WotBS [Spoilers included] Half WotBS diary, half GM asking questions

Thom, it's okay to let Deception/Vuhl detect as minor magic (as mentioned on page 59 of the complete edition) for his illusion to appear as a fey. Having a magic aura detected on you is not incriminating, it just means you're using some kind of magic. Even if specified as transmutation, Vuhl can come up with any kind of excuse - he transmuted away a mole on his skin he didn't like, or he did some gential enhancement, whatever you like - or just don't have it detect at all.

The party does get pretty crowded until they hit Seaquen - but Tiljiann was a much-welcomed guide and ally for my group who continue to love to travel with her for her buffs and personality when they get to.
Crystin is one of my favorite characters, and continues to give prophecies (even of my own making) to the group.
Haddin kept along in my game also - and was useful at times (by dominating information and fair prices from the group ripping people off in Vidor, before Sour Lake Swamp in Act 3). And not-useful at times (by charming the group barbarian to side with him in votes).
Haddin eventually died in the storm at the end of Act 3, having given his own Tidereaver's Tears to Crystin to save her from the storm.

As for "Will Crystin detect as magic" - yes. She is Charmed, and will have a magic aura on her. But, given that her father is a powerful wizard, she/they can just claim the magic is protective (which is also how he gets her to willingly fail her save on the "buff" he gives her). Smart groups may hone down the school of magic to Enchantment - which has no possible upside and will all but confirm she's being controlled.
Haddin and Crystin can go a long way depending on how much your group tolerates Haddin's character and how they treat them both.


You haven't posted in a few weeks Thom but I know this story inside out (currently running adventure 6) and would be happy to answer any questions you have about the story, characters or specific encounters if you still need input.

Thanks for the input, Duke.

We've been plagued with the daemon called "Reality"! Possibly some distant relative to Indomitability and Deception...

We've had one last session weeks ago:
My players decided not to heed Kazyk's request to leave the case behind and walked on. He appeared for them, gave his "Smart negotiators...." speech and attacked.
This was the first fight that truely challenged the party. The party's mage - a bit of a damage focused glass cannon - quickly found that Scorching Ray-ing Kazyk doesn't even tickle him or his Lemures while at the same time finally becoming aware of the amplified effects his fire-based spells currently have. For now he attributes that to the forest.
Kazyk managed to nick 3 of the 6 characters before he was forced to retreat after the party's halfling barbarian finally got a hold of him. Not being easily able to stop the bleeding wounds quite perplexed the healing-focusing cleric, nice touch.
Haddin dominated Torrent into standing guard over him (and by extentions Crystin), a fact not yet dawning on the group. But this should be a nice set-up for some more obvious conflict, which might force the Haddin-plot into resolving.

I have now moved the characters to 4th level, as they probably won't get a chance to rest before Indomitability's test, and I don't much want them to die (just yet ).

I'm REALLY looking forward to the next few sessions, where the players will basically get complete freedom of choice as to how to proceed. Should be interesting.

Bear in mind that a dominated victim acts strangly, and their fellows can recognise that strange behaviour with a dc25 sense motive check. Depending on how much of a personality you've given torrent or how talkative she is, it might be easy for the group to notice (if you want them to have the chance).
I loved taking the group through innenotdar, hope your group is having fun!

So we played again last week.
Turns out, the party decided Torrent's odd behaviour must be Kazyk taking posession of her somehow when he last dissapeared for good. Heh... why not. Mind, I am NOT terribly subtle about what's actually going on, with Haddin ordering Torrent to guard them in the next fight as well, her hanging with them even when there's no fighting.

Even though the mage was down to one Magic Missile (and a wand of MM), the priest pretty well out of healing and most others at least somewhat hurt, nobody even mentioned resting. So, onwards Ho!

When Indomitability sprung his trap, the characters were smart enough to move far away from the spot Crystin pointed out. Overall, the fight against the fire stags was less tough than the one with Kazyk, and despite their low resources the party went through with barely a tough spot. They did not really converse with Indomitability that much, so a few of the info it could have given them wasn't used. At least they know that it's body rests in the lake downstream, so that's something.

They have now entered the tower on the bridge and read the journal. When the rogue failed to open the cabinet at the 3r floor (with the dream seeds) they decided to finally take the rest they needed.

