Principia Discordia

Principia Discordia => Propaganda Depository => RPG Ghetto => Topic started by: Doktor Howl on July 04, 2015, 06:05:34 AM

Title: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 04, 2015, 06:05:34 AM
The idea was great, but all 3 published versions sucked.

So, doing it myself.  Instead of some demon lords being behind the fake elemental cult, it's run by an inner circle of Vecna cultists.  Of course, the undead Vecna has moved on to bigger and better things than being a moldy old undead thing, so he has no intention of coming back.  But they're dumb and maniacal, and yanno...

Anyway, I have two groups going through the campaign at the same time, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.  I am not running the same adventure twice, I am running them both through at the same time, and the actions of one group affect the other, and vice-versa.  In fact, tomorrow they all sit at the table together for a massive "Rumble in the Slums".

The groups have cleared out and set up shop in a couple of arcane sites, smacking around some temple heavies in the process (and learning of the return of the ancient threat).  The local wizards guild has decided they want the sites, and have hired goons to take the parties out.  The more experienced party has gotten wind of this, and the fact that the guild is going to take out the less experienced party first.  So they send a henchman to warn the group (who is going down to the docks to meet a guy who supposedly knows where the ancient evil temple is).

The more experienced group arrives just as the bad guys kick off their ambush.

The map of the docks and the adjoining slum is divided into 19 segments, and each segment has either hit men of one kind or another, or nothing, or helpful people from a gang the parties are friendly with (which is to say, they have common enemies).  Each segment also has "chase" conditions that have to be met before anyone can enter them (crowded street, etc).  This of course applies to the good guys and the bad guys, and may result in groups of both being split, as individuals make the required checks.  The less experienced PCs arrive randomly in one of the first 8 zones (the Northern half of the map), and the other party arrives in either zone 1, 5, or 9.  The less experienced PCs are out of their league, and have to survive until the other party shows up.

Also, there's a pack of pit bulls that wander the map and attack either side.  Because life is just more FUN with a horde of feral pit bulls.  Oh, and more giant rats than you can shake a stick at. And a swarm of carniverous cockroaches. And CANNIBAL STREET URCHINS.  Because slums.  And it's raining like Goddamn Portland, mostly so they don't burn the city down, but also because the modifiers are universal and vastly amusing (to me).  Lastly, the bad guys in an adjoining zone may see the PCs if they make a ruckus, and attempt to move into their zone to attack, and all bad guys chase good guys no matter where they go.

Victory conditions are:

PCs are killed - obviously, bad guys win, campaign over.
PCs survive by fleeing the slums - draw, no information, and the goons are still out for them.
PCs get to the informant and then escape - PCs win, get information.
PCs wipe out 80-100 percent of the bad guys - Crushing victory, PCs get information, wizards guild humiliated, bonus experience for everyone.

The parties have three (3) hours of real time to complete their objectives.

The bad guys are a mixed bag of lunatic bleachling gnomes, red mantis assassins, street thugs, some murder cultists, a solo monk bounty hunter, and some Sczarni (ie, Roma) hit men (among other things).

The friendly gang, the Garbanzo brothers outfit, is located in two zones, and can be made helpful with a diplomacy check, in which case they either toss the PCs a healing potion or two OR eliminate any one group of assassins chasing the PCs.

Now, this comes off almost like a boardgame, and it really is for this session, but that's the best way to get the cinematic feeling ala Indiana Jones or Brandon Fraser in The Mummy.

If they live through this, then phase two starts, and the more experienced party goes off to the temple, while the less experienced party works for that nice old deformed noble that's been paying them for odd jobs that are getting more than a little disturbing.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Cain on July 04, 2015, 07:20:35 PM
Running them co-currently sounds like a great idea.  Presumably the group who goes second gets their actions incorporated into the next session for the first group?

And you can never go wrong with cannibal urchins.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 04, 2015, 11:06:15 PM
Quote from: Cain on July 04, 2015, 07:20:35 PM
Running them co-currently sounds like a great idea.  Presumably the group who goes second gets their actions incorporated into the next session for the first group?

And you can never go wrong with cannibal urchins.

Yep.

Also, this went AMAZINGLY well.  The PCs were mission-oriented, and went straight for the prize.  The monk-assassin nearly had them, but they used the Garbanzo Brothers' button man to take her out.

