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2011-09-23, 08:26 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2011
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Facepalm. My campaign is in Eberron. So I am making some changes to the fluff accordingly. One of those is that Rhestilor was originally a goblinoid city.
Another thought: legacy weapon? I know the rules on it generally suck, but it might make it just that bit more interesting than just to throw it away, particularly if you houserule legacy items to not have the penalties that normally come with them?
There just really aren't a lot of good +1 properties.
Although...
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2011-09-23, 10:18 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
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2011-09-23, 10:40 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2011
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
The PHB2 stuff is alright, but how many Cha based melee characters are there?
I did just remember a +1 property that isn't useless though.
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2011-09-23, 05:01 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2008
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
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2011-09-23, 05:32 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2011
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2011-09-23, 07:47 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2010
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
What about properties like psychokinetic (XPH, not subject to elemental resistances), spell storing (DMG, but needs a cooperative caster), berserker (MIC, barb only), bloodstone (MIC, like spell storing, but only for vampiric touch) or warning (MIC, +5 initiative)? I think they are fairly useful weapon properties overall.
My humble efforts at re-cr'ing MM2
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215727
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2011-09-24, 07:34 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2011
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
1: Don't remember what this does.
2, 4: Requires a specific party in order to be at all useful, but would otherwise be good.
3: No Barb, and don't remember what this does.
5: Good for armor spikes, useless for an actual weapon.
But as I said before, I already found something suitable.
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2011-09-25, 07:35 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2011
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- Norway
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
My "Battle Of Brindol"-experience.
Save The Walls.
SpoilerDid a total reworking of the lame Hill Giant team. Took this guide's option and went with a team of Skullcrusher Ogres working a draconic-looking catapult that fired explosive projectiles (Had to compensate for the lack in firepower a regular catapult would have done). They were supported by a formation of ten-odd regular hobs forming a semicircle of interlocked Tower Shields, led by a Sergeant barking orders and a Warpriest ready to counterspell every magical assault on the catapult.
The shield wall kept the PCs out for two-three rounds until the monk smashed a hole in it and the meelee fighters moved through (the hobs could do nothing; as they weren't holding any melee weapons, they couldn't AOO!). Seeing this, the hobs dropped their shields and rushed to grapple the Ultimate Magus, who was forced to Dimension Door beind the catapultn and hide their till things blew over.
The sergeant and the priest was more or less easily dispatched, but the Ogres proved to be much tougher. The ScRanger (Scout/Ranger) ran around putting arrows in them while the Favored Soul and the Monk gave them hell in melee. Then a Skullcrusher Ogre rolled a nat 20, confirmed, and bashed the Monks skull in (fittingly). He had to burn the party's Heroic Destiny (house rule, avoid death once per session, they need it) to survive, but the FS finished off the Ogre that struck him down with an even more fitting Revenge Crit.
The Ultimate Magus, seeing all was well, popped up from her hiding place and roasted the Regulars (which had been hanging back firing arrows into the fray) with a well-placed Fireball. Easy-peasy.
Abithriax's Rampage:
SpoilerIMO the battle against the dragon was more than enough for this part. I never liked the "put out the fires"-thing; it seems a bit rushed and they don't elaborate more than "roll a survival check"
Abithriax had been further buffed with Scales, but a Dispel Magic took that away. His AC was still a formidable 32 though, so they had a very hard time taking him down. The Ultimate Magus rolled good on her Cold Orb spell and took a large chunk of HP out of the dragon. He responded by sending her an "Oh no you didn't" look, flying over and Awesome Blowing her into the river (they had drawn him down to the dock). She spent the rest of the battle getting the hell out of that one.
The battle was going badly, though Abe's Breath Weapon was mostly wasted on the Monk and the ScRanger. The FS, seeing his ranger friend needing a distraction to fire a devastating arrow, selflessly leaped in front of the dragon- and landed a crit. Awesome. Granted, he was subsequently torn to shreds by the dragons full attack, but the ScRanger sent his arrow flying and brought the beast down. The FS was dead for half and hour, before he remembered his temporary hitpoints. He missed the Streets Of Blood part, but lived.
Streets of Blood:
SpoilerNot much to say.
The first wave was completely mowed down.
The second wave was completely ruined by a simple Web spell. They broke the barricade, but still: Meh.
Koth made his return in the thrid wave, which was INCREDIBLY tedious. Just... twenty minutes of empty rolls. I feared the battle spirit was leaving my players at this point. Oh, and all the PC's summoned allies died during this part, except a single Lion Of Brindol and Lars Ulverth.
Sniper Attack:
SpoilerThe players liked it, but for me it was a big Meh. Put a couple of Arcanisses in there, but the monk and the ScRanger took them out in two rounds. Skather did some good damage, took some good damage, turned invisible and jumped out of the window, and was sniped by the Ultimate Magus. Loot was looted and spirits rose again. What am I complaining about?
