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Running DDAL04 (Ravenloft) Adventures as a Campaign
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<blockquote data-quote="jayoungr" data-source="post: 7612848" data-attributes="member: 6702445"><p><strong>Problems with "The Marionette" (DDAL04-04)</strong></p><p></p><p>1. Page 8 mentions "scavenging harpies" in the adventure overview, and there is a stat block for them on page 32, but they do not appear in the adventure itself. It's pretty clear that they were meant to be hanging around the wagon where the PCs will find Vasile and the body of his friend.</p><p></p><p>2. The contents of the wagon are a little confusing. As far as I can figure it, the wagon never actually made it to Vallaki, so they weren't able to pick up any supplies. Presumably the jewelry in the box was what they were supposed to sell or trade to pay for the supplies. But in that case, it's odd that Marku never asks about it, especially if he can only afford to give the PCs 10 gp for a reward.</p><p></p><p>3. Glovia dropping Laszlo's name will raise <em>a lot</em> of questions from groups that have played through DDAL04-02 and DDAL04-03. In my opinion, it's not worth keeping, but if you decide to keep it, be prepared for the follow-up questions.</p><p></p><p>4. Page 12 says the Burgomaster's residence is on the south side of the town, but the map shows it in the northwest.</p><p></p><p>5. Ivan Randovich is first introduced in this adventure, but detailed notes on roleplaying him are in DDAL04-08, "The Broken One."</p><p></p><p>6. Page 13 says Isabella is playing a "haunting, childlike melody" on the harpsichord when first seen, but page 14 says she is playing a "fast-paced waltz."</p><p></p><p>7. The description of Isabella on pages 14-15 puts a lot of emphasis on her dress, but there's no payoff to this. It is not mentioned whether the body in Glovia's lab is wearing the same dress (p. 25), but it seems implied.</p><p></p><p>8. We are not told whose voice is shouting to Laszlo on page 15. It's probably Glovia, but it could conceivably be Esmae.</p><p></p><p>9. On page 16, the description of encounters A-D sounds like each one is intended to be accomplished by a single PC, but encounter D (the butler ghast) seems balanced for a full group, especially with the skeleton adds. Could a fifth encounter have been cut, like the harpies?</p><p></p><p>10. Since there is snow on the ground in the first part of the adventure, no perception check should be required to discern that the back door of the manor has been used recently while the front door has not. This should be clear from footprints in the snow.</p><p></p><p>11. Information on light, doors, etc., in the house is only given for the second floor (p. 23). Is this intended to apply to the whole manor? Also, this description says "the more important rooms" are lit by a few candles. Which rooms are these?</p><p></p><p>12. The map key for the manor does not include an explanation of the dotted lines--probably intended as railings, since they appear on the balconies. Possibly for this reason, the high-definition maps by Brian McCray that are available on the DM's guild include a mistake: they only have a balcony on the second floor, but there should be one on the first floor as well.</p><p></p><p>13. Smoke over the village should be visible from the manor balconies (A13 and C6).</p><p></p><p>14. A pile of bones is mentioned in room B5 (p. 22), but no further details are given. Remains of the ghouls' previous victims, presumably? Also, the description for B5 says that the ghouls will hide in the "servant's room that shares a wall with area B9," but there are three rooms (all numbered B6) that meet this description. Why do the ghouls move from B6 through B9 to attack B5 instead of just opening the doors directly onto B5?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jayoungr, post: 7612848, member: 6702445"] [B]Problems with "The Marionette" (DDAL04-04)[/B] 1. Page 8 mentions "scavenging harpies" in the adventure overview, and there is a stat block for them on page 32, but they do not appear in the adventure itself. It's pretty clear that they were meant to be hanging around the wagon where the PCs will find Vasile and the body of his friend. 2. The contents of the wagon are a little confusing. As far as I can figure it, the wagon never actually made it to Vallaki, so they weren't able to pick up any supplies. Presumably the jewelry in the box was what they were supposed to sell or trade to pay for the supplies. But in that case, it's odd that Marku never asks about it, especially if he can only afford to give the PCs 10 gp for a reward. 3. Glovia dropping Laszlo's name will raise [I]a lot[/I] of questions from groups that have played through DDAL04-02 and DDAL04-03. In my opinion, it's not worth keeping, but if you decide to keep it, be prepared for the follow-up questions. 4. Page 12 says the Burgomaster's residence is on the south side of the town, but the map shows it in the northwest. 5. Ivan Randovich is first introduced in this adventure, but detailed notes on roleplaying him are in DDAL04-08, "The Broken One." 6. Page 13 says Isabella is playing a "haunting, childlike melody" on the harpsichord when first seen, but page 14 says she is playing a "fast-paced waltz." 7. The description of Isabella on pages 14-15 puts a lot of emphasis on her dress, but there's no payoff to this. It is not mentioned whether the body in Glovia's lab is wearing the same dress (p. 25), but it seems implied. 8. We are not told whose voice is shouting to Laszlo on page 15. It's probably Glovia, but it could conceivably be Esmae. 9. On page 16, the description of encounters A-D sounds like each one is intended to be accomplished by a single PC, but encounter D (the butler ghast) seems balanced for a full group, especially with the skeleton adds. Could a fifth encounter have been cut, like the harpies? 10. Since there is snow on the ground in the first part of the adventure, no perception check should be required to discern that the back door of the manor has been used recently while the front door has not. This should be clear from footprints in the snow. 11. Information on light, doors, etc., in the house is only given for the second floor (p. 23). Is this intended to apply to the whole manor? Also, this description says "the more important rooms" are lit by a few candles. Which rooms are these? 12. The map key for the manor does not include an explanation of the dotted lines--probably intended as railings, since they appear on the balconies. Possibly for this reason, the high-definition maps by Brian McCray that are available on the DM's guild include a mistake: they only have a balcony on the second floor, but there should be one on the first floor as well. 13. Smoke over the village should be visible from the manor balconies (A13 and C6). 14. A pile of bones is mentioned in room B5 (p. 22), but no further details are given. Remains of the ghouls' previous victims, presumably? Also, the description for B5 says that the ghouls will hide in the "servant's room that shares a wall with area B9," but there are three rooms (all numbered B6) that meet this description. Why do the ghouls move from B6 through B9 to attack B5 instead of just opening the doors directly onto B5? [/QUOTE]
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