Hey members I need some input. My PCs just foiled the Cagewrights plans and shackeled the tree and we start Strike on Shatterhorn tommorrow. Well, I have a couple of questions/ concerns.
1) My PCs were long term guests at the Drowning Murkoth Inn and had gone to great lengths to secure valuables and treasure in their rooms there (Various glyphs, etc.). Well now that the city has massive damage from earthquakes and lava eruptions, what do I do about their treasure? Do I say the inn was destroyed and they cannot find any of it? To I make up a %chance of what they can find (if so, what chance do you think is fair?) Or, do I leave it alone and allow them access to all of their wealth?
2)I am running SCAP from the mags, so I don't know if this is addressed any differently in the hardcover, but the hook between Thirteen Cages and Strike on Shatterhorn seems kind of lame to me. There is only a short blurb about Jenya locating the remaining Cagewrights via divinations. My concern with this is that now the threat of Cauldron turning into a gate to Carceri is over, what is her motivation for divining this information and how does she know that there are remaining Cagewrights to divine in the first place. There has to be a better hook that one of you guys have used, or maybe it is done differently in the hardcover.
Well, I didn't mean to be so long winded, but if anyone has any thoughts on these subjects, it would be very helpful.
1) My PCs were long term guests at the Drowning Murkoth Inn and had gone to great lengths to secure valuables and treasure in their rooms there....Do I say the inn was destroyed and they cannot find any of it?
It's been a long time since I read this part, as my PC's are only to Zenith Trajectory, but if I remember correctly the inn isn't in one of the sections that gets broken away, so there's no need to do that. If I were a player, I would be more than a little miffed at that tactic, especially if my DM was throwing at me on a whim. It might not be a problem: they might do something during the attack to save their stuff.
2)My concern with this is that now the threat of Cauldron turning into a gate to Carceri is over, what is her motivation for divining this information and how does she know that there are remaining Cagewrights to divine in the first place. There has to be a better hook that one of you guys have used, or maybe it is done differently in the hardcover.
That one's easy. StCuthburt = God of JUSTICE. She wants those responsible to PAY for their crimes.
~Qualidar~
I'd let them find their gear but since the Morkoth was dear to them, I'd have it destroyed. Gives them a little added incentive to get the guys responsible.
Too late for this now, but I would have run one of the encounters during the eruption at the Morkoth. Give them a chance to save their stuff.
I'd let them find their gear but since the Morkoth was dear to them, I'd have it destroyed. Gives them a little added incentive to get the guys responsible.
Good call.
You could make it so that the Drunked Morkoth it perched dangerously on the edge of a chasm. Part of the building has already fallen into the pit below and the remainder of the building groans continues to slowly lean further. It is only a matter of time before the Inn disappears into the chasm.
When they return the players can determine they have only a few rounds to -
(1) Determine the length of time before the Inn topples (easy)
(2) Save the trapped Inn Keeper/Tyro from
a Cagewright assasin (possible one of the Cagewrights themslves)or Mhad (the vampire) or a poweful demodand still reaking havic
(3)A Jester leading another group of LL to
steal the parties treasure(difficult/time
consuming)
(4) Attempt to save the building completely
(very risky & time consuming)
(5)Hookface or the Morkoth returns...
The party may be able to succeed in all the above senerios or prioritize just one or two of them. Time will be a huge factor and if they spend too long attempting to save the building then Tyro will surely be killed and their treasure taken etc
The Last Laugh would be very angry at the world at this stage and would most likely direct their hatred towards the partyy and their allies. Factions of the guild would be intent on leaving the city why others would choose to 'weather the erruption aftermath'.
You could easily skim over the event with - 'You get back and find the Inn destroyed but you treasure was saved' or you could make it a bit more memorable.Depends on how much time you are willing to invest I guess.
As to Jenya - as already mentioned she worships the god of retribution so Cauldron being nearly destoyed would be a huge incentive to find out why, how and most importantly - who.
She would be determined to destroy/or have destroyed, any one who she feels has wronged her, her friends or her town. Divination would just be the start. Tongueeater and Triel had no chance...
