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  1. #1

    Abomination Vaults: Compendium

    For starts: SPOILERS ALERT! There will be no intent (on my behalf) to ruin any surprises for player planning on going through any part of the series, but because there will be some information sharing here that is generally intended for GMs running the series, I would suggest being cautious going through this thread if you intend on playing through it.

    So, as with the Agents of Edgewatch, for Adventure Paths I am a part of going forward I am going to add a compendium series to the AP. What I hope to accomplish here is a multitude of things.
    1. Links to the store pages for each product in the series. I’ll also indicate when there’s an update available on upcoming.
    2. An obvious place simply to comment on the series as it appears in Fantasy Grounds. Likes, dislikes, issues or bugs within each of the adventure modules, etc. Come here and offer any input. It’ll be read.
    3. Perhaps the key to this Compendium is the desire to have it be a gathering place for complimentary content to the series. Within each adventure, there are tidbits, brief mentions, and sidebars suggesting offering additional possibilities, personalities, or intrigues. I’d like to develop those further for those wanting more content in these series.

    The Adventure Paths are long series, although with Abomination Vaults, they’ve pared this down in half. Still, even with Abomination Vaults, it will take characters from fledgling adventurers to significant powers on Golarion. It’s with that in mind that I hope to give the series more for these remarkable individuals to get involved with. The compendium will probably not be for those who just want to play the series from beginning to end straightforward, but if you are interested in expanding out a bit where it seems natural, I hope you can find something here for you!

    Finally, while I am obviously headlining the effort here, I encourage anyone who is running this series or has ideas to compliment it to contribute as well! Everyone benefits from a collective effort

    The Series: Abomination Vaults
    (Part): (Name with Store Page Link) (Link to Compendium Page)
    Part 1: Ruins of Gauntlight (1 of 3) - Available Now
    Part 2: Hands of the Devil (2 of 3) - Available Now
    Part 3: Eyes of Empty Death (3 of 3) - Available Now
    Last edited by ShadeRaven; July 21st, 2021 at 00:27.
    Ultimate License Owner since 2011 and FG GM since 2008
    Game Systems: 5E, Pathfinder, Starfinder, Call of Cthulhu, RoleMaster, C&C, Pathfinder 2, Old School Essentials

    Home Page: ShadeRaven Sorceries (Blog, Fantasy & Campaign Stories, Cat Tales, and more)

  2. #2

    Ruins of Gauntlight

    Ruins of Gauntlight
    This is the first entry in the Abomination Vaults series. It is intended for characters starting at level 1 and will take them through to level 4, with the character making Level 5 at the end – if all things go according to plan.

    For starters, it has the feel of a good, old-fashioned Dungeon Crawl, beginning with a Ruined Keep sitting atop it. However, it’s not a shallow adventure with just a series of seemingly, semi-random encounters linked together by various passages. No, James Jacobs gave us a meaty story and associative design to tie it all together in a tight, evolving plotline. If you are GMing it, I highly suggest digging into the sections at the start of the Toolbox to get to know the story behind the setting. It will enrich everyone’s experience of the adventure if you do so.

    Another key feature of the adventure is the Otari Gazeteer. Unless you have players that just want to jump into the adventures and aren’t interested in investing into the world around them much, the details and tidbits you can find in there are pure gold. It’s a perfect hub for adventurers to call their base of operations. Despite it’s relatively small size (roughly 1260 residents), it has so much to offer. Such as:
    • Adventuring Gear. There are places to get everything from basic adventuring gear to armor and weapons. Even beyond that, there are consumables for sale, magic items of all sorts, and more. For beginning or even more advanced adventurers, Otari has almost everything player characters need. Most of these items can be found at a discount to boot.
    • Lodging and Housing. There are plenty of places for character to find residence in Otari. Places to rest and recover, even from more serious ailments. What’s great about Otari is that these accommodations are free. Furthermore, as characters advance, there are plenty of “gray spaces” in Otari if characters would want to actually own their own homes or estates. Plenty of possibilities!
    • Special Services. From fortune tellers to spellcasting services, they all can be found in Otari. Gives plenty of opportunity to enrich the storyline or aid the characters when things get tough.
    • Earned Income. There are details on taking advantage of the Downtime’s Earned Income rules in Otari. Before the characters delve into the dungeon, perhaps they’d like to make use of some of their training to supplement their starting income. Or maybe between adventures or during downtime while others recover or research, there are opportunities to take advantage of Downtime Features.
    • Retraining. There are rules governing retraining in Otari that enhance a characters ability to do so: this includes quicker retraining and free retraining.
    • Skill Bonus Sites. Sometimes as a part of earning income and sometimes just as part of personal pursuits, there are places where characters can go to be more efficient at crafting, research, treating wounds, and so forth. Well worth taking advantage of.

