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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spohedus" data-source="post: 7056075" data-attributes="member: 6868337">Sounds like I'm only a few sessions ahead of you. I found Cragmaw Castle perfectly tuned for 3rd level PCs. I made a couple of changes. First, I made Lhupo, the false goblin shaman, a barghest who was clearly different, gave the PCs the legitimate creeps, and made a pact with them to release his profane hold on the shrine in exchange for the PCs allowing him to kill King Grol after they subdued him. It seemed like a fair trade to the PCs. They chose never to fight Lhupo, but if they did it would have been balanced. Also, I had them witness a patrol leave out of the castle right before they entered it, so the whole time they were concerned they needed to get in and get out before the patrol returned. The patrol was certain to have witnesses previous signs of combat on the way to the castle and return armed and alert. This kept the pace moving and they never seriously considered resting, even as resources got depleted. They were also hunting Glasstaff. King Grol once captured shared that Glasstaff had gone on to Thundertree, and betrayed the Cragmaws having stolen Gundren's Map. <The PCs don't know it yet, but I have Glasstaff going there to join up with the cultists and lead the dragon to take Cragmaw as a keep for itself. This allows Glasstaff to clear Thundertree and try to clear his name with the Lord's Alliance. He also hopes it allows him a stronger bargaining position to partner with Nezznar.> The PCs arrived in Thundertree last session. I beefed up the first encounter of the Twig Blights with a Shambling Mound. A good time was had by all. The highlight was when the shambling mound engulfed the elf druid, who saved his own life by wildshaping to a brown bear, forcing expulsion and damaging the mound. I also beefed up the ash zombies by not allowing saving throws every round to recover from the ash affect, and added two more Giant Spiders to that encounter as well. The cultists I've beefed up with adding Glasstaff and two ruffian bodyguards (all disguised as cultists) and increasing Glasstaff to 5th level with a nice AoE spell to put fear in the PCs. He's also going to have given his staff to a sucker cultist if he catches wind that the PCs are nearby. The dragon, of course, needs no hardening.Have fun!</blockquote>

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