Kharn:
SpoilerHere's the Kharn build I used. I went with the Paladin Of Tyranny/Blackguard option and mounted him on a Redspawn Firebelcher (which fought on its own, of course) as well as teaming him up with four Skullcrusher Ogres. I didn't put the rematch Wyrmlord Koth in this battle, opting to add him in the last Streets Of Blood wave instead.
SpoilerHravek Kharn
Hobgoblin Paladin Of Tyranny 7/Blackguard 4
HD: 11d10+33 (109 HP)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft.
AC: 23 (dragoncraft full plate +10, +2 heavy steel shield, +1 ring), Touch 11, FF 23
BAB/Grapple: +11/+19
Attack: +16/+11/+6 +1 Wounding Longsword (1d8+5+1 Con/19-20)
SA: Cause Disease 1/week, Rebuke/Command Undead (as 5th level cleric), Deadly Touch, Detect Good, Fiendish Summoning, Lay On Hands, Posion Use, Smite Good 5/day, Sneak Attack +2d6, Spells
SQ: Aura Of Evil, Aura Of Despair, Divine Grace, Divine Health, Special Mount
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +10, Will +13
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 17
Skills: Concentration +17, Hide +5, Knowledge (religion) +7, Intimidate +10, Ride +3, Sense Motive +9
Feats: Cleave, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Sacred Vitality
The ensuing battle was tough for the players. The Favored Soul engaged Kharn in a fierce duel, but in the end it proved being pumped full of Smite Goods is bad for your health after all . Thankfully, the Scout/Ranger finished the awe-imposing General with a few scimitar-slices (interrupting Kharns Death Knell)
The Firebelcher went down in two hard hits, and the Ultimate Magus managed to ease the groups pain by catching three Ogres in some Black Tentacles. In the end, Brindol was saved.. for now.
All in all it was one heckuva allnighter! My player loved it, I loved it, totally awsome! I' just relating the basic facts here, so my summary may be a bit dull. But trust me, this campaign just keeps getting better!
P.S: Saintheart, your guide helps me out a lot! But five levels of Paladin Of Tyranny won't make no Blackguard ;)
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2011-09-25, 08:07 PM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2009
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
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2011-09-26, 01:54 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
The entry requirements for Blackguard include a BAB of +6, 5 ranks in a cross-class skill for Paladin (Hide) as well as three feats.
The feat and BAB requirement is met at level 6, but only at level 7 can a Paladin have five ranks in Hide. Don't think Kharn had any trouble making peaceful contact with an evil outsider, though
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2011-09-26, 01:58 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Noted, and I'll change the Handbook to reflect the same!
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2011-10-16, 01:02 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2009
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
minor nitpick: under the minotaur in Vaarth keep, someone suggested lion totem for diehard feat... thats actually boar totem
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/cl...mClassFeatures
edit: boar totem... learn to spell GreyLast edited by Greyfell; 2011-10-16 at 01:04 PM.
I play bards a LOT in 3/3.5... keep this in mind when I post answers to questions :)
Running the Night Below (old 2nd edition module) adapted to 3.5, heres the journal:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166334 (game now defunct sadly)
Now running, Red hand of Doom in Forgotten Realms
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219147
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2011-10-16, 10:02 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Thanks for the catch!
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2011-10-17, 12:43 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2011
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- Avernus
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
And here I was about to put up a thread looking for info and people's experience with this module since I'll be running it for a handful of friends soon. Wow, this module sure is loved by quite a few people!
I'll be running it in Faerun, and I feel super smart for placing it in the exact spot the FR section of the first page suggests. I've never run anything in that part of the world though, so this should be... different. No knights and it's in an african savannah.
One thing I'm struggling with, though: A reason behind Tiamat's goals here in the Shaar. Unther's not far off, really, and she's got a decent power-base there. And while I like that the first page covered this question, myself and my players despise the Spell Plague and all it stands for.
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2011-10-17, 09:43 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
OK, I have a physical copy of Red Hand of Doom, and I could have sworn that it included a map for the Streets of Blood encounter. Specifically, what I remember is this: One side was split into two halves, one of which had the Fane of Tiamat, and the other of which had the Marauder Attack from the very beginning. The other side was entirely Streets-of-Bloody.
I'll check it out when I get home, but I recall the road being at least 30 feet wide - this is the Dawn Way, after all.Love the Third Amendment?
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2011-10-28, 01:35 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2011
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
While I dunno if anyone else has suggested this, I for one made Kharn a pure lvl 10 cleric, while changing Azarr Kul to an Artificer. For Eberron campaigns it's a fun little change. Quicken Spell with Healing Wands and Empower Spell with damage dealers. Also helps explain how the Horde got those hundreds of magic items, and allowed me to introduce the 'Eldrich Engine' in the final encounter. If the party could avoid damaging it (say by NOT blasting the area with Fireballs and Cones of Cold in rapid succession) then it would not break and unleash Tiamat's aspect in the aftermath.
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2011-10-28, 01:37 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2011
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2011-11-02, 10:50 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2006
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- Illinois
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Hi all! Just wanted to extend a quick thanks for putting this guide together. I've been running a 4E game through RHOD, so while much of the stat block talk doesn't do me any good, there are a lot of great ideas in here to work with. I will likewise keep my own stat talk to myself, but a few things that might be worth considering for the guide.
