The Skolari Vaults

[Hogscape]

Hi folks, level one of my dungeon is now on-line at home.iprimus.com.au/planethill/Adventures.htm (it's the 4th item on the page so you'll need to scroll down a tad).

The first level includes the following motley crew:

• The Spawn of Grillich, in numbers large enough to cause a problem or two.
• Skillette’s mob of uncouth goblins*.
• Quig, King of the Spiders (or so he claims).
• Kurg Mandlebrand, doorman, chess fan and ogre.
• Naybol the orc guard who can’t get no (job) satisfaction.
• Serverus Kane, a fully paid up member of the unquiet dead.
• Eidolon the Blind, part time oracle, full time demon.

* Including Skillette and Quirme Thighbyter, Gnurle of Mudcorner, the oddly named (for a goblin) Matthew Smith and the three misfits: Skullslapper, Krufts and Vyst Twistblade.

Enjoy.

[mahrundl]

Hogscape, thanks for posting this. I shall enjoy reading through it this weekend.

I Exalt you for this post, specifically for the most interesting list of denizens of the Vaults.

[Hogscape]

Thanks Mahrundl. I hope you enjoy.

I'm sure there's a fair bit of editing I need to do but having finished converting level 1, I wanted to get it posted asap.

When I ran the adventure originally, I added most of the 'character' of the environment on the fly. In writing it down for 7th edition I tried to put the ad-libs into words, hopefully it worked.

One thing that did stand out - those goblins are tough cookies when you give them stats instead of Monster Ratings! Although it was a good role-playing opportunity when originally played out.

[branderwydd]

haven't read it yet - just a quick browse right now - but it looks good. let us know when you post other levels. ;D i'll reply again when i've read it.

[branderwydd]

hogscape~

i'll tell you what i like about the adventure: you include a variety of detail, including motivation for the monsters. too many times t&t monsters are listed as "orc (22 MR)" and it is up to the GM to breathe life into the poor schmuck, if we can even find any merit in the adventure in the first place (and with the dearth of t&t material, we often have to make do with substandard stuff just so we can have something new). there is good opportunity for tactics and strategy (e.g., the goblins with the secret door ambush) rather than the typical trading blows style of attack. i also like how you planted seeds that serve at segues for other t&t lore (gristlegrim, gull's blue beetle god, etc)

presumably the skolari themselves will be further detailed in another level...? other than the typos you already warned us about, i see little fault with the adventure, and i'd definitely like to see more in the same vein (heck, i'd even pay a fair price for material of this quality - see my comments above ).

jolly good stuff and i advise everyone to get the adventure for themselves.

[Boozer]

I will be sure to check-out this exciting new dungeon adventure ASAP! I really should log-in to the Trollbridge more often, it would seem that I have been missing lots of good stuff!

I [glow=red,2,300]LOVE[/glow] the title by the way

[Hogscape]

Hey many thanks for the praise Branderwydd & Boozer. I'm working on those typos right now!

Yes, you get to meet the Skolari, every one of them a mad scientist bent on world domination - alas they've been underground for so long they have no idea what that 'world' is like (remember the movie 'Blast from the Past'). In fact they are so factionalised they'll probably never get to enact their cunning plans... Unless the PCs screw up big time!

Level 2 is the mausoleum where the Skolari interred their dead (who've become a might restless since the Skolari started animating bloodless zombies taken from level 1. This level and below has excavation beyond the original castle so the weird gravity and environment is not so evident.

Level 3 is the 'Lab' (Flesh Golem anyone)?

Level 4 is where the Skolari live and plot (mostly against themselves). PCs should be able to ally with one faction or play the factions off against each other - and deal with Skolari traps and constructed monsters and weird magic of course!

[Hogscape]

I've updated the Skolari Vaults Level 1; cleaned up the typos etc. Level 2 is more than half-way complete.

You can find Level 1 here: home.iprimus.com.au/planethill/Adventures.htm

The inhabitants of Level 2 include:
• Smudgebrow the Orc. The only thing he likes less than the undead is living delvers!
• Gorovan san Guldûr, undead ‘collector’. “It’s not easy being dead, that’s why I need your legs.”
• Omrond san Vormand, undead and loving it!
• Loritan of Moritan’s Marauders. “Open the chest and give me all the treasure, you know it makes sense. Don’t’ worry about the traps. You’ll be fine.”
• Halfgone the Troll, “Now you see me, now I hit you.”
• Vulkar Hookclaw, half orc, half ogre, all nasty
• Spittooth the Shaman; “Pull out his claws, peel off the skin, open his scalp, oh where to begin, so much time and so little blood.”

[branderwydd]

great. i'm looking forward to checking it out. get writing.

[Hogscape]

Just 4 rooms left to do now... But I'm about to collapse. I'll finish the beast tomorrow. Thanks for your interest.

There are only 9 more rooms in level 2 than there were in level 1 but it seems like I've been writing non-stop for days!

[Boozer]

Go go go Hogscape! Alas, I still haven't had chance to look at your dungeon, but from what I have read above, it sounds wonderful!

[glow=GREEN,2,300]...later...[/glow]

Just printed the PDF and amazingly I have some time to myself tonight so I plan to read the first level.

[Hogscape]

Great Boozer, please let me know what you think. Suggestions for modifications and improvements would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[Boozer]

OK last night I read through Level 1 of Skolari Vaults...

I have to say it is refreshingly different and well written, and I enjoyed reading it, although I'll probably never get the chance to play it!

I especially enjoyed the characters, and the colour you gave to them made the module stronger. Any GM could easily get his or her teeth into them, making the game fun and unusual for the players.

The plot was original and felt to me like something inspired by Pratchett's Discworld, which is meant as a compliment. The setting, i.e. an inverted castle, was a brave one, not easy at all to describe simply, but you handled it well and it wasn't too confusing!

I also liked the style of writing and the little bits of detail and colour you added throughout.

I don't really have any major criticisims, although it did seem to end rather abruptly. I would have liked to have seen an epilogue, which would also serve as a part introduction to the next level.

The first level leaves the reader wondering what the Skolari will be like deeper into the dungeon, and is a perfect introduction to what appears to be a most promising adventure module.

Well, that's what I thought, for what it's worth!

A job well done Hogsacpe and a very promising start!

[Hogscape]

Thanks for such a great review Boozer - priase indeed from the author of the classic works at the Hobgoblin's Tavern!!

I must admit I'm a big fan of Pratchett's Discworld (I'm slowly working on a Discworld campaign world for T&T - T&T was the perfect choice for Discworld, it's completely out of place mired in GURPS), but I didn't realise I was adopting Pratchettisms as I wrote.

Thanks again, Level 2 is ready to roll.

[Boozer]

No worries! It puts much of the stuff over at the Tavern to shame Glad you liked the review.

Looking forward to reading through Level 2!