Okay, the party got to the sunken boat early. Though badly mauled, they managed to defeat the sea hag and get the evidence located there. They're only 4th level and haven't done any of the other encounters. It basically went: heal girl, escort priest and meet doctors, go to sunken wreck.
They tried to show the evidence to Ishani, but he wasn't available. So they went to Cressida. They basically camped out and waited for her to show, then presented all the damning evidence. I left it at Cressida needing to think about the evidence and decide what to do, telling the party to go get some rest because they looked like heck.
Obviously, a fight in the temple is going to kill a 4th level party, even if there are 6 characters. I basically don't know how to proceed at this point. They're at the point where the plot would have them investigate the "hospital", but there is no way they'll survive it.
So, any ideas on what I should do here? Meanwhile, the gnome from Edge of Anarchy, whom they spared, has come back to haunt them. He's broken into two PCs' apartment, knifed their maid (though she did survive) and then set fire to their fishing boat. So part of the party is going to be hunting him down, since the ranger was able to track him back to his lair. Not enough XP to kick them up too far in level, though.
Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.
Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.
Of course, it’s a difficult situation for you. I don’t have thought about it during a long time but If I was you, I would make say Cressida to the party, before they’ll go to sleep), that they have to arrest the doctor and she knows where he is, in a party at the Carowyns. At that moment, they would meet Jolistina, know much about Rolph and of course no Doctor. The difference with what it is written is that Mr Carowyn could be dead and the cellular in which is hidden, is not a simple cellular but a way to go deeper in the gray and find the 4 vampires. If you wish, you can choose to make the way would go to Girrigz’s Den and so you’ve got the solution for 3 new encounters and level up! No need to make play the lavender. So when they go back to the surface, they should but lvl 5 (like in my party) and you can make them meet Ishani who would be invited by the doctor to see his results of experience and now the GREAT final fight!
That’s just an idea, springs quickly out of my head ;-)
This kind of situation happens occasionally when running an adventure path, or even a lengthy module that is both scenario based, but linear in a sense that the encounter levels go up for each encounter, in the order that is "most likely" to occur by design.
If a party goes out of order, or completely skips over parts and the party level isn't up to the encounter level, you have a little crimp in the works.
There are a few ways to "fix" the situation:
One, let the players face the encounters as written, and hope for the best. Maybe they'll see that they're in over their heads and back out to better prepare themselves (by gaining a level or two) before they get TPK'd.
The possible downside to this is that the players may feel that you've intentionally put them against an unbeatable foe, and not enjoy the game.
Another one, which you tried, is to try to deter the players from their current course with some subtle, or not-so-subtle, input from the NPCs to get the party "back on track."
A possible problem with that approach is the idea that the party is being railroaded to follow the story, instead of the story following the players. (Though many players accept a high level of "railroading" when they know they're in an adventure path.)
A third (but not last) option, is to alter the encounter level to the appropriate level for your party. Take away levels from the NPCs, lower the number of creatures, or take away hp (like Gaedren in Edge of Anarchy: he should an EL5 against a bunch of 1st level PCs, but with only 11 hp, he becomes a CR2) from the bad guys.
A possible problem with this is that the party may stay behind the power curve. This option also puts the most effort on the DM, because you might have to make significant changes, depending on the level of NPCs that you're adjusting.
Afterwards, you can guide your players to the parts that they missed so they can make up xp, or maybe let them wander the city in search of their own side treks.
As a DM, I usually try option 2 first, then hint at option 1, but if my players ultimately want to go forward, I go to option 3.
I tend to look at the adventure path as a guide as to how things could work out, not how things MUST work out. The BBEG doesn't have to be run "as written." Adjust things to your party and their needs.
To put it in Clint Eastwood's words, as Gunny Highway:
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.
Oh... and have fun. :)
Oh... and a fourth option, as stated above, is to get some NPCs to help out the party.
A possible problem from this is that the glory might be taken away from the players, or that the sheer lack of hp is enough to keep the fight beyond the group's ability to win.
Also, it adds more for you to track during combat. You'd not only be running the bad guys, but also one or more NPCs helping the PCs.
Now, done well, you might give your players a "life-long friend" in the form of the helping NPC, which was the case for my group in the SCAP when they got help from the town guard.