Re: "A note on Victory Points"
SpoilerI consider this generally good advice, but I fundamentally disagree with the idea that you shouldn't tell your players about the fact that you're tracking VPs. Maybe it's just us, but my group is inherently suspicious of published modules and assumes by default that they are non-stop railroad-fests. I got a tremendous amount of mileage out of, after the players had killed Koth, scribbling up "Killed Wyrmlord Koth: +2 VP" on our whiteboard and quickly explaining that I'd be keeping track of efforts the players took to nickel-and-dime the horde to death. Doing that really inspired my PCs to take the initiative and consider what impact their actions would have weighed against now-slightly-more-living-and-breathing campaign world. By the same token, I also recommend that you make it a point to announce what day of the campaign it is at the start of each session.
The key here is that you want to give your players enough to make them think, but not enough to know anything. I don't think I ever put up VP totals after Koth, but even if I did I made it a point to absolutely never give them a VP target to hit or tell them when I'd be totaling everything up. But it's important to let them know that there is, in fact, a proverbial carrot hiding somewhere if you expect them to ever look for it. They won't be creative if they don't know that they can be.
Act 1:
SpoilerJust a quick word of warning... after your players get their hands on Koth's map, make sure that Cinder Hill comes up as a point of discussion, whether through a Nature/Geography/whatever check or just from Jorr. You may just want to point out that it's a nice vantage point to look into the Whocaresistan Valley within the Wyrmsmokes, where the army is in fact gathering.
I had put so much thought into making the Skull Gorge Bridge encounter exciting that I completely lost sight of the actual goal of this part of the adventure, which is to show the PCs that the Red Hand means serious business. My players ended up cleaning up the bridge forces, deducing-slash-metagaming that they should destroy the bridge, and returning to Drellin's Ferry -- and simply because they misunderstood where Cinder Hill was supposed to be on the map. While this made for a nice running gag about the villagers spazzing out about the destroyed bridge, it ended up meaning the PCs puttered around in town for a while since the townspeople weren't about to leave without some convincing that the Red Hand was an actual army and not a trick dreamt up by some bandits and an overzealous cartographer. Very important to keep your eyes on the prize in this case.
Act 3:
SpoilerAside from the fact that, as is suggested, a 3.XE party can blitz through the place and catch everyone unawares, this (like most of the adventure's dungeons) can benefit from some streamlining. Having ghost lions jump the PCs without provocation is little odd in the first place, and I found I got the necessary mileage out of making the Pool of Rebirth a piece of scenery rather than a combat encounter.
More important I think are the aesthetics of the place, and there are little things that you can do to spruce it up nicely. For one, the battle with Ulwai should really take place in the Lion's Maw, since it's the only room that's actually exposed to the storm that she should be summoning. Find a reason for her to do it (Varanthian making a racket is a good one) and make it happen. This does require some rejiggering of the layout of the place though; I was pretty happy with routing the players through a "main area" on the first floor, then making the only path to the Ghostlord's lair at the heart of the dungeon be a journey up to the maw and back down again through a different set of stairs. YMMV.
Aside from that, I think a fair amount can be done with the decor in the place. As described, you have room after room with imagery of dead lions, skull lions, ghost lions, and so on and so forth. Then the Chamber of the Betrayed has a tapestry of a sad Ghostlord. I regret having not spent some time addressing this in advance, but if you make it a point to really tell the Ghostlord's story (whatever you decide it is) through the carvings and tapestries as you get deeper in to the building, it'll be a lot more interesting than having Sellyria Starsinger stop the PCs in Act 2 with the old "Hey do you want to know a bunch of backstory about the Ghostlord for no reason?" line.
Act 4 - Audience with the Lords
Spoiler
There are a couple of potential issues with this segment, even beyond the fact that it can be somewhat boiled down to "Make a dozen Diplomacy checks." Mostly my concern is that the module does a poor job of implying any weight to the PC's suggestions. In Phase Two, Jaarmath's suggestion of fighting outside of the walls is completely idiotic, and there should be a 0% chance that anyone takes it seriously. And if it does, there are no suggested changes to the fights down the line. In Phase Three, the module just flat out decides that one option is better than the other despite the fact that there are reasonable explanations for either being viable. And again, no weight beyond a couple VP. And finally, Phase Four almost completely does not care who the last telepathic bond goes to. If it doesn't matter, why put it in there?
Some of this is handwave-able, but it's still something to spend some time thinking about in advance. In particular, we felt that the whole thing would be improved greatly by swapping out one of the fights in the Battle of Brindol depending on which NPC gets the bond. So if Ulverth gets it, he calls the PCs to the front for a knock-down, drag-out melee, whereas if Sellyria Starsinger gets it, she calls the PCs to hop on some conveniently-available giant owls for an aerial skirmish. Bottom line is that this is a great place to get creative and make the players' choices matter some.