A good time and a lot of laughs were had by all.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Cain on July 05, 2015, 12:39:19 AM
They sound like a clever group.  Then again, if you've been DMing for them for any length of time, they'd have to be.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on July 17, 2015, 11:28:15 PM
Is this an alternate history/timeline version, or more just that they reconsecrated the temple to Vecna after Zuggtmoy was banished? Either way it sounds neat.


Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Wizard Joseph on July 18, 2015, 10:12:07 PM
This DID sound pretty amazing. Mass combat is hard enough with just one well experienced group, my hat off to you for such a clean method of handling 2 groups and so many little extras for plot!
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 19, 2015, 03:51:58 AM
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on July 17, 2015, 11:28:15 PM
Is this an alternate history/timeline version, or more just that they reconsecrated the temple to Vecna after Zuggtmoy was banished? Either way it sounds neat.

Totally alternate.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 19, 2015, 04:04:06 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on July 18, 2015, 10:12:07 PM
This DID sound pretty amazing. Mass combat is hard enough with just one well experienced group, my hat off to you for such a clean method of handling 2 groups and so many little extras for plot!

I prepped for 5 hours the day before.

Afterward, the more experienced party took the information and did a 14 day slog across the countryside to this bitty little mountain village in the vicinity of the temple.  They're still not sure where it is, so they have some hunting to do.  Gonna involve digging up some dude's grave, I think, for clues.  Hireling treachery is also headed their way.

The less experienced party is still working for the creepy noble dude, gathering up antiquities for him.  So far, they've stolen the death mask of the second best ballerina ever (the best one is currently alive), the book of Eibon (which they can't open, as you have to have caster level 11 or the cover won't budge), and now they've just swiped a magic coffin that doesn't allow anything placed in it to rot. 

That last one gave the party the jimjams, and they're starting to see a pattern.  AND they know he's friends with the best ballerina (the live one), and her protege.  The noble isn't stupid, so he's going to try to bump them off shortly.  Fortunately for them, they just rescued a lizard man ranger from a peasant mob (beating up the local holy man in the process, and that's gonna come back to haunt them), who is going to give them some extra muscle.

The reason the noble is doing this is because the ballerina is an 11th level bard and is concerned that her looks are fading, so she has a plan to turn into a lich, using a bardic version of gentle repose to keep her looking young/non-rotten.  This will tie in with the Vecna cult.  The noble is infatuated with her, and she's promised to cure his deformities (lying), and turn him and all the other people assisting her into some form of intelligent undead (not lying, but they don't realize they'll be enslaved to her).  More about this later.

Meanwhile, the wizard's guild is licking it's wounds (ie, bruised pride) and looking for another shot at both groups.

Also, the brawler/fighter in the less experienced group took an alignment point for tossing the plot hook dude into a trap, which killed him, because the guy was poisoned and was hollering in delirium (giving away hints, but the fighter wasn't having the noise, so 20d6 crushing damage for the bandit.)  So long, Ginge, we hardly knew ya.  :cry:
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 24, 2015, 03:23:40 AM
This week, the less experienced party is going to the opera, to spy on their boss.  The Soprano and the Ballerina will be using a modified version of the bardic masterpiece "The Song of Extinction", which will cause the death of 6 opera-goers (not the noble cabal or the party).  What happens is that within an hour, bizarre accidents will kill the 6 unfortunates.  The deaths will be freak accidents that will happen as the opera house empties.  Which ought to raise hackles.

The party will also see a second noble in the same theater box as their patron.  This guy is actually the patron's "boss", and if the party is smart, they'll try to find out who their patron's buddy is.  The PCs will be attacked by assassins on the way home from the opera.  These assassins were hired by the noble, but it will be made to appear that these are more wizards guild thugs.

The more experienced party will find out that nobody in the village knows where the temple is, but that the grave of a follower of one of the original crusaders is nearby.  It is venerated as a shrine, so the PCs are going to have to sneak around a bit if they plan on digging it up.  When they do, the skeleton inside will have a sword wrapped in a second shroud, and an elaborately carved tobacco pipe (the carving being a map of the local area).  The pipe's stem unscrews, and there is a strip of silk inside with lettering on it.  If it's wrapped around the pipe from the mouthpiece down, it will mark the location of the temple.  If the PCs don't figure this out, the "dumb" hireling will, and will take steps to destroy the information once memorized, to have exclusive knowledge of the location of the tomb.  He will then barter that information for a share of the loot, instead of his fairly meager wages.

