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<blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1150944" data-attributes="member: 6783"><p>Heh. Good hunting to you and your players. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /> </p><p>That said...</p><p></p><p>I like the Return to... motif. I was a big fan of most of the modules in that genre. This promises to be fun for everyone if only because the players will have some personal investment.</p><p>Keep in mind, based on Leopold's and my experience the characters will be around 14th level by the time they hit the City of the Glass Pool. The module didn't have that level of tactics in mind.</p><p>What level are your players starting at?</p><p></p><p>I would suggest that you go with the aboleth taking the long term approach - they slowed things down. After all, what is 20 years to them or their immediate alies? In which case they're going to slowly repopulate the orc caves and possibly the garlstone mines. Is Broken Spire still abandoned?</p><p></p><p>Whatever happened to Jelenneth though was long ago. You might want to consider a more recen kidnapped victim (Daphne comes to mind <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> ). </p><p></p><p>NPC's. I like your ideas about Tauster, Lyntern, and Grizzler. They work particularly well.</p><p><strong>Jelenneth:</strong> Either dead, captured, still surviving, or escaped. Any of these might work. </p><p>If she escaped she must have found another way out (long since collapsed and she got lost anyway-possbily teleported). She could be the replacement for Tauster, living with her husband Andren who's cleaned up the Hounds and tails.</p><p>If she survived, maybe she's near feral and definitely a higher level. Perhaps a dungeon delver now from Song and Silence. She might even have freed a few slaves for additional human contact (or dwarven, elven, etc). </p><p>I prefer happy endings. I'd say she escaped before getting to the City of the Glass Pool and somehow made her way out - perhaps shown the way by svirfneblin. She could have stories and maybe a bit of map.</p><p></p><p><strong>Andren:</strong> He might be bitter about the loss of Jelenneth, but he will certainly not take kindly to anyone with orcish blood or who worships the evil deity who was aiding the kidnappers.</p><p></p><p><strong>Semheis:</strong> Middle aged now and hopefully wiser. Maybe 5th-6th level. He's probably calmed down quite a bit unless there were continued threats. If New-Mire is threatening Milbourne now then he may be focusing his interests on that.</p><p></p><p><strong>Lafayer:</strong> Also older - maybe finally retired. Perhaps he and Semheis have changed roles. Lafayer could be in Milbourne and Semheis doing the rounds.</p><p></p><p><strong>Kupier:</strong> Retired. Maybe the were-bear kid (Maxim) has taken up his mantle as a 1st level ranger.</p><p></p><p><strong>Garyld:</strong> Retired or dead. Maybe one of the previous adventurers (if a ranger) has taken his place.</p><p></p><p><strong>Rastifer:</strong> His store is taken over by somebody else trying to get rid of the stuff.</p><p></p><p><strong>Darius Carmen:</strong> His son has taken over the stewardship of Milbourne</p><p></p><p><strong>Squire Marlen: </strong> Maybe dead. Maybe not. Keep the personality.</p><p></p><p><strong>Oleanne:</strong> Middled aged. She might sense the unnaturalness of the New Mire. Will probably be friends with Maxim and Shiraz. Probably knows about the lizardmen and the dragon in the Shriken Mire.</p><p></p><p><strong>Shiraz:</strong> I see her mostly as a fey and unchanged by the interveneing years. Perhaps more experienced.</p><p></p><p><strong>Shriken Mire:</strong> Maybe the lizardfolk are stirring for another attack?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Other things to think about (and you may already have):</p><p>1) Is this module going to be run as-is? This is important because those treasure levels are going to jack up the power of the characters. I decided to do it as is, and it seems to be working fine - but I only have one power-player.</p><p></p><p>2) Where is Haranshire in relation to at least one city big enough to sell items and buy items.</p><p></p><p>3) Are you going to give characters downtime to make things? I do in my game, but I try to balance it by giving them some sense of urgency. This is tricky, you want them to use those feats but not spend all that bloody gold making items.</p><p></p><p>4) Be mindful of the map scales. The tunnels and caves are huge and most of the monsters can rarely see all the way across any of the caves.</p><p></p><p>5) When the characters go against the Trolls in Book 2, make sure they're about 6th level or that they're adequately prepared for trolls at the very least. The map scale here is important. I played the trolls only moderately bright. Their guards were far reasonably far out and when the alarm was raised the reinforcements only took double moves; at least initially. After a couple of forays they started running until they holed up completely.</p><p></p><p>6) New Mire is bigger. Milbourne and Harlaton are going to be in trouble and this could be a lead-in for adventurers.</p><p></p><p>7) Decide how that Ring of Water Command is going to be activated. I had a 2 stage activation - the player got some powers once she met with the King of Water Elementals and some more once she was able to turn over some more information to him about his son who was now forced to serve in the City of the Glass Pool. The end result is that the characters didn't get full use out of it until about 9-10th level - when the mage was getting the same high-level abilities.</p><p></p><p>8) The orcs were defeated. What happened to the keys to the massive doors? Were the doors even closed?