Since the Diamond Lake backdrop in #124 for Age of Worms, I've found the backdrops in the adventure paths to be some of the most inspiring articles pertaining to a campaign that I've ever read. In Age of Worms, I made it a point for my players to feel that they could explore the city--or section of it, in the case with Midnight's Muddle--in any way they saw fit, even if it took a hook or two to get'em to bite.
Sasserine's been no different, and I've already outlined several side quests for my players to explore at their leisure. Just last night, one of my overzealous players went back to explore the Kellani Manor, having just defeated Rowyn. (He's previously been involved with the Kellani's--particularly Rowyn--in his back story, and that was a lot of fun to write.)
Our eager beaver, a pirate-y warlock by the name of Zatara, went to snoop around the estate, hoping to get an idea of what Heldrath Kellani's involvement might have been. (In the Lotus Dragons' Guildhall, I marked the Kellani Estate on the map found in D28 with a blue pin and gold pin. My PCs assumed that Heldrath was the "puppet master" for the guild.) Bluffing his way in, he confronted Heldrath, letting it slip that he was responsible for her daughter's defeat. (Heldrath Kellani was a rogue 4/aristocrat 2, who was on an upper landing in a wheelchair; she was attended by a mute half-elven eunuch in a formal suit, monk 4, named Vyth. Thanks to Mike McArtor's ninja from Dungeon #129's editorial.) She bluffed in such a way that Zatara could not see what she was doing next...drawing out a musket from behind her, ordering Vyth to get that scalywag!
Vyth leapt into the air, though missed the warlock with his deadly flying kick. Zatara withdrew, one guard on him already too slow to take an attack of opportunity. Still, as he made for the gate, passing another guard, he ducked just behind the estate walls, before a bullet hit where his head would've been. The guard at the front turned to him, and stabbed him for max damage. Now, Zatara's many things, but unfortunately, being capable of resisting damage isn't one of them. Soon, the other guard and Vyth were on him, and he was knocked unconscious, the last thing he heard before slipping into the inky darkness of sleep was Heldrath shouting, "Now, we've got something to play with."
The other party members, now quite concerned at Zatara's long absence--he did point out where he was heading, and what he was up to prior--went to inquire at the Estate about him. The guards failed to conceal that they were anxious, and one left to "announce" them. Vyth, who had been keeping an eye on Zatara, saw that he was using his eldritch powers to try to get out of the rope binding and gag that was adhering him to a rack in a secret basement torture room, as he regained consciousness. Vyth fled through a secret staircase to retrieve Heldrath, who descended in her own secret elevator, musket on the warlock. Just then, the other guard descended, informing Heldrath that the "others" she mentioned were here. Heldrath instructed them to lead them into the trap, and that she and Vyth would be up soon. She left her other two guards to torture Zatara to death. (Running these two scenarios simultaneously at the same table was a boat load of fun.)
The guards led the other four party members into a greenhouse, where they were assaulted not just by the same two guards, but by an assassin vine. As this combat was going on, Zatara, who had been stripped naked before being bound, asked the two guards who were about to kill him (one with the rack, the other with a spear should he resist) if he could die with some dignity and have his pants back. (His pants had a Healer's Belt attatched; he only had two hit points left). He bluffed, they complied. The battle overhead continued, as Vyth and Heldrath took up an ambush position on the same landing above as before, Vyth ready to leap down, and Heldrath to fire on any foes racing out of the greenhouse. (No PCs knew of this tactic.) The other party members swiftly laid waste to one of the guards and the vine, the other remained to harass them.
Below, Zatara needed to be free to aid his allies, so he bluffed to send one of the guys up to aid his buddies, the noise of his allies screams becoming more desperate. The guy at the rack left, as the one with the spear stayed on him, turning away for a second to see his ally leave. Zatara seized the opportunity, frying his face with his briny eldritch blast in one shot. He quickly escaped the ropes, and had scant seconds to run upstairs to aid his allies. His equipment on a table was laid out, but he would have had to waste a round to get fully equipped. I said he could grab 1d4 items, and run upstairs. During this time, the other guard charged into melee with the party, assisting his ally, and blocking their passage.
As soon as Zatara raced up the secret staircase--now healed with his belt--he caught sight of the pair laying in wait to ambush his allies. He shouted to draw attention, calling her an "old bag", which prompted her and Vyth to focus their attention on him. While the other four were mowing down the guards, Vyth and Heldrath joined in on the initiative with Zatara, all moving very close together. Vyth rolled a nat 20 on a Jump check, swinging from the chandelier, and plowing his foot into Zatara's skull. Zatara, staggered at zero, acted next, desperately using (defensively, barely) his Gloves of Eldritch Admixture to give his eldritch blast (already 2d6) another +4d6 of cold. (Both this item and Healer's Belt are from the Magic Item Compendium, and were crafted by the party artificer.) Heldrath, with only 23hp, was frozen with 25pts of damage. She slipped from her wheelchair, dropping her musket, and shattering like an ice sculpture as she landed. Vyth threw his hands up in the air, and a Sense Motive determined that he was surrendering.
Whew...
It was a load of fun, and I'm glad that the staff at Dungeon has put such incredible detail in Sasserine, thus making a side quest like this possible. I have loads of hooks already lined up for this backdrop, and have been dangling them in front of my party for some time already.
For this backdrop, I've been using movies (mostly horror movies) as heavy influences for the side quests. Hopefully, some of my movie-savvy players will dig the references. If they bite, they're sure to see side quests featuring them doing battle with villains like Errix Vorn, Gerialar Divalean, Captain Shadwick, and Alma Telvanta, inspired by movies like Phantasm, Name of the Rose, The Departed, and Suspiria, respectively.
I'm eager to find if any other DMs running Savage Tide have come up with any other exciting side quests featuring these characters, or even side quests outside of Sasserine.