Just wondering how other DMs might handle these issues...
a) the players are encouraged to attack the lizardfolk 1-2 groups at a time, so it doesn't end up in a TPK or HPK. But the keep is relatively small. If the players attack one side, aren't the other lizardfolk on the other side likely to hear that attack? Or are they too far away, and the PCs meant to do repeated hit-and-run attacks?
b) how did the guards keep their former wizard friend (now a spawn) locked up in the basement without the new sorceress finding out? Her bedroom is... next door.
c) what if one of the PCs is turned to stone by cockatrice bite (after a failed save)? Stone to Flesh is a 6th lvl Wiz spell, beyond the abilities of anyone currently in Diamond Lake to rectify, and a scroll would be prohibitively expensive, right? Just seems like it would unnecessarily doom an unlucky PC, from one little bite... and there are two of the beasties.
Just wondering how other DMs might handle these issues...
a) the players are encouraged to attack the lizardfolk 1-2 groups at a time, so it doesn't end up in a TPK or HPK. But the keep is relatively small. If the players attack one side, aren't the other lizardfolk on the other side likely to hear that attack? Or are they too far away, and the PCs meant to do repeated hit-and-run attacks?
I believe the module addresses this. If the PCs attack while the lizardfolk are engaging the keep (the best idea), then 1-2 of the groups of lizardfolk break off to attack the PCs, while the rest accost the keep. It says to assume the other part of the battle is a stalemate until the PCs finish their part. It also says something about the lizardfolk being fairly spread out, so if the PCs use spells like silence, or have a rogue or two, they should be able to take out the lizardfolk surrepticiously.
b) how did the guards keep their former wizard friend (now a spawn) locked up in the basement without the new sorceress finding out? Her bedroom is... next door.
Maybe she acquiesced to the whole deal. The wizard was probably her friend too and she probably recognized the danger just as the soldiers did while still not wanting to kill it.
c) what if one of the PCs is turned to stone by cockatrice bite (after a failed save)? Stone to Flesh is a 6th lvl Wiz spell, beyond the abilities of anyone currently in Diamond Lake to rectify, and a scroll would be prohibitively expensive, right? Just seems like it would unnecessarily doom an unlucky PC, from one little bite... and there are two of the beasties.
It's a hard-knock life I'd say. Incidentally though, stone to flesh is not the only (nor even the best) spell for un-stoning someone since it has the potential to kill them. Break Enchantment is a 5th-level cleric spell and much easier to acquire. Though no one in Diamond Lake is high enough to cast it, they may have a scroll lying around or the PCs could easily get the spell cast in the Free City. AoW Overload takes them there in the next adventure actually so this could be a hook!