I'll use spoiler tags in this post just in case but I suspect that the thread will have enough spoilers later on that we won't need to keep using them...just don't read on if you're playing in a Rise of the Runelords campaign (especially my players).
It's a pretty long post, but if you're of limited attention span, you can skip the details...the important thing is that Nualia has escaped and I'm trying to decide what happens next.
For those who want the details, here is how we got there...
Continuing on, the heroes explored the rest of the bedroom wing, prison, and temple (defeating the yeth hounds), and finally the tentamort in his cave. At this point, the spellcasters were out of spells so the group decided to bed down in the tentamort's lair. Not wanting to let the group get away with a full night's sleep, on-site, in the middle of a fortress invasion (which I feel is almost always a total stretch), I had the alarm raised when the goblin corpses in the tower were found at the changing of the guard shift.
Ripnugget, upon hearing the news, sent his goblins to comb the place for the intruders. One group of six goblins found the party and were defeated by them. Still not getting the hint, the party decided to try to complete their nights rest.
At this point, when the goblins failed to return from their foray into the tentamort's cavern, Ripnugget organized the bulk of the tribe to deal with them, while sending a message to warn Nualia of the developments. Waking to the barks of six angry goblin dogs invading their "bedroom" the heroes were soon immersed in a battle that carried out into the other part of the cave, where they encountered Ripnugget and most of his goblins (excepting two commandos and their dogs that had been sent to bodyguard Nualia and Lyrie). Despite the numbers, the five heroes (3rd level Beta PCs) defeated Ripnugget's force...then went back to bed.
Finally sleeping through the night (and raising to 4th level), they woke to find Thistetop empty. Searching the floor, they failed to find the secret door to the lower level (which had been closed by Nualia's crew as they took off, seeing which way the wind was blowing). Going back upstairs, the party explored the rest of the stockade (failing to find the treasure room), then went outside to further interrogate Gorgmur, who they had left tied up in his clearing. He too was gone (freed by Nualia on her way out).
The party tracked Nualia's posse through the Nettlewood and down the road up until the point where they headed up onto the Devil's Platter (a large limestone escarpment). At this point, the party abandoned the chase and returned to Thisteltop, determined that they had missed something. They finally found the secret door to the lower level, and after an unpleasant run-in with the trap in the hall, made their way as far as the hall just beyond the coin pillar (outside Malfie's room) where we called it a night.
I haven't really decided what Nualia's current course of action will be and am open to ideas as to what people think what is likely, or what would be fun. She could hide out in the wilderness, possibly returning to Thistletop after the heroes move on, or setting up shop in a new hideout. Alternately, she could abandon the area entirely, or perhaps head to Magnimar to regroup (in which case I could possibly tie her into The Skinsaw Murders of the group doesn't track her down right away). She's got Lyrie, Gorgmurt, two goblin commandoes with goblin dogs with her.
Orik has fled to Magnimar on his own, and will likely continue on to Korvosa. I am not opposed to a further encounter with him, but I probably won't make him rejoin Nualia...based on the development section in his encounter, it sounds like the party's involvement (and willingness to let him go free) was just the push to get him to abandon a job that he had already soured on considerably.
I have few ideas that might be of help to you:
or
or
|
She will probably wait untill the players return from Thistletop, and attack them if they seem wounded. Otherwise she will hide and bide her time. I doubt that the players are gonna keep a constant watch on Thistletop, so she'll probably sneak back in later on. Brodert Quink is probably gonna be heading out there, too, to study the old Tassilonian ruins, and she might capture him. With his help, she could probably free Malfeshnekor, if the players haven't found him.
Alternately, the nearest members of her faith that we know of, apart from scattered goblins, is a certain... fraternity... of Lamashtu-Worshipping Ogres on Hook Mountain that she could end up with, but that might be a little far fetched.
Or as a little something extra for the attack on Sandpoint in PF#4. I see it! Enormous Stone Giants and a Mighty Dragon laying waste to the town. Along with some goblins with torches. Woohoo.
If the PCs kill Mal
Then have her return to Magnimar and Work as a part of the Skinsaw killers level her up and maybe have her attack the PCs before they go to the Sawmill
|
