My Castle Greyhawk PCs are overdue, in one or two cases, to hit level four, so it's now or never, and I seeded the entry into Zjelwyin Fall in last night's session. I have to figure out exactly how my background changes require me to rework the module (if at all), since the PCs will be acting as agents of the local clergy of Celestian and not looting the tomb, but instead retrieving an item stored there previously by mutual arrangement.
I haven't decided if they'll be charged to either
snag the item (a scroll or book of prophecy or something related) directly, or
wake the lich to donate two objects to him in order to remove their desired object, or
both (with #1 being the plan, and #2 the backup in case they awaken him or he is already awake)
They may also be protecting a pair of nubile twin acolytes (modelled off of the classic Virgin Records logos at https://rarerecordcollector.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/v-2012-kevin-coyne.png), but I haven't decided if keeping them alive may be too challenging or not....
I think that Shodreth Drhachod (I added the "r" to the surname) has this working relationship with Celestian and his clergy, where Celestian helped to fashion and sustain Zjelwyin Fall and in return the lich helps to guard and secure items that he and his clergy wish to remain highly-secure.
Still noodling, but excited to be bringing this adventure to the table if the PCs take the hook (which I think they'll be inclined to do, since it involves the priesthood paying for their current and next-level training costs, or something equivalent)! =)
Allan.
Here's my expanded Astral Encounters table too: https://grodog.blogspot.com/2022/09/astral-adventures-in-greyhawk.html
Allan.
The PCs heard the prophecy tonight for the first time, in flashback while their lives flashed before their eyes, while looting a temple of Nerull in Castle Greyhawk…
…because he noticed them.
Allan.
The Prophecy of the Six and the Twelve is now loosed into the world: https://grodog.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-prophecy-of-the-six-and-the-twelve.html
Allan.
Another quick check-in on your intentions with ZF, Anthony: I'm working through XP awards for the PCs who exited ZF, and have some multi-class PCs in the party. Had you given any thought to how you would fairly award XP for single vs. multi-class PCs upon exit?
I've got a few ideas in mind, but thought it would be useful to consider your input, as usual :D
Allan.
The PCs completed their quest last night and have returned to the Flanaess!
Blog summary of my Astral modifications at https://grodog.blogspot.com/2022/09/astral-adventures-in-greyhawk.html
Allan.
The PCs stand before the throne, abased and in supplication, proffering the scroll of passage from Celestian, as Shodreth Drachod awakes, his crystal column melting and running off the sword platform as riveulets of liquid diamond and topaz....
That was our cliffhanger at the end of the session tonight! :D
Allan.
Drachod's poem at the pull-ring, recast:
==
No mercy exists
before me
Open this door
to vanish forever
from Shodreth Drachod: Gringling
King
am I
==
Allan.
Anthony---
What is the relationship between Shodreth Drachod and the other gringlings of the City of Brass? He's not listed among the notable NPCs, but that list seems tied to the current/last regime, rather than spanning Who's Who across the aeons.
Also: do you consider him the most-powerful still-extant gringling?
Allan.
I cancelled our 16 July session, so 30 July was our "maybe not next session" which did prove accurate in our pacing. I think we'll likely wrap ZF up next time, and then return the PCs back to Oertha Firma and see where the chips fall for next steps.
Allan.
We’re getting close to the end of ZF, I think. Maybe not next session, but the one afterward they’ll wrap it up.
Need to ponder a few more things soon re: the item they’re recovering and it’s possible implications on going-forward play….
Time for another blog update too: I want to share some of the additional resources I’ve been using to run ZF :)
Allan.
The other rule I use is that a PC can get the recipe for a potion by destroying the potion. This means that those very-hard-to-make potions are likely to be kept, rather than deconstructed because of the bird in the hand rule. Having a recipe for a potion you have a 5% chance of crafting is less useful.
After our holiday break, the PCs discovered the Fall last night, and are now wrestling in the VC2 chamber :)
Allan.
So the first night in the Astral was random encounters en route to The Fall (as the players have begun to call it).
Over 13 days (I altered the timeline*, obviously) they encountered:
- nothing at the start of the trip (I retained the three DMG astral WM checks at the beginning, midpoint, and end of their astral journey)
- Astral Wolves (from Nehwon) on midway through day 6 (and the PCs easily out-distanced them, given their Animal intelligence)
- a Kelmain host of 6628 spirits of slain Kelmain warriors, marching to their afterlife
(both of those encounters were from monsters from Deities & Demigods)
- day 13's third check* resulted in another spirits encounter, this time with a group of elves (Eldar) with a psychopomp (who was originally going to be Mandos but it flipped it to Earendil on the fly); the PCs ended up hitching a ride with Earendil for 10 days (no encounters), and received a Blessing of the Valar (double-strength Prayer spell) via the Silmaril that Earnedil uses to guide the elven spirits through the Sundering Seas to Valinor
* I'm doing 3 checks per day (every 8 hours = 3/day vs. every 4 = 6/day), with the total duration of the trip being [(2d20+4)x4 days] / 2 (due to the phylacteries, which they're wearing on their heads like diadem headbands, and which shoot out hot pink/ruby searchlight lasers to track and home in on ZF)
The checks are 1 in 20, except for the three DMG checks, which remain 1 in 10. If the PCs roll a 2 on either check, those represent "signs of an encounter" rather than a real/actual encounter (that's what the Kelmain host was rolled as).
Allan.
I wish you sweet dreams!
Had to cancel last session so we begin the Astral journey tomorrow night!
Allan.
Hook accepted tonight, they'll start to journey into the Silvery Realm next session :D
Allan.
Wow. That sounds amazing! Glad you are making it your own and excited to hear how it goes.