Freeport: Impressions and caveats?

[tetsujin28]

I just purhased the collection of the three main Freeport modules, and it looks pretty good. I was just wondering if anyone has any observations or warnings concerning the module, so that I don't end up completely slaughtering the party I'll have a gang of six players, so I know that in theory I'd have to bump up the encounters a bit, but is there anything else I should watch out for?

 

[Orryn Emrys]

Only one thing, really. When I ran the FREEPORT trilogy, I didn't fully comprehend just how "investigative" the adventures are. The PCs in my game weren't really suited to amateur detective work... fortunately, the players were game nonetheless, and absolutely fell in love with the city... so the adventures were a success, rife with the kind of bumbling efforts you might expect from such a development. All in all, the city has quickly become one of my favorite D&D hangouts in nearly 20 years of play, and I'd tout it to anyone. Hope it works for ya!

 

[Morrow]

The Freeport trilogy is fantastic. My group just arrived at Black Dog's caves last night. Orryn is right, the trilogy does involve a lot of investigation. I ran the three adventures one after another, the party was 3rd level at the start of Death, 4th level at the beginning of Terror, and 5th level by the time we began Madness. I wonder if that wasn't a mistake. It made for serveral back-to-back evenings of lots of investigation and not much combat. Be prepared to provide some subtle guidance when the party gets off track. My group has made it very clear- detective work is fun, bumbling around all night not knowing what to do is not, and they don't mind a little push in the right direction if it helps them get back to the fun.

In Terror my group made excellent issue of detect thoughts and an elixir of truth that the party cleric crafted. I ended up doing a little scrambing when they got information faster than the module assumed they would, but I just cut a couple encounters that they had rendered obselete and it all came together very well.

In terms of encounters that put you in danger of slaughtering the party, I suspect the climax of Terror could be nasty, although my group did fine. My group went to the lighthouse early and encountered gibbering mouther at 4th level. If I had been a little more on the ball that could have been the end of them. I expect the Temple of Yig will be very challenging for most parties. Mine has a 5th level cleric with a 17 Charisma and Extra Turning and Improved Turning, so I'm not too worried.

Morrow

 

[Qualidar]

I've heard that the cement mixer trap (in Terror?) was quite the deathtrap for several groups. Although mine got by fine, I was a bit concerned.

~Qualidar~

 

[talien]

I just purhased the collection of the three main Freeport modules, and it looks pretty good. I was just wondering if anyone has any observations or warnings concerning the module, so that I don't end up completely slaughtering the party I'll have a gang of six players, so I know that in theory I'd have to bump up the encounters a bit, but is there anything else I should watch out for?

Here's a big warning: if you expect (or your players expect) to deal with pirates, they're in for a very rude surprise. More Cthulhu, less pirates. My review is in a couple of places, but you can see for yourself how the party did in my Arcanis story hour (Freeport is in that world as well): http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=103252

The one thing that really bugged me is the whole "lookit, a STAFF THAT HAS NO MEANING" red herring. It totally threw the PCs for a loop.

That and the whole villains who wield spears but leave magical ones sitting in the treasury. Other than that they loved it.

 

[DM_Matt]

One thing that threw my group a bit when we played it was that it encouraged pretty reckless behavior. There was pretty much no one and no thing that the party is not supposed to severely mess with on a simple hunch. As a cautious player, it bugged me a bit.

 

[tetsujin28]

Do you have some examples? I have one fairly cautious player, but I have another who's completely gonzo and would probably stick his finger in a light socket if I told him to

 

[Morrow]

Here's a big warning: if you expect (or your players expect) to deal with pirates, they're in for a very rude surprise. More Cthulhu, less pirates. My review is in a couple of places, but you can see for yourself how the party did in my Arcanis story hour (Freeport is in that world as well): http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=103252

The one thing that really bugged me is the whole "lookit, a STAFF THAT HAS NO MEANING" red herring. It totally threw the PCs for a loop.

That and the whole villains who wield spears but leave magical ones sitting in the treasury. Other than that they loved it.

This is a fair analysis. As soon as my group finishes Madness and the follow up Vengeance I'm going to get them back on the open ocean as quickly as possible.

Scarbelly and the orcs aboard the Bloody Vengeance do provide something of a red herring. My group got all the information possible from Scarbelly, but they really want to know why he wouldn't let them abord his ship. Months after they encountered him they still say, "We've got to find out what Scarbelly is doing," at least once a session.

Morrow

 

[tetsujin28]

I like when players get paranoid