I'm looking for ideas to spice up the rival factions and the challenge they present to the PCs. Currently my group is up to book 2 and are 4 days out from Eleder on their way to Tarzion.
I really like the idea of the rival factions trying to sabotage and hinder the PCs and their expedition. So I'm thinking of what the rival factions can do. My guys have a formed a coalition expedition with the Sargavan Government and Pathfinder Society so I've got three good rival factions capable of just about anything.
So far I've had the rival factions:
* Red Mantis singled out one PC and made him an offer to secretly carry a tracking device. They were willing to offer him membership, training, wealth and magical items if he completed the task. For the record he declined the offer, but here was the pitch I used:
"All we want is the temple to ourselves. We don't care about the rest. We'll pay you to carry this tracking coin with you so we can locate the city and we'll do the rest. We'll get our warriors in and hold it, all you have to do is carry this simple little coin so we can locate the city. Tuck it in the bottom of your backpack and forget about it. For this simple little task you'll be richly rewarded. Gold, power, prestige...whatever you wish, we'll make it so. No one needs to know of your involvement if you want. You'll be well rewarded, rich beyond your dreams and all it takes is a simple task of which no one will ever know."
* Pirates made a similar play at a different PC, which was also declined (but only just). They didn't care about the historical stuff and just want the treasury and any nautical technology/magic. They also offered wealth, magical items and a ship for the PC. Was so close on this one.
Planning:
* About halfway between Eleder and Kalabuto as the group sets up camp for the night they will encounter a small group of travelling merchants. The merchants ask to share camp for "extra protection" and claim to be horse traders on their way to Eleder to buy a prize stallion and mares. They're really members of the Aspis Consortium and have been ordered (via magical communication) to delay the PCs. The plan is to poison some of the PCs horses. I'll disguise them a bit by making them seem like a good random encounter and have them give a bit of info on potential threats up ahead (Mwali raiders, lions in the area, etc). I'll try to get them talking of horses and have the main merchant walk up and pat the PCs horses, "decent breed you've got there". As he's patting and stroking the horses he's pricking them with his ring to deliver a poison. So there will be perception checks vs sleight of hand here (good notice its a ring that signifies Aspis, real good notice the pin prick). If discovered he'll attempt to talk his way out ("I just love horses") and if that fails he'll get his band up and defend themselves. If he's successful the horses show no immediate signs, but near the end of the next day appear to be struggling and tiring. I haven't picked a poison yet so I've got no specifics on that, but the intention is to have something that drops their STR/CON each day.
* In Kalabuto the Pirates have paid someone to attempt to slip a tracking device into the gear of one of the PCs.
* For the attack on the PCs in Kalabuto it will be the Red Mantis behind it and I'll throw in an assassin with the faction thugs.
* Some time after Kalabuto an adventuring group hired by the Aspis to track the PCs. If spotted they'll attack the PCs. I'm thinking of using the NPC guide and game mastery guide to build the group.
Any other good ideas out there?
Great ideas!
I don't have my notes right now, but I remember the following ideas:
(These ideas are a bit rough, but I don't know what my players will do with the expedition just yet. One of my players love detail and might wanna plan a lot, but sometimes the subject matter doesn't appeal to him. They all love "set piece battles", trying to set them up.)
- A group of bandits are hired to harass the main expedition and damage the wagons/porters. The PCs have to either let the other guards handle it, or take time off trailblazing to stop them (undecided about game effects). The idea is to make them feel like the competition is harsh, not just slap a penalty on them.
- If they make enemies out of the government, I thought about having word reach the garrison in Kalabuto to harass them and hold them up. That will make my group either bribe/charm/threaten the soldiers, or plan a sneaky/daring breakout.
- A sorcerer/wizard/druid summons a swarm of bloodhaze mosquitos (I think that's the name, but I might be wrong) which attacks the players. I intend them to be able to "trace the magic" back to the enemy faction. If that ends up being the Red Mantis, the swarm is going to take the shape of a giant mantis before it attacks, just because that's a cool effect. A twist could be that it attacks the expedition, and the PCs must run into the jungle and try to find the controlling NPC (he has some guards, making it a proper encounter).
Last small idea:
- The Mantis or Aspis or the Pathfinders have a plant in the expedition, who tries breaks things (like wagon wheels) during the entire trip. They will use a lot of time finding him, but it will be hard and an ongoing problem. This idea is dependent on the level of interest the PCs takes in recruiting the expedition and time they spend with them during the trip. If they don't care about details of planning, I won't use it (I won't force the action into a crime mystery unless it fits).
