ZEITGEIST Starting Zeitgeist in 5e - Master thesis, Conversion and other shenanigans

[Levistej]

Thanks for the heads up preview! I am subscribed to ENsider but was under the impression that the next adventure won't be out till later in April for some reason. As we are really enjoying Zeitgeist, it can't come soon enough.

So the conversion will propose that encounters with the gidim and similiar creatures give short term madness effects in addition to vulnerability to psychic damage? WOW, that's harsh, my players are gonna hate me! Short term madness effects are quite devastating, becoming stunned, paralyzed or incapacitated for 1d10 minutes can be a campaign ender.

Do you propose the PC's make a save against Distant Madness when one of the Abberations turns corporeal? I think that would make sense. Also, I think I'll probably allow them saves to break out of the short term madness effects each round as I envision a TPK could happen otherwise.

 

[RangerWickett]

Part one of adventure 3 is up.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?5090-ZEITGEIST-3-(Part-1)-Digging-for-Lies-(5E)&

 

[Levistej]

Can't wait for the next session, my party is sure to go nuts with the whole "Ancient Aliens" shtick. I am also sure they'l love Xambria, especially as I mean to introduce her with some Indiana Jones music in the playground, will make the betrayal even better. ;D

Anyway, as I created some magical items for my party, I thought I'd share them here:

1. The power Chakram - https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L8l4UsONL_uCHyjPx_v
They found a mechanical boomerang on axis island and the monk decided to combine it with Recklinghousens sword to make a new weapon. As he's a Vakeshi Mystic, he got it through the Old Stag.

2. The Prudent Protector - https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L6hzlavVd5TxjAV2a7d
They found this shield among various loot that the Hermanos Draconis hoarded in their hideout. I plan for it to be a proof of some foul acts in Ber, as it is put together by heirloom items of some Beran families. Maybe it was used as payment for an arson?

3. Amulet of Dragonkin - https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L6gnwgj5AriTJz9coua
Also retrieved from the dragon brothers. As the party managed to con them into a tight spot, I buffed the brothers with this and some potions that doubled the power of their breath weapons at the expense of exhaustion. This took well, both with our dragonborn paladin and with our artificier alchemist.

4. Electrosynchronic Discombobulator - https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L6giyxhCixbyIilV_8Z
Found in the warehouse with the golem and scientists, serves as a buff to our artificier as I feel she is underpowered.

5. Verite - https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L6blSHF1qxxhZwfZWZx
LaBrix gun that the gunslinger retrieved from him as they found him almost half dead from torture. They liked the poor fella, so why the hell not.

6. Tooth of Aganazzar - https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L8ly_Vnm4xkcZSgrMN0
And finally, a bullet pendant, that has some minor benefits but huge implications. My party loved Lya and deemed that it is necessary to inform her of the foul stuff surrounding the Danoran embassy and consular DuNadria. In between the end of The dying skyseer and Digging for lies, they recieved a thank you letter which informed them of the diplomats imprisonment and a small gift. Upon Identifying the trinket they found Abjuration, Evocation and, most importantly, Divination magic to radiate from the bullet. No one is the least bit suspicious and I can continue to feck with them without them knowing a thing.

 

[Levistej]

So, we ended the last session with them bringing in all the items that were seized at the fair and being informed that the Viscount Inspector is in town for an audit. My party did a lot of stuff that clearly isn't by the book. Our gunslinger executed more then one criminal, the wizard is doing his best to have good relations with the Family and constantly intentionally leaks information to the press while the rest of them simply have one or two items too many.

How did the rest of you play this out?

Should the audit be a background thing with Saxby pulling the strings to condemn the PCs?

Should I do a zone of truth interview with each and every party member?

Should I have them followed throughout their missions in Flint?

I'd really like to see how other DMs handled this, for I am a bit lost. Although I love the idea of an audit, I think the time and effort needed to interview 6 party members could prove to be a bit too much. On the other hand, if I just present them with the results of the audit without interviewing them one by one, I'm sure they'll call out foul play on my behalf, which I can understand.

 

[Rob LeGood]

Tonight, we ran the audit, and it ended up being the entire session, along with a ton of fun.

I had Nigel lead the inspection and he introduced the other auditors, each of the other PCs. I let them know that, for reasons which will eventually be made clear, they’d have near perfect information.

The group had a blast, calling out each other on some of their more questionable activities. It also served as a nice recap episode, allowing everyone to relax veg and remember past sessions.

Everyone had a great time and everyone was really focused on the session.

 

[Levistej]

I decided I'm going to implement it as more of a background feature with Nigel and his team constantly popping up and invading their privacy/safe space. The group is also currently about to enter the Ziggurrat of Apet and I plan to have them arrested as they return to Flint for the murder of Isaac Randall. A murder that they have been framed for by Kell and Saxby.

This would be an Ideal opportunity to introduce them to Rock Rackus since they ignored him at the fair, but I'm afraid my group could get a bit vigilant and decide to fight back the arrest which could end in a non containable bloodbath. :/ I wouldn't keep them in jail for long, at most for a couple days as the audit crew were watching them closely and know that this is a set up.

On another topic, those of you who ran the Ziggurat as written, when first entering the PC's are given the option to go left or right. On the left is the "rainbow room" which bypasses a lot of the dungeons traps, while the right path takes the constables through various hazards. Did any of your PC's take both paths just to explore the dungeon? Which part did they like most and what should I focus on in terms of danger and mood?