World's Largest Dungeon in actual play [Spoilers!]

[Dracorat]

My party just reached level 3 and so far have managed to *increase* the number of shadows in section E due to the fact that the shadows there are really tearing them up. Aside from Longtail himself, they cleared out area A.

They kill a few shadows but then end up dying. I still reward exp for the ones they kill and slowly, they are still at a net-gain for exp for the shadows in that area, but the shadows are getting stronger in number.

What I am about to do is have an event in E. Some of the political landscape is about to change I think.

By the way, section E is so many times more fun than secton A was. =)

 

[pokedigimaniac]

By the way, section E is so many times more fun than secton A was. =)

Agreed. The fact that there's so many different factions in the region means that you can really play around with the delicate balance of power tipping.

 

[rvalle]

My party just reached level 3 and so far have managed to *increase* the number of shadows in section E due to the fact that the shadows there are really tearing them up. Aside from Longtail himself, they cleared out area A.

They kill a few shadows but then end up dying. I still reward exp for the ones they kill and slowly, they are still at a net-gain for exp for the shadows in that area, but the shadows are getting stronger in number.

My group didn't die to the Shadows but had to run several times. Once they knew they were going to be fighting Shadows every time they went out they were able to prepare themselves (magic weapons, Magic Stones, Mage Armor) and develop tactics to fight them.

The usually being the high dex/high touch ac people up front. When the Shadows attack they go full defensive and crank their AC into the 20's. The rest of the party pelts the Shadows with Magic Missles, Spirictual Weapons, Turn Undeads and Magic Stones.

This worked great... till the high touch ac gnome bard walked into a room with 3 Bagherst waiting in it.

rv

 

[Dracorat]

I am perhaps a little more evil as a DM =P

I have the shadows attempt to sneak around the party and then assault from all sides. Usually they roll their hide checks well enough (and being incorporeal, they emit no sound, so there is no move silent check). And then when the party gets to a spot where they can trap them, they trap them.

Running has not once been an option for them. Not with the shadows. They got close once. They spotted a shadow before it was in position, but rather than fortify their positioning, the fighter charge attacked it.

Right now, the shadow count is plus-seven.

 

[twilko]

What I am about to do is have an event in E. Some of the political landscape is about to change I think.

By the way, section E is so many times more fun than secton A was. =)

So what were you planning to have happen in E? I am running E at the moment and always looking for new angles on the region.

 

[Dracorat]

I think they are going to move in on sections E36 to E44. Right now, the large obstacles are the door, which can kill the weaker shadows outright, the lighting, which is removable with the rod of nullification and the barghests.

The barghests have so far kept their territorry, but with additional shadows now, chances are not likely that they can.

With the taking of E44, Morat is next in line. Morat is no pushover however, so many of the shadows will probably be lost if it goes that far, and then with his defeat, that is quite a powerful shadow to be added to the shadow numbers.

Then, extrapolating outward, Morat was a large threat to Sarraas' pack of Barghests. Without that pressure anymore and with the newly weakened shadow numbers, and has managed to contact the celestials.

Sarraas will gain the native outsider template as a result (having committed to them, but only for the power it gives) and 1 additional level. The barghests in the region will gain a 50% increase in numbers as a few defected from the Morat pack and a few have been added to the number through dealings with the celestials. But, with the new power, and the reduced threat from Morat, Sarrass is no longer willing to work with the PCs, seeing their gear as opportunity and their power as a threat.

 

[erucsbo]

Major Mojo and Bling

IIRC during one of the early rpgmp3 WLD review recordings Hal (DM) mentions that there is a Deck of Many Things in WLD. I haven't been able to find it. Does one actually exist in it?
And has anyone compiled a list of the really powerful magical items in the dungeon?
(and ones that the party could reasonably take and use - unlike the ward staves, garrison charter and All Door in Region E).
I have a couple of 'magpies'* in my party and spreading rumours of major treasures - particularly magical - would provide good lures for getting party members from one area to another.

*magpie = in Australia, the magpie (which is a different bird from the American/European magpie, is attracted to (and known to steal) shiny objects. Someone who takes shiny stuff (particularly jewellry) regardless of how valuable it really is colloquially called a "magpie"

 

[pokedigimaniac]

Region L, if I recall correctly, has the watrazor. However, that's an all-underwater region.

