In preparation for next week's session I've asked my players what their current goals are. Last session ended with them exploring the [REDACTED] at the very end of book 3. One of my players has mentioned attacking both the church of Asmodeus (I'm fairly certain I know how I'll handle that) as well as the Shadowsquare (church of Zon Kuthon). I'm not sure how I'm going to handle that one yet.
I'm thinking of having some low level clergy in there, possibly put Aluceda Zhol there so they can confront her early. Hopefully she can flee and be confronted later on to build up some anticipation.
Does anyone have suggestions on other things I could do? (Or anyoe that gcan help me flesh out my current idea?) Has anyone else's group attacked the Shadowsquare?
Any ideas where I might be able to find a map I could use?
I have a PC who's got a reform, blasphemous cult of Zon-Kuthon Reform, so I'm having Aluceda Zhol's strike teams aiming to capture and correct the PC be housed in this "closed" embassy.
My hope is to use a South African accent while the defeated Nidalese strike team leader says, "Diplomatic immunity!"
In any case, yes, a map of this joint might be good for my table too.
For maps, I'm thinking to either use the Cathedral Flip Map or The Demon Within (and hope that I can use the adventure for inspiration for what the group will find in the church.)
What kind of foes are you thinking you'll put the group up against?
I have a feeling the players are going to go after it fairly early in book 4 so they'll be either 10th or 11th level.
Inner Sea Temples has a map (and some denizens) for the main church of Zon Kuthon in Nidal... Sure, it's meant to be the main church but hey, the players don't need to know that, right?
Inner Sea Temples has a map (and some denizens) for the main church of Zon Kuthon in Nidal... Sure, it's meant to be the main church but hey, the players don't need to know that, right?
I was actually just about to recommend that one! It's a pretty good map that definitely sells the Kuthite vibe, plus the book includes some characters you might find useful (if not mechanically, then at least thematically). I had been strongly considering using that one for the Shadowsquare if/whenever I ran Hell's Rebels again.
I'm not sure if this would be especially useful for you, but another thing I had contemplated adding was a little hook to suggest that when Aluceda came to Kintargo, she imprisoned the former Nidalese ambassador there. They're comparatively moderate (or at least have no particular love for the Thrunes) and know that Aluceda's romantic involvements would actually be quite scandalous for Nidal. In exchange for freeing him, he agrees to help smooth things over with Nidal after you've effectively killed one of their agents, and possibly provide some support later regarding that one shadowy situation up north in Book 5... (I hadn't fully fleshed this idea out or how I might use it, but I figured having a Nidal hook added some potential options.)
OH! I like that idea, Trichotome! I'm going to edit the map a little (remove the southern portions below the main walls) as otherwise it comes across as a little too big for the amount of worshipers I think would belong in Kintargo. (The temple of Asmodeus being as large as it is makes sense though).
I've moved some of the people around, taken some out completely, replaced one with Aluceda, and added in a few commoners as there should be some worshipers in the temple. I think it will serve as a small group of encounters that won't distract from the main story/won't take up too many resources as it is (kind of) a red-herring* that doesn't have much effect compared to the other things that the PCs could be doing.
I'll have to think on having someone locked up in the temple as that might be too similar to one of the missions that comes almost directly after. I figure Aluceda has been in Kintargo for a long time (longer than Barzillai, likely longer than any of the PCs have been alive) so I may have her more loyal to whoever is in charge and show her to be an actual ambassador from Nidal rather than a full-on bad guy. (The romantic interest angle hasn't been touched on so that's easy to change, and having her loyal to whoever's in charge allows for the PCs to get her on their side. Yeah, I know, she's evil... but perhaps some of her most heinous actions were either to stay on Thrune's good side or she was dominated by Tiarise or something.)
*The only reason I'm adding it in is because one of my players wants to go after both of the evil churches in town. I've only mentioned Aluceda as someone that they've seen go into the Opera House every once in awhile. But they found something in book 3 that made them want to get rid of Aluceda.
Thanks for the sources of maps! I'll take a look.
What kind of foes are you thinking you'll put the group up against?
My current plan is to have several escalating waves of attackers over time. The PC's reform cult kind of went public when it turned over defeated Mahathallah's cultists to the dottari contact they had. After the Thrune gift ceremony, whatever happens there, the PC cult will now be on the radar of Aluceda Zhol. She'll send agents after the cult.
Creepy Team: Soulbound Doll Summoner, with minions like soulbound mannequin, advanced attic whisperer, blood golem , and guardian doll.
SWAT: Whip Magus, leading advanced enslaved vampire spawn and a flesh golem hound
Book 4: the vampire sorcerers wandering encounter
Then he should be primed to take out Aluceda in the Cheliax temple.
I'm not sure if this would be especially useful for you, but another thing I had contemplated adding was a little hook to suggest that when Aluceda came to Kintargo, she imprisoned the former Nidalese ambassador there. They're comparatively moderate (or at least have no particular love for the Thrunes) and know that Aluceda's romantic involvements would actually be quite scandalous for Nidal. In exchange for freeing him, he agrees to help smooth things over with Nidal after you've effectively killed one of their agents, and possibly provide some support later regarding that one shadowy situation up north in Book 5... (I hadn't fully fleshed this idea out or how I might use it, but I figured having a Nidal hook added some potential options.)
That's a good idea. One of the things that this particular plot line has needed was a hook back in to the SR, as the PC hasn't been good about it, just being secretive.
In my campaign the players have also expressed interest in ransacking the Shadowsquare. Due to a misunderstanding on my part, I assumed the Nidalese embassy was the Shadowsquare. Thus I told the PC's it was apparently abandoned. By the time I realized the error it was too late to correct so I rolled with it.
I decided that the Shadowsquare wasn't truly abandoned but being used as a base of operations by Aluceda and her Nidalese minions. In particular, there's a portal to the shadow plane in the heart of the temple being used to transport covert reinforcements which the PC's can discover. I'm using Jilia Bainilus (vampire form) as the final boss of the Shadowsquare. Assuming the PC's defeat her there they won't have to fight her in the Opera House.
My current plan is to have several escalating waves of attackers over time....
That sounds pretty awesome! Nice lead up to Aluceda and it makes it so they're at least not surprised by her.
I decided that the Shadowsquare wasn't truly abandoned but being used as a base of operations by Aluceda and her Nidalese minions. In particular, there's a portal to the shadow plane in the heart of the temple being used to transport covert reinforcements which the PC's can discover. I'm using Jilia Bainilus (vampire form) as the final boss of the Shadowsquare. Assuming the PC's defeat her there they won't have to fight her in the Opera House.
Good cover! I ended up to leave her out of the Opera House fight as it was much too close to a TPK for my comfort.
Are you going to use the Terapasillion again later on in the books, remove that mission, or put it somewhere else?
There's a good map for this in Inner Sea Temples