Haarlock's Legacy Triology

By Gurkhal, in Dark Heresy

Posted at

Sorry for opening this thread but I tried to search the forum and found nothing on this, which I thought was very strange but there it is. Maybe its just my search-fu that is weak but I don't help me.

Anyhow I was looking a little at the prospect of perhaps getting hold of a pre-made campaing and this one caught my eyes more than The Apostate's Gambit (spelling?) as the last on seems a bit Chaos-heavy and I must confess that I have gotten a bit careful with Chaos in Warhammer as it seems to me that it is often used when the author don't really want to make an effort to create villains although my prejudices is beside the point on this matter.

Anyway after failing to find some good review or thread which had discussed this subject I decdided to make a new one that can hopefully help to shed some light on this one. The stuff I am most interesting in is of course if anyone who have run this or read it would be able to give some general thoughts on it is to run, how much modification that might be needed to make it play smooth or that is possible to add without breaking it, general impression of it etc.

OR if someone with a stronger search-fu than mine could find some thread that has already answered all my questions I would be just as happy. :)

Posted at

Hi Gurkhal,

**** LOAD AND LOTS OF SPOILERS! GAMERS; KEEP YOUR NOSES OTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ELF





Tattered Fates (First Part) is in my opinion best suited as a "first game/fresh characters" thing. The set-up (you all are robbed of your stuff and thrown into a dungeon) might be the easiest to stomach if this is the "defining moment" for the cell...which will be sworn into service by an Inquisitors last breath. I do suggest to make the PC start with 1000xp (Rank3) so.

Both the "Red Cages "(First Act) and the Carnival (Second Act) leave a lot of room for additional scenes and one should REALLY use this room and fill it up. I once wrote some stuff up on this, you will find it over at DarkReign40k.com.
The final is a bit... well, it is just one big confusing fight. Unless one comes up with own ideas what the PC could do in Gabriel Chase that would help them during this or future adventure.

Damned Cities has one of the most well elaborated backgrounds I have seen so far in DH modules. But the adventure needs additional tweaking. Especially the thing regard Haarlocks Folly and the Culprit. I suggest to insert an "summoning room" in the cellar of the Folly. The one that Haarlock once used to summon the daemon. This will explain a lot... and keep the PC to spend to much thought on the wrong issues.
Again, some additional Investigation work and scenes can be used to round things up. You especially need to come up with your own "friend of Bal Grey" and perhaps a last shard. And if your PC tend to cooperate with local law enforcement agents..well, you will need to improvise this as wel!
Again, I used to put something up on DarkReign and have some yet unfished thoughts I could offer as well.

Dead Stars has an opener that is for sure not everyones taste, a very strong (if more then a tat random) middle part...and the lousy final that betrays any expectations for greatness pc might have head. Again, their is room for scenes and again...well you, guess it, I am STILL whoring myself out to offer some additional material.

I would either advise to play the game Tattered Fates --> Damned Cities --> House of Dust & Ash (DotdG) --> Dead Stars (with some filler inbetween) if brand new chars are used. Otherwise, I suggest

Damned Cities --> House of Dust & Ash (and abduct the at the end!) -->Tattered Fates ---> Dead Stars. Again, with some filler inbetween.

Posted at

Hi Gregorius21778!

Thanks a thousand times for this little review, it was just the kind of thing I was looking for. :) I think I'm leaning towards getting the triology now and I'll head over to Darkreign and look for this stuff that might be there. If you've got anything else you'd like to share I'd be very happy to take part of it.

Posted at

Gurkhal said:

Hi Gregorius21778!

Thanks a thousand times for this little review, it was just the kind of thing I was looking for. :) I think I'm leaning towards getting the triology now and I'll head over to Darkreign and look for this stuff that might be there. If you've got anything else you'd like to share I'd be very happy to take part of it.


Hi Gurkhal,

a final word of warning: While "Haarlock" is much much better then what I have seen from "Gambit" so far the end IS a bad joke. And during "Tattered Fates" the PC are more or less pawns in another once game. I did not played it yet but I am sure that most experienced players will frown about this... unless the GM otherwise manages to give them a good time. Again, this might be more easy to stomach if your groups start out with fresh-made PC whom do not start as "the Acolythes" but are "just what they are" and become fully ordanined acolythes at the end of the adventure.

