Okay, so a good crowd this week, four players, which is about the sweet spot. Although if the characters wanna tackle Eichenbaum they might wanna get a bigger group together.
I was *really* happy with the encounter with the gnoll females and younglings. It was tense but didn't end up just being another hack n' slash fest.
This session marked the first dungeon delve, which was a kick. Astute D&D scholars might recognise Eichenbaum as Quasqueton from Module B1, and they would be correct. This dungeon is my adaptation of Delta's adaptation of said module. I gotta say, though, that in the couple times I've run this module, I've always found the profusion of weird hallway configurations to be a real drag, a total pain to describe and map. The rooms are cool, but the pointless maze of spiraling hallways? My wandering monster rolls were coming up empty, so they were kind of boring. In future, I think I'll figure out ways to abbreviate this part of it. I think what I'll do is leave out the accurate description of the hallways unless there are decision points, like crossroads or doors. This will bear some thought.
Also, it's funny spotting trends between plays of a module. Both times I've run this dungeon, the players seem to gravitate toward the southwest quadrant, with the fungus room and the meeting room full of hobgoblins. Hilariously, both times I've run this module, the group has taken 20 banging away on the locked door, while the hobs get ready for company on the other side. I dunno what that means, but it's funny every time.
I had a pretty nifty idea of cutting out some cellophane circles to mark the extent of torchlight/nightvision on the map. That could come in handy.
Anyway, good game. I'm lookin' forward to more players getting up the gumption to take a crack at Eichenbaum.
P.S.: I know I'm tipping my hand a little by naming the module I sourced but A: I've made a lot of changes, so looking it up probably wouldn't do my players much good and B: If I do find out one of my players has snuck a peek at "In Search of the Unknown" I will END them, probably with an umber hulk.
[New Magic Item] Pipe of Many Mes
8 hours ago
"I've always found the profusion of weird hallway configurations to be a real drag, a total pain to describe and map... I think what I'll do is leave out the accurate description of the hallways unless there are decision points, like crossroads or doors."
ReplyDeleteThe cautionary note I'll sound is that good mapping skills are expected to discover how the multiple entrance/exits, secret passages, up/down access all connects. Also areas XIV-XVII.
The last I was playing B1, I had just a solo player (with muliple PCs), and she immediately took to the mapping as an interesting challenge unto itself. With multiple players at the table hanging out, I can see how that might be a drag for some of them.
Hmm. Good point. Maybe a little more attention/patience on both sides of the screen might have helped this. The game kind of bogged down at one particularly complex juncture, so perhaps I'm overreacting.
ReplyDeleteAlso, they got to the dungeon kind of late, and were skirting Calamity Table time. This, however, is a feature, not a bug. I just need to tamp down my merciful DM instincts...