Guys i've dm-ing this AP now for about a year and i really enjoy it. The group has just finished EABWK.
But first i need to clarify one and another. My group and i have been playing D&D for more then 25 years, so all are really experienced players. We started advanced dungeons and dragons 2nd edition and although we've skipped 4th edition are now playing 5th. This AP we're playing pathfinder.
The players know all the rules and know how to make the most of it. For this reason I keep them about one level lower then the recommended levels in the AP. We have a group of 8 guys, so 7 pc's. If all are there i have a serious problem because then the party is simply to strong. So if that is the case I just add monsters.
All the pc's are halflings and that is hilarious. They won't be taking seriously, they are regularly treated as children, they love good food and the roleplaying is fantastic.
We've got a wizard, who calls himself archmage from the start. A priest from Lathander, who knows he is destined for great deeds and calls himself "chosen" from Lathander. A paladin wiht a deadwish, a bard who seldom smiles and has used a hook as weapon and is now being called the party's hooker. A barbarian who for no particular reason is sure that he is the king and of course the groups leader. Nobody listens to him, thats for sure. Then there is the monk who tries to see the balance in just about everyting. And not to forget the incredible druid. He is seldom there to play, but damm he is powerfull.
Recently i've been giving my players a weekly update on the whats-app and maybe some of you guys like to read it as well. I'll just keep on posting. Your replies, good ideas and feedback is very much appreciated.
After a devestating tour through the lizardmen lair, the halfling horde finally reached the most precious location.
The egg chamber, where they met Hishka again. The halflings were offered a long lasting peace treaty. Hishka the lizardmen shaman even offered a precious wand of curing disease for the leaders of the free city as a token of trust. In the mean time halfling king saw one exceptionally big black egg in between the lizardmen eggs. Offcourse the archmage recognized the black dragon egg immediatly.
Hishka told the dragon egg was from illthane, the instigator of the attack on the keep. Hishka also asked the halfling horde to take the dragon egg to the free city. While chosen immediatly agreed, his not so brave companions were not so hasty to agree. Hishka seized to moment and gave the egg to the chosen.
But the chosen dropped it!
Instead of a small dragon hunderds of green worms came out of it. The halfling king recognized the threat and shouted to the archmage to destroy them all. The chosen helped the remaining lizardmen to save as many eggs as they could. The archmage treid to accept the horrible truth........... and blasted hunderds of lizardmen children into oblivion.
Silence
And then the horrible scream of Hishka who realized her new found allies just killed hunderds of children.
The halfling horde finally left the lizardmen lair packed with gold and magical items but with a heavy heart.
After the encounter with the giant spider, the halfling horde spend two days in the swamp resizing their magical weapons and armor. Now fully equiped for any trouble the horde saw the black wall keep in the distance. Something strange was going on though.....
The front door was open.
The horde quickly realized a problem might be there, but kept going. Afterall their belly was rumbling like a rolling thunderstorm and a proper kitchen was nearby. With their minds set on a delicious meal and their sixth sense fully aware of dangerous creatures lurking in the dark. The horde moved into the cellars where the kitchen was.
Besides the kitchen, the heroic paladin soon found out the cellars turned out to be crowded with worm infested undead. Not only did they hit with the power born of the hatred of everything living, they were crawling with worms. Soon the halfling hooker was covered with worms and the first worm crawled into his skin. Agonizing pain followed where the worm went, while still the hooker continued defending his sorry little ass. All his fellows fled the scène but he kept going! Luckily the chosen saw the light and accepted divine guidance. None would have believed the great idea of raising stone bars could possibly come from the chosen, divine intervention it must have been. While Lathanders magic channeled through the chosen did the work the worm infested undead soon came again. The halfling horde rained magic, alchemical fire, arrows and sling bullets at them and offcourse they fled.
Every moment of delay the hooker saw but most of all felt the worm coming closer to his heart and realized the closer the worm was to his heart the closer he was to his living end on this world.