The sword, on the other hand, is an old and rather nasty NPC in older campaigns of mine.  Carvin' Marvin, a chaotic neutral sword dedicated to Gorum, the god of battles.  It's basically an intelligent cursed berserking sword, though it will pretend to be a benign being until its wielder gets in a scrap and has to make an ego check to avoid a "Marvin Moment" (ie, go totally and homicidally batshit).  This moment will come along rather swiftly, as two things happen at the same time:  One of the wandering orc raiding parties comes along, and the villagers notice that there's activity around the "sacred" grave.  Hilarity ensues.  The PCs should be able to wipe both groups out, but the villagers are their sole means of resupply, so they're going to have to get creative if they want to have anywhere to buy food and rest up.

When all is said and done, they have about a two day trek through the mountains to finally reach the temple.  Which will not, of course, be uneventful.




Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Wizard Joseph on July 24, 2015, 04:00:28 PM
That's some amazing plot! "Carvin Marvin" in particular is awesome and could really jack someone's alignment badly. I just can't think like this. I do plot as intent and character consideration and tend to improvise. Been out of gaming for some time now. Thinking about getting into a LARP that a friend of mine asked me to play an NPC for. There is an independent company that picked up the "minds eye theater" material from white wolf and truly made a new and well balanced system and progressed the stagnant backstory. Problem is I'm not into vampire. Like at all.

Has Marv ever wound up in the hands of a paladin in you time with him?
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Don Coyote on July 24, 2015, 04:26:04 PM
All of that sounds great except for Carvin' Marvin.

WHY ARE YOU INVOKING IT?

IT ONLY MAKES IT STRONGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 24, 2015, 06:12:37 PM
Quote from: Don Coyote on July 24, 2015, 04:26:04 PM
All of that sounds great except for Carvin' Marvin.

WHY ARE YOU INVOKING IT?

IT ONLY MAKES IT STRONGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because it came outta my game, while I was working for Kenzer.  And it still makes me laugh.  I can post the write up here.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 24, 2015, 06:20:04 PM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on July 24, 2015, 04:00:28 PM
That's some amazing plot! "Carvin Marvin" in particular is awesome and could really jack someone's alignment badly. I just can't think like this. I do plot as intent and character consideration and tend to improvise. Been out of gaming for some time now. Thinking about getting into a LARP that a friend of mine asked me to play an NPC for. There is an independent company that picked up the "minds eye theater" material from white wolf and truly made a new and well balanced system and progressed the stagnant backstory. Problem is I'm not into vampire. Like at all.

Has Marv ever wound up in the hands of a paladin in you time with him?

Nope.  It HAS wound up in the hands of a tanked-out fighter with no appreciable will save, in a party where nobody else was armored up.  The rogue survived by climbing up a drain pipe.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Don Coyote on July 24, 2015, 06:35:14 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on July 24, 2015, 06:12:37 PM
Quote from: Don Coyote on July 24, 2015, 04:26:04 PM
All of that sounds great except for Carvin' Marvin.

WHY ARE YOU INVOKING IT?

IT ONLY MAKES IT STRONGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because it came outta my game, while I was working for Kenzer.  And it still makes me laugh.  I can post the write up here.

That's really cool. And terrifying.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 24, 2015, 07:31:18 PM
Quote from: Don Coyote on July 24, 2015, 06:35:14 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on July 24, 2015, 06:12:37 PM
Quote from: Don Coyote on July 24, 2015, 04:26:04 PM
All of that sounds great except for Carvin' Marvin.

WHY ARE YOU INVOKING IT?

IT ONLY MAKES IT STRONGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because it came outta my game, while I was working for Kenzer.  And it still makes me laugh.  I can post the write up here.

That's really cool. And terrifying.

I'll post the actual DM notes after I run them, including the pathfinder version of the write up for Carvin' Marvin.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Wizard Joseph on July 25, 2015, 03:46:04 AM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on July 24, 2015, 06:20:04 PM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on July 24, 2015, 04:00:28 PM
That's some amazing plot! "Carvin Marvin" in particular is awesome and could really jack someone's alignment badly. I just can't think like this. I do plot as intent and character consideration and tend to improvise. Been out of gaming for some time now. Thinking about getting into a LARP that a friend of mine asked me to play an NPC for. There is an independent company that picked up the "minds eye theater" material from white wolf and truly made a new and well balanced system and progressed the stagnant backstory. Problem is I'm not into vampire. Like at all.