    These are just the major highlights of Otari. It’s is chock full of goodies. It’s also a short trip to the major population center of Absalom, so even more possibilities are just a short journey away.

    One of the cool things about these new series, too, is that they are starting to tie together with other adventures. There are links to both the stories around the Beginners Box and Troubles at Otari within the pages of Ruins of Gauntlight, not to mention the use of Otari and Absalom in so many of the Pathfinder Society and other APs.

    With time, I hope to also develop a complimentary module to accompany this compendium which will expand on some of the adventure itself (from interactive dialogues to expanding on areas and characters).

    Enjoy!
    Last edited by ShadeRaven; February 19th, 2021 at 15:02.
    Ultimate License Owner since 2011 and FG GM since 2008
    Game Systems: 5E, Pathfinder, Starfinder, Call of Cthulhu, RoleMaster, C&C, Pathfinder 2, Old School Essentials

    Home Page: ShadeRaven Sorceries (Blog, Fantasy & Campaign Stories, Cat Tales, and more)

  3. #3
    Hands of the Devil
    With the second entry in the Abomination Vaults series we get a continuation of the dungeon delve that started with the first.

    One of the interesting aspects to Abomination Vaults in the quick-travel system that is unlocked with the series. Fairly necessary because it would be tedious, in most cases, to have to go through all the previous levels to continue where a party left off as there are obvious points where returning to town would be desired. Still, it does leave open the possibility that things would be going on in the levels left behind as time passes. This is an excellent seed to mini side-trek type adventures should any GM desire it. Perfect fillers for campaigns if the group needs a little XP boost or maybe just a fun diversion with limitless possibilities to break the tension or linear aspect of a dungeon crawl. Toss in anything from a more serious rebuilding of forces within; a lost child that wandered in after hearing tales of the group's heroic deeds; a hedge doctor who desperately needs to cure a spreading malady and knows of a rare subterranean fungi he believes is down there that would allow him to do so; strange sounds are now coming from the ruins - is it now haunted with vengeful undead?; on and on...

    Also with Hands of the Devil comes two Ecology Of entries: Will-o'-Wisps and Fleshwarps.

    Will-o'-Wisps: The devious wisps have always been an interesting creature when tossed into a setting as they can be much more than just another encounter in a series of encounters. There is a lot of good stimuli for anyone seeking to add a bit of a creepy element to a game night as they are very well used as lures to dark places. There is a lot of good details about this enigmatic beings and plenty of variants to keep experienced players off balance

    The Fleshwarped: Like the wisps, there's a good, detail rich chapter centered on the fleshwarped. Unlike the previous, though, this centers a great deal around the societies that are particularly known for the cruel act. Anyone looking for a darker, more expanded dive into the appalling process and what it might results in beyond what's found within the series, you'll find plenty to munch on within.

    Eldritch Researcher: The toolbox offers an interesting and more scholarly Archetype. For those interested in a character with deeper knowledge of the Arcane or Occult, this dedication has something to offer. It may not be obvious in its combat uses, but knowledge is power and this archetype certainly allows a character to expand on one of those two fields.

    Finally, there's Infernal Contracts. Oh, what devious things come to mind when I read through that section. Feeling a little impish? This little portion of the Toolbox might just give you a dangerously insidious grin.

    Beyond that, I hope everyone who dives into this 2nd in the series enjoys it!
    Last edited by ShadeRaven; March 24th, 2021 at 14:00.
    Ultimate License Owner since 2011 and FG GM since 2008
    Game Systems: 5E, Pathfinder, Starfinder, Call of Cthulhu, RoleMaster, C&C, Pathfinder 2, Old School Essentials

    Home Page: ShadeRaven Sorceries (Blog, Fantasy & Campaign Stories, Cat Tales, and more)

  4. #4
    Eyes of Empty Death
    With the final entry in the Abomination Vaults series we get a continuation of the dungeon delve that started with the first.

    Like the previous two entries, this final in the series also takes advantage of the quick-travel system with the use of portals to each level. As deep as the party will be by adventure end, that'll be very important. I am not sure if you could get away with this in every dungeon crawl, but for this one, it's an outstanding addition.

    I should note that for Eyes, there's some huge levels with numerous potential encounters. It's never really advisable to try to push or lead a party into a particular direction, but if they don't seek non-combat interactions or alliances, a couple of the levels in this entry in the series will become very combat heavy. Not only does that put the party at greater risk of defeat, but it's going to also result in much more experience gained. It might be worth considering the play style of the group for GMs hosting this adventure as it will have a dramatic effect on how Eyes of Empty Death will proceed. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I won't go into any details, but if this becomes a concern, it might be worth using barricades (a faction determined to slow or stop the hostilities) or similar devices to prevent access to certain areas to prevent unnecessary slogging.

    Eyes of Empty Death comes two additional entries : Nhimbaloth and Ghosts of Golarion.

