The Smoking Ruin Scenario – Some Thoughts & SPOILERS

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, Jeri said:

The Smoking Ruins (Runequest 7 E). I am about to run it.... Yes, it is one complicated module. any other helpful tips would be greatly appreciate.

My group has largely completed now (aside from the final return home). Eventually I'll post a more detailed review, but here's some of my thoughts.

1) Get @Nick Brooke Duel at Dangerford - the original playtest notes on running it I found invaluable. They really help with staging.

2) I have the JC Korolstead module. The maps help (somewhat) overcome the map issues with the Smoking Ruins module (and there are definitely issues with those). You should work through what you want to use, but you need to spend time ensuring you align what's where, distances within, and where various effects occur.  At some point, you'll likely need to show PC's where they are and where other NPC's or smoking bodies are. Going through that exercise (and maybe even creating your own map handouts - I did taking a couple Korolstead maps, hiding various features as needed, and working out how the original should overlay on that) will help.

3) Determine how Treya and Bugleg will be used.

Spoiler

1) I didn't like the Treya vs. Leika backstory - my PC's were loyal and close allies of Leika, so I reworked that. 

2) I didn't like the potential of character swaps in the Smoking Ruin dance, so kept that as Treya trying to find/summon her grandmother, and made it a dangerous, accidental effect.

3) I had Treya taken by the idea of using Bugleg's dance - she connected with it and extrapolated from it. Then there was tension between Bugleg and Treya, each trying to get the PC's to aid their particular part of the dance. The PC's somewhat split, but succeeded in having Bugleg succeed.

4) Bugleg cannot help free all the ghosts - only those associated with her family and Braineater's allies. Freeing the rest requires destroying Vamargic.

5) Once Treya and Thinala swapped, what happens then? I had the figure collapse, and it takes multiple rounds before Thinala comes to and has to figure out where she is. 

Note: you'll find yourself constantly flipping back-and-forth in the book to figure out what is happening or what should happen.  It really is not organized for the GM. Spend time to align what both Bugleg and Treya are doing and how they interact. 

4) Determine actions with Vamargic.

Spoiler

This is where the Duel at Dangerford content is particularly useful.

I had Vamargic arrive just as Bugleg reached the climax of her dance. Freeing the ghosts hangs in the balance. In my game, the PC's/Bugleg succeeded and then the undead attacked. 

Depending on what you throw at the PC's, the result could easily be a TPK. I staged a wearing-down, multi-front attack leaving the Storm Bull and Humakti to face Vamargic directly while the shaman drove off Vamargic's spirit bodyguards. The Storm Bull got hit with a 26 pt damage blow in his head. 😱 

But by then the undead sidekicks were dispatched, and Harmast, the Humakti, and the Yelmalion fought the ZZ horror. (Sloughing off, burning and twitching body parts were great!) A critical aimed blow took out the Eye Necklace (leaving eyeballs to go rolling and bouncing across the ground).

Eventually Vamargic was chopped to bits. That did not free the ghosts of his horde.  Instead, Storm Bull directed the Storm Bull's ghost to a secret dark cavern where the shaman eventually reached as well - there they found Zorak Zoran warming a child troll over the burning Embers of Hate (somewhere in the Otherworld) and a fine silver chain led off to a place in Darkness attached to Thanatar. The disembodied pair defeated Vamargic's spirit and the connected Thanatari. That finally broke Vamargic and the link that would return his undead spirit to the Smoking Ruins.

5) Determine route to the Smoking Ruins.  This can be varied, but use it as an opportunity to bring in relevant groups/characters for your campaign.

Spoiler

I went through Quackford, hired Ducks to carry downstream, and worked in the dragonewt (who tried to get them to go in another direction altogether related to prior dragonewt encounters). 

Beyond the River they went to the Wild Temple (the shaman was particularly interested in being there and I worked in a specific encounter for my game leading to the center of the web where Cragspider appeared - it was sort of a "Hill of Gold" quest as they encountered a Thunder Brother and then Zorak Zoran at the Troll Bridge - they were in the Otherworld by that point.

I skipped the emissaries from Leika (she sent them so no need to stop them).

