OK so I'm running a converted version of the module Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, and the players have run into a problem. If you are familiar with the module, you know that there is a lot of moving parts that go on behind the scenes. For example:
The rest of the clerics in the town do not know that the expedition group is trapped.
So the players decide in town to investigate the moathouse, and along the way they get trailed by Chatrilon, ally of the clerics. Chatrilon tried to join the party at the beginning but was turned down. When Big Blue showed up and nearly wiped the party, Chatrilon saw it and realized what was happening. As the party retreated he offered his services again, which they refused (again) and decided to find adventure elsewhere.
So here's the problem:
So what I need now is some ideas for alternative directions to take this. I don't want the clerics escaping the dungeon. I want them there for the PC's to fight and to provide clues on where to head next. The best I can come up with is:
Any alternate ideas?
I don't recall the distances involved. Will it take Chatrilon longer to get to town, maybe his allies need a day to prep the right spells, then all of them trek to where Bib Blue is - can the PCs regroup, rest, and reattack Big Blue sooner than that?
Maybe Chatrilon doesn't go back to town right away. Maybe he tries to scout out Big Blue's lair first, maybe trying to ascertain if the people he's looking for are still alive or if there's no need to attempt a rescue at all. This could add a day or two of scouting to really figure out what's happened before he tries to return to town.
If not, what about random delays? Maybe Chatrilon doesn't get to town right away. Poor guy has a random encounter and ends up injured (broken leg?) or even dead.
Maybe the PCs even find him on their way back to town.
Maybe someone else was trailing Chatrilon and this NPC has some interesting news for the party about Chatrilon and his motives and his allies.
Spreading the word of a blue dragon nesting so close to the town should rile the pcs without involving the other evil clerics. Sense motive confirms that this is true, but there is more to the tale left untold. The village council will desparatly seek the PCs to take action providing the much needed supplies to confront this threat.
Perhaps the fight between the clerics and the dragon can go ahead and happen. This leaves some options.
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The PCs arrive some time later and find the place completely cleared out. All that is left is the worthless parts of a dragon and a dead cleric buried under some rubble. He has a journal he had been writing during his captivity, perhaps hinting at where he wants to be (so the PCs can follow). Alternatively, casting speak w/ dead on the cleric (or dragon? does it work on a dragon, I forget) to get the required info.
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A group of the clerics are there cleaning up after the fight, dissecting the dragon for valuable parts and in the process of collecting any treasure that may be there. The PCs discover them and fight as normal.
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Perhaps the dragon wins the fight? The clerics have to retreat and regroup, giving the PCs a chance to defeat the (perhaps weakened?) dragon and then fight the captured clerics as originally planned.
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I like your idea as well, but here are some other ideas. Hope they are helpful.
I don't recall the distances involved. Will it take Chatrilon longer to get to town, maybe his allies need a day to prep the right spells, then all of them trek to where Bib Blue is - can the PCs regroup, rest, and reattack Big Blue sooner than that?
The moathouse is only about 15 miles outside of town. After the battle with Big Blue the party went to their alternate adventure location, the temple which is about 2 1/2 days travel.
Maybe Chatrilon doesn't go back to town right away. Maybe he tries to scout out Big Blue's lair first, maybe trying to ascertain if the people he's looking for are still alive or if there's no need to attempt a rescue at all. This could add a day or two of scouting to really figure out what's happened before he tries to return to town.
He might do this, causing enough delay for the PC's to get back into the picture.
If not, what about random delays? Maybe Chatrilon doesn't get to town right away. Poor guy has a random encounter and ends up injured (broken leg?) or even dead.
He is too high level to be threatened by most things in the area minus the dragon(he is level 7)
Spreading the word of a blue dragon nesting so close to the town should rile the pcs without involving the other evil clerics. Sense motive confirms that this is true, but there is more to the tale left untold. The village council will desparatly seek the PCs to take action providing the much needed supplies to confront this threat.
The PC's haven't even returned to town. They ran in, got almost eaten by the dragon, screamed LOL NOPE and decided that XP would be easier to get at the temple, 3 days north of the moathouse. So they didn't eve bother to warn the town. There was one other NPC that knew about the dragon, a trapper named Ol' Del, but he was promply murdered by Chaz to keep attention off of the moathouse. so yea, the town doesn't know yet, as the dragon hasn't been in the area for about a week or so.
Thanks for the thoughts so far.
Alternate idea:
The PCs go back to town, they tell everyone there is a blue dragon in the moathouse. The village helps them out with some items to help fight the dragon this time around. When the PCs return the dragon has been killed by the clerics. The dragons corpse and clerics corpse litter the area. It is clear something happened. Then they use Speak with Dead to find out what happened. PCs return to village, report what happened, and the villagers ask for their coveted dragon killing items back.
Alternatively, perhaps if the dragon is very clearly outpowered by the clerics, he leaves before they can kill him. Dragons don't typically fight to the death if they can help it. Burning for revenge on the specific humans who wounded him and took his stuff, he seeks out allies who will be motivated to help him kill them (and regain his stuff). So the party could conceivably have a relatively powerful ally, even if the alliance is time-limited and risky.
Your idea of having the PC's arrive in the middle of a pitched battle is pretty fun and exciting for players. It means a lot of GMing on the fly depending on how the PCs react to that though.
So other ideas.
If the clerics are gone, leave behind some clues as to the clerics agenda that the players can piece together with a few skill checks. Maybe make the whole thing feel like a cool crime scene and they have to piece together the events. CSI Pathfinder anyone?
Maybe the dragon doesn't lose. Maybe he has an ace up his sleeve (a one use magic item or something) and defeats the clerics trying to free their friends. Whats even cooler is the PCs could witness this and it could make them even more scared of the dragon and thus making it even more memorable when they eventually have to fight him. (they don't have to know it was a one use item ;) )
Chatrilon could blackmail or somehow coerce the PCs into helping him ASAP. Bit of a stretch maybe...
Maybe the trapped clerics still need to search for something at the moathouse. So despite the fact hey've been freed they are still there searching since they couldn't while the dragon was there.