Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

Post your comments here for J.D. Neal's adventure "SG3 Saga of the Giants - Frost Giant Fortress."

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

Here is a quick analysis of the Fortress Ground Level:

1 empty, stairs
2 trap + treasure
3 monster
4 monster + treasure
5 treasure
6 monster + treasure
7 monster + treasure
8 monster + treasure
9 monster + treasure
10 monster
11 trap
12 monster + treasure
13 empty, stairs
14 monster + treasure
15 monster + treasure
16 trap
17 monster + treasure
18 monster + treasure
19 trap
20 monster + treasure
21 monster
22 monster
23 monster + treasure

The monster roster:
- 21 frost giants
- 3 frost giant zombies
- 2 frost salamanders
- 1 giant weasel
- 3 ice spiders
- 12 polar bears
- 7 sabre-tooth cats
- 15 snow apes
- 6 snow wolves
- 4 wooly rhinoceros

My concerns are the following:

• I know the answer probably is "because it's a fortress and fortresses are like this" but why are there so many monsters?
• If there are that many, at least they could be of different factions.
• The treasures are boring.
• There is not enough empty rooms, traps/tricks, as well.

Ynas Midgard wrote:Here is a quick analysis of the Fortress Ground Level:

1 empty, stairs
2 trap + treasure
3 monster
4 monster + treasure
5 treasure
6 monster + treasure
7 monster + treasure
8 monster + treasure
9 monster + treasure
10 monster
11 trap
12 monster + treasure
13 empty, stairs
14 monster + treasure
15 monster + treasure
16 trap
17 monster + treasure
18 monster + treasure
19 trap
20 monster + treasure
21 monster
22 monster
23 monster + treasure

The monster roster:
- 21 frost giants
- 3 frost giant zombies
- 2 frost salamanders
- 1 giant weasel
- 3 ice spiders
- 12 polar bears
- 7 sabre-tooth cats
- 15 snow apes
- 6 snow wolves
- 4 wooly rhinoceros

My concerns are the following:

• I know the answer probably is "because it's a fortress and fortresses are like this" but why are there so many monsters?

That's pretty much the reasoning.

[*]If there are that many, at least they could be of different factions.
[*]The treasures are boring.
[*]There is not enough empty rooms, traps/tricks, as well.[/list]

A lack of time and creativity. Any ideas for factions and personalities are welcome.

I've looked at revamping the map some, adding rooms, though the overall layout is the same. The lower level is a quasi-maze. Adding storage rooms, trap rooms, special rooms, maybe changing some of the exterior caves to open inside instead.

Your comments got me to thinking, and are very helpful: what would make more interesting treasures? Move some from individuals and place them in leaders, have some strange hiding/guarding places (trapped ice-steel trunks? bear traps, etc.). Furs, ivory, scrimshaw, gems?

JDN: you really got to stop the self-deprecating talk/stuff (ie. "A lack of time and creativity.", and other such comments in the other related threads). Your work on these modules is astounding. Yeah, its nice to hear opinions, and incorporate various suggestions, but really, you have done the bulk-work and it is all good stuff!

Of course, it is great that you are open to suggestions as well... that shows a really superior sense of maturity about this creative stuff. Others are often like, "that is the way I did it, and that is how I meant it" (basically my way is best because I did it) --- even I can fall into that mentality at some times (though I try to snap back when I notice myself in that mode).

Of all these modules you have made, I really hope you continue to tweak these out so that in the future a Super Module of these can become a reality via Lulu or Amazon. cheers!

What Smoot said.. Hopefully nobody else will take offense when I saw you are my favorite module creator..

jdn2006 wrote:

I know the answer probably is "because it's a fortress and fortresses are like this" but why are there so many monsters?

That's pretty much the reasoning.

I see. Then, it would be interesting to devise their plans and standard defensive procedures to help the Referee run this place. Also, some more unique monsters and new special abilities would be welcome.

jdn2006 wrote: I've looked at revamping the map some, adding rooms, though the overall layout is the same. The lower level is a quasi-maze. Adding storage rooms, trap rooms, special rooms, maybe changing some of the exterior caves to open inside instead.

Cool.

jdn2006 wrote: Your comments got me to thinking, and are very helpful: what would make more interesting treasures? Move some from individuals and place them in leaders, have some strange hiding/guarding places (trapped ice-steel trunks? bear traps, etc.). Furs, ivory, scrimshaw, gems?

Well, to me simple coins are not that interesting. Generally speaking, treasure interests me only if it's described in an evocative way (besides, it is a good way of the Referee's communicating the atmosphere of the place and setting); i.e. gems and jewels with only their value given do not interest me.

jdn2006 wrote: A lack of time and creativity. Any ideas for factions and personalities are welcome.

I'd like to join the others and say that there's nothing wrong with your creativity and everybody appreciates the time you have invested writing these modules.

Attached is a PDF with some of the corrections and changes I've managed to iants-Frost-Giant-Fortress-r7 fixes for r8.pdf[/attachment]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 maps, etc.

[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.]

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"?
- Introduction (there's 2 Introduction sections??), delete extra "the" before "The Basic Fantasy Field Guide..."
- Player Characters and Tactics, 1st paragraph, correct to "well-equipped"
- Player Characters and Tactics, 5th paragraph, correct to "quite"
- Fortress Ground Level, 2. Tombs, delete extra "side"
- Fortress Ground Level, 21. Winter Larder, correct to "rhinos"
- Fortress Upper Level, 17c. Queen's dressing and clothes room, correct to "knickknacks"
- Caverns, 8. Steam Room, correct to "white-enameled"
- Caverns, 8. Steam Room, correct to "jewelry" for both instances
- Caverns, 11. Secret Conference Room, correct to "tourmalines"