KotS DM Discussion Thread (spoilers)

[Mathew_Freeman]

As noted in my previous message, I've got a range of 5 - 7 players in my group, depending on who turns up. Turns out this isn't actually that much of a problem.

Party make-up in terms of attendance:
Dwarven Paladin (very reliable)
Eladrin Paladin (very reliable)
Halfling Ranger (very reliable)
Human Wizard (mostly reliable)
Tiefling Cleric (very reliable)
Human Warlock (has been away a lot on holiday but will be reliable now)
Human Fighter (not quite so reliable)

For the first encounter (Kobold Brigands), I added an additional Dragonshield and 3 additional minions, to give seven players the same challenge (roughly) that five would have agains the listed monsters.

For A1: Kobold Ambush - add 1 kobold skirmisher & 1 dragonshield.

A2 & A3, I left them as they were since they're supposed to be tough, but the party found them a good challenge, I think. Only had five players, but they had managed to get to 2nd level.

A4: Burial Site. Haven't made any plans to update this. I had five players, but left it as it was.

The Keep itself (the 7 players entry includes what's in the 6 players entry, if that makes sense):

Goblin Guard Room: 6 players, add 1 Goblin Sharpshooter. 7 players, add 1 Goblin Warrior & 2 Goblin cutters.

Torture Chamber: 6 players, add 1 Sharpshooter. 7 players, add 2 Warriors & 2 Goblin Cutters.

Excavation Site: 6 players, add 1 Sharpshooter. 7 players, add 1 Drake.

Chieftain's Lair: 6 players, add 1 Sharpshooter & 2 Cutters. 7 players, add 1 Guard Drake & 2 more Cutters.

Crypt of Shadows: 6 players, add 1 Zombie & 1 Zombie Rotter. 7 players, add 4 more Rotters.

Hidden Armoury: 6 players, add 1 Zombie. 7 players, add another Zombie and consider making the room bigger.

Skeletal Legion: I've left this untouched as I couldn't see a way to make it work with any more monsters - any ideas?

Sir Keegan's Tomb: Left this untouched as the party shouldn't be fighting him anyway.

The Maze of Caves: 6 players, add 4 Giant Rats. 7 players, add another 4.

Kruthik Lair: I'm going to leave this as I think it's going to be tough enough as it is.

The Water Cave: This is a Solo monster so I'm leaving it alone.

Interlude: The Dead Walk:

Agrid, the Gnome Skulk from the Dragon Tomb was captured by the party. Assuming he's still alive, I'm going to have him break out of jail and join the fight here alongside Ninaran. 6 players, add 1 Gravehound. 7 players, add 6 Decrepit Skeletons.

Keep Level Two:

Hobgoblin Guard Room: 6 players, add 1 Soldier & 1 Grunt. 7 players, add another 5 Grunts. Don't put any more Grunts near the Deathjump spider unless you're feeling really mean, though.

Hobgoblin Barracks: 6 players, add 1 Soldier. 7 players, add a second Warcaster (I might make them twins or something - certainly they'll act together).

Warchief's Council Room: 6 players, add 1 Soldier. 7 players, add 4 Grunts.

Corridors of the Cube: 7 players, add another Corruption Corpse.

Chamber of Statues: Left this one alone - too tricky to go adding traps in.

Ghoul Warren: 6 players, add 1 Zombie and 3 Zombie Rotters. 6 players, add 1 Ghoul.

Cathedral of Shadow: 6 players, add 4 Vampire Spawn. 7 players, add 1 Beserker.

The Shadow Rift: 6 players, add 1 Skeleton Warrior & 5 Decrepit Skeletons. 7 players, add 1 Corruption Corpse & 1 Gravehound Zombie. My plan here is to have the Decrepit Skeletons lined up on the stairs next Kalarel, as if worshipping him. The Corruption Corpse can join the Deathlock Wight as artillery from the other side, with the Gravehound Zombie as Kalarel's "pet".

Hope this is useful to someone! Please let me know what you think of my decisions.

I'll be doing the same for H2 & H3 and beyond - it's a useful exercise in building encounters, for a start.

 

[Nebulous]

I established that Splug had been burned by some sort of monster in the caves. But now, i don't even know if the PCs will go down there once they return to the keep. I might try to give them more incentive, maybe hinting that Balgron hid goodies down there somewhere.

I used the "cut scene" someone suggested earlier in this thread and it worked great. I hope to use it to flesh out Kalarel's character much more.

 

[wedgeski]

So with respect to cut-scenes, how have you beein doing it? Just narrating the scene to the players?

