Personalities of the "Gersidi" Adventure

[R.L.]

Fellow players and gamemasters,

In the adventure "Gersidi" included in the 1st edition of Palladium Role-Playing Game there are references to certain individuals, including:

- King Ratarno the Blue: A king with no kingdom mentioned

- Bayromo: Mage and former master of the summoner Artoa

- Prodar: A magician of legendary skill and craft

- Skoraton the Bolde: A rogue of the Blackraven Guild Company of Thieves and Cutpurses


Have these persons and organizations been mentioned or detailed in any sourcebooks or issues of the Rifter magazine?


Thank you for your time,

R.L.

[Zer0 Kay]

Not as far as I know. They seem to have gone the same direction as ceritus dominus or whatever the star dragon was named.

[eliakon]

Remember a large number of the old PF books seem to have been reprints of bits of the various authors games. Which means that a lot of the people that are casually mentioned would be important.....if you were in the actual game they came from and knew what was going on. To THOSE players they were important NPCs, Plot Hooks, and the like....to the rest of us they are just random names.

[Zer0 Kay]

Tomb of Gerseidi was if played by the rules a king maker game with no danger. If played by the rules the family may not be home. As long as you get out in time your ridiculously rich and even have the amber sword of doubling and death kiss.

[Hotrod]

This may be heretical to say, but I never really 'got' the Tombs of Gersidi adventure. It seemed to be a well-defined dungeon with lots of cool loot, but I never really understood the larger story of why a group would go in. Granted, the last time I read through it was many, many moons ago, but the Island at the Edge of the World campaign, the Place of Magic, and the Adventures in the Northern Wilderness always seemed more interesting to me.

[Soldier of Od]

The Blackraven Thieves' Guild is mentioned in the official Timiro Kingdom extras in Rifter #63. No more information, though, just a passing reference.

[Reagren Wright]

Madman Mike is supposedly working on updating the Tomb of Gersidi adventure to 2nd edition.

[Zer0 Kay]

Be cool if it was a full book on its own with grand connections to the whole world if not the megaverse. I just hope he doesn't ruin them by making them the "new" palladium vampires and keeps them closer to the traditional vampires they were.

[Reagren Wright]

The Blackraven Thieves' Guild is mentioned in the official Timiro Kingdom extras in Rifter #63. No more information, though, just a passing reference.

For the record I included just the history of the Tombs in Timiro's history when I learned Kevin and the Mike wanted to
expanded upon the adventure and make it relevant for all of Palladium Fantasy. So like the rest of you I'm quite eager to see
the update version. This has always been one of my favorite Palladium Adventures.

[Lukterran]

This may be heretical to say, but I never really 'got' the Tombs of Gersidi adventure. It seemed to be a well-defined dungeon with lots of cool loot, but I never really understood the larger story of why a group would go in. Granted, the last time I read through it was many, many moons ago, but the Island at the Edge of the World campaign, the Place of Magic, and the Adventures in the Northern Wilderness always seemed more interesting to me.

Simple basic old school adventure. Players hear legend of the Tombs and its vast wealth and decide to go in for richs and magical treasures. It is a basic loot dungeon.

It was left up to the GM to determine things like plot and motive and other outside more "noble" reasons for players to travel there.

[Boethermsbrukan]

I believe it was the late Mr. Wujcik who wrote the original Tombs Of Gersidi (in regards to the earlier thought that it was seeded with elements of the writer's prior games) if I'm recalling correctly from my copy of the 1st Ed. Revised Palladium Fantasy mainbook I bought in the early 1990s. I remember how well it fit the gaming style I'd been exposed to prior to my interest in Rifts and Palladium Fantasy; I don't recall any PFRPG adventure being styled like a D&D room-to-room other than the Tombs. I know there was one particular foldbook adventure, "The Arms Of Nagash-Tor" for Palladium Fantasy in the 1980s, but I don't have a copy of my own (and suspect it would be difficult to obtain); my point being that it could've been written in the Tombs' style, I suppose.

I still fall back on the Adventures In The Northern Wilderness (modern 'Wolfen Empire' book) for my go-to inspiration most of the time, but I admit to having a fondness for the Canine Races. (And I thought it was thoroughly swell that one of our resident artists put up a Gersidi 'fake cover' with a Wolfen in the party!)

Cheers!

-Boe.

[everloss]

the human centipede was/is one of my favorite monsters ever. So weird and twisted and gross.

