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My PCs did particularly well with talking to Harliss and made her friendly to them, bestowing the earring to them that will call off Devorez and the Bullywug tribe in the mansion.
The PCs avoided most of the Bullywug guards and are outside of where Devorez is lurking as of the end of last session.
Too easy.
My plan is to have Devorez accompany the PCs through the mansion and into the basement, calling off the tribe as he encounters them. Once in the basement the Chieftian decides to end his agreement with Devorez due to the vast amounts of loot he sees in the mansion and orders all the gathered bullywugs to slay the PCs and Devorez (along with the prisoners afterwards).
That will leave the PCs(5), Devorez, and the Jade Raven sorceress to fend off the combined might of 10 Glorb Thorb hunters, the Huntress (barb/ranger), the BW cleric of Dagon, Chunkus the rust monster, and Chief Lorpth.
I know this may sound like alot but my PCs are 5th level (one or two are 4th), they have sliced through most encounters with ease, and if they get into too much trouble I can use one of the NPCs (Devorez or the Sorceress) to free the 3 other prisoners and have them aid in the combats (I actually figure on them grabbing table legs from a table destroyed by the sorceress and rust monster's tussle) if needed.
Does this sound cool? Too deadly? I did give them Devorez(6th level fighter) to help.
Let me know your thoughts. Session is this wednesday night.
FH
I think it sounds challenging enough. You could even have the bullywugs already planning to betray their allies over the lack of loot--they may feel tricked and at least are planning to capture Devorez. When he turns up with reinforcements that might just make the chief blow his stack.
Thanks, I'll check my settings.
hmm, just remember that Drevoraz has murdered Cora (the chef) which might
a) just make some of the characters very very angry (we had a Halfling who swore to kill or bring to justice Harliss for causing this whole mess over Cora's dead body ), stifling any cooperation with him
and
b) Why should Drevoraz fight his erstwhile allies, the Bullywugs, and risk being wounded or even slain ?
besides, letting Drevoraz escape will reduce the groups yield of treausre from the adventure significantly ( the Belt of Ogre Power is one of the best and most universal items in the STAP until ToD), so feel free to award them accordingly
Then again, it is your campaign
The priest with Devoraz isn't willing to let the PCs have the captives either. You've got a fight right there for starters. Although the priest by himself will be easy pickings.
I don't see Devoraz as loyal to the Bullywugs. I'd have him get the letter and then just agree to leave (or escape during the priest battle). It's up to the PCs to deal with the Bullywugs.
And, as pointed out, there's the dead Kora to deal with. PCs might not be willing to let him go. Or Lavinia might not be willing to let him go.
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My party are very fond of Kora, she makes them biscuits and even made special sandwiches for the vegetarian druid. After Vanthus killing their faithful dire otter, Big Jim, I'm not sure I can have Kora bite the dust too.
Still, I think it's interesting to have Drevoraz do something horrble just to put an interesting twist on future dealings with Harliss. And let's not forget he's a one-eyed, half-orc pirate on a mission of vengeance, for Pete's sake!
Yep, sometimes bad things happen to good people.
I have a group of young players that have become quite attached to Kora since she has been providing some logistic support and the occasional bit of advice. She also made gummy worms for the Wormfall festival which the characters had requested.
Having Drevoraz kill Kora was a plot twist that would have destroyed any chance of negotiating with him and would also have ruined the diplomatic connection made with Harliss. Given the nature of how the party handled the mansion Drevoraz and the cleric confronted the party from the top of the stairs to the third floor. The cleric had the still living Kora at spear point. A rather tense negotiation ensued. Resulting in the cleric seeing the negotiations going badly (the party had the note and earing from Harliss), he stabbed and critted Kora. Tossing her down the stairs bought him a little time to summon a monster as they checked on her. Drevoraz was able to secure the note and earing and leave.
With this plot change the hunt for the EVIL cleric on the third floor was a memorable search and fight for the players. Who remain angry at Vanthus, rather than Harliss, for having brought about the death of a favorite NPC. The players are planning on scraping together what they can to get Kora raised.