Iron dm summer champion announced!

[Wulf Ratbane]

Misanthropic halfling
Unsteady ground
Amulet of the planes
Aquarium
Battlefield
Diseased paladin

OVERVIEW
The adventurers are hooked into this adventure by a powerful but otherwise seemingly insignifant item, the Amulet of the Planes. This particular Amulet is an intelligent item, created originally as a cursed item, but eventually awoken to sentience-- and a conscience. The amulet seeks now to redress certain wrongs for which it feels responsible (to wit, leaving folks stranded on various planes), and like any intelligent item worth its salt, is happy to use the unwitting PC's as its agents.

The adventure can be sprung on PCs of any level, though their ability to use plane shift and other such magic on their own can impact how they perceive the amulet’s value when it is first discovered. It will also be helpful if the party has access to legend lore or bardic knowledge, either through their own party members or through hired help.

Placing the amulet in their possession is left to the DM. Once the PCs have this item, the (rat bastard) DM can unfold the adventure upon them at his leisure. You may need to take steps to keep the players from out-and-out selling the amulet (see below).

Final note: Certain game effects/descriptions have been updated to 3.5.

DISCOVERY
The first likely interaction the PCs will have with the amulet is in trying to discover its powers. The center of the amulet is a stone of jet black with golden specks, but those who stare long enough will begin to see the image swirl, like the center of a constellation. This may give some clue to the amulet’s powers.

Detect magic reveals powerful conjuration (teleportation) magic (due to the innate plane shift power of the amulet). An identify spell will reveal that the item’s most powerful power is plane shift.

In addition to revealing the command word and the basic function of the amulet, a bardic knowledge check or a legend lore will also reveal the following odd couplet:

This the Eighth Scion's twisted opus,
Conceit of success, now seeks redress.

In truth, this couplet is all that the amulet wishes to be revealed at this time. A second inquiry at this time or later, if gleaned by another method—if they used bardic knowledge the first time, require legend lore the second—may reveal another snippet:

Lion-Heart, ravenous, stripped, caught;
Set all to rights and gate is wrought.

USING THE AMULET
The first time, perhaps even the second time that the amulet is used, make sure that you require the intelligence check to use the amulet successfully, and furthermore make sure that you make this roll yourself, in secret. It is suggested that you “arrange” for the amulet to work flawlessly a time or two. Ere long the amulet will start to awaken again and assert its will on the PCs.

Once the amulet begins to awaken fully, it will take the PCs to their first unexpected destination. The character holding the amulet will feel a powerful empathic sadness—and with a Sense Motive check, perhaps a bit of guilt?—as soon as they arrive.

RAVENOUS
Instead of arriving at their expected destination, the amulet will take them on a little detour. It is time for them to meet the diseased paladin.

The PCs suddenly find themselves on shifting, cracked, red and black earth. The wind howls deafeningly in their ears, whipping them with wind and hot ash. There is no sky; only grey. And all around them, as far as the eye can see, corpses stretch off into the distance, mostly mummified—there are no scavengers here to remove the dead.

The PCs should realize fairly quickly that they have arrived on the battleground of Acheron.

After a few moments, the players may Spot a figure rising slowly to its feet not far from their position. This unfortunate soul was one of the early victims of the cursed amulet: A paladin who hoped only to find battle against evil. For him, the amulet provided a one way trip to Acheron. There were enemies aplenty here to fight—both living and dead; there was precious little to eat. The paladin succumbed eventually to hunger; and from that desperation to cannibalism. Thus (perhaps unrighteously) stripped of his paladinhood by this outrage, he eventually succumbed to ghoul fever. The paladin is tall, gaunt, covered in filth. His armor hangs in tatters; his weapons are pitted and rusty. The rampant lion on his tabard is nearly obliterated with gore.

The diseased paladin no longer has any of his paladin abilities, and he is essentially a fighter. Fortunately, the addition of the Ghoul template, in conjunction with his high Charisma, makes him a formidable foe. The save DC for his paralysis is 10 + half his level + his Charisma bonus—and remember that the Ghoul template should add Charisma to his already impressive total. In addition, the terrain favors him. Spellcasters should have to make Concentration checks to cast spells with a verbal component. The shifting ash beneath the characters’ feet counts as unstable ground and requires frequent Balance checks to avoid falling down when moving at over half speed.

