Hi. i was wondering if anyone had any thoughts as to the tactics that the rival party might take in the following situation:
IMC, Kkellek and the Seekers are looking for a burial cairn in the hills with some sort of weird "lantern puzzle" that apparently destroyed a Seeker expedition a couple decades ago. unfortunately for them, they have the name wrong and Khellek was very disappointed to discover that the Stirgenest has nothing interesting to yield. meanwhile, the PCs have returned to town from the WC, not yet finished exploring, but having made significant progress. unfortunately, they have loose lips (and characters with low Wisdom) and let it become known to Khellek that they have found the cairn he has been looking for and that it is full of goodies to be plundered.
one of the PCs (the cleric) figured out that this might be a really bad thing, so he asked Allustan (who doesn't like Khellek) to make up a map of the surrounding hills with some cairns marked on it. the cleric mislabeled the map and sold it to Khellek for cheap, cuz he had to get out of town quick. the PCs are hoping this little deception will give them time to finish looting the WC and get the heck outta Dodge.
well, Khellek's no idiot, and the PCs' cleric and fighter both have family in Diamond Lake. so, my initial thought was to have Tirra tail the PCs as they head out of town (which the PCs will be expecting and may take precautions for), while Khellek makes plans to make the PCs miserable. i think Auric and Tirra (as i've run them so far) are a bit too amiable to go for the murder of the PCs' families, but certainly Khellek must have some nefarious ideas. Anyone out there have some thoughts?
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I ran into similar issues. One of the characters is an impoverished citizen of Diamond Lake. Fully aware of the rival adventurers, he has contemplated that instead of risking his life with the party, perhaps he can profit more from selling the information about the Whispering Cairn to Khellek's crew.
He bumped into Tirra and started off by suggesting he knew of another Cairn with treasure and what's that worth to the thief.
I had her fiddle around with 1gp and probe a bit, flirting along the way figuring she could get the information with a crooked smile. The player didn't talk, figuring 1gp wasn't worth it.
In my mind, the rival adventurers have probably had all kinds of folks try to sell stuff to them - "yeah I know of another Cairn with lots of loot, and maybe a dragon... I'll sell ya a map for a few gold" and are wary of any offers now. In fact, their first reaction is that any such information is 99% likely to be fake.
However, if the group starts showing up with magic items... that's another story (which has yet to occur)
However, if the group starts showing up with magic items... that's another story (which has yet to occur)
My party has been very careful to leave the +1 chainmail they found in the minehouse for this very reason.
So, imagine the shock when they encounter the 3 lizardmen, one with the chainmail, that moved in to scout DL while they were in town...
Heh heh heh...
My party has been very careful to leave the +1 chainmail they found in the minehouse for this very reason.
So, imagine the shock when they encounter the 3 lizardmen, one with the chainmail, that moved in to scout DL while they were in town...
Heh heh heh...
LAMO :D I find this funnily compelling. Once they've retreived their chainmail "Hey this chanimail's got scales stuck in it! Dagnabit Lizarfolk!!"
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I ruled that Allustan's interest in the Cairns was very protective. He would love to find Icosiol's Tomb, but for his own curiosity, rather than profit. Digging too obviously could lead evil tomb-robbers to the area, and there may be treasures that should not fall into the wrong hands, especially if he is correct about the interred being one of the Wandering Dukes.
As such, he vets all treasure-seekers who come to town, and foils their searches, if he deems them unworthy. In this case, he arranged for the Greyhawk City Trio to be given the location of the Stirgenest Cairn, to discourage them from coming back. (And I had the Stirgenest Cairn still be occupied, by some of its namesake beasts).
The PCs have come back to town, after fighting Khellek and Co, and gone to Allustan for advice about the runes. He has decided they are trustworthy, and admitted diverting the other group (who blame the PCs for this). He has agreed to act as their sponsor, selling their finds far outside town, to keep the cairn secret, and supplying them with items they need from his contacts in Greyhawk City (instant link for future scenarios...).