owlbear road trip

[Dingleberry]

My current players are approaching the conclusion of Rivers Run Red. After they're done clearing Hargulka's Stronghold, I expect they'll return to their capital (they're 14 months into kingdom building) and find the destruction caused by the owlbear, then track it back to its lair for the big finale.

Problem is, their capital was built around Oleg's Trading Post, the owlbear lair as written is ~90 miles away, and they've dutifully explored almost the entire map except the bottom two rows. I'm struggling with how to explain how a Huge enraged monster traveled 90 miles (some of which is through developed/settled kingdom territory) to trash the capital and then traveled 90 miles back to its lair - but the kingdom leaders somehow managed to travel all the way back up to the capital (probably through some of the same hexes as the owlbear, given where they're built roads) and only discover or hear about it when they get back tot he capital.

I could move the owlbear lair closer to the capital, but it will beg the question of why they didn't find it during their previous exploration. I could have the owlbear attack a different town, but the only other settlement they currently have in their kingdom is around the Sootscale caverns/silver mine and it's only a few months old, e.g., not very big.

Thoughts/suggestions? Maybe I could I move it off the map to the east - outside the scope of their charter, but I'm sure that wouldn't stop them.

Thanks!

[Indraea]

Maybe have them encounter destruction along the way, signs of a massive creature rampaging through, headed north towards their capital. Then, if they return fast enough, perhaps they can pursue the beast back to its lair, catching it out in the open? The path of destruction left in its wake should make finding its lair trivially easy even after killing it, so it's not like they would necessarily miss out on the treasure there.

[Lord Foul II]

Indraea has how I am planning to do it

[The Mad Comrade]

"They awoke something in the darkness, there in the mines of Kat'zat-Dum. Something not seen in an Age."

Instead of lumbering forth from its lair, one of the ongoing projects in the capitol stumbled across its slumbering form while they were away, rudely waking it from its slumber.

Think of it as a very small kaiju. An owlbear-zilla, if you will.

[Spatula]

Have there be an earthquake that opens up the lair. You might need to change the whole story with the ring and the people who get killed in the cave, but that's pretty easy since it's just something the players discover after the fact.

[The Mad Comrade]

Be wary of clever players charming Owlbearzilla. Lots of entertainment to be had that way to be sure.

"Guilty or innocent?"

"Innocent!"

"Feed him to the Owlbear!"

*platform drops the defendant into the feeding pit*

*Magisters laugh as the defendant is devoured alive*

Bailiff to the next defendant: "It sometimes helps to plead guilty, but not often..."

[Dingleberry]

Thanks for the ideas!

[JohnB]

Personally, I would have the Owlbear start trashing things on the way. Or of there is a closer town - pick on that one first :) Which means that the word is sent out and the owlbear chased away before it does too much damage.

As to why the didn't see the lair while they were exploring that hex? They weren't paying proper attention!

That said - This time around quite a few of my players have played or run kingmaker previously - so I have to change things around - just to keep them on their toes.

If you want to be mean, give it a Troll Guardian (a last survivor from Hargulka's) who has been help guide/goad it to where ever you want it to be

[Lord Foul II]

Good idea on the troll guide

[Belabras]

The Mad Comrade wrote:

Be wary of clever players charming Owlbearzilla. Lots of entertainment to be had that way to be sure.

"Guilty or innocent?"

"Innocent!"

"Feed him to the Owlbear!"

*platform drops the defendant into the feeding pit*

*Magisters laugh as the defendant is devoured alive*

Bailiff to the next defendant: "It sometimes helps to plead guilty, but not often..."

I was very much not expecting that reference in this thread. Bah weep grana weep ninny bon.

[Philip Knowsley]

As to how you want to describe what's happened = up to you...

As for why the players didn't discover it previously...? The world is not a static place. There may have been caves they didn't pay attention to previously, but without inhabitants... There may have been an earthquake opening a cave that previously wasn't open, debris show this to be the case. ...& why not just make it closer to their capital. YOU ARE GOD - make it so! :)