Backstabbing faction tries to pin the Mantis with their own failed assassination attempt, but clever PCs could know it's a frame-up because the attempt failed ....the Mantis never fail.
Jorgenporgen, I like the idea putting choices on my players so I'll be throwing in the decision on whether to go back and help or push forward. I'm wondering if I should put in a sighting of another potential trailblazing group at the sametime to really put the acid on the decision. If they choose to go support the expedition I'll probably give them the ways to boost their speed to catch ground on the rival trailblazers.
My guys have formed a coalition with the pathfinders and sargavans so I can't use them as bad guys. I could substitute the Freeman Brotherhood in for your ideas of the Sargavan Government as villains. I figure they'd fear the government strengthening its hold over the region as it uses the wealth extracted from Saventh-Yhi to boost its power.
I'm acutally liking the Aspis as the primary villain faction as greedy mega wealthy merchants are capable of anything and having access to next to everything. The could be the ones that use bandits and I'm going to have them hire an adventuring group/s to attack/harass the party.
I'm thinking of making the Mzali a player in the mix and I like your idea of a druid summoning bloodhaze mosquitos. It will be a good challenge to my group as well as bringing out the flavour of the setting. I figure the Freeman Brotherhood could have informed Mzali forces about the discovery of Saventh-Yhi and the power it may give the colonials. So I'll make the druid a Mzali who sees the group as colonial imperalists and attempts to delay them so Mzali forces can beat them to Saventh-Yhi. Given my guys have formed a coalition with two factions the Mzali can fill the void of one of them.
I'm definitely going with plants in the expedition. I read a thread where a GM used Gelik as a major villain and I liked that as he's had a bit of a love-hate relationship with my players. I was thinking of having Gelik (currently travelling with the expedition) as a plant/double agent. I had the Mantis and Pirates make offers to two of my players (who knocked them back) so I figure they'd try others more susceptible. Gelik fits perfectly so he could easily carry a tracking device. I'll have to crumb drop evidence to my guys to get them onto it and make an investigation which will add another good challenge.
My guys like tactical battles too and I'm looking forward to the contested ground feel of book 3. I'm trying to think of how I can put tough choices on the PCS in regards to the expedition and trailblaze. Thats what could really make this adventure.
If they choose to go support the expedition I'll probably give them the ways to boost their speed to catch ground on the rival trailblazers.
That's another great idea! Another "the lesser of two evils" choice might be to choose whether to make a deal with some unpalatable locals (like the eloko?) to harass the other expeditions, or fight them to "cleanse the lands" (costing time and resources). This will probably only work with a group that likes moral choices and tend to talk with monsters, and I'm not sure how to sell the idea of cooperating with them. Maybe someone in the expedition comes up with it (maybe the plant whispers the idea in someone's ear to spread trouble)?
In my group noone has connected with Sasha but they have respect for her fighting skills, so I though about using her as a "unknown quantity" in this adventure. My idea is that she knows of the Red Mantis and joins the PC expedition as a plant since the Mantis coerces her, but that she might become a double agent if the PCs treat her nice. But I don't know how to do this just yet.
Connected with this I'm imagining the Red Mantis as more of a crack squad of assassins than an "expedition", and I will be using them as a "mysterious" faction up until the end of adventure 3 (wher they either become mortal enemies or allies depending on what the PCs do with the sword).
Fun fact about my campaign: Since our "party leader" is an ex-pirate and wants to get a ton of gold to become Pirate King (the exact specifics of this title is vague, even to the character) they will most likely jing up with the Pirates. As such I think the Pathfinders (they sort of got Gelik killed) and the Government will be the main villains while the Mantis is stalking in the background and Aspis become allies of convenience.
Unfortunately, having just 3 weeks left on my master thesis leaves me with little time to flesh out these ideas :P
So far I've had the rival factions:
* Red Mantis singled out one PC and made him an offer to secretly carry a tracking device. They were willing to offer him membership, training, wealth and magical items if he completed the task. For the record he declined the offer, but here was the pitch I used:
I like this idea and will probably use it in our campaign. I could imagine the Red Mantis doing this and I think I know which player would take the bait. :D
I know my players fairly well. I anticipate they will ally with the Sargavan government. The title and land deal will definitely reel them in. Having a back door with the Mantis is just too funny.
This may be an idea I don't get to use though. One character is becoming a bit close to Sasha. They could go Red Mantis from the start. However, we are in the first book of the AP right now. Anything can happen here.
This is good though. Your post gets me thinking. I'll modify the conspiracy for each rival faction and go from there. I'll be prepared which ever way they choose to go.