The "Shackled City" adventure path reminded me of the notion of a rival adventuring group, something I used to do quite often when I was DMing back in highschool, but somehow fell to the sidelines when I began DMing again in University (mind, in University, populations of gaming groups were so up/down, that it would have been hard to maintain recognition of a rival group). Now that I'm old(1), and my gaming group is a tad more stable, I'm delighting in playing the "Shackled City" precisely for these foils.
Well, I'm delighting in playing the "Shackled City" in and of itself, but the foils are a neat cherry on top.
I've downplayed Todd, and uplayed the chaotic-selfishness of the group, and when the players get into a real fix, I may add in a rescue (of sorts) from the Stormblades, just to nudge up the antipathy a bit more. Upon hearing there'd be a Flood Festival "Heroes Feast," and that the Stormblades were to be the guests of honour over their events with the kobolds, my gaming group (the Liberators) declared, "Now we <I>have</I> to recover those wands. I want to be the toast of the town, and I want them moved to a smaller table. We have a week until the feast. Let's go find the damned wands."
Save the city? Motivating.
Show up the rival adventurers? Priceless.
I'm also playing around with another fun notion: that four of the statues in Vhalantru's house will be the mother, father, and uncle and friend of the party Rogue/Diviner. Of course, she'll want to de-petrify her mother and father, and when her 'rents de-petrify their companions, it'll seem nice at first... but how do you handle a mother who's just about your own age, a tad more wild than you, and backed up by three men who are definitely of the same chaotic flavour? They're no Stormblades (they call themselves "the Risen," and use a pheonix as a symbol since they came from the Ashes - ie: Ash avenue), and at heart, they're slightly in the good along with the chaotic neutral - but they've missed twenty years, and they'll feel like they've got a lot of catching up to do.
And they might trip up the PCs on their way, unintentionally or not. Who needs sibling rivalry, when you can have it with your own parents? :)
(1) Thirty. I never consider that old until some of my staff make me feel old when they say things like, "What's the A-Team?" or "Who are Tears for Fears?"
I am all for playing up the rivalry with the Stormblades, which is why I have them stealing a comission from the group in the very first scene that will be played.
My only question is how do you justify them already knowing about the missing wands? It isn't really common knowledge.
Sean Mahoney
Shortly after the PCs return to Cauldron, it should become fairly common knowledge that Sarcem Delasharn died at the Lucky Monkey. If you don't think that his death should be common knowledge, the at least the local elite would know about it.
Additionally, the nobles would probably know about the wands that Delasharn was carrying. The Church of St Cuthbert had made a stink about not getting as much help for securing wands this year, and they could have gone to the nobles for money, as well as going to the various churches in the city.
Since the Stormblades are the children of Cauldron nobles, they could find out through their parents.
Lord Taskerhill especially would have his ear to the ground, what with his personal plans to undermine the Lord Mayor. If you wanted to create extra tension between the nobles, you could say that Lord Taskerhill gave the information to the Stormblades, so he could take some measure of accomplishment in saving the city. Or at least use it to try to show that the Lord Mayor can't get things done... blah blah blah.
It could be fun.
Creative Director
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On the other hand, I think it's just as likely that no one knows the wands are missing. After all... the last several years have been really mild winters, and given the nature of humanity to lose interest in things that aren't happening Right Now, I think it's perfectly plausible that no one really knows that the wands have gone missing unless the PCs shout it from the rooftops.
At the very least, Sarcem kept his mission to gather more wands quiet because he didn't want to foster a panic in the streets by telling the general populace that there weren't enough wands to go around...
I am all for playing up the rivalry with the Stormblades, which is why I have them stealing a comission from the group in the very first scene that will be played.
My only question is how do you justify them already knowing about the missing wands? It isn't really common knowledge.
Oh, they don't. The Stormblades are just following the PCs, trying to ensure they keep the spotlight, and don't lose it to the Liberators. Once the PCs delve into the lava tube, the Stormblades won't follow for quite a while, debating whether or not they should, and might only show in time to "clean up" after the Liberators (ie: take loot that they may have stored in one room, and/or rescue the PCs from a very softened foe).
Sorry, I didn't want to make it sound like they were competing for the wands - they're not. It's the players that want to get the wands at all costs, to show up the Stormblades (and, of course, because it's the right thing to do. Really.)