</p><p></p><p>9) What happened with the Water Elemental at the Eelhold? Is it going mad because of the Ring of WEC? If so, Milbourne is falling on hard times with their eel fishing becoming dangerous and the mire approaching from the south.</p><p></p><p>Anyways, those are my first thoughts.....</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Seravin, post: 1150944, member: 6783"] Heh. Good hunting to you and your players. :p That said... I like the Return to... motif. I was a big fan of most of the modules in that genre. This promises to be fun for everyone if only because the players will have some personal investment. Keep in mind, based on Leopold's and my experience the characters will be around 14th level by the time they hit the City of the Glass Pool. The module didn't have that level of tactics in mind. What level are your players starting at? I would suggest that you go with the aboleth taking the long term approach - they slowed things down. After all, what is 20 years to them or their immediate alies? In which case they're going to slowly repopulate the orc caves and possibly the garlstone mines. Is Broken Spire still abandoned? Whatever happened to Jelenneth though was long ago. You might want to consider a more recen kidnapped victim (Daphne comes to mind :) ). NPC's. I like your ideas about Tauster, Lyntern, and Grizzler. They work particularly well. [b]Jelenneth:[/b] Either dead, captured, still surviving, or escaped. Any of these might work. If she escaped she must have found another way out (long since collapsed and she got lost anyway-possbily teleported). She could be the replacement for Tauster, living with her husband Andren who's cleaned up the Hounds and tails. If she survived, maybe she's near feral and definitely a higher level. Perhaps a dungeon delver now from Song and Silence. She might even have freed a few slaves for additional human contact (or dwarven, elven, etc). I prefer happy endings. I'd say she escaped before getting to the City of the Glass Pool and somehow made her way out - perhaps shown the way by svirfneblin. She could have stories and maybe a bit of map. [b]Andren:[/b] He might be bitter about the loss of Jelenneth, but he will certainly not take kindly to anyone with orcish blood or who worships the evil deity who was aiding the kidnappers. [b]Semheis:[/b] Middle aged now and hopefully wiser. Maybe 5th-6th level. He's probably calmed down quite a bit unless there were continued threats. If New-Mire is threatening Milbourne now then he may be focusing his interests on that. [b]Lafayer:[/b] Also older - maybe finally retired. Perhaps he and Semheis have changed roles. Lafayer could be in Milbourne and Semheis doing the rounds. [b]Kupier:[/b] Retired. Maybe the were-bear kid (Maxim) has taken up his mantle as a 1st level ranger. [b]Garyld:[/b] Retired or dead. Maybe one of the previous adventurers (if a ranger) has taken his place. [b]Rastifer:[/b] His store is taken over by somebody else trying to get rid of the stuff. [b]Darius Carmen:[/b] His son has taken over the stewardship of Milbourne [b]Squire Marlen: [/b] Maybe dead. Maybe not. Keep the personality. [b]Oleanne:[/b] Middled aged. She might sense the unnaturalness of the New Mire. Will probably be friends with Maxim and Shiraz. Probably knows about the lizardmen and the dragon in the Shriken Mire. [b]Shiraz:[/b] I see her mostly as a fey and unchanged by the interveneing years. Perhaps more experienced. [b]Shriken Mire:[/b] Maybe the lizardfolk are stirring for another attack? Other things to think about (and you may already have): 1) Is this module going to be run as-is? This is important because those treasure levels are going to jack up the power of the characters. I decided to do it as is, and it seems to be working fine - but I only have one power-player. 2) Where is Haranshire in relation to at least one city big enough to sell items and buy items. 3) Are you going to give characters downtime to make things? I do in my game, but I try to balance it by giving them some sense of urgency. This is tricky, you want them to use those feats but not spend all that bloody gold making items. 4) Be mindful of the map scales. The tunnels and caves are huge and most of the monsters can rarely see all the way across any of the caves. 5) When the characters go against the Trolls in Book 2, make sure they're about 6th level or that they're adequately prepared for trolls at the very least. The map scale here is important. I played the trolls only moderately bright. Their guards were far reasonably far out and when the alarm was raised the reinforcements only took double moves; at least initially. After a couple of forays they started running until they holed up completely. 6) New Mire is bigger. Milbourne and Harlaton are going to be in trouble and this could be a lead-in for adventurers. 7) Decide how that Ring of Water Command is going to be activated. I had a 2 stage activation - the player got some powers once she met with the King of Water Elementals and some more once she was able to turn over some more information to him about his son who was now forced to serve in the City of the Glass Pool. The end result is that the characters didn't get full use out of it until about 9-10th level - when the mage was getting the same high-level abilities. 8) The orcs were defeated. What happened to the keys to the massive doors? Were the doors even closed? 9) What happened with the Water Elemental at the Eelhold? Is it going mad because of the Ring of WEC? If so, Milbourne is falling on hard times with their eel fishing becoming dangerous and the mire approaching from the south. Anyways, those are my first thoughts..... [/QUOTE]
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