Beginning KoD - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Beginning KoD

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Sep 04, 2004 15:29:58 Tuesday, I will start DMing the KoD module, and boy I can't wait! hah...

If this thread is against the rules or whatever, I'm sorry.

Does any of you have any tips for me? I want to try to make this one of the best adventures I've run, and I don't want anything to ruin it for me or my players :P... Well, truth be told, I won't be *starting* the KoD until probably the 14th, because the first session will just be making characters and what not...

I am going to try to make a campaign journal on these boards because I thought it would be interesting to see how different my campaign is going from others, but I am not really sure because my group is gonna be mostly new players and I don't know how they play and what not. And I don't want to embarass myself due to my bad DMing :P...

I can't wait to start!! hah
#2
Miles
Sep 04, 2004 19:20:11 It's a great campaign. Me and my players have just about finished the second chapter, and our next session will be the fourth. The first chapter goes pretty quickly once you get the plot rolling, so be sure to use some of the random encounters to fatten it up.

Also, this campaign seems to want you to add your own creations and deviations to it, as well. You can play the NPCs however you want, and send the players on sidequests aplenty.

Miles.
#3
Nived
Sep 05, 2004 13:08:13 My groups been playing since the preview chapter came online. Long sessions every weekened since, we're in Port Balfor now... been taking our time, perhaps too much they're getting a little too high in level... but anyway it's been a blast. Two of my players have said it's been the best D&D game they've been involved in. Which makes me happy as a DM, and also speaks to the quality of the product.

A couple of tips.

First check out this thread here. While this is a great module there are some mistakes and printing errors this thread should smooth over most of it untill the official errata is released. It will help you.

Don't be afraid to deviate from the story a bit, durring their stay in Ak-Kurman I decided to just play around with some encoutners and sidestories I had in mind. Also an excellent place in the story to delve into character backstories if you can.

Getting your players into the RP is easier if you 'practice' your lines. Get a sense of certain NPCs before they come into the story. Read their scenes aloud so that you have a sense of how you want to say the lines and you have the character in mind, that way when the lines are over and your players are free form talking to the NPCs you have a feel for them (rather than just forming the character in your mind a minute ago when you started reading their part) and you can keep yourself in character. Since you're handling so many characters this prep time can give these NPCs an air of believability that's hard (not impossible but hard) to come up with on the fly.

If you don't have good clerics the Shattered Temple can be brutal.

Sticky notes, you can never have enough sticky notes! Put them in the MM if you know that those encounters may come up, put them in the stats section of the chapter your running... Sticky notes are your best friend!
#4
zombiegleemax
Sep 05, 2004 20:45:30 Thanks to both of you!! I already compiled a mini-errata on Notepad. hah. I think I may just have to buy a pack of sticky notes now that you bring it up, one of the first campaigns I ran, I had these neat little sticky pads that worked perfect as little book marks... They were wider than they were long so I could write things on them, such as "XP tables", "Specific Monsters", "Random Treasures", etc. And I lost them all haha...

Thanks again!!

P.S. Miles your icon has to possibly be one of the best on this board, Happy Noodle Boy and JTHM rock!
#5
zombiegleemax
Sep 06, 2004 17:20:07 By the end of the module, what level should 4 player characters be? The reason that I ask is that I am going to be starting the module for them on Thursday and would like to have some of that in mind, especially if a mage that is in the party is going to have to take his Test and one of the fighters wants to become a Legion of Steel member.
#6
Miles
Sep 06, 2004 17:33:09 I haven't finished the module (we'll be playing chapter Three on Wednesday), but it looks like my 3 will end up somewhere around nine or ten by the end of the entire module. I'm just hoping the next one will get released before we finish, so we can segue right into it.

Miles.
#7
Nived
Sep 06, 2004 21:28:55 By the end of the adventure four characters should be about 7th level, give or take.

Personally my three stooges... er players look like they'll end up 8 or (more likely) 9th. This is because I worked in some side adventures of my own for kicks. No big deal though, I'll just scale up the encounters later.

About Wizards of High Sorcery, the composition of this module is such that when a character 'should' take the test there likely wont be an opportunity to do it (you'll likely be in the Shattered Temple of there about when they meet requirements). Mind you the orders are reforming and will be more than happy to test a Wizard that is a little higher in level.

