# War of the Burning Sky - Updated 1/18 with discussion of the Player's Guide



## RangerWickett

Greetings folks. I'm busy finishing up my draft of the first adventure in the WotBS campaign saga, and I thought I would start a thread for people who are interested in what the series is going to entail. I'll be answering questions, announcing news and updates, and posting some teasers and art as it comes in.

Today, I wanted to announce the names of the writers and which adventures they'll be writing. If some of them want to swing by to say hi, that would be cool.


*The Scouring of Gate Pass*, by Ryan Nock (RangerWickett). 
Level 1. Release January 07.
*The Indomitable Fire Forest of Innenotdar*, by Jacob Driscoll (Kamikaze Midget).
Level 3. Release February 07.
*Shelter From the Storm*, by Ryan Nock.
Level 5. Release March 07.
*The Mad King’s Banquet*, by Hamid Raoof.
Level 6. Release April 07.
*Mission to the Monastery of Two Winds*, by Andrew Kenrick (andrew_kenrick).
Level 7-8. Release May 07.
*Tears of the Burning Sky*, by Ken Marable (kenmarable).
Level 9-10. Release June 07.
*The Trial of Echoed Souls*, by Neil D’Cruze.
Level 11-12. Release July 07.
*O, Wintry Song of Agony*, Felipe Correa (Land Outcast).
Level 13-14. Release August 07.
*The Festival of Dreams*, by Ryan Nock.
Level 15-16. Release September 07.
*Sleep, Ye Cursed Child,* by Wolfgang Baur.
Level 17+. Release October 07.
*Under the Eye of the Tempest*, by Shane O’Connor (Alzrius).
Level 17+. Release November 07.
*The Beating of the Aquiline Heart*, by Ryan Nock.

In my sig you'll find a link to the main WotBS page for E.N. Publishing. And, like a fool, I didn't realize that the sig image I've been using was uploaded as an attachment in a private forum, so most people haven't been seeing it. Heh.

I'm really excited about the campaign saga, and we've got some awesome news to announce in a few days.


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## RangerWickett

A piece of art, representing Boreus, a Ragesian inquisitor.





Illustration by the excellent David Hendee, who sadly seems to have vanished from the internet.


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## DItheringFool

I am waiting anxiously...


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## vvincent

*War of the Byrning Sky - Players' Guide*

With WotC releasing a PDF Player's Guide for their Savage Tide campaign, will there be a Player's Guide for the War of the Burning Sky? I know that the arc is designed to be dropped into an existing campaign, but given the nature of the conflict (multiple antagonists, politics and intrigue, etc) would a guide that provides some background and perhaps allows players to tailor their characters more directly for the arc be of interest?

Mind you - I love flavor material and background stuff, especially when combined with reasonable mechanics that reinforce the story.

Looking forward to the first installment next month. Speaking of which - when exactly in January do you see Part 1 being released?

Thanks again!

Vernon L. Vincent


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## RangerWickett

Given the holidays, we're probably not going to be releasing until mid- to late-January. I'm hoping the rest of the adventures will be available earlier in their months, though.

Each adventure will include in the zip file a Campaign Saga Guide, intended for the GM as an overview of what the plot will look like across the 12 adventures. There is some material intended for players, so I think we should be able to create a player's guide as well. I think I ought to take a look at Paizo's; as much as I don't want us to look like we're just imitating Paizo, those boys and girls know what they're doing, and it would be foolish not to learn from their successes.


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## vvincent

I absolutely agree with you. You don't need to imitate Paizo - just learn from what works and do it your way.

Thanks for the prompt response!

Vernon



			
				RangerWickett said:
			
		

> Given the holidays, we're probably not going to be releasing until mid- to late-January. I'm hoping the rest of the adventures will be available earlier in their months, though.
> 
> Each adventure will include in the zip file a Campaign Saga Guide, intended for the GM as an overview of what the plot will look like across the 12 adventures. There is some material intended for players, so I think we should be able to create a player's guide as well. I think I ought to take a look at Paizo's; as much as I don't want us to look like we're just imitating Paizo, those boys and girls know what they're doing, and it would be foolish not to learn from their successes.


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## DItheringFool

*Campaign Settings*

Personally, I'm tired of everything having to be generic enough that Eberron or The Forgotten Realms fans can plug-n-play.  Campaign settings are great and all, but what happen to a healthy imagination?  I hope you don't a darn thing to make your vision fit nicely with the big boys.  I'll be buying it for the freshness...


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## kroh

There is a lot of anticipation for this on the site.  If it's one thing that ENWorld-ers are of each other... it is supportive.  This is definately going to be a fun project to follow and you can consider my coin already spent!

Regards, 
Walt


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## Qwillion

"Emperor Coaltongue" what "old' king coal" was taken?

"Those in power are preparing for the coming conflict, readying fervent armies and powerful weapons and subtle, deceptive plots,"

Maybe it is just me but are there to many "ands" in that sentance.

"Though designed for a generic setting, the campaign saga can easily fit in most popular game worlds,"

This sentance also seems really wacky to me if it is designed to be generic I assume it has been sanitized enough to fit in my world lol.


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## RangerWickett

*shrug* 

I thought it sounded good. And even though his real name was Old King _Cole_, I don't expect that you will find any fiddlers three.


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## RangerWickett

*Wolfgang Baur to write for War of the Burning Sky*

E.N. Publishing is positively gleeful to announce that Wolfgang Baur, esteemed veteran of the gaming industry, will be writing one of the adventures for next year's War of the Burning Sky campaign saga.

Mr. Baur's adventure, _Sleep, Ye Cursed Child_, is the tenth of the series, scheduled for an October 2007 release. 

For more information on Wolfgang Baur's distinguished career, check out his  Open Design site.


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## dpmcalister

Do you have any idea on the price for each part of the campaign please?


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## RangerWickett

Short answer is 'not yet.'

I'm thinking at least $6 for a 20-30 page adventure, but that's not official.


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## catsclaw227

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> Short answer is 'not yet.'
> 
> I'm thinking at least $6 for a 20-30 page adventure, but that's not official.




If it's good, I'd even pay more, though in that case, I would expect it to be full color and supported like the Dungeon APs, with forums, web enhancements, downloadable maps and images, etc.


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## Gnal

I have some of questions.

