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<blockquote data-quote="Richards" data-source="post: 6060489" data-attributes="member: 508"><p><strong>ADVENTURE 36 - HELLSPIKE PRISON</strong></p><p></p><p>PC Roster: <p style="margin-left: 20px">Akari, elven paladin of Hieroneous</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> Cal Trop, human cleric of Kord</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> Chalkan, half-elf ranger/cleric of Corellon Larethian/sorcerer/arcane archer</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> Feron Dru, half-elf druid</p><p> </p><p>Binked In: <p style="margin-left: 20px">Delphyne Babelberi, human witch (wizard)</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> Slayer, half-orc barbarian</p><p></p><p><em>Hellspike Prison</em> was a standalone adventure written by Matthew Sernett and published by Wizards of the Coast as part of their "Fantastic Locations" line. It came with two large, foldout, double-sided maps, of the same type as those which my players had enjoyed in "Fields of Ruin."</p><p></p><p>This adventure was memorable for a couple of reasons. First of all, it was only the second time that two different PCs opted to "bink back to Guild Headquarters" in the same adventure. Jacob had originally decided to run Chalkan through this adventure, wanting to build him up so he could start increasing his level (at this point, Chalkan was a Ranger 4/Cleric 2/Sorcerer 1/Arcane Archer 2), since he was the lowest-level PC of the group. (This was due mainly to Jacob having preferred thus far to run Slayer, who was the highest-level PC of the group at the time.) Having looked at the arcane archer prestige class and Chalkan's low levels in three different core character classes, I decided that in this campaign at least I'd be allowing arcane archers to gain a full level of arcane spellcasting - in Chalkan's case, sorcerer - with each arcane archer level. In that way I could at least attempt to balance Chalkan's overall power level with those of the other PCs in the campaign, and give him more spell options to go along with his "imbue arrow" class ability. And it wasn't likely that any of my other players would ever want to become an arcane archer in this campaign, so I didn't have any concerns about opening up a can of worms that I'd later be regretting.</p><p></p><p>In any case, fairly early in the adventure, Chalkan realized he was in a little above his head (I believe he had been spooked by a wave of vargouilles), and he opted for the bink, being replaced by Slayer, who not only fared much better but had the shining moment in the spotlight at the very end, where closing a gate to the lower planes depended on somebody getting the powerful weapon out of the hands of the powerful devil really quick-like. Slayer delivered.</p><p></p><p>The other bink was on a sadder note, as Feron was slain in battle. One of the devils had a <em>scorching ray</em> spell-like ability, and at the time, the only logical target for him to use it on was Feron Dru, currently flying around wildshaped as an eagle. (She had chosen the Natural Spell feat, and thus was able to cast spells while in a wildshaped form.) After I had declared the decision, I realized that the devil would be getting four <em>scorching ray</em> attacks that round against her; all four hit, I believe, and she was flash-fried in a second. I ruled that she reverted to her normal form upon her death, which allowed one of her companions to activate her Guild ring, teleporting her back to Guild headquarters and allowing her to be replaced by Delphyne, who finished out the adventure.</p><p></p><p>Back in these days, those binks were expensive, too - the Guild rings were rechargeable one-shot items, and the Guild charged 3,300 gp to recharge a ring that had been used. I think it was this adventure that made me rethink this policy, and in a later adventure I had the Guild take everyone's rings away for one adventure as they were being upgraded to self-recharge one full day after use.</p><p></p><p>And Feron's wasn't the only death, either: Akari's bonded mount, Tenuma, was slain protecting his master from none other than Slayer, who had been charmed by one of the devils. The other PCs had to beat Slayer into unconsciousness to keep him from killing anybody else in the group. Akari, of course, then had to go through a span of time before he could summon another mount, but he was high enough level that he would eventually replace Tenuma with a griffon.</p><p></p><p>There's a beholder in this adventure, which was the first time the group had ever faced one of these iconic monsters. I made some foolish choices as to which eyestalks would be focused on which PCs in the heat of battle, and Akari's elvish heritage allowed him to avoid the <em>sleep</em> ray altogether and resist the <em>charm person</em> ray. Oh well, I suppose this particular beholder, living underground, had had little contact with elves and was thus unaware of their resistance against enchantments. I can't really say that he learned his lesson, either, as they killed him.