|
So, when our group started RRR, the Spymaster got a report about the Narthropple Expedition passing through an outlying community. I told them that there was a group of Gnomes that were travelling through the lands, making maps.
For some reason, the party's witch (Archmage) and Cavalier (General) decided that these gnomes represented a SERIOUS THREAT TO THE SECURITY OF THE KINGDOM. Somehow they got it in their heads that the gnomes were either an expeditionary force preceding an invasion of some sort, or at the very least going to sell detailed maps of the Stolen Lands to Pitax or Cheliax or Abadar knows who else. Mind you, I did nothing to persuade them that this was the case - I just gave them sort of limited information, and their imaginations did the rest.
This brings me to the two reasons I started this thread, which are two things I just think DM's should be aware of as possibilities. The party adventured in a completely backward way, encountering (in this order) The Old Beldame, The Mad Hermit, The Scythe Tree, The Abandoned Elven Fort, the Dryad, the Angry Loggers, and finally the Gnomes. This really messed with the "Sandboxy-ness" of the adventure, because by the time they encountered the Dryad, they had already solved her problem, so she handed her reward over, which was in turn the solution to the angry loggers. The whole thing seemed very "convenient" ("Wait, you want 6 hundred year old oak trees? Why, we just happen to have these 6 tokens in our pockets..."). I'd advise GM's to consider moving the encounters in these hexes around if it looks like the party's going to hit them in the "wrong" order.
Secondly, be aware that the party may become completely adversarial with the gnomes!! As absurd as it is to get mad at a group of gnomish adventurers wandering around unclaimed hexes that the party has been given a charter to mold into a kingdom, a slightly paranoid/insane Cockatrice Cavalier may do precisely that! Jubilost actually had to say "Are you threatening me?" at one point before the Kingdom's ruler managed to diffuse the situation with a good diplomacy check.
And then, after all that, the party wanted to chase down the kobolds that had attacked the gnomes (something the module seems to assume will not be a thought that might enter the party's heads). It was a very "flying by the seat of my pants" night - something that I hate doing when running an AP, as I sort of feel like I shouldn't have to.
I guess the moral of my story is, gnome cartographers are apparently evil.
|
I think sometimes players view everything as threats. Especially if they feel like they've been screwed over a few times (like if things went wrong with the SootScales and if they got on the bad side of Nettles, ect). All of a sudden everyone's the enemy because why would they be in the module. It's happened to me and what I've done is just played out the consequences. Treat Narthropple like dog poop and they have no chance of learnign anything that he's learned. Treat the fey poorly, hurt your kingdom's leadership/stability scores. Of course this can turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy - if they treat everyone with hostility then they'll get hostility.
Your group doesn't seem like that from your brief description. It just seems they got an idea in their head and wouldn't let it go.
I got lucky with the kobold-thing as Tartuk was able to escape in the earlier module so I had him be the leader of this new group of kobolds. He escaped a second time when the group laid a trap from him. He's currently plotting their demise as it's become personal.
Wait till the party hits the next module. It really will look like the gnomes are in on it.
And, yes, the party's completely right that it's a violation of their sovereignty rights. As a player, I'd be all "That's fine. You're working for me now, though." And that's what I would say if I was playing a good aligned PC.
|
|
My RL group had Narthropple arrested and executed for killing the kobolds, who were part of the Sootscales...
Ha! That's hilarious.
I guess my thing was, do you know how many campaigns I've been a part of (along with these players) that were founded on the principle of "we can walk around and explore ancient ruins and whatnot and not ask ANYBODY for permission first?" A ton of them (or a metric ton, for those across the pond :-p). It's just so funny to me that now that the shoe is on the other foot, they assume the absolute worst. The gnomes only got out of being arrested becasue they agreed to share knowledge of the dwarven ruins with the party prior to investigating them, if they ever found them. At any rate, the party pointed them in the direction of the hidden barrow in the northern corner of the kingdom, so that will keep them busy for the next few weeks at least.
How they'll react when they learn that they've been sent on a wild goose chase, I have yet to determine.
Exploring ancient ruins would be fine. Systematically mapping the surrounding area would be what would raise eyebrows.
And, after all, the PCs got a charter to start Kingmaker. Where's the gnomes' charter, huh?
|
|
I don't entirely disagree with you (or the players).
It is worth noting in the forums, though, for DM's that might come to look, that the "assumed" reaction of the PC's (which appears to be "o hai thar, brave gnomes! Happy to help, and let's share maps and stuffs!") might not be how they'll react, or even be particularly close to how they react.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
My parties flag is '2 crossed swords over a mound of dead fey', so many encounters have not gone 'as written'
all hail the sandbox
|
my group has a small issue with gnomes.
namely, they started with 2: a completely bonkers Summoner who was subsequently abandoned in the wilderness, and a Fey-Obsessed All-Pink Barbarian.
The best description for that character would be: Chaotic Wahoo, with Sword.
That soured them a bit on the short folk in general, as did their natural connection to Fey and the First World.
Narthropple was given the cold shoulder (by all save Trixie, the Pink Barbarian), but not actually attacked/executed per se.
Being a smart fellow, he took the hint and beat feet for the nearest (non PC ruled) city. Unfortunately for them, that happens to be Pitax, so Gnomish Ranger Strike Teams, led (or General'd, at least) by a certain VERY HIGH DAMAGE Barbarian are in their near future.
While not specifically illegal, it is a very unwise thing to be a gnome in the Greenbelt in our game.
Also, +1 to above: All Hail the Sandbox!
Necro!
My group just hit all of these encounters in our last session, although in the "correct" order, at least. When the ruler heard that the gnomes were looking for some dwarven ruins, he basically assumed that they were thieves who were going to steal loot that belonged to the players, and gave Narthropple a hard time as a result.
I was shocked at their solution to the "delicate situation," however. They didn't know of an alternate site for the loggers to go to, and as a result they were going to ask the dryad if she had any suggestions. But when the dryad told them about the scythe tree, they got the bright idea to basically feed the loggers to the tree in order to "solve" the dilemma.
Which "worked", until after losing most of his men to the tree, Corax tried to flee. the PCs didn't want word getting out about what they had done, so... they killed him. At least the ruler had some misgivings about that.
I was pretty gobsmacked that they made the choices that they did. But somehow it was all pretty hilarious as they kept digging themselves deeper into committing evil acts.