So, first thing I should say is that I'm the GM for this particular group, so the advice I'm looking for is in particular about keeping things on track without ending up with a dead party. I'm not really a killer DM: while I understand that eventually being tough on a group will make more interesting encounters, for the most part my group likes the interaction aspect of the game, which quite frankly works better when people aren't dead. If you haven't played City of Seven Spears, I suggest you not read further because spoilers abound. Anyway, without further ado..
So, my group has just entered the government district. We stopped the session just as they met up with Ugimmo, but they definitely plan on trying to conquer the district. This means that inevitably they're going to run into Akarundo, and I have no clue how they can get out of this okay. Our group consists of a bard, a witch, a gunslinger, and a crane style monk. No one has weapons that can pierce Akarundo's DR.
I should note that I changed Akarundo's stats around. In particular, he's using a heavy mace instead of a kukri, and has the the feats merciful spell, sickening spell (for use with magic missile), and bludgeoneer. The idea is essentially that instead of charming people, he uses nonlethal spells and attacks to take out his enemies in nonlethal ways. He does this because he revels in inflicting pain on others. His main spells are limp lash, touch of gracelessness, call the void, and nonlethal magic missile and fireball.
I do think they'll challenge Akarundo. They've never been challenged quite as much as they're about to be, so they'll definitely try to fight. I also predict that they'll consider running away as soon as the gunslinger and bard realize they cannot harm him. I think I'm worried primarily that this will be too late.
I've decided that, if they choose to run away, and someone doesn't make it, the captured person will live for about maybe a week. So here's the real question: What could a party do in this time to save their friend?
I've not played this adventure and have only skimmed the part that you're referring to, but it does sound as though Akarundo is more interested in being treated as a god rather than slaughtering the party. Why did you remove the charm effects? Maybe he could send the PCs outy against one of the other factions (who they would have had to go after anyway) in another district, and during this time you either allow them to break Akarundo's mental domination or have a friend/neutral PC break it for them, then ally with them against the rakasha?
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Well first, good of you to recognize a potential problem spot for your players! I can tell you when I ran S'S, my players couldn't penetrate his DR either and had to run away. They didn't end up with anyone captured, but it did lead to some interesting developments (which I'll go into below).
But first, why only give the PCs one week to rescue any lost companion? I'd give them as much time as they need/want. Akarundo likes to inflict pain, but he also wants to be treated as a god by the degenerate serpentfolk on the island. So he leaves the captured prisoner in his pleasure den to occasionally come back to, but he also recognizes the value of a hostage. I don't think he'd be in any hurry to kill a prisoner that he may need to use in the future (now that he knows other strangers are in Saventh-Yhi).
As for HOW the PCs could free any missing companion, I'd just shift Akarundo's usual location. After defeating the PCs he's seen as even more powerful by the degenerates. Maybe they even make one of the abandoned buildings a temple to Akarundo where he spends more of his time with the adoring snake-men worshipping him. Akarundo couldn't resist that! He just leaves a few degenerate guards by his pleasure den where the prisoner is located. That would allow smart PCs to get their companion back.
Also note that with Akarundo's high social skills and ability to change appearance, he's the perfect foil to kill another faction leader and replace them. That's how I used him in my campaign (my PCs were with a joint Pathfinder/Pirate faction).
- The PCs clashed with Akarundo and had to run away.
- Akarundo, now aware of strangers in the city, spies on the government faction (who were near the island of the government district) and eventually kills General Havelar and replaces him.
- Jask (who was a friend of the PCs but still working with an opposing faction)is captured and locked away in the pleasure den for a future rescue operation by the PCs.
- The PCs get wind of something odd when the government faction moves onto the central island seemingly allied with the serpentfolk.
- Red Mantis spies had spotted Akarundo replacing General Havelar. They're willing to maybe share that information but first there's a matter of a missing sword they're looking for...
- etc etc
Just some rambling thoughts early in the morning.
Hope something in there helped!
My party managed to take him out, but not without a LOT of loss. The Inquis/Ranger played a key role, with his inquis abilities to add the damage type to his weapons, and he'd chosen "good" long ago. Still it was touch and go for a while after Akarundo dominated the two hand sword wielding fighter. Thankfully, for the party, the Inquis/Ranger is VERY resourceful player and played it out really well.
Jenner, I totally agree with you about the time frame. Why set a time at all? How long it takes for Akarundo to get bored with the captive, is entirely up to the captive. You have a GREAT opportunity for roleplay there. And then the fallout from it is even better. The character can start to ask why did it take so long to rescue him, what were the others doing during that time. It starts in character friction, which can be very rewarding, as long as your players realize it's all in character.