And in retrospect, I use this option often if the EL is only slightly off what the group can handle, and it's usually gone well for me. To stop my players from abusing the "endless pool of NPC meat shields" I have them pay for his help, usually an equal share in loot, or a heafty sum in advance.
In the end, you know how your players like to play, what they expect in the game, and whatnot, so use your best judgement.
Let us know how it turns out!
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I have the same problem, but so far they should just have a theory (no matter how good that theory is) and they still need some proof. Have Cressida look for some for them that will allow you to go to the temple, but also have her start to keep tabs on the Doctors for them. Meanwhile there are lots of other problems that need dealing with urgently such as the alley ie get them drawn into the other stuff in the chapter.
My PCs went to the wreck of the Direption before even being summoned by Sergeant Grau to look at his niece. They have all of the evidence and are trying to warn people about things.
The reason I'm not worried about this derailing my plot is that the wreck is a diversion and not the real source of the plague at all. The PCs are going to be successful in warning people about the boxes and this will certainly save a few hundred lives, but in the meantime the real plot will kick in and people will start dying because of all the tainted silver being distributed by the bank.
See? No problem. :D
See? No problem. :D
It actually is a problem, at least in my party's case, because they have the evidence that Davaulos is behind things. They haven't discovered the other method of introducing the plague, they really don't care about finding it. They suspect there is some other method being employed, but have accepted that the city is probably screwed.
This problem isn't really stopping the plague. The problem is keeping my somewhat strong-willed, common sense-lacking party from going looking for Davaulos and trying to bring him to justice. That will just get them killed. I don't mind a death or two, but would prefer to avoid a TPK.So, I need to hold them back from that course, bump them up in XP and then let them bring him to justice.
This problem isn't really stopping the plague. The problem is keeping my somewhat strong-willed, common sense-lacking party from going looking for Davaulos and trying to bring him to justice. That will just get them killed. I don't mind a death or two, but would prefer to avoid a TPK.
So, I need to hold them back from that course, bump them up in XP and then let them bring him to justice.
That's a good point. I guess I'll be facing that problem too, before too long. Thanks for bringing it up.
Specifically, the characters know that the Direption was carrying plague and that it (and some "specimens") had been deeded over to "R. Davaulus" by "B.7", right? Do they know anything else?
My PCs are on pretty good terms with Field Marshal Kroft. What if she asked for a couple of days to check things out before anyone storms the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden? She's not going to be thrilled with the idea of attacking the Queen's Physicians and is going to want to be pretty certain before she does. The other encounters could still take place, possibly with different hooks, and that could help out with the level imbalance.
Alternately, the text says that the Arkonas tried unsuccessfully to alert the Korvosan Guard to the existence of secret tunnels beneath the warehouse. What if the earliness of the party's discovery of this evidence means that there's still a chance of that succeeding? Field Marshal Kroft could even involve the PCs in this somehow, since gaining secret information concerning Dr. Davaulus's headquarters should certainly interest them. We could even use this to foreshadow events in Escape from old Korvosa by having them meet an NPC or two. Maybe the tunnels are still being renovated, if the PCs are early enough. If they're really clever maybe they never have to face the whole inner sanctum encounter, though they'd still have to deal with the NPCs involved (just hopefully in a more favourable environment).
So you're right--this is tricky. I think it should still work though. If nothing else I don't think that the PCs will get in far enough to get TPKed. They'll encounter Nurse Torthus, she'll call for reinforcements, and the party will be driven off. They'll be on the run, of course, but if they're smart they'll be in disguise and won't immediately be tracked down and arrested.
Will this work?
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I definitely think using Kroft as a sympathetic ear, but also explaining the practicalities of going off and attacking the Queen's physicians before they have MORE proof is the way to go. My group 'know' the queen is the bad guy, but they also know that they cannot simply go around accusing her because they have no proof yet.
I definitely think using Kroft as a sympathetic ear, but also explaining the practicalities of going off and attacking the Queen's physicians before they have MORE proof is the way to go. My group 'know' the queen is the bad guy, but they also know that they cannot simply go around accusing her because they have no proof yet.
But then isn't that a weakness of the arc? Really, the PCs never get enough evidence against the physicians until they go and investigate their headquarters. It's a logical way to get that evidence, and if that's the only impediment then Field Marshal Kroft should give the party a search warrant and let them go.
