Hi there,
My players just went into Thistletop after hearing from the attack to the merchants, they followed the goblins tracks until their reached Thistletop, killed the goblins refuges and the goblin dogs as well, however Gogmurt escaped into the isle.
They get into the bridge, and the rogue found the trap there, she stealthed herself into the middle of the bridge and saw Gogmurt and some other goblins waiting for the heroes to advance to activate the trap, they are considering to destroy the bridge and return later with reinforcements after some rest.
How could this affect the encounter in the isle? how long could it take for the goblins to repair the bridge? what would Nualia do in such scenario?
thanks for your suggestions.
Assume the goblins repair the bridge with a day of work (shoot a rope arrow across, haul ropes back and forth, make a new bridge), unless they all get bored or something. Maybe add 1 day for shenigans (they're all eating pickles and wait till someone orders them to rebuild it). They might put up more watchers, or they might assume a seagull accidentally pecked its way through and all go to sleep since they're now safe. Or they might send scouts out to see who destroyed the bridge...
I would probably have Bruthazamus and maybe a few others go out tracking whomever did it, aiming for a night attack. (Bugbear - fear in the night. Orrie - tactically competent). Maybe a goblin scouting party or two goes out (a druid would really be perfect for this).
I tend to assume competent villains reacting to the party's actions. You don't have to do it that way: goblins are mostly incompetent by design (and are afraid enough of Nualia not to venture downstairs if they can avoid it), Nualia is obsessed with the underground levels, everyone else is busy resting or researching or sneaking into the chief's harem. But think a bit about how the different people on the island will react to various threats.
Thistletop really depends a lot on how smart you play the inhabitants -- if Nualia sets up a real alarm system with reliable watchers on the bridge, then lets everyone onto the island and rallies, it's an easy TPK. If Nualia is busy trying to figure out how to free Malfeshnekor and worrying about worshipping Lamashtu to the point of ignoring anything that doesn't actually enter her level of the dungeons, it's a lot easier for the party.
I agree the AP expects you to play it as if Nualia ignores everything on the upper levels until the players come down after her, and I agree that she's likely to ignore the first couple of things unless someone comes down and asks her for help. But I think someone at Thistletop is likely to react if the players attack and then retreat -- it's a much better adventure if the players have to think a bit about things like enemy reaction.
At the same time, I wouldn't want to kill off the players by over-powerful reaction. So let's imagine a scaled reaction from Thistletop:
light probe level (bridge goes down, goblins spot longshanks in the woods) -- a team of goblin scouts goes out. PCs can evade them with minimal precautions, or ambush them if they think about it. Nobody worries if the goblins don't get back for a few days. Nualia ignores the issue.
moderate level (PCs spotted near Thistletop, PCs attack the goblins outside Thistletop, scouts are a week late) -- the druid goes out with his animal companion to try and find out what's going on. Druids in wilderness can be pretty sneaky. He will try and observe the PCs and get back safely, not attacking them unless he sees a chance to take one out without danger. Nualia makes some preparations (a couple more goblin guards with her, yeth hounds are watching the staircase down just in case)
high level (PCs attack Thistletop, druid returns with PCs' plans, druid is a week late getting back) -- Bruthazamus takes some scouts out and goes hunting the PCs, maybe with the druid. Possibly Nualia sends the yeth hounds out to scout at night and try to panic the PCs into flight. (Bruthazamus will have a pair of earplugs, probably not his minions).
very high level (PCs cause significant damage to Thistletop but retreat) -- Nualia forts up, assigning most of her team to help guard the bridge. She's still occupied below but will be ready to drop everything and join the defense if another attack is made. The yeth hounds will be patrolling the skies at night and attack the PCs if they spot them sneaking onto the island or using the bridge.
Exactly, basically that's what i was thinking, players want to retreat for now, since they leave Sandpoint unguarded as they leave "only" to investigate the attack over the merchants.
I think I'll place a bit more goblins in guard for the next two days, if PCs decide to wait more time until the next raid, then return to normal level of alert, with a new group of refuges in the woods, and perhaps a new animal companion for Gogmurt since they killed his cat.
however, if they bring down the bridge, not sure how they will be able to get into the isle later, well i think it will be PCs problem if they decide to walk that path.
thanks for the suggestions.
You could certainly add more goblins (someone else arrives from Nualia's previous recruiting efforts to join the lucky ones), and maybe even a major NPC or two (another goblin chief, a famous goblin bard, a couple of hobgoblins or bugbears or some criminal Orrie recruited, a few Lamashtu cultists...)
Also, I think the goblins would be capable of repairing the bridge, if they want to. It would just be even more rickety and dangerous.