1) Are these PDFs or books/magazines that will be shipped? (I am assuming PDFs).
2) Is this an inclusive Levels 1-20 adventure, ie. no need to run anything else to get levels?
3) It is DnD 3.5, right?

thanks,

-- david


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## Morrus

Gnal said:
			
		

> I have some of questions.
> 
> 1) Are these PDFs or books/magazines that will be shipped? (I am assuming PDFs).
> 2) Is this an inclusive Levels 1-20 adventure, ie. no need to run anything else to get levels?
> 3) It is DnD 3.5, right?
> 
> thanks,
> 
> -- david




Yes, yes and yes.


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## Gnal

Outstanding!!!

I will be checking back around the end of the month for the next year and buying them.

My Sunday evening group has no desire at all to move on to DnD 4.x when it comes out (we figure mid-late 2008) so they have all agreed to donate money to the "cause" to buy as many complete 3.5 campaigns as possible before they go away.

Right now, we are playing SCAP, and I have the two new Dungeon APs, another 1-20 from Mongoose(next one we will play), and a 1-30 from Mongoose. We are good for at least 2 years per campaign so we should be good to go for 8 years. Add in the Burning Sky and that makes 10 years. I figure that I will move south (from NY) after I retire before then so we are all set to go...

-- david


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## JDragon

This looks like its going to be a great campaign.

I was wondering if you may have some previews of the maps that are going to be availble with the adventures?

I'm looking for a good campaing that will work with my new projector that I'll be setting up very soon.

JD


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## catsclaw227

I know that Adventure 1 has a January 2007 date, is there anything more specific?  Will there be a players guide released at the same time?


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## RangerWickett

Because the holidays slowed us down a bit, the first adventure will be coming out in late January, but I'm working to get the later adventures ready closer to the start of their months. Right now the maps and cover are being worked on, and I'm trying to get enough art quickly enough for us to release the Player's Guide maybe a week before we release the adventure itself.

The maps are being created by Sean Macdonald (http://www.kencyclopedia.com/freelance), with one sketchy hand-drawn map by me.  That one is not intended to be used as a battle mat.


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## catsclaw227

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> The maps are being created by Sean Macdonald (http://www.kencyclopedia.com/freelance), with one sketchy hand-drawn map by me.  That one is not intended to be used as a battle mat.




His work is *very* nice.

Will there be battlemat style maps for key encounters?  That would certainly put it over the top, maybe get some Dundjinni maps done by ben waxman.  The stuff he has done for some of the goodman games DCC maps is really nice.


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## catsclaw227

Again, I can't wait to read through this.


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## RangerWickett

*New Year's Eve*



			
				Introduction to The Scouring of Gate Pass said:
			
		

> It is New Year’s Eve, and near midnight on this frigid evening the party gathers in a small condemned tavern in the Free Citystate of Gate Pass. Located in the mountain pass which separates two hostile nations – Ragesia and Shahalesti – Gate Pass has been neutral since the end of their last war, but now from Ragesia a scourge comes for the city.
> 
> By now, every magic-user in Gate Pass knows of the Scourge. The Emperor of Ragesia died barely a month ago, and in a move to cement herself as the next emperor of Ragesia, Leska, leader of the Ragesian inquisitors, has decreed that all disloyal magic-users are to be tracked down and killed, to prevent future threats to the empire. The inquisitors, clerics specialized in countermagic, travel with military escorts to the borders of Ragesia. Their first target is Gate Pass, its neutrality long viewed as an insult to the nation’s honor. Those who resist them will have to face the searing power of the Ragesian Empire.
> 
> An entire army marches for Gate Pass, and the people of the city fear that they will not be able to resist the might of the Ragesian military. The city leaders are bowing under pressure, and have barred the exit from the city, intending to welcome the inquisitors that come with the army, for they foolishly hope that the Ragesians will reward their cooperation with mercy.
> 
> A local resistance movement, devoted to keeping both the Ragesians and the Shahalesti out of the city, has gathered vital military intelligence, and they need messengers to deliver the information to allies at a distant wizard’s school. With all their strongest warriors preparing to hold back the Ragesian assault, this vital mission falls to the party.
> 
> The Ragesian army is nearly at Gate Pass’s doorstep, so time is short. The war is about to begin.




The first adventure of the campaign saga will be released in late January.


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## JDragon

Looks like fun.

JD


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## Miln

I can't wait for this!


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## vvincent

*Pre-ordering*

Will you be allowing pre-orders of either individual adventures or the entire series? I wouldn't mind playing upfront for the whole thing right now and then sitting back while the adventures are sent to me.

All in all - this looks to be a very good endeavor. Looking forward to seeing it released!

Vernon L. Vincent


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## crow81

I've players chomping at thr bit for this 

I want to start having them build characters. Being old fashioned I am giving them the choice of  a 28pt build or rolling 4d6 and dropping the lowest die per stat. I was wondering if there is any books that would be good to include or exclude so that the campagin remains balanced. They have already been warned that if the get too cheesy I will ramp up the encounters.

Any info would be great as would a release date 

Rich


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## Morrus

vvincent said:
			
		

> Will you be allowing pre-orders of either individual adventures or the entire series? I wouldn't mind playing upfront for the whole thing right now and then sitting back while the adventures are sent to me.




I'll look into what features RPGNow offers.  If there's a subscription/email feature, we'll certainly consider it.


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## Morrus

OK, they do offer that service, so I've set it up.

The subscription will normally cost $49.99 for all 12 adventures.  Up until the first adventure, The Scouring of Gate Pass, is released, the subscription is on sale for $34.99.  As soon as the first adventure is released, it will go up to the regular price of $49.99.

Individually, the adventures will retail at $5.99.

Click here to subscribe to the War of the Burning Sky Campaign Sage!


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## RangerWickett

crow81 said:
			
		

> I've players chomping at thr bit for this
> 
> I want to start having them build characters. Being old fashioned I am giving them the choice of  a 28pt build or rolling 4d6 and dropping the lowest die per stat. I was wondering if there is any books that would be good to include or exclude so that the campagin remains balanced. They have already been warned that if the get too cheesy I will ramp up the encounters.
> 
> Any info would be great as would a release date
> 
> Rich




Even though my gaming group has tons of WotC books, sadly I can't use them since they're not Open Content. However, I think most WotC books should be balanced for use in the campaign. In the playtest I'm running, the group consists of a Knight (PHB 2), a Beguiler (PHB 2), a kineticist (XPH), and an elf Warlock/Generalist Wizard (substitution level from Races of the Wild). So far the most powerful thing in the group has been the _sleep_ spell, which is in the PHB. *grin*

There are going to be additional character options included with the campaign saga, in a Player's Guide document. I'm trying to get that ready for release before the first adventure. 