You can decide here on the amulet’s goals. The most straightforward approach is to simply have them slay the paladin and consecrate his corpse, giving him a proper burial. If they fail to slay the paladin, or fail to give him a burial to suit the amulet, they may soon find themselves right back in the same place again to finish the job. The amulet will bring them back here until it is satisfied—and its empathic abilities will show anger and frustration the longer it takes. As a twist, you may wish to require the players somehow “cure” the paladin, or at least return his soul to life. The paladin will thank them and may even join them, if they have caught on to the fact that the amulet is pursuing some greater goal of vengeance and can explain this to his satisfaction.

FOR RAT BASTARDS ONLY
The DM has the option now of sending the PCs on a “Quantum Leap” like crusade to right as many wrongs as the amulet chooses. The amulet should grow in sentience and in power as the PCs adventure—at some point it may even begin to communicate telepathically or through speech, instead of merely empathy. The amulet will definitely seek to impose its Ego over its wielder, and may even have a dimensional anchor power to help enforce its will and pursue its special purpose, seemingly indefinitely.

The players may enjoy these occasional side jaunts, or they may seek to rid themselves of the amulet. Remember, the amulet is not only cursed, it is a powerful magic item in its own right, and will do everything in its power to enforce its will.

Only one task, if completed, will satiate the amulet, unlocking all of its powers along with all of its cooperation and gratitude.

THE WIZARD BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Through further investigation, the PCs may eventually discover the creator of the amulet. Whether or not they can track him to his remote domain, once prompted, the amulet will take action to deliver them to the proper place.

Depending on the PCs power level, you can make this as hard or as easy as you like. The wizard’s domain is safe on the Elemental Plane of Water. If the PC’s can survive the journey, you may have them journey towards (and through) the wizard’s coral castle. The wizard hates visitors and trusts no one; his castle is amply trapped.

The inner sanctum is a large, round room with many wooden platforms extending to the top. The entire exterior of the inner sanctum is transparent glass; the ocean inhabitants can be seen swimming around outside. The bottom of the room gives way to an open-topped pool or aquariumwithin the larger aquarium—and it is filled with angry ocean creatures: vicious sea bass or somesuch.

The wizard is a misanthropic halfling by the name of Ix (though we will henceforth simply call him “the halfling”). To be precise, he is the eighth (and most demented) clone of the original wizard—who may or may not have even been a halfling. Other clones can still be seen floating in large tanks here and there on the various platforms, each seemingly smaller and more evil looking than the last. Half the size, twice the evil, as they say.

In addition, there are weapon racks, trunks full of items, tables covered in potions—all cursed. Whether this particular brand of misanthropy was passed on from the first wizard, or is merely a byproduct of many years of cloning, is hard to say. What is clear is that this little halfling prick loves to spread misery. After the players have spent some time suffering at the hands of his traps or cursed items (even if only from the amulet itself) they should be ready to dispense some frontier justice. The halfing wizard is in no mood to parlay with interlopers and will cut loose as soon as possible—from the safety of a projected image or somesuch.

The fight here should be appropriate to the level of the PCs. At the most basic level, it seems to require a wizard capable of creating the amulet, but there is no reason that Ix had to be the original creator. You can scale him to taste. A particularly evil angle is to make him an arcane trickster (why not? It’s a twink class, perfect for halflings…) with enough rogue levels for evasion and uncanny dodge—a little survivability in combat. Beef him up as necessary with golem servants (no living servants—after all, he hates everybody). The halfling will use illusion and subterfuge, free use of Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, though eventually falling back on threats (such as smashing the exterior aquarium and drowning everyone) and pathetic pleading for his life. The amulet will not be satisfied with anything short of his death and at any rate, he will attempt to escape as soon as possible if he is not handled with finality.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I tossed and turned all night wishing I had had just a few more minutes to polish this up. Having finally had a chance to read nemmerle's entry (ok, in truth, I skimmed it... I can barely find time to read that much, let alone write it...) I am feeling better...

But perhaps that is due to my TWO ENNIE NOMINATIONS I woke up to this morning.

Chairman, you can do no harm this morning...

Nemm, good luck... I hope this one is as close as I think it will be!


Wulf (still wishing he'd had just a few more minutes...)

 

[Rune]

Wulf, congratulations on the two ENnie nominations! Both are well-derserved (although, technically, wouldn't one of them be Andrew Hale's nomination ).

