D&D 5E [Princes of the Apocalypse] Anybody running this?

[MonsterEnvy]

• I have the mysterious drow figure who created the four weapons as the actual cult leader, with the prophets right under him. He's an ancient lich from the days when this complex was a drow city that worshipped Ghaunadar/Tharizdun/The Elder Elemental Eye and he's been working a long time to bring this to pass.

We actually know quite a bit about that Drow. Vizeran DeVir he is a major character in Out of the Abyss.

Though since you decided to do your own thing, that connection is not likely to happen now.

 

[Nebulous]

Anyone out there currently running/playing (or even ran/played) Princes of the Apocalypse? How far are you? How is it going? What changes have you (the DM) made?

My group just took out their second prophet. Let's compare notes!

Hawaiinbrian, we're roughly halfway through and they just killed Marlos last night, the second prophet. I have an extensive writeup for each session that can seen in its own thread if you want to borrow any ideas from it.

 

[hawaiianbrian]

Sure!

 

[Tyranthraxus]

I ran this but sadly stopped when I had a TPK in Riverguard Keep. (AL Game). Party had done the Spire and Monastery but not the Keep, so I added a few reavers here and there. Due to some appalling planning the group drew most of the forces to the keep.

Im now playing in a non AL game. We have cleaned out the Spire, Keep, Scarlet Moon and Monastery and discovered the entrances to the temples. After entering the Earth Temple after a tough fight against a Bullete we retreated and after Womford became Lake Womford we have decided to beat on the Water cult Temple (half way through).

 

[hawaiianbrian]

We actually know quite a bit about that Drow. Vizeran DeVir he is a major character in Out of the Abyss.

Though since you decided to do your own thing, that connection is not likely to happen now.

Oh... I didn't know that! Why in the world didn't the adventure give some background for this guy? Seems important, considering he created the four weapons!

​Anyway thanks for letting me know.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Oh... I didn't know that! Why in the world didn't the adventure give some background for this guy? Seems important, considering he created the four weapons!

​Anyway thanks for letting me know.

Well he does not actually show up which is probably why they did not elaborate on him more. He worships the Elder Elemental Eye, created the weapons and left them there for the prophets to take up. I recognized the DeVir name when the book first mentioned him. As it's shared with Viconia DeVir a fellow Drow Outcast (Guessing he is her uncle.) a companion in the Baldur's Gate series, and House DeVir was a house that House Do'Urden wiped out in the first Drizzt Novel.

We learn more about him in Out of the Abyss were he actually shows up. (He is a sort of ally there however.) When I run Princes of the Apocalypse I intend to bring some details about him into the game when they get to the Fane of the Eye. (Via a journal of his.) As you can tell by his picture he is an old elf and possesses a lot of knowledge.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Id hardly call him a 'main' character. The starting npcs and the following Drow pursuers seem more main characters to me.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Id hardly call him a 'main' character. The starting npcs and the following Drow pursuers seem more main characters to me.

Major character, not main. I was saying he is very important.

 

[Nebulous]

We just finished session #57 in the Water Node. THAT is getting to be a soggy slog. A.) I'm playing the enemies smart and using terrain and tactics to their advantage, and B.) I added some new monsters that are pretty tough

The real problem is that the water elemental monsters and characters (the druid turns into a water elemental regularly) can easily infiltrate and attack and then submerge. The enemy, the water cultists, they attack then retreat, drawing out the combat into a near stalemate. Tactically it makes sense for them, but in game terms we have 5 or 6 combat rounds in a row with no targets. It's....interesting.

But at this point the players are just ready for the fire cult to attack them full force and no hiding around corners or slipping into puddles.