Eventually my group found the dump-entrance to the hidden shrine level and killed several Kyuss zombies and the Morgh. Then they decided to stop advancing (in fact approaching the tiefling cleric), recover, do the next days arena battle and return the other day.
Now that leaves me with the villians discovering that their lair has been invaded and how.
What do you think should happen next? How should Raknian or the cleric handle this situation? Should they recruit new undead from the sewers? Should they release the Ulgurtasta? Should they command red-shirts down there to protect the entrance?
Any ideas welcome.
Have the cleric convince the Alkilith demon, to go guard the entrance. The cleric points out to the demon that the sooner that the cleric completes his activities and lives to do so, the sooner the demon can be freed to cause whatever wrath or destruction it wants.
Granted that that is mean and cruel but I am not a big fan of a party "pushing the save button" mid-level. There must be reprocussions to their actions or they will not "feel" that they are in the story. IMHO
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Well I have to agree, the cleric would not just stand there and take it. I might go as far as getting a divination cast to find out who invaded my holdings. That would point directly to the player chracters. The next reasonable thing to do would be alpha strike the party well they were recuperating. Divination, scry, demon teleort without error and see how that makes them feel in the morning.
That could be deadly for a party, but the enemy is not stupid.
Atch, letting the akilith guard the entrance is a nice idea - I will propably do that.
And yes, the cleric should try to find out who it was and throw in some nasties to them.
Thanks so far.
Bozal would probably want to inform Raknian of a security breach. I know that some members of the board have had Pitch Blade follow the PCs into the shrine if they go exploring, as kind of a nasty surprise. Perhaps Pitch Blade or Okoral would capitalize on an opportunity to get one or more of the PCs alone (like in the cave adjacent to the coenoby or in the infirmary) to do them in and send a message. Remember, Raknian knows who they are and that they've caused him trouble already, and they're onto him now. So the gloves are definitely off, and Raknian might even just dispose of subtlety entirely and have the PCs attacked and/or slain by some of the thugs on his payroll, either guards or his personal assassins and Pitch Blade.
James has some great ideas. You should certainly tighten the noose on your PCs, letting them know that they stirred up the hornet's nest. Pitch Blade and the assassin should definitely get involved. I can't imagine Bozal wanting other gladiators knowing of his existence, so he'd want to keep things very quiet. Let the PCs enter those chambers uncontested, but then spring a trap at an opportune moment. Bozal should certainly be buffed out with spells, he might have more undead on hand (not sure if that's possible given the time), and Pitch Blade and/or the assassin will make the encounter especially grave. Bozal should also have a sure fire escape lined up should things go south.
Which day of the games is it? If the Plinth is full of gladiator's, i.e. it is early in the game's then its too risky for Bozal to go after the PCs himself. Plus if its early in the games, and there are many teams in the Plinth, it could be any one of them that tried to sneak into his lair.
If its later in the games, Bozal could very well figure out who it is and go after the PCs. I think the adventure should have had one more encounter where Rakininan tries to off them in the Plinth, although I would like to see it be a group of gladiators who befriend the PCs doing it and not pitchblade.
Very cool suggestions.
UNfortunatly my group just killed the Pitch Blade so that leaves only the assassin as an option. And yes, its a cool idea to let him plot for a nasty ambush either on a PC alone or an the group.
The akilith will definitly guard the entrance and Bozal will be well prepared from now on.
Thanks - folks