Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Llathos 11-10-04, 04:35 PM	I've got a campaign in a small town just south of Nuanar's Hold, west of the High Forest near the road between Waterdeep and Silverymoon. Recent lore content has an orc horde gathered in the North. *cough* Salvatore *cough* Basically, the party consists of: A well roleplayed righteous paladin of Tyr. A young and hyperactive monk trained by a wanderer A druid raised and trained by a congregation of druids and rangers in the HF A scruffy human teenager sorceror with great ambition and limited charisma All are level 4 (maybe 5 now). Their backstory has them as childhood orphans of a Zhent/Harper spell duel that spilled into town. They've grown up together and are still young about the age of 16 or so. They work missions mostly locally for the towns guard, town council, etc out of this small town. They just finished clearing a keep (See adventuring module Brightstone Keep) northeast of town and returned. I told them about rumors of a great horde gathering and skirmishes taking place as tribes moved through the HF. There's my hook. As for what to do, I'm unsure. There are many...many many many many orcs involved (yes thousands). Also, in the previous adventure they just did battle with a couple trolls and about 2 dozen orcs or so. What do the current events I'm leading into involve? Trolls and orcs. Ugh. I'd like to mix it up and have some fun regional tie-ins so they feel like they're a part of what's going on. However, the conflict is so large in scale, and the creatures so familiar (and just done), that I'm afraid it will generate a ho-hum factor. Any suggestions for hooks, tie-ins, mini-adventures to contribute to the big picture, etc?
Lashan 11-10-04, 04:49 PM	One thing that I have been working on is detailing different orc tribes. You can make them completely different and each have a personality. Does one usually have barbarians and use large smashing objects (and tactics)? Is there another tribe that is a bit sneaky, has many rangers, and likes to use bows against opponents? Is there a colorful leader of the local gang? An adept with demonic connections? A colorful sorceror orc? Insane orc warlord? Beyond that, you can always make things a bit more interesting then hack and slash. Perhaps the characters need to make a breakout. They need to just escape and not slaughter every orc around them. Maybe they need to save some people. This can be rushing through a horde to get to them, or even running after a small boat with children in it. The boat is headed towards rapids and the children need saving. The orcs are just there as distractions. These are some ideas and I am sure there are 101 more out there. Hope they help.
Llathos 11-10-04, 05:09 PM	Good suggestions. Distinct orc tribes with various specialties (powerful shaman tribe, berserker barbarian tribe, rogue/scout tribe, etc) could make for very different encounters with different flavor. More specifically though, does anyone have thoughts on how a small party of 4 level 5 PCs could have a significant participating role in a regional conflict involving thousands of orcs waging war in the north?
ArnimThayer 11-11-04, 01:18 AM	The source your referring to *Salvatore* also uses Frost giants and a small contingent of Drow *wow, didn't see that coming*. Both are good additions to raise the CR a nock or two. I personally would look for things NOT used in the book. Utilize a tribe of Tanurrukk barbarians as the party gets used to regular orcs, maybe lead my a Tanari sorceror. The source itself is great, and I applaud the idea of allowing the players to feel a part of the story, even if at the fringes of the conflict itself. You could always reward them with a cameo appearance by one or more of the Companions of Mithril Hall, or even a run-in by one of the minor characters like Pwent :D .
Lashan 11-11-04, 09:12 AM	One thing you could do is to have them defend the village. I'm not sure if you have ever seen "The Seven Samauri" (or the americanized Magificent Seven) but you could build an adventure around the same topic. A force of X orcs is out there and you have X number of militia to defend the town. The PCs are in charge and have to come up with a defence. I highly recommend that movie. Besides defence, the heros can act like heros. Perhaps there is a group of children out playing when the attack comes and they need to be found and rescued. The is the possibility of some of the town try to flee south. When the party finds out how large the horde is, though, they learn that these refugees will be slaughtered. They need to ride out and escort them back safely. After a few failed assults, perhaps the orcs turn to seiging the town. The party needs to break out and go for help. They will be harried all the way and won't get much of a chance to stop and rest. Even with support, it will still be a fight to relieve the seige of the town. If the party is sucessful in defending the town, they will draw the attention of the leaders of the horde. An assult force of something bigger will be called in to smash the fiesty resistance the party puts up. Perhaps a few ogres and a giant or two? This is all stuff to do before you throw them into the bigger stuff. That's all I have time for now.
Llathos 11-11-04, 10:05 AM	This forum doesn't move too quickly does it? Thanks for the replies, btw. Some very solid concepts that could prove useful. Since the party is far south of the conflict, they're more likely to intercept orc tribes on the move to heed the calling or encounter the trolls on the move in the Trollmoors. Pwent is kinda pent up in Mithral Hall right now. Without flipping the whole event on its head, it'd be kinda tough for them to get in there.
Lashan 11-11-04, 12:01 PM	I must admit that I haven't read the novels, so I am just shooting off the hip for ideas that can be generic for orc hordes. I also don't have a clue as to what leaders there are of the horde and how the players can attack them. Perhaps they are part of a relief force that is sent north?
Kessalin Talira 11-11-04, 06:08 PM	One thing to keep in mind: It's been mentioned on several occasions that Salvatore stays a couple years behind the Realms timeline. IIRC, it's only been eight, maybe ten years since the Time of Troubles (Seige of Darkness), and it's been what, fourteen as far as the "official" timeline goes? Luruar/the Silver Marches doesn't exist as of "The Two Swords". This horde that's gathering might be Obould's next attempt at creating his empire, and he believes he needs to strike soon, rather than let the Silver Marches consolidate any more than they already have. He might just have the power to do something about it, this time around. I would say that to make him as powerful in-game as he's portrayed being, the Paragon template (I think it's in the SRD) would be appropriate. It would also make him quite the villain. :smirk:
Llathos 11-12-04, 10:56 AM	For purposes of consistency and awe (celebrities are never quite as amazing when you meet them in real life), I do not intend for them to interact with any of the core realms characters. They might get a mission handed down several layers from Bruenor, or run across Tagdar or help defend Nesmé, but they aren't going to be helping Drizzt battle Frost Giants or something. That make sense? So mostly, this thread was about suggestions on how I could have a low level party (4 level 5 characters) brush the significant events of the region while still feeling like they've made a difference, etc. Lashan's suggestions of having them intercept various tribes that are heeding the call (along with suggestions on uniquely handling those tribes so they are more than tribe 1, tribe 2, etc) seems like sound advice. Anything other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
warlockco 11-12-04, 11:22 AM	Possible foes: Hill Giants, Frost Giants, Ogres, Trolls, Orog, Tannarukk, Drow, Orcs, Goblins, Hobgoblins.