Tears of the Burning Sky

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Jul 31, 2007

• #1

The sixth adventure in the War of the Burning Sky Campaign Saga has just been released (PDF version). Subscribers should have already received their download links. You can, of course, purchase the adventure separately for $5.99.
[bq]Tears of the Burning Sky

[imager]http://enworld.rpgnow.com/products/product_22614.JPG[/imager]In search of the Torch of the Burning Sky, the heroes set out for Sindaire and Castle Korstull, the canyon fortress where Emperor Drakus Coaltongue was slain.

Their destination lies within an endless firestorm, the result of a peculiar rupture in the fabric of the planes. While the castle surely holds clues to the fate of the emperor and his Torch, the heroes will have to contend with the undead, fiends, rival treasure hunters, and the survivors of Coaltongue's army to learn them.

Might the Torch itself lie in Castle Korstull? What happened to Emperor Coaltongue, and what strange magic brought forth the tears of the Burning Sky?

Welcome to the sixth adventure in the War of the Burning Sky Campaign Saga. Throughout the course of the campaign saga, a party of heroes will become involved in an escalating war between mighty magical nations, and after many adventures, military battles, and mysterious intrigue, it will be up to them to decide who will emerge victorious and rule in the aftermath.

An adventure for 11th level characters.[/bq]

 

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Azeari

First Post

• Aug 10, 2007

• #2

adapting the adventure for higher-level characters

Not my favourite adventure of the series, but then I'm planning to adapt WoBS as a high-level adventure so perhaps that's just my prejudice. It felt like it was missing some of the epic grandeur of the other episodes. Still, that's only my opinion from reading it. It will be interesting to see how it goes in actual play.

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The hellish landscape within the firestorm is very atmospheric and I think the dark pyre undead are a pretty cool idea.
I also loved the puzzle of the water pump and the lift, although I'm worried that my players will be able to use their magical abilities to bypass it completely.
The text of the adventure mentions Wind Walk, a 6th level Cleric spell which confers damage resistance 10/magic and speed 600ft/round. Shadow Walk and Disintegrate are arcane spells that seem like they might also be a potential nuisance.
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RangerWickett

Legend

• Aug 10, 2007

• #3

Mild spoilers.



This is our most 'dungeon crawl'-y adventure, and it was a fun challenge coming up with a way to keep PCs from hopping straight to the end of the dungeon. While it is possible to run across the terrain with shadow walk, it's not possible to get into the final area of the dungeon, since it's on a different plane. (Also, shadow walk shunts you when it ends, which keeps you from using it indoors.)

As for epic grandeur, I'd kinda hoped the setting itself would be grand enough. So far we've had an invasion, fleeing through a forest fire, stopping a hurricane, battling an army, and . . . hm, honestly, Mission to the Monastery of Two Winds would have been my pick for being less grand. But I can see where you're coming from.

By the way, I'm always eager to get feedback, good or bad. What do you like, so we can have more of it?

 

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amethal

Hero

• Aug 10, 2007

• #4

I think its a very cool castle, and my players are going to love exploring it (although that will be many months down the road).

As for grandeau, fire is raining down from the sky, devastating large chunks of terrain in an aparently random pattern. What more do people want? Sharks with frickin' laser beams?

As the DM, it would be nice to have a bit more background that I can give my players when they interrogate NPCs. Obviously the mooks won't know much, but I feel like I've missed at least one opportunity so far to give Guthwulf a mention simply due to my own ignorance of what he's been up to.

It is also helpful when "foreshadowing" does occur that you draw attention to it so the DM doesn't forget to include it. You've done this a lot already, which is great, but more would be even better.

 

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Azeari

First Post

• Aug 16, 2007

• #5

Now that you point out the 'dungeon crawliness' I think it is definitely my own personal prejudice influencing my opinion. I really dislike dungeon crawls, but my players love them (and ultimately, it's their opinion that counts the most!)

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I thought the scene in Mission to the Monastery of Two Winds where the players catch a brief glimpse of The Tempest was awesome. That really made the adventure something special for me. Also, I think the tragic death of the trillith Balance has got a lot of great roleplaying potential.

I think my strategy for Castle Korstull will be to place a lot of emphasis on the rift in the Astral Plane and perhaps come up with some additional restrictions on access to the upper level (other than by solving the puzzle of the lift). I'll just need to make sure that Deception has some means of getting there as well.
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I'd be interested in any other tips that people could offer on which high-level spells are potential showstoppers in a dungeon setting, and creative ways for accomodating them.

RangerWickett said:

Mild spoilers.



This is our most 'dungeon crawl'-y adventure, and it was a fun challenge coming up with a way to keep PCs from hopping straight to the end of the dungeon. While it is possible to run across the terrain with shadow walk, it's not possible to get into the final area of the dungeon, since it's on a different plane. (Also, shadow walk shunts you when it ends, which keeps you from using it indoors.)

As for epic grandeur, I'd kinda hoped the setting itself would be grand enough. So far we've had an invasion, fleeing through a forest fire, stopping a hurricane, battling an army, and . . . hm, honestly, Mission to the Monastery of Two Winds would have been my pick for being less grand. But I can see where you're coming from.

By the way, I'm always eager to get feedback, good or bad. What do you like, so we can have more of it?

Click to expand...

 

RangerWickett

Legend

• Aug 17, 2007

• #6

Well, Deception is incorporeal, so he can easily follow the PCs just about anywhere. And if it becomes a question of, "Hey, what is he doing here?!", just have Deception shapeshift to look like someone else the party would not distrust. Maybe even a PC.

 

Selganor

Adventurer

• Jun 17, 2008

• #7

I still got quite some time to prepare for this adventure and am a bit afraid for my group.
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They don't have ANYONE who can do something about traps (and iirc the gnome trap specialist) isn't able to overcome the traps in the elevator alone.

Any hints on that? Should I let them get clobbered for "missing" a trap specialist that would have been without any use till now?
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RangerWickett

Legend

• Jun 17, 2008

• #8

When in doubt, allow ingenuity and the occasional application of brute force to win out over 'rules necessities.' I'd say in the elevator let them get hit by the first trap, but from then on, telegraph what's about to happen with each trap, and give maybe an extra round before each goes off.

I'd have to look at the text again, but I'll try to give specific advice later.

 

Rugult

On Call GM

• Jun 17, 2008

• #9

Our party had a trap expert, but they were too busy to actually attempt to disarm them. Instead the party frantically tried to use the lever to disable the traps. They still got past 3 of them just because of blind luck!

 

RangerWickett

Legend

• Jun 17, 2008

• #10

Looking back at the location in question, I'd suggest you add one extra round at each floor, where the danger telegraphs its location and intentions.

[sblock]2nd - the control rod glows for one round before the spell goes off (Spellcraft DC 27 identifies what spell it is about to cast)

3rd - ditto, glowing (DC 23, then DC 25)

4th - they hear metal clanking from the walls as the trap is loaded with its ammo, and 'cannon barrels' open up, giving them time to take cover somehow.

5th - as levels 2 and 3 (DC 24)

6th - similar to level 4

7th - as levels 2, 3, and 5 (DC 26)

8th - have the pits open one by one, over the course of four rounds. This encourages movement too, which is keen.

9th - this one is the "no rogue" tax; but you might change it to a more visible wall, or perhaps a grid of downward pointing spikes that swing into place. This gives PCs the chance to stop them with brute strength, or by breaking the chains on the lift, or by disintegrating the spikes. If you do this, though, you probably need something like dimensional lock in the shaft.[/sblock]