Immortals Handbook - Chronicle (Adventures, Campaigns Discussion)

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

Wat exactly do you mean by, "xyz converts to XYZ?" Is the former an illusion? Something that runs away? Something that gets reanimated? Bait?

I'll clarify that on the website in a moment, I'm refering to the original encounters in the Throne of Bloodstone module and what we should convert them to for a 100th-level adventure.

 

[Upper_Krust]

U_K is refering to an old 2 edition adventure called Throne of Bloodstone. In 2E, about everything over level 10 scales at about the same slow rate, so challenges for levels 20 through 100 don't scale all that much. If one wanted to convert Bloodstone to 3.5, some of the monsters are not even challenges. (Like the 100 green slimes. Uhhh Great Cleave+Power Attack? 40 wights? Bah! Death Ward and... Power Attack+Great Cleave!)

Indeed.

His article is on converting the adventure while still making all the encounters meaningful.

For 100th-level characters, or alternately 60th-level Lesser Deities.

U_K! The 100 green slimes could be Full Advanced Black Puddings (Possibly with the Dire Template)

Other possible monsters:

definites in bold, probably too low in italics.

MM2

Bone Ooze CR 21 (60 HD = CR 31)...replacing 100 Green Slimes.
Banshee CR 17 (52 HD = CR 23)
Chaos Roc CR 22 (99 HD = CR 44)
Corpse Gatherer CR 19 (60 HD = CR 26)
Deathbringer CR 17 (90 HD = CR 32)
Effigy CR 17 (54 HD = CR 23)
Famine Spirit CR 19 (64 HD = CR 27)
Fiendwurm CR 28 (72 HD = CR 44)...replacing the Advanced Nightcrawlers (which we can use later in the adventure). Fiendwurms most notable attack is their death throes which such people into the Abyss. But at the same time I want the PCs to go via the Gate in Zhenghi's Castle. So the Fiendwurm may send them to an isolated plane.
Flesh Jelly CR 19 (36 HD = CR 23)
Kelvezu CR 18 (24 HD = potentially CR 29 with better equipment)
Ragewind CR 19 (64 HD = CR 27)

MM3

Charnel Hound CR 13 (63 HD = CR 23)
Sorrowsworn Demon CR 17 (potentially CR 25+ with advancement)
Death Giant CR 16 (Advance by Character Class, +15 Levels would be CR 26)
Necronaut CR 14 (96 HD = CR 30)

Fiend Folio

Blackstone Gigant CR 18 (96 HD = CR 34)
Blood Fiend CR 14 (might be just about possible?)
Crawling Head CR 20 (84 HD = CR 34)
Demonflesh Golem CR 18 (72 HD = CR 30)
Disenchanter CR 17 (51 HD = CR 28)
Hullathoin CR 15 (48 HD = CR 23)

Cool idea converting Bloodstone.

I ran into an old thread on ENworld where someone was talking about it and just put the idea into my head.

I ran it once for a 3.pi game. (Still transitioning at the time)
Party was about level 30 (with higher than average wealth, heck, one of them at the time was the Coronel of the elves!), so I used the encounters listed, but increased the danger levels (So when they met the mage in the tower, he had 2 infernals with him, and 4 balors, and 4 Max HD Iron Golems)

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

Surprisingly, the PCs wiped the floor with poor Zhengi. (well, it took a few dozen rounds.)
On the random Abyss encounter table, I rolled Lloth. (and priestess cohorts) When the PCs saw me pulling out D&DG, their jaws hit the floor. Ironic, because Lloth took a dirt nap after 5 rounds.
The city of Liches, however, (since the imp did trick them to going there ) was the only place exempt from their abyssal killing spree. (The party was not keen on battling 6 demiliches and 6 death knights. I think they were confident with killing the liches though...) One of the PCs, who had started a chain of Magic Item stores "Curious Goods" found it funny that with a bit of diplomacy, he set up a shop IN the city of Liches.
Orcus' castle was little challenge for the players (Except for the bridge, which killed the fighter) but the puzzles infuriated them. (In a good way)
By the time they reached Orcus, I had him use his trump card: He had managed to locate a Hecatoncheires to use as his General as he conquored the planes. (and Arming it with 100 +5 Githyanki Vorpal Blades no less!) The battle went poorly for the PCs. (The Arcane Archer thought he was safe in a Prismatic Sphere. When it just waltzed through and killed him he was quite surprised.) The PCs killed it by first rusting its swords, (Draconic Wildshape + Rust Dragon) then fleeing back across the land while summoning as many Angels as they could. about 30 Greater Planar Ally spells later, they had enough Solars to rush the thing and kill it in Melee.
In the end, Orcus (100hd Infernal) got massacred and the party then took the Wand of Orcus straight to Tiamat, whom they killed in one round thanks to 3 (2 of which were demi-gods by then) mages casting very much empowered Horrid Wiltings. (Though because of this, they had too search long and hard to find any of her blood)
Good times Chronicle seems so far off but Grimoire and Bestiary #2 seem more important.

