|
I'm looking for a few ideas of where to go with my game now. First a rundown of the current situation.
The PCs botched their first encounter in the Kopru ruins. The scout stealthed ahead and decided to engage the 2 guards by himself and got bullrushed out of the way while the 2nd guard activated the alarm. The rest of the party joined him and dispatched the guards easily enough. A cartload of guards came up the cablecar and the party dealt with them easily as well.
The party locked down the gondola then and watched as various NPCs came out onto the beach to see what was going on, including Triel. She called for Skaven; and Skaven, after evaluating the situation sent 4 medium spider, 2 large and 2 ettercaps wall walking across the cavern at the PCs. I expected them to pick off most of the crawlers at range as they closed with the party, but instead they decided to run.
Oh, I put the Kopru ruins about half a day's journey from Cauldron. I figured the other mountains in the range were volcanic as well and moved the lava tube south a peak or two from Cauldron.
So back to town they went. I decided to let them know, through Artus, that Triel was fishing for info about the party. They fed some false info, again through Artus, hoping that they could convince her that they weren't a threat, that they had stumbled onto the operation and decided it wasn't worth the trouble. The goal was to get them to not run for the hills. Then the party decided to stay in Cauldron for a week to 10 days to let things die down. The wizard also wanted to make some items to help deal with the threat. Meerthan sent Fario and Fellian to watch the entrance to the ruins.
I used the rains as somewhat of an incentive for them to get a move on, but my primary means of motivation was the Stormblades. The party had Jenya use the Star of Justice to try to divine what would happen if the party delayed as long as they were planning. The cryptic answer indicated that the Stormblades would steal their glory.
I dropped hints that the SBs were looking into the disappearance of the wands and then a day later Artus informed them that the rival group had been seen heading out of town. The party chased after them and arrived at the ruins just as the SBs (with Fario and Felian's help) were defeating several mooks and the spiders/ettercaps. That's where we ended the session.
Now I'm stuck with the complex on alert again and 6 extra heroic bodies (the SBs and Striders) crowding up the works. I wish I hadn't gotten the Stormblades involved now.
So here I have a few options. I can have them execute a joint operation, which will make the challenges, as written, trivial.
I'm thinking of providing for an escape route for Skaven and Triel via whatever tunnels the spiders used to get in.
Tarkilar, in his crazed state, I'll have stay and provide the party with at least 1 wand (if they can get it from Gutterut that is). I might have his undead stage an attack on the living residents, causing some confustion. Or perhaps said attack has already happened, swelling the ranks of undead in the caverns at the expense of living baddies.
My main problem is what to do with the Stormblades. I know, I know, I'm the one who put them there, I just wish now that I hadn't. Any ideas? I could get them severly wounded so that they have to withdraw.
I appreciate any suggestions you guys might have.
|
|
Let the cable car plummet into the underground sea with the Stormblades still waiting to cross the lake.
Or let both groups tackle the complex, but separately, as they are both vying to get the wands (and Triel) faster than the others. But the stormblades will get waylayed... need to regroup, but will give the SCs some information about what they can expect in "their" part of the dungeon.
|
|
Let the cable car plummet into the underground sea with the Stormblades still waiting to cross the lake.
Or let both groups tackle the complex, but separately, as they are both vying to get the wands (and Triel) faster than the others. But the stormblades will get waylayed... need to regroup, but will give the SCs some information about what they can expect in "their" part of the dungeon.
I like the idea of cutting the car loose and splitting the parties. I strongly suspect the PCs will insist on going first and the Stormblades won't object too strenuously. The PCs will climb out onto the shore and if the Stormblades rappel down the cliff to cross the lake they'll be tied up with the skulvyn and kopru for a while. Or perhaps Skaven and his air elemental will attack the Stormblades in a bid to escape leaving the PCs to deal with Triel and Tarkilar.
I definately like that idea, thanks OVS. I have 2 weeks before the next game, so plenty of time to plan. Cool beans.
I'd have the Stormblades vie for being the first on the beach, personally. If the dispute continues, see if anyone (like the Pathwardens) will suggest that maybe half of the PCs and half of the Stormblades can each go down the cable care together. Maybe, with Cora Lathenmire's temper, a few punches could be thrown...
Once down, the parties go their own separate ways because it's clear they can't cooperate. Send the Stormblades in the direction of the mooks and then leave them off camera for the most part. Meet up occasionally and basically just don't even count the number of hill tribesmen and Alleybashers they fight, just weave a bunch of them into the Stormblades' story if they check on how each other is doing. Maybe even claim a body count like between Gimli and Legolas at Helm's Deep.
Could be an interesting alternative.