Has Marv ever wound up in the hands of a paladin in you time with him?

Nope.  It HAS wound up in the hands of a tanked-out fighter with no appreciable will save, in a party where nobody else was armored up.  The rogue survived by climbing up a drain pipe.

Climb check for your life is always a fun moment, but fighter draws sword, DM rolls, everyone knows what THAT means, is the kind of stuff I loved. I used to be able to silence "side talk" by just rolling and smiling ever wider as I decided whether or not to start noting things down for combat rounds. I had one kid actually flinch when I was running a demo story for him because the dice had become his cue that the story was about to shift. The power trip is far from my only joy in being an ST, but it's pretty notable!

Can't wait to see pathfinder Marvin!

Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: minuspace on July 25, 2015, 06:22:05 AM

When reading

Quote from: Doktor Howl on July 19, 2015, 04:04:06 AM

...

The reason the noble is doing this is because the ballerina is an 11th level bard and is concerned that her looks are fading, so she has a plan to turn into a lich, using a bardic version of gentle repose to keep her looking young/non-rotten.  This will tie in with the Vecna cult.  The noble is infatuated with her, and she's promised to cure his deformities (lying), and turn him and all the other people assisting her into some form of intelligent undead (not lying, but they don't realize they'll be enslaved to her).  More about this later.

...
I immediately thought

QuoteSummary: Canto XXX

Beholding the Second Zone in the Tenth Pouch of the Eighth Circle of Hell, Dante recalls stories of antiquity in which great suffering caused humans to turn on each other like animals. But the viciousness portrayed in these stories pales in comparison with what he witnesses here, where the sinners tear at each other with their teeth; these are the Falsifiers of Others' Persons. Dante sees a woman, Myrrha, who lusted after her father and disguised herself as another in order to gratify her lust. Some of the sinners of the Third Zone, the Falsifiers of Coins, mingle among these souls. Dante speaks with Master Adam, who counterfeited Florentine money; part of his punishment is to be racked with thirst. Adam points out two members of the Fourth Zone, the Falsifiers of Words, or Liars: one is the wife of Potiphar, who falsely accused Joseph of trying to seduce her, and the other is a Greek man, Sinon. The latter apparently knows Adam and comes over to pick a fight with him. Dante listens to them bicker for a while. Virgil harshly reprimands his companion, telling him that it is demeaning to listen to such a petty disagreement.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 26, 2015, 05:45:10 AM
Saturday group (less experienced party):

QuoteSaturday notes:
Mark of Caliphas - Itinerant monk, beaten up by party after attacking El Hombre.
Appears later.
Night at the Opera.
Cast: 
Amalia Wallovski - Ballerina (bard11)
Sophie Kolopin - Soprano (bard9)
Lord Magnus Rimes - hunchbacked and deformed noble, patron of the arts
Lord Hugh Stoneshot - foreign (dwarf) noble, superior of Rimes in both society and in the plot

