Greetings All,
I made a cursory search through the messageboards to find this, but I haven't found it yet and I need this info for my game tonight (as always).
Has there been any mention of what the vertical distances between each of the levels of Thistletop are - specifically between the second and third levels? I need to make a second route to access the third level, and this distance is key to whether or not I can believably do it. The points of connection will be D7 (the Tentamort lair) and E9 (the Transmutation Room), and the connection will be a fracture in the stone.
The top of Thistletop is approximately 80 feet above the surf below (if the distance below the rope bridge can be used as a baseline). The third level has sea access, according to the entry for the sunken treasury in E7, (which appears to be about 30 feet below the water line). That's roughly 110 feet of vertical distance from the fort to the bottom level.
As always, thanks in advance for the help! :)
Your Friendly Neighborhood Dalesman
"Bringing Big D**n Justice to the Bad Guys Since 1369 DR"
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the sunken treasury in E7, (which appears to be about 30 feet below the water line).
Well, as they say, water finds its level. While the actual crack to the outside which is letting in the water may be some distance below water level, the water level in the treasury room should roughly match the water level outside.
Personally, I would put the bulk of any distance into the first staircase (from the fort to the first level). This makes it easier to justify not raising the alarm when the PCs fight the goblins in the fort. Technically, even a "distracted" Bruthasmus shouldn't have much difficulty hearing a battle going on at the top of the stairs, so making it a windy, longer staircase makes the situation more plausible.
the sunken treasury in E7, (which appears to be about 30 feet below the water line).Well, as they say, water finds its level. While the actual crack to the outside which is letting in the water may be some distance below water level, the water level in the treasury room should roughly match the water level outside.
Personally, I would put the bulk of any distance into the first staircase (from the fort to the first level). This makes it easier to justify not raising the alarm when the PCs fight the goblins in the fort. Technically, even a "distracted" Bruthasmus shouldn't have much difficulty hearing a battle going on at the top of the stairs, so making it a windy, longer staircase makes the situation more plausible.
I forgot to mention that my PCs actually managed to raise enough of a ruckus that the whole fort was put on alert. They had to face off with Nualia, Lyrie, Orik, Tsuto (who escaped the Glassworks) and Chief Ripnugget in the Chapel of Lamashtu.
Thanks to some inane mistakes on my part, they managed to win that fight, but Ripnugget was able to flee out of the side entrance and is making a beeline for Malfeshnekor (through my proposed fracture in the Tentamort lair). Three members of the party are giving chase, while the rest watch Tsuto (subdued but alive) and search the other bodies. I'm setting this up as a chance for these three PCs to get some of the limelight, as they have had some awful luck during the rest of the attack on Thistletop.
The distance needs to be short enough that Ripnugget can believably get down to Malfeshnekor before the PCs have a chance to catch him (or try to send something down the fracture to kill him enroute). I've already decided to add a potion of speed to his gear to give him a chance. I'm using the fracture to prevent the other PCs from intercepting him (as he would have to try to go by the main entrance of the chapel, which would be suicide).
I positioned the mouth of the Tentamort lair's cave about 20-30 feet below the top of Thistletop, so I don't have the option anymore of putting most of the distance between the first two levels. I guess my only other option is to make the fracture only big enough for Ripnugget to get through quickly and easily.
Argh - I really hate painting myself into corners like this. This is what I get for DMing in the middle of a caffeine crash.... ;)
Your Friendly Neighborhood Dalesman
"Bringing Big D**n Justice to the Bad Guys Since 1369 DR"
I guess my only other option is to make the fracture only big enough for Ripnugget to get through quickly and easily.
You could make it so that the first section is quickly and easily navigable by Small characters and a place where Medium characters could squeeze. This goes down and around a couple of corners, then Small characters have to squeeze and Medium characters can't pass through it at all. This should buy you the time you need.
I guess my only other option is to make the fracture only big enough for Ripnugget to get through quickly and easily.You could make it so that the first section is quickly and easily navigable by Small characters and a place where Medium characters could squeeze. This goes down and around a couple of corners, then Small characters have to squeeze and Medium characters can't pass through it at all. This should buy you the time you need.
I still need it to be big enough for the PCs to navigate. I could have the fracture start off as you suggest, then open up for the remainder of the descent. That would still give Ripnugget the head start, but not slow the PCs down too much (and cause the rest of the party to come looking for them).
Thanks for the suggestion tbug (and yours too, evilvolus) - I'm slowly salvaging a happy ending out of this! :)
Your Friendly Neighborhood Dalesman
"Bringing Big D**n Justice to the Bad Guys Since 1369 DR"