    Nhimbaloth: Known as The Empty Death, this Outer Goddess is shrouded in mystery. Little is known of her and those who worship her are rare. Despite this, there are Empty Death cultists who do worship Nhimbaloth and how that manifests within Golarion and Nhimbaloth's place in the Elder Mythos can be found in this section.

    Ghosts of Golarion: For those who love the paranormal, Ghosts of Golarion gives some excellent material. From specific haunted spirits to details on how to create innumerable and variations of these notable undead, there's a lot to love in this section of the AP. There's some cool new powers to create these variants that are definitely worth a look!

    Drow Shootist Archetype: This is a new archetype found within the Toolbox. Anyone who loves the idea of making use of a Hand Crossbow should take a peak.

    There's also some new weapons, magic items, spells, alchemical items, and creatures - and who doesn't want that?!?

    Beyond that, I hope everyone who dives into this final entry in the series enjoys it!
    Last edited by ShadeRaven; July 21st, 2021 at 00:53.
    Ultimate License Owner since 2011 and FG GM since 2008
    Game Systems: 5E, Pathfinder, Starfinder, Call of Cthulhu, RoleMaster, C&C, Pathfinder 2, Old School Essentials

    Home Page: ShadeRaven Sorceries (Blog, Fantasy & Campaign Stories, Cat Tales, and more)

  5. #5
    Ruins of Gauntlight is now available in the store.
    Ultimate License Owner since 2011 and FG GM since 2008
    Game Systems: 5E, Pathfinder, Starfinder, Call of Cthulhu, RoleMaster, C&C, Pathfinder 2, Old School Essentials

    Home Page: ShadeRaven Sorceries (Blog, Fantasy & Campaign Stories, Cat Tales, and more)

  6. #6
    Larsenex's Avatar
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    Shade,

    Thank you! I will be posting here and updating how my players liked or dislike parts of the module.

  7. #7
    Speaking of like and dislike...

    So for those of you that've played the adventures I've been associated with, you should have noticed that I have spent a good deal of time making the Reference Manual pop - giving it as much feel as possible as the PDF (images, framing, etc). What I am curious about is.. has anyone tried or used the Ref Man as the basis for running their sessions? Anyone use it as a reference document or read it as they would a PDF?

    I have used story pins for maps, but have considered even pulling reference manual entries into pins. Has anyone made more use of the Reference Manual as I have expanded it's features and have an opinion on the subject?

    Thanks!
    Ultimate License Owner since 2011 and FG GM since 2008
    Game Systems: 5E, Pathfinder, Starfinder, Call of Cthulhu, RoleMaster, C&C, Pathfinder 2, Old School Essentials

    Home Page: ShadeRaven Sorceries (Blog, Fantasy & Campaign Stories, Cat Tales, and more)

  8. #8
    I'll be honest - usually I just search the map that I want and use the pins on the map for any reference. I also usually have the physical book with me, too, or the PDF opened on my other monitor. But I'll definitely keep an eye out for the reference manual for Abomination Vaults, and let you know what I think.

    I'd probably get more use out of it if I could get Fantasy Grounds to place nice with two monitors, though. Always wanted a setup where I could have chat and the pinned map on my right-hand monitor, and then have the left hand monitor free to bring up stat blocks/reference material/etc. Didn't seem to be possible with Classic but maybe it is in Unity?

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by ShadeRaven View Post
    Speaking of like and dislike...

    So for those of you that've played the adventures I've been associated with, you should have noticed that I have spent a good deal of time making the Reference Manual pop - giving it as much feel as possible as the PDF (images, framing, etc). What I am curious about is.. has anyone tried or used the Ref Man as the basis for running their sessions? Anyone use it as a reference document or read it as they would a PDF?

    I have used story pins for maps, but have considered even pulling reference manual entries into pins. Has anyone made more use of the Reference Manual as I have expanded it's features and have an opinion on the subject?

    Thanks!
    I tend to do both, story entries are used for quick referencing back to things as I write notes and bold text / shorten entries.

    I use the reference during general play as it has the full text and more closely followes book structure as I have found I sometimes miss things in the standard story structure.

  10. #10
    Max: I haven't had any issues with multiple monitors in Classic.. in fact, I have used up to 3. If you stay in Windows Mode, you should be able to just stretch it across monitors and then organize thereafter, as desired. What are you running into?

    Beyond that, thanks for the input. I think seeing the images that come with the Ref Man make it easier to share them, give more visual touch to games, so maybe I'll see how that looks as map pins in Abomination Vault #2 (which is nearly finished).

    Thanks as always
    Ultimate License Owner since 2011 and FG GM since 2008
    Game Systems: 5E, Pathfinder, Starfinder, Call of Cthulhu, RoleMaster, C&C, Pathfinder 2, Old School Essentials

    Home Page: ShadeRaven Sorceries (Blog, Fantasy & Campaign Stories, Cat Tales, and more)

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