Gotta love it when players do something the DM never expected. The full story is spoilered for those who don't want to read or don't care about the background behind why I'm making this request.
The group is in Golismorga in "The Lightless Depths", and just defeated the Neh-thalggu Scion in Tlaloc's Crater. A'Reth was rather unharmed by the fight - the Brain Collector was invisible and flying, so the meleers spent the entire fight attacking it with arrows and thus didn't get caught by most of its counterattacks - so while the rest of the group recuperated, healed up, and rested in a Secure Shelter (the cleric and psion were almost out of magic, and the psion had died during the fight) A'Reth decided to scout around... or more accurately up. He'd acquired the Boots of Levitation from someone (Olangru I think) and between their at-will activation, his unwounded state, and warforged's lack of need for rest decided to spend the night upward bound.
After getting a good look around Golismorga and finding the ziggurat, wouldn't you know it he found the tunnel carved by Tlaloc's Tear being sent down and followed it up. He then reaches the stone circle blockading the top of the entrance in Thanaclan and beats his way to it, intentionally doing only minimum damage with his slam (since adamantine ignores hardness) so that he only grinds off stone powder rather than sending chunks of rock careening down into Golismorga and possibly hitting his friends. He then emerged out onto the surface and found himself in an ancient Olman temple.
TL;DR version: A'Reth skipped ahead to halfway through "City of Broken Idols" and is now at the pyramid of Tlaloc (area 25 I think). He's been engaged by four Skinwalkers - which I didn't yet have statted up in my conversion to suit gestalt + high-powered 3.5/PF hybrid, so I called the session at the beginning of that battle - but I'm pretty sure he's going to head back down into Golismorga and resume the adventure there.
What's my issue then? The Skinwalkers have now been thoroughly informed that someone is causing trouble down in Golismorga and is very likely to head their way next, and will make due preparations for when the group comes to the Taboo Island. I'm looking for suggestions as to how they can fortify themselves against assault - preparing both for an attack by land and a raiding party to come up through the Temple of Tlaloc like A'Reth did in the first place.
Thoughts?
Personally I wouldn't change too much. I would keep most of it the same except that everyone is alerted to the PCs. All the Skinwalkers in the main lair are ready for a fight as described in the adventure.
- I would probably has them "Recall" most of their scouts meaning sprinkle in a few skinwalker encounters here and there.
- Have Onailati and his Julimus posted at the well posing as scarification hostages who attempt to squeeze some info out from the PCs after they are "rescued" so that Khala is better prepared.
- The rest of the skinnwalker that attacked the pelor camp assume they either successed or have withdrawn to help defend the temple and place them and the acolyte somewhere else.
-Have Xerkamat either attack them in the lake (with a Deinoshuchus) or in area 1, which ever comes first.
Even meaner would to to have Onailati raise some Undead for extra defense, and to place another stone slab in the well and on top of that put the Flesh Jelly.
Just some ideas.
Personally I wouldn't change too much. I would keep most of it the same except that everyone is alerted to the PCs. All the Skinwalkers in the main lair are ready for a fight as described in the adventure.
- I would probably has them "Recall" most of their scouts meaning sprinkle in a few skinwalker encounters here and there.
- Have Onailati and his Julimus posted at the well posing as scarification hostages who attempt to squeeze some info out from the PCs after they are "rescued" so that Khala is better prepared.
- The rest of the skinnwalker that attacked the pelor camp assume they either successed or have withdrawn to help defend the temple and place them and the acolyte somewhere else.
-Have Xerkamat either attack them in the lake (with a Deinoshuchus) or in area 1, which ever comes first.Even meaner would to to have Onailati raise some Undead for extra defense, and to place another stone slab in the well and on top of that put the Flesh Jelly.
Just some ideas.
These are good ideas - I especially like the bad guys "re-capping" the pyramid with the flesh jelly stuffed into the space above the stone.
The bad guys will certainly make efforts to fortify their lair. There will be a plethora of symbols - courtesy of Xerkimat (spelling?). Undead mini-onions packing magical "traps" will be acquired and deployed as self-propelled alarms. A symbol goes off and takes effect, the critter(s) emit "prey moans". Regular scrying "patrols" along with an active patrol regimine. Altering the terrain via wall of stone layered over walls of iron can serve to channel the intruders where the bad guys want them to go.
These are good ideas - I especially like the bad guys "re-capping" the pyramid with the flesh jelly stuffed into the space above the stone.place another stone slab in the well and on top of that put the Flesh Jelly.
Just some ideas.
Me too. Brilliant sir.
*off-topic warning* (with apologies to Orthos)
Turin - did you ever get around to making that list of problematic magic items (especially from the Magic Item Compendium)?
I know that it's been a while since there was some talk about making such a list on another STAP thread (almost a year ago?). However, my own games are still mixtures of 3.5 and PF so I'm eager for any useful input to prevent the occasionally crazy from turning into completely catastrophic. (Umm, I didn't intend to alliterate like that.)
The various parties will be getting their hands on some cash, and they want to buy or create a number of items. I worry about a real game-breaker making it past my own filters, as I'm usually more focused on the fluff than the crunch (in particular, statistical analyses of combat probabilities are not my forte).
