* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : AD&D Source for Barbara Hambly's Darwath? Started at 05-21-05 02:14 AM by Dugald the Lexicographer Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=433377 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : Dugald the Lexicographer Date : 05-21-05 02:14 AM Thread Title : AD&D Source for Barbara Hambly's Darwath? Great series of books published in the 80s by Barbara Hambly: The Time of the Dark, The Walls of Air, and The Armies of Daylight. Together, they were called the Darwath Trilogy. I'm running an AD&D 2E campaign in a custom world, and have tied in several elements from this series, along with a couple of other storylines. I'm working on the monster stats for "the Dark" and thought I'd see if anyone else had gone that route. I was surprised to find NO TRACE on the Web of anyone else's work up of any of the creatures, people, or geography of Darwath at the Time of the Dark. So, have any of you used elements from the Darwath Trilogy in your game? What stats did you use for the Dark, and how'd it work out? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : mikebook Date : 06-12-05 04:54 PM Thread Title : The Dark I read this series as well. It is great... For the dark, I would start with the description of the Dark, then look at a suitable monster like a lurker above or a cloaker, and add the properties of the dark...I would figure some psionics as well for them... Then I would make them from 8-15HD per Dark...Now, for characters, it is a whole other story. Most of the canon would work, with problems being with clerics...Which side do you follow... Mages would have it rough. Rogues would be ok, fighter types would be ok, etc... Please let me know what you think and how it works for you... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : Dugald the Lexicographer Date : 06-13-05 12:09 PM 8-15 HD?!? ACK!!! The party'd be dead in the first encounter! I settled on 3 HD, for a couple of reasons. First, they've got the advantage of numbers. Figure there could be anywhere from 1 - 1000 of the Dark in a given enounter. I've settled on a No Appearing of 1-12, for typical encounters. More, of course, for plot driven encounters, where the Dark are massing. Second, the Dark have never seemed difficult to kill, given a sharp blade. They might strike and take out the unwary within a couple of breaths, but if you're ready for them and keep your wits about you, you stand a good chance of taking quite a few of them out. I've included below what I settled on, and it's working out well so far. Even with the low HD, they're worth 7000 XP, which ain't no slouch. They're tough for a well armed group of 5th-6th levels, with magic on their side. I passed on the psionics, because I've never integrated it with my campaign. For the particulars of my adventure, the Dark (or the Krigg, as they're called in my campaign) are resistant to Divine magic, but susceptible to Arcane magic (I'm playing up the problem caused by the One True Church's persecution of mages). Krigg (the Dark) "The Hunted", in Darwath of Arista CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Tropical to temperate / subterranean or any FREQUENCY: Rare ORGANIZATION: Flock ACTIVITY CYCLE: Nocturnal DIET: Living sentient beings INTELLIGENCE: High (11-13) TREASURE: Nil ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NO. APPEARING: 1-12 ARMOR CLASS: 6 MOVEMENT: 3, Fl 9 (A) HIT DICE: 3 THAC0: 17 NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 1-6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: acid mouth, tail grab, sap spell (divine) SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better magic weapon to hit MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil SIZE: Typically M (5' wingspan) but variable S - H MORALE: Fearless (20) XP VALUE: 7,000 Combat Tail slash - 1d6 - on hit, ST check or grappled (can break out with Bend Bars roll, or by inflicting 6 pts damage to tail) Acid bite - on natural 20, envelops target and inflicts 2d6+2 acid dmg / rnd Nausea - after slaying at close quarters, save vs poison or overcome with nausea from corrupt gore (-2 to hit for 1d4 rounds, lose remaining attacks that round) Sap divine spells - opposed Willpower check to dispel divine spells Invisibility at will 1/trn (imperfect, and often ruined by the stench of acid and decaying blood) Darkness 15' Radius at will 1/trn Affect Normal Fires at will 1/trn Shy from bright lights (reduce morale by 8 and make immediate check) Susceptible to fire (take double damage) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : Dugald the Lexicographer Date : 06-13-05 12:24 PM Now, for characters, it is a whole other story. Most of the canon would work, with problems being with clerics...Which side do you follow... Mages would have it rough. Rogues would be ok, fighter types would be ok, etc... Party consists of a fighter, and a multi-class priest/mage, who hides his wizardry behind the guise of priesthood (not unlike Brother Wend, only less reluctant). They've hired on some sellswords, so they started out with two more fighters and a ranger. One of those fighters died in the first encounter with the Krigg (aka Dark), but they picked up two more sellswords from a decimated caravan. Both of those have now perished as well, so it's down to four. The end of the last session, they found the priest/mage's wizard mentor, trapped in the catacombs beneath the One True Church's cathedral in Gae, locked behind the Rune of the Chain. I'm considering having his magic stripped away, having been branded with the Rune of the Chain as well ... otherwise, I fear he may unbalance the party. They could really use a rogue of some sort, but neither of my players opted that way, and I haven't found a reasonable way to introduce them to one whom they'd want to bring with them. It's a good party though, overall, and they're making good progress. The tough part is, as I mentioned in my first post, that I'm not running the Time of the Dark straight from the novels. I've integrated two OTHER storylines into the adventure, so there's ... a WHOLE LOT going on. Almost TOO MUCH, but I think I've got a handle on it, and it's coming along. We're six sessions in (7 full days of gameplay), and the players seem to be hooked. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:16 AM.