[S4 ]EPISODE 94: The End (or is it?)

[Havard]

Episode 94: The End
Written By: Philip J. Slama

Hear the tale of the land called Blackmoor, a place full of death, suffering; its demise is one for the history books, a fight for survival against creatures from the deep. A Dave Arneson's Blackmoor Interactive event for players levels 9-15.

Get the episode here.

Go here to get Part 1 of Episode 90

Trouble Downloading? Read this first!

Let us know what you think of this module here!

-Havard

[Arkenealylth]

This is my least favorite. I was so burned out at this point...

[Yaztromo]

The backstory is great, but the adventure itself doesn't leave much option to the characters: it is a linear succession of (very hard) fights against fancier and fancier enemies.
Unfortunately we are left on a cliffhanger... so sad...

[Havard]

Its certainly very epic!

Perhaps we can expand upon the options here at The Comeback Inn? How would you modify it Yaz?

Do we have a more detailed description of the Drakon’katha?

-Havard

[Yaztromo]

Do we have a more detailed description of the Drakon’katha?

This question leads to a bit of a mystery!
At page 3 of this Episode, in the introductory pages, we can read:

...the Drakon’katha, under the guise of a winter orc attack on the Dwarven capital, was successful in hijacking the prototype war machine (Episode 90: Rolling Thunder).

However, if you check the published adventures on this very section of this very website, Episode 90 is not titled "Rolling Thunder", but is instead "City of the Gods"!!! As far as I can see, there is no episode with that title!!!
I find it very strange having this odd reference in Episode 94 to a previous Episode that doesn't seem to exist! hock:

In fact I searched for Drakon’katha also in the other Episodes mentioned in Episode 94 Background and, for example, in Episode 85: World Without Sunshine there is no mention of Drakon’katha, etc.

This way the reference to Drakon’katha becomes even more obscure, so I hope the very author of this Episode will be able to explain 8)

[Yaztromo]

Its certainly very epic!

Perhaps we can expand upon the options here at The Comeback Inn? How would you modify it Yaz?

Difficult modifying the Episode (to make it a bit less railroady) while not touching the campaign changes introduced (SPOILER ALERT: last but not least the death of King Uther!!!). Perhaps sometimes, in a long and eventually massively epic adventure arc, you need to introduce at some point a railroady episode.

Said that (and said that the Garthropod are really cool monsters...) I like that The End adventure starts where the very campaign started: at the Comeback Inn! I like the fact that there is some time travelling (very appropriate in this place) but in the plot I'd perhaps added somehow Khoronus or some other Time related Immortal (even Thanatos actually claimed that in his Immortal portfolio!). Anyway, apart from this detail, I'd say that the hook is great and very appropriate for a high level party!
The encounter in the future with King Uther is really epic, but as a character I'd like to have a chance of having the Day of Legend cast on myself, instead of the King or of the Grand Inquisitor Col.
The way Uther's succession is dealt with, although completely fair, is a bit below the level of epic of the rest of this Episode... I'd expect something more fancy, like going in the Bleakwood to retrieve the twin girls (that we know... isn't it RobJN?) or some other extravagant heir. Perhaps even Ewan Andahar would have done better than the option proposed...
Then there is the attempt to assassinate the enemy general and destroy the means of controlling the Garthropods (that, I repeat, are really cool monsters...) Perhaps there could be other possible actions to be done? The succession of events doesn't leave the characters much choice.
Then the characters are attacked by the Drakon’katha (they are very cool enemies as well...), in this operation there is an ally that will be killed, by the way, and again there are not many options allowed...
Then there is a very welcome plot twist (or better: surprise) and the Immortal behind all this fracas is revealed (and why not revealing an Immortal that instead wants to stand by the characters, such as, perhaps, Khoronus, as mentioned?)

...and then, unfortunately, after a very dramatic plot twist, we are all left on a cliffhanger... perhaps forever...

Pretty difficult introducing big changes in how the story proceeds, as far as I can understand...

[Yaztromo]

The way Uther's succession is dealt with, although completely fair, is a bit below the level of epic of the rest of this Episode... I'd expect something more fancy, like going in the Bleakwood to retrieve the thing girls (that we know... isn't it RobJN?) or some other extravagant heir. Perhaps even Ewan Andahar would have done better than the option proposed...

How about a secret son made with the Baroness of the Lakes and hidden away somewhere abroad far away, for example in Tangor?

[Yaztromo]

Pretty difficult introducing big changes in how the story proceeds, as far as I can understand...

Any other ideas and proposals?

[Havard]

The way Uther's succession is dealt with, although completely fair, is a bit below the level of epic of the rest of this Episode... I'd expect something more fancy, like going in the Bleakwood to retrieve the thing girls (that we know... isn't it RobJN?) or some other extravagant heir. Perhaps even Ewan Andahar would have done better than the option proposed...

How about a secret son made with the Duchess of the Lakes and hidden away somewhere abroad far away, for example in Tangor?

I do like the idea of a secret son with the Baroness of the Lakes. That's what happened in my campaign too. Tangor is really far, but it would make for a fun adventure!

-Havard

[sheridan]

I knew of Episode 94's existence, but this is the first time I've actually seen it. I only wish I didn't have to wait a decade!

Tell me you have 95 as well!!!!

-Scott