So my PCs went to Castle C and . . .
They had a very tough time getting in, had some very hard battles and two of them are sick from the disease from the Trollhounds. They repeatedly shouted "but we were invited here!" and are, uniformly, interested in heading back to the town to lick their wounds until - at least - they recover from the disease. They might also just leave from there. Their reasons to goto Castle C were:
1: Daramind asked them to check it out.
2: The Beast invited them to come see his father.
Neither one of these are particularly compelling for my PCs. They were compelled enough to come here, but with this bad welcoming, they are interested in leaving.
They *DID* find the Whispering Way badge, and are a little bit interested in the Castle now because of that. They did recognize that the trolls were barricading something IN the castle (not out).
So given all of that, any suggestions how to stop them from turning around next session?
I thought . . .
1: Maybe have the mob appear outside as they turn around and yell something like "there's those no-gooders who got the Beast off! Get 'em!" and chase them back into the mansion.
2: Maybe have them spot the Beast climbing up the tower in the distance (I think I'm going to go with the other thread which detailed the Beast getting there before the PCs and failing in the fight w/ the Promethean.
3: Something interesting with the Whispering Way would probably be the best hook if it could stop them from turning around.
They have not . . .
Gotten into the castle yet. They just got past, barely, the Huge Air Elemental. If they stay long enough to get inside the door, I have a host of ways to use the servants inside to entice them.
Perhaps the trope . . .
of some terrible storm coming in that no PC would want to trudge back through the swamp during? Maybe they say "well, I'm not going any further, but I'm willing to go in that door we just unlocked and rest until this storm passes over"
Eagerly awaiting your thoughts and suggestions.
The terrible storm works. I used it as a backdrop in my own game. My player (singular) expected it anyway since I kept forgetting Caromarc's name and defaulting to "Dr. Frankenstein". This wasn't a drawback, we've both read Mary Shelley's book and it really drove home the Beast as a sympathetic character.
It really drove home the plot and foreshadowed what would likely happen. So much so that when
I made lots of hints that the PCs would not be coming back to Lepidstadt when they left for Schloss Caromarc. Gave them an opportunity to go shopping, Daramind gave them a scroll of sending, etc etc. The castle also provides a good opportunity to camp (in the manse) if the trolls and the first half wear you out. In my game, Caromarc died and Daramind sent them onto Ascanor Lodge after they spoke to her with the Sending.
I agree, the Storm is a good choice. You don't want them going back to Lepidstadt... it will slow down the pacing of the game, and remove some of the tension. Having said that, this is D&D, so you can break the linear plotline if you want to. Perhaps lightning striking the castle, along with birds flying away from it, as a clear indication that something is going down there.
I kept forgetting Caromarc's name and defaulting to "Dr. Frankenstein".
But... but... how could you forget when there is this?
This wasn't a drawback, we've both read Mary Shelley's book and it really drove home the Beast as a sympathetic character.
Hmm, I think the Carrion Crown Beast is a lot more sympathetic than the Shelley Beast. The Shelley Beast is a murderer of children and women with a cloud of vengeance over his very soul. Yes it's true that he became evil because of bad treatment by humans and his creator (and had he received love rather than hate he might have turned out all right), but we don't forgive Auren Vrood for his evils just because of his traumatic origin story (cf Broken Moon). Man and Beast are responsible for their own actions no matter the circumstance.
Thanks for the replies. I think I'll do something like - lightning strikes the spire, in the flashes someone w/ a high Perception roll spots some large creature climbing up the spire on the outside of it (the Beast, heading to his fight w/ the Promethean).
We have a player coming back to the table tonight that had to take several weeks off and will be arriving from Lepistadt. I'll have her announce that there's a major storm brewing, she could see it as she rode in and that the angry mob folks are running off.
Also if someone suggests going back to Lepistadt I'll remind her that, before leaving to join the rest of the troop, she saw that the town was getting a bit out of control. The release of the Beast coupled with the fear of Vorkstag (He could be anyone!) has driven the city into a bit of chaos. She will suggest strongly against returning to the area for fear of being driven out or killed.
Seems like the way I'll go.
I kept forgetting Caromarc's name and defaulting to "Dr. Frankenstein".But... but... how could you forget when there is this?
Ewww, white chocolate. :)
This wasn't a drawback, we've both read Mary Shelley's book and it really drove home the Beast as a sympathetic character.Hmm, I think the Carrion Crown Beast is a lot more sympathetic than the Shelley Beast. The Shelley Beast is a murderer of children and women with a cloud of vengeance over his very soul. Yes it's true that he became evil because of bad treatment by humans and his creator (and had he received love rather than hate he might have turned out all right), but we don't forgive Auren Vrood for his evils just because of his traumatic origin story (cf Broken Moon). Man and Beast are responsible for their own actions no matter the circumstance.
That's what made the Beast of Lepidstadt so sympathetic though. I portrayed the Beast as falling to that level of vengeance but not there yet. Bitter and abused but before the concept of vengeance dawned on him. The PC is playing a CG inquisitor of Calistra and could appreciate the subtle threads of vengeance and how they would and could interact, tempered by that pesky good alignment. The trial became one long personal crusade for vengeance without blood.