The PCs will have to stash el hombre in the library, and obtain nobles or courtier's outfits.  Getting into the noble's quarter while dressed correctly requires a bluff DC9.  Reduce the DC by 4 for a successful disguise check (including coaching), and increase it by 4 if anyone is wearing armor (weapons are expected, though...Swords, daggers, and light weapons are acceptable, increase the DC by 2 for every unacceptable weapon)  If they play at being foreign, give them a +2.  Other modifiers as appropriate.
Anyone failing the roll will have to either stay behind or sneak into the quarter.  This will require either a DC20 stealth check, or role-playing it out.  Failure means a chase, capture means arrest.
Once at the opera house, they can buy tickets to the general seating area (the only available area for those who don't have box seats) for 5 GP each.  They will be seated off the left side, not too far from the noble.  They will see another noble, far more handsome than the deformed Lord Rimes, speaking earnestly with him. (this is Lord Stoneshot, Rimes' superior both in society and in the plot they are hatching).  A knowledge (local or nobility) DC25 will get his name on the spot.  A diplomacy check DC 20 to gather information (before the show starts) will do the same.
The opera begins.  Amalia and Sophia appear in the second act of a story about an old king trying to cheat death.  As two other actors play devils trying to urge a pact on him, the ladies arrive.  Amalia is dressed as an angel, and reminds the king via dance that better things await him after death.  Sophia is dressed as a psychopomp, and sings a song about how all things must end.  The performance by all parties is amazing, once in a generation stuff.
Unbeknownst to anyone but themselves and Rimes/Houghton, the two ladies are actually performing the bardic masterpiece "The Song of Extinction".  6 random people around the PCs are targeted (the PCs are not, nor is anyone in the box seats).  All 6 unfortunates fail their saving throws, and pay the price later.  This is a "test fire" for a ritual they have planned further down the road.
The opera concludes with the king agreeing with the angel, and is led away to the bone yard by Sophia.
The nobles in the box seats leave first, as per custom, before the general seating area is dismissed.
As the PCs leave the opera, a string of ghastly accidents happen, all in the space of a few seconds:
* A young nobleman trips and falls down the entry stairs, breaking his neck and killing him instantly.
* A middle-aged noble matron, screaming at the death of the nobleman, spooks a carriage horse, which rears and kills her with a blow from its hoof.
* The carriage backs up when the horse rears, and crushes a fat merchant prince and his wife.
* The merchant prince's guards run forward to see to their boss.  One trips and falls, causing his crossbow to discharge.  The bolt strikes a older noble (still on the stairs) in the eye, killing him instantly.
*  The older noble's body falls forward, knocking a young noble lady down the stairs.  She tumbles all the way to the bottom, fetching up on the spear of one of the merchant prince's guardsmen.

The spell was cast crudely (first time), and the deaths happened all at once.  It is a knowledge (arcana) DC 40 to understand that The Song of Extinction produces this sort of effect.  There is no magic on the scene (the magic happened in the opera house) after the victims are killed.

There is no connection between the casualties, and the PCs will not be allowed to investigate.  In fact, anyone making a wisdom check DC9 will know that hanging around might get their credentials checked, which would be a bad thing, considering all the dead nobility.

On the way home, shortly after they leave the noble's quarter, they are assaulted by thugs (see notes).  These thugs are actually in the employ of Lord Rimes, but seeing as he knows the capabilities of the PCs, he has the illiterate toughs carrying a note implicating the wizard's guild.  Remember that the PCs may have their weapons, but not their armor, which raises the DC of the thugs.  There are 4 thugs, and the DC of the entire encounter is 5.

The note has a sketch of the PCs faces, and reads:  "Kill all of them.  No prisoners.  Dispose of their bodies in harbor.  Bring all their weapons and gear to the wizards guild."

A canny party may think it odd that the wizards guild would mention itself in a note.  Give the party a DC15 sense motive check if nobody figures it out (later).
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 26, 2015, 06:03:48 AM
After that, the party was asked by a captain of the watch they know (whom they insist on calling "Captain Carrot") to assist in the investigation of a double murder at a chapel in the cobbles (the slum).  Both men had been beaten and then murdered, and the third clergyman who was supposed to be present was missing.  Also missing was a wand of Gentle Repose, a spell which keeps bodies from rotting.

They tracked the abductors into the Merchant's Quarter, but the trail was lost...Not too far from Rimes' house.  A boot print (of a very expensive boot) was taken to the best cobbler in town, who was able to confirm that the boot was made by him to order by Wilson (Rimes' servant) but not FOR Wilson.  The Captain wasn't ready to get a warrant, because all the evidence was circumstantial, and Rimes was very well connected.

A social contact of theirs, a bastard half-elf nobleman by the name of Elander Polk warned them off (they had met at the opera).  He also mentioned that the bards had used some form of powerful magic just before the tragedy.  The party researched the effect, and discovered references to The Song of Extinction, and also that in addition to killing people, it also generated a lot of necromantic magic.

That night, one of the PC's allies spied on Rime's house, and saw that both of the bard ladies came and went in a 15 minute period, Lord Stoneshot was there for hours, and so was some nobleman he didn't recognize, a man wearing a silver sword scabbard.

Also, that night, the cobbler's shop burned down with all inside.  The PCs used magic to survive the heat, and went into the smoking ruins.  They found that the entire household had been killed before the fire, and that all the forms for boots (the only lead they had) had been stacked and burned in the room in which the fire was set.  They found a strongbox with a ledger and a heat-damaged letter. 