Maybe this is too delicate to trust to outsiders, so she sends a squad of Korvosan Guards with a search warrant. They go in, they get shown around, they come back out, and they declare that everything is fine in there and that the physicians are a fine bunch of self-sacrificial doctors working for the betterment of Korvosa. There are lots of ways that could be accomplished, and the queen must have an agent within the Korvosan Guard who could give her time to get illusions or enchantments (or both) into place.
It would stymie the PCs (and the field marshal), and maybe give them more time to gain a level or two before going in to check things out themselves.
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Well unless they were very lucky they only have their word to go to Kroft with because the box is trapped under a beam so they'll get to see the documents, but won't be able to bring them safely in one piece out of the wreckage of the Direption.
All the better to let them let Kroft do her work and for them to help her by helping Korvosa.
Delay.
Diverting them to Corwyn manor is a great idea.
You might also stress the delicate political nature of the situation and have Cressida ask for a little bit of time to investigate and get more information.
Or stress that the players don't want to tip their hand and invade the hospital without the doctor there. Cressida will set out some spies to watch the hospital and let the PCs know when the doctor is on site.
Entanglements with beloved NPCs could also lead to some of the other "side" quests before they can tackle the hospital.
Well unless they were very lucky they only have their word to go to Kroft with because the box is trapped under a beam so they'll get to see the documents, but won't be able to bring them safely in one piece out of the wreckage of the Direption.
I interpreted that differently. Here's the sentence: "Amid the room’s debris, pinned beneath the bent iron leg of a sickbed, lies a thin darkwood coffer." I assumed that the bed was keeping the box from floating away but that moving the bed would let people safely remove the box.
All the better to let them let Kroft do her work and for them to help her by helping Korvosa.
True enough, but the issue is what to do if the players lack the patience to do that. There's also the element that I like rewarding players for being clever and figuring stuff out ahead of time. In addition to having them save several hundred lives with this early warning I'd like there to be a result that makes later encounters slightly easier for them as a result of them being so clever.
Entanglements with beloved NPCs could also lead to some of the other "side" quests before they can tackle the hospital.
This should work really well. I suspect that a lot of PCs in this campaign have family members in Korvosa, and they'll want news (and protection).
Well unless they were very lucky they only have their word to go to Kroft with because the box is trapped under a beam so they'll get to see the documents, but won't be able to bring them safely in one piece out of the wreckage of the Direption.
All the better to let them let Kroft do her work and for them to help her by helping Korvosa.
The coffer is air tight and not really pinned down that badly. So it shouldn't be a problem for anyone who finds it to take it with them. And my party was smart enough to not open the coffer in the water.
They basically took the death's head coffer, the corpse and the paperwork with them. They left the corpse, with mask and unholy symbol, with Kroft and have kept the coffer "just in case." Whatever that means, and I shudder to think what it could mean.Basically, this is what I have happening now. Their boat was burned by the gnome from Edge of Anarchy. The ranger spent the entire next day hunting down the gnome's lair, the rogue simply spent the day sitting on a rooftop smoking flayleaf. The wizard did spell research. The druid pitched a tent in the woods nearby and is simply hanging out there, while the cleric is doing...no idea. The barbarian is dazed for three days thanks to the sea hag, so he's not doing much of anything.
The ranger is now calling in the troops to go take out the gnome, who has since joined up with an enterprising imp and a really stupid human thug. Not much of a fight, but it's something to move things along. I then plan on having the Varisian girl with the missing brother show up to ask for their help, as at this point the Varisian wizard is known to the community and the ranger & barbarian actually employ a Varisian girl as a maid. So, friends with the girl with the missing brother. Voila, party.
Kroft is calling in Endrin to consult and get support from the Sable Guard. She is also seeking a consultation with Tuttle, the guy in charge of the church of Abadar.
I just need to figure out how to lure them to the vampires. And I'm skipping the perfumery. That also leaves the wererats. I doubt the party will have much sympathy for them and the wererat that contacts them has nothing to bargain with as far as information goes. Unless...she happens to know about the vampires...hmmmm....
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I certainly interpreted it as pinned. Meaning it was dangerous to move especially given the condition of the rest of the wreck. My lot screwed up their strength checks to move it anyway. Otherwise I think it gives them a bit too much evidence rather than propelling them to go get some more. Unless Davalous is a very common Chelaxian name :)
Kroft can easily direct them to go investigate the Vampires. Maybe the group she sent to go check on the Physicians disappeared in that area.
