including "Meepo" who is now a sorcerer in his own right.
Sunless Citadel is a "modern" module that deserves being called a new "classic."I will not post my reasons why because I don't want to play the spoiler. I recall all the major details and still have my campaign notes, with an intent to revisit some of the allies, enemies and plotthreads after Against the Giants, Descent into the Depths of the Earth, Vault of the Drow, and in the epic conclusion...Queen of the Demonweb Pits at 20th level. Normally, such characters end up as prominent figures in the world: lords, guildmasters, archmages, grandmasters, knight commanders and even kings. I even painted specific miniatures for not only the players but the major NPCs. I expect each of the characters will have the fulfillment of their grand destinies.
I set all of the modules in the Perrenland area of the World of Oerth (Greyhawk) I even marked all the locations on one of my maps in Realm Works. I found the area perfect with all sorts of nearby geographical features to fit the modules. I placed the Scarred Lands "City of Mithril" along Lake Quag, with a changed background for Greyhawk, adding the history of a certain dragon and with the knowledge, I intended to raze the city by dragon fire after the PCs completed several modules, were riding high and knew so many of the NPCs. It had the desired affect. Shock, excitement, sadness and a desire for vengeance that really set the tone for the final confrontation.
iserith wrote:
Varden_Khol wrote:
I think this was the first published module for 3E. I ran it a few times with different groups.
I spend half of my day getting this account to work again. Wizards of the Coast doesn't want my hippy dippy player empowered gaming infecting the forums.
But seriously any help figuring out how we're going to record will be handy.
Never played the Sunless Citadel, when that came out it was the golden age of Dungeon Magazines, that was my only source of scenarios at the time.
I'd be happy to join the game, though when we played at 3pm eastern it was 9pm for me in Europe, so it will depend at what time you mean to start the game.
ChrisCarlson wrote:
It was p[robably the 21st century being a 3.0 module.
Delazer why the golden age of Dungeon? I look at that as the Paizo tenure and the 1st 17 issues.
Zardnaar wrote:
Hey Iserith, I would love to play in the adventure. The times shouldn't be a problem, so please keep me updated if you would.
Even if I don't play, really looking forward to the youtube videos.
Heck, if you get daring, you could do it live over Twitch.
Coredump00 wrote:
It took us three months or weekly play to get through this adventure when we played it. People boggle when we tell them that it took us so long. "You know that's like a one-shot or two session game, max, right?" Not for us. We engage in character interaction.
Some highlights:
* Our DM gave us all one magic item to start. I was the sorcerer, and he gave me a wand of Fireball with 10 charges remaining on it. When fighting the mini-troll in the sarcophagus (whatever it was), we all jumped back across the spike pit and I launched a fireball at it. Easy kill, but it turned much of the treasure in the room to slag. Gold coins were melted together and unusable (and even non-portable). Eventually, in the final battle against the Druid, I was charmed, and I was convinced that I just really needed to use my wand on the ground at my feet. My group spent the next few turns knocking me out so I wouldn't do that. I was unconscious through 90% of that fight.
* We convinced Meepo to help us out. He showed us to the room where the white dragonling had been penned up until it could be recaptured and taken back to its cage. Upon seeing Meepo again, the thing flew at him and ripped out his throat. When we finally subdued the dragonling and took it back to the kobolds, the queen appointed a new "meepo" to care for the mascot.
* A trapped door had something like a scythe that came down when triggered. The rogue dodged it easily, as did the dwarf. The elf rogue got away without a scratch, but the dwarf took a horrible wound--to his ego-- as half of his beard was removed.
thewok wrote:
Update: Currently looking at September 18th as the first session. Starting early evening Eastern time, approximately 8 pm and running till 11 pm to maybe midnight. I'll firm this up as soon as I can. If that sounds about right to you, post here or PM me.
Damn, out.
bawylie wrote:
How great would it be if WoTC published some of the classic modules, in PDF and on roll20, updated for 5e?
U1: Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, please!
strider13x wrote:
My mistake, I totally misread your Tweet about availability, Brad. As misfortune would have it, that's exactly the weekend I need to kick it off.
Ask not for whom the bone bones. It bones for me.
bawylie wrote:
As that would be 3am for me, I guess I''m out... 
As that would be 3am for me, I guess I''m out...
Yes, unfortunately, I think the start time shuts out most Europeans who value sleep.
Funnily enough, the time difference makes it 1pm-5pm Saturday the 19th for us pacific timers.
How are the player/lurker slots currently looking?
I haven't formally asked anyone to join yet outside of KelvanNailo, so officially there are 3 regular slots plus 2+ lurker spots available. I was hoping to see people chime in on the 9/18 8 pm Eastern start date before I have to start PMing individually.
Alright, strider13x is in. Sending invite via PM.
FabioBLK has taken a spot. One regular player spot remaining, plus alternates.
freudpimp has taken the last spot.
So, because of the schedule, I'm going to take on several alternates. In my experience, given a multi-session format, alternates typically get an opportunity to play. I can't promise that will happen, but that's typically what happens. If you're interested in taking an alternate spot, let me know.
The games will take place on:
Friday, September 18, 8 pm Eastern
Saturday, September 19, 8 pm Eastern
Friday, September 25, 8 pm Eastern
Saturday, September 26, 8 pm Eastern.
My goal would be to end before midnight on each session. If we should finish the adventure prior to any of these dates, disregard any future dates.