Still, I think that a GM who knows what he is up to is not doing any mistake in buying the triology.

I will try to "de-bug" my texts and wrap up my other stuff by the weekend. Are you fine with PDF-Documents via Rapidshare? While I tend to use DarkReign40K more often nowadays, it normally takes weeks before "provided" material is published due to the need of reviewing the material first (a sad thing but it is not their fault & I think it enhances the quality of their structure compared to what it used to be)

Posted at

Gregorius21778 said:

Damned Cities --> House of Dust & Ash (and abduct the at the end!) -->Tattered Fates ---> Dead Stars. Again, with some filler inbetween.

Yeah, that's how many GMs handle this, incl. me.

Minor SPOILER:

Keep in mind though, by the end of the campaign the PCs will find themselves stuck in a very remote place, leaving which could make a separate adventure in itself.

Posted at

Gurkhal said:

OR if someone with a stronger search-fu than mine could find some thread that has already answered all my questions I would be just as happy. :)

I don't know if this will answer all of your questions, but here is a big-ass, spoiler-filled Haarlock's Legacy thread:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=101&efcid=3&efidt=277689

Posted at

Gregorius21778 said:

Gurkhal said:


Hi Gregorius21778!

Thanks a thousand times for this little review, it was just the kind of thing I was looking for. :) I think I'm leaning towards getting the triology now and I'll head over to Darkreign and look for this stuff that might be there. If you've got anything else you'd like to share I'd be very happy to take part of it.


Hi Gurkhal,

a final word of warning: While "Haarlock" is much much better then what I have seen from "Gambit" so far the end IS a bad joke. And during "Tattered Fates" the PC are more or less pawns in another once game. I did not played it yet but I am sure that most experienced players will frown about this... unless the GM otherwise manages to give them a good time. Again, this might be more easy to stomach if your groups start out with fresh-made PC whom do not start as "the Acolythes" but are "just what they are" and become fully ordanined acolythes at the end of the adventure.

Still, I think that a GM who knows what he is up to is not doing any mistake in buying the triology.

I will try to "de-bug" my texts and wrap up my other stuff by the weekend. Are you fine with PDF-Documents via Rapidshare? While I tend to use DarkReign40K more often nowadays, it normally takes weeks before "provided" material is published due to the need of reviewing the material first (a sad thing but it is not their fault & I think it enhances the quality of their structure compared to what it used to be)

Thanks for the warning and I'll keep my shields ready for crappy plots and railroaded campaigns. :) It would be great to be able to take part of your material, PDF material is no problem for me nor is Rapidshare. Just fire away and I'll catch it in the air.

egalor said:


Gregorius21778 said:

Damned Cities --> House of Dust & Ash (and abduct the at the end!) -->Tattered Fates ---> Dead Stars. Again, with some filler inbetween.


Yeah, that's how many GMs handle this, incl. me.

Minor SPOILER:

Keep in mind though, by the end of the campaign the PCs will find themselves stuck in a very remote place, leaving which could make a separate adventure in itself.

Thanks for the info. :) No problem with having them in a remote place though, I hope, as I'll probably be able to figure out a way to get them them to the right place.

Adeptus-B said:


Gurkhal said:

OR if someone with a stronger search-fu than mine could find some thread that has already answered all my questions I would be just as happy. :)


I don't know if this will answer all of your questions, but here is a big-ass, spoiler-filled Haarlock's Legacy thread:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=101&efcid=3&efidt=277689

Awesome! That's just the kind of thread I was looking for. I'll look forward to be able to tear into it. :) Thanks for sharing it.

You guys are gold!

Posted at

Gregorius21778 said:

Damned Cities --> House of Dust & Ash (and abduct the at the end!) -->Tattered Fates ---> Dead Stars. Again, with some filler inbetween.

I would recommend this order as well. We play the original (by the authors intended) order (i.e. House of Dust and Ash - Tattered Fates - Damned Cities - Dead Stars) and are at the end of Damned Cities at the moment, because our campaign started long before this idea came up on the forum and before even Dead Stars was released.

