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Switch to Forum Live View Scepter Tower of Spellgard - 3D Paper Terrain (Spoilers!)
9 months ago  ::  Oct 07, 2012 - 4:12PM #1
frandallfarmer
Date Joined: Mar 17, 2010
Posts: 22

I'm a paper terrain junky, and I'm about to run the Scepter Tower of Spellgard. 

 Here's some samples - 








There are presently 44 pix in the gallery - check them all out here: photobucket.com/sceptertower?albumview=s...
(I tried embedding the slideshow, but photobucket shows them all out of order...)



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9 months ago  ::  Oct 07, 2012 - 5:13PM #2
Plaguescarred
Date Joined: May 12, 2009
Posts: 16,979
Wow thats amazing!
Yan
Montréal, Canada
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9 months ago  ::  Oct 07, 2012 - 5:26PM #3
LordManshoon
Date Joined: Jul 21, 2009
Posts: 4,028
Looks awesome!
My Sig Show
Reality is but the sum total of all illusions.
Proud Hand of Karsus, now and forever
Mess with one Hand, mess with 'em all
I am Blue/Green
I am Blue/Green
Take The Magic Dual Colour Test - Beta today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.

"just do what LM the lord of magical might does, and you'll be fine" - sfdragon, 10/12/09


My Ravnican Loyalties Show


Board Snippets Show

Jul 3, 2012 -- 2:15PM, ruttentud wrote:

"I don't like X, they should remove it."
"I like X, they should keep it."
"They should replace X with Y."
"Anybody that likes X is dumb. Y is better."
"Why don't they include both X and Y."
"Yeah, everybody can be happy then!"
"But I don't like X, they should remove it."
"X really needs to be replaced with Y."
"But they can include both X and Y."
"But I don't like X, they need to remove it."
"Remove X, I don't like it."

Repeat.

Obstinance?

Jul 4, 2012 -- 6:32PM, greatfrito wrote:

Until you've had an in-law tell you your choice of game was stupid, and just Warcraft on paper, and dumbed down for dumber players who can't handle a real RPG, you haven't lived.

You haven't lived.

Jul 15, 2012 -- 11:19AM, wrecan wrote:

Lady and gentlemen.... I present to you the Edition War without Contrition, the War of the Web, the Mighty Match-up!

We're using standard edition war rules.  No posts of substance.  Do not read the other person's posts with comprehension.  Make frequent comparison to video games, MMOs, and CCGs.  Use the words "fallacy" and "straw man", incorrectly and often.  Passive aggressiveness gets you extra points and asking misleading and inflammatory questions is mandatory.  If you're getting tired, just declare victory and leave the thread.  Wait for the buzzer... and....

One, two, three, four, I declare Edition War
Five, six, seven eight, I use the web to

Go!

Aug 5, 2012 -- 8:28PM, Rustmonster wrote:

D&D should not return to the days of blindfolding the DM and players. No tips on encounter power? No mention of expected party roles? No true meaning of level due to different level charts or tiered classes? Please, let's not sacrifice clear, helpful rules guidelines in favour of catering to the delicate sensibilities of the few who have problems with the ascetics of anything other than what they are familiar with.


Sep 14, 2012 -- 2:52PM, Grizley wrote:

Just a quick note on the MMORPG as an insult comparison...

MMORPGs, raking in money by the dumptruck full.  Many options, tons of fans across many audiences, massive resources allocated to development.

TTRPGs, dying product.  Squeaking out an existence that relys on low cost.  Fans fit primarily into a few small demographics.  R&D budgets small, often rushed to market and patched after deployment.

You're not really making much of an argument when you compare something to a MMORPG and assume people think that means bad.  Lets face it, they make the money, have the audience and the budget.  We here on this board are fans of TTRPGs but lets not try to pretend none of us play MMORPGs.


Nov 14, 2012 -- 8:11AM, Mand12 wrote:

Adding options at the system level is good.
Adding options at the table level is hard.

Removing options at the system level is bad.
Removing options at the table level is easy.

This is not complicated.


Mar 7, 2013 -- 6:57PM, Alter_Boy wrote:

Mar 7, 2013 -- 2:23PM, EnglishLanguage wrote:

Mar 7, 2013 -- 1:52PM, Rory wrote:

Something like Tactical Shift is more magical than martial healing.


Telling someone to move over a few feet is magical now? :|

I weep for this generation.



Given the laziness and morbid obsesity amongst D&Ders, being able to convince someone to get on their feet, do some heavy exercise, and use their words to make them be healthier must seem magical. 


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9 months ago  ::  Oct 07, 2012 - 7:42PM #4
frandallfarmer
Date Joined: Mar 17, 2010
Posts: 22
Just completed the most complicated room: T9 - Master Archanist's Quarters...

 

See all the new pics here: s1099.photobucket.com/home/frandallfarme...

See the now complete tower here: photobucket.com/sceptertower?albumview=s...




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9 months ago  ::  Oct 20, 2012 - 8:19AM #5
Imruphel
Date Joined: Jan 8, 2004
Posts: 567
Thanks for posting these, frandallfarmer, and reminding me how lacking in talent I am!

Seriously, this is great stuff. Thanks for sharing. 
Cheers
Imruphel
aka Scrivener of Doom
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9 months ago  ::  Oct 20, 2012 - 8:27AM #6
frandallfarmer
Date Joined: Mar 17, 2010
Posts: 22

Oct 20, 2012 -- 8:19AM, Imruphel wrote:

 Seriously, this is great stuff. Thanks for sharing. 