Act 4 - Battle of Brindol
SpoilerAs an alternative to just making the giants more powerful, I was able to make the attack against the wall more interesting by merging together two level-appropriate combats. Basically, the giants were guarded by a troop of hobgoblins and continued their assault against the walls until a PC got their faces to stop them, and I very publicly tracked the number of successful hits they made against the wall to provide a ticking-time-bomb feel to the fight. Basically, give the players a potential trade off between biting off more than they can chew and letting the walls continue to get shelled. I am admittedly not sure how well this will work in 3.XE, and I benefited a lot from having a melee-heavy party.
To add a little more structure to the entire capital-B-Battle, I also suggest having the Red Hand specifically target the major NPCs in some capacity, as it can add a little bit of extra weight to the PC's abilities and importance. Jaarmath is already targeted for assassination by Skather. I had Skather poison Immerstal at the same time, and Miha Serani didn't reveal herself until she attacked (and also poisoned -- running theme here, apparently) Tredora Goldenbrow at the Temple of Pelor. With a little spitshine to address Ulverth and Kaal, you can potentially have the PCs physically leading the army for the showdown with Kharn.
And on the subject of fighting Kharn... take a second to look at page 84 and read the descriptions of Cathedral Square and the Cathedral of Pelor. If your final showdown does not take place on the Square within a gigantic image of the symbol of Pelor projected by dawn's first light, then you are frankly just doing it wrong.Last edited by Merlin the Tuna; 2011-11-06 at 01:23 PM.
Merlin the Tuna
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2011-11-26, 05:48 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2008
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
That is an awesome suggestion... though it doesn't seem quite right.
Wouldn't it be better for the sun to rise just *after* the battle ends, symbolizing a new day and that sort of stuff, and have a gigantic image of the symbol of Pelor projected by dawn's first light on the former battlefield, both as a symbol of the victory for the side of good and as an awesome way of telling the players about that aspect of the Cathedral?
Anyway... my players have finally made it to the Fane of Tiamat, and I have various thoughts/issues I'm considering and could use advice on. Let me think...
First of all, the PCs defeated Tyrgarun by using Baleful Polymorph to turn him into a Penguin. He made the save to retain his intelligence and special abilities, so they now have a Penguin which has the mind of a dragon and can breath lighting. They trapped him and teleported him back to Brindol, to leave as a captive with a former PC who was reincarnated into a Horned Devil. Also, one of the PCs is a ludicrously optimized Diplomancer (in the area of a +50 bonus) and wants to make "the penguin" into an ally or somesuch.
I'm honestly not sure what to do about this. The PCs seem to be thinking of him as just a penguin that breathes lighting, rather than a DRAGON in the form of a penguin. It feels like the obvious and inevitable result is them getting punished for their foolishness by having him break free and run rampant.
Is there any way that the Red Hand could find him, bring him back to the Fane, and return him to his old form? And if so, would having him show up again like that be a good idea, plot-wise, or should I just leave the lighting-breathing Penguin as a separate menace to the countryside around Brindol, after the Fane is cleared? The latter option would certainly be a lot more amusing, and I personally like the whole Penguin thing as much as the players do, so...
But anyway, more pressing matters about what to do with the Fane:
1. What capacity does Azaar Kuul have to replace the Clerics and Warpriests? The PCs killed the ones who were resting, then left the Fane to rest themselves. Can Azaar Kuul bring in new ones to replace them, or will he just have to have the remaining ones working on the gate 24/7 using Lesser Restoration? And if neither, or if the latter but those ones are also killed, what will he do?
2. What should I do with the Blackspawn Raiders patrolling the Fane? It feels like the PCs encounter them far too rarely. Then again, from a gameplay perspective it probably wouldn't do to have the PCs encountering group after group of 3 mooks; that would become incredibly tiring.
I would just have the Red Hand send them all against the PCs at once, but they know the group has gotten both a Wand of Fireballs and a Staff of Fire from Tyrgarun's horde, and the PCs have already used them to devastating effect against the Clerics and Warpriests, so they're not about to start putting their weak forces into massive groups.
Still, I'd like to have the PCs actually fight them, which would certainly make sense. Perhaps they could be grouped with the stationary guards, or could make coordinated strikes in which they jump out at the party from all sides, to avoid being Fireballed?
3. Should the Blue Abishai re-animate the corpses of guards the PCs kill, provided they don't completely dispose of the bodies? It seems like that would certainly make sense, though having the PCs fight every single enemy a second time might lend an odd feeling- I suppose that once they've encountered skeletons of guards they killed the previous day once, they won't be leaving corpses lying around like that, so it will just be a one-time warning rather than a continuous occurrence.
Also, by any chance has anyone already thought to do this and statted out skeletons of any of the following: Blue Abishai, Blackspawn Raiders, Bearded Devils, or Night Hags? Just wishful thinking. If not, I suppose I can make my own stat blocks, and post them here for future use by other GMs.
