D&D 5E (2014) Princes of the Apocalypse campaign recaps

[Nebulous]

I don't know if it gets repetitive yet as my group did two haunted keeps then into the earth temple. I'm thinking letting them tackle two temples then move on. Likely the air or fire temple will be the strongest since they have weakened the earth and water cults so much.

That brings up another issue in my campaign: Air and Earth HATE each other. When the PCs get deeper in, Fire and Water HATE each other. Water and Earth are tolerable (Mud), and Air and Fire are tolerable but not really great (Fire needs Air to even exist - does Air need Fire, or mix?). So really each elemental faction needs an NPC like Windharrow of the Air Cult and right hand man of Queen Aerisi to represent their long-handed stretch into the Sumber Hills.

Well, maybe not. I'm just brainstorming here.

I still foresee my players somehow calling in some big guns from Waterdeep or Neverwinter or Silverymoon, like a regiment of knights, to march on one of these places at higher level. That's what I would do.

 

[Nebulous]

ALSO - the sandbox nature of this campaign is so cool, we all approach it 100% different but with identifiable threads.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Session Recap : Double Post

Okay so when I last left off the Group bar the Barbarian had sorta got along with the Feathergale knights. Thurl was impressed by some of them (bar the Barbarian) and invited them on a Manticore Hunt after th Feast. So with most of the part 4 of them being level 5 I upped the threat level adding another Manticore (with reduced hp). I also had at that point 3 new level 1 characters and creating a challenging encounter has been challenging. Luckily everyone survived and Thurl was impressed. He had been told about the Savra encounter and after Savra asked Smaug the ranger to ask Thurl to join the Knights, Smaug debated it.

I had a ceremony on the roof after the Hunt where Thurl was going to induct Smaug into the knights. It was a bit of a gambit on my behalf as Thurl had kinda said 'You have to leave your old world behind and embrace the air currents' ie leave the party which he never really was going to do.

So Thurl congratulated the Heroes on the hunt and then proceeded to tell them about the Monastery and the foul monks. The Barbarian Draxxus took this point to challenge Thurl to a sparring session and then well Thurl ignored him as a '$%^$y' and other expletives.

Thurl .. exploded but kept his cool. I decided he would go for a different tactic. Most of the Knights were up on the top of the building (again I had added a few for a challenge) with some inititates. Thurl kept in check and was disapponted but allowed the pcs to leave. 3 pcs left (I have 7... most of the lower levels left) and then as Draxxus turned to leave he told him to wait because he wanted to talk to him. Smaug, Vola the Paladin, Draxus and Alfyr the Wizard decided to stay sensing issues but the others had left and the door closed and locked behind them.

Thurl then calmy pointed at Draxus, his rage finally taking over for all the slights and indignations he had suffered pointed at Draxxus and said 'Kill him'.

Combat started and the 4 pc group (with the other 3 locked out) were on the defensive already as Thurl and Savra both started targeting Draxxus (In fact most of the Knights were, I purposely made them attack him to show they were really interested just in getting rid of him. )

Of course then the others up top started to fight back but they knew they were more or less outnumbered (even with most of the people there being level 5).

Draxxus went down, Smaug turned on Savra but in the end the other 3 pcs were still locked out and couldnt get back in and Draxxus went down first, then Vola then Smaug and finally Alfyr surrended and then was knocked out.

However Thurl and Savra were dead. I elevated one of the knights, named Nathaniel to leadership and his orders were to take the others down to be fed to the birds.

In the meantime the other 3 characters managed to finish off the very light forces in the rest of the Spire. They did not engage the Stable Master due to a fear of his animals.

***********

In Session 2, Nathaniel (being very street smart and paranoid) didnt actually carry through with his plan. One of the players didnt turn up to this session and he was character 3 in the smaller group so I was down to 2 pcs left standing). He left the downed pcs on the roof and went down hunting for the other pcs. ( a Cleric, Utgar and a Bard, (who I call Bard because I can never remember the name).

Due to a combination of a freakin fight on the Stairs where it was hard to get to Utgar the 2 actually manged to take down the Knights who were left (it was a very very tight fight. The Cleric went down and the Bard was the only one left standing on 3 hp (these guys were both level 2 as well.. I did however reduce the number of knights due to a player missing). He couldnt find the downed pcs though. Then going outside he noticed them hanging upside down unconcious from the side of the spire. Rope around their ankles swinging in the breeze. I thought it was quite poetic

The StableMaster decided to escape being the only knight left. He let all the cages open , mounted a Hippogriff and fled. The pcs were in no condition to stop him.