(although he would still continue to walking this earth) wha ha ha DM maniacal laughter
The chosen helped the hooker anyway he could, but regular Lathander healing didnt help. As a last resort he used the staff of curing disease for the hooker and the pain stopped. Halleluja! Praise the lizardmen
The halfling horde fully aware of the undead pounding on the bars and their small hearts pounding in their chests heard the promised cavalry arriving with Allustan at the lead. Allustan quickly helped the halfling horde annihilate the undead with his mighty magics.
But the age of worms wait for no one!
Small but mighty heroes what shall you do?
Interesting so far. Personally, I would refrain from using deus ex machinas like Allustan often—if it's a powerful party, they don't need any favors, and it can kill a lot of suspense.
And as a nitpick, the worms head for the brain, not the heart. Hence the Int damage. I imagine the experience put them off their second breakfast regardless, though. ;)
I love strongly thematic parties! Playing in an all halfling party would be awesome. My group of players came somewhat close for our run through Council of Thieves with a 3/4 small party. Two halflings, a gnome, and a dwarf. I tried to get the dwarf to go with a small race, but he didn't quite want to go that far...
Band of Hobbits. ;)
Guys thanks for the replies!
Tirin, thats it exactly; hobbits, so much fun!
Kobold cleaver, true.... I should have figured that myself! Thanks for the tip tough.
For some reason Band of Hobbits dealing with the forthcoming apocalypse of the Age of Worms gives me mental images of Apocalypse Now.
" Who's in charge here? "
" Wait. Ain't YOU?! "
" Gonna get some mangos, here, yeah. "
" [Frickin'] tigers man, tigers!! "
;)
The halfling horde has just blasted the worm infested undead into oblivion, when the diamond lake garrison starts applauding. After minutes of cheering the horde starts to realize that although they saved their sorry little butts there might be more of the undead upstairs. Truly scared because of the near death experience from their hooker friend, they start to kibble between themselves. It must have been the lack of food, because they missed the inbetween tea and lunch and obviously they just blasted the kitchen into small tiny bits! How can you ever cook there again.......
It is still early morning, but what to do? Clear the remaining levels of the keep? Have the garrison do that for them? Directly go to the free city? What to eat for lunch? So many choices.
Jack the commander of the garrison obviously needs to know how far this infestation has spread and insists on checking black wall keep. But the horde knows the danger inside and is still hungry. Especially the archmage is scared, but again the king knows how to inspire his loyal followers. The paladin with his obvious deathwish is the first to agree and finally they enter the doomed tower again. They find nothing, making it all even scarier because the horde knows now the infestation will spread. Quickly plans are made, the garrison will stay at the keep. Allustan will warn diamond lake. The halfling horde will go to the free city to ask for advice about the worms at Eligos the sage about the worms or what to do.
For whatever reason the king wants to leave the staff of curing behind at the keep, but even the not so smart paladin knows better.
Food is made and eaten. The garrison again thank the heroes and tell them statues of each of the heroes shall be made to honor them. Again the horde leaves with the worms on their minds.
An uneventful day of traveling follows. Again food is eaten and the small heroes cuddle up in their warm bedrolls while the archmage watches out for monsters in the dark night. And soon the monsters come!
Two large human shaped creatures with long arms and long claws run into the camp demanding tribute. The archmage doesn’t even think about it and foolishly declines. Immediately the trolls start pounding the halfling horde.
Beautiful actions and pure drama follow each other in devastating speed. Raging king doing massive damage but also being ripped into bloody little pieces. Seriously in need of the latest rules about stabilizing. ;-)
The same goes for the paladin, massive damage but also throwing away his sword at a fantastic moment. The anti bard off course saves the day with ongoing stabbing in the back of the angry troll. The horde quickly realize these creatures regenerate! Both the king (a member of the ice troll beserker clan) and the anti bard know how to deal with this menace and the corpses are quickly burned. Not from the king, he is revived by the sweet liquor of a healing potion. Zeus tries to pick up the scent from the trolls and the horde is ready for another moment of glory or sweet dreams, whatever they decide…………..
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Hobbits are culinary experimenters. I'm surprised that the anti-bard didn't jar a few samples for such things as regenerating livestock. Carve your steak off, wait a few minutes, carve off another one! ;)
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I cannot think of a single way that can backfire on anyone.
