After tackling the surface level of Thisteltop (coming straight from the glassworks -
Sounds like a plan. Also, if they spend enough time away from Thistletop, perhaps the remaining goblins (and their bosses) rebuild the bridge?
Of course now Thistletop is on alert, which is good if you are the baddies, not so much for the PCs.
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The bridge trap can be easily reset. It's said that the Goblins saw their trap was not really monster-friendly the first time that the two ropes from the same end of the bridge collapsed. They had to work overtime, which Goblins don't like at all.
They have now rebuilt it in a more useful manner: It's only one SIDE of the bridge who collapse, which means either the south-western or north-eastern ropes at each end of the bridge. The bridge is still there, hanging off the remaining ropes at each end. So it can be easily reset and even crossed while the trap is triggered.
Even if the PCs completely destroyed the bridge on their way out, I figure the goblins would be able to fix the rope-bridge within a day. It would be a priority because it's the only practical way to get food and/or reinforcements onto the island.
With the help of
So now that the PCs have "poked the hornets nest", the residents of Thistletop should be at a much higher state of readiness when the PCs return. There is a thread out in the archives with a lot of discussion of what would happen in a case like this. Try searching for "reactive vilains" or something like that.
I had a coup happen in the Mosswood band recently, since apparently that happens a bunch and there's certainly enough going on to trigger one. I had a group of goblins from the losing faction supplement Ripnugget's forces, so that'll be unexpected for my PCs (who are on their third trip to Thistletop).
I also created the Hornhead goblins as living just northeast of the Nettlewood, since we're told that eventually Nualia gets troops from many tribes up in that direction. They're on deck as the next batch of reinforcements in case the PCs aren't successful this time around. I've seeded a number of rumours about them, and some of the players are worried.
my PCs (who are on their third trip to Thistletop).
Ouch, third trip? How did they manage that? Did they just attack too soon before they had a chance to level up?
My party went charging off after the goblins immediately after the first attack on Sandpoint, even though the party was out of healing, spells, and one of the fighters was down to 3 hp. They have a good tracker, so if I had let them they would have followed the goblins all the way back to Thistletop. Hopefully they wouldn't have tried to attack right away, but you never know.
But I pointed out that the goblin attack started around sunset and it was getting dark. So they were good little players and got back on the f#cking rails instead of skipping several pages of the module! ;^)
Ouch, third trip? How did they manage that? Did they just attack too soon before they had a chance to level up?
My PCs were convinced that there must be some sort of underwater entrance to Thistletop, even though they had no evidence of one. They went looking for one, tangling with the bunyip but eventually defeating it. They were persistent and found the underwater entrance, but had trouble with the giant hermit crab (particularly since they'd just had a tough fight). They defeated it, but snuck back out.
After that they went back in. Both of these trips were timed to coincide with a worship service, so they didn't have too much trouble with the guards during their approach. This time they went to the next room after the underwater entrance, and had a really tough fight against the shadows. Shalelu was with them on this trip, and she fell. Then she got back up (as a shadow) and continued the fight against the PCs. They just barely won this combat, and immediately went back home.
This is the third trip in. The Thistletop goblins have at least one more prisoner and they're worried about sacrifices, so this time they went in without waiting for a religious service. They managed a fairly clever (for goblins) distraction, and now they're all in. They couldn't figure out the pile of gold coins, so they've gone past it and are about to confront Nualia.
and now they're all in. They couldn't figure out the pile of gold coins, so they've gone past it and are about to confront Nualia.
Wow, talk about the hard way! In through the out door and all that.
My players have just finished the Glassworks and are 99% likely to hit the Catacombs next. But they've deduced from Tsuto's journal that they'll be heading to Thistltop.
There's already been some talk of boats. So now I know what I'm in for. I'll have to check out your campaign journal.
The underwater entrance is pretty hard to find. If they'd gone all the way around the island instead of immediately diving and searching the near side I'm sure they would have gone in through the tentamort hunting grounds instead.
If they leave through their underwater exit I'm considering hitting them with the tentamort, in fact. I don't want them getting complacent. :)