My players loved Sunless Citadel when we played it under the 3.5 rules. It's been awhile, but after digging it out I recall some player likes:
- The apple hook. Right amount of fantasy.
- Although they didn't play politics, players loved the turf war going on.
- Meepo. I don't know what it is about lowly lackeys, but they took him in.
- Facing a dragon. That's epic at these levels. The dragonpriest a close second.
- The dry fountain. They loved uncovering the mystery and experimenting to see what the liquid would do.
- As a DM, unique descriptions for treasures, even if they're simply packed up and sold later.
- As a DM, enjoyed the diversity in encounters. Most player class special abilities had at least one chance to shine, even the druidic ability to move unimpeded through briars.
- The freaky tree. Very memorable finale. The talk with Belak made the tree even more freaky.
Many levels later, we ran Red Hand of Doom. At the finale battle with the aspect of Tiamat, the party was going to lose, and one player had kept the Tree Token from the #21 dungeon room. She threw it up for cover to descend into the dungeon's well to escape, but the weight collapsed the well it balanced on, exposing earth and stone. The aspect pursued the surviving players into the well, dispatching all but one. Realizing all was lost, our druid, largely ineffective, used one of his last spells to soften the now-exposed earth, causing a cave-in that rippled through the room. It buried what was left of the players and the aspect. Epic tie-in to a 1st level dungeon crawl item and a still-talked about ending, chronicled by the Vale they saved and told in greater and more fantastic fashion by parents to their children for generations.
Haha.... I picked the wrong couple of days to not check the forums...
No worries. Will it be possible to 'sit in' as an observer? I am curious to witness your DMing first hand.
Touc wrote:
The party consists of:
- Jozan, a human cleric (FabioBLK)
- Tordek, a dwarf fighter (freudpimp)
- Lidda, a halfling rogue (KelvanNailo)
- Mialee, an elven wizard (strider13x)
- Krusk, a half-orc barbarian (Varden_Khol, alternate)
Backup Characters (for when the primary characters are horribly mutilated and/or set on fire):
- Gouki, an air genasi monk (FabioBLK)
- Alhandra, a human paladin (freudpimp)
- Soveliss, an elven ranger (KelvanNailo)
- Devis, a half-elven bard (strider13x)
- Regdar, a human fighter (Varden_Khol, alternate)
One week until the Big Show!
We've already squared away Session Zero, establishing character ties and history, and set up ties between the characters and the adventure.
I'll still take a couple of alternate players, plus observers if you're interested.
Through a series of hilarious events, the party tried to kill Meepo, but couldn't, so they made a pact with him. Then after some failed negotiations with Queen Yusdrayl, they captured the kobold leader and are now holding her hostage to control the kobolds. Meanwhile, they plan to find Le Squeak and The Outcast, who leads the goblins, after a short rest.
This is not how I remember things turning out when I played in this adventure 15 years ago...
Second session tomorrow night. Unfortunately, we had technical issues, so this session was not recorded. I wish it would have been though.
I just realised we were playing Sleep wrong. There's no saving throw!
That mouthy hobgoblin would've been toast, and his little goblin friend too.
Anyway, standing in as Krusk was a blast. Hate to say it, but I hope someone has to drop out again. :P
D'oh! Well, I guess that's what the wizard and DM get for drinking on the job. Let this be a lesson, kids.
Glad you had fun! A very interesting situation has been created. I wonder which way it will go...
strider13x wrote:
strider13x wrote:
After a harrowing fighting withdrawal from the goblin incubation chamber, followed by a tenuous deal with the white dragon Calcryx and a rally inspired by Alhandra the Paladin, the party took the fight to the goblin leaders and laid them low. Calcryx turned on the worshippers of Bahamut as the goblins began to drop and was ultimately slain by Mialee. Meepo, Keeper of Dragons, is inconsolable.
Varden_Khol made a cool drawing of the final scene of last night's session. Thanks, Varden_Khol!
Left to Right: Alhandra, Paladin of Bahamut; Jozan, Cleric of Bahamut; Krusk, a barbarian; Mialee, a wizard; Meepo, Keeper of Dragons, a kobold; Lidda, a rogue. Foreground Right: Luxwell Baublewizzle, a rescued gnome prisoner. Courtesy Highscore Kid Blog.
iserith wrote:
things I have never done in D&D before...
seen a half-orc barbarian lose a strength contest to a kobold (and every other strength challenge for that matter)
negotiated with a white dragon to aid the party (and it worked!)
killed a dragon (yes, my personal first dragon kill ever! woohooo!)
hugged a kobold (have you hugged a kobold today?)
Thanks for the drawing! That will be one of the most memorable D&D tales for me!
We're going to be short one player tonight. If anyone wants to jump in, send me a PM. We begin play at 8 pm Eastern.
We were joined by another player last minute who played Finkas the halfling druid. He took the form of a giant spider and a bear and is seeking his lost friend, a porcupine.
Meanwhile, the party descended into the lower level of the Sunless Citadel, slaying skeletons, twig blights, a bugbear, a thoqqua, and a number of goblins. During that time, Jozan the cleric found the object of his personal quest: an artifact of his faith, the Holy Shield of Kuyutha.
Still more adventure to be had in the Sunless Citadel, but that will have to wait until November. Thanks for the game all and I look forward to picking up where we left off soon.
And it's done. Here's the full-size.
Looks awesome!
Trying to see if we can squeeze a session in this week. Otherwise, we have to wait till November to wrap up this game.