Ye Olde Inn

*Brushes off dust*

Hey guys -- It's been a few moons since I've seen you all, aye?

My players are just about to go through the RotWL quest pack, and I was doing some read-throughs to prep for the upcoming sessions. (I don't think we'll get through the first two quests tonight. We'll be lucky to reach quest #2.) But, I came to this quest and was about to ask about it, but you guys have already had the discussion!

Thanks for the info!

Take some pics and post in the Saturday Night Dungeon subforum. Good to hear you're still at it.

Holy Necro post here... My group is FINALLY meeting Friday to challenge this quest, and I had to come back to see what my options were as proposed by all of you.

Thanks again, for all who gave their input, and I'll try to remember to let you all know how it went....

Good luck!

After reading this old post and examining the quest book, i dont think the keys mentioned are needed. I know Mentor mentions them in the story text, but the quest notes never mention the keys being used for anything except to sell for extra cash later. I believe the keys are just bonus treasure if the heroes can figure out how to get into the labritory. Nothing in the quest stops them from continuing to the next adventure.

SirRick wrote:After reading this old post and examining the quest book, i dont think the keys mentioned are needed. I know Mentor mentions them in the story text, but the quest notes never mention the keys being used for anything except to sell for extra cash later. I believe the keys are just bonus treasure if the heroes can figure out how to get into the labritory. Nothing in the quest stops them from continuing to the next adventure.

I just hosted this quest tonight with some friends over tabletop simulator and this is how we played it. To each their own, as the rule book says, it’s up to Zargon how to decide in cases like these! It’s not a clear case of losing by all the heroes dying, for instance. The reason I agree with Sir Rick is this quest is a more effective lesson if they miss the keys and can complete, as it will encourage them to try better on puzzles in future quests, than it is to handhold them thru the same quest till they “get it” for the same puzzle. Like rubbing their noses in it, then handing them 800 gold for the trouble. Not as thrilling in my opinion

The keys don't really have any importance past this quest and attribute nothing to overall defeat of the Witch Lord, so I wouldn't mandate them.

However, as I'm aware that many players implement the "no armory or Alchemist shop" between quests in Keller's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord, the keys, therefore remain keys until they could be traded in for gold. So when all the heroes' gold is taken in their subsequent capture, they keys, may indeed remain with their equipment.

Since Quest 6 removed the Heroes' gold and gems and the keys were described as gold keys in Quest 4, my group simply ruled that they were lost. Needless to say, we weren't happy with the turn of events as we were playing no return trips.

Thanks for the help! Going to play this quest soon and this thread was gold. Thanks again!