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<blockquote data-quote="Tolamaker" data-source="post: 9010459" data-attributes="member: 7031495"><p><strong>Sessions 54 & 55: When Will the Fighting End?</strong></p><p></p><p>The party is able to withstand the wyverns, and in quick succession manage to defeat them, as well as cutting down the retreating wyvern riders. As they begin to regroup, they hear a ringing gong sound from the mountainside above. Through the clearing mists, they can see monks bounding down the mountain to join the fight. From the opposite side, an answering Ostalin war horn sounds: the contingent of soldiers led by Captain Lu Pan. But before they can join, a shouting voice arrests the groups attention. "There they are!" a man who can only be General Signus shouts, his strange blind mount loping forward through the mist. "Those responsible for disrupting our affairs, and the weakness that infected you all!" He throws an object forward, and it rolls forward to reveal it is the head of the lieutenant they had met outside the town. "Give'em thunder, boys!"</p><p></p><p>Eluriah answers the general and his men's arrival with a fireball. At Signus' command, a soldier throws herself in front of him, shielding him fromt he worst of the blast. Striding forward, his mount's ears change shape, and the heroes' nerves alight with pain. Fighting through, Mishka activates her rune and grows to a giant's size, and takes on the General. Corban casts a <em>slow</em> spell that catches most of the enemy, including Signus. Hell hounds attack from the flank, taking on Aripos and the casters in the back. Gwenevere runs across the battlefield to catch as many soldiers in a lightning bolt.</p><p></p><p>With a heavy swing from Mishka, the General is cloven in two, and the rest of the soldiers soon follow, while his steed is felled by a fire seed from Eluriah's companion Artemis. The monks and soldiers join the fight and soon have the Ragesians running. After a while, the remaining Ragesians are gathered together, and it becomes clear that the monks are divided on what to do with them. Su Ilgon and his acolytes have circled the soldiers, almost protecting them from Su Pli and his monks. Su Pli rages at his brother. "After what they've done here, after what they've done to us, you protect them?" Eventually Su Ilgon wins out, and Su Pli storms off.</p><p></p><p>The rest of the day is a blur as the party helps with the wreckage and the wounded. The next day, as they go off in search of Torrent and the rest of the Lyceum party, Su Ilgon warns them that the Valley will always provide trials to those who enter it. "Neither you nor Kai Lei are properly prepared."</p><p></p><p>Entering the Valley, they are soon engulfed in mist, unable to see even a hundred feet in front of them. Above them, Eluriah hears whispers and only has time to warn Mishka as disgruntled monk acolytes descend upon them. East Wind monks snap at them with Whips to stun them, while West Wind monks channel their ki into spells, barraging the party with shattering winds. At first, the party is pummeled on all sides, locked down by the stunning strikes of the monks. However, one by one, they are able to push through and fight back. Corban counterspells as much as possible, while Gwenevere strikes back. Mishka and Aripos are the last to break free. As the tides turn, the monks call out to "the lord of the winds" to protect them, and a shrieking cry answers. With a gust of wind, a mantidrake comes forth to face the party as well.</p><p></p><p><strong>Post-session thoughts and Changes</strong></p><p>Once again, I'm recapping two sessions, as they were largely fight-based. Because of the reshuffling of this module, I'm combining both sections into this.</p><p></p><p>The General Signus fight was going far too easily for the group, which is why two hellhounds joined the fight late. At first, I was pretty disappointed with this fight, but then I realized later I had misread Loper's range on his cones of destruction (I read 80 as 30), so when I was hitting two people, I really should have been able to maneuver to hit almost all of the party. I don't think that would have made a huge difference, but maybe. It definitely would have allowed me to hit the casters more often, who I mostly peppered with arrows that rarely hit.</p><p></p><p>I added the fight between the brothers to start to hint at a darker side to Pilus. That will obviously be expanded when they reach the temple, but I think it was subtle enough for the players to think it was just a bit of flavor at the end of the fight.</p><p></p><p>Going into the valley, I need to get a little meta. I get married in three weeks, and I really want to finish the module by then before I disappear for the ceremony and honeymooning. I was debating which fights to cut, but then I decided on something else. While I'm still going to cut the abomination fight (I'll make the Lyceum party part of the Ettin club) I decided for a change of pace as an experiment. My MO is usually to cut fights, and make the surviving fights harder. I pump up hp, multiattacks, number of enemies, etc. However, the last few times I've done this I've felt like they've been more of a slog than normal. So, this time, I'm going to run almost all of the encounters (monks, ettins, Aurus the wind minotaur, Caela) but by the book (for the most part). I already enjoyed the monk fight far more than I did the Signus fight. The monks are nice little glass cannons who were all pretty much two-shotted, but they really did a number on the group, locking everyone down into a nice little group for Shatter spells to do their work. I'm afraid the mantidrake showed up too late to be more than a cool feature, but whatever. It moved along nicely, and hopefully the future fights will as well.