So my group is nearing the end of Sea Wyvern's Wake. I expect next session will get them stuck in the sargasso (after a "suprise birthday party" for one of the PCs). I'm looking forward to the sargasso event, very much, but one thing I'm not crazy about is the "let's have them make a bunch of Profession: Sailor checks and then they crash into the island due to a storm" way that the module has them end up on the island.
I'm thinking that I'll use the "Living Shipwreck" wandering monster from the back of the very same Dungeon magazine that has the Sea Wyvern's Wake in it.
I like the image of a tattered ship approaching (I'll probably keep the storm going so that there can be dramatic flashes of lighting and such) and then a huge crab-like monster emerges from beneath it to try and claim more trophies with which to decorate its shell. This just seems like a more interesting way to achieve the goal of having them wash up on shore with much damage to the Sea Wyvern.
What I'm wondering is did anyone else take this attempt? Anything I should be worried about/prepared for?
I didn’t go that route, though I may still have some insight.
Incidentally, I always felt that was an implied suggestion as, I think you are correct, it is in the same issue.
In another thread somewhere , there was discussion about the shipwreck seeming unfair to the players. “Railroading” was the term, I believe. It’s an event that has the appearance of being evitable, but in fact is not. I’m not sure I see how your proposed option is different in that regard. I suppose I’m presuming that this is your reason for the change, so I may be speaking to the wrong point.
The shipwreck was, in my opinion, the beginning of the end for my STAP. My group did feel “railroaded” and it really hurt the DM/Player trust going forward. Later, when one of the PCs got killed, someone (not the player of the character) asked if that was “preordained” too.
Anyway, if I do this STAP again (I’ve said this so many times, I BETTER), I’m going to use the option that someone suggest in the thread listed above and have the Nixie wreck instead. That way the players are likely to agree that there was nothing they could do to prevent it, but be okay with it. (“We made all our rolls and we’re okay. The other crew must have bollixed up.)
Also, knowing your story as I do, your party has to lose TWO ships, not just one. They’re liable to take that pretty hard.
Anyway, if I do this STAP again (I’ve said this so many times, I BETTER), I’m going to use the option that someone suggest in the thread listed above and have the Nixie wreck instead. That way the players are likely to agree that there was nothing they could do to prevent it, but be okay with it. (“We made all our rolls and we’re okay. The other crew must have bollixed up.)
That's a good idea. I may have to consider that...although I was hoping to dwindle down the number of NPCs in the combats, and this would add the crew of the Blue Nixie to the mix, too. Unless Lavinia suggests taking the Sea Wyvern and continuing on to Farshore...asking the PCs to journey across the island on foot. I don't know. I'll have to look through that thread a little more to find out what others have done.
Also, knowing your story as I do, your party has to lose TWO ships, not just one. They’re liable to take that pretty hard.
True...very true.
Alternately you could have a certain Dragon Turtle or another one of the infamous seven attack (and more then likely wreck-) their ship.
Gives them some forshadowing and some incestive to seek revenge. I do know when my players actaully set a personally vendeda it leads to some great roleplaying.
That's a good idea. I may have to consider that...although I was hoping to dwindle down the number of NPCs in the combats, and this would add the crew of the Blue Nixie to the mix, too. Unless Lavinia suggests taking the Sea Wyvern and continuing on to Farshore...asking the PCs to journey across the island on foot. I don't know. I'll have to look through that thread a little more to find out what others have done.
Yeah, look at that thread closely. Someone outlined a great idea about finding the Nixie beached and Lavinia setting out on foot with the Jade Ravens (if memory serves). This is a great reason to send the PCs out on foot (to go after Lavinia) while forcing them to send the Wyvern on to Farshore with the crew, possibly with some survivors (if any) from the Nixie.
That's a good idea. I may have to consider that...although I was hoping to dwindle down the number of NPCs in the combats, and this would add the crew of the Blue Nixie to the mix, too. Unless Lavinia suggests taking the Sea Wyvern and continuing on to Farshore...asking the PCs to journey across the island on foot. I don't know. I'll have to look through that thread a little more to find out what others have done.
You know, I've been thinking about this a bit (and re-reading your story). You seem to have put a lot into your NPCs and your players seem to respond well to it in RP. This presents both an opportunity and a difficulty. On the one hand, when you do kill off an NPC that they've really bonded with, it will be that much more tragic. They may take it as hard as the death of a PC. Actually, that’s the downside as well as the upside. So, what I’m getting at is that you should be very thoughtful about when and how you kill off your NPCs.
Incidentally, you say that the Nixie crash adds that crew to the mix. If I take your meaning, you don’t want to ADD more NPCs to the mix. Not necessarily so. Who’s to say that the Nixie didn’t go down with all hands ... except for the five sets of footprints that go off into the jungle. How could those prints belong to? Could Lavinia be one of them? It is, after all, up to you who survives. And in one fell swoop, you’ve eliminated half your NPCs.
And, let’s face it, there are plenty of opportunities to kill off the NPCs later on, in more personal and meaningful ways.
I didn’t go that route, though I may still have some insight.
Incidentally, I always felt that was an implied suggestion as, I think you are correct, it is in the same issue.
In another thread somewhere , there was discussion about the shipwreck seeming unfair to the players.
...
Anyway, if I do this STAP again (I’ve said this so many times, I BETTER), I’m going to use the option that someone suggest in the thread listed above and have the Nixie wreck instead. That way the players are likely to agree that there was nothing they could do to prevent it, but be okay with it. (“We made all our rolls and we’re okay. The other crew must have bollixed up.)...
This might actually be the thread I was referring to, Tracer. Thanks to whomever pulled it out of storage.