If I may ask, what setting are you planning to use for the campaign saga? The saga includes its own setting, but if you're playing in a home campaign, Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Greyhawk, or (of course) Scarred Lands, I'd be glad to help you find an appropriate region to place the campaign saga.


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## vvincent

Just got my subscription! And it's good to hear about the Player's Guide. Can't wait for the first adventure.

Vernon L. Vincent



			
				Morrus said:
			
		

> OK, they do offer that service, so I've set it up.
> 
> The subscription will normally cost $49.99 for all 12 adventures.  Up until the first adventure, The Scouring of Gate Pass, is released, the subscription is on sale for $34.99.  As soon as the first adventure is released, it will go up to the regular price of $49.99.
> 
> Individually, the adventures will retail at $5.99.
> 
> Click here to subscribe to the War of the Burning Sky Campaign Sage!


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## meomwt

Given the pound-to-dollar exchange rate, I'll be picking up a subscription fairly soon, it's a real bargain for me.   

Any advice on placing the Compaign Saga on the Greyhawk world will be much appreciated as it's my 'default' setting. With something as world-breaking as this, I might have to consider running it on a self-contained world, however.


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## Morrus

meomwt said:
			
		

> Given the pound-to-dollar exchange rate, I'll be picking up a subscription fairly soon, it's a real bargain for me.
> 
> Any advice on placing the Compaign Saga on the Greyhawk world will be much appreciated as it's my 'default' setting. With something as world-breaking as this, I might have to consider running it on a self-contained world, however.




It would be nice if we could include that sort of thing in the Campaign Guide.  But all the default settings are WotC's intellectual property - we can't even mention them.  But we're happy to do what we can to help short of actually publishing anything with the naughty words in it! 

Hopefully Ryan will drop by later to answer more specifically.


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## meomwt

I was expecting a few hints and tips as part of the forum rather than publishing it in the Campaign Guide. I've hit up against the OGL buffers in the past and appreciate how difficult it can be to include that sort of info in a non WotC product. 

Message boards, are, however, another matter


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## kroh

If we get the subscription does that mean we get the player's guide as well?

Regards, 
Walt


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## Morrus

kroh said:
			
		

> If we get the subscription does that mean we get the player's guide as well?
> 
> Regards,
> Walt




The Player's Guide is free, even _without _ a subscription.


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## kroh

Aww man...just get us salivating...It's like a jedi mind trick you want to happen to you!

Regards,
Walt


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## DItheringFool

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> If I may ask, what setting are you planning to use for the campaign saga?



Home brew.

And I have purchased the subscription!!!


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## RangerWickett

The following is a section from the Campaign Saga Overview, intended for GMs. This section is about adapting the campaign to a different setting. There are some spoilers in here, so if you plan to play in the campaign saga, I recommend you stay out.

[sblock]
*Tweaking the Setting*
_War of the Burning Sky_ is intended to fit into any world, but we use a baseline setting as the core of the campaign saga. If you want to place this campaign saga in an existing setting, you might simply say that Ragesia and the lands around it lie far from the realms the PCs have previously experienced or in a distant part of the world. Or you might prefer to find an area that closely parallels the terrain and nations of the campaign saga. 

Ragesia could be any militant nation, though it should sit in a nice middle point of a region where it is strong enough to threaten lesser nations, but not so strong that the rest of the world would have risen up to put it down.

*Nations and Cities:* The conflict of the campaign saga involves two major nations - Ragesia, a Lawful Evil empire with human and orcish armies, and Shahalesti, a Neutral nation with elf-heavy armies.

When looking for nations in an existing setting, Ragesia’s stand-in could be any evil nation able to field a large enough army to potentially conquer several of its neighbors. Shahalesti’s stand-in should be slightly weaker than Ragesia, somewhat militant but not evil. The two nations should be neighbors or fairly close. The events of the adventures one and nine focus on a terrain bottleneck between the two nations - in this case a defended mountain pass - but any restricted terrain could work, such as an isthmus or a narrow strip of temperate coastline on the edge of a trackless desert.

The rest of the surrounding nations can be whatever you want, though you will want to try to keep a similar geography in the relation between Ragesia and Dassen, so that the fire forest of adventure two can provide an actual shortcut. It’s a small enough area that it should not be hard to add it.

There could be many smaller nations involved in this conflict, but whatever you do, make sure that the conflict doesn’t stretch far enough that nations far more powerful than Ragesia and Shahalesti get involved. The PCs should feel like they’re the underdog, and that they have a big fight ahead of them. Other nations should not be interested enough to simply sweep in and save the day; that’s for the party to do.

*Major NPCs:* The two biggest sparks of the war are the vacuum left after the fall of a powerful warlord, and the desire to retrieve the artifact that let him come to power in the first place. The specifics of the warlord aren’t too vital. Emperor Coaltongue’s stand-in just needs to be feared and cunning, and to have commanded armies, but his age, race, and even class could certainly change. He might have only recently begun his march to power, and he might only have had the Torch of Burning Sky for a short time. 

Leska and her anti-magic inquisitors are a fairly large component of the campaign setting, but any group of ominous minions work. The inquisitors could be a recent development, rather than a deep institution of Ragesia. Leska’s stand-in just needs to be the ‘hands-off manipulative genius’ style of villain.

Having a group of non-good elves who aren’t drow might not fit a lot of settings, so any group that mixes warcraft and spellcraft can be substituted. Their ruler Shaaladel’s stand-in should still be motivated by a sense of moral superiority, not some generic ‘evil intentions.’ He needs to be highly charismatic, and have convinced people to do things they might normally think to be wrong, which means they might choose not to follow him if given the option.

Pilus can be directly affiliated with any nation looking to sieze power, so he’s perhaps the easiest to fit in. Likewise, the leaders of the Lyceum academy were not world movers and shakers until the start of the conflict.