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2011-12-16, 09:22 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2011
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Hi everyone! I started playing a combination of RHOD and homebrew elements (such as making brindol a much larger city with much more intrigue). My main problem is that the characters started at lvl 9 and already (after ozzy) lvled up once. That means, i have to adjust every encounter, which adds some serious headache.
some things I noted:
Spoiler
Fireballs (and their creative misuse) are great. One of the most reliable way to harry my party has been to add a one or two lvl 6 sorcerors with fireball. I mean, I know its only dumb damage, but my players really respect the sorcs.
SpoilerLast session i pitted my party against 3 Ogre (skullcrusher) crusaders. Since my party has some meelee-beasts, i tried to make them durable. Between Shieldmate, improved shieldmate, phalanx fighting, shield block, Iron guards glare and revitalizing strike (and white raven tactics to boot) they proved nearly indestructible for my casting-light party. I am not entirely sure if all those defensive abilities stack (am not sure if the boni are Armor or unnamed), but if they do these guys landed at an effective 43 AC with an shieldblock. Happy times...
I think about making a little journal. Are you people interested?Last edited by Phaederkiel; 2011-12-16 at 09:29 PM.
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2012-01-10, 03:17 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
I have a quick question, i am preparing to run this mod for the first time after owning it for awhile now. At what level should the party be at what place? Should it just be a level an act? Does this change with a larger party? (My party is 7 characters)
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2012-01-14, 02:40 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
My group's made it most of the way through the Battle of Brindol now, and we've noticed some things:
Bluespawn Stormlizards are extremely dangerous in large groups. The party didn't manage to take any down in the first round, and after eight 6d6 lightning bolts they had to run for it (the 5th lizard didn't even fire a shot). Oh, and they're supposed to come in pairs, but the module has a 5th without his buddy. . .
Jarmaath is knocked out by strength damage. . . except strength damage only makes you helpless-you're still conscious. Which means he should be able to communicate with the telepathy from Telepathic Bond.
Jarmaath and any other NPCs you have conveniently knocked out before the PCs arrive and downed from strength damage. The temple clerics are already out of lesser restorations-but the "supply cache" is full of as many scrolls of lesser restoration as you have budget left.
Meanwhile, all game we've been finding that not only does the game expect blaster mages, it really seems to require them. We have a perfectly set up summoner build that is completely useless, and when he drops that and just buffs they still can't hold off groups of blackspawn raiders or bluespawn stormlizards. If I hadn't let him buy a runestaff of fireball/lightning bolt they'd probably be dead by now.Last edited by Fizban; 2012-01-14 at 02:41 AM.
Fizban's Tweaks and Brew: Google Drive (PDF), Thread
A collection of over 200 pages of individually small bans, tweaks, brews, and rule changes, usable piecemeal or nearly altogether, and even some convenient lists. Everything I've done that I'd call done enough to use in one place (plus a number of things I'm working on that aren't quite done, of course).
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2012-01-15, 01:28 PM (ISO 8601)
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2012-01-16, 07:41 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2009
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
If the players diplomacize their way past the Tiri Kitor like they're supposed to after killing the first Greenspawn Razorfiend, do they get xp for what is effectively a level 9 encounter according to the book?
I didn't see it mentioned, so I thought I should ask. It's my first time running this campaign.Last edited by Mystic Muse; 2012-01-16 at 07:41 PM.
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2012-01-17, 12:08 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2012
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Hello
Ive been ghosting this thread for over a year, and now that I have actually DM'd over half of RHOD, I thought Id share. When I first read this thread, I thought, "Good God! I have allot of work to do! This adventure is way underpowered!" Still, after reading the adventure several times, contemplating the advise in this guide, and ultimately getting exhausted at the prospect of re-working the entire adventure...I decided just to play it as is, and if things got too easy, return here for advise.
If you play good old fashion pencil/paper D&D like me, you might want to slow down before you go crazy re-working things. My players are all experienced enough to exploit every feasible game mechanic. Its just, we dont that often. We allow all *real* D&D books (except the Book of 9 BSwords). People make effective characters, albeit not to the 'inth-degree. Oh, and we have cohesive, go-with-the-flow group, which is helpful too...
With a traditional party of 4, the first half of the game has been pretty much just right. We use mini's on a tactical map for almost every encounter and that gives a DM plenty of strategic ways to keep most encounters challenging and fun. I also try to run my monsters smart, so there have been plenty of escapes and re occurring bad guys. Dragons are smart effective combatants and can rock a party of 4 who dont work together well.
The hardest fight thus far was at Rehst. The bulk of the fight actually took place in the watchtower. Warrior, cleric, ranger, paladin (dont ask), all lvl 6 make up the party.The party jumped a lizard folk camp, one escaped swimming to the watch tower. The PCs took their raft across, which lead to the ringing of the bell. The warrior and the ranger had water walk from the cleric they charged the tower fighting the group inside. Eventually they are all on the tower facing waves of lizard folk, the 4 ogres from the main tower show up on boats, and ultimately the dragon and the wrymlord. The dragon, took a massive crit from the war, and flew off, only to be hit with a lucky shot from the ranger to drop it. It died from the impact 40' to the water, but the wyrmlord lived and swam back to the tower. Both groups rested and the party stormed the main tower.