Anyway, good luck in the ENnies!

I'll post judgement in a minute or few.

But first...

 

[el-remmen]

*waits anxiously*

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Wulf, congratulations on the two ENnie nominations! Both are well-derserved (although, technically, wouldn't one of them be Andrew Hale's nomination ).

Actually, technically, it should be BRAD KELLEY and ANDREW HALE on the Best Cover nomination. It's a collaborative effort, as without Brad's mad Photoshop skillz, Andy's b/w illustrator designs would never come to life and POP! like they do!

Looking forward to that judgement... Exposition at the ready...


Wulf

 

[Rune]

Round 2, match 2 Judgement

Nemmerle vs. Wulf Ratbane

Whew. I knew that this was going to be a tough match to judge. I haven't been disappointed. In fact, as I begin to write this, I don't even know who the winner is. I'm hoping I'll figure that out by the time I get to the end.

Where to begin? I'll start with a general observation about the two entries. In general, both of the entries provide some excellent encounters, settings, and characters. The focus of the two differs quite a bit, however, in a number of ways. Nemmerle's entry, for instance, stays more or less local, while Wulf's spans the planes and, technically, an entire campaign (but not in the same way as Seasong's 2nd round entry did). Wulf's entry provides an excellent character and wildly imaginative set-up and adds in a good grounding in verisimilitude. Nemm starts with a focus on verisimilitude and then adds intriguing locals and situations, not to mention the intrigue!

So, I'll just get into it.

Nemm's hooks are much better than Wulf's. They are many and varied and each is quite good. Wulf uses the amulet as a hook, which is good, but that, itself, could use a hook. He mentions that it is up to the DM to get it into the posession of the PCs, which is fine, but it doesn't contrast well with Nemm's thorough hooks.

Both plots make me giddy with glee. Having the PCs get used by a cursed item with a conscience, as Wulf's scenario plays out, is simply brilliant. On the other hand, Nemm's thick and complex layering of intrigue and multiple concurrent threads building up to a chaotic crescendo could be quite damning, if handled poorly--but Nemm does not handle it poorly--quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. He has paid enough attention to the character development and local history, and simple verisimilitude to make it work--and work well.

Nemm provides nice locales; the battlefield and the aquarium are both nice (especially the aquarium, but I'll get to that later). His characterization is also extraordinarily nice, and the inclusion of a "villain" who is nothing but a very destructive trickster is quite interesting. Wulf provides an amazing set-up and a brilliant character in the amulet. I also want to note that his wit is a very nice touch; most of it relies upon his reputation (or history, rather) to deliver, and adds a nice flavor to the entire entry.

Wulf also provides a plethora of options to continue the story after the adventure, specifically if the "Quantum Leap" approach is taken. It is intriguing to me to see that the single adventure could span an entire campaign in this situation; the final encounter could be a long time in coming. Nemm also provides plenty to build upon (more, substantially, if less in theory) Intrigue, twists, and subtle intricacies lend a great store of strength to the adventure in this area.

In general, I felt that Nemmerle did a better job of blending the ingredients together in significant ways. However, when Wulf used an ingredient well, he really used it well.

I'll start with the more disappointing ones.

First, the worst one. It's the aquarium, and it belongs to Wulf's entry. This is the only truly tacked-on ingredient of the two entries and, for that matter, the only truly bad one. In fact, the rest of them are all at least pretty good and fit into the scenarios; it's just that some are disappointing when compared to others (and considering the general quality of both entries in this match, not to mention the fact that this is the second round).

I don't really like Nemm's use of the Amulet of the Planes. While it works for the scenario, it seems a bit uninspired. Similarly, I think that Wulf's entry would not be hindered in the least without the inclusion of the unsteady ground. It's a nice tactical consideration, but the ingredient could have been more significant.

I like Nemm's misanthropic halfling as a character and a secondary (and unrelated) villain. However, his motivations didn't seem to strike me as misanthropic, so much as psychotic, while wulf's misanthropic halfling was both humorous (it is a halfling, after all) and more strictly misanthropic (no living servants!).

Both scenarios make good use of the Battlefield--providing interesting flavor for intriguing encounters. I think I like Nemm's more, because it adds history to the scenario and helps strengthen the whole of the adventure.