[wodens_blade]

This may be heretical to say, but I never really 'got' the Tombs of Gersidi adventure. It seemed to be a well-defined dungeon with lots of cool loot, but I never really understood the larger story of why a group would go in. Granted, the last time I read through it was many, many moons ago, but the Island at the Edge of the World campaign, the Place of Magic, and the Adventures in the Northern Wilderness always seemed more interesting to me.

Simple basic old school adventure. Players hear legend of the Tombs and its vast wealth and decide to go in for richs and magical treasures. It is a basic loot dungeon.

It was left up to the GM to determine things like plot and motive and other outside more "noble" reasons for players to travel there.

I agree! Why are u asking why? It’s the sake of adventure itself...and something that might make our group of heroes stinking rich....

[Hotrod]

This may be heretical to say, but I never really 'got' the Tombs of Gersidi adventure. It seemed to be a well-defined dungeon with lots of cool loot, but I never really understood the larger story of why a group would go in. Granted, the last time I read through it was many, many moons ago, but the Island at the Edge of the World campaign, the Place of Magic, and the Adventures in the Northern Wilderness always seemed more interesting to me.

Simple basic old school adventure. Players hear legend of the Tombs and its vast wealth and decide to go in for richs and magical treasures. It is a basic loot dungeon.

It was left up to the GM to determine things like plot and motive and other outside more "noble" reasons for players to travel there.

I agree! Why are u asking why? It’s the sake of adventure itself...and something that might make our group of heroes stinking rich....

I suppose I've always been more interested in the larger story than the layout and loot of a dungeon. Treasure hunts for the sake of wealth are fine and all, but I prefer some larger purpose, wherein the nifty loot is something that advances the plot. I suppose that's why I prefer the tombs of the Prestida kings to the Gersidi.

[everloss]

The loot is designed to further any plot. The Ultimax deathstone isn't just a cool thing you sell in town. Neither is Deathkiss or the other sword with the doubling die. Those are plot devices. Rune weapons are described as being objects kings renounce kingdom's to own. The Ultimax is something no one in their right mind would want to hold onto.
With those three objects your intrepid party is now on the run from national armies, assassins and thieves, religious orders (both good and evil), necromancers, undead, even dragons (cause they like cool loot).
Not to mention the noble family that is excavating and exploring the ruins at the exact same time as the party, or the orc tribe that is allied to them, or the goblins that follow the orcs around. I think there were even some wolfen from the far north thrown in there.

If you don't like the adventure, that's cool. I just disagree that it's loot, with no plot hooks or devices or anything that leads to a larger campaign.

[Hotrod]

See, what you just mentioned is my issue with the place. It's got fantastic loot, from the Chalice of Dragonwright to the deathstone to Deathkiss, but there's about 1 paragraph on each item, and that's kind of it. It just felt disjointed to me, like it was a dungeon thrown together for a party to crawl through for no particular reason other than to have a party crawl through a dungeon.

Having a lot of adventure hooks and possibilities is a good thing, but I prefer to have a central, driving theme for major adventuring locations. It's not that I don't like the Gersidi tomb write-up; it just isn't as compelling as the Wolfen Empire adventures, the Place of Magic, the Island at the Edge of the World, or the titan tombs in High Seas.

[Tor]

The DeathKiss sword is one of the scariest things out there, it is on par with Tentac.

It is not merely one of those pathetic Soul Drinkers where you can just save vs magic and be fine.

It is a soul EATER.

Sure you get a savings throw: to avoid being paralyzed by bliss on the first stab.

There is no instantaneous death with this soul-eating weapon like with a soul-drinker, where you can get your soul sucked in one go...

But if it kills you... then like Tentac... it just eats your soul.

No, it doesn't imprison it like a soul drinker or a soul vat in Dyval or that new kind of Greater Demon.

It just CONSUMES it... like Tentac. No resurrection. Nothing, ever again. You are just gone forever. Kind of like what Cronus can do to any non-god he eats.

Even Nxla just steals your soul and hangs on to it.

[MADMANMIKE]

See, what you just mentioned is my issue with the place. It's got fantastic loot, from the Chalice of Dragonwright to the deathstone to Deathkiss, but there's about 1 paragraph on each item, and that's kind of it. It just felt disjointed to me, like it was a dungeon thrown together for a party to crawl through for no particular reason other than to have a party crawl through a dungeon.

Having a lot of adventure hooks and possibilities is a good thing, but I prefer to have a central, driving theme for major adventuring locations. It's not that I don't like the Gersidi tomb write-up; it just isn't as compelling as the Wolfen Empire adventures, the Place of Magic, the Island at the Edge of the World, or the titan tombs in High Seas.