Here, the enemies prepared as feasible, gave them a good fight. The mindbender actually held the warrior for a few rounds to make it all the more tense. They had gone right past the hatchery into the tower, initially avoiding the razorfiend. When the mindbender was about to die, he ran to the hatchery to release the greenspawn... This happened late in the fight and split up the party, which lead to the deaths of the fighters. The cleric and paly where left on mop up inside and ended up 3 rounds behind the warior and ranger. When they arrived there was a few rounds of PCs being brought back from -X to +whatever only to be stuck down again...But of course they finally died from crits, the razorfiends ridiculous 18-20 threat range with a 2d6+6x3! LOL They were lucky not to have all died.
I would advise DMs to make sure your party is level 7 for the showdown on the lake. Parties who go straight to main building would be roasted, especially if the dragon and the greenspawn are around.
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The non-mechanic information in this guide is extremely helpful BTW, as is many of the ideas posted here. Sincere thanks to the author and posters. Not saying the guide wont work for most, its just I cant really relate to a PBP game, let alone a party of 8!
No matter what, if you get a chance to play this, you should. If your party likes combat and doesn't really get caught up in logistics/inconsistencies, this is a great adventure. (Well, the first half has been at least...off to the Ghoastlord next week...)
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2012-01-17, 11:49 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2006
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- Oregon
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Pretty much. He's running Malconvoker which means that he's actually a level of spellcasting behind, but it doesn't give you the combat buff until 9th character level, so he's just now getting some serious power out of his creatures. I thew him a bone by adapting a shaper alternate class feature so he could quicken a summon once per encounter, and his howler would have done great, except it got zerg rushed. . . by the Stormlizards. So they were speedbumps until now, at which point they get zerg rushed. After spending the first couple of rounds buffing and bringing up a summon, everything usually falls to pieces and he has to resort to just blasting everything till it stops moving.
I will admit that our party is a little bit atypical by this point though. There's a paladin and ranger on flying mounts, a healbot cleric, and the summoner. With half the party breaking ranks and buzzing around the battlefield chasing down priority targets, he's left playing wizard tank and getting zerg rushed while the cleric tries to keep him alive. Instead of the wizard taking out priority targets from a defensive position, he's the only one without the mobility/survivability to just ignore the threats (because he gave all those buffs to everyone else).Fizban's Tweaks and Brew: Google Drive (PDF), Thread
A collection of over 200 pages of individually small bans, tweaks, brews, and rule changes, usable piecemeal or nearly altogether, and even some convenient lists. Everything I've done that I'd call done enough to use in one place (plus a number of things I'm working on that aren't quite done, of course).
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2012-01-18, 05:57 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2010
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- Muenster, Germany
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Short notice: Hanging in the ruis of Rhest. Playing a Pen&Paper D&D3.5 round with a "every second Thursday from 6pm to 10pm".
-> First attempt, they got their asses handed to them. The initial plan was quite good: Capturing a hut of lizardmen, watching the lake. Got bored, swam over. Sorcerer polymorphed himself and his familiar into a giant crocodile. They took the underater approch, I rolled dice and Reggi was at home. Instead of regrouping they divided themselve. Sorcerer got toasted (negative HP), Bard got toasted (negative HP), Ranger smashed into Bits (dead). They got shot by the gobbo (critical hit + skirmish damage + human bane) was almost another kill. On the positive half of the (skullcrusher) ogres are dead.
Regroup, new characters and second attempt. Sorcerer and bard are free (but quite helpless). Lucky shot killed Nurglenak quite movie-like, he had one of the hostages with a dagger at the throat (NB: Coup de grace as a ready action with a gamemaster ruling, that the players shot comes first). -> Critical Hit. And that's were we are.
I've changed: Reggi one size up (Medium sized dragon just don't do it), Scout-Ranger build for the gobbo and Skullcrusher ogre.
Hob-Gob Chief is a Book of Nine Swords built
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2012-01-24, 10:21 PM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2009
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- Perth, West Australia
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Well, guys, I'm back after a very protracted and lengthy RL absence from the forums for reasons I won't get into...anyway, I'm back to "administering" this thread, and I'm glad people are still asking questions about RHOD.
Quick note that I haven't seen answered as yet:
Originally Posted by Soft Serve
In other news, my campaign has continued, and finally deciding to put my money where my mouth is I'm updating the thread to include details of my own PbP campaign with RHOD, which has been running for just under 4 years or so on an offsite board. For the click-averse, the link is here: http://boards.theforce.net/non_star_...08372/p1/?5200 and a current player roster and other resource material for the thread is right here: http://boards.theforce.net/role_play...0918874/p1/?18
Don't be surprised by the name "A Tide of Flames" -- I chose to disguise the name of the scenario so people wouldn't (initially at least) go and research it and metagame their way through the campaign.