Overall: I would use an Inquisitor of the Tyrantine Cabal as the PC's patron (i.e. one that is interested in the Prophecy of the Tyrant Star), whereas Inquisitor Marr brings in the Haarlock Legacy theme. Later in the campaign it becomes clear then that these two themes are in fact heavily interlinked. Furthermore, the appearnace of Spectre Cell 17 in DC makes more sense should the patron Inquisitor be part of the Tyrantine Cabal though not of the inner Tenebrae Collegium.

Take care in some sort of calender and take care that the main incidences of the adventures happen at the same time or are linked somehow (i.e. the appearance of the Tyrant star in Tattered Fates, the awakening of the Gilded widow in HoD&A, the first appearnce of the Widower in TF, lightning striking Haarlocks Folly in DC)

House of Dust and Ash: Feature far more guests and minor items for sale (take ides from the forum) at the auction and give more role-playing opportunities (open and covert) at the time before the a(u)ction starts. Play the ensuing chaos after the auction to the fullest with people screaming, killing and fleeing in utter desperation.

Tattered Fates: Use ideas from Gregorius on the forum (and most probably on DarkReign). They helped me a lot and are really helpful to flesh out the different chapters a little more. Make the Red Cages really claustrophobic and depressing, and the Carnival on the other hand really colourful (far more than the 'normal' Imperial planet) and open-minded. Describe the Widower utterly powerful and alien (and let the Heron Mask escape if possible). Give the Heron Mask far better stats (I used the stats from the female False Prophet from Disciples of the Dark Gods with that protective amulett). Make the esuing chaos after the 13th hour even more vile than in HoD&A, mostly due to the supernatural effects of the Tyrant Star (people clawing out their eyes etc.).

Damned Cities: It is rather good as it is and I used none of Gregorius ideas this time. I just introduced an Amaranthine Captain (from the Iron Eye syndicate officially), who had the last shard (gotten from an indebted noble); this shard my PCs just got hold of. Play the first chapter rather slow, investigative and brooding, increase pressure slightly in the second chapter and give "all ahead full" in the third chapter so that the players almost panic themselves. Take care that Skarmen is rather untouchable by the Acolytes as a high ranking Adeptus Arbites officer, so that scant evidence of his heresy will lead nowhere (or only into a cell of the dungeon for that matter).

Dead Stars: Take care to introduce a satisfying end of the campaign, because as written it is sort of a bad joke.

Posted at

Luthor Harkon said:

Dead Stars: Take care to introduce a satisfying end of the campaign, because as written it is sort of a bad joke.

And this cannot be stretched enough! I have no idea what the author was intending, but "as written" the final is an anti-climax.

Posted at

Oh no! I tried not to look, but caught "the last one is an anti-climax" which is a shame.

I'm a player, and we've done Tattered Fates, Damned Cities, and House of Dust and Ash in that order. Our GM is a first timer too and I have really enjoyed it so far, so you won't go too far wrong playing them in that order. We start Dead Stars next week an are expecting a great big MURDER DEATH KILL if the GMs hints are anything to go by. (Basically he said "tool up, you'll need it" - gulp!)

Having checked out the first part of the Apostasy Gambit as a potential GM I have to say I wasn't impressed. It reminded me too much of the D&D modules I that played many many years ago. Open door to new room, fight monster that didn't hear the last fight... ...continue ad nauseum.

The Haarlock Legacy has copped a lot of flak, but I've enjoyed it a lot.

SPOILERS

We now know that we have an Inquisition Hit team after us which we picked up back in Damned Cities and they are part of a conspiracy to surpress knowledge of the black sun. We've been told that they will take us out if we look too far into the Black Sun. My character has some pretty strong theories about the connection between the black sun, Haarlock and what he has planned*, so he has decided that he is going is going to kill those frakkers, because we are the only thing between Haarlock and Calixis. (my character, the Feral World Assassin, is funnily enough the most intelligent character in the party). I just hope the GM lets me take the plot that way.

*My theory is that the black sun is a weapon/ship/tomb that haarlock is going to use to destroy 'his children', which I am interpreting as Calixis, as he is kind of a 'father of Calixis'. I guess we'll find out soon.

Posted at

Zakalwe said:

Oh no! I tried not to look, but caught "the last one is an anti-climax" which is a shame.

