Besides being directly opposed to the Cagewrights and being a neutrally aligned organisation what do the Striders have to offer?
Why I ask is because I have an elven Ranger who I thought would make a great member but without much other knowledge other than what I have mentioned already why would they want to join?
What benefits are there from joining the Striders
Who can join and what do theyn have to do?
Is there any negatives from joining the organisation?
Is their only 4 Stiders in Cauldron?
Delvesdeep
Good question. I've been wondering the same thing myself. Aside from opposing the Cagewrights (which doesn't really come into play in the AP per se) or just being a cool organization to futher flesh out the city, they don't add a lot to the AP other than being a plot device once in a while.
I have grandios plans to work them into the AP but they've kind of taken a back seat at this point. Early on, my players thought they were very important but after they rescue Shensen, the Strides don't make another appearance for a while (Soul Pillars IIRC).
I thought about having the players meet with Meerthan but it felt like a forced encounter. I didn't really see the added value in it.
At this point in the AP, I regard the Striders as a group working out of sight. The PC's know they are there but that's about it.
Oh, to answer some of your specific questions, I would treat them pretty the same as the Harpers from FR. Check out some of the books on them.
Creative Director
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The original plan was to have two groups in the adventure that could provide support to PCs, as a counterpoint to the Cagewrights. The Chisel was intended to help out good-aligned characters, and the striders neutrally aligned characters. Of course, there's crossover—the Striders certainly wouldn't turn away a good character interested in joining their ranks, and the Chisel wouldn't do the same to a neutral character, as long as the prospective new member is into what the group represents.
We put in a prestige class in Demonskar Legacy that those who join the Chisel can take. The intention was to do the same for the Striders, but we never had the room to do this.
In the hardcover release of Shackled City, we've reworked the Chisel class (the High Handcrafter) into a five-level prestige class, and we've added in a new prestige class for the Striders to take (the Pathwarden). In addition, each organization gives other benefits to characters who join their ranks.
Here's the relavent text for the Striders, as a sneak preview to some of the new stuff we added to the hardcover:
Membership in the Striders grants a PC the following benefits:
• The character gains a permanent Rary’s telepathic bond with Meerthan. Strider agents are expected to operate on their own (or with other agents); the bond is generally used only to send Meerthan reports. The bond can also be used to call for aid from Meerthan, although he makes it clear that he never expects one of his members to call for help. Meerthan isn’t a big fan of failure, and he explains that if he has to bail a PC out three times, their membership in the Striders is dissolved upon the third rescue.
• The character gains free room and board at the Drunken Morkoth.
• Meerthan will cast any spell he knows (or any provided him on scroll) for a member of the Striders free of charge, although often he needs a day to prepare for the request.
• Once per month, a Strider may requisition up to 1,500 gp in potions and scrolls from the organization. Requisitioned potions and scrolls arrive 2d6 days after the request is made.
• Access to the pathwarden prestige class (providing all other prerequisites are met).
Thanks for your responses GlassJaw and your insight James,
Just another couple of questions on the subject if you have time -
What are the pre-requistites to join the Striders in general? How do you join?
Are the benefits you mentioned above granted to all Striders or only those who have taken the prestige class?
Do the Striders have any specific symbol, language, code to communicate?
Is there currently only 4 members in all of Cauldron?
I'm looking forward to the release of the Hardcover but am keen make the Striders a more active ally to my party ASAP.
Thankyou for all your help
Delvesdeep
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Creative Director
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In order to join the Striders, a PC must exhibit a healthy respect for the natural world, and must have made all three of the other Strider agents helpful allies via Diplomacy. A prospective member in the Striders must also have at least 4 ranks in four of the following skills: Gather Information, Hide, Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, or Spot. Once a character meets these requirements, and once Meerthan feels he knows and trusts a PC, he offers that PC a place in the Striders.
The benefits mentioned above are made available to all members of the Striders, not just those who have levels in the prestige class.
The striders don't really have a language or code. Their symbol is the symbol of Fharlanghn, although not all of their members worship Fharlanghn.
There are currently only 4 Striders in Cauldron: Meerthan, Fario, Fellian, and Shensen. In "Lords of Oblivion" there's a 5th member, but he's been replaced by one of Meerthan's 3 minions mentioned above in the Hardcover.
The prestige class itself works best for druids, rangers, bards, and rogues. Clerics too, although they'll need to take some specific domains or multiclass to meet the skill reqs early enough.
Thankyou very much James! This is exactly what I was after. I am really greatful that someone who obviously spends a huge amount of time working with dungeon would spare the time to answer my question so quickly.
I really respect you for that.
Thankyou once again
Delvesdeep
If the Striders were fleshed out like you detailed James, that would make them a lot easier to integrate into the campaign. I have a character in my group right now who would be perfect for the Pathwarden PrC. Any chance we can see that in a free pdf? :>)
Wait, you don't have to be an elf to join the Striders? I figured that was a given.
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Creative Director
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heh... Nope. Anyone can be a Strider. It just so happens that the 4 in Cauldron are elves or half-elves. There's a bit more info on the Striders and the Chisel in the Hardcover along those lines in any event. It should be a lot easier and cooler to integrate both groups into the campaign in the hardcover, in any case.
We've got no plans for releasing the Pathwarden (or any other new portions of the hardcover) as a PDF. You'll have to pick up the hardcover for them and all the other new goodies.
James,
Is there Striders in other locations or are the Striders of Cauldron all that remains?
There is no mention of it in the adventures but are there an Striders in any of the nearby communities (ie Sassarine, Redforge etc)?
Do the Striders have any abilities/items to assist in there fundamental goal of defeating the Cagewrights?
Thanks again
Delvesdeep
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Creative Director
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There are no other Striders in the adventure, althoguh there are certainly other Striders in other parts of the world. If you want to add more Striders to Redgorge, Hollowsky, or other nearby towns there should be no problem.
As for the Cagewrights; they actually don't know much more about the Cagewrights than the PCs do, and so they don't have any secret weapons against them. The PCs should be the ones to discover the Cagewrights and their plans, and the Striders should be there to back them up once the fighting begins.
While fighting their way through Life's Bazaar the party 'lucked out' and discovered the secret door leading straight to the elevator and Malachite Hold. They walked into the first room where the Spiked Horror (is this its name) quickly began to dispatch the party.
It was at this point I though it prudent to bring the two Striders to the rescue.
Since this time I have used them as Mentors to the Ranger.
What I though about doing is having the party rescue the two Striders from the cells in the Malachite Hold after being captured.
Can you see any problems with this?
Would Meerthan rescue the two first?
Delvesdeep
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Creative Director
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Can you see any problems with this?
If the PCs rescue some captured Striders, that's a great way to get in the good graces with the group. Of course... they also have a chance to rescue a Strider in "Flood Season." You don't want to make the Striders seem like all they're there for is to get in trouble and then get rescued. If you have the PCs rescue the Striders from prison in "Life's Bazaar" you should rework Shensen's intro into the group in some way, I think, to keep the organization's reputation from being damaged.
Would Meerthan rescue the two first?
Only if they asked to be rescued. Probably. Meerthan encourages his Striders to solve their own problems, since he knows he won't be around forever and sometimes won't be able to help them. If a Strider can get out of a situation without calling on his help, so much the better for them.
Yeah I didn't think of this.... My idea behind the rescue in Life's Bazaar was to get the party into the Striders confidences and to boost the parties confidence - 'they rescued us and now we are powerful enough (2nd lvl) to rescue them!'.
Any other suggestions for achieving these goals without making the Striders seem like charity cases???
Once again James thankyou.
Delvesdeep