JollyDoc's Shackled City

[gfunk]

Just would like to note that Entropy has made her first real appearance in my campaign! . . . Should be quite interesting even though i'm pretty positive all my characters will die next session.

That just made my day! Please let me know when you hit that point in your SH!

 

[Lela]

Day 0, AP (after Pez)

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's so true. . .

“I’m afraid you are a little late,” Tilly said grimly, “We could have used your help a few days ago. Now, we are all that is left of our band.”
“Perhaps not,” Caine replied. “We know of your loss, but it may not be as complete as you think. Jenya has divined that one other lives still, and she has charged us with his rescue.”

Now that's brilliant story telling. I was wondering how you'd handle the whole new party members show up and must fit into story thing.

It was fortunate that your foes did not share a similar philosophy when you left your friend behind.

Point to you. Don't forget, though, what their intentions in that really were. Rusty may prefer death to what they have planned. I probably would.

A well-oiled stretching rack stood along one wall

Seriously, you gotta respect a man who keeps his torture equipment in good shape. And I mean you gotta. He'll teach you to respect him if you don't.

 

[JollyDoc]

Well, Garekk may have been a bit sloppy in his own personal hygiene, but let it never be said that he did not take pride in his work.

 

[Angcuru]

I've been inspired by Gadrid to break out Neverwinter Nights and play for a bit as a bad-ass dwarf with a mohawk. GO GADRID! even though you're dead

 

[gfunk]

Here are some teasers for the next update (we just finished playing about an hour ago):

1) Great, GREAT role-playing
2) 2 very intense combats
3) You learn the true meaning of Exalted

PC fatalities? Maybe . . .

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

Inspired by Nwm in Sepulchrave's story hour, I'm enjoying being a Druid in NWN. But I digress...

Hurry up and post the update, man! Us poor addicted types can only wait so long!

 

[JollyDoc]

Inspired by Nwm in Sepulchrave's story hour, I'm enjoying being a Druid in NWN. But I digress...

Hurry up and post the update, man! Us poor addicted types can only wait so long!

My, my but you addicted types are impatient! We just finished the session less than 24 hours ago! Never fear...your wait will not be long.

 

[Zontag]

Wow awesome SH.
Just one quick question JollyDoc and crew why all the PC carnage?
Your previous SH wasn't nearly as deadly to the PCs. Is this because of bad rolls or is it the modules? I'm really curious since I'm thinking about running the Shackled City series but seeing the PC churn rate I'm getting a bit nervous.

 

[Hammerhead]

I would attribute the increased deadliness to a few factors:

First, Joachim's player was not using his specialty class, the cleric, and gfunk wasn't playing an arcanist. All of their previous tactics and strategies developed in earlier campaigns are now somewhat useless.

Likewise, the CotSQ and BoBS were played by very high level characters who could raise someone at the drop of a hat, had very powerful abilities, and were complete cheeseballs. Actually, the deaths per adventure is probably much higher in gfunk's story hour than in Jollydocs, but with the plethora of raise spells that doesn't come into play.

 

[gfunk]

Wow awesome SH.
Just one quick question JollyDoc and crew why all the PC carnage?

I would attribute the increased deadliness to a few factors:
First, Joachim's player was not using his specialty class, the cleric, and gfunk wasn't playing an arcanist. All of their previous tactics and strategies developed in earlier campaigns are now somewhat useless.
Likewise, the CotSQ and BoBS were played by very high level characters who could raise someone at the drop of a hat, had very powerful abilities, and were complete cheeseballs. Actually, the deaths per adventure is probably much higher in gfunk's story hour than in Jollydocs, but with the plethora of raise spells that doesn't come into play.

Thanks Hammerhead!

I think Hammerhead is mostly correct, but let me add a few comments.

These modules are very difficult, much more so than other low level modules we have run through (Sunless Citadel, Forge of Fury, etc.). The battle with Kazmojen in Life's Bazaar was a TPK waiting to happen. We were extremely fortunate that Gardrid critted him with his waraxe otherwise it would have been bye bye birdy. Similarly, fights in Flood Season including the one against the priestess of Bane (Triel) and the halfling wizard boiled down to a few lucky rolls for us(and unlucky rolls for Jollydoc).

I don't know what the module designers were smoking when the inserted the Red Dragon and advanced Erinyes in Zenith Trajectory. In both cases, these monsters have terrain perfectly suited to their special abilities. Bottom line in both cases -- if you don't have the Fly spell then you are screwed. As you will see in JollyDoc's next update the battle against the Kuo-Toa high priest was fought under similar conditions.

Other than that, I agree with Hammerhead. I prefer playing Sorcerers (frankly, I can't stand wizards) and Joachim Clerics. However, I seem to have found my true calling again, but Joachim seems to want to deny his destiny.

Also, as others have pointed out, JollyDoc is not quite the rat-bastard DM he appears to be. He, of all people, wants his campaign to be populated by a fairly stable group of PCs so that we can develop a good, cohesive story arc. However, the power that the module designers have given the DM make that very, very difficult.

Interestingly, both Joachim's PC as well as my own are now designed with survival in mind. Neither can deal out high-output damage like Pez and Gardrid but both designed very carefully with strong defense in mind. We shall see how long they last . . .