Hi,

well, if "Uncle Greg" is telling you about SPOILERS he is really meaning it, so GAMERS DO NOT LOOK HERE! gran_risa.gif

Really, read no further!

Posted at

Gregorius21778 said:

Zakalwe said:

Oh no! I tried not to look, but caught "the last one is an anti-climax" which is a shame.

Hi,

well, if "Uncle Greg" is telling you about SPOILERS he is really meaning it, so GAMERS DO NOT LOOK HERE! gran_risa.gif

Really, read no further!

No worries Uncle Greg, I actually read the back of Dead Stars in the game store waaaaayyyyyyy back (way before I knew I would ever be playing it), so I know just a little bit about it. I'll just have to make it climactic in my own way. My char is just about to get Pilot: Military Craft and I've asked the GM for a Guncutter*, so I'm sure I can come up with something.

SPOILERS

I intend to lure the hit team into a trap and commit assassination by guncutter... BOO YAA!! GET SOME!

Posted at

Hm. Any concrete ideas for the Finale?

Posted at

Dok Martin said:

Hm. Any concrete ideas for the Finale?



BE WARNED! BE WARNED ! FULL SPOILERS AHEAD! HEAD MY CALL! CLOSE THIS WINDOW ! TURN ROUND OR CLICK "BACK-BUTTON" ON YOUR BROWSER! I AM TALKING TO YOU; ZALKAWE!!

Yep. IF I run this myself, I will actually base the thing on the idead for the "Nightmare Auction" I posted here a while ago

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=101&efcid=3&efidt=537024&efpag=0#537074

My concept: I will change it that way that the "Nightmare Auction" is about "bidding" for or against Haarlocks relace. It will be the final installment in the Blind Tesseract (instead of the jump to Mara & all). Of course, the GM need sto know if the PC are pro or contra "return of Haarlock". He should have an easy time knowing it, so. If push comes to shove, he can simply ask then.

The PC then either have to "bid" for it or have to actually fight their "Nightmare Doubles". The concept is that Haarlock knowed that whomever would come with whatever intetion, their doubles would have the countrary. He will be able to send one or more "shades" (mentioned in the modul) to help the side who is trying to FREE him. The PC will thereby actually have an either time if they want to free Haarlock.

I still need to expand on the idea, but that is my concept to it. And it is not forcing my PC to peacefully interact with the Dusk Hag. GEeees! A lot of PC out their are PURITAN HARDLINERS, especially after BoM was out. A modul whose final is actually forcing the PC to be Radical or be slaughtered by an Ueber-NPC is Anathema to me.

Posted at

Thanks, mate. happy.gif

Posted at

No problem. Might I shamelessly ***** myself out a littel further?

If you go over to darkreig40k.com and have a look at the section "GM Tips --> Tips for Scenarion" you will find the majority of my material regarding both "Tattered Fates" and "Damned Cities". In regard to the rest of it just have an eye on this topic since I already confirmed to Gurkhal that I will provide my wrapped-up further sorts in the form of PDF documents (but be patient, do not expect anything before the weekend).

Posted at

Gregorius21778 said:

A modul whose final is actually forcing the PC to be Radical or be slaughtered by an Ueber-NPC is Anathema to me.

Sulring Durgul, anyone?

Posted at

Luthor Harkon said:

Gregorius21778 said:

A modul whose final is actually forcing the PC to be Radical or be slaughtered by an Ueber-NPC is Anathema to me.

Sulring Durgul, anyone?

Pardon? What is the meaning?

Posted at

Hi Gurkhal,

so, here is the first set

https://rapidshare.com/files/1529682769/TF_Tipps_01.pdf

It contains the general "set up" information already discussed here; the link to the scenes on over there at darkrein40k (just to keep things complete) and some additional ideas on how to handle the PC searching for Vulpa (if they do).

"Next stop: Some example opponents/matches for the Turning Wheel and perhaps some ideas for Weapon/Equipment Deals in Xicarph"

Posted at

Gregorius21778 said:

Luthor Harkon said:

Gregorius21778 said:

A modul whose final is actually forcing the PC to be Radical or be slaughtered by an Ueber-NPC is Anathema to me.

Sulring Durgul, anyone?

Pardon? What is the meaning?