 

[Anabstercorian]

Hey all!

As you can see from the website, I am planning on setting out a 100th-level adventure, or more accurately four 100th-level adventures (since each chapter is as big as a regular adventure in terms of the number of encounters).

I still have a lot of detail to add to the first chapter, but if you have any suggestions or ideas on it, even at this early stage, this is the place to voice them.

The second chapter deals with getting to Orcus home layer of the Abyss. The third chapter deals with the city of Orcus and the fourth chapter deals with the Palace of Orcus.

As you note, it's logistically implausible for characters of such potency to face a vast array of opponents that are meaningful challenges to them. I'd embrace this - provide them with a great deal of dross, low level demon armies and such, that they can essentially churn through at will. It's always fun to mangle a few thousand dretch on occasion.

Simply put, not all threats should necessarily be carried over - it's quite alright to leave some stretches where the players aren't in significant danger.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

...
Simply put, not all threats should necessarily be carried over - it's quite alright to leave some stretches where the players aren't in significant danger.

Yea, 1d1000 Balors FTW!

 

[Upper_Krust]

I made two mistakes earlier on. DOH!

One with EL, the other with advanced monster CRs.

CR 16 = EL -8 - Cannon Fodder
CR 19 = EL -7 ~ Weak Hero deity
CR 22 = EL -6 - Very Easy ~ Tough Hero-deity
CR 28 = EL -5 ~ Weak Quasi-deity
CR 33 = EL -4 - Easy ~ Tough Quasi-deity
CR 39 = EL -3 ~ Weak Demipower
CR 44 = EL -2 - Below Average ~ Tough Demipower
CR 55 = EL -1 ~ Weak Lesser Power
CR 66 = EL +/-0 - Average Encounter ~ Tough Lesser Power
CR 83 = EL +1 ~ Weak Intermediate Power
CR 100 = EL +2 - Tough ~ Tough Intermediate Power
CR 117 = EL +3 ~ Weak Greater Power
CR 133 = EL +4 - Difficult ~ Tough Greater Power
CR 166 = EL +5 ~ Weak Elder One
CR 200 = EL +6 - Very Difficult ~ Tough Elder One
CR 250 = EL +7 ~ Weak Old One
CR 300 = EL +8 - All but impossible ~ Tough Old One

Therefore 12-15 Balors would be an EL +/-0 encounter.

Collectively the PCs should be equal to between 48-63 Balors.

I would always favour putting the maximum number in where possible.

I may have some of the Advanced CRs a fraction high, here are the revisions.

- Bone Ooze CR 21 (60 HD = CR 29)...replacing the 100 Green Slimes encounter.

Therefore 7 x 60 HD should be EL +/-0.

- Corpse Gatherer CR 19 (60 HD = CR 25)...used as random encounter?

11 x 60 HD = EL +/-0

- Deathbringer CR 17 (90 HD = CR 29)...used in some sort of guardian capacity?

7 x 90 HD = EL +/-0

- Effigy CR 17 (54 HD = CR 22)

11 x 54 HD = EL +/-0

- Famine Spirit CR 19 (64 HD = CR 25)

11 x 64 HD = EL +/-0

- Fiendwurm CR 28 (72 HD = CR 44)...replacing the Advanced Nightcrawlers (which we can use later in the adventure). Fiendwurms most notable attack is their death throes which such people into the Abyss. But at the same time I want the PCs to go via the Gate in Zhenghi's Castle. So the Fiendwurm may send them to an isolated plane.

2 x 72 HD = EL +/-0

- Flesh Jelly CR 19 (36 HD = CR 22)

11 x 36 HD = EL +/-0

- Kelvezu CR 18 (24 HD = potentially CR 29 with better equipment)

7 x 24 HD = EL +/-0

- Ragewind CR 19 (64 HD = CR 25)

11 x 64 HD = EL +/-0

MM3

- Charnel Hound CR 13 (63 HD = CR 21)...I really like the idea of packs of these.

15 x 63 HD = El +/-0

- Necronaut CR 14 (96 HD = CR 26)...I can see these stalking over the battlefields.