I'll need to find more ways to give the ranger spotlight time. The barbarian deals insane damage, the wizard has spells, the cleric can heal and the rogue is a skill monster. The ranger is kind of left out and I'm worried the player might start to feel it. One of the things that will happen next time is the party's old "friend", the horse Haribo" reappearing. I'll have it be afflicted with the fire template for the forest and become the rangers bonded animal (the player decided on horse for this, not my idea). This should at least give her some rp time and a bit of a unique aspect as well. On top, I decided to change my attitude towards her using sense motive and her ranger skills on the beings in the forest. I've made the mistake to not really let her get far with it (understandable in the fire stags as it may be). But "normal" creatures that simply caught the fire template should give her something to play on. Angst, madness, things like this, sure, but better than nothing.

So, question before Sunday's next session: the elf village.
It's stated at the end of the part "Indomitability's Offer" that " no flames fill the village", so I did relay that info to the party. Now, later, in the part actually describing the village, we read: "full of homes built into the boughs of trees...". On top of that, the Shrine of Anyariel is "surrounded by a ring of seventeen old oak trees" which "occasionally rain[ing] fiery debris".....

So, I'm confused. IS there fire in the village or not? I could live with "no, except for the oak trees", but, how are the (admittedly ruined) houses built the boughs of the trees, trees that apparently don't burn (anymore)?
It's mentioned that there once was a park of trees that were cut down to stop burning. Am I to assume that the trees that used to hold houses in them have been cut down as well, this turning the whole village into a complete and utter ruin, making it hardly recognizable as a village?

I know, as a DM I can spin it whichever way I want. Just asking for some external input, more data, if you will

I honestly have no idea what we had in mind.

Um, maybe Indom wants to let the PCs roam around a bit, or he has less control here, so the area is smoldering, but not actively on fire?

RangerWickett said:

I honestly have no idea what we had in mind.

Um, maybe Indom wants to let the PCs roam around a bit, or he has less control here, so the area is smoldering, but not actively on fire?

Click to expand...

Hehe... that's cool. I think I'll go with the near-total ruin. The elves took down all the trees, including the ones housing homes in their despair. I'll add makeshift lean-tos they slept in afterwards and we're good to go. Unless something else sounds better...

To be honest it was never an issue in my campaign, I can't even remember noticing that issue.

I guess that there is no fire in the village as it is a ruin, so whatever was built into the trees a ruins. The trees that still stand would be burning. In any case you are right, it is a bit contradictory.

So we played out 8th session (or so...) and I'd say it was the best one so far. I think the heroes finally got a few pieces that made the whole puzzle look a bit clearer when they found Burishrava's (spelling) corpse, saw the statue of Anyariel skewering the stag that is Indomitability and connected some dots with his notebook. Plus, some of the fights are now level-appropriate, so they actually get some resistance, and it was nice to see them sweat at least a bit ("what? I'm paralyzed...? Damn!")

I did describe the village as a ruin, which I think fit in nicely with the overall feeling that is starting to develope.

Last night the party went to the village, searched for a while and found the magic lace-work string that would allow to identify relatives, then inspected the shrine. During the fight with the ghasts the cleric used her Channel Energy which also opened the door to the chamber below. When they investigated that chamber, they party's halfling barbarian went and took one of the dream seeds. I allowed her blurry and abstract visions of Gwenvere slaying the priest as well as as images describing the spreading war. The fight with the dream elemental nearly killed the party mage - twice! He rolled highest for Initiative, the poor sod, and decided to start off with his (empowered, thank you) Scorching ray. After being healed by torrent he followed up with a well aimed Shocking Grasp the next round and was back down to near-dead. I had simply decided way before the fight that the elemental would use it's Warp Reality on the first attack each round....

There was a discussion on whether to bring the Shahalesti warrior, but in the end they decided against it for encumberance reasons.
We ended the session with the fight with the Rast.

I'll have them encounter Kazyk next time, and decided to put the ranger's upcoming horse companion with Nelle, as that sounded fitting.

All things considered, I am mighty pleased with the Campaign, and dearly hope we can continue to play as regularly as we do. I'd love to see that one through.

Just thought... I might think about recreating Crystin as a Psychic Mage from Pathfinders Occult Adventures, if she stays around long enough.