As for the Legion, Ak-Kurman is the right place and about the rght level to be looking to join.
#8
zombiegleemax
Sep 07, 2004 10:23:24 So if they are a little higher than 4th level when they take the Test one would just make it that much more difficult in terms of ECLs and stuff?
#9
Nived
Sep 07, 2004 12:40:28 Well yes, you just make it a little harder, no big deal if you have a decent group of people. Some gamers would be mad if they couldn't get a PrC right when they want to to get their build.
#10
frostdawn
Sep 07, 2004 16:46:04 My group just made it to Ak Khurman. 1 character is 5th, 2 at 6th, 1 at 4th, and 1 at 3rd (the last being the NPC). Then again, they've run a couple side quests as well. The first being their meeting story, then checking out some ruins from the Sunless Citadel mini-adventure. Then they ran into an NPC kender they befriended that come to find out was a dragon, and has asked for their assistance in fighting off a large Blue in the area. (need to get back to that). Everything else went pretty smooth until after Hurim. I put in a sinkhole in the desert, with some smallish cave structure and a few minor critters to spice things up a bit. Needless to say, they lost one of their NPC guides.
#11
zombiegleemax
Sep 07, 2004 18:40:11 I dont recall reading it anywhere, but how long after the War of Souls does the KOD take place?
#12
quentingeorge
Sep 07, 2004 19:47:26 6 months, I think
#13
zombiegleemax
Sep 08, 2004 11:42:27 My players are on Chapter 3 of the Key of Destiny module. One of my former players character died in the last session and I am currently working on integrating two new players. One has shown interest in playing a cleric, the other is playing a Kagonesti elf ranger.

~~~
#14
zombiegleemax
Sep 08, 2004 12:14:49 Sometimes it can be a pain to introduce new characters into a game especially if there isnt a place to bring them into.

So then if it takes place 6 months after the War of Souls, then the orders have not been re-established and there is no one to monitor magic yet? That makes things easier.

Do the events in Amber and Ashes have any bearing on the events in this trilogy of modules?
#15
theredrobedwizard
Sep 08, 2004 12:18:51 As far as I know, the events of Amber and Ashes take place one year after the War of Souls comes to an end.

So, short answer: No effect on the modules.

-TRRW
#16
zombiegleemax
Sep 08, 2004 12:40:28
Sometimes it can be a pain to introduce new characters into a game especially if there isnt a place to bring them into.

True. Luckily I foresaw the problem and thus wrote in various plot hooks, at the beginning of the game, that would easily allow for cameo appearances in my Dragonlance game.

~~~
#17
zombiegleemax
Sep 08, 2004 15:46:45 Good for you LordofIllusions. How are your players enjoying the module?
#18
Miles
Sep 09, 2004 0:28:25 There is at least one advantage to reading Amber and Ashes while running Key of Destiny, as I found out: Nightshade is a dead ringer (so to speak) to Shroud. It was easy for me to roleplay Shroud after reading how Nightshade acts in the novel.

