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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Retreater" data-source="post: 8533735" data-attributes="member: 42040">In our run-through, the creation above was killed as a monstrosity and no one pieced together any information from the workshop. They did not encounter the ghost. So it was very much a case for us where I would've had to stop the game and say "this is foreshadowing an encounter that you may not care about or even face - pay attention!" And yes, it would've added some roleplay to the adventure, but it wouldn't have been enough to motivate the players to continue. For us, what Abomination Vaults desperately needed was a moment very early on where the party learns:1) These are the factions at play in the dungeon.2) This is what they're trying to do.3) This is why you're going into the dungeon to stop them.4) This is what you hope to accomplish.I'll put spoiler tags around each of the points below about how I would've changed it, knowing what I know about the AP now.1) These are the factions at play in the dungeon. [SPOILER]A cult has found information about Belcorra and is acting in Otari to "prepare" it for destruction. Maybe they need to do rituals so the lighthouse can teleport monsters into certain areas. The party can fight them and get information about the plan and know that to really stop the cult, they have to stop Belcorra.[/SPOILER]2) This is what they're trying to do.[SPOILER]After the attacks grow in frequency and intensity, each is going farther away from the lighthouse. Deeper into the town. Inside buildings. Outside of town, closer to Absalom. They are getting more powerful and definitely need to be stopped. [/SPOILER]3) This is why you're going into the dungeon to stop them.[SPOILER]Without Belcorra, the rituals can't happen. You can also stop the lighthouse. A reformed cultist has told them how it functions - and even tells them to cut the power to the lighthouse, they need to do X. This could be visiting four different power nodes in the dungeon and perform rituals/destroy the power source. It could be anything, but the party should have a plan and defined goal. [/SPOILER]4) This is what you hope to accomplish.[SPOILER]You know that destroying the lighthouse and killing Belcorra will end the threat of summoning monsters in Otari and beyond. [/SPOILER]So how soon should the party know this? At the end of Book 1? I say they should have all this information before they enter the dungeon. No gradual development of a story (other than flavor text, learning about NPCs). They should know the purpose of the adventure before they start it. Similar to the following Wizards of the Coast campaign adventures...1) Rime of the Frost Maiden = endless winter grips the Ten Towns. Find out how to stop it.2) Tomb of Annihilation = the death curse is killing people. The source is somewhere in Chult.3) Curse of Strahd = you are trapped in Ravenloft. Can you escape the domain of Strahd?4) Storm King's Thunder = what's making the giants attack and can you stop them?5) Out of the Abyss = you are imprisoned in the Underdark. Can you escape the drow? [This at least gets the adventure started.]Just some simple motivation is all other than "there's a dungeon to explore for no reason."</blockquote>

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