Also, the text indicates that Akarundo spends a lot of time at the Ziggurat holding displays of grandeur for the snake people. It'd be easy enough for the PCs to wait till he goes to one of these displays to sneak into Akarundo's lair and steal their friend back. The display also sets up a fun encounter if the PCs choose to confront him there (mine did). How do Akarundo's followers react when they see their "god" injured, or even defeated. My PCs played that into consideration, ultimately getting the snakemen to flee after showing that their "god" was false. Of course the Magus tried to become the new god, but that's another story...
... it does sound as though Akarundo is more interested in being treated as a god rather than slaughtering the party. Why did you remove the charm effects?
My group has never played a Pathfinder game before this one (save one person and me), and so far of all the afflictions they've fought, mind-affecting effects scare them the most. Not having mental control makes them all very uncomfortable. As such, it's sort of become this iconic trait of the Serpentfolk... but almost everything in Saventh-Yi has mind controlling powers. I really wanted to keep that concept of mind-control a little more special, so that when it does happen it continues to have that same impact.
I also liked the idea that while Issilar (the previous ruler of the district) used mind control and trickery, Akarundo drove him away with brute force. You're definitely right about him not necessarily wanting to slaughter the party, though. At least not outright.
Well first, good of you to recognize a potential problem spot for your players! I can tell you when I ran S'S, my players couldn't penetrate his DR either and had to run away. They didn't end up with anyone captured, but it did lead to some interesting developments (which I'll go into below).
But first, why only give the PCs one week to rescue any lost companion? I'd give them as much time as they need/want. Akarundo likes to inflict pain, but he also wants to be treated as a god by the degenerate serpentfolk on the island. So he leaves the captured prisoner in his pleasure den to occasionally come back to, but he also recognizes the value of a hostage. I don't think he'd be in any hurry to kill a prisoner that he may need to use in the future (now that he knows other
strangers are in Saventh-Yhi).As for HOW the PCs could free any missing companion, I'd just shift Akarundo's usual location. After defeating the PCs he's seen as even more powerful by the degenerates.
Maybe they even make one of the abandoned buildings a temple to Akarundo where he spends more of his time with the adoring snake-men worshipping him. Akarundo couldn't resist that! He just leaves a few degenerate guards by his pleasure den where the prisoner is located. That would allow smart PCs to get their companion back.
Also note that with Akarundo's high social skills and ability to change appearance, he's the perfect foil to kill another faction leader and replace them. That's how I used him in my campaign (my PCs were with a joint Pathfinder/Pirate faction).
I guess I just thought of a week as the most I could think of reasonably. But that's nonsense; you and Kelarith are completely right in that I should give them as much time as they need to have.
I never really thought about how he'd have to... or want to leave. This does give plenty of opportunity for the PCs to do some espionage and re-capture their friend, and could allow for some interesting new encounters as well. I'll definitely consider this one a viable option.
My party managed to take him out, but not without a LOT of loss ... How long it takes for Akarundo to get bored with the captive, is entirely up to the captive. You have a GREAT opportunity for roleplay there. And then the fallout from it is even better. The character can start to ask why did it take so long to rescue him, what were the others doing during that time. It starts in character friction, which can be very rewarding, as long as your players realize it's all in character .
Also, the text indicates that Akarundo spends a lot of time at the Ziggurat holding displays of grandeur for the snake people. It'd be easy enough for the PCs to wait till he goes to one of these displays to sneak into Akarundo's lair and steal their friend back. The display also sets up a fun encounter if the PCs choose to confront him there (mine did). How do Akarundo's followers react when they see their "god" injured, or even defeated. My PCs played that into consideration, ultimately getting the snakemen to flee after showing that their "god" was false. Of course the Magus tried to become the new god, but that's another story...
So this actually gives me a new question: considering the PCs CAN rescue their friend, and will: What does the person who's captured do during this time? I'd like to keep them from being completely bored out of their wits during this time, and I'm looking for suggestions. I'm normally against splitting the party but if there's a way to make this work, I'd be curious to hear it.
The concept of Akarundo being sort of a sadistic monster is something I was completely accepting of, but actually roleplaying it is something I hadn't really considered. This is a great roleplaying opportunity but it could go very wrong. I'll need to be careful, is what I'm saying.
One more thing: In your post, you brought up that your inquisitor had a weapon that could hurt Akarundo. My group will not have such a thing. I am having trouble seeing this party defeating the rakshasa even at level 9. How do most people deal with something like this? What if our only full caster is a witch?
On another note: our party bard will definitely try to do that same thing with the "I Am A God" idea. This could get messy fast, but that seems all sorts of exciting.
Here's a tip from Chris Perkins about parties being split. Have them role initiative, including the split off member. Then just go over the action as initiative indicates. When the split off person(s) initiative comes up, the focus switches to them, kind of like a tv show. I've used it a couple of times and it works great! You'll get a lot of groans about people being on the edge of their seat to see what happens next, but that's always a good thing.
