Fixing Adam's Wrath

[Ultramyth]

So the Horg clone makes sense. I have just named him Horg in my campaign. I am not doing straight Ravenloft - the PCs come from a world that is like a fantasy reimagining of Pirates of the Caribbean mixed with Cthulu Mythos. They came through a portal and landed in the Sea of Sorrows, so I did TPK them... which was easier because they were only 3rd level.

Thanks for the suggestions! I do like the idea of Kadra being Elise's true friend, but to me it seems more Ravenloftesque that she has been both rewarded and punished for her vanity. As a hag, she can never get Victor Mordenheim for herself, but she may be able to get her revenge. It may make more sense for her to send her sisters as well to Schloss Mordenheim to help him against Adam's raiding party. Still... witches and Mordenheim... science and magic are at odds.

As for changelings, I like the theory, but generally the change occurs when the changeling is 13 years old and the transformation is very rapid. However, whilst Kadra could be a hag because of cursing adam and begging the powers for revenge, her sisters could be changelings from across the Core who have been drawn to her to form a coven.

The next issue I am looking to tackle is the Enticement - the PCs have automatically failed a powers check from being remade into flesh golems and being given new cloned bodies.

I don't take issue with this as much as some, but perhaps the solution is actually in having the PCs roll for a Powers Check - maybe 50% chance. Those who succeed have normal cloned bodies, those who don't get the stat bumps... and some flaws.

But then the drawbacks in the 3.x version of Ravenloft are not very compatible for this adventure anymore. The various paths are themed completely different.

I am thinking that the drawbacks could be flaws but that come with flesh-golem like powers. I.e. you have yellow/red eyes but gain darkvision 60 ft. Or you gain resistance to electricity, but a fear of fire. I am thinking of constructing a table.

Things that could go wrong with the regeneration process include corrupted DNA (hag, animal, fish, anything that might have gotten on the samples during the transport), taking on flesh golem traits, or dormant DNA becoming active.

I am open to suggestions, but I was considering using the boxed set drawbacks as a basis and then integrating some golem stats.

[The Lesser Evil]

Honestly I think the powers check thing for being railroaded into being recreated Dr. Mordenheim is crap and one of the worst things about the module. I would remove it all together. Ravenloft is supposed to be about choices, and you're not really given a choice here. You shouldn't get a powers check for being a victim.

[Ultramyth]

It is a bit bull, yeah... although perhaps the way to do it is to offer the PCs a chance to have a cloned body, or to allow the doctor to make a few improvements. These should be presented in a specific way, but offer the PCs a choice.

Choosing the no changes path does not warrant a powers check, but making the choice does. The question is, does it warrant an automatic failure? If not, what should it be?

I think the wearboar heart is nonsense as well. Completely random. A pig's heart would be fine, far more accessible for Mordenheim/Horg and still fits in perfectly.

[Ultramyth]

This is my version of a Dread Flesh Golem:

Flesh Golem (Ravenloft)
Medium construct, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 93 (11d8 + 44)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 9 (-1) 18 (+4) 9 (-1) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)
Damage Immunities cold, lightning, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non magical weapons that aren’t adamantine
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Lamordian
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Berserk. Whenever the golem starts its turn with 40 hit points or fewer, roll a d6. On a 6, the golem goes berserk. On each of its turns while berserk, the golem attacks the nearest creature it can see. lf no creature is near enough to move to and attack, the golem attacks an object, with preference for an object smaller than itself. Once the golem goes berserk, it continues to do so until it is destroyed or regains all its hit points.
The golem’s creator, if within 60 feet of the berserk golem, can try to calm it by speaking firmly and persuasively. The golem must be able to hear its creator, who must take an action to make a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, the golem ceases being berserk. If it takes damage while still at 40 hit points or fewer, the golem might go berserk again.
Aversion of Fire. If the golem takes fire damage, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn.
Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Lightning Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the lightning damage dealt.
Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are magical.
Regeneration: A flesh golem regenerates at a rate of 1 hit point per hour. Damage from fire or acid is not regenerated.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The golem makes two slam attacks or one slam and a strangle.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Strangle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the golem can’t strangle or attack another target.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

If you've already gone past the TPK via starting in media res, why go back an actually play out the TPK at all? It would seem pointless since you've already established what happened effectively enough....

Granted this may just be a different preference in storytelling/I'm not sure how/when you had the flashback take place that might have made it a more effective part of the story...

Hmm... yeah, my situation might have been different, I suppose. In From the Shadows, as written, the opening scene requires a random TPK by the headless horseman. In the next scene, the PCs wake up as heads on a shelf in Azalin's lab. They eventually escape, and find his library, where every visitor to Darkon has their memories written down as they are erased. I didn't like the headless horseman bit, so I replaced it with an missing persons investigation adventure culminating with a TPK via Kargat. But just before I reached the final scene, I did an "interactive cut scene" to show them what was happening to the missing people. I gave them temporary pregen PCs to play and had them wake up as heads on Az's shelf. When they reached the library, I let them read the books there, revealing that they were not temporary PCs, but in fact their original PCs with their memories erased. That's when I flashed back to the TPK battle. I suppose I didn't really need to, you're right. But doing so let them get some closure on the original investigation adventure, as well as meet some Kargat characters that could return later (some did). And I had decided that if one of them had actually managed a miraculous escape, I would have worked that in somehow.