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True enough, but the issue is what to do if the players lack the patience to do that. There's also the element that I like rewarding players for being clever and figuring stuff out ahead of time. In addition to having them save several hundred lives with this early warning I'd like there to be a result that makes later encounters slightly easier for them as a result of them being so clever.
See I don't see it as being clever. The physicians are connected to the Queen ergo they are bad guys. They haven't solved anything yet and they've certainly not stopped any of the infection by going to that ship.
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We're starting this adventure in our next session. Rereading it recently, I got a little jittery that they'd jump on the "let's go swimming!" bandwagon, too. Wes suggests introducing the ship as "part of the backstory" and not the main action. I think that's dang hard to do.
Any ideas from those who've done so successfully--having the ship mentioned, but not seen as a huge hook to fish-like PCs? I don't want to resort to putting all sorts of arbitrarily nasty critters in that area of the river to keep them from getting too sidetracked as described above. I unfortunately don't have the time to rework the guts of the adventure (NPCs, etc.).
Out of random curiosity, are there any Hellknights running around the city in this adventure?
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So just my two cents. If Davaulus has taken center stage with his plague doctors already I'd cut him loose. Let Illeosa denounce him and have her gray maidens or the city guard take him into custody. Just get him out of the picture and let the PCs think they've been clever and dealt the whole scheme a solid blow. Hell, even pin a symbol of Urgathoa on him and make it look like he's the big boss. Andaisin might even offer up a few plague doctors or other flunkies to the queen to make it look like a whole cult under Davaulus had been thwarted. Davaulus isn't going to spill the whole story one way or the other, he's a professional and he knows the queen has his back. His imprisonment won't be long after the rabble are all dead.
With Davaulus arrested those close to him are going to need to act fast. First, they're going to need to clear most of his damning evidence out of the hospice. When the PCs come to investigate, let them look around. In fact, it might be cool to sent up a helpful, honestly good-aligned plague doctor to go around with them and show them everything is on the up and up. It was always my intention that while many of the plague doctors are straight up villains, several are just locals with healing skill who are trying to help. If you can convince the PCs that the hospice is not just a slaughter house (and its first floors really aren't to any but the best trained eyes) you can probably distract them afterward with the plague's spread swinging into full gear. If you can't and the PCs insist or tearing the place apart brick by brick, just move the Cult of Urgathoa's hideout. Page 24 presents a map for a mass burial graveyard encounter that got cut, maybe a mass grave in the Gray District is now the hidden entrance to the cult's ancient crypt hideout.
Even with Davaulus's capture, the spreading plague can just look like his plot had already been implemented and now the repercussions need dealing with. Rolth can easily fill in for Davaulus's role in the cult and the plague doctors can be marginalized. Play up that most of the doctors are organized by the city to fight the plague and let most be honestly good people, but among their ranks can still be a few cultists.
With the swift spread of the plague, you should be able to play through most of the other events in the adventure fighting against the plague as written--climaxing with the masquerade ball. When the PCs capture Jolistina, her info on Rolth (now boss plague doctor) becomes all the more damning as he's taken on a more significant roll in the cult. She can also be able to point toward even more sinister things brewing beneath the hospice or wherever you move the cult base. Heck, she might even visited his laboratory, wherever it is. That way, you can either have the PCs return to the hospice (or a second, or third hospice, the queen has the resources to set up several) and run it as written but have Rolth occupy Davaulus's room, or just skip right to the Temple of Urgathoa if you decide to turn it into its own separate site.
Think something like that might work?
Out of random curiosity, are there any Hellknights running around the city in this adventure?
Sure, probably a handful at the start. Honestly, though, as soon as Lictor DiViri hears there's a plague he probably calls back most of his men so Citadel Vraid isn't infected.
Any ideas from those who've done so successfully--having the ship mentioned, but not seen as a huge hook to fish-like PCs? I don't want to resort to putting all sorts of arbitrarily nasty critters in that area of the river to keep them from getting too sidetracked as described above. I unfortunately don't have the time to rework the guts of the adventure (NPCs, etc.).