Good Luck and have fun with whatever you decide
Delvesdeep
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I have a few questions about this chapter as well, though not about the drunken morkoth in specific.
My players had an idea from the start of the adventure(partially because I had told them that they would spend the majority of this time in this region) to form a true adventuring company. A mercenary group of sorts, with at least something of a good tinge to it.
They began the game working towards this goal and have spent a great deal of time, money, and effort working to achieve this and I feel they have been doing a good enough job of it that I have been rewarding them as such and their following has begun to grow.
This also resulted in them leaving their humble beginnings in a shack by the lake to purchase a section of land just outside the city, at the base of the volcano. Their legion, while never near strong enough to directly challenge the half orcs on open ground have become a strong part of the region as people have begun to come just out of the city grounds to stay thereas taxation inside becomes more and more unbearable(and the players have let it be known that working for them, whether as a warrior or simply a farmhand/mason would lead to a more then fair wage) and the players men have been acting as guards for hire within the town, protecting the remaining shops against both looting and half-orc extortion.
As a result of this the players have developed a thriving little community of just about 100 people over about a year of in game time. The players know well the trials and tribulations of this, not just financially, but what comes from trying to protect the peasants and lower level soldiers who take up with them, when the players themselves make such a target. As of right now the characters are getting ready to head towards Karan-Karal and they had hesitated a great deal about making a move towards wee jas even after more proof of the assasination attempt came to light. Having ten of their warriors(no threat to the party) come in as zombies attempting to kill them struck home much more then a far more dangerous second attempt would have been.
Where I am going with all this, is that I want my players to feel the risk of foundation of flame, not just as an excuse to expand their little township outside of Cauldron as more people need homes, but as a genuine threat to all they hold dear. However I also don't want to simply have their HQ destroyed as lava comes down the side of the volcano and collides with it at its base.
It becomes a bit more challenging because the party has no method of rapid transport, rather then having a true wizard they have a warmage so teleport or even fly is out of the question.
Do any of you have any ideas on how I can allow the team to be genuinely heroic and save all the citizens possible within Cauldron, while still giving them a sense of imminent danger to their HQ?
Are they heroic? Have they made allies/formed relationships in the city? If so then this will motivate the party to save the city.
Get the compound involved in the action and have the members -
* Be awarded the status of offical protectors/guard/etc of the city
* Asked to protect the Town Meeting from possible attacks during the election of the new Lord Mayor.
* Tricked into rushing to rescue the party in the city (Disguised Cagewright rushes in appearing like one of the group or the whole party urging them all into action.
*etc
This will make the compound members become directly involved in rescuing Cauldrons citizens and have them assist in evacuating the town. Perhaps some of them need rescuing themselves...
Having larva slowly pour down towards the compound may be an excepted encounter but it would still be an exciting one none the less. If the party were away defending the city only to be contacted (sending, animal messenger etc) warning them of the danger the party will be torn between the city and their own interests. More than likely they will split the group -
* Group One attempting to stop the flow, lead their followers, defend themselves from demodand or salamander attacks (falling from the sky, clambering over the city walls, swimming in the larva etc while Group Two attempting to evacuate the city.
Perhaps Hookface chooses to attack the party compound first instead of the city. The party may witness Hookface circling the city before landing and attack their compound (defended or otherwise) forcing them to rush down their to face him rather than in the city itself.
Perhaps the Cagewrights are tired of the parties meddling and, using the eruption as a diversion, send a team demodands/villains lead by a Cagewright to find the party and despose of them. Their first stop is the parties compound...
Another possibility is to have the city citizens rush down the mountain after the evacuation and camp in your compound rather than at Redgorge? This would cause plenty of headaches.
In summary feel free to use some or all theses ideas to ring the compound into the action -
* get the company involved in the city itself as gaurds to the election/city proper
* have them involved in the evacuation but then have them warned of the danger to their compound by - a larva flow
- demodands
- Hookface
- Cagewright agents
Have fun
Delvesdeep