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Problems with Sunless Citadel (Possible spoilers)
- Thread starter Vanye
- Start date
Psychotic Jim
First Post
Freeport Linkage (Spoilers)
Well, I ran it heavily modified, but that was mainly because the players started out at higher levels- 2 6th level, and the rest were all 3rd-4th levels, so I don't know how much help my suggestion on what to do with the dragon priest. When I ran the module, I took out the troll priest completetly and replaced him with a mummified cleric of the same cult as that of the Unspeakable One as in the Freeport Trilogy. I fixed a sort of greater mummy template for my version of the priest (similar to the Ancient Dead template out of Ravenloft 3E) and gave him lots of levels in cleric. Basically, after the players freed the mummy, it used its Fear Aura to send the PCs running away long enough for the mummy to make good its escape. The mummy, having been a former cultist of the Unspeakable One, was entombed alive for heresy against the Unspeakable One. I had the mummy want to wreak vengeance on the members of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign (the cult that worships the Unspeakable One) for burying it in the crypt so long ago. The PCs would encounter the mummy later in Freeport attacking some of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign. Oh, and I had the sunless citadel fixed as not really worshipping dragons, but just using that as a coverup for what the Brotherhood really worshipped- an unspeakably evil alien intelligence.
You might want to replace the troll with some evil waiting to be unleashed upon the land, so concerned with its own goals that it just frightens the PCs away and goes off to provide adventure scenarios for the future. Or you might just want to replace it with a normal mummy if the PCs don't have access to fire (I think a mummy's CR is about 3 anyway).
Well, I ran it heavily modified, but that was mainly because the players started out at higher levels- 2 6th level, and the rest were all 3rd-4th levels, so I don't know how much help my suggestion on what to do with the dragon priest. When I ran the module, I took out the troll priest completetly and replaced him with a mummified cleric of the same cult as that of the Unspeakable One as in the Freeport Trilogy. I fixed a sort of greater mummy template for my version of the priest (similar to the Ancient Dead template out of Ravenloft 3E) and gave him lots of levels in cleric. Basically, after the players freed the mummy, it used its Fear Aura to send the PCs running away long enough for the mummy to make good its escape. The mummy, having been a former cultist of the Unspeakable One, was entombed alive for heresy against the Unspeakable One. I had the mummy want to wreak vengeance on the members of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign (the cult that worships the Unspeakable One) for burying it in the crypt so long ago. The PCs would encounter the mummy later in Freeport attacking some of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign. Oh, and I had the sunless citadel fixed as not really worshipping dragons, but just using that as a coverup for what the Brotherhood really worshipped- an unspeakably evil alien intelligence.
You might want to replace the troll with some evil waiting to be unleashed upon the land, so concerned with its own goals that it just frightens the PCs away and goes off to provide adventure scenarios for the future. Or you might just want to replace it with a normal mummy if the PCs don't have access to fire (I think a mummy's CR is about 3 anyway).
Samnell
Explorer
My PCs got the crap beat out of them twice by the Quasit, and the troll nearly did a repeat performance but they had some alchemists' fire on hand that made sure it didn't have many rounds for those hellacious claw attacks to tear through the party.
I really liked that Quasit. If you're lucky with the dice and take advantage of that pit and it's special abilities you could really clean a party's clock.
I really liked that Quasit. If you're lucky with the dice and take advantage of that pit and it's special abilities you could really clean a party's clock.
Dr. Zoom
First Post
When I ran the SC, I had the newly freed quasit join Belak (the quasit viewed it the opposite way, of course) and torment the PC's until the final battle below. Needless to say, the players really enjoyed seeing the quasit go down in flames at the end.
The PC's will likely be 2nd level when they reach the dragonpriest so it should not be too bad. But it can be a tough encounter. Have fun.
The PC's will likely be 2nd level when they reach the dragonpriest so it should not be too bad. But it can be a tough encounter. Have fun.
mirzabah
First Post
We're halfway through Sunless at the moment. I've had to beef up most of the encounters because my PCs are 3rd level, but provided a 1st level party gets to level up before they tackle the dragonpriest, I can't imagine they'll have too much trouble... unless they're careless.mmadsen said:
In an amusing twist, the party all failed their reflex saves when subduing Calcryx and slipped on the ice. Seeing an open door and a bunch of dexterity-challenged adventurers, the wyrmling made a break for freedom. While the party dealt with the goblins that were attracted by the noise, the dragon went on a rampage in the kobold section of the citadel. He drove Yusdrayl out of the throne room and took it for his own, effectively trapping the rest of the tribe in the main living quarters. Needless to say Yusdrayl wasn't exactly pleased at the party's attempt to rescue the dragon
Winterthorn
Monster Manager
That dragon priest... [SPOILER]
Don't worry about that critter. As long as the PC's anticipate something "undeadish" lurking inside--and they should, it's predictable--they should be able to deal with it...