11 x 96 HD = EL +/-0

Fiend Folio

- Crawling Head CR 20 (84 HD = CR 31)

7 x 84 HD = EL +/-0

- Demonflesh Golem CR 18 (72 HD = CR 27)

11 x 72 HD = EL +/-0

- Hullathoin CR 15 (48 HD = CR 21)

15 x 48 HD = EL +/-0

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

Surprisingly, the PCs wiped the floor with poor Zhengi. (well, it took a few dozen rounds.)

Lets see they try that on Akalich Zhenghi!

On the random Abyss encounter table, I rolled Lloth. (and priestess cohorts) When the PCs saw me pulling out D&DG, their jaws hit the floor. Ironic, because Lloth took a dirt nap after 5 rounds.

Lolth was never, ever that tough.

The city of Liches, however, (since the imp did trick them to going there ) was the only place exempt from their abyssal killing spree. (The party was not keen on battling 6 demiliches and 6 death knights. I think they were confident with killing the liches though...) One of the PCs, who had started a chain of Magic Item stores "Curious Goods" found it funny that with a bit of diplomacy, he set up a shop IN the city of Liches.

But did he turn a profit?

Orcus' castle was little challenge for the players (Except for the bridge, which killed the fighter) but the puzzles infuriated them. (In a good way)

I'm trying to set things up so that the PCs will find each installment memorable.

By the time they reached Orcus, I had him use his trump card: He had managed to locate a Hecatoncheires to use as his General as he conquored the planes. (and Arming it with 100 +5 Githyanki Vorpal Blades no less!) The battle went poorly for the PCs. (The Arcane Archer thought he was safe in a Prismatic Sphere. When it just waltzed through and killed him he was quite surprised.) The PCs killed it by first rusting its swords, (Draconic Wildshape + Rust Dragon) then fleeing back across the land while summoning as many Angels as they could. about 30 Greater Planar Ally spells later, they had enough Solars to rush the thing and kill it in Melee.

LOL!

In the end, Orcus (100hd Infernal) got massacred and the party then took the Wand of Orcus straight to Tiamat, whom they killed in one round thanks to 3 (2 of which were demi-gods by then) mages casting very much empowered Horrid Wiltings. (Though because of this, they had too search long and hard to find any of her blood)
Good times

I'll try and make Orcus a bit more of a challenge, I have a few ideas in this regard.

Chronicle seems so far off but Grimoire and Bestiary #2 seem more important.

Well I am just going in the order most people have requested.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

As a minor point of note: Deprived of their swords, a Hecatonchieres is pathetic - It isn't listed as having any natural weapons, nor does it have improved unarmed strike. If it wants to Melee you, enjoy your attacks of opportunity! (It could try to grapple you, but freedom of movement should be permenecied on every adventurer by then. (and they should be wearing a ring of it too just in case)
As for making Orcus stronger - with the rules in ascension, he could have a level-draining aura. (And with his undeath portfolio, unless I am mistaken, he trumps death ward)
... Or you could have his shoot soul-sucking-laser-beams out of his eyes. (Not really, I just wanted to say "soul-sucking-laser-beams". )
Bloodstone was such a good module too. Compound that with the fact that half my party were old-school players who had done it already in 2e (And I was continuing the storyline 100 years after the old group had succeeded had finished) and the basic plot that suckered them in was that Orcus has forged ANOTHER wand after his first was stolen and destroyed. Ironicly, his number 2, Azazel, an Undead Solar (Dave, if you are reading this, coolest character ever) had found a way to reforge the first wand. He had done so, but the PCs foiled his plan, and now had to destroy it (Again). But then they get a message from a demonic informant that Orcus is forging another one! So they go and stop him. They get there a little late, (Fighting a Hecatonchieres takes a bit of time) but defeat orcus and take his 2nd wand and destroy both of them at once.
Later "Orcus and his many wands" became a running gag.
And yes, his shop in the abyss makes quite a profit! (Every Balor defeated by adventurers that leaves behind a Vorpal Blade will probobly have it sold to one of the shops on the material plane, only to have the blade then later sold to a Balor in the abyss...)

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Anabstercorian mate!

As you note, it's logistically implausible for characters of such potency to face a vast array of opponents that are meaningful challenges to them. I'd embrace this - provide them with a great deal of dross, low level demon armies and such, that they can essentially churn through at will. It's always fun to mangle a few thousand dretch on occasion.

Simply put, not all threats should necessarily be carried over - it's quite alright to leave some stretches where the players aren't in significant danger.

I agree, but I want to provide 13 (or thereabouts) meaningful encounters (that will provide EXP) before adding in the less important, but still potentially fun stuff.

 

[Servitor of Wrath]

- Fiendwurm CR 28 (72 HD = CR 44)

Is this taking into account the fact that regular fiendwurms are definitely NOT CR 28?