My players have now finished most of the missions on the Isle of Dread which belong to TOD. Before salvaging the Sea Wyvern, they want to visit some other locations, e.g. Rivenskull Cave.
I have some ideas for Rivenskull Cave, but more ideas are welcome.
For the Olman cannibals I plan to use the neanderthals from Frostburn and adapt them to the tropical setting. I wanted to give them some tamed dinosaurs or terror birds to ride on. Before the group arrives at the cave, they meet patrols riding on terror birds.
The cannibals probably have captured a dinosaur in their caves (not a T-rex again, but e.g. a triceratops or another dino, which is very angry because of its captivity and mistreatment). It might be in a large bamboo cage.
I also wanted to add an idol with two heads in the village, vaguely resembling Demogorgon. Then the usual heads on stakes, etc.
What I need is battle tactics for the cannibals (which can be cunning, but not too complex, since they are savage and primitive) and some (primitive) traps. E.g. nets, pits, wooden stakes, etc. But preferably somewhat nastier.
They might have poisoned spears or darts as well, or use things such as wasp or hornet nests in their traps.
Here are some ideas.
1) Ambush: The road to the village could go through a gorge with high cliffs on each side. Have natives with bows and arrows and javelins all along the side of this. When the PCs are half way through, roll logs to block both ends of the passageway, and then have the natives shoot arrows down, lob rocks down, roll boulders and logs down etc...
2) Building the natives: It's almost certain that the natives will be less powerful individually than any of the PCs. That said, make them all rogues/barbarians with a bit of fighter mixed in so that they can give the party a nasty fright. Have a few assorted casters in there too, the weaker ones to buff allies, and the stronger ones to perhaps be a threat on their own.
3) Native tactics generally: The natives will almost certainly be weaker than the PCs. Have them all use vantage points like tree tops, rock ledges, and the far sides of hazardous swamps to rain death on the PCs. They should always be shooting from cover, and where possible they should have height advantage and the advantage of surprise for maximum sneak attack efficacy. Consider having one that is really good at sneaking sneak into the camp at night to nick stuff. Combat oriented natives should ideally be built as chargers, so spirit lion totem barbarian is a must. It's unlikely that these fellows will survive one round in combat with a PC, so they need to have all of their impact at the start of the battle, so power attack, leap attack, improved bullrush and shock trooper are must-haves.
4) Tactics with dinosaurs and other monsters: Have dinos stampede and rampage, send fleshrakers at casters, triceratopses and tyrannosauri at the more melee capable ones. Perhaps one or more of the village elders could be an orlath in disguise. He can send one retriever at the PCs each day to support an ambush, and when confronted, he'll have some suitable retriever to protect himself. Perhaps he could disguise himself as a defenceless elderly woman, and open relations with the party by having his retriever disintegrate the wizard and have himself disintegrate the rogue, that would set the party on edge.
5) Psychic poisons: Psions can really confuse the PCs, and psionic poisons more than most. Have some Lanshita (2d6 cha/2d6 cha) on some kind of obvious malign magical device or some other thing that is going to get spells hurled at it, and then watch as the wizard blasts himself into a coma.
6) General poisons: These are always good to use, as even a lowly graze can lay a PC low. They will roll a one at some point, so coat every weapon with as many poisons as you care to.
7) Trapped offerings: On the side of the cave, have some alcoves with gold and silver offerings in them. When a PC goes to grab them, have something within the cave ensnare his hand, or better yet, have his entire arm stabbed by hundreds of tiny spikes with enough colossal spider, colossal scorpion and colossal centipede venom to fell even an ogre. Even if the PC survives, his arm is impaled with spikes that will do a lot of damage if he tries to remove it. And the gold is naturally just iron pyrite.
8) Giant punjee pit room: Have a large, empty room which is in reality a thin rock bridge across a large punjee pit which would make the tomb of horrors embarrassed.
9) Idol trap: Have a giant, ancient Olman idol of some god like Zotzilaha in the centre of a room or clearing. The statue should either itself be made of some precious material, or else carry a magical, flaming sword. If the PCs try and grab the sword, then they are whisked up in a net. On top of this, the sword itself burns the flesh to touch. If that wasn't enough, then the gems on the hilt of the sword are actually scarabs of death.
In summary: Use poison, use cover, use spellcasters (magic weapon is a must-cast on ranged weapons before an encounter to overcome any pesky damage reduction), and use fiendish traps.
Good ideas!
I now see the cannibals standing at the top of the cliff, and pushing down boulders when the PCs walk through the ravine. They can damage the PCs with the boulders or block the exit and then rain down (poisoned) arrows on them.
Not all of the PCs can fly, but some of them can. But if they use fly, they will be forced to split up.
I like the idol. Perhaps I make it a mix of an Olman god and Demogorgon (a two-headed Zotzilaha?).