 

[pukunui]

For the final encounter, I plan to use the skill challenge idea that was on DDI, but a little differently (including adjusted DCs). My idea is - the reason why Kalarel hasn't finished the ritual yet is because he either needs some artifact, or some "sacrifices" - people that face him and the Shadowfell fearlessly (like any good adventurer will do ). When the party enters the final encounter area, he will cackle and say "Ah, finally you have arrived - I have expected you for some time, to conclude this ritual!".

I like this and I'm going to steal it! It'll help explain all the weird dreams and stuff I've been giving the players. If I reveal that Kalarel has known about them and has been expecting them (especially now that they've got the mirror -- perhaps he can sense its presence, particularly as they bring it closer to him?), then they'll hopefully have an "Ah! It all makes sense!" moment.


I don't know if I've mentioned this before but I am going to tie Kalarel in with Paldemar in H2. To that end, I might make Kalarel a secret follower of Vecna (who is a demigod exarch of the Shadow, in my campaign world) masquerading as a follower of Orcus to fool the goblins and such. BTW, I'm adding a goblin hexer to the chieftain's lair group (I removed some of the minions and a warrior, I think, so the total XP for the encounter is still the same). The hexer is going to be a fanatical follower of Orcus.

Anyway, so Kalarel will have come from the Seven-Pillared Hall and he will have brought Bairwin with him as his supplier ... but rather than have Bairwin be a fellow cultist, I'm going to make it so that Kalarel made a deal with Bairwin -- I'll get you out of the hall and out of Brugg the ogre enforcer's clutches and you'll help me with my project.

 

[pukunui]

I don't suppose anyone who has done cut scenes would be willing to post the text they wrote for them?

 

[dm4hire]

Gearing up for the final encounter and was reading through Kalarel. There's a note under his armor class concerning Shadow Form but I'm not finding it listed as stated in the note. What's Shadow Form do? Does it provide miss chance or is it providing a bonus due to concealment? Thanks.

 

[pukunui]

Gearing up for the final encounter and was reading through Kalarel. There's a note under his armor class concerning Shadow Form but I'm not finding it listed as stated in the note. What's Shadow Form do? Does it provide miss chance or is it providing a bonus due to concealment? Thanks.

It's an ability that they decided not to give him after all and forgot to remove all the references to it. It says so in the KotS FAQ posted on the WotC Customer Service Help site.

You may also notice that the text says he has a magic amulet that lets him teleport to the magic circle but it isn't listed in his abilities or equipment ...

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I don't suppose anyone who has done cut scenes would be willing to post the text they wrote for them?

I think I have posted a part of it, but I don't know where it was... If you're lucky, I still have the translated versions (the originals are in German)

I like this and I'm going to steal it! It'll help explain all the weird dreams and stuff I've been giving the players. If I reveal that Kalarel has known about them and has been expecting them (especially now that they've got the mirror -- perhaps he can sense its presence, particularly as they bring it closer to him?), then they'll hopefully have an "Ah! It all makes sense!" moment.

An interesting part of the encounter is that the party seems to enter through the "roof" - into a pool of blood. I plan to use this as part of the ritual (though mostly as flavor).

I don't know if I've mentioned this before but I am going to tie Kalarel in with Paldemar in H2. To that end, I might make Kalarel a secret follower of Vecna (who is a demigod exarch of the Shadow, in my campaign world) masquerading as a follower of Orcus to fool the goblins and such. BTW, I'm adding a goblin hexer to the chieftain's lair group (I removed some of the minions and a warrior, I think, so the total XP for the encounter is still the same). The hexer is going to be a fanatical follower of Orcus.

I plan to tie Kalarel and H2, too. But I haven't done any work for that yet.

 

[pukunui]

Thanks for responding, Mustrum. I hope you find your translations! I'd love to read them.

 

[Lorthanoth]

I'm DMing KotS at the moment and this thread and others have proved invaluable. I am using the visions of Sir Keegan at various points (I can't remember if those are Mustrum's) as well as various poems - one heard at the Wrafton Inn extolling Keegan as a valiant hero, and one uncovered by Valthrun once he sees the PCs are pretty good guys, as well as relating the story he has heard (i.e. the pretty much true one). They heard a creepy skipping ryhme as they walked through the market place, which made them think of Keegan.

Like several people, I have made Kalarel Keegan's half-elven son, the only one to escape from the massacre. I'm going to have a vision appear to the PCs of a terrfied little boy being helped by an old servant to flee the Keep.

"All must be cleansed of the evil that has tainted this place; only one remains. The youngest boy... 'My son!' you cry, 'I will make your end quick!". Then the old man appears from an archway, one of the servants, 'Quickly, young sir!' he calls back. He has not seen you. The boy appears; all must be cleansed. 'No!' the old fool says as he sees you 'Run, sir, run! Quickly Master Kal!' his words end on the point of a blade."

Something like that. Not sure when to 'play' it, though. Just before the confrontation with Kalarel?