</p><p></p><p>Next week, the temple! Will they be able to enter? Will they recognize their friend in time to save her? We'll see!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tolamaker, post: 9010459, member: 7031495"] [B]Sessions 54 & 55: When Will the Fighting End?[/B] The party is able to withstand the wyverns, and in quick succession manage to defeat them, as well as cutting down the retreating wyvern riders. As they begin to regroup, they hear a ringing gong sound from the mountainside above. Through the clearing mists, they can see monks bounding down the mountain to join the fight. From the opposite side, an answering Ostalin war horn sounds: the contingent of soldiers led by Captain Lu Pan. But before they can join, a shouting voice arrests the groups attention. "There they are!" a man who can only be General Signus shouts, his strange blind mount loping forward through the mist. "Those responsible for disrupting our affairs, and the weakness that infected you all!" He throws an object forward, and it rolls forward to reveal it is the head of the lieutenant they had met outside the town. "Give'em thunder, boys!" Eluriah answers the general and his men's arrival with a fireball. At Signus' command, a soldier throws herself in front of him, shielding him fromt he worst of the blast. Striding forward, his mount's ears change shape, and the heroes' nerves alight with pain. Fighting through, Mishka activates her rune and grows to a giant's size, and takes on the General. Corban casts a [I]slow[/I] spell that catches most of the enemy, including Signus. Hell hounds attack from the flank, taking on Aripos and the casters in the back. Gwenevere runs across the battlefield to catch as many soldiers in a lightning bolt. With a heavy swing from Mishka, the General is cloven in two, and the rest of the soldiers soon follow, while his steed is felled by a fire seed from Eluriah's companion Artemis. The monks and soldiers join the fight and soon have the Ragesians running. After a while, the remaining Ragesians are gathered together, and it becomes clear that the monks are divided on what to do with them. Su Ilgon and his acolytes have circled the soldiers, almost protecting them from Su Pli and his monks. Su Pli rages at his brother. "After what they've done here, after what they've done to us, you protect them?" Eventually Su Ilgon wins out, and Su Pli storms off. The rest of the day is a blur as the party helps with the wreckage and the wounded. The next day, as they go off in search of Torrent and the rest of the Lyceum party, Su Ilgon warns them that the Valley will always provide trials to those who enter it. "Neither you nor Kai Lei are properly prepared." Entering the Valley, they are soon engulfed in mist, unable to see even a hundred feet in front of them. Above them, Eluriah hears whispers and only has time to warn Mishka as disgruntled monk acolytes descend upon them. East Wind monks snap at them with Whips to stun them, while West Wind monks channel their ki into spells, barraging the party with shattering winds. At first, the party is pummeled on all sides, locked down by the stunning strikes of the monks. However, one by one, they are able to push through and fight back. Corban counterspells as much as possible, while Gwenevere strikes back. Mishka and Aripos are the last to break free. As the tides turn, the monks call out to "the lord of the winds" to protect them, and a shrieking cry answers. With a gust of wind, a mantidrake comes forth to face the party as well. [B]Post-session thoughts and Changes[/B] Once again, I'm recapping two sessions, as they were largely fight-based. Because of the reshuffling of this module, I'm combining both sections into this. The General Signus fight was going far too easily for the group, which is why two hellhounds joined the fight late. At first, I was pretty disappointed with this fight, but then I realized later I had misread Loper's range on his cones of destruction (I read 80 as 30), so when I was hitting two people, I really should have been able to maneuver to hit almost all of the party. I don't think that would have made a huge difference, but maybe. It definitely would have allowed me to hit the casters more often, who I mostly peppered with arrows that rarely hit. I added the fight between the brothers to start to hint at a darker side to Pilus. That will obviously be expanded when they reach the temple, but I think it was subtle enough for the players to think it was just a bit of flavor at the end of the fight. Going into the valley, I need to get a little meta. I get married in three weeks, and I really want to finish the module by then before I disappear for the ceremony and honeymooning. I was debating which fights to cut, but then I decided on something else. While I'm still going to cut the abomination fight (I'll make the Lyceum party part of the Ettin club) I decided for a change of pace as an experiment. My MO is usually to cut fights, and make the surviving fights harder. I pump up hp, multiattacks, number of enemies, etc. However, the last few times I've done this I've felt like they've been more of a slog than normal. So, this time, I'm going to run almost all of the encounters (monks, ettins, Aurus the wind minotaur, Caela) but by the book (for the most part). I already enjoyed the monk fight far more than I did the Signus fight. The monks are nice little glass cannons who were all pretty much two-shotted, but they really did a number on the group, locking everyone down into a nice little group for Shatter spells to do their work. I'm afraid the mantidrake showed up too late to be more than a cool feature, but whatever. It moved along nicely, and hopefully the future fights will as well. Next week, the temple! Will they be able to enter? Will they recognize their friend in time to save her? We'll see! [/QUOTE]
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