Touch of Death

[nowonmai]

I am looking to see how others have ran this adventure. While I have ran this many times in the past I am trying to expand this so it is more detailed and perhaps a little longer. The problem is that it seems a little linear without much discission on the PC's part: they arrive and find their bearings, see Isu, the Vistani woman gets captured, they find Isu's involvement from a ghost Vistani (kinda lame), then go to the crypt of Anhktepot to get out. Seems very generic to me.

Just in case some are wanting to know who is going on this to help better tailor this there is a: male half-elf non-native (shadow elf, though not Arak), LE, fighter/thief lvl's 4/5; a female non-native human, CG, thief/mage lvl's 4/5; a male Richemulot highborn human, LN(E), arcanist lvl 4 soon to be 5; and a male Barovian human, LG, priest of the Morninglord lvl 3; there will most likely be a NPC going along.

References to flesh out the land and culture would be nice. I would also like mabye a side trek or two. Here are some ideas I have briefly thought of, but havent really expanded on.

- Senmets tomb is seperate from Anhktepots. Since he was a traitor Anhktepot buried him in a seperate crypt instead of his own, though still with the full honors. Perhaps before or after the PC's deal with Isu they have to go there and find out how exactly to get entrance to Anhktepots tomb, though it would seem more likely after Isu since it is from her diary that they learn of Senmet. Still it would seem like this would be a good place to learn of the "Wall of Ra" and Anhktepots command of it since Senmet is or was a high cleric under Anhktepot. If they havent learned of Isus role by the time the seek Senmets tomb then mabye they learn it there as well. I could use ideas to flesh out his tomb if I use it, but it shouldnt be near as big as Anhktepots. Senmet shouldnt show up since he is preoccupied with other matters, though he may if the PC's are particulary disrespectfull of his tomb (he may sense it seeing how some mummies are sensitive to this).

- Bringing in the Green Hand, from Champions of the Mist (2nd ed). Perhaps getting their help in matters, or clues at the very least. I sort of like this idea so the PC's have some sort of aid, though they may distrust this at first cult seeing as it is morbid with their fascination with the dead, though it is noble and not sinister. One way, though generic, to introduce the Green Hand is by having a member or two show up and help them deal with Senmet and his zombies during one of the attacks on the Vistana vardo.

- Developing another way to have the PC's find out about Isu or a reason to suspect her other than have Dulcimae's ghost lead them. After all Dulcimae's spirit should either be in her mummies body or laid to rest when her mummy is destroyed. Even if they already destroyed her mummy simply having her turned into another form of undead seems rather weak. Perhaps having the Green Hand point them in the direction?

- Fleshing out the lesser mummies that appear in this adventure so they arent the stock ones. Dulcimae's (mabye some Vistana powers), Thutepot's (Anhktepots eldest son that appears in Anhktepots tomb), and the two lesser priests of Anhktepot that are in the great tomb's antechamber (mabye giving them some clerical powers).

- Another introduction vrs the one provided. I know it seems integral to have the Vistana lead them to there by accident but I want to see how others have done it. In case it helps they just completed Howls in the Night and are in Mordent.

Any ideas are welcome as are references or posts dealing with this (I didnt find many obvious threads dealing with directly). Thanks.

[Scede]

I am in the middle of running this one myself and here's how my campaign differs-

The characters had just finished "The Awakening" and found an exit through a cave which, lo-and-behold transported them into Har'Akir. I thought the similarity in culture would be a nice transition there.

In the desert they encounter Dulcimae and her brothers, as well as fight off a few zombies. One of the characters is a local and knows the land relatively well, taking them to Muhar. His background allowed for a side adventure (modified from I3-Pharoah) mixed in with some of the events of ToD (basically to level the characters and give them something to do).

They come back from their dungeon crawl just in time for Dulcimae's card reading. Just as it finishes they are attacked by a swarm of desert zombies who carry away Dulcimae and her only remaining brother. I sped up the timeline and set the Night of Thoth for the following evening. The characters rest and are determined to set out for the Pharoah's Rest in the morning.

