My party just finished Edge of Anarchy and are starting on the downtime before 7 Days starts up. One of the things my party really liked was the Shingles Chase, except they managed to catch Trinia with only a couple turns (damn Sleep spell. I even followed someone's suggestion of it making her fall down a slope, take damage, and wake up next turn). They were disappointed it ended so quickly. Outside the game, one of the players suggested I retool it as a race, and thought... that's perfect!
So signs are starting to go up; In a few days, the Twenty-first Annual Shingles Race is occurring! It's a contest for rough and tumble types to get some fame and a decent pot of winnings. They start on the outskirts of the ward in various places, and have to race to the center. You're allowed to do anything within the law to win (and considering the types of people who live here, the rules is more "don't get caught")
Rumours say Queen Ileosa is on record saying it's a barbaric game, furthering the lower class's dislike for her. They also say that Blackjack famously won the first race, which was apparently supposed to be a one-off thing.
It's an opportunity for the PCs to get to know the lower class public, see more of the town, and hopefully form a stronger bond to Korvosa and just have some fun before 7 Days starts.
SO~ I wanted to ask the forums, does anybody have any ideas on extra flavour I can inject here? I don't really know what wards have the shingles, but I know that ward map post just ressurected, and I'm planning on using it for a visual for the PCs. Also, are there any NPCs who might show up later in the campaign that could be previewed here as competitors? My party didn't kill or turn in any of Gaedren's thugs, so Giggles is going to make a return.
Since this happens before Zellara's second harrow reading, and the players still have a couple Dex Points remaining, I made the DCs in the shingles focus on Dex skills mostly. I read through a bunch of chase threads for inspiration, and conglomerated them into this fifteen card list.
1. There's a shortcut on higher rooftops (a: Acrobatics/Jump Up DC 15, b: Climb DC 10)
2. Jump between two rooftops or climb around them, and pass through some narrow chimneys (a: Acrobatics/Jump Over DC 15 or Climb DC20, b: Escape DC 10)
3. A bakery chimney spewing clouds of soot, a narrow ledge (a: Perception DC 10, b: Acrobatics/Balance DC 20)
4. Thin passageway packed with people (any two of Diplomacy DC 15, Intimidate DC 10, Climb DC 20)
5. Hidden shortcut, walled off area (a: Perception DC 15 or Know(Local) DC 10 b: Climb DC 15)
6. Rooftop gardens filled with brambles (any two of Acrobatics/Tumble DC 20, Reflex DC 15, or Know(Nature) DC 10)
7. Nest of angry pseudodragons, jump into an open water tower (a:Know(Planes) DC 10, b: Swim DC 15)
8. Laundry line and hidden passage (a: Acrobatics DC 10 to catch line, then Reflex DC 10 to land on a rooftop, b: Perception DC 10)
9. Passing a tannery with a cloud of gasses, cluttered rooftops on a slant (a: Fortitude DC 15 and you smell gross, b: Acrobatics DC 15)
10. Shortcut behind a jammed locked fence (a: Disable Device DC 10 or Strength/Break DC 20 to get through fence, b: climb DC 15)
11. Sleeping guard dogs, large fence. (a: Handle Animal DC 10 or Stealth DC 15, b: Acrobatics/Jump Up DC 15 or Climb DC 10)
12. A couple thugs who don't know about the race, and some shingles signposts describing passageways (a:Intimidate DC 15, b:Know(Local) DC 10)
13. Very steep rooftop with crumbling edges (a: Climb DC 10, b: Acrobatics DC 20)
14. Narrow gap in walls, passing by nest of imps (a: Escape Artist 15, b: Know(Planes) DC 10 or Stealth DC 15)
Reaching card 15 finishes the race.
Throughout, the players will see the occasional other racer, but must specifically state they're trying to reach them to encounter them (they must make one or more of the checks for that card, but move one less than they would normally. They then can make a standard action).
Additionally, once around the middle, Giggles is going to try and backstab one of the PCs, bull rushing him off the edge.
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Hello, here are the legs of the rooftop chase I used in my campaign. My favorite is hitching a ride on the vane of a windmill.
TRINIA’S APARTMENT…START
RICKETY TENEMENT ROOF…
…avoid loose tiles (Acrobatics DC 17)
…find a safe route (Perception DC 20)
NARROW ALLEYWAY GAP…
…make the leap down to church roof (10’ Jump DC 15)
…climb down to a ledge that offers a smaller gap (Climb DC 9)
CHURCH OF ABADAR ROOFTOP…
…over the peak of the roof (Climb 11)
…knock down a wooden partition to avoid the peak (Strength 15)
SCAFFOLDING ON A WALL (TRINIA START)…
…clamber up the scaffold (Climb DC 13)*
…jump and pull yourself up (5’ Jump DC 20)*
MORE SCAFFOLDING ON A WALL…
…more climbing (Climb DC 13)*
…squeeze through a hole in the wall to a hidden set of steps (Escape Artist DC 25)
BEHIND TWITCHER’S TAVERN...
…climb through an open window (Climb DC 13)*
…kick down the backdoor (Break DC 18, allows others in as well)
TAVERN BREWERY…
…push your way through the brewers (Overrun DC 14)*
…tumble past the brewers (Acrobatics DC 19)*
PESH DEN…
…find a way through the haze (Perception DC 8)*
…ask for help (Intimidate DC 12)
WIDE STREET CROSSING…
…take a running jump (24’ Jump DC 24)*
…operate a homemade drawbridge (Engineering DC 16, allows others to cross as well)
ORPHANAGE ROOF DUMP…
…navigate through piles of old toys and trash (Acrobatics DC 18)*
…squeeze between a pair of sooty chimneys (Escape Artist DC 25)
ORPHANAGE STIRGE COLONY…
…avoid the blood suckers (Acrobatics DC 21)*
…flush the storm (Intimidate DC 14, clears way for others as well)
NARROW LEDGE AROUND WINDMILL…
…balance on the ledge (Acrobatics DC 20)
…catch a ride on the windmill (Reflex DC 15)*
WASHERWOMAN’S MAZE OF LAUNDRY…
…spot a way out (Perception DC 16)*
…figure a way out (Intelligence DC 14)
COLLAPSED ROOF…
…work your way down to the temple roof (Climb DC 10)
…jump down to the roof (10’ Jump DC 15)*
CAYDEN CAILEAN HOLY BEERGARDEN…END
Oh man, I wish I had some of that beforehand.
My group ran the Shingles race yesterday. I thought for sure the rogue and monk would blast their way through, but the sorceress got all good rolls and never had an issue with moving two squares. I even threw an NPC at her when she was 5 squares ahead of everyone, who tried to bull rush her off, but he missed and she just kept running...
I like how you worked a knowledge skill into one of the challenges.
My group's wizard also did best in this chase. He's a teleportationist and just teleported through some of the tougher parts.
I also added a third party assassin that was trying to kill Trinia before the PCs could capture her. This made for an exciting three-way chase scene and gave the slow fighter something to fight as his allies raced ahead.
Ohh, that's a cool idea. My paladin was getting frustrated with the chase, because he was in full plate by this time. Putting him in a fight would've been perfect.