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Message: <blockquote data-quote="S'mon" data-source="post: 5302109" data-attributes="member: 463">Thanks Mad <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />BTW I wrote "The Wicked Ruins of Cursed Castle Kaldrac" for Labyrinth Lord/BX D&D, though in the event I chickened out and had the players use 3.5 rules while I stuck with LL/BX for the NPCs (but with ascending AC and 3e-based saves).One tip I got from Sorcerer & Sword was to make the PCs feel cool; this is not in line with traditional Old School "fantasy effin Vietnam" but I think it's good with new players.  One way to do this is the game intro - see above.  Another is the opposition: wailing on kobolds is not particularly cool, even if you're a 4th level 4e PC with Primal Power, taking 4 hits to fell one of the little buggers is very uncool.Some opponents I used in Kaladrac:Upper Ruins:A giant spider with a web spun across  the castle walls.  PCs avoided it.Some goblins lurking in a tower - not related to the main plot though.Skeletons arising from the bones of the long-dead warriors who faced the dragon Valshegar - didnt get to use these due to the PCs' chosen route in, *sigh*. Entrance to the Dungeons:Maeve's Fierce chain-armoured Trosk barbarian warriors with their massive battle-axes, standing guard - 2 x F1/hd1 AC 5 THAC0 19 dam 1d8A bunch more Trosk, including a Swordmaster (F3/hd 3) - but these guys were resting, initially asleep/unarmoured.  The Swordmaster had a +1 2-handed sword (d10+1) which the victorious PCs left on his body in a sign of respect!The Ceremony:Cloaked & Hooded Kalaran Death Priests of Baphomet, assisting the Witch-Queen Maeve in the ceremony to reanimate her father Lord Kaladrac - C1/hd 1d6, AC 5, staff dam 1d6Maeve the Witch Queen - M-U 6, AIR she had a couple Magic Missile spells and "Hold Person", her other 3rd level spell slot was used for the reanimation ceremony.  No Fireball!  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> +1 Dagger she was going to use to cut the heart out of Ged the Shepherd Boy, who was strung up on a lattice over Kaladrac's massive, black-iron clad corpse, very Luis Royo.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Naturally the PCs burst in, interrupted the ceremony, killed the Death Priests, saved Ged, and captured the beautiful Maeve to take home to King Thongar! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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