Both also make good use of the Diseased paladin. In Wulf's, it is primarily just used as a good encounter, but the fact that the paladin could possibly be redeemed helps things a lot. On the other hand, I love the character of Nemm's paladin! A lot of care went into it, and it shows up in someone who could easily be misunderstood and mistrusted. If I were running the scenario, I'd play up the fact that she looks undead and watch hilarity ensue.

Nemm's use of the Aquarium in conjunction with the Unsteady ground ingredient is absolutely beautiful. This is the most exciting encounter I can remember seeing described in a long time and is exactly what should find its way into published modules.

But I have to say, I think Wulf's Amulet of the planes is the best character I've ever seen in a tournament--it is an awakened cursed amulet with a conscience, but also a definite agenda. Brilliant!

Okay, so who wins? Honestly, I still don't know. So I'm going to make a quick decision here and stick with it.

Wulf, your scenario is a work far superior to many a winning second-round entry; it has moments of brilliance that cannot be downplayed and is a very strong entry in its entirity. There is also a sense that you've earned a chance at the championship after so many strong entries in tournaments--some I would have judged more favorably than the judge of the day.

However, Nemmerle's entry has a stronger foundation and falls together more tightly, so I'm going to have to go with it. This has been a very close match, but in the end, I award it to Nemmerle. Nemmerle will advance to Round 3 to face Seasong, but first Wulf advances to Round 3 to face cool hand luke for the third-place honor.

Congratulations, both of you, for raising the bar withoutstanding entries and good luck in Round 3.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I can't disagree with much of that. Nemm did make better use of the ingredients, and I knew that the aquarium was my weakest ingredient. On a par with his amulet?

As for my own entry-- I wish I had more time to polish it up. The aquarium was undoubtedly the weakest ingredient, and to bring it more into focus I had intended to use unstable ground once again-- hence the rickety wooden catwalks up the tower, causing the PC's to interact more directly with the aquarium beneath them (and those vicious sea bass!). I think the battleground was actually fairly well used in my entry, as it is a logical and reasonable explanation for the impossibly diseased paladin. (It's also a blatant nod to a pretty excellent ghoulish movie...)

A bit more of my usual luxurious exposition would perhaps have disguised some of the perceived flaws-- there is much for the reader to extrapolate on his own in my entry. I have seen many an entry disguised with just such luxurious exposition... which leads me to...

I'll take lightful's lead and now direct my exposition thusly: How I would have critiqued nemm's entry?

I will say that I think nemm's entry suffers from a common Iron DM occurrence-- lots and lots of luxurious backstory exposition, but ultimately not that much for the PCs to do. As I read his entry, it struck me that most of the cool adventuring in the story was being done by his diseased paladin! It was the paladin tracking down the cure, the paladin helping the sick and dispensing justice, the paladin finding the amulet and breaking up the criminal ring, etc.

The ingredients were well used in the setup, but there wasn't as much opportunity for the PCs to interact with the ingredients. It may be an ongoing weakness of my entries, but I feel it's important that the PCs personally experience each of the ingredients.

When you boil down nemm's entry, most of the backstory ends up being ultimately irrelevant to the brief encounter that the PCs have with his entry. They are merely passing through this complex plot he's woven-- they walk across the stage only at the end, and they end up as the most irrelevant ingredient in the entire mix.

But nemm, congrats are in order... you have achieved all that was required: pleasing the fickle whims of our judge...

Now I'll just have to console myself with my TWO ENNIE NOMINATIONS!

Wulf

 

[Rune]

Oh, and Wulf. I forgot to include this in the judgement, but your steadfast refusal to be a whore is commendable.

 

[el-remmen]

Hey Wulf! Great job! You had me sweating there. Your Amulet of the Planes was absolutely brilliant - and that idea alone was worthy of Master Rat Bastardry.

It is a testament to personal taste that in my opinion upon reading Wulf's entry I thoughtt, "A-ha! My misanthropic halfling is better than his!", but Rune liked Wulf's better - I just thought mine had more motivation - a mix of shame and embarrasment and redirected anger from class-conflict in the city he grew up in. Also, Maudline Burr is the name of a misanthropic halfling I played long ago in an FR campaign. He was a psionicist/thief that hated everyone, especially other halflings - he was a sarcastic and mean-spirited and selfish bastard. Also, misanthropy most often takes the form of broadly hating not only people, but their systems, hierarchies and conventions - a prankster type character would take great joy in using those very conventions to make people's lives miserable.