*Immortality and the Aquiline Heart:* Leska’s tie to the Aquiline Heart actually gives her relatively little, since any high-level leader would have access to true resurrection, but the Heart gives the players a memorable way to strike a seemingly invincible foe in her weak spot. The myth of the Aquiline Heart can be a famous old legend that people only half believe, like the tales of the Holy Grail, or it could be isolated to Ragesia. If you substitute an existing legend of the setting, you might lose some of the phoenix imagery in the later adventures, so try to find something that would involve fire so it ties in well with the ‘burning sky’ part of the title.

*Trillith:* The trillith are a totally new group, and since their existence is relatively unknown it should be easy to fit them in. You might need to alter the timeline of the Mother of Dreams somewhat, to make sure she keeps her ties with the creation of the Torch.

*Adventure Locations:* Any setting has enough uncharted terrain that it shouldn’t be hard to work in a fire forest, a monastery, a psychic temple, and an underground prison. Don’t worry about having to use famous locations from a setting. Just because the PCs don’t personally fight the battles in a well-known city doesn’t mean that the battle isn’t happening. The conflict should appear massive, much bigger than the PCs. Of course, players like to feel a little bit legendary, so at least in the climax adventures, try to use notable locations.

A few adventures, particularly _The Mad King’s Banquet_, _Mission to the Monastery of Two Winds_, and _O Wintry Song of Agony_ are intended to give you as GM a lot of leeway as to the specific location of battles. You just need to decide where a strategically-important battle would occur, then send the PCs on the particular missions of the adventure, which are intended to be pivotal to the conflict.
[/sblock]


I'm running one of my playtests in Forgotten Realms because the players are huge fans, and they thought the idea of Obould Many-Arrows ending up as a warlord for Thay was ridiculous but entertaining. I'll have to look over some Eberron and Greyhawk texts again to make sure I'm not getting any details wrong, and hopefully by the end of the week I can give you suggestions for all those settings.


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## catsclaw227

I just ordered the subscription!  Will this be in full color? If so, that would be awesome, but I imagine that the art would be expensive.

I saw your note about running this in the Scarred Lands, that sounds interesting.  How would one do this?  Sounds like (obviously) Ragesia=Calastia, but who would sit in as Shahalesti?


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## catsclaw227

Quick question,

Will you be taking advantage of all the great d20 third party material out there?  I know that in another thread James Jacobs talked about how Dungeon can't use any third party OGL material. 

There's so much great stuff by other publishers, I am hoping that some of it gets used.


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## Morrus

catsclaw227 said:
			
		

> Quick question,
> 
> Will you be taking advantage of all the great d20 third party material out there?  I know that in another thread James Jacobs talked about how Dungeon can't use any third party OGL material.
> 
> There's so much great stuff by other publishers, I am hoping that some of it gets used.




Only if we have space to actually reproduce the material in the adventure - we're running very tght on word count.  And we can't say "OK, hope you enjoyed Adventure 4, but now to use Adventure 5 you need to buy X from Company Y first".

So, we'll see - no promises either way.


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## catsclaw227

Morrus said:
			
		

> Only if we have space to actually reproduce the material in the adventure - we're running very tght on word count.  And we can't say "OK, hope you enjoyed Adventure 4, but now to use Adventure 5 you need to buy X from Company Y first".




Fair enough.  

Sorta off topic -- in a PDF document, why is word-count such an issue, unless you plan on making it to print at the same time?  Will this series is sold as PDFs and then a combined HC at the end, or as individual print items?

I can see making up any wordcount issues in the HC with additional text that comes from the MASSIVE wealth of real-life play testing all us pre-subscribers will be giving it with our playing groups.


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## Morrus

catsclaw227 said:
			
		

> Fair enough.
> 
> Sorta off topic -- in a PDF document, why is word-count such an issue, unless you plan on making it to print at the same time?  Will this series is sold as PDFs and then a combined HC at the end, or as individual print items?




Because writers have this pesky habit of asking for money in exhange for their services.  Yeah, I hate it too!  One day they'll all write for us for free, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes they will!


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## catsclaw227

Morrus said:
			
		

> Because writers have this pesky habit of asking for money in exhange for their services.  Yeah, I hate it too!  One day they'll all write for us for free, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes they will!




Oh yea.   Well there's that....

but if you were writting the stuff yourself, page count isn't a big deal then, right? (this is sorta theoretical, of course).  In normal publishing paradigm, page count isn't an issue with PDF outside of writer payments, right?


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## Morrus

Page count isn't an issue for us, no - just word count!


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## catsclaw227

Morrus said:
			
		

> Page count isn't an issue for us, no - just word count!




ooops  my typo --- I meant word count. I ask because I may dip my toes into self-publishing an adventure for d20, and I wasn't sure about the particulars.  Maybe the PDF police would come by and arrest me for excessive word count or something.

Do you recommend, or have you read, the Adamant Entertainment/Ronin Arts e-Publishing series?


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## RangerWickett

Morrus said:
			
		

> Only if we have space to actually reproduce the material in the adventure - we're running very tght on word count.  And we can't say "OK, hope you enjoyed Adventure 4, but now to use Adventure 5 you need to buy X from Company Y first".
> 
> So, we'll see - no promises either way.




Actually Russ, I've talked about this with one of the writers, and we agreed that if he wants to use something 3rd party, he's welcome to reproduce it, and just not count it toward the adventure's word count. I figured that would be fair, and he seemed happy with it. And I plan to use at least a few of EN Pub's own products in the ones I write.


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## catsclaw227

I know that Wolfgang Baur has done this for the Open Project things he has done (I am a patron of the current project), and it really shines.


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## crow81

*Books I plan on using for the War*

First and Foremost 

Thanks for the dialog it is rare to be able to speak with the writer/editor of a work in this manor. 

Second 

I subscribed to the whole shebang you got me hook line and sinker. 

Third 

Being somewhat of a purest I plan on using the following books:

For character building 

PH
PHII 
Spell Compendium 
The Complete Books (All of them)
The Miniatures Handbook 
Heroes of Battle 

The last 2 for their military feel 

I will try to keep the level dipping to a minimum 

I plan on giving the players only enough of the world as they need. I build a few world maps once I see the material 

Thanks again 

Rich


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## Morrus

catsclaw227 said:
			
		

> Do you recommend, or have you read, the Adamant Entertainment/Ronin Arts e-Publishing series?