Other powerful items include a ring of wishes that is held by Serratine in the crypt in Region J. Region I has the Eight Strike Fang. That's all I can remember off the top of my head. Good luck with that!

 

[Hussar]

There is a bowl of Commanding Water Elementals in C. Depending on how you handle summoning, this could be fairly powerful.

There is the artifact in B. It's not detailed, so, you can pretty much toss in whatever you like.

BTW, I'm wondering, how much crossover do people have between regions? I don't have particularly any. The regions are considered static until the party enters them IMC. While this may be somewhat unrealistic, I'm far too lazy to start tracking what's going on in all the regions while the party is elsewhere. I did release the the cockatrice from C into B, but, that was more just color commentary than anything.

I'm thinking though, once I finish G and the celestials gain the upper hand (assuming they do), that may change. To prod the party in given directions, I think I'll have the garrison send them to scout here or there while they deal with other sections. First they'll head east to talk to the elves then west to obliterate the minotaurs and free the celestials in E.

While the garrison's numbers aren't all that great, even a small group of hound archons led by a deva would be able to depopulate any of the lesser lettered regions in pretty short order. It might take some time, but, I'm thinking that as the party continues on into the more dangerous higher lettered regions, the lower lettered regions will become more hospitable and possibly a source of aid for the party.

 

[erucsbo]

There is a bowl of Commanding Water Elementals in C. Depending on how you handle summoning, this could be fairly powerful.

There is the artifact in B. It's not detailed, so, you can pretty much toss in whatever you like.

good call - while my party has gone A->E I do have an NPC paladin heading through B and C so I may be able to introduce items from there if the party crosses her path.

And thanks pokedigimaniac - yes there is the watrazor in L and Eight-Strike-Fang in I (which might be the bait I need to send them north).

As an aside - there is a ridiculously powerful evil sword and evil spellbook in C. I know that if my party had gone that way, at least one of the party would have been very tempted to change alignment just to use the things. I can't think of any reason why such items would be included in WLD unless you wanted to punish people playing good characters.
What have others done with these items?

BTW, I'm wondering, how much crossover do people have between regions? I don't have particularly any. The regions are considered static until the party enters them IMC. While this may be somewhat unrealistic, I'm far too lazy to start tracking what's going on in all the regions while the party is elsewhere. I did release the the cockatrice from C into B, but, that was more just color commentary than anything.

I'm thinking though, once I finish G and the celestials gain the upper hand (assuming they do), that may change. To prod the party in given directions, I think I'll have the garrison send them to scout here or there while they deal with other sections. First they'll head east to talk to the elves then west to obliterate the minotaurs and free the celestials in E.

While the garrison's numbers aren't all that great, even a small group of hound archons led by a deva would be able to depopulate any of the lesser lettered regions in pretty short order. It might take some time, but, I'm thinking that as the party continues on into the more dangerous higher lettered regions, the lower lettered regions will become more hospitable and possibly a source of aid for the party.

Once they are freed up to do that, then it becomes a sensible thing to do.
The incursion of the lesser creatures through region A, while previously ignored, should now be dealt with, especially as the party arrived that way and they have proven themselves powerful enough to deal with things that the Celestials are holding at bay. They wouldn't want an evil party hitting them from behind - especially one that has recruited all the other creatures in A-C, and neither would they want the shadows in E to be able to run rampant through A then B and perhaps C.

It also keeps the celestials from providing the party with more support for the harder sections (at least until the easier sections have all been secured).

As for the garrison sending the party scouting - this has come up just recently in my game. Scouting would normally entail getting information back to the garrisons. I'm going to drop in a variant* Crystal Hypnosis Ball (clairaudience) and have the Celestials in E give it to one of the party who has signed the garrison charter. They can use the crystal ball to make reports back to the Celestials (probably Sanjid in E), and I may even allow clairvoyance through the crystal ball for the celestials so that the scout can show visual elements in the report back. If the celestials need to get a message back to the party they can relay it through the lantern archons.
* variant would be that the person using the crystal ball isn't being fascinated or under compulsion of a telepathic suggestion from the "power or being from another plane".