You could also hold back on the water breathing effects. Sure, maybe a character or two can game a way to breathe water early on, but they shouldn't be able to handle the threats down in the wreck alone. And just because the PCs have the GP to buy potions of water breathing, that doesn't mean they're in stock. I'm not saying to try and hit them with "Nope, the city's sold out of that potion this week. Want some potions of jump instead?" But maybe they can only find one or two and the others (or ingredients for them) need to be sent for from Harse or something and will take a few days. Potions probably aren't typically in big demand by your everyday baker and cobbler so there's not much of a reason to keep 30 for every type of spell on hand.
Another possibility. Don't make Yvicca a combat encounter. Maybe she's moved in (which is kind of the case) and she's not letting the PCs scope out the place unless they do something for her. Maybe she just wants gold and jewelry, maybe she's got a grudge against the sewer witch Eries Yelloweyes (Eries could totally be an adept or something who drove the hag out of her clan's sewers years back), maybe she wants a hubby (think any PCs would take her up on it???). Regardless, she wants something that sends the PCs topside again and forces them to think about how they're going to meet the hag's demands. While they're doing that, the plague can start running rampant and other more pressing issues likely come up. Adding a few more sharks might also deter the PCs, but the toothy fish shouldn't be used to fight, they're just the muscle to drive Yvicca's demands home and deter the party from attacking. After all, the hag probably wouldn't want to kill the PCs when they're the only air-breathers who have ever come to her. She can totally use such versatile sorts. Heck, they give her the first chance ever to get stuff from the city, as the guard totally wouldn't let her or her usual minions into town. She could have her eye on a certain curio she thinks a local trading cartel has or some treasure from the Academae. The McGuffin can be anything so long as it takes some time to find (all the cooler if it was something stolen from her a long time back).
You know, this is also all the creepier if only one or two PCs can get down to encounter the hag. "Uh. So uh. Guys. Yeah. So, there's this ugly old lady down there--yeah, in the river--and she said that she didn't want me checking around her place--something about scaring the eels. Apparently, though, she's real lonely and fishmen ain't cutting it anymore. So, uh, she said that if we could get her a date she'd show us around, even have us over for tea and... um... fish--I guess. Know any takers? Maybe like... prisoners, or goblins... or, uh, blind sailors? Why'd we go and kill that Gaedren dude. NO I'M NOT GOING BACK THERE!"
Overall, just get the PCs out of the water, see if the cries of the sick and desperate distract them, and let them get back to Yvicca later when people aren't begging to have their lives saved.
Wes suggests introducing the ship as "part of the backstory" and not the main action. I think that's dang hard to do.
Any ideas from those who've done so successfully
During my party, the fact is that some weeks had passed between volume 7 and 8 of Pathfinder and to distract my PC, I write a news paper about korvosa, things happened during theses weeks, saying that there's always ships around Korvosa's bay, and one of them try to enter and been sunk. But the mane information was about the gold promises by Ileosa to find Trinia and some little non important things. So they didn't notice the matter with the ship, thinking about Trinia and Blackjack! And I send it by mail!
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Sempai, that puts my actual wine and bread served during the opening session to shame; what a cool idea! I wonder if I have time to work something like that up in the week between now and our next session.
I love moments in the game when the players realized that something seen earlier as "window dressing" is extremely significant, so I really wanted to mention the Direption in some way.
Wes, you've gone above and beyond in your detailed response, and shown us again why we're the DMs and you guys are the paid designers. Fantastic suggestions. I can now proceed with confidence that I can mention the ship and have lots of ways to keep things "on the rails" without them feeling railroaded should they choose to investigate early on.
Truly creepy, that Yvicca. I saw her as only a minor encounter before. Now I'm going to go with more of an Ursula from "Little Mermaid" vibe--sleazy, confident, and distubring.
Wes, you've gone above and beyond in your detailed response, and shown us again why we're the DMs and you guys are the paid designers. Fantastic suggestions. I can now proceed with confidence that I can mention the ship and have lots of ways to keep things "on the rails" without them feeling railroaded should they choose to investigate early on.
Huh? Whoa. Cool. I wrote a post last night. Uh, you're welcome, but don't thank me, thank Captain Morgan. ^_~
Truly creepy, that Yvicca. I saw her as only a minor encounter before. Now I'm going to go with more of an Ursula from "Little Mermaid" vibe--sleazy, confident, and distubring.
Awesome. This is one of the big reasons I really like hags, they're super versatile. You want a brute to just throw at a party, a hag works. You need a tricky monster to harass your party, a hag works. You want a villain for a whole campaign, a hag works. Handy! And totally man, Ursula was way cool. Totally tell us how things work out!