For Adam's wrath, there might not be a need to play out the flashback. Depends on the players willingness to accept the DM "cheat", and whether you want that flashback to include crucial information, or anything the players might do in the "past" that might change the "future" (like die rescuing captives or killing one of the witches or something.) Just because it's a TPK doesn't mean that they couldn't do any good during it.

[Ultramyth]

I don't think the idea of TPK for the sake of story is all that bad, but the players need to be in on it somehow I think. Additionally, they should never be punished due to a plot point - only their decisions. So any loss of equipment, life or limb should due to plot should probably be temporary.

Personally, I have always wanted to explore the PCs slowly becoming monstrous in Ravenloft.

[jamesfirecat]

Personally, I have always wanted to explore the PCs slowly becoming monstrous in Ravenloft.

You might want to take that point to another thread so that it can be discussed in detail without derailing this one (I don't say that as a way of taking the mod's voice as my own, I say it because I'm trying to say that I'd be interested in discussing this particular concept with you at length, but am fairly certain doing so would bring the mod hammer down on myself)

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

You might want to take that point to another thread so that it can be discussed in detail without derailing this one (I don't say that as a way of taking the mod's voice as my own, I say it because I'm trying to say that I'd be interested in discussing this particular concept with you at length, but am fairly certain doing so would bring the mod hammer down on myself)

Yes, but don't worry, it's one of these:

That probably would be best in it's own thread, if only to get a wider audience. (some people might skip this thread based on the title if they have nothing to add regarding the module)

It is a bit bull, yeah... although perhaps the way to do it is to offer the PCs a chance to have a cloned body, or to allow the doctor to make a few improvements. These should be presented in a specific way, but offer the PCs a choice.

Choosing the no changes path does not warrant a powers check, but making the choice does. The question is, does it warrant an automatic failure? If not, what should it be?

I think the wearboar heart is nonsense as well. Completely random. A pig's heart would be fine, far more accessible for Mordenheim/Horg and still fits in perfectly.

I agree completely with this post. It's a very good way to reconcile an otherwise poor use of powers checks, and I always try to "de-monster" most things when possible, so a boars heart makes perfect sense. (And the reality of it is probably a bit more horrifying than the fantastical alternative)

[Ultramyth]

I am glad everyone is interested. I will try to stick to the subject at hand. I have decided to make the PCs an attractive offer, but they will get to make the choice themselves... How do I present it in such a way as to make the offer enticing?

Most of my PCs are actually grey. And probably would choose to make things 'better'. But I am not sure about my players.

And even then, how much of a Powers Check is alright? Should it be an automatic failure if they choose to go down this road? Or will their choices have consequences that might lead to having additional Powers Checks?

[The Lesser Evil]

Check the percentages in the core Ravenloft book and make a call based on that. (It is noted that only truly heinous acts should have higher than a 10% chance of failure.) Perhaps the closest might be to compare it to making an evil magic item.

[Resonant Curse]

Vecna Lives! is another adventure where you get to play NPCs that get a TPK right off to show you how screwed you are. And you're the Circle of Eight no less.

[Ultramyth]

I ended up going with a 50% chance. It was funny actually, because right until the last moment, everyone was going "Oh, I don't trust Doctor Mordenheim, there's no way this is going to go right", so they all were about to not choose a better body than the original when one of them caved, and then all of them shortly after!

Only one failed their powers check though. There was one more who rolled a 50. I believe a 50% chance means 51-00, right?

The problem I currently have is that the party's gear is with Kadra, but the party is on a ticking clock now and supposed to head in the opposite direction. They don't have too much treasure... but still...

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I believe a 50% chance means 51-00, right?

I would usually go with 01-50, but it's equivalent. Random is random.

[Ultramyth]

Ok, so on Monday night, I finally finished Adam's Wrath. Or rather, as much as we were going to ever run, since there is no incentive for our heroes to return to the Isle of Agony.

So, what happened? Spoilers ahead.

Well, as expected, the Von Aubrecker estate happened. Even though I added a tribe of Vistani outside Ludendorf's walls, selling potions that would help against the effects of the fleas of madness, it was almost a TPK. I also had the wolverine encounter at the wagon down the path from the estate end in the wolverine spraying one of the PCs, and had a side effect of the skunk-like spray being that the fleas were repulsed from that PC.

The PCs then tracked down the monastery. This is where things got really interesting. Rather than fighting their way through, they were extra weary of Flesh Golems, and snuck through the monastery, heading straight for the roof. The locked portcullis got them interested, and they entered the mine. They failed to see the caved in section led further down a tunnel, and eventually found their way into Baltoi's cave. They made some great sneak rolls, and this built a great degree of tension.

The PCs then made their way up the shafts again, this time spotting the cave passage. They found Elise, and I was just about to have Adam return while they were discussing how on earth to sneak Elise and all her machines past a monastery full of flesh golems. Then they started talking about sneaking past Baltoi to see if there was another way out.

So, I waited to see what happened. The monk with darkvision snuck down and past Baltoi and discovered that there was indeed a way out further along her cave, overlooking a small settlement no less. So the PCs hatched a plot to sneak Elise out that way. There was an interesting dialogue about how to get her down the shaft in the first place.

I had Adam intercept them just as they reached the cave floor. Adam, incensed, was about to attack them, demanding they return his Elise to him. At the same time, Baltoi awoke, and an epic battle ensued. The PCs fled with Elise rather than fight Baltoi and Adam, and the cave collapsed behind them.

It went so much better than I thought it would.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Fantastic! Sound like an epic battle, and a fun time. Congrats!