City of the Spider Queen.

punkorange

First Post

• Feb 28, 2005

• #1

I am going to start running this next week, I was wondering if there were any good online resources I can get for it. I am thinking about trying to use DM Screen, something to go along with this might be good too. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

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orangefruitbat

Explorer

• Feb 28, 2005

• #2

Don't know about online resources, but here's what I recommend:

1) Buy a screen

2) Photocopy the maps (rather than tear them out). Use a paper clip to keep the current map attached to one of the panels.

3) Photocopy the monster section at the back, and staple it into a little booklet to keep beside you.

Seriously, there is so much flipping back and forth between the adventure description, the maps, the monster description and the monsters that you have to look up in the MM, this bit of organization will save you a lot of grief.

punkorange said:

I am going to start running this next week, I was wondering if there were any good online resources I can get for it. I am thinking about trying to use DM Screen, something to go along with this might be good too. Anyone have any suggestions?

Click to expand...

 

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Stegger

First Post

• Feb 28, 2005

• #3

The PGtF web enhancement if you are playing by the 3.5 rules!!!

 

GlassJaw

Hero

• Feb 28, 2005

• #4

Listen to orange. I completely agree on the flippage required. I found that it made this module pretty difficult to run only because you have to reorganize everything.

Also, be prepared to hate drow with a passion. I ran about half of this and didn't like it at all. It's just a drow hackfest. When every encounter has spell resistance, it gets old real fast.

 

diaglo

Adventurer

• Feb 28, 2005

• #5

and Dungeon Magazine.

iirc, there are a few sidetrek adventure in Dungeon for the Underdark wanderings.

 

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ericlboyd

Explorer

• Feb 28, 2005

• #6

There's an adventure designed to be "stuck in the middle" of CoTSQ in Dungeon. I don't remember the issue number, but it was a side trek into a mind flayer prison.

--Eric

 

Eremite

Explorer

• Feb 28, 2005

• #7

GlassJaw said:

Listen to orange. I completely agree on the flippage required. I found that it made this module pretty difficult to run only because you have to reorganize everything.

Also, be prepared to hate drow with a passion. I ran about half of this and didn't like it at all. It's just a drow hackfest. When every encounter has spell resistance, it gets old real fast.

Click to expand...

I'll echo these thoughts and add this warning: this module is the sort that could turn a group off D&D for life (or for eight months or so in my case!).

Anyway, on a more positive note, I would suggest the WotC boards where someone has posted a lot of 3.5E conversions/updates of the critters from CotSQ.

Also, to make the adventure suck a whole lot less, I would consider adding in some sort of "safe zone" where the party can rest and restock. A small deep gnome city might be ideal perhaps with links to the dwarven town of Glen in Mistledale. I really think the absence of such a location is one of the key reasons that this really is a pretty ordinary module but it is also one that can be easily addressed.

If you have access to Underdark, I would suggest adding in several earth nodes and allow the PCs to use them by providing them with an ally of some sort who is familiar with them. Actually, consider anything that would allow the PCs to discover a few new things (lie earth nodes) so as to take their minds of what is otherwise a pretty ordinary hackfest.

 

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mikebr99

Explorer

• Feb 28, 2005

• #8

Here's some useful info...

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=255217&page=1

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?threadid=289546

Mike

 

punkorange

First Post

• Feb 28, 2005

• #9

Thanks for all the help guys. So basically this is a hackfest huh? Yeah I have the underdark and I will more than likely throw in a city somewhere in that hundred miles of underdark the players will travel.

 

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orangefruitbat

Explorer

• Feb 28, 2005

• #10

Yup. Fortunately, there is plenty to salvage in the adventure (interesting combat locations and challenging opponents).

I basically ignored the Underdark map and made my own (in the style of D1-3). There were several different routes to Maermydia, that varied in the travel time, depth traveled, chance to be spotted, and danger of the route. The Underdark source book is filled with interesting ideas for this.

I threw in several different communities - grimlocks, aboleths, kuotoans, a duegar trading city - each had their own little subplots. So the party helped the Duegar retrieve a holy artifact (and the body of the king's son) from the Kuotoans - in return for the Duegar agreeing to send an army in to invade Maermydia. (which ultimately made things worse for the party as there were now more dead bodies to be animated)

I also made plenty of cavern complexes - these were basically levels taken out of Rappan Atthuck I and II.

The whole adventure took about 6 months of weekly gaming and was well received. Putting non-drow stuff in broke up the monotony and hack'n slash.

punkorange said:

Thanks for all the help guys. So basically this is a hackfest huh? Yeah I have the underdark and I will more than likely throw in a city somewhere in that hundred miles of underdark the players will travel.

Click to expand...