I had linked up all the ingredients, but the battlefield - so I had to tack that on and then retrofit it into the scenario - it was the last thing I added - At first the idea of diseased paladin threw me for a loop - paladin's can't be diseased! - but then the image came to me - a holy warrior wrapped in bandages and endangering infecting others with his disease - I also wanted to emphasize that a paladin has more to worry about than chasing down bad guys- but have a duty to be charitble and kind and compassionate to the less fortunate.

Once I started thinking about how much work would go into building an Aquarium - I began to think how in modern times the government might sometimes award contracts for things to be built in under-developed areas to help them become more successful - so it only made sense to put it in the halfling ghetto, and make it link up to the character of Maudlin.

The unsteady ground was a hard one, too - but once I had put the Aquarium in that part of the city, the idea of the Aquarium collapsing and tanks breaking and beasts being free to die or to eat people was a great scene in my head - also pinned and/or injured nobles make for easy pickings for a thief.

While I'll admit that Dorminaster having the Amulet of the Planes was not developed well, I really liked the idea of it being used in the curing of a bunch of sick and dying people.

As you can tell, I like putting PCs in moral quandaries where there is no 100% correct choice and let them figure it out - also chaotic scenes where there are a lot going on and the environemtn comes into play for combat or taking action in general makes D&D games a lot more fun than the typical comabt scenes I see in published adventures or cons, where a climactic scene (to use the term loosely) is in some throne room or out on some field or whatever, and people just line up and fight and trade spells until one side drops or surrenders. I prefer situations where, for example, a PC that has fallen prone and is stunned might be in danger of drowning in two feet of water - or they have to choose between chasing after the person responsible for the carnage or helping innocents - but like in real life being unable to help everybody - how does one choose?

I have to say, I am really proud of this entry and I think it is easily my best IRON DM entry and might even be the best scenario I have ever written - the kind of thing I would want to develop and expand and publish if I had the time and someone else had the interest.

 

[el-remmen]

I'll take lightful's lead and now direct my exposition thusly: How I would have critiqued nemm's entry?

I will say that I think nemm's entry suffers from a common Iron DM occurrence-- lots and lots of luxurious backstory exposition, but ultimately not that much for the PCs to do. As I read his entry, it struck me that most of the cool adventuring in the story was being done by his diseased paladin! It was the paladin tracking down the cure, the paladin helping the sick and dispensing justice, the paladin finding the amulet and breaking up the criminal ring, etc.

The ingredients were well used in the setup, but there wasn't as much opportunity for the PCs to interact with the ingredients. It may be an ongoing weakness of my entries, but I feel it's important that the PCs personally experience each of the ingredients.

When you boil down nemm's entry, most of the backstory ends up being ultimately irrelevant to the brief encounter that the PCs have with his entry. They are merely passing through this complex plot he's woven-- they walk across the stage only at the end, and they end up as the most irrelevant ingredient in the entire mix.

But nemm, congrats are in order... you have achieved all that was required: pleasing the fickle whims of our judge...

Now I'll just have to console myself with my TWO ENNIE NOMINATIONS!

Wulf

Wulf, I'd have to disagree - the PCs get to interact with the aquarium, the diseased paladin, the misanthropic halfling. the unsteady ground all at the same time - with a possibility of interacting with the Amulet of the Planes right there as well - only the battlefield was not directly connected - but even if the party didn't go there at fist - the "clean up" of the main encounter would certainly lead them there to find out about Argenia from the other plague-bearers.

Also, I see that one encounter as the kind of thing that would take all of a six hour session or maybe even most of two sessions to play out.

For me the ideal adventure is a just a place or series of places with characters with good stories and motivations for the PCs to interact with that would happen without their being there - especially since a "generic adventure" by definition cannot be tailored to a party's specific situation by the author, only by the person running the game.

Also, a good adventure should be a jump off point for lots of issues and loose threads the PCs can follow and try to tie off (which your entry does excellently) - and a rich backstory is needed to accomplish this - the chaotic encounter in the Aquarium is not the end, but the beginning - or with proper campaign preparation it could be the end - but in that case the PCs will have be tracing down and/or interacting with backstory stuff before ever getting to Knoliss.