I lucked out about them discovering Isu - the native PC has a vow of poverty and had been carrying his share of loot to donate to the temple. He arrives and notices the doors closed and locked and can hear the sounds of chants coming from inside. Knowing this is strange behavior and that the temple is never closed, his interest is piqued and he climbs to the rooftop, hearing the praises to Set. The party joins him and they capture Isu and learn of her evil actions. They put her to death, and reveal her true nature to the locals, then prepare for their journey to the desert.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

It's been a while since I read the adventure, and I'm not the biggest fan of it... but I definately don't like that opening, with the mist-travelling "mistake."

Do your PC's have any scholarly connections? It seems the best way from Mordent to Har'akir is deliberately, seeking some treasure. (That's how it always worked for Indiana Jones and the characters in The Mummy movies.) Some researchers from the university of Port-a-lucine perhaps, looking for hired muscle? or just Dr. Van Richten and his cronies? The PC's can be either hired as protection, or engaged as partners in a research mision, and Dulcimae's vistani caravan can be hired for transport.

As for incorporating other sources, the kargatane catalog lists:
werejackals, shadow asps, and assorted scarab beetles from RLMCIII
the dikesha dice from Forgotten Lore
The high priestess of Muhar: Snefru, from domains of dread/r3e
a priestess named kharafek from VRG Ghosts
Abu Al Mir from CotN:werebeasts
linen of mummification from Forged of darkness
the tomb of hotep from Chilling tales
the jackal's ruse mistway from the nocturnal sea to har'akir (r3e)

Even though ToD is pre-conjunction, if you want to use the full amber wastes cluster, go ahead. there's no reason clusters couldn't have formed before the GC. (the Core did, after all) That gives you Pharazia and Sebua to play with too.

EDIT: one more thing. maybe the ghost that leads them to Isu isn't Dulcimae, but the ghost of whoever Isu is sacrificing in that scene, calling out for help, although it's too late and he's already dead, but may not know it.

Good luck....

[Jasper]

If you can get ahold of it the old DOS game Stone Prophet plays off a very good pre-TOD adventure.





http://www.thecomputershow.com/computer ... tm#endgame

- The walkthrough

[nowonmai]

Thanks for the tips.

I like the idea of the way-in through using the Awakening, as I do about scholars connections. Yes they do have scholary connections: the arcanist was a graduate from the University of Il Aluk. It was there he first studied the primative sciences (compared to real life), specifically anatomy and medicines, and one of his professors took note of his skill and offered to teach him further "sciences". Hence why he is an arcanist now. I know that Darkon is medieval and the sciences werent really known then, but considering the proximity of Darkon to the renaissance domains in the old Core I see no reason why it wouldnt be taught there. Besides I read once that the University of Il Aluk was supposed to be well respected. I digress though.

This does bring an interesting idea though. See, Drake (the arcanist) graduated with and is friends with Gwillum Dertrum, the future Dark Pawn (from an old Dragon magazine article). While Drake and his companions have been off doing other things, Gwillum already hunted for the Book of Souls. That was months ago and perhaps by this time has already been partially corrupted. Gwillum may be pulled in the direction of the events in the Awakening because of the link between the Bast tomb and Har Akir (but doesnt fully realize his urge). He may seek his old friend Drake and his companions, who he planned on hiring for the expedition for the Book before they got transported by the Mists to Night of the Walking Dead. In the Dragon article the Dark Pawn was said to be seen at each of the events of the GC, so this could work well.

Then again using The Awakening and then Touch of Death might "mummy out" the players. It is a good possibility for a link though.

I also forgot about the tomb of Hotep. I may convert this into Senmets. I believe this tomb had to do with alligators or something? If so they would have to go. Perhaps I am mistaken. I will look at it anyways though because I dont really have the time to construct a totally new tomb.

I was also thinking of adding Dulcimae's mummy into the battle with Isu underneath her control. Dulcimae will be a "gift" to Isu by Senmet. Otherwise I figured the battle may be a little easy with 5 characters going after Isu. Either do that or just have Isu use animal summonings with scorpions or jackals on the way.

Never played the Ravenloft computer game. Wasnt it the same style as the Eye of the Beholder trilogy?