Opening Encounter Advice Needed

[Green Eyed Liar]

I am planning out an opening encounter for my Jade Regent, as sort of a prelude to the "So, you are all sitting around in the tavern, when..." scene.

Spoiler:

My idea is that they are guards for a caravan that is going to pull into Sandpoint the next morning when they get ambushed by a gaggle of goblins outside of Brinestump Marsh. While the PCs are dealing with a bunch of the goblins, the caravan gets blown up by some fireworks that accidentally hit the wagons, destroying the cargo and killing the caravan master all in one go. It is a pretty simple plan, the problem is I cannot think of any product from an appropriate era that would be so combustible that it would have the desired effect of wiping out the the wagons so bad none of the cargo is salvageable. I'd like for it to be believable commodity, and also provide a plausible reason for why the party does not have the extra 100 gold each that being a caravan guard would pay them at the start of the adventure.

[atheral]

Green Eyed Liar wrote:

I am planning out an opening encounter for my Jade Regent, as sort of a prelude to the "So, you are all sitting around in the tavern, when..." scene.

** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler:

Some extremely high octane booze perhaps, like dwarven wiskey? or maybe a shipment of alchemical supplies that include alchemist fire? Or maybe Grain, Sugar or Flour any type of food stuff thats potentially granulated and can kick up in a dust cloud if disturbed (if you haven't seen it I'd recommend looking up a youtube video on sugar, flour and or powdered creamer explosions they are actually fairly common and can be fairly intense.)

[Old Drake]

If you allow Ultimate Combat in your campaign, it may be a shipment of black powder. Or fireworks (the irony!). Of course a large amount of alchemist fire would also ensure that nothing survives.
Or the merchant could have a necklace of fireballs that self destructs. If you're into cinematic scenes the players should know about it and then see the rocket head right towards the necklace.

[ChrisO]

Green Eyed Liar wrote:

I am planning out an opening encounter for my Jade Regent, as sort of a prelude to the "So, you are all sitting around in the tavern, when..." scene.

** spoiler omitted **

While it may give a slightly altered effect, you could use

Spoiler:

Lamp/lantern oil.

[demontroll]

Spoiler:

Dwarven whiskey might have the desired effect.

Caravan guards probably don't get paid until the cargo is delivered.

[Goraxes]

Green Eyed Liar wrote:

I am planning out an opening encounter for my Jade Regent, as sort of a prelude to the "So, you are all sitting around in the tavern, when..." scene.

** spoiler omitted **

Make it Ironic.... Shipment of Fireworks....