Next session: the PCs travel to Evil Town, to ally with a sorceror there so they can all travel to the Abyss together.
The sorceror has been looking for a good group of allies to travel with, so he's open to this. The PCs will have a letter of recommendation from a mutual friend, so he'll know they're not mooks. But he's going to want some demonstration that they're badass enough to accompany him.
Here's the tricky bit: I want to resolve this fairly quickly, because I want to move on to the meat of the adventure. A side trek that takes an hour is OK. A side trek that eats up the whole session is not.
The default is, sorceror says "there's this monster that lairs on the mountain just outside of town -- bring me back its most precious possession, I don't care how". Since this is Evil Town, that's actually sort of plausible. But I'd be happier with something a bit more elegant.
Thoughts?
Doug M.
If I was playing here, I'd probably want to continue to the abyss. A side quest like this will feel like a speedbump to the main adventure.
Still, you have here a good opportunity for the PCs to show off. Perhaps he could summon a few baddies for them to butcher; if you have an acrobatic character, he could high jump clear over his head. Just a little thing for your players to strut their stuff before proceeding business as usual.
Magical duel between spellcasters.
While in the local tavern or whatever, a suitability powerful thug and his gang attack the party. If defeated, the party is strong enough. Pretty much the same as the monster suggestion, but less travel involved. Removes the need for some random monster close to the city, just waiting to be killed. (Either the gang does it on their own, and the sorcerer is nearby/hears about it, or the gang was actually sent by the sorcerer for this purpose.)
Its an evil town - maybe there is an arena that just happens to be holding gladiatorial games at the same time the PCs show up.
You also mentioned the sorcerer has been looking for a group of allies to travel with. Maybe he already knows the strength of the party, as he has been scrying on them after hearing rumors of their exploit, as he has been for all groups he hears of.
He summons a couple beasties maybe even demons and sys beat these things.
Douglas Muir 406 wrote:
Next session: the PCs travel to Evil Town, to ally with a sorceror there so they can all travel to the Abyss together.
The sorceror has been looking for a good group of allies to travel with, so he's open to this. The PCs will have a letter of recommendation from a mutual friend, so he'll know they're not mooks. But he's going to want some demonstration that they're badass enough to accompany him.
Here's the tricky bit: I want to resolve this fairly quickly, because I want to move on to the meat of the adventure. A side trek that takes an hour is OK. A side trek that eats up the whole session is not.
The default is, sorceror says "there's this monster that lairs on the mountain just outside of town -- bring me back its most precious possession, I don't care how". Since this is Evil Town, that's actually sort of plausible. But I'd be happier with something a bit more elegant.
Thoughts?
Doug M.
A local businessman/politician/noble/whatever has a McGuffin locked away in a nearby building. The sorcerer knows this and tasks the party with retrieving it as a test of skill.
What the sorcerer also knows (but doesn't tell the party) is that another group of thieves are staking out the same building waiting to steal the same McGuffin and will notice the party breaking in. They will attempt to intimidate the party into handing it over and attack when the party refuses.
Some skill checks and a quick combat later, the sorcerer is convinced of the party's abilities.
Jeraa wrote:
While in the local tavern or whatever, a suitability powerful thug and his gang attack the party. If defeated, the party is strong enough... Either the gang does it on their own, and the sorcerer is nearby/hears about it, or the gang was actually sent by the sorcerer for this purpose.
Ah ha. I think this will do it.
The PCs go to see sorceror, are told "he's not home, come back tomorrow". They spend the night at an inn... a /nice/ inn. I'll play up that it has security and seems like a nice place.
For an enemy party... ahh, that's why I bought the Rival Guide. [flip flip] Okay, there's a group, the Hands of Slaughter, that's probably just about right: a Bard 7, Druid 8, Sorceror 9, and an awakened Dire Ape antipaladin. Together they're CR 11, which is a reasonable but not overwhelming challenge for a party of six ninth level characters.
Only drawback is, I need to study them a bit if they're going to be a real challenge. Hum hum, always something.
Anyway: thank you!
Doug M.
I'm of the opinion that the testing should either take up the bulk of the session or be ignored. If the guy has researched the group, the testing is superfluous. If the guy still wants to test the group, it should be a meaningful challenge.
sieylianna wrote: I'm of the opinion that the testing should either take up the bulk of the session or be ignored. If the guy has researched the group, the testing is superfluous. If the guy still wants to test the group, it should be a meaningful challenge. I'm with sieylianna, make it interesting or else it turns into a wandering monster encounter that drains resources, game time, and fun.
Since it is an evil sorceror, it might be tough for PC's alignments, but how about X amount of bodies or souls. It could be handled many different ways and would certainly be different and memorable.
Dave
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