But they defeated the Knights and have the spire!

 

[Nebulous]

Session #14 - Return to Red Larch

https://app.box.com/s/rgvaonumtxqcy5u45u2oaqjjcwj75wn9


(try downloading the pdf is a section seems missing, or tell me and i'll upload it again)

 

[Rabbitbait]

Session #14 - Return to Red Larch

https://app.box.com/s/rgvaonumtxqcy5u45u2oaqjjcwj75wn9

It might be me, but there seemed to be sections missing in your recap. Good stuff though - you seem to have gone far from the beaten track while still using it as the basis for adventure.

 

[Nebulous]

It might be me, but there seemed to be sections missing in your recap. Good stuff though - you seem to have gone far from the beaten track while still using it as the basis for adventure.

try downloading it and opening the pdf, i had noticed that too earlier. Maybe i should reupload the link.

 

[Nebulous]

you seem to have gone far from the beaten track while still using it as the basis for adventure.

Yeah, I guess by now I'm using it as the framework to tell my own story and using the names and maps and general outline of the plot, which still saves me time, but I had six pages of notes just for this adventure and not much of that had anything to do with the campaign book

 

[Nebulous]

Once they get into the first Temple, next session, it will be more "by the numbers". Maybe. I'll probably still change some things up. Well I have to really, the PCs deliberately drew enemies out to thin the herd, so i need to reward them for doing that. BUT, without making it too easy.

And Windharrow is the wild card. Having him just show up to be slaughtered is...boring.

 

[Creamsteak]

I just ran the air temple a week ago or so. They actually had some strange synergy between a bard and a bone flute (random background item) and ended up performing for the Air Prophet. Then they nova'd her (low hit points) and then struggled a bit with the cleanup. It was very short and sweet from their perspective. Windharrow escaped in my game, and the rogue started using Windvane, so I believe I'm going to have Windharrow pick up the role of the new air cult leader and attempt to run an operation to recover Windvane.

My party monk also seems to wander off on his own to scout so much, and he did so at the air temple. I'm not sure whether it would be more interesting to go for a kidnap and trade situation, or to attack the party while the monk is away.

 

[Nebulous]

I just ran the air temple a week ago or so. They actually had some strange synergy between a bard and a bone flute (random background item) and ended up performing for the Air Prophet. Then they nova'd her (low hit points) and then struggled a bit with the cleanup. It was very short and sweet from their perspective. Windharrow escaped in my game, and the rogue started using Windvane, so I believe I'm going to have Windharrow pick up the role of the new air cult leader and attempt to run an operation to recover Windvane.

My party monk also seems to wander off on his own to scout so much, and he did so at the air temple. I'm not sure whether it would be more interesting to go for a kidnap and trade situation, or to attack the party while the monk is away.

That is...really awesome. Correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't the Queen have really low hit points? Nevermind, i looked it up, YES. They could easily one shot her, especially the sorcerer going nova and the paladin smiting or just any vaguely concentrated attack, she's toast.

I'm not sure what to think about that. There is so much TERROR and suspense already built up about this woman for the past, um, probably 9 sessions, if she goes down in ONE round....Ok, so I told the players she's on the cover of the book, so they're like HOLY SH*T. And it's just a cool picture, not indicative of her power level, but they don't know that.

...still, I have built up her name for multiple sessions now, and not using her background in some way, and killing her in ONE round because she has 66 hit points, and that's chump change for 6th level characters, that's a failure for me in some way.

Edit: Solutions - double her hit points. Have her retreat the moment she gets hit, which is kinda scaredy cat, but maybe i can foreshadow that with Windharrow. "She will NEVER fight you face to face. My Queen is a coward at heart. Spare me, and I will help you!"

Really, Windharrow needs some love here.

Edit Edit: Windharrow DOES help kill Queen Aerisi, a true Zhentarim assassin at heart that never lost his zest for backstabbing. Just an idea. i'm brainstorming. I use this forum to do this stuff. My players don't poke around here.