Troy Pacelli's page

I've been away from the boards for almost a year, but I’m back. I’m so happy to see that many of my old friends are still here talking Savage Tide, and there are SO many new faces! I’ve re-launched our blog into a full-fledged wiki that I honestly believe is a potentially great resource for anyone running the STAP. The story, as it is played, is journaled here in narrative detail, so I recommend it only for DMs – the whole site is one big spoiler. Many of you (Luna Eladrin, Turin the Mad and Carborundum in particular) have actually contributed suggestions here that I have incorporated into our game. As of today, the story goes from the very beginning up to the recovery of the Nixie (I went with the Nixie-wreck option at the end of Sea Wyvern’s Wake, as suggested here), and I hope to finish Tides of Dread by year’s end.

If you do stop by, visit our forum and leave a comment. Let me know if you have any suggestions of stuff that you’d like to see, especially stuff that might assist other DMs running the STAP.

I need some advice of you clever, clever people. There are major spoilers here, both for Savage Tide and The Dark Knight (yeah, seriously) so be warned.

We’ve just gotten past Sea Wyvern’s Wake and I am plotting ahead. I wanted to throw another wrinkle into things for the party, so I had Rowyn come back as a revenant. I won’t go into too much extraneous detail (If your interested, check out the blog here).

During the initial battle at Farshore, Rowyn uses the confusion and her magic to kidnap two characters: Diamondback (In our game, she has been rehabilitated and become a henchman to –and is in love with – the leader PC) and my former character (I just took over as DM) who is the leader character’s brother. She is going to impersonate Diamondback and allow the party to believe Adameus (my former character – the brother) is the only one missing. This adds to all the other stuff they have to do before the Crimson Fleet arrives.

Here’s where the Dark Knight spoiler comes in. Rowyn is pulling a Joker here. She has the two NPCs hidden away in two different locations. She is going to reveal this to the party and force them to make a choice between which they will save. I’ve envisioned they are each tied up in caves that flood every day at high tide and, if not rescued in time, they drown. I haven’t decided exactly where on the island yet, but far enough apart that you couldn’t visit both before high tide.

My dilemma: How can Rowyn enforce the “choice” aspect of the plan? If I was a player (and until recently, I was) I would just say “split up.” In DK, Joker had an elaborate trap with sensors and phone connections and stuff. How do you replicate that in D&D with the resources that Undead Rowyn would have? The former DM suggested a monster encounter that requires the entire party to defeat, but I think that leaves too much to chance. I want this to be “Evil Genius.” I was also inspired by the Nicole Wallace in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and ‘The Miniature Killer” from CSI (or, Professor Moriarty?). In any event, her entire unlife is for the purpose of extracting revenge on the lead PC and its all she un-lives for, all she thinks about. She would have thought through every contingency and, frankly, I just ain’t that smart.

But, collectively, you are! Does anyone have any suggestions?

Rowyn, in addition to the abilities she had as written in the STAP is now undead. She also has, probably, every useful bit of equipment from the two hostages – The only one of significance is a charm bracelet that allows her to Teleport Without Error to the location of any person (two charges left).

Thank you, so much, just for reading this far. If you can help, I would be so grateful!!