In my current game the PCs are making their way to Blackraven Hall so that they can join them. The PCs have already successfully thwarted a witch and saved a Blackraven patrol. When they arrive I figure that they will be put through a series of trials and tests to determine if they are fit to defend their land. According to the sourcebook on the land of the linorm kings the Blackravens will accept nearly anyone but I am still attempting to create challenges for the PCs to partake in.
So far I have:
Archery: A Black Raven must be proficient in ranged attack (of any sort) and prove it
they must hit targets with ranged attacks
Sparring: Not only must a Black Raven be prepared to fight monsters but men as well. They are organized into squads and given blunted swords for melee combat or set up against
Troll fighting: The Black Ravens keep a troll by the name of Skygni in an iron cage below the fortress
and bring him out to fight against the new recruits so they can fight a real troll. The Black Ravens keep it drugged and susceptible to mind affecting effects so that they may force it to fight.
Survival: A black Raven must be able to survive in the harsh conditions of his homeland, they must provide food for themselves as well as be able to track. The black raven recruits will be transported into the wilderness and left there, forced to find food, construct shelter, and track their way to a black raven outpost set up for this challenge.
I like it, but I have one nitpick--I don't like the part about drugging the troll.
I imagine it would be pretty difficult to do, as trolls are supposed to be incredibly hardy (+11 Fort). Even if it is managed, I'm unsure if it could be done reliably--not to mention how expensive it would be.
They are easily manipulated with magic, however (+3 Will), and they are afraid of fire. You could write up an NPC "handler" for the troll--probably a wizard/sorcerer with plenty of fire spells (and of course charm monster).
Alternatively, you could have some magic manacles that might suppress the creature's ego, making it subservient to the Blackravens.
Good point. I like the idea of the manacles. Thanks for the input.
What about endurance? A foot race, trial of pain, or perhaps a good old fashioned drinking contest?
I don't know the sourcebook; do the Blackravens work with animals/nature at all? Perhaps a knowledge check to identify certain plants or animals in the presence of an existing member?
From the little I remember they have to deal w/the fey too; that should mean demonstrating the will necessary to resist their charms. Perhaps some kind of fear or charm-based event to test their resolve.
Finally what alignment is the general feel of the group? If they're basically good or chaotic the victim...I mean applicant, should be tested on their morals.
After all is said and done, don't forget the hazing for new recruits. Snipe hunt anyone?
In my current game the PCs are making their way to Blackraven Hall so that they can join them. The PCs have already successfully thwarted a witch and saved a Blackraven patrol. When they arrive I figure that they will be put through a series of trials and tests to determine if they are fit to defend their land. According to the sourcebook on the land of the linorm kings the Blackravens will accept nearly anyone but I am still attempting to create challenges for the PCs to partake in...
Combine them all. The blackraven initiates, including some NPCs, all go in on a "patrol" down the border of Irrisen as their test. To be a Blackraven, the PCs must survive and impress the Blackravens travelling with them. Now it's more of a real trial by fire test with tension.
On the first day, it's survival-- they need to, with a vague map, get the patrol from point A to point B to point C to point D in the allotted time, which requires survival checks and stuff, if they get lost, minus points, that kind of thing. When they reach like point B, then a test. Each PC must shoot an arrow at an illusory target that one of the Blackravens uses magic to move or something, and during this, they tick off one of the NPCs with them. After, the Blackraven superior matches them up with an NPC each and they spar one-on-one in like a tournament bout with nonlethal damage or something, iron man style, no healing inbetween, that kind of thing. The NPC violates something about the Blackravens by cheating or being a jerk and this lets you teach the PCs a little more about the organization as a whole and maybe characterize some npcs. After, they rest, and you can characterize them more or even have the PCs deal with some cool stuff like maybe some non-evil fey that the Blackravens deal with in an even-handed and fair manner, showing that they're good guys. Maybe a Blackraven you want to be a bad guy is there, and he doesn't like that, so that shows he might be a bad guy, that kind of thing.
The next day they go to fight trolls at point C. They know where a troll warren is, where some troll interlopers from Irrisen have taken a rocky ice cave for themselves, and require that the PCs and NPCs (or just the PCs) clear out the warren. Inside is something that makes the plot move forward. What is it? Why is it valuable to the PCs, but why is it also valuable to the Black Ravens? Were the trolls guarding it, or did they have it nearby without realizing its worth? They head back to Blackraven Hall at point D to be inducted or dismissed after.
And on top of that, you now have the Blackraven superiors as established higher-level mentor characters, perhaps a Blackraven bad-guy to add in later, and a handful of NPCs the PCs might take a liking to or a rivalry with. Now the Blackravens have a bit more depth, too.
You're welcome. I really like the Blackravens (they remind me of the Night's Watch from Song of Ice & Fire / Game of Thrones).
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i picture them as a mini pathfinder society. They may sponcer quests, if it will further their cause. They will accept everyone, but some may be stuck in the archives looking for lost references to flaming weapons or trollbane swords. Maybe they are looking for a way to negate all of the trolls on a battlefield's regeneration at once through magic, think of how many (warrior 1) NPCs that would save! In this light, especially if you have casters... make a few challenges that cater to them as well...
Given a blueprint for a wonderous item. Make it if you can, or somethign that Has a similar effect (hand them the description of a RPG superstar top 32 item without the crafting notes). Supplies will be provided, but anything you make is property of the blackravens.
Find 5 facts on winter witches that your assigned patrol leader doesn't know. You can locate these in the library, or outside of it (allowing barbarians to come back with 5 heads and the witches names to which the heads belong)
for a sneaky type: lock them out and tell them if they can get to the (throne room/mess hall/armory/ect) without being captured they have passed the test. No current Blackraven member may die in this attempt, or the character is instantly rejected.