I've never looked at it.  Sorry!


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## irdeggman

When will the Player's Guide and DM's Campaign Overview be available?

I just put in my subscription yesterday and would like to get a DM friend of mine interested in running this, since I am currently running (well starting to run) the Age of Worms.


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## RangerWickett

The Player's Guide is being laid out right now. I figure no later than the end of next week.


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## Ivellious

How soon is the first one looking to be out?  Cause if it's anytime like in the next few days I'd have to get my subscription then (I want it cheap lol, though it really would be worth 49.99 if it's anything like you say it is  ).


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## RangerWickett

I expect it to go on sale toward the end of the month, probably Friday January 26.


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## crow81

*Status update please*

Are there any updates?  Another teaser would be great... 

My players are starting to get the DT's (shakes) 

(So am I actually) 

Thanks


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## Morrus

crow81 said:
			
		

> Are there any updates?  Another teaser would be great...
> 
> My players are starting to get the DT's (shakes)
> 
> (So am I actually)
> 
> Thanks




We're waiting on the completed _Player's Guide _ and _DM's Campaign Overview_.  As soon as they're done, you'll be able download 'em for free.  I'm impatient to see them, too! 

Soon, very soon!


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## Morrus

OK.. this is a big one.  Major spoilers ahead!  I'm putting it in spoiler tags so that you don't have to read it, but be warned that below is an abridged campaign overview.



Spoiler



The Scouring of Gate Pass, by Ryan Nock. Level 1. Release January 07. As the Ragesian army marches upon the neutral city of Gate Pass, the heroes must retrieve vital war intelligence from a spy and deliver it to the distant wizards’ school of Lyceum, but first they have to find a way out of a besieged city before Gate Pass falls and the inquisitors, Ragesia’s infamous mage-hunting clerics, find them. 

The Indomitable Fire Forest of Innenotdar, by Jacob Driscoll. Level 3. Release February 07. The journey between Gate Pass and distant Lyceum is dangerous, and along the way the heroes must survive passage through a forest that has burned for decades, where a dream monster known as a trillith holds sway. The trillith, which calls itself Indomitability, is trapped by the last survivors of the forest, a clan of pernicious fey whose magical song holds the key to defeating these strange nightmare beings. 

Shelter From the Storm, by Ryan Nock. Level 5. Release March 07. The heroes reach Lyceum, located in a small seaside village named Seaquen, and have to navigate spies from Ragesia, power hungry refugees, and a fleet of hostile Shahalesti elves, prove themselves loyal to the town, and rescue the school when a magical hurricane strikes, conjured by agents of an unknown villain.  Here, at Lyceum, the heroes learn some sinister secrets.

The Mad King’s Banquet, by Hamid Raoof. Level 7. Release April 07. On a quest to find allies in the nearby nation of Dassen before Ragesia’s army arrives, the heroes discover that a trillith named Madness, another dream monster like the one in the fire forest, is manipulating the king. They must helps a sympathetic noble named Duke Gallo battle the forces of the mad king.  Seaquen's very survival depends on their success. 

Mission to the Monastery of Two Winds, by Andrew Kenrick. Level 9. Release May 07.  In a monastery in Ostalin, monks who worship the wind are being threatened by the remnants of the army the Ragesian emperor was commanding before he was assassinated. The heads of the monastery, a pair of brothers named Longinus and Pilus, offer to aid the heroes in retrieving the lost Torch of the Burning Sky if they help them fight the army, but clues suggest that all may not be as it seems.

Tears of the Burning Sky, by Ken Marable. Level 11. Release June 07. The heroes race ahead of an enemy army, fighting their way inside the abandoned fortress in the nation of Sindaire, where Emperor Coaltongue was slain. The castle is now overrun by undead, animated by a strange fiery tear in the fabric of the planes. The castle holds the clue of what has happened to the Torch, but they will have to fight to learn it. 

The Trial of Echoed Souls, by Neil D’Cruze. Level 13. Release July 07.  The heroes locate the assassins who have the Torch, but learn that they have damaged it, removing a key piece of its magic in a nearby psionic temple, which they must brave if they wish to use the powerful artifact. In the temple, the heroes face dangers of the past, and learn more about the events unfolding. 

O, Wintry Song of Agony, by Felipe Correa. Level 15. Release August 07. A clue from the temple leads the heroes to a secret facility operated by minions of Leska in the frozen reaches of northern Ragesia. Under the facility is a strange prison where waves of agony overwhelm the inmates – all of them captured mages who were seized by the Scourge. The agony comes from a trillith, who is being used to power experiments with some strange superweapon Leska is working on. The heroes must  rescue a prisoner who knows Leska’s weaknesses.

The Festival of Dreams, by Ryan Nock. Level 17. Release September 07. With the aid of whatever allies they have secured, the heroes return to the city of Gate Pass where their journey began, with the goals of liberating the city and swaying the allegiance of Leska’s armies. They learn Leska's untimate plan, and the plans of the dream-monster trilliths. When a defiant religious festival is interrupted by the appearance of a nightmare swarm, the heroes must locate a disloyal trillith who can help them stop the incursion.

Sleep, Ye Cursed Child, by Wolfgang Baur. Level 17+. Release October 07. With news arriving that Leska is preparing her superweapon and that Pilus’s airship is aimed for Seaquen, the heroes need to reactivate the Torch, so they can respond to both threats. Their mission takes them into the Underdark, to the lair of the Mother of Dreams, source of the trillith, whose power created the Torch of the Burning, and who they hope can fix it. While war rages on the surface, the heroes must find unlikely allies amid the evil races of the deep, and must battle the nightmares of a sleeping dragon in order to free her from her curse. 

Under the Eye of the Tempest, by Shane O’Connor. Level 17+. Release November 07. Certain of his own invincibility, the stormy archmage Pilus sets his sights on destroying his old rivals, the mages of Lyceum Academy. Once again a storm rolls over the town of Seaquen, but this tempest bears an army amid its thunder. The heroes must board Pilus’s mile-long living airship and fight their way to its brain, but to kill the leviathan’s master, they must slay the beast as well, for the lich Pilus has chosen an unusual form for his phylactery.

