Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

Post your comments here for J.D. Neal's adventure "SG2 Saga of the Giants - Caverns of the Stone Giants."

This can now be found in BF3 Strongholds of Sorcery on the Downloads page.

The following suggestions are based on Release 8:

LEVEL ONE

Area 1 sounds complicated as written, containing superfluous information. The third paragraph in particular could be changed to the following:

"Anyone who passes between the alcoves (see the dotted line on the map) without bowing and offering a prayer will be shocked for 1d6 damage and must make a successful saving throw versus petrification or be turned to stone for 1d6 turns."

Unfortunately, Area 2 and Area 3 are the same: 3 stone giants with 9,000 gp loot, which renders the choice of which exit they take from Area 1 moot, especially because they both lead to Area 5 (okay, 3 leads through 4 first, but that's actually an empty room).

My suggestions are the following:

• The pool in Area 4 is magical. If you agree, I can write it up in a couple of days. An other idea is to create a tube here which flows through Area 8 on the second level, granting another entry to that level.
• Connect Area 2 to Area 19 (don't forget that there's no elevation change).
• Connect Area 3 to Area 10 (no elevation change here as well).
• The guards at Area 2 and 3 should be different and definitely not have any treasure. These guys are just guards, afterall.

What purpose are the ogres in Area 5 intended to fulfill? I have several ideas how to make them more interesting but I don't want to introduce anything that is not in the spirit of the module according to the author.

I would rewrite Area 6 to actually have the giants here unless loud noise is made, in which case they hide in 6.a. and 6.b.. Also, the mundane treasure is boring, it could be rewritten as:

"Hidden under one bed is a small casket of exotic spices (worth 300 g.p.), a small obsidian scuplture of a goddess (worth 250 g.p.), and a leather pouch containing a large fire opal (1,500 g.p.)."

Area 7 is excellent.

Area 8 is a nice empty room.

Area 9
The ants could be changed into something different. Probably ooze or a more fantastic type of vermin. Perhaps the mask could be written up as a full magic item with powers and history.

Area 11
Perhaps they could be written up as full-fledged monsters: they should get a new name and a new ability (besides what they already possess), and obviously new description. I will think about it. Obviously, Area 10 needs a slight tweaking, then, but is otherwise good.

[At this point it occurred to me that my approach may not be the best, given that it tries to address details right away, when in fact another scope would be of more use - see the SG3 thread.]

Ynas Midgard wrote:The following suggestions are based on Release 8:

LEVEL ONE

Area 1 sounds complicated as written, containing superfluous information. The third paragraph in particular could be changed to the following:

"Anyone who passes between the alcoves (see the dotted line on the map) without bowing and offering a prayer will be shocked for 1d6 damage and must make a successful saving throw versus petrification or be turned to stone for 1d6 turns."

Looks like a good change. I looked at simplifying some of the text, but haven't had time.

Unfortunately, Area 2 and Area 3 are the same: 3 stone giants with 9,000 gp loot, which renders the choice of which exit they take from Area 1 moot, especially because they both lead to Area 5 (okay, 3 leads through 4 first, but that's actually an empty room).

The main hall originally went straight with #2 and #2 branching off; I got bored and broke it up, with the vague idea that giants from one area might hear the PCs and come up behind them...

My suggestions are the following:

• The pool in Area 4 is magical. If you agree, I can write it up in a couple of days. An other idea is to create a tube here which flows through Area 8 on the second level, granting another entry to that level.
• Connect Area 2 to Area 19 (don't forget that there's no elevation change).
• Connect Area 3 to Area 10 (no elevation change here as well).
• The guards at Area 2 and 3 should be different and definitely not have any treasure. These guys are just guards, afterall.

I like these ideas. Especially if they involve secret halls, illusions, underwater streams, etc. Things I didn't think of ...

What purpose are the ogres in Area 5 intended to fulfill? I have several ideas how to make them more interesting but I don't want to introduce anything that is not in the spirit of the module according to the author.

The ogres are grunts, connecting the modules via the ogres elsewhere. If you have some good ideas, write it up.

I would rewrite Area 6 to actually have the giants here unless loud noise is made, in which case they hide in 6.a. and 6.b.. Also, the mundane treasure is boring, it could be rewritten as:

"Hidden under one bed is a small casket of exotic spices (worth 300 g.p.), a small obsidian scuplture of a goddess (worth 250 g.p.), and a leather pouch containing a large fire opal (1,500 g.p.)."

Looks good.

Area 7 is excellent.

Area 8 is a nice empty room.

Ynas Midgard wrote:Area 9
The ants could be changed into something different. Probably ooze or a more fantastic type of vermin. Perhaps the mask could be written up as a full magic item with powers and history.

I had the ants as part of the wandering monsters and underground/cavern idea. But they don't need a lair in the caves and if you have some interesting oozes and slimes, write them up.

I view the mask (and other such specials) as a one-time idea I wouldn't want to force off on GMs as an official magic items. Changing ability scores isn't something some people want as part of their game.

Area 11
Perhaps they could be written up as full-fledged monsters: they should get a new name and a new ability (besides what they already possess), and obviously new description. I will think about it. Obviously, Area 10 needs a slight tweaking, then, but is otherwise good.

New ideas are helpful. Maybe giant bats that echolocate so loudly they can stun (save versus paralysis), and they are also carnivorous and drink blood?

[At this point it occurred to me that my approach may not be the best, given that it tries to address details right away, when in fact another scope would be of more use - see the SG3 thread.]

Details, ideas and feedback are very helpful - the more specific the better. Like most people, I don't have a lot of time to work on these, so input and ideas are very useful.

Attached is a PDF with some of the corrections and changes I've managed to work up. (Still needs more before sending in a formal update in my opinion.)

Uploaded another edited version 7/8/2013.

See below.

I attached the doc as a zip file (e-mail issues) in hopes Chris can use it for the next revision. LibreOffice is also crashing and dropping the map images, etc. so who knows how it comes out. If it doesn't work right, I'll see what I can do by Monday...

[Note, I deleted the file to prevent someone from downloading it and referring to an out-of-date copy. See the downloads page for the most recent update.]

Not sure why you're having so much trouble with LibreOffice. I'm uploading the new release now; I've made some edits, so please download the new version before making further changes. I hate to redo any work... lazy I guess.

- Title Page: lower-case "the" ie "Saga of the Giants"?
- GM's Info, 3rd paragraph, correct to "well-paid"
- Player Characters and Tactics, correct to "well-equipped"
- Giant Bags, 54-56, correct to "homemade"
- Giant Bags, 98-100, correct to "sake"
- Key to Level One table, #2, correct to "stirges"
- Level One, 13. Snake Woman Lair, correct to "jewelry"
- Key to Level Two table, #2, correct to "stirges"
- Level Two, 3. Stone Giant Work Party, correct to "stony"
- Level Two, 8b. Expansion, change "lie amid" to "lay amid"
- Level Two, 15. Keepers, "Three stone giants live here"?
- Level Two, 20. Southern End of Hall, correct to "alexandrite"
- Misc Level, M2. Temple, change to "All surfaces of this room"
- Misc Level, M2. Temple, Treasure, correct to "jewelry"
- Stonenites descriptions, correct to "stony" for both instances

Bag Contents:
15: a comma missing before "and vegetables"
16: what exactly does this mean: "save versus poison and die or severe illness if not found"?
33: comma missing before "and spoon"
51: no capital needed in "Each"