So I've been playing Monster Hunter way too much lately and decided to create a sidetrek for "Encounter At Blackwall Keep". On the way to the keep the PC's are going to come aross a campsite, not unlike those in the PS2 game 'Monster Hunter' from Capcom. They'll find that the hunters have been transformed into Spawn of Kyuss...all but one. He is just on the verge of transfoming and gives them some limited insight just before he turns. Then a Wyvern attacks or something else from Monster Hunter...maybe some theiving cat people or something...heh heh. Just an idea. Wondering what the crowd here thinks of that...maybe I'll share it once it's done.
Monster Hunter is one of my favorite games, and I've already been working on a way to add some of its flair to the AoW adventure path. My idea was using a group in the Champion Games that uses all of the "joke" weapons from the game, such as the Enormous Ham, Swordfish, and dual swords that look like a fork and knife(from Monster Hunter G, which you might not have seen). They are all simply masterwork versions of existing weapons, sculted to look look like their particular inspiration, and thus function within the rules normally.
Regarding your idea, I don't know if a small clump of Kyuss Spawn simply out in the middle of the woods would make much sense. They could simply be dying after a failed run on a local dragon(perhaps Ilthane when she last left the lizardfolk place). Or, you could have little catfolk dragging a wagon with four bodies on it, one of which is barely hanging on, after they failed to defeat something.
Regarding your idea, I don't know if a small clump of Kyuss Spawn simply out in the middle of the woods would make much sense.
Thanks for the response, thought I was the only one who saw a link between AoW and MH. Anyway, I'm planning more than just sticking some spawn in the marsh. I'm currently working on a back ground story for the 'hunters'. I'm going to have them pass through Diamond Lake while the PC's are resupplying after TFoE. The hunters are going to be on a mission for Loris Raknian of the Free City Arena. They're trying to get a live Wyvern for the games. Of course they're going to fail and somehow contact a Spawn of Kyuss (rumours of unkillable zomies in the hills). I've been writing it using Dungeon's style sheet, and my brother, who's a graphic artist made me a 'Crossover' logo that combines the Monster Hunter look with the Age of Worms look. (Of course the legal rights belong to the owners, this is just for fun, not profit, blah, blah, blah)
Here's a bit of what I have so far...still no concrete title yet...
SIDE TREK
LOW-LEVEL 1-5
SITE BASED: MISTMARSH
Since the beginning of history humanity has survived by hunting other species, utilizing their body parts and feeding off of their flesh. Survival demanded the hunt. However, with the advent of the Age of Worms humanity has become the hunted. The Spawn of Kyuss prey upon their human hosts and within the flesh of the fallen lay His worms, waiting to infect those that are unwary or unwise. Now they have become the hunters of humanity, on an endless quest to writhe over the face of Oerth.
“TITLE” is a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS sidetrek suitable for four 4 th-level characters. The events of “TITLE” take place in the Mistmarsh of the Greyhawk Campaign Setting.
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The PC's have just defeated the Ebon Aspect and have set in motion the investigation of Ragnolin Dourstone and Balabar Smenk. They have both been charged with a long list of crimes relating to the establishment of a base of operations for the Ebon Triad in the Dark Cathedral below Dourstone Mine. As the events of the investigation unfold the PC's are likely going to require some time to rebuild their supplies. As they are shopping in the limited merchant district of Diamond Lake they hear a commotion in the town square as a rather heavily armoured group of mercenaries march through town. The group leads one pair of workhorses that are pulling a supply wagon and another pair that pulls a very large wood and metal cage...(not finished the rest)
PART ONE: THE HUNTERS ARRIVAL
As the PC's are restocking their supplies following the events of TFoE they will witness a minor confrontation between the Diamond Lake militia and a group of four heavily armed and armoured warriors. The militia officer on the scene is attempting to harass the warriors, who simply ignore the puny man. The leader of the warriors steps forward and shoves a scroll into the chest of the officer as he pushes him aside and continues leading his group through town. The officer dusts himself off, gets up, reads the letter and then crumples it up and tosses it on the road. He then skulks off... The PC's find the letter explaining the warriors mission.
PART TWO: FELINE FIASCO
As the PC's and Allustan travel through the Mistmarsh to Blackwall Keep they will overcome many challenges of the wild marshland. Environmental obstacles as well as wild animals and monstrous species make travelling through the marshland difficult and hazardous. During the first day the group will cross paths with a travelling merchant who claims to recieve much of his wares from a local tribe of catfolk...(not finished the rest...needless to say, during the nite, the PC's will be looted by the catfolk and will then have to go trade with the merchant to get their stuff back...or hunt down the catfolk hideout...)
PART THREE: THE WORMS IN THE APPLE
As the PC's are trading for their items back (or looting from the catfolk hideout...) they are offered a free barrel of apples from the merchant. He claims the catfolk gave it to him but he found a dead worm in the barrel...(this will somehow become the hook for the party to go find the group of hunters...which shouldn't be difficult considering the size of the warrior's group...)
PART FOUR:
(In this section the PC's will arrive at the camp of the hunters and notice immediately that something is wrong...the hunters are all missing except for one...the leader. He is currently just outside of the encampment and is sharpening his blade. He will speak with them if approached but his words are garbbled as he is currently beginning to transform and is trying to sharpen his blade to halt the progress of the worm...this part needs lots of work...)
PLAYER HANDOUTS:
Letter: found on street after confrontation with Diamond Lake militia and hunters, the text is as follows:
With blessings of the office of the Lord Mayor of the Free City Of Greyhawk the bearer of this letter is hereby granted passage through Diamond Lake and the surrounding lands to enter the Mistmarsh on an urgent mission to gather creatures to stock the pens of the Free City Arena for the upcoming Champions Games
of Loris Raknian, Arena Director.
Let me know what you think...