The Beating of the Aquiline Heart, by Ryan Nock. Level 17+. Release December 07. The immortal blood of Avilona, elemental spirit of air, runs in the veins of Supreme Inquisitor Leska, and she has had time enough to gather her power. Her armies defend the great rift where lies the still beating Aquiline Heart, and the heroes must lead one final assault into the fiery breast of the Ragesian Empire.


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## kroh

I can now definitively say two things...
1. wow

2. Sold

Regards, 
Walt


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## Primitive Screwhead

Hook line and sinker.... EnWorld proves once again why I like it here


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## Morrus

The FREE Player's Guide is now available for download!

http://www.enworld.org/index.php?page=burningsky

The Campaign Overview is coming very soon!


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## crow81

Thanks Guys the Players Guide is great


Ryan the rest of the campaign is this good it was money well spent I am glad I got in early 


Thanks again 

Rich


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## catsclaw227

Quick question:

It seems that the Gate Pass feats are all given as bonus feats for affiliations.  For example, on page 7, Blade of the Resistance, the special text describes an affiliation with the Gate Pass Resistance, described on page 6.  Will this affiliation, as well as others, be described in the GM's guide or Campaign Overview?


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## RangerWickett

They are not described in detail. Each of them plays a role to some degree in the campaign saga (particularly the first adventure), and in those scenes there will be enough information to run the encounter, but I didn't see the need to go very in depth with them.


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## catsclaw227

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> They are not described in detail. Each of them plays a role to some degree in the campaign saga (particularly the first adventure), and in those scenes there will be enough information to run the encounter, but I didn't see the need to go very in depth with them.




Will there be a sidebar somewhere will the various affiliation rewards based upon Affiliation rank, as well as how to gain rewards for the group?  I am imagining something similar to the way that they are laid out in Savage Tide AP, but something uniquely E.N. Publishing cool.


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## Morrus

catsclaw227 said:
			
		

> Will there be a sidebar somewhere will the various affiliation rewards based upon Affiliation rank, as well as how to gain rewards for the group?  I am imagining something similar to the way that they are laid out in Savage Tide AP, but something uniquely E.N. Publishing cool.




I'm sorry, but could you rephrase that?  I understand all the words, but not in that order!


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## catsclaw227

Morrus said:
			
		

> I'm sorry, but could you rephrase that?  I understand all the words, but not in that order!




OK -- let me reword this... 

In the Savage Tide AP, they had  sidebars in the Savage Tidings articles of Dragon magazine that listed the various afiliations in Sasserine, as well as how to gain affiliation points, and what the affiliation ranks provided to the PC.

Will you be doing something along those lines?  I am not sure if this is the same way that Affiliations are done in PHB II (or is it DMG II?) but it was very cool.  I was also hoping that it might have a nifty-cool E.N. Publishing angle to it as well.

Does this make sense?


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## sirwmholder

Excellent work guys!  Now I'll to start converting the spells and items to EoM .

Again well done,
William Holder


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## Marius Delphus

Hi, I think I can explain.

The choice to add the Special lines to the Gate Pass feats, as a logical consequence of the text on page 6 (column 2, paragraph 2 after the headings), was made by me during layout. Ryan's been very lenient in letting me make these kinds of minor edits when I'm composing pages, but he always carefully reviews the final product to make sure I haven't overstepped my bounds.

However, *please* don't read the word "affiliated" as meaning anything more than "committed to," "allied with," or "acquainted with" (depending on the level of attachment that you as DM decide is needed to grant one of these feats as a bonus). Recall that "War of the Burning Sky" is a series of d20 products, not "D&D" products; recall also that that "affiliation" stuff from the PHBII is not Open Game Content. So by extension, the products don't refer to or incorporate PHBII material.

Of course, if an individual DM should *want* to set up the listed Gate Pass organizations with affiliation scores, benefits, and so forth from the PHBII, that's certainly a logical extension of the story framework provided in the Players' Guide... home games certainly aren't constrained by OGC after all. Said DM might want to have at least adventure #1 in hand before deciding how much work to put into it, but as with any game prep, if it looks like it'll be worthwhile come play time then I'd say go for it.


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## catsclaw227

This makes perfect sense.  I forgot that PHB II stuff was non-OGC.  One would think that a mechanic like that would be made OGC, like other things in some of the recent books.  I hope that if/when they rebuild the SRD, they include a bunch of stuff like this to open it up to 3rd party developers.

Then, how does one get the bonus feat, as defined in the Special text of the feat?  Is this simply a bonus based upon an RP situation?


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## Marius Delphus

Yup.

To elaborate slightly more, it's meant to be a nice little reward for players who go ahead and write Gate Pass into their characters' backstories. Such characters have more "at stake," as it were, in the outcome of the campaign. The DM is the final arbiter of whether the characters' stories are "good" enough to merit having a little bonus thrown their way.

[EDIT: Also, I'd say these feats are a little bit less "powerful" than a "regular" feat, so I personally don't foresee any game balance problems or anything.]


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## RangerWickett

What Marius said. 

Also, I wanted to make the Gate Pass feats freebies so that they would get used. I hate writing crunch that won't get used, and for these feats in particular, I liked the concept that they let you grant benefits to your allies, encouraging teamwork.


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## catsclaw227

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> What Marius said.
> 
> Also, I wanted to make the Gate Pass feats freebies so that they would get used. I hate writing crunch that won't get used, and for these feats in particular, I liked the concept that they let you grant benefits to your allies, encouraging teamwork.




I am gonna give each PC a freebie Gates Pass Feat.  I like the style and RP opportunities.


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## RangerWickett

One playtest session I ran (a one-shot, since the players were only in the area for Christmas) had three PCs take the Thieves' Guild feat. The party was rarely surprised. It added a unique twist to the game, with them all acting like they were old friends from the get-go.


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## crow81

*Military Gate Pass Question*

I am confussed

I like and can follow the logic of all the Gate passes except the Military one.

In the players guide on page 5 under the Military write up you say that the city has little in the way of a Cavalry tradition. 

Yet the gate pass for the Military  is  Cavalry Errant a bonus to the ride skill and group handling riding skill. 

Any clarification on this would be great 

Thanks 

Rich


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## EditorBFG

Player's Guide looks really good. A smart, useful way to engage the PCs. I wish TSR had done one of these for the original Dragonlance modules when they first came out, so the implied associations of the PCs with the setting could've been tied-in crunch-wise. Players love free stuff.