My players' PCs already were 2nd level (after having subued Calcryx, and fragged oodles of Twig blights and rats and half of population of the upper level goblins), when after much bashing, grunting and hacking to get the coffin lid off, they were alert for surprises. The players were a bit nervous--that was cool. So, in our case it was Arngart the Half-Orc Barbarian, Borlo the Halfling Rogue/Sorcerer, Dannik the Human Ranger (NPC), Erky (module NPC), Falowayn the Human Cleric of Pelor, and Lars the Wiz-Conjurer. They had no magic items. Some had some oil though. Anyways, the party had essentially flanked the coffin two times over when the Trollish Dragon Priest "awoke" and pushed the lid off. Well, within 2 rounds the barbarian (incredible damage), the rogue (nasty x-bow user) and the conjurer (burning hands) brought the critter down to negative hps. Then they all quickly grabbed the monster and dropped it into the pit trap and set it alight. They used the secret passage to escape the smoking carnage.
With good strategy and effort resourceful players will easily overcome this encounter.
Dealing with Belak at the end is another matter! His entangle spells can decimate the party in the briars if you run him correctly. Even then peculiar circumstances can alter combat outcomes dramatically!... In our case the party survived only because of the rogue/sorcerer's cunning use of spider climb spell, and the barbarian's "luck"!
Borlo's x-box shots raining down from the shadowy cave ceiling spoiled many enemy spells... Meanwhile two PC's (the 2 clerics Falowayn and Erky) were so trapped by entangle spells in the briars they could only watch the "final conflict" and call out warnings! The fact that the 1/2-orc barb was so powerful (the player lucked out on 19 STR and 16 for both DEX and CON during generation) meant NOTHING would stand in his way! (Nothing ever did in the entire module--what a beast!) He over came the 1st entangle spell and moved in too fast out of the briar patch for a subsequent spell. (You had to be there.) Thus Arngart confronted Sir Bradford, and immediately used his great axe to do the "talking". Well, while he toasted the ex-pally in less than two rounds Borlo's bolts skewered Sharwyn. Ouch!
It was downhill for Belak from there...
Ah well, the players had fun and that's what counts the most for me too! 
I played the 2 NPC allies in a realistic tactical manner, yet not take anything away from the players' glory. If there are NPC's in your players' party, they can become a deciding factor... Be careful.
All this to say the PC's better have their heads up at the end. It can go wildly to any outcome. Inspite of my planning and good attempt to run the module opponents logically, my players lucked out on circumstances and the initial caprice of PC generation more than anything else. I really didn't want to tweak the module to match the players' PC choices. I thought it should stand alone come what may. There's verisimilitude in that for me as DM--part of my fun. We all learnt things about 3E and we mostly enjoyed the adventure
Don't worry about that critter. As long as the PC's anticipate something "undeadish" lurking inside--and they should, it's predictable--they should be able to deal with it...
My players' PCs already were 2nd level (after having subued Calcryx, and fragged oodles of Twig blights and rats and half of population of the upper level goblins), when after much bashing, grunting and hacking to get the coffin lid off, they were alert for surprises. The players were a bit nervous--that was cool. So, in our case it was Arngart the Half-Orc Barbarian, Borlo the Halfling Rogue/Sorcerer, Dannik the Human Ranger (NPC), Erky (module NPC), Falowayn the Human Cleric of Pelor, and Lars the Wiz-Conjurer. They had no magic items. Some had some oil though. Anyways, the party had essentially flanked the coffin two times over when the Trollish Dragon Priest "awoke" and pushed the lid off. Well, within 2 rounds the barbarian (incredible damage), the rogue (nasty x-bow user) and the conjurer (burning hands) brought the critter down to negative hps. Then they all quickly grabbed the monster and dropped it into the pit trap and set it alight. They used the secret passage to escape the smoking carnage.
With good strategy and effort resourceful players will easily overcome this encounter.
Dealing with Belak at the end is another matter! His entangle spells can decimate the party in the briars if you run him correctly. Even then peculiar circumstances can alter combat outcomes dramatically!... In our case the party survived only because of the rogue/sorcerer's cunning use of spider climb spell, and the barbarian's "luck"!
Borlo's x-box shots raining down from the shadowy cave ceiling spoiled many enemy spells... Meanwhile two PC's (the 2 clerics Falowayn and Erky) were so trapped by entangle spells in the briars they could only watch the "final conflict" and call out warnings! The fact that the 1/2-orc barb was so powerful (the player lucked out on 19 STR and 16 for both DEX and CON during generation) meant NOTHING would stand in his way! (Nothing ever did in the entire module--what a beast!) He over came the 1st entangle spell and moved in too fast out of the briar patch for a subsequent spell. (You had to be there.) Thus Arngart confronted Sir Bradford, and immediately used his great axe to do the "talking". Well, while he toasted the ex-pally in less than two rounds Borlo's bolts skewered Sharwyn. Ouch!
It was downhill for Belak from there...
Ah well, the players had fun and that's what counts the most for me too! I played the 2 NPC allies in a realistic tactical manner, yet not take anything away from the players' glory. If there are NPC's in your players' party, they can become a deciding factor... Be careful.All this to say the PC's better have their heads up at the end. It can go wildly to any outcome. Inspite of my planning and good attempt to run the module opponents logically, my players lucked out on circumstances and the initial caprice of PC generation more than anything else. I really didn't want to tweak the module to match the players' PC choices. I thought it should stand alone come what may. There's verisimilitude in that for me as DM--part of my fun. We all learnt things about 3E and we mostly enjoyed the adventure
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