Who Has Actually Played/Run Burning Sky

[Volaran]

I'd have to say that Indomitability's boon has been more and more useful as time goes by. It has been a good method of allowing some of our party members to escape death.

We'd like at least a few of the original Gate Pass crew to make it to the end after all.

I found that I had many of the same problems with adventure 2 from a player perspective while it was actually being played out. However, tidbits of information gained there are greatly expanded upon in later adventures, and I would say that I have a greater appreciation for it now (well into adventure 5)

 

[amethal]

The plot with the trillith doesn't make any sense and how to resolve the situation made even less sense.

Over forty years ago a strange, incorporeal creature called Indomitability arrived in the forest.

It had the power to grant its “boon” to other creatures, and it did so to a number of dying forest animals. This kept them alive.

The seela, in tune with the forest, realised something strange was happening. They used their powerful magic, the Song of Forms, to force Indomitability into a corporeal body; as it happens that body was in the form of a mighty stag.

The seela’s most powerful ally, an Elf called Anyariel, battled the stag but was unable to kill it. The best she could do was pin it to the bottom of the lake with her magic sword.

Indomitability’s essence began to seep out from its body, and “infected” many of the animals and trees. These infected creatures could not die.

Forty years ago, soldiers set fire to the forest. It burned fiercely, but because of Indomitability’s essence none of the burning animals and plants died. Instead they continue to burn alive.

In the present day Indomitability has a great deal of control over the flames of the forest, but its raw power has been draining away over the decades. Its physical body can now be killed, even though Anyariel’s couldn’t manage it forty years earlier.

The easiest way for it to escape is if the Song of Forms stops. It will then no longer be trapped in its physical body, and can ghost about the way it always used to do.

Alternatively, if someone was to remove Anyariel’s sword it will no longer be pinned to the lake bed. It will then be able to move about in its physical body and see about silencing the Song of Forms personally.

 

[Joshgenti]

Hey, I'm in C8's group with RefinedBean. I play a Human Shugenja, who worships the Tidereaver Kracken. I have to agree with most of what RefinedBean has said. I'd also like to thank RangerWickett for such a good adventure. The NPC's are detailed and really help draw the story out. Also, I like the general feel of the game. We're always on edge because of the Regasians. It has that feel of inevitable doom. We're contently fighting this uphill battle to do anything against the forces arrayed against us. It has a very epic feel to it. I love it.

My only complaint is the travel to Seaquan (end of act 2 beginning of act 3 maybe?), through the swamp was a little bit of having an NPC train. And we didn't have Torrent or Haden, both died in Haden's Caben before the fire forest. C8 decided to have the Inquisitor brute squad "Coup de Grace" they both while they were down. (my character was very interested in Torrent). But it's probably better, because we would have had even MORE NPC's with us. But aside from at points too many NPC's with the party, it's been fine. And if we weren't 5-6 players strong, the extra meat, errr... help, would be nice to have

Oh & the Boon, AWESOME!!! It keeps people alive, mostly. And I'm not sure totally how the boon is suppose to work, but in Act 4, the Mad Kings Banquet, there is an option to navigate up over a cliff & then later come back down the cliff. Well, yeah, falling hundreds of feet, not good. Unless you have the boon & someone manages to make it down by using feather fall or something & can heal the splat marks/PC's at the bottom.

 

[RangerWickett]

Hey, I'm in C8's group with RefinedBean. I play a Human Shugenja, who worships the Tidereaver Kracken. I have to agree with most of what RefinedBean has said. I'd also like to thank RangerWickett for such a good adventure. The NPC's are detailed and really help draw the story out. Also, I like the general feel of the game. We're always on edge because of the Regasians. It has that feel of inevitable doom. We're contently fighting this uphill battle to do anything against the forces arrayed against us. It has a very epic feel to it. I love it.

My only complaint is the travel to Seaquan (end of act 2 beginning of act 3 maybe?), through the swamp was a little bit of having an NPC train. And we didn't have Torrent or Haden, both died in Haden's Caben before the fire forest. C8 decided to have the Inquisitor brute squad "Coup de Grace" they both while they were down. (my character was very interested in Torrent). But it's probably better, because we would have had even MORE NPC's with us. But aside from at points too many NPC's with the party, it's been fine. And if we weren't 5-6 players strong, the extra meat, errr... help, would be nice to have

Oh & the Boon, AWESOME!!! It keeps people alive, mostly. And I'm not sure totally how the boon is suppose to work, but in Act 4, the Mad Kings Banquet, there is an option to navigate up over a cliff & then later come back down the cliff. Well, yeah, falling hundreds of feet, not good. Unless you have the boon & someone manages to make it down by using feather fall or something & can heal the splat marks/PC's at the bottom.

Thanks for the kind words. Where are you right now?

Yeah, everyone's said there were a few too many NPCs tagging along on the way to Seaquen, but I figured, there are thousands of refugees going there. A few should probably tag along with the heroes. I suppose I could've said that if the PCs and NPCs aren't getting along as good buds, the NPCs might split off and join some other group of refugees who aren't so prone to getting attacked by devils and monsters.

As for the boon, hehe, I hadn't intended it to be a makeshift parachute, but I guess it works. One of my biggest problems with long campaigns is character attrition, when by the end of the campaign the party is completely different from what it was at the start. The boon gives some in-game insurance to make it harder to lose character's randomly. Some people of course prefer a game where, like in the real world, people can die at any old time, but I wanted to give the campaign saga an opportunity to work more like an epic novel.

I'm glad you're enjoying it.

 

[Joshgenti]

Well, we didn't intend for it to be a parachute either. But 3 of us were all roped together & 2 of us failed our checks multiple times and the 3rd member couldn't hold on. So down all 3 of us went. It was really funny because as we went the Barbarian in the group still attached waved to us as we went sailing by. Very comical after we realized that half the party in fact hadn't just died. Thank goodness for crazy spirits

I do agree with the idea of putting in the boon. After we started this game up, we started playing the Age of Worms Adventure Path on a different night & it was a real meat grinder. We ended up taking a break from it, because of the deaths & issues around them. And even WITH the boon in WotBS we had one death. So I'm very glad you put it in. It really helps the continuity of character & story.

Spoiler (text in black):
Where we are now is we are dealing with (I hope I have the spelling right) Duke Gallow. We just finished talking to his noble friends and now we are back at his Castle. With the army of the King & his allied Dukes at our door step. We are hoping to try some diplomacy first. Maybe prevent a giant fight. We even half seriously considered trying to rush back to the capital & kidnap the King. But we figured we wouldn't have the time & there was no real hope for being successful. Besides, so far diplomacy has been our best friend (we are very afraid to get into fights).

It's been a crazy ride so far. The story has really drawn us in.