For classes I am going to use barbarians, perhaps rogues and scouts, rangers and druids (and variants of these classes). Perhaps one or two sorcerers. The low-level cannibals will probably be warriors.
Good ideas!
I now see the cannibals standing at the top of the cliff, and pushing down boulders when the PCs walk through the ravine. They can damage the PCs with the boulders or block the exit and then rain down (poisoned) arrows on them.
Not all of the PCs can fly, but some of them can. But if they use fly, they will be forced to split up.
I like the idol. Perhaps I make it a mix of an Olman god and Demogorgon (a two-headed Zotzilaha?).
For classes I am going to use barbarians, perhaps rogues and scouts, rangers and druids (and variants of these classes). Perhaps one or two sorcerers. The low-level cannibals will probably be warriors.
Just because they are primitives, does not mean they don't use tactics. Consider our own ancestors hunting huge animals with sharpened sticks (no worked metal at all), or look at hyena, lions, wolves and other pack hunters. These critters instinctively understand things like flanking, combat communications and separating the prey (enemy) from the herd (party). Ancient primitive peoples learned and adapted tactics from watching other predators at work, so don't be shy about playing your cannibals tactically.
Also, this is a good opportunity to use some unusual classes or PrCs, like the Spirit Shaman from Complete Adv. or the Shaman from the OA book, or something else equally fun.
If you have Torrents of Dread, you could cull the Zombie Master from there, modify it to suit your needs and bring some undead into it, or just adapt the Zombie Master as you see fit.
In addition to the suggestion of Spirit Shaman, I'm going to suggest Warlock. If the tribe reveres Demogorgon (even by a different name) there's a chance someone there is picking up fell power from him or his lackeys. Slipping a few warlocks in gives the tribe some sniping power, just be careful as they can do a lot of damage quickly. Should only be a handful of these guys max.
Another good idea might be Totemist from the Incarnum book. The Olmans already revere beasts of power, Totemists draw their special abilities from the same. Plus, they have freak factor, which is always awesome.
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Good ideas! I'd throw Dragon Shamans and Spellthieves into the mix, and possibly Duskblades too. Great fun as baddies, all of them. And ninjas! With different fluff.
"Touch magic necklace of totem-beast teeth" = Ghost Step
Duskblade channeling, takes on the form of the totem animal
Spellthief sneaks and steals three or four spells from the party wizard : wizard feels totembeast in their frikkin MIND!!!
Nice monsters? Shadowy Triceratops Skeletons from What Lies In Dust, summoned from teeth, are awesome! (I speak from experience)
In fact any necromantic teeth that skeletons grow from are awesome :-)
Nice monsters? Shadowy Triceratops Skeletons from What Lies In Dust, summoned from teeth, are awesome! (I speak from experience)
In fact any necromantic teeth that skeletons grow from are awesome :-)
*steals*
I have already played Torrents of dread with my group. However, that does not mean they cannot have a corrupted zombie cult (which means an even worse zombie cult than in Mora, with more powerful undead, probably infused with powers from the abyss because of the mist).
And of course the primitives use tactics. But I guess they have traps based on wood and stone (and poison) and no intricate trap mechanisms with gears and pulleys, etc.
I would like this to have a pulp literature and B movies atmosphere. Some of my players are huge fans of both genres (especially the B movies). That's why I want to let them ride on dinos and exaggerate things a bit.
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I would like this to have a pulp literature and B movies atmosphere. Some of my players are huge fans of both genres (especially the B movies). That's why I want to let them ride on dinos and exaggerate things a bit.
The zombie masters and a triceratops is pulpy goodness.
Bit of Tarzan's yell with mobs of critters coming to his aid.A mostly naked victim tied up for sacrifice (not to be sexist, just thinking of all those pulp fiction covers. :)
You have heard it before, more savage creatures.
A mostly naked victim tied up for sacrifice (not to be sexist, just thinking of all those pulp fiction covers. :)
Yeah, pity that the group does not have any female NPCs with them (or handsome male NPCs for that matter). The closest I came to this scene was a phanaton being prepared for the cooking pot. Not really very impressive (and not enough meat for the cannibals) :-)
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Have them just starting to boil a mermaid, hanging from beams hammered into stalactites with her tail in the pot. Describe her as Daryl Hannah and they'll rush to the rescue! Have the smell make them hungry.
(Nice logistical problem afterwards - can't keep her out of the water... can't leave her in the cooking pot.)
Well, I have already solved this problem. I have two Olman lovers who have run away from Mora. They were not supposed to marry, being from different clans. The lovers are captured by the cannibals, and the boy is languishing in a dark prison cave, while the (half-naked) girl is being bound to a spit in order to be roasted at the moment the group comes in (and of course she is screaming her lungs out). This is in the same cave where there is a corrupted Zotzilaha statue with two heads, Olman dancing around it.
I like the mermaid, however. Perhaps at a later date :-)