Well, Sulring Durgul is an omnipotent NPC villain (5000 years old Elf Necromancer) in the WFRP 1st ed. adventure book Something Rotten in Kislev, who had no stats, instead just a few smug comments by the author. The adventure ends a little like your mentioned "be Radical or be slaughtered by an Ueber-NPC"...

Look here:

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_3294.html

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?66837-Campaign-Killers/page4

Posted at

Luthor Harkon said:

Gregorius21778 said:

Damned Cities --> House of Dust & Ash (and abduct the at the end!) -->Tattered Fates ---> Dead Stars. Again, with some filler inbetween.

I would recommend this order as well. We play the original (by the authors intended) order (i.e. House of Dust and Ash - Tattered Fates - Damned Cities - Dead Stars) and are at the end of Damned Cities at the moment, because our campaign started long before this idea came up on the forum and before even Dead Stars was released.

Overall: I would use an Inquisitor of the Tyrantine Cabal as the PC's patron (i.e. one that is interested in the Prophecy of the Tyrant Star), whereas Inquisitor Marr brings in the Haarlock Legacy theme. Later in the campaign it becomes clear then that these two themes are in fact heavily interlinked. Furthermore, the appearnace of Spectre Cell 17 in DC makes more sense should the patron Inquisitor be part of the Tyrantine Cabal though not of the inner Tenebrae Collegium.

Take care in some sort of calender and take care that the main incidences of the adventures happen at the same time or are linked somehow (i.e. the appearance of the Tyrant star in Tattered Fates, the awakening of the Gilded widow in HoD&A, the first appearnce of the Widower in TF, lightning striking Haarlocks Folly in DC)

House of Dust and Ash: Feature far more guests and minor items for sale (take ides from the forum) at the auction and give more role-playing opportunities (open and covert) at the time before the a(u)ction starts. Play the ensuing chaos after the auction to the fullest with people screaming, killing and fleeing in utter desperation.

Tattered Fates: Use ideas from Gregorius on the forum (and most probably on DarkReign). They helped me a lot and are really helpful to flesh out the different chapters a little more. Make the Red Cages really claustrophobic and depressing, and the Carnival on the other hand really colourful (far more than the 'normal' Imperial planet) and open-minded. Describe the Widower utterly powerful and alien (and let the Heron Mask escape if possible). Give the Heron Mask far better stats (I used the stats from the female False Prophet from Disciples of the Dark Gods with that protective amulett). Make the esuing chaos after the 13th hour even more vile than in HoD&A, mostly due to the supernatural effects of the Tyrant Star (people clawing out their eyes etc.).

Damned Cities: It is rather good as it is and I used none of Gregorius ideas this time. I just introduced an Amaranthine Captain (from the Iron Eye syndicate officially), who had the last shard (gotten from an indebted noble); this shard my PCs just got hold of. Play the first chapter rather slow, investigative and brooding, increase pressure slightly in the second chapter and give "all ahead full" in the third chapter so that the players almost panic themselves. Take care that Skarmen is rather untouchable by the Acolytes as a high ranking Adeptus Arbites officer, so that scant evidence of his heresy will lead nowhere (or only into a cell of the dungeon for that matter).

Dead Stars: Take care to introduce a satisfying end of the campaign, because as written it is sort of a bad joke.

Thanks for the info, this was very interesting thoughts on the matter that I'll be sure to keep in mind as my brave Acolytes bring the Emperor's wrath to the enemies of mankind.

Gregorius21778 said:


Hi Gurkhal,

so, here is the first set

https://rapidshare.com/files/1529682769/TF_Tipps_01.pdf

It contains the general "set up" information already discussed here; the link to the scenes on over there at darkrein40k (just to keep things complete) and some additional ideas on how to handle the PC searching for Vulpa (if they do).

"Next stop: Some example opponents/matches for the Turning Wheel and perhaps some ideas for Weapon/Equipment Deals in Xicarph"

Awesome! Thanks for helping out a poor GM. :)

Gregorius21778 said:


Dok Martin said:


Hm. Any concrete ideas for the Finale?