The next morning, they used "make whole" to repair the letter.  It was a letter "to be sent in the event of my death", stating that the cobbler had been coerced into a conspiracy by Rimes, Wilson...And "Captain Carrot".  The party smelled a rat, though, and established that the writing on the letter did not match the writing in the letter, but DID match the writing on the bogus note carried by the thugs that ambushed them after the opera.  The mad monk Michael (the one they beat up the week before) was brought in to the investigation by the church, and though he wasn't happy about the whole thing, he noted that the writing on the letter was done by an educated man (no inkblots, good spelling, etc), and most certainly wasn't Carrot's writing or that of the cobbler.

That evening, Lord Polk (Elander's father) had Rimes and Wilson brought up on what were apparently bogus charges of witchcraft (ie, had nothing to do with what was going on).  Wilson "tripped on the stairs" in the cellblock and broke his neck.  Rimes went to his trial, pled guilty, and was throttled and then burned.  He seemed to be glad of it.

The party had an audience with Lord Polk, who stated flatly that the charges against Rimes were indeed false, but also stated that the conspiracy was real and a threat to the city and possibly the kingdom, so Polk had Rimes legally assassinated.  He didn't have the juice to have Lord Stoneshot arrested, nor a previously unknown accomplice, a second cousin of the king named Salmonsen.  The identity of the man with the silver scabbard is still unknown.

The party left the audience, and realized that Polk's action had inadvertently left them with no leads to pursue at all...His actions only scraped the surface.  They are also convinced that Polk's actions were done with "good" intentions.  (They were on a timer, and they failed to get Rimes before the deadline, in game terms).

The game left off at that point.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 26, 2015, 06:10:47 AM
I am for obvious reasons leaving out all game mechanics (gather information checks, etc).
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Cain on July 26, 2015, 12:10:49 PM
Sounds like, for a less experienced group, they're still a pretty smart bunch.  Nice catch on the faked letter.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 26, 2015, 09:44:14 PM
Quote from: Cain on July 26, 2015, 12:10:49 PM
Sounds like, for a less experienced group, they're still a pretty smart bunch.  Nice catch on the faked letter.

"Less experienced" in this case means "lower level", not "un-experienced with the game".  They also know my style.  If I can get you to whack an ally, I will.  And maybe it's a double twist.  Time will tell.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Wizard Joseph on July 28, 2015, 12:53:01 AM
A fine story! I'm not even playing and I can't wait to hear how the party does.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 28, 2015, 02:28:18 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on July 28, 2015, 12:53:01 AM
A fine story! I'm not even playing and I can't wait to hear how the party does.

Thanks.  It's been a few years since I've run a strictly homebrew campaign, so I've had 2 years to bounce the main gist of the story around.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on July 28, 2015, 02:38:33 AM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on July 24, 2015, 03:23:40 AM
This week, the less experienced party is going to the opera, to spy on their boss.  The Soprano and the Ballerina will be using a modified version of the bardic masterpiece "The Song of Extinction", which will cause the death of 6 opera-goers (not the noble cabal or the party).  What happens is that within an hour, bizarre accidents will kill the 6 unfortunates.  The deaths will be freak accidents that will happen as the opera house empties.  Which ought to raise hackles.

That's a neat concept. I could see that concept by itself being made into a movie or an episode of a weird/paranormal fiction themed TV show.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: President Television on July 28, 2015, 04:03:17 AM
Dammit, Roger, why are you so good at putting adventures together?

I'm really curious to see how this ties into the Temple of Elemental Evil. I don't actually know much about that adventure, though, so for all I know it could have been obvious all along and just gone over my head.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Doktor Howl on July 28, 2015, 04:46:43 AM
Quote from: President Television on July 28, 2015, 04:03:17 AM
Dammit, Roger, why are you so good at putting adventures together?

I'm really curious to see how this ties into the Temple of Elemental Evil. I don't actually know much about that adventure, though, so for all I know it could have been obvious all along and just gone over my head.

That would be telling.  All things in good time.

The more experienced party is going after the temple directly.  The less experienced party is dealing with a problem with the same root cause as the temple.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on September 22, 2015, 01:16:31 AM
It's been a while; How's this been going?
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on September 22, 2015, 03:17:29 AM
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on September 22, 2015, 01:16:31 AM
It's been a while; How's this been going?

I'll write it up later when I'm not so furious.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Freeky on October 11, 2015, 08:24:00 AM
That doesn't sound like things are going well.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 04:40:02 AM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.

