Does Monte Know...[Spoilers for Fane of the Witch King]

[Morpheus]

that The Fane of the Witch King is almost an exact duplicate of The Banewarrens? Not that this is bad, mind you. I loved the BW, but was never able to finish it. The FotWK is short enough that my group should be able to finish it in 5-7 sessions. Assuming they survive...

Spoilers Ahead
We had our first session on Saturday and had a good time. The PCs found out many things:
1) Gricks suck if you don't have any magic weapons. Which was the result
of:
2) Getting captured by Hellstorm. They were not ready for an encounter
with a red dragon (who is?) and she "burnated" the 2 paladins. She
also forced the others to give her their magic items and promise to rid
the cavern of the "vermin" that had infested it.
3) Cloakers are mean 'mofos. The Engulf ability really stinks for the
person who has been engulfed.

As for the party, I had each player make 8 levels worth of PCs to go on the expedition to find the other "lost" expedition. The players made some interesting combinations of PCs.

Player 1 (MEG Hal) made a 3rd level dwarven fighter (18 INT!) and a human (elf-tainted) Ftr/Rog 2/3.

Player 2 (Dagger75) made a 4th level halfling ranger and a 4th level gnome cleric of Garl Glittergold (patterned after the new fig in the D&D minis set).

Player 3 (Paul) made a 5th level human marshal and a 3rd level human healer. This is really amazing because, if you know Paul, all he wants to do is play a fighter-type and kill stuff.

Next time we meet (in 2 weeks) promises some interesting events...

 

[Eremite]

I would like to hear how the marshal played out.

 

[Morpheus]

I would like to hear how the marshal played out.

Glad you asked. There's actually a funny story here (aside from the name Marshal Dylan...Gunsmoke...get it?).
Paul played his character as a grizzled veteran who was attached to Sir Rawlings (the paladin of Heironeous). He followed him everywhere and was assigned to look after him (Sir Rawlings, while not dumb, wasn't the sharpest tack in the box, either).
Well, the party is attacked by gnolls manning an arbalest and Sir Rawlings is hit. He then charges in the direction that the bolt came from. Into the darkness. With no light. And he's human.
Dylan then took off at a run after Sir Rawlings carrying a sunrod. Unfortunately, Dylan did not see the rift in the cavern floor until it was too late and he fell 30'. He spent the rest of the combat trying to get himself back out (falling once more from 20'). So much for the grizzled veteran...
After that, he was a decent combatant and his auras are pretty useful (especially the Motivate Ardor-which adds to damage rolls). All in all, an interesting class...

 

[Eremite]

(snip the funny stuff) After that, he was a decent combatant and his auras are pretty useful (especially the Motivate Ardor-which adds to damage rolls). All in all, an interesting class...

I have to 'fess up that I don't get the Gunsmoke reference: never been a Western fan.

Thanks for the feedback. I was wondering how the auras worked out in actual play. I've been contemplating using the marshal as the base class for military officers in my FR campaigns with a view to perhaps inspiring at least one of the players to attempt to play one at some point.

In addition, the idea of encountering a squad of Zhentarim with a barking officer-type who seems to provide them with clever tactical advantages with each order just seems like a fun encounter.

And apologies for hijacking your thread....

 

[Morpheus]

And apologies for hijacking your thread....

At least someone is reading the thread...

 

[Dagger75]

After the Marshal got into combat he was pretty effective. I liked the Bonuses to damage. Every little bit helps.

Gricks suck, but being engulfed in a cloaker really sucks, ecspecially when the people out side don't really care about hitting the poor wounded loveable halfling stuck inside.

 

[Morpheus]

After the Marshal got into combat he was pretty effective. I liked the Bonuses to damage. Every little bit helps.

Gricks suck, but being engulfed in a cloaker really sucks, especially when the people out side don't really care about hitting the poor wounded loveable halfling stuck inside.

I agree with all of that statement except for the "poor, wounded, lovable halfling" part...
This coming from the man who said "we should attack the red dragon" and "to hell with Sir Rawlings"...

 

[Dagger75]

I agree with all of that statement except for the "poor, wounded, lovable halfling" part...
This coming from the man who said "we should attack the red dragon" and "to hell with Sir Rawlings"...

Hey I was wounded.

I was going to try and bring his body back for a proper burial. And come one, the leaders of this little expidition aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer. The marshal charged head long into a hole!!!!!

That dragon will pay I tell ya.

 

[Morpheus]

The marshal charged head long into a hole!!!!!

And he was inspiring courage while doing it...