| laraqua |
So at a slightly lower level, my party ran off to deal with the Weapon in the Rift scenario as I've been loving the Worldwound so much that I've pumped into it as many additional adventures as I can and popped it on the Slow XP Track. The party will be Mythic Tier 2, Level 10 - 11, when they return to deal with the aftermath. They have a Bard, Very Young Umbral Dragon (no loot but a necklace that allows Change Shape), Monk, and Oracle.
They could either bring Aravashniel (Wizard / Riftwarden), Ollysta Zadrian (Paladin), Osprey (Druid 11) or Jestak (Barbarian 11) along with them.
Basically I've come up with a moral dilemma that is exactly the kind of dastardly response you're likely to see from demonic forces but it's also a bit of a d--k move on behalf of the GM. I want to use the trick but also include a few potential answers so that the party has a good chance of getting in and out without suffering for it.
**Mild Spoilers for Weapon In The Rift Pathfinder Society scenario**
The Weapon In The Rift casts a Holy Word that affects everything within a 1 mile radius, weakening the powerful and killing the weak. Since the powerful are generally busy fighting multiple fronts elsewhere, it's up to the mid-range and the weak to actually take out the weapon and demoralise the troops as well.
So they've gathered up whatever Low Templars, Fallen Paladins, cultists and slaves, stripped them of their weapons and marched them toward the Weapon with a gaggle of Babau, Schir, Abrikandilu and other expendable low-level armies sent their way.
Since my game is a bit darker with a strong silver lining, I'd like to include a few kids among these poor folks as my party loves the chance to rescue kids. This would raise the stakes, but only so long as winning is probable. In fact, I probably won't include them being sighted unless the players are reasonably assured of success. If the players fail, the smaller figures could be identified as halflings.
The weapon has been recharged by this point but if they fire it, all neutral and evil folks will die. They've already glimpsed that when they lost a few Low Templars when the PCs set it off the first time around.
So my question to you fine fellows is: Are there ways to save the Neutral and Surrendered Evil folks among the crowd while setting off the Weapon? Or would the only way to win be to stay and fight - in which case I should have the armies better prepared? I'd rather not let it fall to a simple military fight since the demons would arguably have chosen a substantial force to ensure success.
I know a Miracle should be able to keep them safe (those who truly walk the road of redemption or live in neutrality be spared) but my PCs aren't of that level.
My PCs are otherwise partway through Demon's Heresy, in terms of wealth and loot.
NOTE: I *won't* include this scenario if it turns out that all is hopeless. I'll hold off on it if there's a later point where it would become possible to achieve it and if that would never happen then I wouldn't pull this encounter. This campaign is meant to be darkly heroic ... bad stuff happens, but the PCs prevail and save folks from the horrors. This isn't the right campaign for Lose-Lose or Pure Tragedy events.