The Crucible of Freya vs. The Lost City of Barakus

[bweibeler]

Which 1st-level Necromancer Games adventure do you like better?

 

[Morpheus]

Which 1st-level Necromancer Games adventure do you like better?

Funny, I have both of them right next to the bed. The CoF is an adventure that can be made into a campaign with a little work. The LCoB is a campaign in and of itself. Both are excellent books. It ends up being a choice of which do you want: An adventure that can be completed in 2 or 3 sessions (CoF) or a campaign that will last from levels 1-5 (LCoB)?

 

[Crothian]

That's a very good summary of both. I perfer The Crucible of Freya for that very reason. I perfer modules that don't last a few months.

 

[pogre]

I have them both too, and I like them. I will say Barakus does not "lock you in" like some other mega-modules. There are tons of site location adventures perfect for a night's adventure. As Barakus is $35 and Freya is like $8 a straight comparison may not be fair.

 

[bweibeler]

Well, I'm not looking to purchase one. I have (and love) both and am trying to decide which one to run. I tend to be leaning more towards Barakus at the moment. The encounters are rich and interesting and it is a more sizable quest.

 

[Treebore]

I ran CoF, which led into Morrick Mansion, and now I am doing Barakus adjusted for a level 4 party. I got to do both. I am greedy that way.

 

[bweibeler]

That's one way to do it

Unfortunately, Necro puts out so many damn good adventures, and doing that means forgoing some middle level adventures, like Grey Citdael or Rappan Athuk. Of course, you can still push them back too I guess. Maybe then the party might stand a chance against an avatar of Orcus.

 

[Treebore]

That's one way to do it

Unfortunately, Necro puts out so many damn good adventures, and doing that means forgoing some middle level adventures, like Grey Citdael or Rappan Athuk. Of course, you can still push them back too I guess. Maybe then the party might stand a chance against an avatar of Orcus.

Actually, so far doing the 50% xp rule from their WL book has made it work to where i think I will be able to do GC, RA, ToA in conjunction with Barakus. i have also told my group what i want to do. We have agreed to let me decide when they level, irregardless of the actual xp's they would receive by the rules. We have decided as long as i keep them the appropriate level to face the challenges of the modules, they don't care what the xp's are supposed to be. They want to go through the stories.

So i am going to stick with the 50% xp award as much as I can, but my players are willing to go as slow as necessary to be able to play through everything.

 

[spectre72]

I have been running a PBEM game set in the Kingdoms of Kalamar.

I started out with the Wizards Amulet and went into the Crucible of Freya.

These two combined with the additional adventure info on Necromanacers website, combined with my GM skills have turned two simple modules into the start of a campaign that has lasted quite a while playing online (Online PBEM seem to run much slower as everything is done online with no face to face contact).

The party has finally moved onto the next story arc which will start with the "Sinister Secret at Saltmarsh".

The biggest complaint that I would give for the Crucible/Amulet combination is that they are fairly linear, but with a little imagination and the extra stuff that Necromancer gives you you can flesh things out and make things a little more interesting for you and your players.

As the party heads to Saltmarsh they have befriended the town, and have plans to rebuild the keep.

And this has given me a concrete hook to get the players to go adventuring in the area as they now feel obligated to protect the village, and their home in the future.

I also suckered them with a couple of NPC's that have now married members of the party.

One a crossbow wedding, and the other an infatuated with a young female monk who put was able to put the big bad ranger in his place and has a fiery temper.

This gives them an additional reason to fight for the town as they now have loved ones behind that will suffer if they fail.

All of this has led up to getting the group so they feel like part of the town, and they want to defend it from harm.

Most of the extra work involved adding NPC's to the town for the group to interact with. These include Ariana the "Wise Woman" (Witch), Sirya the Monk (Headstrong Daughter of the Magistrate), Willow the housekeeper at the home lent to the party, Allexa (The golddigging tramp who trapped the rogue in marriage), Valdis (Pirate of Player who quit the game. I had him join the local militia as an NPC), and Jocasta (reincarnated Basirian Dancer of party member who died - now Dryad).

The group has reached 3rd level and I still have many side adventures that are available to me in the immediate area around Fairhill.

I have the Lost City of Barakus and like it, but I bought it after the campaign started.

Scott

 

[Arnwyn]

Tough, but I lean (a little bit) towards Barakus - because I like my adventures big. As well, Barakus is good in that you aren't "stuck" in it... you can take breathers and come back later. Good stuff.