Oh, Wow! I didn’t realize I was this far behind on this blog. My apologies, dear readers.
We finished the module in Week 27. They worked through Alyxian’s issues while also defeating his forms. We managed the Best Possible Ending, although it was touch-and-go for a few moments there. All-in-all, I think the whole thing was a rousing success. The group had started to grow weary of the dungeon, just as it finished. We had a few good laughs over the number of times they nearly found the end, but turned and went a different way. They had a huge discussion about who should have which mote, as they had been hoarding them in the least number of characters possible, only to have them ripped away in the next moment. Now there are three refugees from another time, that one of the characters feels responsible for.
I think it went really well, and as the campaign is continuing on, I paid them out of other sources, since the Allegiance wouldn’t. For week 28, we had a lovely shopping episode, and then they dove right into their backstories, as well as the things they had left unfinished. Without any prompting from me. It’s always nice to sit back and watch your group roleplay their hearts out.
Week 29 was more cleaning things up. Heading home, getting one of the rivals resurrected, doing a bit more shopping, and reporting back to their Dens, in the case of two of them. Getting information on the two big threads they have left. I was hoping they’d finish up a couple other threads (backstory, and a medusa), but it looks like they’re headed straight for the coast and the next dungeon.
So, I’ve spent the last week panic prepping for that. I only had a vague idea of the place (Ghor Veles) as a backstory thing. Knowing they’d go there, but as always, thinking there would be more time. So, I read two well-known dungeon modules, and a few from DMsGuild, flagrantly stealing maps, monsters, treasures, and traps. I made lists of all those things on Friday. Then, during an evening chat with other friends, combed through the Monster section of DnDBeyond for more undead to use. Saturday, I spent all afternoon dividing up these monsters and traps by CR/type and assigned them to one of the sections of the dungeon: surrounding area, outer guards, first floor, towers, basement, and sub-basement. Sunday, I realized that there were People around this area that were very relevant to the campaign. So, I named, described, and placed them, too. I got a bit distracted doing this, and started populating other areas of this region, too. In case the group doesn’t go straight for the dungeon, or in case they went to the other one, instead.
I still have a lot of work to do today and tomorrow. I need to actually write up the dungeon: room descriptions, trap locations, monster locations and motivations/strategies, and treasure. I also want to set up Guards and Wards, as well. I’ve run into them as a rogue, but never actually used them before. The module didn’t have traps nor locked doors in the dungeons very much, but I want a much more traditional experience for this one.
I also have to finish my Blightshore prep in general. It’s quite a strange place, full of chaos and magic running wild. I have some things I want to specifically place, but others are a random chance to occur. I know my group wants to fly over the mountains to get there, so I should do some prep on that, as well as preparing the cities in the south, in case they don’t. Or Ship crews in case they go by sea. It’s a lot, and I should have started sooner, but I think I’ve got the basics ready, and we’ll just make it work from there.