Download adventure HD2: The Shrine of the Black Ones

[thulsa]

Announcing a free adventure download, "HD2 The Shrine of the Black Ones"! This is a homage to the original classic adventure module, "D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa", by Gary Gygax, reimagined for sword and sorcery gaming in Robert E. Howard’s Hyborian Age using Mongoose’s Conan RPG ruleset.

Many of the original's high fantasy elements have been removed or toned down, but the module should be instantly familiar to those familiar with the classic scenario, as much of the text is verbatim from Gygax's original manuscript. I have turned the subterranean Shrine into a ruined temple on a nameless island, changed the Kuo-Toa into Black Ones, and the Sea-Mother into a tentacled horror from the Mythos.

Check it out today, and let me know what you think! More conversions are coming soon...

Download at http://hyboria.xoth.net/adventures/index.htm

- thulsa

 

[Belkregos]

WOA! :shock:
thanks Thulsa!

 

[Strom]

Thank you thulsa - I really appreciate it!

I downloaded it and will check it out. 8)

 

[Majestic7]

I don't practically ever use adventures made by other people, official or not - but that being said, well done, Thulsa. Only thing bothering me is the huge amount of loot, but I guess the characters have a plenty of ways to lose them on way home. Besides, I think this adventure kind of works best as a one-shot. I liked the way you brought Shub-Niggurath in to the island without rubbing it at the face of the players (and GM's). I must note, though, that the splitting effect of the great ooze makes it rather overpowering when combined with its save or die -touch. I think it is deadly enough on its own.

 

[The King]

That's great 8)

 

[Spectator]

Thanks for the time and effort of converting the adventure.
The part where the Black One has a harem of 6 human chicks seems pretty cool expecially for the adventurer who saves them.

I actually lost count of 'black ones' but there appear to be over 50 of them each with 60+ hitpoints and a DR of 7!

I don't think anyone's making off that island alive!

 

[thulsa]

Only thing bothering me is the huge amount of loot, but I guess the characters have a plenty of ways to lose them on way home.

Well, even if you do a straight conversion of gold pieces (D&D) to silver pieces (Conan), the original probably had 10 times the loot! Even so, yes, it adds up to quite a bit of treasure. However, since the PCs are going to the island in search of epic treasure, and the Black Ones are very tough opponents, the PCs deserve to get away with something if they are successful. And there are plenty of pirates and bandits who would pick up the rumors pretty quickly once the PCs get back towards the mainland.

I liked the way you brought Shub-Niggurath in to the island without rubbing it at the face of the players (and GM's).

Actually, Yibb-Tstll is a creation of Brian Lumley (check out his Tales of the Primal Land, by the way, it's fairly good sword and sorcery). It's a separate entity, but I found it a good fit due to its "black" aspect, and the blood which is said to have certain transmutative properties. If you want to use S-N instead, that's easily accomodated, but I wanted something more uncommon.

I must note, though, that the splitting effect of the great ooze makes it rather overpowering when combined with its save or die -touch. I think it is deadly enough on its own.

Then do what they did in the original story: Run!

- thulsa

 

[thulsa]

I actually lost count of 'black ones' but there appear to be over 50 of them each with 60+ hitpoints and a DR of 7!

I kind of went with the numbers in the original, but according to Pirate Isles, there's a total of 50 black ones, so that's a pretty good fit!

You'll note that I toned things a bit down by creating a "lesser" version of the Black Ones, but if you want to run this for even higher-level characters, you could have all 50 be of the "normal" variety. It will certainly be a bloodbath one way or another!

- thulsa

 

[Halfbat]

Only thing bothering me is the huge amount of loot, but I guess the characters have a plenty of ways to lose them on way home. Besides, I think this adventure kind of works best as a one-shot.

I will probably slot it in as an adventure in a sea-based campaign, after seeding it in earlier adventures. Having looked through it, I think it will be difficult for many groups even at level 10-12 to find all of it or to get all (or any) of it off the island without a great deal of difficulty - I thought it may _not_ be enough as result. The black ones are _tough_!

