Peace with the Lizard Folk

[Viconus]

Unless the players run into the shaman right away, I'm confused as to how they're supposed to figure things out and try a peaceful solution.

Let's say they kill one of the folk in 6c by melee and the worms come out. The other lizard folk might be surprised, but that wouldn't make them stop battle and stare. The players might conceivably offer to help but I don't know why the lizards would take them up on that after they killed a buddy, even if he was infected. It's not like they think the humans might have an explanation or a cure just because they happened to kill it in melee. They can't cure disease because the infected one is already dead.

Also, in the room with the eggs, is there any reason the players would destroy/crack open the supposed black dragon egg? Perhaps the shaman would tell them that Ilthana has been urging aggression against the humans, but still, going into a hatchery and destroying an egg is a bold move. It also seems like you'd have to put lizard folk in the area right after for there to be peace with anyone but the shaman. Otherwise, how would they see players destroying the worms?

Less importantly, the fights with the Lizard folk outside of Blackwall Keep sound tedious. Round after round with the same kind of creature. This doesn't sound like fun, but feel free to disagree with me. I was thinking of steering them to rescuing Marzena asap - the lizard lair is more interesting. (I should note I may be leaving town in 6 months and have been cutting out parts of many adventures to have a chance of finishing).

Perhaps I could have some secret exit and some means of getting to the lair (maybe someone has a map at the keep). This explains why the lair is relatively depopulated - many warriors are still sieging the Keep.

[Phrennzy.]

This may come too late - but I had Marzena at Blackwall keep, and the PCs were tasked with rescuing kidnapped soldiers. She explained that the tribe was normally peaceful, but that the new leader was stridently anti-human. She regularly meets with the shaman, and they exchange gifts, so if the PCs could make their way in without too much damage...

My group stabilized any lizardfolk that fell in combat, and captured a lizardfolk and demanded to be led to their shaman.

Meanwhile, Marzena succumbed to the slow worm that was in the gift of wine from the shaman, becoming the spawn under Blackwall Keep. I had the PCs run a mini game as soldiers faced with her appearance. It was fun for them but only one made it out alive, and the PCs were wary of running downstairs faced with 4 spawn.

[Smarnil le couard]

Well, if the shaman is interested in a peaceful solution (also involving the violent demise of chief Shukak), it makes more sense for him to seek the PCs rather than waiting for them to find him, literally two rooms from the guy he intends to betray (for the greater good ot the tribe).

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out than an attack on the keep WILL result in armed retribution, after all. It's even more easier to figure out if the PCs routed the attackers in the first place.

Also, plan ahead for the eventuality of your PCs freeing Marzena before her lizardmen captors reach their lair. Putting the pinata-lazardman in this group made wonders to motivate my players to investigate further.

Of course, hostages contaminated with a slow worm is a must. Forget the son of Kyuss held in the tunnel, it's plain silly.