Different take on the Giant's raid on Sandpoint...


Rise of the Runelords


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I ran Rise once before and you can see how our raid went in a thread devoted to that subject below... but now that I'm running it a second time, this time as part of a larger mash-up which includes several of the Shattered Star volumes, I'm approaching it a completely different way. I'm really looking forward to it and I think my players are going to love it, so I figured I'd share my idea with you guys in case it inspired some of your own...

Warning - there are some spoilers for both Rise and Star here, though all of my own alterations likely make most of them unrecognizable.

First, a little set-up: at this point in the campaign the group has acquired four of the Shards and the forces of Karzoug have come to realize both the threat they present and the fact that they have in their possession several of the much sought-after Shards. The raid in this case isn't with the intent to grab some cornerstone, but rather to sack the town, razing it to the ground if necessary and to liberate the Shards for their master. As such it is a much, much bigger raid which includes many more giants and a sizable force of Ogres as well.

In response, circumstances are going to conspire to deny them aid from Magnimar, but its going to serve as an opportunity for a number of NPC's from earlier in the campaign to show up and 'lend a hand'. I'll likely be running this with three PC's at the time, and what I've done is set up a series of scenarios during the battle where they not only get to play their characters but also many of the NPC's they've enjoyed up to this point. Some of the fights will be challenging, some will be impossible and may well lead to the tragic - or heroic - deaths of the beloved townsfolk. Here is a sampling of what I intend:

Encounter One: Defense of the Main Gate
PC (Half-Elven 10th level Spirit Summoner)
Shalelu Andosan (Elven 8th level Archery Ranger) as a PC
Ameiko Kaijitsu (Human 5th level Geisha/2nd level Noble) as a PC
The PC in question is in the middle of a pleasant little love-triangle between Ameiko and Shalelu, and is considering a marriage proposal from them both together, made on the eve of battle. Along with Sheriff Hemlock (Human 5th level Tactician Fighter) and a dozen of the town guards (Warrior 2), they will defend the Main Gates from a force of six Stone Giants and three Ogres and an Ogre Brute.

Encounter Two: Battle at the Bridges
PC (Human 10th level Witch)
Aberforth (Dwarven 6th level Druid from Thistletop) as a PC
Gaius (Half-Elven 6th level Druid from Thistletop) as a PC
The two Druids moved into Thistletop after aiding the PC's in finally clearing it of the evil that inhabited it, intending to use it as a base to establish a new Circle. They, along with a half dozen town guards (Warrior 2) battle a force of three Hill Giants and two Dire Bears who attempt to ford the river.

Encounter Three: At the Cathedral
Father Zantus (Human 5th level Cleric of Desna)
Initiate Shayliss (Human 2nd level Cleric of Desna)
Brother Keller Rinn (Human 3rd level Cleric of Sarenrae)
The members of the Clergy use the Cathedral as a gathering place for the wounded, while under the protection of a half dozen town guards (Warrior 2), and are menaced by a quartet of marauding Ogres. This battle ends when the Dragon arrives, sending everyone into a panic and fleeing towards the town's 'fall-back' position, the ships ready to carry non-combatants at the docks out to sea.

Encounter Four, part one: Not my Theater!
Cyrdrakk Drokkus (Human 5th level Celebrity Bard) as a PC
Cyrdrakk faces down the Dragon who lands with the intention of burning his theater to the ground. Its very unlikely this encounter will end well for the popular showman.

Encounter Four, part two: Looting the Library
Brodert Quink (Human 5th level Archivist Bard) as a PC
Jessalyn (Human 4th level Sorceress) retired PC run by former Player
Jessalyn was a young PC who took a shine to Brodert and 'retired' her character after Thistletop to look after the old man and lose herself in his books... the former Player will get a second, unexpected opportunity to play her old character as Brodert insists on protecting his shop from the fires that have begun to rage, joined by two town guards (Warrior 2) when a pair of Ogres intent on looting happen upon them.

Encounter Five: Patrolling the Streets
Sheila Hiedmarch (Human 11th level Arcanist) as a PC
Daverin Hosk (Human 2nd level Ranger/4th level Commoner) as a PC
Ven Vinder (Human 3rd level Brawler/3rd level Commoner) as a PC
Ven and Daverin have become favorites of the group and will be played by the male PC's - Ven by the very same PC who bounced his butt out of his shop way back in Burnt Offerings when caught canoodling with his daughter. Daverin and Ven are in awe of the 'fine lady' from Magnimar and offer to serve as her guards as she moves through the streets. They encounter two Stone Giants and a pair of Ogres whom have come up from the South.

