ruins of adventure questions

[jk7275]

I been asked to run a 1st campaign and having played pool of radiance I thought starting out in Phlan might be good spot. You can pretty much start out with any kind of group
I found ruins of adventure online It gives the background settings and plot but it needs to be fleshed out
I was wondering if anyone tried ruins of adventure what map did they use and how they fleshed it out

[Magua]

Ruins of Adventure is ok, but it is very much in need of fleshing out.

I ran it, long ago, and I basically cribbed Pool of Radiance entirely for my non-computer-playing friends, and that worked very well. In nearly every case, the Pool of Radiance stuff has as much or more than Ruins of Adventure did -- an actual layout for New Phlan, an actual layout for the slums, an actual layout for the surface of Koto's Well, etc. There are some good suggestions in Pool of Radiance for more freeform activities -- the BBEG sending assassins after the PCs after they start becoming troublesome, or the attack on New Phlan towards the end -- but for maps and locations, Pool of Radiance takes it hands down.

[jk7275]

Ruins of Adventure is ok, but it is very much in need of fleshing out.

I ran it, long ago, and I basically cribbed Pool of Radiance entirely for my non-computer-playing friends, and that worked very well. In nearly every case, the Pool of Radiance stuff has as much or more than Ruins of Adventure did -- an actual layout for New Phlan, an actual layout for the slums, an actual layout for the surface of Koto's Well, etc. There are some good suggestions in Pool of Radiance for more freeform activities -- the BBEG sending assassins after the PCs after they start becoming troublesome, or the attack on New Phlan towards the end -- but for maps and locations, Pool of Radiance takes it hands down.

I was surprised by how much it needed to be fleshed out. I played Pool of Radiance and I been going through it again. I have the slums ready to go plus some stuff they can do outside the city. I been looking for ideas for some areas the mansions and library, I don't like how Sokal keep is done. one figth against a big group of orcs is fine for the computer game but I am looking for other ideas

[Magua]

For Sokol Keep, I agree on not liking the "one and done" fight, and played it as much more of a setting up/re-arming defenses scenario. They had a few NPC henchmen with them, as well as supplies in their boat, and so had to secure the ballistae and then leave three of the NPCs with a supply of ballista bolts, secure the catapult, etc. I described the orcs getting reinforcements from the shores, but as the weapons came back online the reinforcements would start getting destroyed en route, so the PCs were incentivized to not battle everything they came across in favor of making speed. The end result was a lot of smaller encounters rather than one huge one.

The mansion and the library have some fleshing out in Pool of Radiance. If you're looking for more, especially for the mansions, I envisioned them as where more powerful monsters would nest. One could also hold an evil shrine/temple to some humanoid deity.

[LibraryOgre]

Ruins of Adventure is fine IF the DM has played Pool of Radiance (the original one). It provides a lot of context.

Oh, and the map of the graveyard is mis-keyed.

[jk7275]

Ruins of Adventure is fine IF the DM has played Pool of Radiance (the original one). It provides a lot of context.

Oh, and the map of the graveyard is mis-keyed.

I played Pool of Radiance when it came out which is way I thought Phlan would be a good starting point and this group never played Pool of Radiance, thats a plus

I found a map of Phlan I will modifying a little
https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net...20110917070326

I combined the the artisan section and old slums section into 1 section and its ready to go
I am just curious how people fleshed out the sections such as the mansions and I don't care for sokal keep being 1 big fight and done

I did find some things in back issue of dragon and dungeon magazine I can drop in the city or just outside

[LibraryOgre]

I played Pool of Radiance when it came out which is way I thought Phlan would be a good starting point and this group never played Pool of Radiance, thats a plus

I found a map of Phlan I will modifying a little
https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net...20110917070326

I combined the the artisan section and old slums section into 1 section and its ready to go
I am just curious how people fleshed out the sections such as the mansions and I don't care for sokal keep being 1 big fight and done

I did find some things in back issue of dragon and dungeon magazine I can drop in the city or just outside

For Sokal Keep, make it more of a battle. The undead are maintaining position, defending the place, with undead clerics reanimating broken skeletons and zombie humanoids to fight the "invaders", who include the party and bands of humanoids trying to take the keep.

If the humanoids take the keep, they can starve Phlan with a blockade. If the party takes the keep, Phlan has access to the Moonsea. So long as neither holds the keep, Phlan can (only) get a trickle of goods and support... enough to keep going, but without the influx of.bodies necessary to really expand.

Come up with a humanoid group responsible for getting a foothold, probably lead by a priest of Bane (because of all the undead). Make some standard size squads of humanoids to be combing the ruins. The priest of Bane should be of a level where he MIGHT be able to control the Spectre Priest, which would be really bad news for the party. Lesser teams should have the occassional minor priest to facilitate commanding undead.