Maybe I should start a new thread in the 3.5 sub-forum on the subject of broken items, spells, etc.
*off-topic warning* (with apologies to Orthos)
Turin - did you ever get around to making that list of problematic magic items (especially from the Magic Item Compendium)?
I know that it's been a while since there was some talk about making such a list on another STAP thread (almost a year ago?). However, my own games are still mixtures of 3.5 and PF so I'm eager for any useful input to prevent the occasionally crazy from turning into completely catastrophic. (Umm, I didn't intend to alliterate like that.)
The various parties will be getting their hands on some cash, and they want to buy or create a number of items. I worry about a real game-breaker making it past my own filters, as I'm usually more focused on the fluff than the crunch (in particular, statistical analyses of combat probabilities are not my forte).
Maybe I should start a new thread in the 3.5 sub-forum on the subject of broken items, spells, etc.
Oh, wow - yes I remember wanting to do that Bellona. Thanks for the reminder.
Now I just need to find that book again ...
The Skinwalkers have now been thoroughly informed that someone is causing trouble down in Golismorga and is very likely to head their way next, and will make due preparations for when the group comes to the Taboo Island.Instead of using the opportunity to 'punish' your players, maybe it's an opportunity to 'reward' them.
Maybe squads of skinwalkers can be seen repelling down into Golismorga (to find the PC's) just before the tear is destroyed: heightening the tension of the situation, giving the PC's more of a reason to destroy the tear, and providing a reason why the Skinwalkers are in 'disarray' (i.e. not better defended) later. It's not like the players will get XP (or easier encounters) later... it'll just bring them joy to see extra foes washed away.
Just a thought: what lenght of rope would be necessary to 'repel down' the shaft? Isnt'it miles deep?
I also fail to see how sending more ennemies would reward the PCs. As a hardline DM, I would be more concerned with finding the logical way in which the skinwalkers react to the players' move, even if it's detrimental to them. By now they should have learnt to look before they jump...
I say, go with ZB's suggestions. Even if the demons knew what is down there, I can't picture them sending relief troops. If the players are stupid enough to break through the new plug using the same method, they deserve all the nasty surprises you can muster.
The Skinwalkers have now been thoroughly informed that someone is causing trouble down in Golismorga and is very likely to head their way next, and will make due preparations for when the group comes to the Taboo Island.Instead of using the opportunity to 'punish' your players, maybe it's an opportunity to 'reward' them.
Maybe squads of skinwalkers can be seen repelling down into Golismorga (to find the PC's) just before the tear is destroyed: heightening the tension of the situation, giving the PC's more of a reason to destroy the tear, and providing a reason why the Skinwalkers are in 'disarray' (i.e. not better defended) later. It's not like the players will get XP (or easier encounters) later... it'll just bring them joy to see extra foes washed away.
Just a thought: what lenght of rope would be necessary to 'repel down' the shaft? Isnt'it miles deep?
I also fail to see how sending more ennemies would reward the PCs. As a hardline DM, I would be more concerned with finding the logical way in which the skinwalkers react to the players' move, even if it's detrimental to them. By now they should have learnt to look before they jump...
I say, go with ZB's suggestions. Even if the demons knew what is down there, I can't picture them sending relief troops. If the players are stupid enough to break through the new plug using the same method, they deserve all the nasty surprises you can muster.
Yep, the entry (K.) notes that the Entrance to Golismorga is 10,700 feet below sea level. The Thanaclan plateau is about 3,000 feet above the rest of the IoD and the IoD is anywhere from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand feet above sea level depending on DM interpretation of descriptions presented in all the IoD materials. I would say a reasonable (and round) distance would be 14,000 feet.
So, Levitating at 20 ft per round will take nearly two hours.
Using a Fly spell, would take about 10 minutes to descend to G'morga, requiring a 10th level caster (and the return trip would take 4 times as long, and multiple casting at that same caster level)
That's 280 50' ropes per 'walker rappelling. A freefall would take about 78 seconds, give or take.
As to the other points, I don't consider playing intelligent monsters intelligently 'punishing' players. Rewarding players for doing foolish things, like wandering off alone into an unknown hostile area, is generally a bad idea as it may turn on them someday soon. But I see nothing wrong with sending down a contingent of skinwalkers to 'introduce' themselves to the rest of the party.
The Skinwalkers have multiple potions of fly apiece - if they don't have them listed in their game stats I'm adding them, especially the ones working in the pyramid, accidents happen - and are smart enough not to jump down into the pit. Drop some things down that can survive the trip maybe - alchemical bombs, summoned critters that can wallcrawl/fly, something that has a way to negate falling damage, etc. etc. etc. - but go down themselves? They aren't idiots, and frankly that would be a rather idiotic move. Even a full bandoleer of fly potions wouldn't get them back up from Golismorga.
I don't see it as logical for what they'd do, I see their logical course of action being "hunker down and intensify defenses".
Also, making the Skinwalkers "in disarray" later is a bad idea IMO, my players are piledriving through the encounters enough as it is....