A question: The percentages of races in each country's "statblock" don't seem to match up with the description. In Shahalesti, it says humans and not elves have a majority, but the statblock says elves are higher percentage of the pop. than humans. And Sindaire is supposed to have a population of mostly humans with some gnomish nomads, but gnomes have no percentage in the statblock. I ask, because I want to figure what countries of origin make the most sense for various PCs. Are these errors, or am I misreading?


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## RangerWickett

EditorBFG said:
			
		

> A question: The percentages of races in each country's "statblock" don't seem to match up with the description. In Shahalesti, it says humans and not elves have a majority, but the statblock says elves are higher percentage of the pop. than humans. And Sindaire is supposed to have a population of mostly humans with some gnomish nomads, but gnomes have no percentage in the statblock. I ask, because I want to figure what countries of origin make the most sense for various PCs. Are these errors, or am I misreading?




These are just particular cities. The Shahalesti capital has lots of elves (but there are many more humans in outlying areas and farms), and likewise the gnomes of Sindaire are nomads, and so don't count toward the city population of the capital. I compare it to Atlanta. We're the capital of Georgia, but I promise you, the same ethnic, religious, and sexual diversity is not constant throughout the state.


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## RangerWickett

crow81 said:
			
		

> I am confussed
> 
> I like and can follow the logic of all the Gate passes except the Military one.
> 
> In the players guide on page 5 under the Military write up you say that the city has little in the way of a Cavalry tradition.
> 
> Yet the gate pass for the Military  is  Cavalry Errant a bonus to the ride skill and group handling riding skill.
> 
> Any clarification on this would be great
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Rich




Eh, it's game mechanic license (like dramatic license, but for stats). There will be a fair bit of riding stuff throughout the campaign, so I wanted to offer an incentive for people to have the right skills. Plus, Gate Pass does use horsemen to patrol their surrounding lands, just not to run down enemies on wide battlefields in mass charges.


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## EditorBFG

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> These are just particular cities. The Shahalesti capital has lots of elves (but there are many more humans in outlying areas and farms), and likewise the gnomes of Sindaire are nomads, and so don't count toward the city population of the capital.



Ah, of couyrse. Thanks, that makes perfect sense.

Another question: any tips to a player using the commander class? One of my players is looking at a multiclass half-orc paladin/commander, and another guy is arguing that with the Charisma penalty that race/class combo will be like shooting himself in the foot. But any pointers to a guy playing a commander would be welcome, since there is so much existing material on how to maximize use of the existing classes I don't want him to be at any disadvantage.


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## JDragon

Ok, downloaded Player's Guide and forwarded to my perspective player's.

I'm looking at running this for a small group 1 - 3 PC's but plan to have them be gestalt chatacters.

Any suggestions or possible problems I may run in to doing this?  Beyond the normal that come from running a gestalt group.

Thanks

JD


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## RangerWickett

EditorBFG said:
			
		

> Ah, of couyrse. Thanks, that makes perfect sense.
> 
> Another question: any tips to a player using the commander class? One of my players is looking at a multiclass half-orc paladin/commander, and another guy is arguing that with the Charisma penalty that race/class combo will be like shooting himself in the foot. But any pointers to a guy playing a commander would be welcome, since there is so much existing material on how to maximize use of the existing classes I don't want him to be at any disadvantage.




Find out what about the combo interests him. Is he a half-orc just for flavor reasons? Either way, he's in good company. The former emperor of Ragesia was a half-orc fighter/commander (not quite Lawful-Good-enough to be a paladin).

I would recommend he focus more on the leadership performance feats, which don't require Charisma-based checks to use effectively. Start with commander first for the skill boost, and rely on skill ranks to offset his lack of natural charm. He won't be able to be a front-line warrior, but he'll be a strong support character who can survive in the thick at least for a while. It's likely his Charisma won't be any higher than +2, so he might just want to take 2 levels of Commander (since going any higher would lose out on the potential of the Direct Orders ability). He can always take more levels when his Charisma increases, and a 2-level dip in commander is still pretty strong. The real fun is at 4th level, when you basically get one free leadership performance per encounter.

I would encourage you as the DM to let the character treat Perform as a class skill for paladin. It fits the theme of the character, and shouldn't be unbalancing, especially since he has picked a sub-optimal race. Or, instead of one of the listed Gate Pass feats, give him this bonus feat:

*Bearer of the Coal Tongue* [Gate Pass]
Trained in the tradition of Ragesia's war leaders, you know the value of a commanding presence.
Benefit: You gain Perform as a bonus class skill. You gain one additional use of either bardic music or leadership performance each day.

For a build, I'd suggest he go:

(If 28-pt. buy, after racial adjustments)

Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14 (I personally don't value paladin spells too highly)

1. Commander - Leadership Performance and a fighter feat that will fit his combat style.
2. Paladin
3. Paladin - Maneuver Leader
4. Paladin
5. Commander - Fearless Leader
6+. Paladin

Remember that commanders (like any mass-buffing character - bards, dragon shamans) get stronger the larger the party is.


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## RangerWickett

JDragon said:
			
		

> Ok, downloaded Player's Guide and forwarded to my perspective player's.
> 
> I'm looking at running this for a small group 1 - 3 PC's but plan to have them be gestalt chatacters.
> 
> Any suggestions or possible problems I may run in to doing this?  Beyond the normal that come from running a gestalt group.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> JD




I'm really not familiar with gestalt rules. For a really small group (less than 3 PCs), several encounters may become overwhelming simply by numbers. If your players are up for it, maybe have some of the friendly NPCs they meet in the first adventure join their mission. Other than that, I don't know what to suggest.


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## Primitive Screwhead

Alright then RW... 

 I took the new Players Guide up to my drill weekend and read over it a couple times, and now am back at a computer 

First of all, I like the fluff and the crunch tie-ins to the various factions in Gates Pass. I think it would be possible to expand that one city and keep alot of adventures right in that area, even without a war.

 But on to the nit-picks and 'I woulda...'s 

*Student of War*, the wording is a bit weird. It looks like the feat allows a caster to spend longer in casting a spell in order to increase the spells DC by 1? WHy not replace the last line of the benefit with: "When you do so, the modified spell's save DC increases by +1 for each creature affected."... That makes it truely a useful ability for large scale battles. Rewriting to match a meta-magic affect might be a good thing as well.