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I write a news paper about korvosa, things happened during theses weeks, saying that there's always ships around Korvosa's bay, and one of them try to enter and been sunk. But the mane information was about the gold promises by Ileosa to find Trinia and some little non important things. So they didn't notice the matter with the ship, thinking about Trinia and Blackjack! And I send it by mail!
Sempai, did you make this on the computer, and if so, do you have it still, an would you be willing to share?
I write a news paper about korvosa, things happened during theses weeks, saying that there's always ships around Korvosa's bay, and one of them try to enter and been sunk. But the mane information was about the gold promises by Ileosa to find Trinia and some little non important things. So they didn't notice the matter with the ship, thinking about Trinia and Blackjack! And I send it by mail!Sempai, did you make this on the computer, and if so, do you have it still, an would you be willing to share?
If you let me the time to find it on my personal PC (so in some 8 hours for us, because I'm at work) I can share it, of course. I don't know how to make it but a simple copy/paste of the letter on the forum should be good. If you've got another idea, feel free to tell me :-)
It's a pleasure to share you this file!|
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If you let me the time to find it on my personal PC (so in some 8 hours for us, because I'm at work) I can share it, of course. I don't know how to make it but a simple copy/paste of the letter on the forum should be good. If you've got another idea, feel free to tell me :-)
It's a pleasure to share you this file!
What kind of file is it? if you want you can email it to me at e-gendron(at)charter(dot)net and I can try to post it somewhere (if its a picture you can use photobucket.com otherwise I have a few free hsoting pages that i keep up just to host files (I'm sure some others on these boards have the same)
If you let me the time to find it on my personal PC
Sorry for having taken so much time. This is what I send to my palyers. Excuse me for mistakes in translation, but I try to write it as quick as possible! I wish it will help and that you enjoy it :-)
As you can read, I decided to choose the date of the birth of Eodred to kill him.
"To the inhabitants of Korvosa,
Since your last adventures having taken place 17 Calistril, some weeks have passed.
The city seems to have resumed its usual peace. There are always patrols of HellsKnights in streets, the law and the order again seem to reign.
The business is going full swing, the dwarfish caravans continue their business in direct origin of Janderhoff, bringing fornitures of an exceptional quality. Venants boats of distant countered come to bind themselves in quays West.
As usually warships of the other territories face the bay of Korvosa, by navigating in the wide, without for all that be approached. We speak about an intervention of the gards of Korvosa, in post on the wall of Eodred, who would have fired with their trebuchet on a vessel pirate trying to realize a raid against the city of Korvosa. The crimson throne did not follow up this rumour not to worry the population and disturb the law and order.
The surveillance of the airs is always insured by the company of sands. On this matter, 6 Pharast took place a holiday, celebrating the day of the foundation of the company of sands. It is about an official celebration marked by a parade and a display of military exploit. This somber holiday is one of the rare which opposes alcoholic. This day fur the moment chooses by the crown to offer a reward of 5000 gold coins to whoever would allow the arrest of the murderer of King, Trinia Sabor.
During these some days, you have certainly crusader Verik, held by guards of Korvosa. Marshall Cressida Kroft having decided to reinstate him in the guard after his period of probation. This last one gives evidence of an abundance of energy to make useful for the good of the city, and in spite of the fact not being graded, motivate the guards to do their best to serve the Queen and Korvosa.
Sister Dominique Bride, in the temple of Sarenrae continuous to do everything she can to help the poor men, with all the means which she can have which are not comparable to those whom big "Vault" of Abadar has.
The "undead" activity is always regulated by the agreement between the church of Phrasm and the guards of Korvosa. After all, everything seems to go for best to the best of the worlds.
We shall thus resume in the citadel Volshyenek 19 Pharast where you will have quite at leisure to put in common your discoveries, the gossip etc.."
If its got a lot of formatting and what not, totally give yoda8myhead a ring. He's got this whole wiki that might be interested in hosting it for you. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but a handouts section does sound pretty cool.
If its just text, then yeah, posting it right here is perfect!
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If its got a lot of formatting and what not, totally give yoda8myhead a ring. He's got this whole wiki that might be interested in hosting it for you. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but a handouts section does sound pretty cool.
If its just text, then yeah, posting it right here is perfect!