BE WARNED! BE WARNED ! FULL SPOILERS AHEAD! HEAD MY CALL! CLOSE THIS WINDOW ! TURN ROUND OR CLICK "BACK-BUTTON" ON YOUR BROWSER! I AM TALKING TO YOU; ZALKAWE!!

Yep. IF I run this myself, I will actually base the thing on the idead for the "Nightmare Auction" I posted here a while ago

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=101&efcid=3&efidt=537024&efpag=0#537074

My concept: I will change it that way that the "Nightmare Auction" is about "bidding" for or against Haarlocks relace. It will be the final installment in the Blind Tesseract (instead of the jump to Mara & all). Of course, the GM need sto know if the PC are pro or contra "return of Haarlock". He should have an easy time knowing it, so. If push comes to shove, he can simply ask then.

The PC then either have to "bid" for it or have to actually fight their "Nightmare Doubles". The concept is that Haarlock knowed that whomever would come with whatever intetion, their doubles would have the countrary. He will be able to send one or more "shades" (mentioned in the modul) to help the side who is trying to FREE him. The PC will thereby actually have an either time if they want to free Haarlock.

I still need to expand on the idea, but that is my concept to it. And it is not forcing my PC to peacefully interact with the Dusk Hag. GEeees! A lot of PC out their are PURITAN HARDLINERS, especially after BoM was out. A modul whose final is actually forcing the PC to be Radical or be slaughtered by an Ueber-NPC is Anathema to me.

This is interesting. Thanks for sharing and it sounds like a really bad module that needs to actually force the PC:s to bend one way or another.

Gregorius21778 said:


Hi Gurkhal,

first, here is the link to what I posted in regard to "additional scenes" on DarkReign40k.

http://www.darkreign40k.com/drjoomla/index.php/gm-tips/tips-for-scenarios/1327-addes-scenes-for-qtattered-fatesq

BE WARNED! I never cleared up the bad gramma/the errors in this document. If things go according to plan, I will provide further material by the weekend

Just what I've been waitiing for! :D

Zakalwe said:


Oh no! I tried not to look, but caught "the last one is an anti-climax" which is a shame.

I'm a player, and we've done Tattered Fates, Damned Cities, and House of Dust and Ash in that order. Our GM is a first timer too and I have really enjoyed it so far, so you won't go too far wrong playing them in that order. We start Dead Stars next week an are expecting a great big MURDER DEATH KILL if the GMs hints are anything to go by. (Basically he said "tool up, you'll need it" - gulp!)

Having checked out the first part of the Apostasy Gambit as a potential GM I have to say I wasn't impressed. It reminded me too much of the D&D modules I that played many many years ago. Open door to new room, fight monster that didn't hear the last fight... ...continue ad nauseum.

The Haarlock Legacy has copped a lot of flak, but I've enjoyed it a lot.

SPOILERS

We now know that we have an Inquisition Hit team after us which we picked up back in Damned Cities and they are part of a conspiracy to surpress knowledge of the black sun. We've been told that they will take us out if we look too far into the Black Sun. My character has some pretty strong theories about the connection between the black sun, Haarlock and what he has planned*, so he has decided that he is going is going to kill those frakkers, because we are the only thing between Haarlock and Calixis. (my character, the Feral World Assassin, is funnily enough the most intelligent character in the party). I just hope the GM lets me take the plot that way.

*My theory is that the black sun is a weapon/ship/tomb that haarlock is going to use to destroy 'his children', which I am interpreting as Calixis, as he is kind of a 'father of Calixis'. I guess we'll find out soon.

Sounds like I made a good choice to not invest in Apostate's Gambit and its an interesting theory about the Black Sun.

Posted at

So here is the next piece

https://rapidshare.com/files/3773340880/TF_Tipps_02.pdf

Since I am a little short in time each day I can only feed you about 2 pages each day. Please do not expect a further update tomorrow. I will give my best but I fear the next update has to wait till the weekend.

Next stop: Fate´s Wheel

Posted at

Gregorius21778 said:

So here is the next piece

https://rapidshare.com/files/3773340880/TF_Tipps_02.pdf

Since I am a little short in time each day I can only feed you about 2 pages each day. Please do not expect a further update tomorrow. I will give my best but I fear the next update has to wait till the weekend.

Next stop: Fate´s Wheel

No problem, I'm not in a hurry.