Showing posts with label Second Campaign. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Second Campaign. Show all posts

Monday, April 11, 2016

A to Z of Adventure! I is for Intermediate

I is for Intermediate.

The Intermediate adventures for experienced adventures but not quite what we call "name" level (9th and above).  This is also what many call the prime adventuring levels.  Also many of these were ranked in the 30 greatest adventures of all time.

While not linked in any particular way, they do sometimes have links to other I modules.  I3, 4 and 5 are a mini-campaign. I6 and I10 are sequels.

I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City was ranked as the 13th greatest adventure of all time.  Ravenloft I6 was ranked at #2.  I3, 4 and 5, aka the Desert of Desolation series were ranked collectively as the 6th greatest adventure.

Now I have spoken about Ravenloft so many times that I really don't think I need to do it again here.  The same goes for it's sequel I10 The House on Gryphon Hill.

I had started Egg of the Phoenix many years ago. In fact it was the last adventure my long time High School DM ever took me through.  After that I was in college and he was doing other things.  I would like to run that one too, just because of unfinished business.

A lot of these adventures make up what I am calling my "Second Campaign". Dwellers of the Forbidden City and the Desert of Desolation will make up a good bulk of that series for me.   I just really need to find a new copy of Day of Al'Ackbar.  I lost mine years ago.


Code Title Levels Author(s) Pub. Year
I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City 4–7 David Cook 1981
I2 Tomb of the Lizard King 5-7 Mark Acres 1982
I3 Pharaoh 5–7 Tracy & Laura Hickman 1982
I4 Oasis of the White Palm 6–8 Philip Meyers & Tracy Hickman 1983
I5 Lost Tomb of Martek 7–9 Tracy Hickman 1983
I6 Ravenloft 5–7 Tracy & Laura Hickman 1983
I7 Baltron's Beacon 4-8 Philip Meyers 1985
I8 Ravager of Time 8–10 Graeme Morris & Jim Bambra 1986
I9 Day of Al'Akbar 8–10 Allen Hammack 1986
I10 Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill 8–10 Tracy & Laura Hickman 1986
I11 Needle 8–10 Frank Mentzer 1987
I12 Egg of the Phoenix 5-9 Frank Mentzer and Jennel Jaquays 1987
I13 Adventure Pack I All Deborah Christian (ed.) 1987
I14 Swords of the Iron Legion 1–15+ Skip Williams (ed.) 1988

I am really considering running I10: Ravenloft II for my kids using the new 5th Edition Ravenloft/Curse of Strahd book.  I just need to figure out a good place to slot it in.  It would have to go before the GDQ series.

Ravager of Time is an interesting one really.  It was written in the UK, but is not part of the UK series of adventure modules.  Also the main antagonist, Nuala, is a witch in all but name.

So here is Nuala, converted to a Basic Era Witch.  This might be a good adventure to add to my War of the Witch Queens.

Nuala
14th level Witch, Mara Tradition

Strength: 15
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 16
Intelligence: 16
Wisdom: 9
Charisma: 17

Saves
Death Ray or Poison:  9
Magic wand or devices: 10
Paralysis, Polymorph or Turn to Stone: 9
Dragon Breath: 12
Rods, Staffs and Spells: 11

Hit Points: 55
Alignment: Neutral Evil (Chaotic)
AC: 0 (Scale Mail Armor +3)*
(thanks to the Life Bane she can wear armor and attack as if she had "Minor Fighting Prowess" cast on her at all times.)

Short Sword +3
Dagger of Venom

To hit AC 0: 13 (sword), 14 (dagger)

Occult Powers
Familiar:  Imp "Jarzizt"
Herb use
Lesser: Dream Invasion
Minor: Nightmare Shape

Spells
Cantrips: (6) Alarm Ward, Black Flame, Chill, Ghost Sounds, Inflict Minor Wounds, Object Reading
First: (5+2) Burning Hands, Chill Touch, Command, Ghostly Slashing, Protect Familiar, Shatter the Hourglass, Spirit Dart
Second: (4+2) Detect Thoughts, Invisibility, Spell Missile, Suggestion, Whispering Winds, Youthful
Third: (4+1) Dispel Magic (x2), Life Blood, Mirror Image, Witch Wail
Fourth:  (3+1) Analyze Magic, Magic Circle against Good 10', Moonlit Way, Phantom Lacerations
Fifth: (3) Animate Dead, Shriek, Steal Youth
Sixth: (2) Break the Spirit, Restore Youth (Healing)
Seventh: (2) Call the Restless Soul, Wave of Mutilation

Not too bad really.

Friday, March 13, 2015

The "Second Campaign"

So yesterday I started talking about something I am calling the "Second Campaign".  It's not really a second one (more like a 20th one).  The idea is a set of adventures, maybe set in the same world, using classical adventures but with a new set of characters.

Now I am not yet sure I'll have the time for this but if I am setting it in the same world then I might want to lay a bit of a foundation.

So a theme that has come up a few times in my games, either D&D-like, CineUnisystem or other modern supernatural, is human(oid)s vs reptile invaders.  I first got the idea when I was going through the Fiend Folio and I noticed there were a lot of different reptile and amphibian races.

I later (likely through Chill) thought of a snake like race (maybe similar to the "Deceiver" creature) but I could have also been influenced by Doctor Who.  In any case they are there, squirming around in my brain.

I would love to take this do something with all these other cool adventures that share a theme, add a bit of backstory (not much) and maybe....just maybe run it all under Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea.

So here is my thought:

N1 Against the Cult of the Reptile God, levels 1-3 (novice)
U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, levels 1-3
U2 Danger at Dunwater, levels 1-4
U3 The Final Enemy, levels 3-5
I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City, levels 4-7
C1 The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, levels 5-7

And that is about as far as I got.

I also have a series of "desert adventures" I want to try.

I3 Pharaoh, levels 5-7
I4 Oasis of the White Palm, levels 6-8
I5 Lost Tomb of Martek, levels 7-9
X4 Master of the Desert Nomads, levels 6-9
X5 Temple of Death, levels 6-10
I9 Day of Al'Akbar, level 8-10.
Gary Gygax's Necropolis, levels 10+

I could fold them into each other.  There are 13 here, so I like that number.  But they all don't fit in together thematically, unless I am saying that Set is somehow involved.  Which could be cool really.

I don't have a copy of Day of Al'Akbar anymore and it has not shown up yet on DriveThruRPG.  So I could make it 12 adventures.

Also I could take a page out of True20 and just have everyone go up a level at the end of each adventure.  It would make things easy.  If so then AS&SH might just be the right choice.  I would want to ratchet up the pulp feel.  But not really use any Lovecraftian beasties.  I am kinda burned out on them really.

Something to consider anyway.