If that were to happen in my game I’d actually have the Stormblades tell the party to shove off that they got there first. :) That would be an interesting role-playing opportunity. Then I would have Fario and Fellian take one of the heroes aside and tell them that they suspect there is an alternate path into the ruins. Perhaps they spotted Triel appear to the east of the entrance and never imparted this information to the Stormblades. I’d make a second tunnel that is much narrower (so they have to travel single file) that winds down at a much steeper climb and ends up on the beach on the far side of the underground lake. Then if the PCs take that route they could arrive in time to find the Stormblades trying to cross the lake in the cable car. Again, this is another great opportunity to see how the PCs deal with their potential rivals. (Do they jam the gears to prevent the Stormblades from reaching the other side of the lake or cause it to fall into the water?) Then once you see how they are going to react to that I’d have the cable car fall into the lake (Where the PCs say, dang that could have been us!?!?) and then the Korpu comes in an dominated one of the Stormblades or maybe even one of the PCs.
Anyway, I wouldn’t have the Stormblades travel with the players. That’s too much NPC work for you. If the players help the Stormblades get across the lake I’d take Bill Dunn’s advice and have them split up and just stay out of the way of the PCs. I know that my player spent a good bit of time investigating the section where Skaven’s quarters were because the monk got caught by the sepia snake sigil and then they got entangled again in the spider den. I’d probably have the Stormblades waste a lot of time in that area while the PCs explore the rest of the complex.
I'd also probably have the Stormblades recover one wand, while the players find the rest. That way, in the end, the PCs have bested the Stormblades.
Shouldn't the PCs decide if they want to stick with the Stormblades, rather than have the DM railroad them to split up? With the Stormblades involved, they should be roleplayed as being arrogant (because the other group didn't do the job right) and feel they are in charge. If the party wants to tag along and see a "real group", they can do so. Until they get in the way.
Ultimately everyone should be interested in getting the wands. How they are gotten is irrelevant to the city of Cauldron. There are already rules for having the gondola collapse. Make the rolls, see if it happens. Who is in the gondola should be something decided between the PCs and the NPCs, not by the DM only. Having the PCs negotiate with the Stormblades is a good role-playing opportunity, and allows the DM to make the point that they left without finishing things.
Similarly, Triel and Skaven are not dumb. They know about the Skulvyn. Have some of the guys try to push the Stormblades or the PC group into the water if the gondola doesn't collapse. They are on alert. They have also seen that frontal attacks don't seem to work. Use a Fear spell to remove the "faint of heart". See if they can lead the group into the hallway with the pits and the arrow-slits. The Stormblades would run right in pursuing the others. Will the PCs do the same? Or will they go a different route and come up behind the ambushers? Again, let the players decide.
If things go badly for the enemies, have Triel and Skaven try to escape, leaving with whatever ill-gotten goods they can carry. Does this mean the party succeeded? Not exactly, but having the adventure change from a dungeon crawl to a wilderness tracking one is fine as long as the story of "getting the wands" remains intact. It also puts the onus on the players for their decision of backing off and taking too long to deal with it.
I don't think getting the Stormblades involved was a bad idea if it made sense that they would be able to do so. Artus sees the other group fail, and sends in a backup team. Totally makes sense. Less XP and treasure for the PCs? That is a consequence. Less glory for the PCs because the Stormblades are involved? A big consequence.
Does it make your job as a DM easier? Absolutely not.
I'd say this is actually a brilliant set-up you have here.
The Stormblades, arrogant as they are, have no real interest in cooperating with the PCs. Since they got here first, they will want to go in first as well. Depending on how the PCs handle the roleplaying encounter with the Stormblades, the Cauldron nobles get their way and cross the lake first with the cable cart. They then choose the 'main entrance' (room 12) and explore the lefthand side of the complex (rooms 12-32), taking care of the mud slaad in the workroom, Skaven and the spiderkin threats. They retrieve the wand in Skaven's bedroom and the one in the harpoon spider lair.
The PCs can use this time to explore the other half of the complex, entering via room 41 or 42. They confront Triel and Tarkilar and retrieve a number of wands as well. You can always throw in some extra minions if the opposition is not challenging enough.
Of course, roleplay and PC choices can interfere with this set-up, but I'd use this as the basic plan, adjusting it when necessary. If the PCs are really diplomatic and manage to forge an understanding with the Stormblades, you could have half your party join up with two of the Stormblades to explore one half of the complex, and have the others do the other half. Print out the Stormblades NPCs and have your players whose characters are not in this group, play the Stormblade allies. Fario and Fellian will stand watch at the entrance, so as not to allow anyone to escape or to stop new enemies from entering.
Nice twist: since the Stormblades are well known in Cauldron, and the PCs probably are not, the rumour in town will be that the Stormblades retrieved the wands of control water, stealing away the glory from the PCs (and adding to the rivalry between the groups). Just have some patron in an inn raise his glass to the heroes who saved the town: THE STORMBLADES!
So all in all, a brilliant set-up indeed!
I was going to suggest a setup like what McVegee stated. Conduct a joint operation but split the groups and have the party take the northern half while the Stormblades take the southern half. This will make the dungeon easier for the party but will keep things from getting too complicated. All the while Farrio and Fellian can watch the entrance and make sure no one comes in from behind.
As long as the party returns a couple of wnds to Jenya the campaign is not derailed.