Whispers of the Vampires Blade opinion?
- Thread starter JoeGKushner
- Start date
SuperFlyTNT
First Post
I'm running it with a group of six players. I've ran two sessions and the first one was a lot of fun. The second could've gone better but we'll see how three goes. After than I plan on buying the sequel. Ill prolly run something of my own between.
JustKim
First Post
I started out liking the adventure. The backstory was neat, the setpiece encounters seemed like a lot of work for me but for something that could be enjoyable. In my initial read-through I didn't notice all the weak elements and plot holes in the adventure, because you just don't until you start playing with other people.
After Lucan's death I ended the Eberron campaign, in part due to the disappointing adventures.
The first 90% of the adventure consists of the PCs traveling along a road after Lucan, fighting random monsters. If the random monsters get too boring (And they do), the adventure suggests throwing in a less-random monster in the form of mysterious NPCs literally described only by name. A quick look at the map shows the road takes the PCs through a town, but neither it nor Lucan's passing is described anywhere. Neither is Zilargo's book description of being peaceful and monster-light honored in the adventure when the PCs face 1-2 deadly encounters per day of travel (Enough random monsters to level up at least once), none of which have anything to do with the adventure.
After the first encounter with Lucan, chances are his coach is destroyed. That means he has no shelter from the sun and is still several days from Trolanport. Grilsha's wand can keep him safe for maybe half a day before it runs out of charges, and Lucan dies.. and yet, the adventure expects Lucan to not only reach Trolanport but to beat the PCs there by significant time. Other vampire weaknesses/immunities conveniently forgotten are homeland soil required to sleep in a coffin (At least twice), and immunity to mind-affecting effects.
At the masquerade, Neya opens up to the PCs and tells them that she gave Lucan a password to get onto Cloud's Destiny free. Of course the very next words out of the PCs' mouths are going to be "what's the password", but the password is not given nor is its existance accounted for in the next chapter. Instead the PCs must fight their way on board, bribe the captain and accept being turned away at every attempt to find Lucan. It's a wonder the adventure didn't end with the wholesale slaughter of the crew.
Next Garrow steers another airship into Cloud's Destiny, wrecking both presumably over frustration failing to capture Lucan. He apparently survives given his appearance in the next adventure, and yet he ceases to chase after Lucan or the PCs at this point, content to have just wasted two weeks of time, an airship and dozens of soldiers.
After the airship is a very similar lightning rail scene which has nothing to do with the story save that Lucan is somewhere on the train, completely undetected. I skipped this one. I also trimmed back the ziggurat because I was tired of inconsequential random encounters and wanted to end the adventure.
After the first encounter with Lucan, chances are his coach is destroyed. That means he has no shelter from the sun and is still several days from Trolanport. Grilsha's wand can keep him safe for maybe half a day before it runs out of charges, and Lucan dies.. and yet, the adventure expects Lucan to not only reach Trolanport but to beat the PCs there by significant time. Other vampire weaknesses/immunities conveniently forgotten are homeland soil required to sleep in a coffin (At least twice), and immunity to mind-affecting effects.
At the masquerade, Neya opens up to the PCs and tells them that she gave Lucan a password to get onto Cloud's Destiny free. Of course the very next words out of the PCs' mouths are going to be "what's the password", but the password is not given nor is its existance accounted for in the next chapter. Instead the PCs must fight their way on board, bribe the captain and accept being turned away at every attempt to find Lucan. It's a wonder the adventure didn't end with the wholesale slaughter of the crew.
Next Garrow steers another airship into Cloud's Destiny, wrecking both presumably over frustration failing to capture Lucan. He apparently survives given his appearance in the next adventure, and yet he ceases to chase after Lucan or the PCs at this point, content to have just wasted two weeks of time, an airship and dozens of soldiers.
After the airship is a very similar lightning rail scene which has nothing to do with the story save that Lucan is somewhere on the train, completely undetected. I skipped this one. I also trimmed back the ziggurat because I was tired of inconsequential random encounters and wanted to end the adventure.
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
Well, that's certainly a lot harsher than I thought, but given the game play involved and actual gaming, that's to be expected.
When the product is added to the database, how about using that post as a guide for a review of the book?
When the product is added to the database, how about using that post as a guide for a review of the book?
JoeGKushner said:
It's worth remembering that this is part 3 of 4, and this is the adventure that gives you a break from the ongoing storyline. The links with previous adventures are just that the enemies are similar in source.
Otherwise it would be like a children's cartoon where you always know the plot in advance, because the goal, villains and situations just recycle.
I'm going to be running the series over the next few weeks. One of the things I really have to stress to my players is that they don't want to upset the Powers That Be!
It'd be very easy to send Eberron into another war in this module, or to really annoy one of the dragonmarked houses. Not good.
Cheers!
Khur
Sympathy for the Devil
I'm not completely sure what Merric is trying to say, but the fact that this is third of a four-part series isn't a defense for its poor construction. Here's my review on d20 Magazine Rack.
Whispers of the Vampire's Blade
I'm willing to answer specific questions about my assertions in the review, but I dislike spoilers in reviews, so mine leaves 'em out.
Whispers of the Vampire's Blade
I'm willing to answer specific questions about my assertions in the review, but I dislike spoilers in reviews, so mine leaves 'em out.
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
Hey Khur, thanks for the link. It's been a while since I've checked out the d20 Magazine Rack. I see that it's changed format again. Looks good!
Nice review btw.
Nice review btw.
Khur said:
My comment has nothing to do with the construction of the actual module, but as to the goal of it.
Here are the goals of the four parts:
Part 1: (Forgotten Forge):
recover schema
recover schema
track down rogue spy
recover schema
Part 3 is the one where the adventurers get a break from predictable goals. The possibility that the module is weak doesn't detract from what it is supposed to do.
Cheers!
Tzarevitch
First Post
JoeGKushner said:
I haven't run them yet, but I have read the set of Eberron adventures in preparation to run them in the near future.
1. The adventure is not a railroad. A railroad adventure is one in which the adventure forces the PCs down a particular path and cuts off any choices the PCs may wish to make except the ones the author wants them to make. WotVB is linear but it is not a railroad. The adventure basically is a chase. It details the flight path that the quarry takes and the choices he makes. It details the most likely places for the PCs to catch him and the most likely methods the PCs will try to use. It does not force them to use any of them. It it theoretically possible, if the PCs know what they are doing (or are just extremely lucky) for the PCs to overtake the guy in the beginning and capture him before he can even get away. Their quarry is fairly well prepared (and the PCs will likely not know what they are dealing with at this time) to the odds of that happening are quite small, but it it is possible to do it.
2. The links to the previous adventure are sort of thin. As Merric already said, it is an interlude. It is related to the previous adventures but not strongly so. Frankly, it seems to me to be the best of the group because it requires the PCs to think and plan against an enemy who won't stand and fight. Brute force is of little help in this advanture until the very end.
Tzarevitch