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Richards, post: 6060489, member: 508"] [b]ADVENTURE 36 - HELLSPIKE PRISON[/b] PC Roster: [INDENT]Akari, elven paladin of Hieroneous Cal Trop, human cleric of Kord Chalkan, half-elf ranger/cleric of Corellon Larethian/sorcerer/arcane archer Feron Dru, half-elf druid[/INDENT] Binked In: [INDENT]Delphyne Babelberi, human witch (wizard) Slayer, half-orc barbarian[/INDENT] [i]Hellspike Prison[/i] was a standalone adventure written by Matthew Sernett and published by Wizards of the Coast as part of their "Fantastic Locations" line. It came with two large, foldout, double-sided maps, of the same type as those which my players had enjoyed in "Fields of Ruin." This adventure was memorable for a couple of reasons. First of all, it was only the second time that two different PCs opted to "bink back to Guild Headquarters" in the same adventure. Jacob had originally decided to run Chalkan through this adventure, wanting to build him up so he could start increasing his level (at this point, Chalkan was a Ranger 4/Cleric 2/Sorcerer 1/Arcane Archer 2), since he was the lowest-level PC of the group. (This was due mainly to Jacob having preferred thus far to run Slayer, who was the highest-level PC of the group at the time.) Having looked at the arcane archer prestige class and Chalkan's low levels in three different core character classes, I decided that in this campaign at least I'd be allowing arcane archers to gain a full level of arcane spellcasting - in Chalkan's case, sorcerer - with each arcane archer level. In that way I could at least attempt to balance Chalkan's overall power level with those of the other PCs in the campaign, and give him more spell options to go along with his "imbue arrow" class ability. And it wasn't likely that any of my other players would ever want to become an arcane archer in this campaign, so I didn't have any concerns about opening up a can of worms that I'd later be regretting. In any case, fairly early in the adventure, Chalkan realized he was in a little above his head (I believe he had been spooked by a wave of vargouilles), and he opted for the bink, being replaced by Slayer, who not only fared much better but had the shining moment in the spotlight at the very end, where closing a gate to the lower planes depended on somebody getting the powerful weapon out of the hands of the powerful devil really quick-like. Slayer delivered. The other bink was on a sadder note, as Feron was slain in battle. One of the devils had a [i]scorching ray[/i] spell-like ability, and at the time, the only logical target for him to use it on was Feron Dru, currently flying around wildshaped as an eagle. (She had chosen the Natural Spell feat, and thus was able to cast spells while in a wildshaped form.) After I had declared the decision, I realized that the devil would be getting four [i]scorching ray[/i] attacks that round against her; all four hit, I believe, and she was flash-fried in a second. I ruled that she reverted to her normal form upon her death, which allowed one of her companions to activate her Guild ring, teleporting her back to Guild headquarters and allowing her to be replaced by Delphyne, who finished out the adventure. Back in these days, those binks were expensive, too - the Guild rings were rechargeable one-shot items, and the Guild charged 3,300 gp to recharge a ring that had been used. I think it was this adventure that made me rethink this policy, and in a later adventure I had the Guild take everyone's rings away for one adventure as they were being upgraded to self-recharge one full day after use. And Feron's wasn't the only death, either: Akari's bonded mount, Tenuma, was slain protecting his master from none other than Slayer, who had been charmed by one of the devils. The other PCs had to beat Slayer into unconsciousness to keep him from killing anybody else in the group. Akari, of course, then had to go through a span of time before he could summon another mount, but he was high enough level that he would eventually replace Tenuma with a griffon. There's a beholder in this adventure, which was the first time the group had ever faced one of these iconic monsters. I made some foolish choices as to which eyestalks would be focused on which PCs in the heat of battle, and Akari's elvish heritage allowed him to avoid the [i]sleep[/i] ray altogether and resist the [i]charm person[/i] ray. Oh well, I suppose this particular beholder, living underground, had had little contact with elves and was thus unaware of their resistance against enchantments. I can't really say that he learned his lesson, either, as they killed him. [/QUOTE]
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