I might play around with doing this for some other parts - the family just got photoshop, so I need to play with it anyway
"this whole wiki thing"
Link?
To be honest, I don't see the problem. It's part of the game that if PCs directly take on a more powerful foe, they will lose. If they choose to directly assault the hospice/the Doctor's HQ, let the chips fall where they may.
An intelligent party should be doing something to determine the strength of the opposition. Low level divination spells - something simple like Augury - can tell them they are unlikely to succeed. Of course, you don't even need to prod them in this direction. An impromptu Harrow reading should be able to do the same.
I imagine that an initial assault on the hospice could lead them to Dr Davalus, but leave them too weak to continue down to the dungeons with the real goodies. If the PCs proceed further immediately, I'd just let them die. If they go back to recuperate, then you can move the bad guys and incorporate Wesley Schneider's suggestions (Rolth becomes the leader of the cult, he moves the HQ to his hideout, and Jolistina's encounter/info leads to the final encounter with a modified dungeon (in place of the hospice guards and plague doctors, I'd use skeletons and zombies as initial cannon fodder)).
What about the political fallout? Well, things are going crazy, and there really won't be a whole lot other NPCs can do. Most of the guard will just be trying to keep order. And trying to get official help means that the PCs will need to go through the legal process. At that point, the Queen can determine how she wants to prolong this out. She can fake arrest Dr Davaulus and then let him escape, or anything else that is similar. Kroft and the others can't do anything at this point, although such chicanery by the Queen easily leads to the beginning events in Escape from Old Korvosa.
Of course, if that seems to stupid, you could have the NPCs like Kroft engage in an early putsch, but that will fail and the chaotic situation in the city will be even worse. Queen Ileosa can proclaim that treasonous elements of the city attempted to take power during the crisis, but failed. The NPC's who need to be dead, are dead. Those that need to escape for use later on, can be found alive later on.
In this scenario, the Queen pulls guards and such out of Old Korvosa and blows the bridges to "rally" the troops together and secure the palace. At this point, she simply lets the city go to complete anarchy until the plague dies down. During this time, there is literally no order in most of the city, and the PCs can probably go wherever they want. Let them see or hear about the various planned encounters, and let them determine if they want to help the city during the crisis. If so, let them do so and explain how they have improved the situation - so they know they are saving lives by such. They could still be heroes by the end of the adventure.
If they simply decide to blow town until the plague dies off, I'd let them do so too. Use the largest death total possible so the PCs return to a drastically reduced city. At this point, the Queen's loyal forces begin to assert her authority across the city. At this point, I'd try to get the PCs back together with Vencarlo Orsini (if nothing else works, maybe make an announcement that the Queen demands Vencarlo present himself to her - that might motivate the PCs to seek him out). Run an expanded Escape from Old Korvosa with Vencarlo being the leader of the resistance. Come up with your own encounters to keep them occupied and get them levelled up (there is lots to do - as many of the encounters left alone in Seven Days will still be valid - a part of the city taken over by wererats, a growing nest of vampire spawn, Rolth's cult still active - as well as natural stuff like crimelords, bandits, and the Queen's activities) before you actually begin Old Korvosa. Let the PCs know that Vencarlo is looking for the Seneschal. He works on that while he asks the PCs to do the "level up" tasks. Then when they are ready, have Vencarlo disappear and run Escape from Old Korvosa.
The only real work you need to do is figure out a new goal for Rolth and his goons now that the plague has died out. Personally, I'd have him claim a section of town and mass animate undead (there are thousands of corpses after all) to keep nosey adventurers/heroes occupied. He intends to use what he learned in Korvosa to spread to other cities, but he uses Korvosa as a powerbase. He and the Queen have an arrangement - she does nothing to stop him, and in return he leaves her domain alone and strike against other nearby cities who might otherwise take advantage of Korvosa's decline.
You have all the relevant information to run a campaign. Instead of using them as serial encounters, just use them as "campaign points" whenever the PCs would come across them. Feel free to deviate as much as you need. It should still be easy to move from each issue of the AP to the next.
To be honest, I don't see the problem. It's part of the game that if PCs directly take on a more powerful foe, they will lose. If they choose to directly assault the hospice/the Doctor's HQ, let the chips fall where they may.
As always, Mr. Fox, your posts are intelligent and fun to read. I quite enjoyed this one. :)
Thanks for your participation on these boards.