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Vault of the Drow - your experiences?
- Thread starter Quasqueton
- Start date
Chupacabra
First Post
I ran it back in the day. My group basically just slunk around the city, afraid to really stir anything up, always afraid that they would be discovered and overwhelmed. They pretty much just slithered over to the Fane eventually and after a desperate fight, managed to get to the conclusion of the module.
All in all, not that great of a run, considering they were so risk-adverse. The pace definitely picked up in Q1 however.
All in all, not that great of a run, considering they were so risk-adverse. The pace definitely picked up in Q1 however.
Style
Explorer
Ran it under 2e - had a blast with this one. I replaced the EEG with Tiamat (IMC Tiamat was a fallen Abyssal power trying to regain her throne from Lolth) and had Erelei-Cinlu at war with nearby Menzoberranzan (where I placed the Fane of Lolth). Erelei-Cinlu had basically fallen to the cult of Tiamat and was preparing to spead the good word to other drow cities.
As in other posts, the players were completely freaked out by Erelei-Cinlu and the variety of eeeevil beasties wandering about the place. They spent most of their time in hiding, using various magics to scry their enemies and decide what they should do now that they were stuck in the middle of a drow civil war. The PCs were actually supposed to be chasing drow loyal to Tiamat who were trying to reach the Demonwebs with McGuffin Artifact #872 (part of Tiamat's homecoming plan) and so were rather anxious not to waste any time.
In the end they joined in an Erelei-Cinlu attack against the Fane of Lolth in Menzoberranzan. Drow warriors, gorgimerae, a balor, a big red dragon and an avatar of Lolth all made for a funky battle at the Fane (the party's half-troll berserker survived a stinger attack from Lolth, snapped her stinger off and stabbed her with it - sweet). The party hauled themselves through the gate in the Fane in pursuit of their enemies and their enemies' enemies and their enemies' enemies'... well, you get the picture. Fun game.
As in other posts, the players were completely freaked out by Erelei-Cinlu and the variety of eeeevil beasties wandering about the place. They spent most of their time in hiding, using various magics to scry their enemies and decide what they should do now that they were stuck in the middle of a drow civil war. The PCs were actually supposed to be chasing drow loyal to Tiamat who were trying to reach the Demonwebs with McGuffin Artifact #872 (part of Tiamat's homecoming plan) and so were rather anxious not to waste any time.
In the end they joined in an Erelei-Cinlu attack against the Fane of Lolth in Menzoberranzan. Drow warriors, gorgimerae, a balor, a big red dragon and an avatar of Lolth all made for a funky battle at the Fane (the party's half-troll berserker survived a stinger attack from Lolth, snapped her stinger off and stabbed her with it - sweet). The party hauled themselves through the gate in the Fane in pursuit of their enemies and their enemies' enemies and their enemies' enemies'... well, you get the picture. Fun game.
Monte At Home
Explorer
This is probably my favorite module of all time, any edition. I've run it twice, although the second time I only used the Fane of Lolth. I liked this module so much I included a trip back to the Vault in Dead Gods.
This was probably the first "open-ended" module where the PCs have more of a choice than choosing to go left or right at the T intersection. By example, this adventure taught me what campaign play was really all about. Plus, the drow in this module were wonderful as depraved but organized villains. If I could find someone who wasn't familiar with this module (and those that precede it in the series), I'd run it today in a heartbeat.
This was probably the first "open-ended" module where the PCs have more of a choice than choosing to go left or right at the T intersection. By example, this adventure taught me what campaign play was really all about. Plus, the drow in this module were wonderful as depraved but organized villains. If I could find someone who wasn't familiar with this module (and those that precede it in the series), I'd run it today in a heartbeat.
Monte At Home
Explorer
Double post
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ruleslawyer
Registered User
Ran it in 2e, myself, as part of the whole GDQ series. My PCs had previously engaged in some dealing with Nedylene of House Despana in G3, thus coming to know that there was a split between the "foul slime-lovers" of Eilserv and Tormtor and the other houses. Thus, the PCs headed straight to House Despana and put themselves in the service of the Matron Mother as hired assassins with plausible deniability, with the intent of going after Eclavdra. The PCs then headed straight to House Eilserv, cast a screen showing them perishing in an assault on the premises, and instead went to the guards and negotiated entry and audience with Eclavdra. They then produced proof of their conversation with Matron Ky'theril Despana, as well as an offer to serve Eclavdra if she, instead, would up the price. As they expected, Eclavdra was angry enough to escalate hostilities with Despana, and decided to use the PCs as expendable fodder, sending them in as a diversion while a force of Eilserv troops and summoned monsters attacked from stealth positions. What did the PCs do? Set up another screen, created illusions showing them in fierce combat, dimension doored to the location of the Eilserv troops and slaughtered them quickly, took their cloaks and pins, sent a sending to Ky'theril to warn her, so that the initial raid erupted into open battle and a counter-attack on the Eilserv stronghold, sneaked into a third house stronghold and killed a few more troops in their Eilserv guises, and then headed straight for the Fane while slaughter erupted between the warring houses.
Lots of fun.
Lots of fun.
We had a ton of fun with this one, as the PCs were tough enough to take most drow pretty easily, but not tough enough to afford to risk the whole city coming for them.
Best part of the adventure was a bunch of PCs magically disguised as drow trying to pass themselves as Drow at a wild Drow party. Especially for the Paladin.
Best part of the adventure was a bunch of PCs magically disguised as drow trying to pass themselves as Drow at a wild Drow party. Especially for the Paladin.
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