Here's how the module played out so far for my group:
The PCs explored the dungeon below the Witch Tower and found the treasury, Hunclay's body and the kobolds. Ssesserak got away (after going against the PCs, she made up her mind to hope for her tribe's mercy and is destined to be found dead in the kobolds' lair later on).
The PCs have told Lady Devy that kobolds caused the tower's collapse but did not mention Hunclay's demise nor the treasury.
Lady Devy has now tasked them with checking in on the Blood Vow tribe.
So far so good. But for some reason, my players just won't let go of the idea to explore Hunclay's mansion first. I tried several things to lure them away from it for now:
Lady Devy told them not to snoop around a citizen's private property as long as there is no proof of ill behavior.
When they ignored her and entered the building they immediately triggered the trap behind the main door and one of the PCs was severely (strength) damaged by the poison of the trap upstairs. They spent a great deal of resources on restoring at least parts of his strength.
The undertaker living across the street saw them and asked what they were doing. The group posed as officially charged investigators and convinced him to "not let all those rubes know about these super-secret affairs, as they couldn't handle it like a wise man like him".
So I've tried to let them know the hard way that they are getting in over their head by exploring the mansion just now. They are also aware of the fact that they are actively working against the express wishes of the local authority.
I'm afraid we are walking down a slippery slope here with torches and pitchforks or a gravestone engraved with "TPK" at the end.
Any advice how I could steer them away from the mansion and towards the kobolds' lair?
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So I've tried to let them know the hard way that they are getting in over their head by exploring the mansion just now. They are also aware of the fact that they are actively working against the express wishes of the local authority.
I'm afraid we are walking down a slippery slope here with torches and pitchforks or a gravestone engraved with "TPK" at the end.
Any advice how I could steer them away from the mansion and towards the kobolds' lair?
It sounds like you've done about as much as you can do to steer the PCs away from disaster, but they're apparently not a very wise bunch. There's only so much you can do to encourage players to avoid total failure. Frankly, I'd let things play out as they would, given the circumstances. Let the party proceed as they wish, with the subsequent torches and pitchforks. It may be the only way they learn that subtlety, diplomacy and cooperation are tools of the trade as well.
Alternately, you could have the local constables (the more competent Gergis leading them with Lezara Dodgion along for good measure) discover the party's skulking, have them hauled up before the baroness and have her read them the riot act: come clean and do these tasks for me or sit in our lovely jail.
Thanks, Mike, I really appreciate your input. Great Module by the way (so far)! My players are having a blast and it's all laid out very conveniently for the GM.
On your suggestions:
I think that allowing a mob to kick them out of town will most likely end the campaign (at least for these characters). I guess the riot act solution will help to keep the PCs in the plot while still being somewhat believable. I'll think about it, thanks again.
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My party almost went into the manor before dealing with the kobolds as well. However, on a whim they talked to Lady Devy first and went after the kobolds, considering them a greater threat. I was planning on letting the party give the manor a shot if they were determined and let them find out that retreating from a situation is always an option. They realized later that they were lucky not to enter the manor after just achieving 2nd level because one of the three character deaths was to the bear skin rug. The other two were to the Ateperax, who was a seriously brutal fight.
I second the great module, Mike. It was a lot of fun.
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Instead of killing Ssesserak off why don't you have Ssesserak lead an attack on the party as a means of them focusing on the Tribe and seeing them as the greater threat? Or have the kobalds attack a merchant or something to show they are the bigger threat and that the manor will be there when they get back?
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town guards see lights in the windows as they are exploring it at night... they show up and tell them under order of the mayor they are to leave the premises as they have not yet presented any evidence that they are doing anything other than trespassing and thieving. put it on the players to find evidence and have them perform diplomacy checks on the mayor to change her mind when they have proof. end of problem.
Instead of killing Ssesserak off why don't you have Ssesserak lead an attack on the party as a means of them focusing on the Tribe and seeing them as the greater threat? Or have the kobalds attack a merchant or something to show they are the bigger threat and that the manor will be there when they get back?
Now that's something I think I could work with! It would fit Ssesserak to try and redeem herself in the eyes of her tribe by leading a ludicrous assault on Belhaim. Hopefully, that can convince my players that the kobold threat is much more imminent.