My group reached the rope bridge at Thistletop at the end of last week's session, but they also suffered a casualty (the Paladin bought it in the fight against Gogmurt) so they chose to retreat back to Sandpoint. Before they left, they cut the rope bridge on the land-side and tossed Gogmurt over the cliff down to the rocks below (he'd been captured and tied up - the CN rogue decided throwing the goblin over the edge would be hilarious).
So my question is - how would you handle the state of Thistletop when the PCs return? Clearly, since it states that the rope bridge is rigged to collapse if too many people are on it at once, the goblins have a way to re-attach the bridge when the find it severed. But given that they will have found the briars cleared out (except for poor Tangletooth, who survived), how would you have the goblins behaving?
I'm also a little fuzzy on the "alarm" that is mentioned many times throughout this section. Several encounters unfold differently depending on whether or not "the alarm" has been raised but without any further details, I'm not sure exactly how that manifests. Do the goblins scream at each other throughout the complex that there is danger? Is there a bell or some other noisemaker somewhere (and if so - where?). And pursuant to the question, above - how long would the goblin "alarm" remain active before they'd decided the danger had passed? A few hours, maybe?
Finally - how would Bruthazmus, Lyrie, Orik, Tsuto (still alive), and Nualia react? I assume Ripnugget would tell someone that there's danger afoot.
Any thoughts?
I used the "alarm" as just being the goblins telling each other that there's danger afoot. Goblins have a short attention span, though, so depending on how long your PCs stay away before returning the effect would probably be minimal. If the "alarm" is currently raised, I'd have the goblins playing cards be on alert instead of distracted and since days have gone past, perhaps have the pickle thieves done with their food coma.
Ripnugget, as I recall, is explicitly written that he expects he and his tribe can handle any problems without bothering Nualia or the others, so I would think that the "alarm" would not extend down to the lower levels under normal circumstances. What constitutes unusual circumstances is, of course, up to your discretion as GM.
First a clarification - when the bridge "trap" is triggered, the bridge does not fall completely from one end or the other, it falls on one side (the wooden planks dangle vertically from ropes still connected to both the island and mainland instead of being held horizontally if you follow.) So the goblins do not have a ready method to re-attach the rope bridge if your players hacked it down from the mainland. Most likely solution: they will need to pull the bridge up, attach another rope to the "mainland" end, hold onto said rope while climbing down from the island, swim across to the mainland and climb up the far side. All the while being alert for the bunyip. Once up on the mainland side, the pull the bridge to them and re-affix to the structure there (assumed to not have been destroyed or removed by the pc's - if so, re-build then re-attach.)
As to how the occupants react, here are some suggestions:
Gogmurt's write-up indicates he warns Ripnugget if he "thinks there's time." This might be stopped if the pc's role-play with Gogmurt but given how he ended up, I'm assuming the pc's were openly hostile. And I'll assume he did warn Ripnugget - if for some reason he didn't it probably doesn't delay the sequence very much.
There's a chance some goblins watched the pc's hack the bridge down - since they were alerted by Gogmurt. If not, an hour or two later someone certainly checks (given they've been "alerted.") As Leedwashere said above, the alert system is simply word of mouth between occupants (except Gogmurt's Animal Messenger.) The goblins know something's up and the bridge is down - Ripnugget hmms and haws unwilling to appear incompetent to Nualia before reporting.
So for 1 day, nothing much changes and if the pc's return, the goblins are more wary (for goblins - Leedwashere's description is good.) If the pc's return that quickly, they find Thistletop much as they left it and they need to figure out how to cross/fix the bridge.
After 2 days, Nualia sends Bruthazmus up to find out if anyone's seen Tsuto or otherwise get an update. When she finds out, she rages a bit and the goblins are "alert" for another day. If the pc's come back at this point you could have some fun having them catch the goblins in the middle of repairing the bridge (Ripnugget picks some goblins he doesn't like - say the pickle thieves - and sends them to brave the bunyip as described above) Bruthazmus and a couple commando's are in a tower and a few warriors are at the island end of the bridge while a couple goblins try to get to the mainland.
Alternatively, Nualia could decide to hunker down. She sends Bruthazmus out to remove the bridge entirely and bring it in and down to the second level. Everyone will stay in the fort until she frees Malfeshnekor. She also would go this route if for some reason the effort to repair fails or the pc's attack and retreat a second time.
In general I would assume the goblins are not explicitly distracted for the next few days - they aren't unconscious from pickle food coma's or playing "kill the bird" games while on watch. This does not mean they are competent guards. Ripnugget's approval rating plunges as low as it could get - Bruthazmus is two-timing him with the females, Gogmurt is dead, he hasn't dealt with the horse and the goblins have lost much opportunity for fun and games and perhaps access to food. Their morale is low unless Bruthazmus or other of Nualia's crew are immediately present. They might turn on their chief at any time. If you wanted to have fun (okay this is my idea of fun) and the pc's return more than 3 days later - they find the goblins engaged in an active civil war perhaps a faction rallies around Bruthazmus and others are loyal to Ripnugget.
Honestly?
I'd have Nualia just leave, depending on how long the players are away. She IS aware of what goes on in her fort (remember, she holds "church" for the Goblins regularly), so if the players are gone for more than a short amount of time (which I assume they will be with a dead party member), the best option open to you is to have Nualia realize that her position may be compromised (especially if she can find out that that the goblins outside have been slaughtered and the bridge cut), and she'd decide that it's better to live to have her revenge another day than just dwell in her dungeon and wait for the attackers to come back in force.