Neither can I
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;)
Great idea guys, i'll try to give a sensitive hint. Thats gonna be fantastic!
After a devestating battle with two trolls, the halfling horde continued their travel to the free city. The closer they came the more the halflings were astonished by the magnificience of the free city. Offcourse the city was protected by the usual dimwits who were'nt afraid to harass the poor halflings of a few gold. The bard knew how to handle and quickly used a couple of gold pieces from the chosen (who was needless to say unaware of this action) to ease the passage into the city. Quickly the guards allowed the heroes to enter and onward they went.
Some time later the horde saw a procession of jugglers, carnaval artists and caged beasts traveling by. All were astonished by the sight and followed together with a huge crowd. Too bad the crowd did not only hold trustworthy people, but a couple of (halfling) thieves were among them as well.The chosen donated his purse and the monk a beautiful wand to the merry couple of thieves.
In the meanwhile a caged magical abomination with a goat's head, a lions head and even a black dragons head continued to draw its breath weapon on the cage. Because of this continued assault on the cage and the relative safety the crowd was close, but.......
The cage broke!
Soon the halfling horde should have come to the rescue. But nooooooo....... Buf spells were casts while the Chimera unleashed horrific carnage on the unlucky civilians.
Dozens of innocent bystanders were killed, luckily for them the carnage was unleashed by the bard and the monster got his first point of damage. After long and hard fighting finally the horde was able to defeat the monstrosity.
Too bad only then the city guards arrived to assist. They just witnessed the (raging) bard trying to cut of the dragon head. When the monk explained him this was not "the way" the bard finished his gruesome work.
The monk quickly explained the reason of your visit to the free city.
The guards explained the horde should receive a recommendation or maybe even a reward for their heroic actions. An agreement was made to meet the leader of the city guards and onward they went.
But during the trip to the city guards office a weird old men was met. He shouted about an age of worms. To enthralled about a possible reward, this important clue was neglected by the halfling horde.
"Clapboard sign-wearing lunatic ranting about an apocalypse? This week's rant is an Age of Worms? Pffft. We have money to collect, pints - PINTS I say - to drink, cheeeeeeeese to eat and harlots to hire!"
Almost 2 days ago the horde met Tarquin the happy gnome owner of the crooked house tavern. All the happy halflings immediately felt welcome and appreciated. Especially the Voice who was needless to say the centre of attention of the half orc wenches. Quickly a deal was made between Tarquin and the Voice, almost free lodging and drinks were offered if only the voice was willing to perform tonight. He agreed and the crowd was anxious to hear the songs of the heroic halflings.
In the meanwhile several party members went for some much needed shopping. The monk went to order new robes, the paladin went shopping for a magnificent masterwork sword (off course with the chosen on his side). Evening soon fell and the fantastic performance started. Panties, flowers and even gold was thrown at the Voice.
The next morning the monk picked up the robes, the chosen went to the black smithy and insisted on some minor additions, like a Lathander sign (very appropriate for a Kelemvor paladin). In the meanwhile the archmage had his breakfast, tea, in between tea, lunch and needless to say in between some sausages, cheeses, peanuts and some drinks all the while talking about the age of worms.
While asleep the voice's clothes were washed and repaired, the archmage put on his most beautiful hat, the looked more shiny and respectful in his new robes than ever before. Luckily the time was there to meet the high council.
After hearing all the stories the council was willing to agree on a peace treaty with the lizard men and the council awarded the party with 500 gp.
The night soon followed and the Voice again gave away a great performance. After all Halfling were happily asleep (and the Voice was still playing with one of the halforc wenches), they all heard a scream of pain.
Tarquin was hurt and not long after, the last remaining drunk men at the bar started shouting and accusing. THE VOICE KILLED TARQUIN!!!
Soon the Halfling heroes ran from their rooms into the common room and a brawl started. One man though incited the crowd and the Halfling heroes were able to get to him and when he finally was taken down, he started to shift into a gaunt gray skinned humanoid with long gangly limbs and a bulbous head with large octopoid eyes. The city guard enters and some explaining is hard needed………