Eaglesford Campaign: "Strange Lights"

[evildmguy]

Thanks!

As you might suspect, we love playing it!

Sure. I can understand that.

The problem I have with the spell is that it's not comparable to other 2nd level spells. It's just the wrong power level, even if you take into account the limitation (can only be cast outside).

One of the reasons its too powerful is the area of effect. Entangle, the base spell, is the problem here....so changing the AoE of Entangle (to 20 foot radius) changes Briar Web.

The second reason it's too powerful is the "no-save damage for any action". I could see changing that to a restricted list of actions: attacking, running, spell casting, etc. ...But I decided to go with less damage (1d4 hp damage, no level adjustment) simply for ease-of-use. I'm not firmly commited to this; it just seemed like the simplest fix.

And I love reading it. I will see the game board, if it is still up this weekend!

First of all, again, the decision is yours. I just like a good discussion just not at the table.

Second, I personally don't find Entangle bad as it is written. Players usually end up hurting themselves with it as often as helping. Therefore,

Third, I don't find Briar Web bad as it is written. I personally think that Druids need a better complement of spells. I also think they should have good attack spells. I just think this is a good defensive spell for them. It just has a good offensive mode to it.

Fourth, compared to some other spells, as seen in the 3.5 SRD, it has great potential but nothing over the top. Since a party should be facing CR 3s by the time the spell can be used, they won't notice d4+3 damage. They might notice it if they take it two or three times, but then they are stupid! And, by the time it is d4+7 damage, those creatures won't notice that much damage either. That's why I said only if they are only facing goblins will this spell be an issue. Web's Escape or break out DC is 25! Compared to that, 20 for Entangle makes this one seem easy.

btw, that's one of the problems that I have with DND but this isn't the place for that.

Fifth, that's why I suggested basing damage on (natural) Armor bonus. Could probably include Shield and deflection bonuses as well. I also think that only moving and avoiding them should be an option, which might be the only change to the spell I would make.

Again, this is up to you. I am just adding my coppers worth. I am obviously tempered by my own ideas and wants to see in a druid. I think they should have an offensive option because I think druids as extreme environmentalists is cool!

Thanks!

edg

 

[Nail]

EDG: Thanks for your thoughts! I'll see how things go with that spell. Perhaps no changes were needed. But concider: even higher level foes would have difficulty with that Strength or Escape Artist check. And each time they try, they take damage.

(shrug) We'll see.

 

[Nail]

The End of Session #17: At Last! The descent....
(Session of RL Sept 17th, 2003)

The morning of June 20th came peacefully. It would be a warm, cloudy day, perfect for travelling under the open skies..... So the adventurers descended into the dungeon of Alderslook.

They left their refuge at the top of the first tower, and thoroughly searched each room of the second tower as they descended it.

(DM: "Oh really? A complete and thorough search of each room? Filled with mud, decay, and...ahem...worse? Alrighty......")

They found nothing.

Once they were done, Riva pointed out the quality of the stonework. "Unless we're either pretty lucky or pretty good, we're not likely t' find much. The masons here knew what they were doin'."

The party found the bottom of the spiral staircase one level below the entryway, where they had first come into the tower from the courtyard. The room was circular, like each of the four rooms above, but this one had one hallway leading off into the darkness. Rowan's and Thaile's torches could just make out a short stair in the hallway, and the hall continuing beyond it. Riva took the lead.

"Is this the way?" Garret asked Kytum-up, as they started along the hall.

Thaile translated the kobold's reply: "Yes. Down this hall, left at the room beyond, then a short distance around a bend."

The party stopped when the hall did. Before them was a small rectanglur room, 10 feet across and 15 feet from side to side. To the left and right were the smooth stone corridors, with the same stonework as the rest of the tower. ...But across the room was an irregular opening, roughly dug.

Riva stode across the room to examine the passage. "This wasn't worked with tools. ....Carved out, maybe. Perhaps with claws.... No. It looks too curved for that.....melted. Yup. This passage was melted through the rock."

The adventurers paused to digest this new information.

From the journals of Rowan, Druid of Eaglesford

We had a short discussion about how much scouting we should do. Riva thought that we should proceed directly to the Kobold lair, through the hall to the left. (I was kind of surprised he didn't want to explore the "melted hall" any further!) Garret, on the other hand, was concerned about things that might come up behind us as we cleared rubble from the door of the lair. Kytum-up assured us that the door to the lair was so well hidden that no one would ever suspect that anything was there, so the likelihood of anything expecting us to be there was small.

Still, Garrett wanted to be sure, so he, Thaile, and I went along the right-hand hall. Riva and the rest of the group stayed in the room behind us. As we traveled along the gently curving corridor, we noted several more of the irregular passages piercing the walls. Garrett followed one of them and found that it curved back upon itself, coming out in another of the openings.

