The group wants to go straight to Greyhawk post TFoE so they can better equip themselves. I'd like for them to still run through Blackwall, but I won't railroad them there.
Alustan is going to the Cairn to check it out, the party is going to Greyhawk to buy gear. Alustan urged them to look up Eligos when they get there and take the artifacts thus far uncovered.
The group is aware that Alustan's associate Marzena in the Mistmarsh has been getting reports of green worms, and I *think* the party is going to bite on that. But just in case, I might need something else to nudge them out there. Any suggestions are most welcome.
The party at the moment is pretending to be friends with Auric's group, while at the same time they have seeded rather nasty rumors about them in Diamond Lake. As a result, Auric and company is headed back to Greyhawk to prepare for the champions belt games. The party has asked to travel with Auric and company, so there should be great conversations on the road to Greyhawk. I way toying with the idea that they could be used as a mechanism to run a side adventure (not that my group needs the exp) of Fiend's Embrace, just as further convincing to head out into the swamp.
I'll likely just end up running a bit form HOHR subbing in thieves for doppels (the doppels didn't work the first time I ran this, I wanted to try something new)
So, Any suggestions for getting them into the swamp if they don't follow my initial breadcrumb?
Here's one idea: the road to Blackwall Keep, as written, lies about a day's ride east of Diamond Lake. Move it so that it's west instead. That way, they have to pass it on the way to Greyhawk. Then, on the road, have a group of garrison soldiers (from Greyhawk) pass by on the way to Blackwall - they've gotten word that the Keep is under siege and have been sent as reinforcements - more soldiers will be following in a day or two (takes time to get mobilized, etc.). Being somewhat shorthanded, they would greatly welcome the aid of any adventuring types willing to lend a hand. If your PCs don't take that bait, they should be playing another game. :-)
You may have to add some extra lizardmen to the siege to compensate for the extra soldiers.
Here's one idea: the road to Blackwall Keep, as written, lies about a day's ride east of Diamond Lake. Move it so that it's west instead. That way, they have to pass it on the way to Greyhawk. Then, on the road, have a group of garrison soldiers (from Greyhawk) pass by on the way to Blackwall - they've gotten word that the Keep is under siege and have been sent as reinforcements - more soldiers will be following in a day or two (takes time to get mobilized, etc.). Being somewhat shorthanded, they would greatly welcome the aid of any adventuring types willing to lend a hand. If your PCs don't take that bait, they should be playing another game. :-)
You may have to add some extra lizardmen to the siege to compensate for the extra soldiers.
I thought of that, but they know greyhawk very well, and we already pointed out where things were. I'd hate to retcon it. I had an idea for a crazy druidish survivalist hermit, sort of a "Bear Claw" (aka Will Geer) from Jeremiah Johnson will come across the party as they are headed one way or the other, talking about how he had a run in with some strange lizardfolk undead with worms falling out of them (or something like that... they will likely think him a nutjob the way I am thinking of playing it up, but the one mention I'll make of worms (I'll make it subtle) might be the kick they will need to head there.
You could also have the Rain Barrel Man launch into a more specific prophecy about the worms that points them back to Blackwall Keep.
And/or you could have an incident in Greyhawk where a soldier who has just been transferred back to the city from Blackwall undergoes a hideous transformation . . . into a Kyuss zombie. You could have this incident happen when the party is passing through a gate--the soldier is an ill-looking gate guard one minute--the next minute he is a hideous worm-infested walking corpse, having consumed a slow-worm potion some time back that was captured loot from the Twisted Branch tribe.
If you don't want to give away the farm just yet on the Spawn of Kyuss, you can modify the incident so that the soldier is off-duty, gets knifed in a bar-room fight, and when he dies inert worms come pouring out of his corpse. (Like the infected lizardfolk in the Twisted Branch lair).
The key thing is that inquiries lead the party back to Blackwall Keep, which is where the soldier was stationed until recently. "Jeb's been a little sickly since he got back from Blackwall, but I never thought . . ."