I guess it's easy enough to increase or reduce the amount of loot to the flavour of your own campaign. My group go through loot like ... well, like Conan, I guess. :wink:

 

[Arcadayn]

Very well done! I particularly enjoyed the artwork. I wish the 2nd edition could have artwork more in this vein.

I look forward to the City of the Spider God!

 

[The King]

Thanks for the time and effort of converting the adventure.
The part where the Black One has a harem of 6 human chicks seems pretty cool expecially for the adventurer who saves them.

I actually lost count of 'black ones' but there appear to be over 50 of them each with 60+ hitpoints and a DR of 7!

I don't think anyone's making off that island alive!

Don't forget that in the short story, most of the crew die in the fighting.

 

[Majestic7]

I will probably slot it in as an adventure in a sea-based campaign, after seeding it in earlier adventures. Having looked through it, I think it will be difficult for many groups even at level 10-12 to find all of it or to get all (or any) of it off the island without a great deal of difficulty - I thought it may _not_ be enough as result. The black ones are _tough_!

I think a group of 10-12 level characters will have a good chance of slaughtering them in droves. The Black Ones have hard time breaking massive damage threshold, especially that of armored characters while they still answer to the 20 point limit like everyone else. Two-handed weapons (with power attack) and sneak attacks will drop them in one blow. Although they have reach, they are slow, so tumbling characters with fighting on the run can make them bleed without getting hit in return.
However, I think that makes kind of a cool scene. I can imagine a small group of bloodied pirates standing over a pyramid of Black One corpses and still more keep coming in a silent, black wave.

 

[Majestic7]

I liked the way you brought Shub-Niggurath in to the island without rubbing it at the face of the players (and GM's).

Actually, Yibb-Tstll is a creation of Brian Lumley (check out his Tales of the Primal Land, by the way, it's fairly good sword and sorcery). It's a separate entity, but I found it a good fit due to its "black" aspect, and the blood which is said to have certain transmutative properties. If you want to use S-N instead, that's easily accomodated, but I wanted something more uncommon.

Really? Never heard of him. Well, the description of the big idol instantly screamed S-N to me. Many breasted creature with monstrosities sucking on its milk...especially as the milk of Shub-Niggurath is said to transform men in to beasts in Cthulhu lore. I think it works as another form and name of Shubbie without any changes at all as it is. I'm not a great fan of gazillion Great Old Ones and Outer Gods invented after the Lovecraft Circle ceased to exist. Easier to just have the classic few, but with many names and shapes. Earth feels like an awfully crowded place what comes to the mythos otherwise.

 

[The King]

Really? Never heard of him.

He is found in the cthulhu campaign The shadow of Azathoth IIRC

 

[Strom]

Wait a minute, didn't you give me some advice not to long ago:

You might put a spoiler warning in the Subject of such topics. There are players reading this forum too, you know... :shock:

- thulsa

 

[Aholibamah]

Nicely done Thulsa. Horrid humanoid things, a forgotten island temple with strange treasures and a stranger god, and a wild and crazy Kordavan aristocrat with a penchant for getting herself and others into trouble! One of my favourite of the seagoing adventures! thanks for taking the time and trouble to adapt it so presentably and offer it to us!

 

[Clovenhoof]

Sweet. I guess we can do that, when the party is around level 10. way to go!

 

[Axerules]

Thanks. It's very nice to share this for free, Thulsa.

 

[thulsa]

Wait a minute, didn't you give me some advice not to long ago:

You might put a spoiler warning in the Subject of such topics. There are players reading this forum too, you know... :shock:

- thulsa

I guess I did, but shouldn't players know to stay away when the subject is "Download adventure..." ?



- thulsa

 

[thulsa]

The Black Ones have hard time breaking massive damage threshold

True, but they do have Power Attack, which helps somewhat.

However, I think that makes kind of a cool scene. I can imagine a small group of bloodied pirates standing over a pyramid of Black One corpses and still more keep coming in a silent, black wave.

Agreed!

- thulsa