Awesome Roger, whenever works for you.  :)


I agree Don Coyote. Bardic Lich makes my brain get the bad-tingle. It DOES sound like a great way to preserve a history in song FOREVER though. I only really buck at the notion of a "good" alignment lich. Lawful neutral would be about as decent as a lich conceptually gets IMO, and such a lich is doomed if the other liches discover such a "weakness".
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 07:08:24 PM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 04:40:02 AM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.

Awesome Roger, whenever works for you.  :)


I agree Don Coyote. Bardic Lich makes my brain get the bad-tingle. It DOES sound like a great way to preserve a history in song FOREVER though. I only really buck at the notion of a "good" alignment lich. Lawful neutral would be about as decent as a lich conceptually gets IMO, and such a lich is doomed if the other liches discover such a "weakness".

Liches are by definition evil.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 07:10:18 PM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.

Anyone with CL11 qualifies to be a lich.

So, like, a 14th level ranger with the natural weapons fighting style option.  Yeah, his spell suck, but he's a fear-mongering, permanent paralysis delivery device.  And you can't see him coming, and you can't really run away.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 11:51:09 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 07:10:18 PM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.

Anyone with CL11 qualifies to be a lich.

So, like, a 14th level ranger with the natural weapons fighting style option.  Yeah, his spell suck, but he's a fear-mongering, permanent paralysis delivery device.  And you can't see him coming, and you can't really run away.

You sir, are an ass, and I salute you.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on October 15, 2015, 12:43:05 AM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 11:51:09 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 07:10:18 PM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.

Anyone with CL11 qualifies to be a lich.

So, like, a 14th level ranger with the natural weapons fighting style option.  Yeah, his spell suck, but he's a fear-mongering, permanent paralysis delivery device.  And you can't see him coming, and you can't really run away.

You sir, are an ass, and I salute you.

If I lived in my campaign world, I'd just curl into a ball and wait to die.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Don Coyote on October 15, 2015, 12:50:07 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 15, 2015, 12:43:05 AM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 11:51:09 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 07:10:18 PM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.

Anyone with CL11 qualifies to be a lich.

So, like, a 14th level ranger with the natural weapons fighting style option.  Yeah, his spell suck, but he's a fear-mongering, permanent paralysis delivery device.  And you can't see him coming, and you can't really run away.

You sir, are an ass, and I salute you.

If I lived in my campaign world, I'd just curl into a ball and wait to die.

At least your players seen to enjoy your brand of hell. My last PF group crashed and burned so hard that I haven't run PF in 9 months.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on October 15, 2015, 02:22:18 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 04:40:02 AM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.

Awesome Roger, whenever works for you.  :)


I agree Don Coyote. Bardic Lich makes my brain get the bad-tingle. It DOES sound like a great way to preserve a history in song FOREVER though.

I think y'all are looking at this the wrong way. You need to think like Rob Zombie, Ozzy Osbourne, GWAR type shit. Especially Rob Zombie.
Title: Re: Running my own take on The Temple of Elemental Evil.
Post by: The Wizard Joseph on October 15, 2015, 03:05:20 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 07:08:24 PM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 04:40:02 AM
Quote from: Don Coyote on October 14, 2015, 04:14:08 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on October 14, 2015, 04:12:29 AM
Quote from: The Wizard Joseph on October 14, 2015, 03:46:30 AM
I look forward to hearing the rest whenever you get the time.

Oh, right.  Forgot.

So far, one party is dead, and the other - the less experienced party - now has to try to take down a bardic lich on their own.

It's not going to end well.

The campaign will be over - for good or for ill - the Saturday after next.  I'll post the shit then.

Quote
bardic lich

Some how I want to say that you are an asshole for that. That just seems....unnatural.

Awesome Roger, whenever works for you.  :)


I agree Don Coyote. Bardic Lich makes my brain get the bad-tingle. It DOES sound like a great way to preserve a history in song FOREVER though. I only really buck at the notion of a "good" alignment lich. Lawful neutral would be about as decent as a lich conceptually gets IMO, and such a lich is doomed if the other liches discover such a "weakness".

Liches are by definition evil.

Yeah. I've seen rules for other variants and still haven't stopped screaming. I only imagine a neutral one at the furthest end of plot wankery involving gods and crap. But from a story perspective a high end mummy is what I think I'd use if I was going for a gods and shit type of plot.

Liches are always evil. If a Lich seems not evil, sucks to be you fool.