Encounter Six: Patrolling the Streets
PC (Human 10th level Chosen One Paladin)
Oriana (Human 8th level Unbreakable Fighter) as a PC
Nualia (Aztlantian 7th level Magus) as a PC
Oriana was encountered in Curse of the Lady's Light, the same place where Nualia finally redeemed herself by giving her life to protect the party - only to be reborn in the 'trap' that is Sorshen's clone. She has since become a Magus and she and Oriana have become very, very close. The two arrive from Korvosa on the eve of the battle, having heard of their former comrades plight and determined to be of aid. This will be the toughest battle, the three of them against the Giant leader and the main part of his force whom used the other skirmishes as a distraction to enter the city. At various points in the battle, the surviving PC's/NPC's from Encounter One and Encounter Two will join them in an epic fight.

Encounter Seven: To the Docks
The PC's and some of their surviving NPC's rush to the docks, aware that the townspeople will not be safe from the dragon aboard ship... there a showdown with the dragon takes place, their first real match-up with one in the campaign.

Encounter Eight: After Them!
This final encounter will be written as a race of sorts - several Ogres and Giants who fled the battle took with them some loot and, more importantly, a number of prisoners including some of the surviving NPC's - it will be up to those who are left (and able) to pursue and rescue them while the rest of the town is still in shock over their ordeal.

Of course this is just a brief overview (well, as brief as it could be) with plenty of details left sketchy, but that's the basic idea. I think its going to be a unique challenge and a lot of fun.


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

Awesome Story Archer - Looks like you've borrowed from Gluttony's plan for the attack on Sandpoint (which I planned to borrow as well).

I see you have Shayliss listed as a Initiate of Desna (cleric 2).
What's the story there?


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the Lorax wrote:

Awesome Story Archer - Looks like you've borrowed from Gluttony's plan for the attack on Sandpoint (which I planned to borrow as well).

I see you have Shayliss listed as a Initiate of Desna (cleric 2).
What's the story there?

Actually I hadn't seen it - I've kind of been away from the boards lately, but I'll keep an eye open.

I originally set up a scenario where Aldern was infatuated with Shayliss and she was infatuated with a PC, so coquettish young thing that she was she used Alderns affections in a bid to make the PC jealous, not realizing she was playing a dangerous game. Meanwhile I had Tsuto's infatuation be with his half-sister Ameiko (Lannister style), and his return to Sandpoint intended to save the only person he ever felt loved him. It was images and thoughts of Ameiko that filled his diary, not Nualia.

When Aldern left town and the PC made it clear that it was Ameiko he was interested in, the scorned Shayliss continued to keep in touch with Foxglove through secret correspondence and eventually became smitten by the man who would become the beast. During the Skinsaw Murders notes were left scrawled on for the PC as Aldern boasted that 'she would be his forever'... in one of my more clever efforts (if I do say so myself) this was all deliberately set up to create the red herring that somehow Tsuto had returned from the dead and was seeking to reunite with his sister. With that thought, Ameiko joined the PC's on their trip to the farm, thinking to confront her brother after all - when they found the key to Foxglove Manor all the tumblers fell into place and they realized their mistake. They raced back to town only to find Shayliss gone.

The trip to the Misgivings became a rescue mission and by the time they found her, Shayliss was already in the grip of ghoul fever. Priests of Desna in Magnimar managed to cure the girl and traumatized as she was, they found a worthy acolyte in her when she returned to Sandpoint under Father Zantus' care.

Btw - appropriately enough, Aldern was carrying the Shard of Envy, just as Nualia had been carrying the Shard of Wrath.


Great write-up, Story Archer!

My PCs are just about to finish book 2 by the end of the year so what intrigued me most here acutally is reading about Shayliss becoming a cleric of Desna. One of my PCs has a loose relationship going with her and is greatly indebted to the the church of Desna which has paid for his ressurection on another occasion. I think, I will play it so that Shayliss' move becoming a Desnan was done to help said PC paying off his debst to encourage some roleplaying with my PC, Shayliss, Ven and marriage and... *GM smirk*

Ruyan.


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

Gluttony did a write up that is similar here.

I've been wondering what to do with Shayliss in the wake of Skinsaw - cleric never crossed my mind as I saw her more as a low wisdom type.
The death of her rival (sister) and general family situation has got to have an impact - I have to think it over, as her target/boyfriend was wondering what was going on with her in his long absence.

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