It works when just rping too, you just have to put a limit on things. I usually wait till someone is juuuuuuust about to discover something, or accomplish something, "you unlock the chest, and.....we're switching to over here." The PC's love/hate it. ;)
Have the rp with Akarundo be more about what he's done to the other poor saps that he's captured before than what he actually does to the PC. So no torture, etc to the PC, more of the "See what awaits you?" kind of thing. Then you don't have to get graphic with the character, but can get as graphic as you want with the "remains" of his other playthings.
The Rakshasa is tough, but you could always fall back on the old D&D version of the Rakshasa who was killed by a blessed crossbow bolt. The PCs would need to research and figure this out of course, while their poor friend was at the tender mercies of Akarundo. Then you could have the bolt reduce/remove his DR for a period of time. But the DR is circumvented by piercing weapons AND good, so you could have NPCs cast spells that would imbue the "Good" damage type on piercing weapons (daggers, rapiers, spears, etc.) which makes Akarundo much easier. Our Inquis used it on his arrows, and pincushioned Akarundo. He got whomped in the process, as Akarundo unleashed on him, but it made for a pretty heroic fight.
Yeah, it can get messy fast....or later, but messy, with good context makes the game SO much more fun, for both the GM and the players. Never let an opportunity for the PCs to do what they want go by....and never let that opportunity fail to complicate things ;) Let them bet the new God...and watch to see what happens when his subjects start to make demands that a Snakeman would see as normal. Or what happens when their "god" comes back injured after adventuring. Afterall, they just lost their last one to injury. Or have some very intrepid Snakeman follow the PC back to their faction campsite at some point. I would imagine the Snakepeople will have a whooooooole different reception waiting their god at that point ;)
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So this actually gives me a new question: considering the PCs CAN rescue their friend, and will: What does the person who's captured do during this time? I'd like to keep them from being completely bored out of their wits during this time, and I'm looking for suggestions. I'm normally against splitting the party but if there's a way to make this work, I'd be curious to hear it.
What I like to do when someone has a character unavailable for a while (such as captured or off crafting) is to let them run a temporary character. Do your PCs have Athyra or Nekichi with them? Either of them might be good temps. Or if they want to try out another class for a bit, have a member of their faction expedition join them. From guards to researchers to camp logistics; almost any class could be reasonably found in the camp.
Or maybe a member of the Tribe of the Radiant Muse comes to help them. This might be a good idea if you're worried about your PCs trying to fight everything in the city head on. Have the tribesmen approach peacefully and offer to help in rescuing their friend(or friends).Once the PC is freed, you can give him a story of all the horrific tortures he suffered at the hands of the rakshasa. Also makes a good opportunity to foreshadow any area you may want to drive the PCs to next.
Example: Maybe Akarundo told his prisoner/torture toy how he needed to unwind since some enchantress in the residential district was snatching up his serpentfolk scouts.
Akarundo seems the egotistical sort who would tell his prisoner something like that (since there's no way they'll ever ever escape, of course)
Just some thoughts.
Here's a tip from Chris Perkins about parties being split. Have them role initiative, including the split off member. Then just go over the action as initiative indicates. When the split off person(s) initiative comes up, the focus switches to them, kind of like a tv show. I've used it a couple of times and it works great! You'll get a lot of groans about people being on the edge of their seat to see what happens next, but that's always a good thing.
It works when just rping too, you just have to put a limit on things. I usually wait till someone is juuuuuuust about to discover something, or accomplish something, "you unlock the chest, and.....we're switching to over here." The PC's love/hate it. ;)
This is really a fun idea, actually. I'll definitely do this.
Have the rp with Akarundo be more about what he's done to the other poor saps that he's captured before than what he actually does to the PC. So no torture, etc to the PC, more of the "See what awaits you?" kind of thing. Then you don't have to get graphic with the character, but can get as graphic as you want with the "remains" of his other playthings.
Ahaha, so we can literally use the "fade to black" idea? That's brilliant, I can definitely see this working.
But the DR is circumvented by piercing weapons AND good, so you could have NPCs cast ...
Using the NPCs would definitely work. What spells allow this to happen? I'm thinking of bless weapon right now but there certainly have to be more. I'll look into this one for sure.
I really like the idea of using this encounter for all sorts of things. Thank you all so much, this really does change things immensely
UPDATE: My party faced Ugimmo. I replaced his human zombies with draugr, rising the encounter difficulty immensely. The party gunslinger managed to get surrounded by the draugr... like completely surrounded by 5 of them. Eventually, she escapes but is separated from the team, and the bard is completely helpless to fight the rest of the zombies off, who are swarming on him faster than the monk can beat them away. They ended up so turned off for the battle that they refused to continue the journey that way at all. They're headed now straight for the Radiant Muse. Which it so turns out is a perfect place for the party's bard, specially after his sad performance against the zombies... And it'd be nice for the Radiant Muse to end the cast of "bestow curse" that reduced our witch's int score to 12.