You're welcome! And today we begin the play sessions. I'll be crossposting some of the play pics here in the coming weeks.


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9 months ago  ::  Oct 20, 2012 - 6:09PM #7
frandallfarmer
Date Joined: Mar 17, 2010
Posts: 22
The party stopped off at the Monestary of The Precipice for a little social Roleplaying before heading toward the Scepter Tower. They weren't yet sure of their approach, so exploring th e surrounding area seemed to be in order.


As prep, I prepared recordings ot the 2nd, 7th and 12th Analects of Kuryon - which I'll share below - feel free use them for your game:



First- I had the 12th Analect posted as a "Dedication Plaque" just inside the main entrance. I established that the tradition when referring to the Analects was to have them read by someone in the room - preferably a monk, but it's not a requirement:

One of the lesser (unnamed) adepts read the dedication plaque:

The Reading of the 12th Analect

When discussion gets around to the history of the Monestary - who built it, and why - I had Thurr Gargengrim read it (at the request of Sister Cherra - who knows that though he is a skeptic, he still loves the history and poetry of the Analects):

The Reading of the 2nd Analect

Here's a photo of the ruins where they fought the homunculi...



And the 7th Analect was solemnly read by Master Allendi after the party returned with the alabaster pillar.

The Reading of the 7th Analect


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9 months ago  ::  Oct 20, 2012 - 7:56PM #8
Imruphel
Date Joined: Jan 8, 2004
Posts: 567
The ruins look great.

Are these all custom creations or do you design your own?

There is a chance that my next campaign is going to start in Loudwater and basically follow the FRCG mini-adventures and then Sceptre Tower so I was wondering: did you do any updating of the monster stats or other re-design work to make Sceptre Tower a better adventure?

I really like the synopsis and some of what I have read but I understand that it suffers from some bad design decisions - specifically those relating to grind - that most early 4E adventures suffered from. Has this been your experience as well or is it all working out well for you?
Cheers
Imruphel
aka Scrivener of Doom
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9 months ago  ::  Oct 21, 2012 - 1:54PM #9
frandallfarmer
Date Joined: Mar 17, 2010
Posts: 22
My build for the models is made from materials from several sources:
1) The Ruins map from the module is the base, unmodified.
2) On top of that is a sheet of acrylic to hold it flat and allow me to use glue-dots to set down the walls.
3) The papercraft is from several sources:
  a) Some of the walls are from Fat Dragon Games - EZ Dungeons Deluxe and its Expansion #3 and the Winterhawk Ruins. I kitbashed the expansion 3 wall textures onto the ruined-wall geometry to get a matching ruined wall for that set.
  b) Lord Zsezse Works - two kits E & I Walls set #1 (there is a free sampler on RPGNow) and Ancient Worlds (the temple thing in the center and the platform)

 Here's a shot from another angle to see more detail of the ruins:



As to the adventure itself. I had the same "grindiness" fears when I first purchased it, so I'm slimming it way down. As written, there is hook to skip most of the nonimportant encounters entitiled: Alternative: Taking the Tower.  It starts -

The PCs most likely fight the wererats in the ramparts first, then descend into the catacombs before working their way up through the tower. However, it’s possible for them to wind up in the heart of the tower right from the start—whether on purpose or by accident.




I've taken that to heart - they are starting this adventure at 3rd level and I only need them to reach 4th to meet my needs - so during the very first session they've already determined the true crisis at hand. Instead of a dungeon slog to ask some mystic a question about their future, they have quickly that they have a role in preventing a great power shift in the land. [As described in my previous post.] A single combat encounter to recover a pillar, and NPCs at the Monastery plus some strange dreams on the way there, and voilà! you cut out a bunch of time eating encounters. Feels more like and episode of Lost than of Lost in Space.

After a little more detective work, they are likely to head directly to the tower. I have the upmost confidence that they will be up to the challange.

So, I've already cut out: [Book 1] The first Ruins enounter , likely all of the semi-random encounters with other seeker-parties, all random encounters, and [Book 2] the ramparts, catacombs and probably the lower 3 floors of the tower (though that's not certain yet - I might channel them downstairs before going up...)

So, I'm guessing somewhere between 10 and 15 encounters at most (5-7 sessions) - and some of those will be handled with no combat, I'm sure.

That's plenty for my money. 

If I need to stretch, I can add more ruins encounters after they clear the tower and complete the task (avoiding spoilers here as much as possible.)

I've changed the monster stats by modding them using the Adventure Tools Monster Monster Builder, moslty just updating the damage to the lastest math, which is a single click operation.








 

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9 months ago  ::  Oct 22, 2012 - 2:00AM #10
Imruphel
Date Joined: Jan 8, 2004
Posts: 567
Thanks for your reply.

I thought I recognised some of the pieces but the creativity is all your own. Well done.

Cool - that sounds exactly like the way I would run it and I hope to do so next year. Once I'm finished running my Neverwinter campaign I think I will be starting a new campaign in Loudwater that will eventually involve confronting the Netherese. Sceptre Tower fits that plan perfectly... but I will be making much the same changes that you have made.

I hope to see and read more!  
Cheers
Imruphel
aka Scrivener of Doom
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