D&D 5E Legacy of the Crystal Shard Minis, Maps, and Stuff

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by DaMacGuy:

For the launch day I printed out the Vyllage-on-the-Cheep MicroTactix papermini wagons in set #1. And used the paper yeti's provided here. Looked great, and everyone had fun.
 
I've got the icewind dale tiles, but would like to find some wintery buildings (flat or 3D). Any suggestions?
 
Also, everyone needs to head to their local hobby supply store and go to the calligraphy secion. Look for parchment paper. Hobby Lobby had 7x10" and 8.5x11". I got some and printed out the various letters possibly found this season. Looks awesome.

 

 
Here are PDF's - the paper size is B5 envelope, which is as close as I can get to 7x10. it worked with the manual paperfeed on my HP laserprinter at work.

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by DaMacGuy:

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by Spykes:

This is the terrain map I posted in the thread from lst season:
 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8bFNMq_PApNYlRVVHZsLS1PdFU/edit?usp=sharing

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by AlHazredLiane the Wayfarer:

In the Season 15 forums, I posted a link to my interpretation of an advanced skeletal white dragon here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1gbLqXS723cWjZ4bVBjNlVzV2s/edit?usp=sharing
There are two versions. One is merely advanced by 2 HD (on the theory that since level progression slows somewhat after 3rd level, the characters will be at most 5th-6th level when it is confronted). The other is advanced, and also Legendary (for more on Legendary monsters, check out Mike Mearls' column here: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20130617) If DMs want to divide the dragon and witch encounter to make Icingdeath more memorable. they can go with the legendary version to make him stand alone in a fight.

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by SublimeBW:

Here is my updated Beastiary for levels 4-6, still a work in progress. I started with things that I believe that I would need tonight and then just started working down the list. I didn't bother with adjusting XP or placing the levels, I use the pacing method of when my players should level up.
 
And I figure while I am at it, why not share my turn tracker that I print out each season. Pretty simple, calendar inspired, and easy to read.
 
Both of the files got a bit messed up with the conversion so if you want a Word or Excel version of either let me know and I can email 'em your way.

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by Spykes:

SublimeBW wrote:Here is my updated Beastiary for levels 4-6, still a work in progress. I started with things that I believe that I would need tonight and then just started working down the list. I didn't bother with adjusting XP or placing the levels, I use the pacing method of when my players should level up.
 
And I figure while I am at it, why not share my turn tracker that I print out each season. Pretty simple, calendar inspired, and easy to read.
 
Both of the files got a bit messed up with the conversion so if you want a Word or Excel version of either let me know and I can email 'em your way.

I had started my own version of this as well. I seem to be making mine about one level tougher than yours. I don't want to make things too easy for them, and I think that monsters are a bit underpowered in D&DNext right now, so my boost packs a little more mustard, but it's not that much different. Like yours, it's still a work in progress as I'm adding to it as I go each week.
 
Level 4-6 Bestiary

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by SublimeBW:

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have "finished" the updated Bestiary for levels 4-6. I updated my previous post as well so both links will take you to the complete version. I upped most creatures by 2 HD and then bumped up the AC, attack and gave +2 for the creatures main stat (for the most part). Enemy spellcasters are more deadly now as well! The "bosses" I tried to give a bit more epic feel, especially since the party will be at level 6 when they encounter them. Feel free to give any feedback.

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by Spykes:

One of the things that I have trouble with in running this style of adventure is getting the information from the storybook format it's written in, translated into my brain as an encounter while factoring in all of the specific party considerations, and then spitting it back out to the players without forgetting key story points or important pieces of information. Compound that with the fact that the PCs could go in any direction at any point, and you have one of the most challenging DM experiences I've seen from a published adventure. 
 
At my game shop, we run four full tables and all four of the DM's are experiencing this problem and we are working on ways to make it easier, (something I think WotC should do if you want my opinion). One thing that one of our DMs found that helps him a great deal, (and this may seem simple and obvious), is to make bullet points for the direction that he thinks the party will go that session. He puts down key info and sub-bullets for possible reaction to the players and it helps him to remember key information from that section so he's not starring at the dreaded "wall of text" during the session trying to find or parse the the appropriate response in the middle of the game. I will be doing this going forward.
 
The next thing is a timeline. This story lines need to be in synch in this adventure, so it's important to know where you are in the scheme of events. I first saw this mentioned by Ameron in another thread, so I can't take credit, but this is my method of solving that problem. I always see events better in calendar format so I made one for this adventure. This format makes it easy to add-in my player's events so I can see how it all fits together. Use it if you like. I'll be changing and adding to this one as my players progress.
 
LotCS Calendar of Events

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by Spykes:

So I thought i would show a few of the maps I intend to use this season for some of the different encounter locations. Of course the encounters may not all pan out, but since WotC organized play seems fit to not provide ANY maps past the Game Day encounter, we are forced to fend for ourselves. Unfortunately that will sometimes mean using products from sources other than WotC. I guess that's what happends when support for organized play falls off. I have tried to use officially licensed products when possible though.
 
Game Day - Crag Cats - I made a map for this one and linked it above, but here it is again.
Game Day - Marauding Yetis - Map provided with the game day materials obviously. 
 
Slim's Ambush - This was such a simple encounter that I chose to use some tiles that the store had on hand. It really just amounted to a hallway and a medium sized room, so a map was not used.
Nightime break-in - Gamemastery Flip Mat - Warehouse
 
Hideout Guards, Hideout Thugs - I'm adapting this encounter a bit. I'm making the hideout an old dwarven outpost that Marek and the thugs have claimed. I'm consolidating these two encounters into one using Ice Keep from the Shattered Keeps Map Pack.
Marek the Shank - As the players go deeper into the cave to fight Marek, I will use this cave map from season 11. 
Ship Rethnor Thugs - This looks like a simple fight with tiles or a simple tavern map like this.
 
Bear Tribe Camp - Might as well use the map that is made for it.
Waterfall Cavern - Cave map from Beyond the Crystal Shard.
Dragon and witch - again, they made a map for this encounter some time back.
 
I'll add more as we go.

 

[RealAlHazred]

Originally posted by Spykes:

SublimeBW wrote:Also, wanted to point out that your map for the Bear Tribe Camp & Dragon and Witch are the same maps.

Well, yes, but there are two maps in that pic. The Bear Camp is on one side, (left side in the pic) and the Lair is on the other, (right side of the pic.) You only have to buy the one map and you get both.