I also skipped the Grazers - weren't needed and I wanted to get on to the Smoking Ruin itself by that point.

Hopefully the above is of some use - happy to answer any questions.

[Cloud64]

2 hours ago, Jeri said:

Thank you for your thorough review of The Smoking Ruins (Runequest 7 E). I am about to run it.  I would love to have what you put in the dreams about Organvale Summer to also hand out to my players. Yes, it is one complicated module. any other helpful tips would be greatly appreciate.

Jeri

I echo Jeri, as I am – at the moment at least - planning to run this in May. And as the PCs have recently completed Dragon of Thunder Hills, I too would be interested in any useful dream content. Similarly, if anyone has fleshed out Treya's story, or has suggestions as to what it might be – anything gratefully received.

I'm almost put off running it given the issues, but I get the impression that it's worth the effort so will take on board what's been said as I do my prep. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.

One thing that would really help is an idea of how long it takes to run. I will effectively have 16 hours of play (a club slot where we have eight sessions of two and half hours). Will that be adequate? I get the impression it can be made so, but I do need to fit in a couple of other threads in from our campaign that my players are keen to follow up – the fact that they involve travel is in part what drew me to this scenario as I can slot them in as encounters on the way. I suspect I will be hacking it around somewhat, but needs must I guess.

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Cloud64

[Squaredeal Sten]

58 minutes ago, Cloud64 said:

.......One thing that would really help is an idea of how long it takes to run. I will effectively have 16 hours of play (a club slot where we have eight sessions of two and half hours). Will that be adequate? ....

.........– the fact that they involve travel is in part what drew me to this scenario as I can slot them in as encounters on the way. I suspect I will be hacking it around somewhat, but needs must I guess.

 

As I recall it took me a 2-2.5 hour session to set the story hook, another to get them to the Smoking Ruin (encounters are built into the book, read through it), a third session for them to carefully recon it, and on the fourth and maybe 5th sessions they got in, had the interaction with Bugleg, got the prize from the Earth temple, and got out just ahead of Vanargic, and got back to Clearwine.  Then there is a wrap up and reward in Clearwine, again with choices that affect the outcome.

Time is of the essence once inside:  if they dither you will have at least one more session for them to actually slug it out with Vamargic and then maybe have to roll up some new characters.  

The way the Adventurers get in makes a difference.  There are choices   presented, and my players found yet another way.

Yes do your prep. You can't just read it in page number sequence.  What you need skips around.  The pages read well but the sequence of presentation needs to be prepped before you GM it, or you will miss presenting vital clues and plot elements and/or  stall looking through pages for what you need.  Annotate it, maybe flow chart it,  or copy and paste into your own script.

[AndreJarosch]

5 hours ago, Jeri said:

Thank you for your thorough review of The Smoking Ruins (Runequest 7 E). I am about to run it.  I would love to have what you put in the dreams about Organvale Summer to also hand out to my players. Yes, it is one complicated module. any other helpful tips would be greatly appreciate.

Jeri

I recommend getting the Jonstown Compendium book "Korolstead: Secrets of the Smoking Ruin" to acompany the main book: 

https://tinyurl.com/2s349b5d

[jajagappa]

4 hours ago, Cloud64 said:

but I get the impression that it's worth the effort so will take on board what's been said as I do my prep. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.

Definitely a good story, and worthwhile running. It has the opportunity to create some very memorable scenes.

But it also definitely needs prep work by the GM.

 

[Nick Brooke]

It took my two RuneQuest groups maybe two and a half six-hour sessions each. First session, after using half of the time for character creation as a group (inc. family history), we jumped straight into the Clearwine scenes, mission briefing and research (up to Hastur Speculates, in my notes). Second session was for travel across Dragon Pass via Duck Point to reach the Smoking Ruin, plus initial encounters on site (ending with Hombadaka Boko / Down in Acapulco / Trolls are Going Loco). Third session for archaeological explorations, treasure-hunting, the boss fight at the Ruin, the return journey and a big festival finish. If you already have characters, you’ll have more room to breathe, but sixteen hours’ play sounds about right to me.

[Nick Brooke]

Also, don’t miss this excellent review and commentary from @skulldixon:

RuneQuest Adventure Review: The Smoking Ruins