I feel your pain, and as such intend for it to be far more detailed. It was my first experience with gaming, GMing the Tombs, and I've learned a couple of things since then. The stats for the Marquests were so thin, I hardly paid them any attention until years after I ran the game.. Now they're fully developed characters/NPCs.

As has been mentioned, I seeded Reagren's piece on Timiro with a mention of the Black Raven Thieves Guild, which is from the original adventure, there will be a substantial set of decent hooks for characters coming from Timiro or perhaps the Eastern Territories.

Also, I will be doing a dry run of some reduced parts of the intended adventure(s) at GenCon this year..

[Reagren Wright]

See, what you just mentioned is my issue with the place. It's got fantastic loot, from the Chalice of Dragonwright to the deathstone to Deathkiss, but there's about 1 paragraph on each item, and that's kind of it. It just felt disjointed to me, like it was a dungeon thrown together for a party to crawl through for no particular reason other than to have a party crawl through a dungeon.

Having a lot of adventure hooks and possibilities is a good thing, but I prefer to have a central, driving theme for major adventuring locations. It's not that I don't like the Gersidi tomb write-up; it just isn't as compelling as the Wolfen Empire adventures, the Place of Magic, the Island at the Edge of the World, or the titan tombs in High Seas.

I feel your pain, and as such intend for it to be far more detailed. It was my first experience with gaming, GMing the Tombs, and I've learned a couple of things since then. The stats for the Marquests were so thin, I hardly paid them any attention until years after I ran the game.. Now they're fully developed characters/NPCs.

As has been mentioned, I seeded Reagren's piece on Timiro with a mention of the Black Raven Thieves Guild, which is from the original adventure, there will be a substantial set of decent hooks for characters coming from Timiro or perhaps the Eastern Territories.

Also, I will be doing a dry run of some reduced parts of the intended adventure(s) at GenCon this year..

Does this mean the Madmad is close to having his 2nd edition Tomb of Gersidi adventure completed?

[MADMANMIKE]

Does this mean the Madmad is close to having his 2nd edition Tomb of Gersidi adventure completed?

It means the Madman decided he needed to light a fire under his own *** to get working on it..

[Axelmania]

Oddly timed bump, I just came here to make a thread asking if anyone knew more about Bayromo.

I was thinking it would be interesting to play another one of his students sent to track down what happened to Artoa.

Also is it possible that Bayromo might have trained Taron as a Summoner too?

Also it's interesting to note that Varney Marquest is a Priest of Darkness just like Quentos Gersidi. They are relying on Varney to protect them from Undead... but what if Varney is serving the cult of Dragonwright as well? Or serving vampires in general by serving Vald-Tegor? Will he betray them and doom the Marquests to join Quentos? Or be seduced by Wikolai?

Does anyone have any play logs of how "easy" this adventure is supposed to be? It always looked hard and scary to me.

Particularly if you throw in the Marquests who might try to kill you too since they want the treasure themselves.

[kiralon]

Mostly my parties die to the traps or the vamps.

[Lukterran]

Oddly timed bump, I just came here to make a thread asking if anyone knew more about Bayromo.

I was thinking it would be interesting to play another one of his students sent to track down what happened to Artoa.

Also is it possible that Bayromo might have trained Taron as a Summoner too?

Also it's interesting to note that Varney Marquest is a Priest of Darkness just like Quentos Gersidi. They are relying on Varney to protect them from Undead... but what if Varney is serving the cult of Dragonwright as well? Or serving vampires in general by serving Vald-Tegor? Will he betray them and doom the Marquests to join Quentos? Or be seduced by Wikolai?

Does anyone have any play logs of how "easy" this adventure is supposed to be? It always looked hard and scary to me.

Particularly if you throw in the Marquests who might try to kill you too since they want the treasure themselves.

It doesn't have to be a very dangerous adventure at all or it can be a nightmare adventure. The level of danger really is up to the GM and the stupidity or the cleverness of the player group. It can be completely by a group of 1st level characters. Although personally I prefer to run it against middle level group (4-6 lvl).

The vampires I prefer to play out a smart cunning and give them real personality and create lots of dialog between the undead and the player group. Not just have them act like unintelligent monsters.

The only thing that could really nuke the game for the players is the Ultimax Deathstone. Should the players be dumb enough to release the demons (basically more powerful than all the Gods equal to alien intelligences) from the stone then things can get out of hand very quickly.

[Axelmania]

Even without the demons... with the Ultimax indefinitely adding HP to the Undead, couldn't any of the vampires just hang around it and get infinite HP over time? I don't really understand why Taron hasn't done this.