*Stand the Heat*.. I get the idea of what this is meant for, but again, the wording is weird. It doesn't have D20 mechanics, instead has the physics of 'withstand temp as high as...'. Preferably it should provide Fire Resistance 15.

*Leader Feats*
 Is the intent to make the Bard the primary combat leader? Using perform/chr does this. I would suggest a total re-write of this section and base it instead on an already present mechanic, the Leadership Score. {level+Chr+mods}. The Commander Class would add to this score. An additional mod, beyond those in RAW, would be a scale of proven combat:
> Civilian -3
> Greenhorn - 2
> REMF -1
> Combat Vet + 1
> Combat Expert + 2
> Combat Hero + 3

 I like the concept and the intent. I haven't had the chance to really go over them closely, but have some general concepts as to how I would prefer them to work. 
The 'Manuever Leader' feat is, IMO, too strong. I would probably have the benefit change to "As a standard action you can orchestrate the melee combat to inflict greater damage on your foes. All allies within range gain a Skirmish ability of +1D6. This stacks with any Skirmish damage the character might already have."

Operation Leader... Love it! Bit longwinded... but thats okay 


Thanks again for this campaign set-up.. looking forward to the first adventure!


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## JDragon

Ok, just paid for my subscription and can't wait for more info and the adventures.

JD


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## Morrus

JDragon said:
			
		

> Ok, just paid for my subscription and can't wait for more info and the adventures.
> 
> JD




Very very soon!  Only days away!


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## dpmcalister

Just remembered to get my subscription paid for in time. Phew!


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## JDragon

Just wondering if their are plans to have a specific area here on the boards for DM's running WotBS to work together, ask questions, get suggestion and share whats worked for them?

When I was running RttToEE, Monte's boards made it much easier.  It was great to have a place to talk to DM's that had already dealt with issues that came up and share work we had done.   I was able to find lots of stat blocks in word doc's that were a much easier format to work from than the block in the book.  One thing I did was make images of the elemental keys for the different doors, and what they would look like when put together.

Something along this line would be great for a game this epic in scope.  Which I think is even bigger than RttToEE since it spans a full 20 levels.

Thanks

JD


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## Morrus

Not really, but if it appears there are quite a few people doing it, I might set an area aside for it.  Depends on whether it's needed, really.  No point creating forums just for the sake of it.


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## Primitive Screwhead

A sub-forum might not be a bad idea.. make it easier to track discussions and stuff.
With EoM we have a lot of questions/debate mixed in here in this forum

That way you publishers could subscribe to the whole sub-forum and respond to my nit-picks faster


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## JDragon

Primitive Screwhead said:
			
		

> A sub-forum might not be a bad idea.. make it easier to track discussions and stuff.
> With EoM we have a lot of questions/debate mixed in here in this forum
> 
> That way you publishers could subscribe to the whole sub-forum and respond to my nit-picks faster




The sub forum was more of what I was thinking I just didn't describe it well.  Nut as Morrus said gotta see if their are enough people running it to make it worth the time.

BTW - I plan on running this as a weekly evening game on thursday nights starting the end of Feb or begin of March.

JD


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## sirwmholder

Ditto on the sub forum vote.... we are planning to launch the campaign sometime around the first of March... ours we be a weekly Saturday game from lunch to dinner... which should be a lot of fun.

Primitive Screwhead, I personally love your nit picks they are usually right on the money and are very well written and thought out.

Thank you for your time,
William Holder


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## Morrus

OK, fair enough.  One sub-forum coming up!


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## JDragon

Thanks! :-D


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## Primitive Screwhead

Morrus, thanks for the new forum..

 I have spun off a thread for discussing the Players guide..


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## crow81

*How is this for a party*

Guys what do you think about this group

I decided to allow straight ORC as characters +4 Str -2 INT -2Wis -2Cha 

Paladin Party leader 
Rogue Party Leader 
ORC Knight
Elf Duskblade
Arcane caster 
ORC Cleric  

All from Gate Pass 

Too strong?


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## kroh

the questions shouldn't be whether it is too strong; it is whether you as a GM can handle adjusting the adventure to the party.  

Any module can be worked to fit anything...just a matter of how hard you are willing to work to make it happen.

Regards, 
Walt


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## Shawn Carman

So it will go on sale any day now, correct?

I am eagerly anticipating its release.


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## JDragon

My guess is Monday. 

JD


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## Retreater

Just purchased my subscription this morning ... I figured it would be one of the last chances before the price increase. 

Anyways, I have a few questions.

1) Additional supplements and information concerning the saga ... will it be automatically emailed to me like the new installments are? (Or will I need to keep checking the ENWorld site for updates?)

2) Are there any suggestions for character generation? Should we use standard character generation methods? Do any particular classes get more of a chance to shine? 

3) Would you consider the adventures appropriate in challenge level for newbie players, or should only more experienced players attempt them (like Paizo's Adventure Paths)?

Retreater


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## drscott46

I'm quite impressed with the Player's Guide as I await the release of adventure #1.

Just one thing:

"Shakur Biggs"?

Other than that little anachronism, thumbs up!


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## RangerWickett

1) Additional supplements and information concerning the saga ... will it be automatically emailed to me like the new installments are? (Or will I need to keep checking the ENWorld site for updates?)

Perhaps the latter. I don't know how the subscription service works. If we're not actually selling it, I don't know if we can add it to the list of products to be sent out.


2) Are there any suggestions for character generation? Should we use standard character generation methods? Do any particular classes get more of a chance to shine? 

You really ought to have a few magic-users in the party, since it helps the theme since the bad guys are anti-magic-user. But my goal is for all the classes to get a chance to shine. I'm personally not a huge fan of traps and locks, but I'm sure the authors will include classic rogue tricks.

The NPCs are normally 25-pt. buy. I playtested with 28-pt. buy.


3) Would you consider the adventures appropriate in challenge level for newbie players, or should only more experienced players attempt them (like Paizo's Adventure Paths)?

The first adventure starts with some kid gloves, but I figure if the players aren't experienced, then neither will be the DM, so it should be fair. In my playtest we had experienced players, and I made the bad guys use harsh tactics -- ganging up, using the full attacks of warhorses, fireballing 2nd level PCs. Y'know, fun stuff like that. They made it through just fine, though with some chumbawumba-ing.


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