What module are you running?

[Rothe]

Please be careful to avoid any spoilers in response to this post (or other Caverns of Thracia posts), since I haven't read the module, and am enjoying playing it blind

We've had a pretty uneven time so far: we romped through most of the ruins south of the river pretty easily (including taking out the shambling mound), but have faced a few very tough encounters in the dungeons, and I think we've managed to pull off a few lucky wins with superior tactics and planning (and knowing when to run, certainly!).

Will do, from what you've said it looks like your DM has changed things up a bit or is using some NG at least above ground. The ruins in the PJ version are fairly small. I like the shambling mound encounter, sounds like a good one for the swamp-like default setting.

I've set things on a tropical island, the PCs have made good use of the elephant grass above ground.

I'm not sure what levels we're on yet, truthfully, but I think we've explored down at least two levels (not counting peering into the chasms), based on the sloping passages and such. We've just discovered a trapdoor down to the (third?) level, which we're likely to avoid for the nonce: 2 evils priests and their guards nearly did us in on the (second?) level, in their circular shrine with the stunning eye.

I won't say too much but CoT is a masterpiece (IMHO) of a three dimensional environment, it's had for me as a DM to figure out what's abot what. Luckily the PJ version has a nifty little cross section of the dungeon to help, something sadly missing in the NG version.
The stunning eye appears to be a little bit of a change-up as well, or again a NG version take. Still sounds pretty good.

We've got 8 4th level AD&D PCs (either 4th or 4/4 for the multiclassers), but haven't levelled yet.

Without local aide/playing factions off against each other you'll need these PCs. I don't think it's a spoiler to say be careful in those caverns.

 

[grodog]

Hi Rothe---

Will do, from what you've said it looks like your DM has changed things up a bit or is using some NG at least above ground. The ruins in the PJ version are fairly small. I like the shambling mound encounter, sounds like a good one for the swamp-like default setting.

That wouldn't surprise me, on either count: our DM's quite good, and while he is definitely a fan of NG and JG, he's most interested in providing a solid challenge for us. It wouldn't surprise me to see him pulling material in that mixes the JG and NG version, as well as adding his own twists to things.

I won't say too much but CoT is a masterpiece (IMHO) of a three dimensional environment, it's had for me as a DM to figure out what's abot what. Luckily the PJ version has a nifty little cross section of the dungeon to help, something sadly missing in the NG version.

Yes, I'm well-aware of PJ's design style, and I'm fairly sure that we've already missed several secret doors that would allow access to other areas/encounters. We'll see if we have time to go back to do a more thorough scouting in/around the environs.

It might be fun to blog this in some way, I'll have to give some thought to that: I'm one of two players mapping as we go, so it might be entertaining to track our progress in some way that's sharable....

The stunning eye appears to be a little bit of a change-up as well, or again a NG version take. Still sounds pretty good.

I was a bit quick with my desc there: it was a statue behind a big black, circular shower-like curtain. Jon, our DM, drew the statue icon on the map grid using an eye-like symbol....

Without local aide/playing factions off against each other you'll need these PCs. I don't think it's a spoiler to say be careful in those caverns.

=) Duly noted: we're already probably too paranoid, and are taking a long time to make much progress, especially WRT just moving around and getting the lay of the land vs. worrying about the encounters themselves....

 

[freyar]

Right now I'm running a highly modified Palace of the Silver Princess (basically keeping just the treasures and room plans, but using mostly my own monsters). But we'll be moving to an abridged Forge of Fury sometime soon.