(Moderators, I'm not competing or trying to compete with GITP since that forum, boards.theforce.net, literally cannot for reasons linked entirely to IGN's continuing idiocy, process new users onto it. It is quite literally a closed shop which can be viewed, but not joined.)
Bear in mind when reading it from the start that I knew very little about D&D 3.5 and that I was heavily guided by Lightwarden as to how to do D&D in the PbP format. Also note the first fifteen pages or so are an "introduction scenario" before we actually started the campaign, so if you want to get to the meat of the campaign please feel free to flick ahead. (By contrast, if you want to chuckle at my noobishness read through the whole lot. I do when I re-read the first ten pages at least.) It's been a lovely living game to run, with three people still in it from the beginning and several who've been around for many months.
As to where it's at: I took a bit of a detour away from the RHOD text and basically had the players fall into a "shared dream" that comes from ... somewhere else. There's no mechanics in this dream, so they've gone pretty wild and wiggy, as the boards I run this one on traditionally go with freeform roleplay rather than mechanics-based. I think that dream'll be over soon, so we'll be on to Brindol at last!Last edited by Saintheart; 2012-01-24 at 10:33 PM.
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2012-02-29, 07:13 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2009
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- Perth, West Australia
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Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Well, in other news my party's finally reached Brindol, and while they're occupied with a little side quest, I've been mulling over changes to the Battle of Brindol in detail.
The most interesting part of the prep has been creating a better Skather for the sniper attack. I've done some updates in the handbook to account for this, but it's probably worth setting out what I had in mind here.
In essence, as longtime readers would know, I've got a very powerful party to deal with. Two clerics, ubercharger, wizard, duskblade, optimised (i.e. Words of Creation) bard, multiclass drow, and a rogue/swordsage. These are the guys who ultrabuffed and then disposed of the optimised Ghostlord in one round. I plan to try and bleed them at Brindol -- a lot.
So for the sniper attack, I plan to throw two blackspawn sniper-y types at them: Skather and one other blackspawn. The rebuilding's presented some interesting challenges since Skather's poison-blade thing might work for unoptimised parties, but sassone leaf residue just ain't cutting it at these levels.
So I've grabbed two basic builds from the Poisoner's Handbook and massaged them into RHOD. On HD they actually come out only 1 HD above Skather's book count (Skather being a Blackspawn Eliminator from the MM IV and supposedly a CR 10.) Blackspawn already have 8 HD, so you can't go fully nuts, but here's how the two builds work out...
The Assassin Build
SpoilerSkather: Blackspawn (8 HD), plus Rogue 2/Assassin 5
Feats: (assuming flaw) (Master of Poisons) (Improved Initiative traded for Weapon Finesse) (Power Attack traded for Poison Expert (Injury poisons) - +1 to poison DC) (Track traded for Poison Master (Injury)) (Venomous Strike (DrU) – when used, +2 to poison attack roll, -1d6 to sneak attack)) (Craven - -2 to Will saves vs fear, +15 to sneak attack damage) (Sickening Strike (DrU) - -1d6 to sneak attack, target is sickened one round) (Terrifying Strike (DrU) - -1d6 to sneak attack, target is shaken 1 round)
Stat rises: +1 to two stats on level 4, 8, 12 (house rule) – done.
STR 12 (+1) DEX 20 (+5) CON 18 (+4) INT 14 (+2) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 8 (-1)
Blackspawn (60 hp) + 7 x 4 + 4 x 15 = 148 hitpoints (house rule)
Initiative: +5
AC: 10 +5 Dex +3 natural +1 Ring +2 enchantment +3 studded leather = 24, touch AC 16, flatfooted 19
BAB +12/+7/+2
Attacks: +19/+14/+9 short sword +2
Ranged: +17/+12/+7
Damage: 2d6+3/19-20 (5d6+17 on sneak attack) (3d6+17 if Venomous, Sickening, Terrifying Strike are used)
Fort +10 (+2 vs poisons)
Ref +20
Will +8 (+2 vs. fear)
Abilities: DR 5/magic or good, breath weapon (acid) 40 foot line – 7d4 acid, DC 1d20+7 reflex, Evasion, Sneak Attack +4d6, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Death Attack (DC 15), Poison Use, Spells, +2 saves vs. poison, Immune to acid, paralysis, sleep spells, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision
Spells: At will/3/2
(4 first level spells known): True Strike, Ebon Eyes, Shock and Awe, Obscuring Mist
(3 second level spells known): Increase Virulence, Cat’s Grace, Invisibility.
Skills: 8 + INT: Stealth +22, Deception +14, Perception +16, Use Magic Device +14, Acrobatics +20, Athletics +16, Knowledge (Local) +17, Intimidate +14, Craft (Poisons) +16, Use Rope +22
Equipment:
-3 doses each of Black Lotus Extract (DC 20, 3d6+1/3d6+1 CON) and Darklight Brew (DC 23, 2d6+1 Str + 1d4+1 Con/2d6+1 Str + 1d4+1 Con) – 2 doses Black Lotus Extract and 1 Darklight Brew in the short sword’s chamber (see below).