Miles.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Sep 04, 2004 15:29:58	Tuesday, I will start DMing the KoD module, and boy I can't wait! hah... If this thread is against the rules or whatever, I'm sorry. Does any of you have any tips for me? I want to try to make this one of the best adventures I've run, and I don't want anything to ruin it for me or my players :P... Well, truth be told, I won't be starting the KoD until probably the 14th, because the first session will just be making characters and what not... I am going to try to make a campaign journal on these boards because I thought it would be interesting to see how different my campaign is going from others, but I am not really sure because my group is gonna be mostly new players and I don't know how they play and what not. And I don't want to embarass myself due to my bad DMing :P... I can't wait to start!! hah
#2 Miles Sep 04, 2004 19:20:11	It's a great campaign. Me and my players have just about finished the second chapter, and our next session will be the fourth. The first chapter goes pretty quickly once you get the plot rolling, so be sure to use some of the random encounters to fatten it up. Also, this campaign seems to want you to add your own creations and deviations to it, as well. You can play the NPCs however you want, and send the players on sidequests aplenty. Miles.
#3 Nived Sep 05, 2004 13:08:13	My groups been playing since the preview chapter came online. Long sessions every weekened since, we're in Port Balfor now... been taking our time, perhaps too much they're getting a little too high in level... but anyway it's been a blast. Two of my players have said it's been the best D&D game they've been involved in. Which makes me happy as a DM, and also speaks to the quality of the product. A couple of tips. First check out this thread here. While this is a great module there are some mistakes and printing errors this thread should smooth over most of it untill the official errata is released. It will help you. Don't be afraid to deviate from the story a bit, durring their stay in Ak-Kurman I decided to just play around with some encoutners and sidestories I had in mind. Also an excellent place in the story to delve into character backstories if you can. Getting your players into the RP is easier if you 'practice' your lines. Get a sense of certain NPCs before they come into the story. Read their scenes aloud so that you have a sense of how you want to say the lines and you have the character in mind, that way when the lines are over and your players are free form talking to the NPCs you have a feel for them (rather than just forming the character in your mind a minute ago when you started reading their part) and you can keep yourself in character. Since you're handling so many characters this prep time can give these NPCs an air of believability that's hard (not impossible but hard) to come up with on the fly. If you don't have good clerics the Shattered Temple can be brutal. Sticky notes, you can never have enough sticky notes! Put them in the MM if you know that those encounters may come up, put them in the stats section of the chapter your running... Sticky notes are your best friend!
#4 zombiegleemax Sep 05, 2004 20:45:30	Thanks to both of you!! I already compiled a mini-errata on Notepad. hah. I think I may just have to buy a pack of sticky notes now that you bring it up, one of the first campaigns I ran, I had these neat little sticky pads that worked perfect as little book marks... They were wider than they were long so I could write things on them, such as "XP tables", "Specific Monsters", "Random Treasures", etc. And I lost them all haha... Thanks again!! P.S. Miles your icon has to possibly be one of the best on this board, Happy Noodle Boy and JTHM rock!
#5 zombiegleemax Sep 06, 2004 17:20:07	By the end of the module, what level should 4 player characters be? The reason that I ask is that I am going to be starting the module for them on Thursday and would like to have some of that in mind, especially if a mage that is in the party is going to have to take his Test and one of the fighters wants to become a Legion of Steel member.
#6 Miles Sep 06, 2004 17:33:09	I haven't finished the module (we'll be playing chapter Three on Wednesday), but it looks like my 3 will end up somewhere around nine or ten by the end of the entire module. I'm just hoping the next one will get released before we finish, so we can segue right into it. Miles.
#7 Nived Sep 06, 2004 21:28:55	By the end of the adventure four characters should be about 7th level, give or take. Personally my three stooges... er players look like they'll end up 8 or (more likely) 9th. This is because I worked in some side adventures of my own for kicks. No big deal though, I'll just scale up the encounters later. About Wizards of High Sorcery, the composition of this module is such that when a character 'should' take the test there likely wont be an opportunity to do it (you'll likely be in the Shattered Temple of there about when they meet requirements). Mind you the orders are reforming and will be more than happy to test a Wizard that is a little higher in level. As for the Legion, Ak-Kurman is the right place and about the rght level to be looking to join.
#8 zombiegleemax Sep 07, 2004 10:23:24	So if they are a little higher than 4th level when they take the Test one would just make it that much more difficult in terms of ECLs and stuff?
#9 Nived Sep 07, 2004 12:40:28	Well yes, you just make it a little harder, no big deal if you have a decent group of people. Some gamers would be mad if they couldn't get a PrC right when they want to to get their build.
#10 frostdawn Sep 07, 2004 16:46:04	My group just made it to Ak Khurman. 1 character is 5th, 2 at 6th, 1 at 4th, and 1 at 3rd (the last being the NPC). Then again, they've run a couple side quests as well. The first being their meeting story, then checking out some ruins from the Sunless Citadel mini-adventure. Then they ran into an NPC kender they befriended that come to find out was a dragon, and has asked for their assistance in fighting off a large Blue in the area. (need to get back to that). Everything else went pretty smooth until after Hurim. I put in a sinkhole in the desert, with some smallish cave structure and a few minor critters to spice things up a bit. Needless to say, they lost one of their NPC guides.
#11 zombiegleemax Sep 07, 2004 18:40:11	I dont recall reading it anywhere, but how long after the War of Souls does the KOD take place?
#12 quentingeorge Sep 07, 2004 19:47:26	6 months, I think
#13 zombiegleemax Sep 08, 2004 11:42:27	My players are on Chapter 3 of the Key of Destiny module. One of my former players character died in the last session and I am currently working on integrating two new players. One has shown interest in playing a cleric, the other is playing a Kagonesti elf ranger. ~~~
#14 zombiegleemax Sep 08, 2004 12:14:49	Sometimes it can be a pain to introduce new characters into a game especially if there isnt a place to bring them into. So then if it takes place 6 months after the War of Souls, then the orders have not been re-established and there is no one to monitor magic yet? That makes things easier. Do the events in Amber and Ashes have any bearing on the events in this trilogy of modules?
#15 theredrobedwizard Sep 08, 2004 12:18:51	As far as I know, the events of Amber and Ashes take place one year after the War of Souls comes to an end. So, short answer: No effect on the modules. -TRRW
#16 zombiegleemax Sep 08, 2004 12:40:28	Sometimes it can be a pain to introduce new characters into a game especially if there isnt a place to bring them into. True. Luckily I foresaw the problem and thus wrote in various plot hooks, at the beginning of the game, that would easily allow for cameo appearances in my Dragonlance game. ~~~
#17 zombiegleemax Sep 08, 2004 15:46:45	Good for you LordofIllusions. How are your players enjoying the module?
#18 Miles Sep 09, 2004 0:28:25	There is at least one advantage to reading Amber and Ashes while running Key of Destiny, as I found out: Nightshade is a dead ringer (so to speak) to Shroud. It was easy for me to roleplay Shroud after reading how Nightshade acts in the novel. Miles.