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Friday, June 6

Chapter 28: Baumann’s Prize - Introduction

This is an adventure set in the Freeport setting, "Black Sails Over Freeport," written by William Simoni. You can read more about Arcanis at http://www.onaraonline.org. Please note: This adventure contains spoilers!

Our cast of characters includes:

• Dungeon Master: Michael Tresca (http://michael.tresca.net)
• Beldin Soulforge (dwarf fighter) played by Joe Lalumia
• Ilmarė Galen (elf bard/fighter) played by Amber Tresca
• Kham Val’Abebi (val rogue/psychic warrior) played by Jeremy Ortiz (http://www.ninjarobotstudios.com)
• Sebastian Arnyal (dark-kin sorcerer) played by George Webster
• Vlad Martell (human fighter) played by Matt Hammer

I tinkered quite a bit with this adventure, merging the drug den from Black Sails Over Freeport with the drug den from The Consequences of Vice (TCOV). It wasn’t too hard, given that TCOV has no map and not much of a description of the drug den.

Thus, a relatively minor but interesting character known as Drake becomes the “well-dressed man.” Drake is a blind rogue/monk who specializes in staff combat. And he’s Enemy Number One. Or is he?

True to form, Kham was much more concerned about finding his father and much less concerned about getting revenge. Although he did slip in a good measure of revenge during all the rescuing.

Conversely, the power of a 6^th-level sorcerer becomes apparent. Sebastian can cast three fireballs in a row. When you’ve got multiple bad guys bottled up in a room, it’s a slaughter.

I intentionally pared down some of Captain Baumann’s grandstanding because…well, because it’s ridiculous. Not only does Captain Baumann have a flight of birds who are “trained to harass only strangers who enter the chamber,” but she makes a four sentence speech and then uses a magic item (teleportation gem) that I would never allow characters to own, all so she can make a clean getaway. Can you say, “railroading” kids? I knew you could!

Still, because the stakes were so high, the adventure took on a completely different tone that made up for some of the ridiculous cheese. Unfortunately, Kham also managed to pick up a new vice…[MORE]

Labels: arcanis

posted by Mike Tresca at 8:50 PM

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