- +2 Assassination short sword with a Triple Weapon Capsule Retainer
- +2 studded leather armor
- +1 Ring of Protection
- Gloves of Dexterity +2
- 2 bags of caltrops
- oil of magic weapon
- potion of cure moderate wounds
- 2 potions of invisibility
- potion of protection from good
Poison Use: Black Lotus Extract save DC becomes 20 (poison) +2 (Increase Virulence) +2 (Venomous Strike) +2 (Poison Expert) +2 (Assassination weapon) = 28. Sickening and Terrifying Strike lower saves by -4 as well, so that's an effective DC of 32 they need to beat.)
Damage on strike from short sword if Venomous, Sickening, Terrifying strike are used: +1d6+2 (weapon) +1d6 (remaining sneak attack) +1 (STR) +15 (Craven) = 3d6+17.
The Duskblade build
SpoilerBlackspawn (8 HD) plus Duskblade 7
Feats: (assuming 1 flaw) (Master of Poisons) (Improved Initiative) (Power Attack) (Track traded for Draconic Aura (energy: acid)) (Poison Spell) (Smiting Spell) (Knowledge Devotion) (Combat Expertise)
Stat rises: +1 to two stats on level 4, 8, 12 – (house rule) done.
STR 17 (+3) DEX 15 (+2) CON 16 (+3) INT 15 (+2) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 8 (-1)
Blackspawn (60 hp) + 7 x 6 + 15 x 3 = 147 hitpoints (house rule).
Initiative: +6
AC: 10 +2 Dex +3 natural +1 Ring +2 enchantment +3 studded leather = 21, touch 13, flatfooted 19
BAB: +15/+10/+5
Weapon Attacks: +18/+13/+8
Damage: +1 whirling falchion: 2d4+5 (two-handed). Using Power Attack to fullest extent, damage would be 2d4+46
Fort 23
Ref 22
Will.21
Abilities: DR 5/magic or good; immune acid, paralysis, sleep; breath weapon 40 foot line every 1d4 rounds, acid damage 7d4, DC 19 for half; darkvision 60 feet; low-light vision, Armored Mage (heavy shield), Combat Casting, Arcane Channelling, Quick Cast 1/day, Spell Power +2
Spells: At will/6/5 – 5 level one spells known, 3 level 2 spells known. Caster Level: 7
First level spells known: Chill Touch, Shocking Grasp, True Strike, Swift Expeditious Retreat, Resist Energy
Second level spells known: Dimension Hop, Bull’s Strength, Swift Invisibility
Equipment:
-Headband of Intellect +2,
- +2 Studded Leather Armor
- +1 Ring of Protection
- whirling +1 falchion
- 10 doses of Darklight Brew (DC 23, 2d6 Str + 1d4 Con/2d6 Str + 1d4 Con)
- 2 bags of caltrops
- oil of magic weapon
- potion of cure moderate wounds
- 2 potions of invisibility
- potion of protection from good
Skills: 6 + INT = 7
Knowledge (local) +20, Knowledge (Arcana) +20, Spellcraft +20, Stealth +20, Athletics +21, Acrobatics +20, Use Magic Device +20
Damage on Power Attack potentially is 2d4+46, especially if True Strike is used to power it. And Power Attack can fuel full attacks imparted by whirling.
Thoughts, opinions?
The 2 Kulkor Zhul War Adepts I only plan to change one thing: Ray of Enfeeblement for Sticky Floor from Races of the Dragon and coat the open areas in front of the doors with it, since it's thematic and I think delivers a lot more value for money at first level than Shatterfloor does at level three.
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2012-02-29, 02:48 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2011
Re: The 3.5 Red Hand Of Doom Handbook for DMs [Major spoilers!] - WIP, PEACH!
Cheers, Saint for 'Mod'ding' this thread. It's being highly appriciated!!
I'm using your thread to adjust the adventure for my group. They are currently in a village far way, being attack by a large group of goblins and Dragotaurs, having little clue why. One of the adventures had been captured who has heard that a certain Vale is in trouble. This adventurer has a noble spirit, but is he aware of the darkness creeping into his heart...
And the players have gotten word that there is a 'Queen' and a 'Chosen' involved...
Part of a prophecy found...
... And then shall the Dark Queen come. And She shall take our eyes, for our souls shall bow before Her, and She shall take our skin, for our flesh shall serve Her, and She shall take our lips, for only Her will we praise.
And Her Chosen shall bring the Weapons and free the Broken Ancient and bring us the Darkness so beautiful. Let the screams begin, O followers of the Light. Beg for your destruction! *
From a unknown book, found in what the Elves called the ‘Temple of the Four Winds’, protected by Lord Mangore Kiramain, Sword-bard of Arramael and Lady Elyana Treewisperer. Gisiae Olin (78 AD)
Cheers m8!
* = molded and changed, but all honors to Robert Jordan, RIP.Last edited by BerronBrightaxe; 2012-02-29 at 03:01 PM. Reason: adding source