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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bert1000" data-source="post: 5110993" data-attributes="member: 29013">Eyes of the Lich Queen (lots of SPOILERS)As I said in the post above, I thought this module did a great job of pacing and variety. Its flaws are the heavy handed character motivation (basically characters get magically cursed and have to lift the curse), lack of real choices (it’s straight up linear), and to some extent the lack of friendly NPC interaction. In current WOTC style this would probably be 2-3 modules worth of plot with 60-90 combat encounters. In the end, this module covers a lot of ground but I think you could do this module in 4E with 15-20 combat encounters that were all integral to the plot. I’ve marked a quick strawman below:  *So the characters get a job from a mysterious patron (clichéd and would be better if they knew this person from earlier adventures, but DMs can adjust this). *Next, we get a jungle trek (always good, skill challenge), combat at a ancient temple with 2 young dragons pestering us (cool) [2 combat encounters] * And then a reveal of a sub area from a different age and some combat to get the mcguffin. Good transition – advances the story and allows for a completely different set of opponents. [2 combat encounters]  *PCs get ambushed and have combat by emerald claw who think the characters have an item. Great, introduces one of the main villain groups and gives the PCs additional info. [1 combat encounter] *Next, PCs getting strange dragonmarks – good story advances. PCs get some down time, then find out the dragon marks are similar to an ancient explorers and the marks eventually killed him. Their patron wants a mcguffin the explorer may have found (the same thing the emerald claw was looking for) but the threat of death also provides motivation for the PCs to find the tomb of this explorer. * Next phase involves 3 set pieces with information gathering in between. A great scene where the PCs need to recover a book from a mansion’s burning library that is being ransacked by the emerald claw. Great motivation to be there, and reason to have a combat. Encounter area is small and interesting. [2 combat encounters] * [1 skill challenge] This leads to some information gathering and a new town port verge. The PCs efforts lead to a prison break in of the most notorious prison in eberron!! Another great location and set piece. This is set up as a “bust in and out” affair. So even though the prison itself is huge, the PCs can have 2-3 meaningful combat encounters and leave. It’s not a slog. [2-3 combat encounters] *This leads to more info gathering and a great (likely non combat) encounter. The PCS must now convince a pirate king to let them see his rare map, or somehow steal it. Great non-combat stuff. [skill challenge] *Now that the PCs have enough info to locate the tomb, they get to go to a haunted island (another different type of location). There is a cool “island guardian” combat encounter with an undead orca. The PCs then fight a somewhat random encounter with an deranged fire elemental that was used to power a crashed airship but it’s evocative of the setting so I think its fine. The tomb itself it somewhat generic but small enough that again its not a slog. The quori is a nice touch as a way to spice up the mosters encountered. The tomb ends with a bunch of information for the PCs given by the ghost of the explorer – good stuff, the PCs need to be informed of what is really going on at some point before the very end. [4-5 combat encounters total for the island and tomb] *On their way back they get pirate ship to pirate ship boarded by the reanimated corpse of some they fought at the mansion. Great, reoccurring villain and cool location. [1 combat encounter] * The last part involves going to the land of dragons, getting involved in a barbarian tribe civil war, and fighting a blue dragon on top of a ancient dragon astrological observatory. Again mixing up the location allowing for different types of combat and non-combat. [2 combat encounters with barbarians, 1 skill challenge to get allegiance with tribe, 1 skill challenge to sneak up on tower, 2-3 combat encounters in tower]</blockquote>

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