Seriously, just have her leave, and take most of her crew with her. Bruthazmus might stay, but Lyrie and Orik would go, and have her give control of the fort back over to Ripnugget. More, this presents the opportunity for you to do something with the goblins other than just have them hanging around their rooms as the AP describes. They're ready now, Ripnugget (who is quite fond of Nualia) has orders to prove his might and destroy the attackers, which means using all levels of the fort for ambushes, traps, and other inventive goblin creations.
Don't be afraid to have your players work for their end goal, and if they decided to retreat, losing their quarry is a pretty fitting outcome. Plus, it sets up a recurring villain.
Really?
In the OP's original note, the only casualties have been Gogmurt and the Birdcruncher goblins on the mainland. All of Nualia's crew and the Thistletop goblins (including their leader Ripnugget) are still alive. No way she abandons her quest in that situation. Her Goddess gave her a sacred mission and if complete will fulfill her wildest dream (becoming a demon.) A few goblins get killed and she bolts? No way. Indeed you can make an argument - she's winning. A whiny druid and some useless goblins for a paladin? Great trade in her book.
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Yeah, I totally agree with Latrecis. Nualia is incredibly close to realizing her dreams of shedding her celestial heritage for something darker. The steading itself hasn't been breached, and only some goblins have been killed. No way she gives up so easily. If anything, the PCs are on a definite timer now - she knows she has to break through the wall of coins soon, before the meddling adventurers come back.
I'm not sure what "wall of coins" you're referring to? You mean to free Malfeshnekor?
So in the end, the party returned the following day and found the goblins on high-alert. They frontally assaulted the compound (barely managing to avoid triggering the rope-bridge trap) and managed to wipe out the goblins and Ripnugget, though they're quite banged up (and have no healer). They only need to deal with the goblin dogs in the yard (and the horse I suppose) but they're humming and hawing about either resting a full 8 hours in the compound or even leaving all together and resting in town.
Either way, several hours will have gone by. I'm considering how the rest of the crew will behave. Since Tsuto survived and escaped from the Glassworks encounter, I was considering having him head upstairs during the party's rest and find the compound abandoned and perhaps sneak up on a resting party. From there, I think he'd go fetch Orik and Bruthazmus who would likely also grab Lyrie. I'm not sure if they'd tell Nualia right away or not - I tend to think that Bruthazmus is chomping at the bit to get into a scuffle and when he hears Tsuto describe one of the party members as elvish, he'd be pretty gung-ho.
The problem is, I think those 4 NPCs against the party as hurt as it is, spells either TPK or something near to it. So I might just send Orik and Bruthazmus up while Tsuto goes to tell Nualia what's happening and Lyrie gets left to her research or whatever.
If the party decides to go all the way back to town, I will likely have Lyrie and Nualia manage to free Malfeshnekor. Then, the 4 "bodyguards" and Malfeshnekor will likely wait up top for the party to return... or maybe Nualia would send them to Sandpoint to raid now that they've got the power of the barghest behind them?
David Annable wrote: but they're humming and hawing about either resting a full 8 hours in the compound or even leaving all together and resting in town. Say no. There is no good reason why that wouldn't end in a massacre.
Quote:
Either way, several hours will have gone by. I'm considering how the rest of the crew will behave. Since Tsuto survived and escaped from the Glassworks encounter, I was considering having him head upstairs during the party's rest and find the compound abandoned and perhaps sneak up on a resting party. From there, I think he'd go fetch Orik and Bruthazmus who would likely also grab Lyrie. I'm not sure if they'd tell Nualia right away or not - I tend to think that Bruthazmus is chomping at the bit to get into a scuffle and when he hears Tsuto describe one of the party members as elvish, he'd be pretty gung-ho.
Tsuto wants to be near Nualia, he's in love with her. So she may tell him to defend her or kill the pesky intruders, and Bruthazmus might be right up with him. I think Orik would be a defender, protecting Nualia should the group get past the two rather than up front. But if you WANT to hurt them, have him get some swings in.
Quote:
The problem is, I think those 4 NPCs against the party as hurt as it is, spells either TPK or something near to it. So I might just send Orik and Bruthazmus up while Tsuto goes to tell Nualia what's happening and Lyrie gets left to her research or whatever.
I don't advocate enemies "playing dumb" so players can survive a fight. Their goal is to kill, so their plan should reflect that. They know the compound, they know the trap areas and choke points. The enemy party should use their knowledge of the layout to direct the group, flank them, and force them back. Honestly, I would have them pull the group into that choke point that is the little square hallway/room leading into the chapel, with halls leading north and south from it. Yeth Hounds in the chapel, Bruthazmus from the south, and Tsuto/Orik from the North, that would force the players to retreat back into the Tentamort lair, where they would be hit by that monster, and their best escape would be diving through the open wall out into the ocean.
Is it devious? Yes. Will the players be beaten around like ragdolls? Yes. But (in my mind), it's a plan these guys might come up with, ESPECIALLY if they have more than 24 hours of prep-time. ANY TIME an enemy is aware of the party approaching and has prep-time, the results should be disastrous for the group.
Also, if they flee, Nualia can ascend to fiend-hood, and you can use her later.
Quote:
If the party decides to go all the way back to town, I will likely have Lyrie and Nualia manage to free Malfeshnekor. Then, the 4 "bodyguards" and Malfeshnekor will likely wait up top for the party to return... or maybe Nualia would send them to Sandpoint to raid now that they've got the power of the barghest behind them?
Malfeshnekor is raving mad and would kill anyone who came near him, he's not really the one to "team up" with anyone, much less some humans he could eat for breakfast without breaking a sweat.
If the party goes back to town...I don't know man, at that point Nualia should probably just leave. I mean, they killed all the goblins IN THE FORT, which would certainly signal to her that the group is capable of finding her, and very likely to come back with reinforcements. She should book it out of there and finish her ritual somewhere else.
Recent threads in Rise of the Runelords
|