Eventually, the curved passage came to a medium sized room, with a semi-circular niche in one wall; the other side of the room was filled with rubble. We could see the corridor continued beyond the room, but we doubled back, checking the irregular passages to see that they all came back upon one another. In several of them we found old piles of metal... ...somethings... ...scales? I took a few of them.

Tieran agreed with me that these things were scales of some sort, but more than that he couldn't say. He and Riva disagreed as to whether they scales were "shed" or the remains of a dead creature. I suppose, since I'm the druid, I'm supposed to know about this stuff? I don't know what the remains are, but if they're related to the claw marks in the rock and the melted passages.....I'm not sure I want to find out!

End of Session #17

Next time: I wonder what's around the bend?

 

[DrSpunj]

Next time: I wonder what's around the bend?

Garret does, too. And he plans to find out!

DrSpunj

 

[Nail]

We have a new player joining us! How does this mystery person show up? ...It's a mystery, of course! (Even to me....)

I thought I'd post this snippet from an email to the new player from me, the evil DM:

***Necromancy***
I'm not sure what Garret's player told you, but in the adventurer's world, necromancy is considered the lowest and most despicable form of magic, and a sin against the gods. Those that cause the dead to walk again are given neither mercy nor quarter.

Necromancers are hunted down, destroyed, and their bodies brought to the Great Church for cremation. So great is people's fear of necromancy, that all dead, even an enemy's dead (even goblins killed in combat, hint, hint), are to be cremated, and their ashes spread on the wind. Burial is thought of as a terrible sin, a desecration of the holy ritual of death.....recently the party has found that orcs bury their dead...under Alderslook!......Such rank heathen!

 

[evildmguy]

Oo! Ooo!

I know the new player! And, all I can say, is watch out because he always furgle boglets morg! Tredg! AAA! Fre litf gosw!

gde

 

[Nail]

Wow.

Uhmmm.....I'm ...uhmmm....quaking in my boots?....

 

[DrSpunj]

So great is people's fear of necromancy, that all dead, even an enemy's dead (even goblins killed in combat, hint, hint), are to be cremated, and their ashes spread on the wind.

Yeah, like we're going to be lighting signal beacons of our most recent victory, declaring to all in the forest and on the mountain that we are coming to kill them next. Sheeyah! Right!

Garret has thought several times about disposing of those goblin corpses we could in a more permanent fashion, but after talking briefly with Rowan decided that ending the threat of necromancy in the region (if possible) is a better long term goal (compared to the short term gains of burning a few enemy bodies here & there). Besides, by not burying them we leave them to the creatures of the forest & wild, which Rowan assured Garret was part of the natural cycle of things.

 

[Gina]

Garret has thought several times about disposing of those goblin corpses we could in a more permanent fashion, but after talking briefly with Rowan decided that ending the threat of necromancy in the region (if possible) is a better long term goal (compared to the short term gains of burning a few enemy bodies here & there). Besides, by not burying them we leave them to the creatures of the forest & wild, which Rowan assured Garret was part of the natural cycle of things.

Rowan concurred with Garrett considering that all of the undead we have encountered have been of the orcish variety and seemingly they are more interested in the idol than helping out the goblins. So, leaving the goblins for now, while a calculated risk, is still the best course of action for now.

We can burn the big, smally pile of Gobin corpses later. Maybe Riva's old pappy has a good recepie for Goblin stew or something like that. (Ugh)

 

[Gina]

Session 17 Notes on stuff we found, from the journal of Rowan, Druid of Eaglesford.

We found the usual smelly armor and weapons on most of the goblins, well made, actually far better than I would have expected of these foul creatures.

One of them had a coin bracelet, used for trade within the empire. Out here in the fringes we seldom see products of empire manufacture, and this trinket was interesting....it's certainly far better travelled than I am.

The goblin-cleric had a breastplate and shield of empire manufacture, both with maker's marks upon them. Riva thought that his morning star was also empire made, but there was no mark, only the twisted dagger symbol upon it. His holy sumbol had the same twisted silver dagger upon it.

Thaile and Garrett thought it the sign of Canarak, god of destruction and rage. Sounds just lovely.

The clerical goblin also had some potions and scrolls and one item that was far and away the best of the lot. A lovely little red crystal image of a hawk. I am very much taken with it, but it is a valuable item and not for one such as myself. Still, it is very pretty and sparkles in the sun.

OH, and lest I forget, the ropes that the goblins were using to climb down the towers was of elven manufacture. Imagine that! I have never even SEEN an Elf, yet we found ropes made by their hands. Imagine! We found five large hanks of it and took it along with us for it seems stronger and is definitely lighter than the rope we had been carrying!

Who knows what we shall find as we move forward into this ancient place....