Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kalrin 08-21-03, 10:21 PM	Well, I've got a situation on my hands... I'm running a session two weeks from now, and I need to rework how I was planning things, mostly because my party is thinking along different lines then I was. SItuation: The party has been dumped underground due to a Massive Earthquake (Cause Unknown). After running through some seminatural tunnels and climbing up through what was evidently a sewer they have found themselves in a dark alley in a Drow City. Their objective is to get back to the surface (of course). They are planning on sneaking, and I am not quite sure how to "help" them. I.E. making sneaking through the city feasible while still making it challenging. Party (all 1st level): Dwarf Fighter Elf Rogue Elf Wizard All I need is semifeasible Ideas, and I can work the rest of the events/plots and such things myself.... So please, can we come up with some stuff before next Thursday (so I can design/write stuff up the following week). I do have the character sheets so I can answer such questions....
kryus 08-21-03, 10:55 PM	A 1st level party in the drow sewer system? Two surface elves among them? Cruelty thy name is DM. :smirk: You got two thing working for you. Surprise and knowledge of the enemy. Two of the party members are "intelligent" elves. Most likely they were raised on the tales of how bad and devious the Drow are. Translation, they know their enemy. Let them use this to their advantage. They have little else. That said, should the elves be captured, they will be the most cruelly tortured. Given this, death is probably preferable to capture. Make this clear to the PCs early on by having them observe a public torture session. The'll get the message. My suggestion: Step #1 Disguises: Make them look/find a Veil spell on a scroll or have them steal/capture Hats of Disguises. Better yet, a plain jane disguise kit. Make an adventure out of it. Adventure suggestion: One of the houses is planning to steal something from one of the other houses. The thieves are to use the sewer system (where the PCs are) and disguises to accomplish their goal. Unfortunately for the thieves, and fortunately for the PCs, they stumble upon each other in the depth of the sewers. After the fight, the PCs can pick up the equipment and use the disguise kits of the would be thieves. This could lead to some interesting situations. The house that sent the thieves will want to know why they failed. The PCs might stumble into the house they where going to steal from. Step #2 Escaping the City: The PCs are going to have a lot of fun getting out of the City. Official papers will need to be obtained/forged and/or people bribed. The disguises will most likely not stand up to close inspection either given the PC's level. (Assuming anyone of them has the disguise skill to begin with!) Given the low level of the party, they will be forced to roleplay/fastalk if they want to get out of this alive. You have placed them in a deadly situation.
Damren 08-21-03, 11:36 PM	I would certainly play off the quake & use it to your plot advantage. Suppose your seismic event caused problems for the drow as well as the PCs? The city could be in disarray; Drow houses could be using the chaos to move against others, can the group use the conflicts to their advantage or will they be caught in the middle? The slave pens could be in revolt, allies might be found. Some buildings are near collapse. Might they provide "safe" havens as the drow have abandoned them temporarily? An aquatic flow (from an underground river or stream) could be seeping into the city from above causing the first rain in drow history. Could following the water lead to freedom? Monsters are lose in the city having escaped from the drow version of a zoo (training pens?) or are coming through new rifts in the walls of the underdark, If the spell caster can summon, you might bring some unique underdark creature to his aid. Something small, but smart - maybe a friendly spider? The wards binding a potent creature of good have been damaged, it can not escape, but it can call for aid. Would the group help free it in exchange for passage out? In the turmoil one or two of your characters may discover evidence that a kinsman is enslaved or imprisoned by the drow. A decent possible side adventure. The group is captured, but, an drow of devious intent gives them weapons and offers freedom if they slay a certain house noble. Unknown to the party, the house noble is one step above the drow they are dealing with, the weapons are from a rival house, and the drow plans to kill them anyway (ok, they may suspect that). Is this the kind of thing you were thinking of?
Tookigh The Sage 08-21-03, 11:46 PM	Damren I like your idea. The drow comunity could be in temporay chaos so that they don't have time to focus on a few adventurers still not dry behind the ears
kryus 08-22-03, 09:49 AM	:bow: Wow. Good ideas. The city would be in disarray. Drows and slaves looting. Vendettas/Murders would be the norm for a couple of days. (Not that it's any different normally but this would be a chance of a lifetime for some of the low life.)
Kalrin 08-22-03, 02:34 PM	Well :) that was somewhat of my initial Idea :).... I had been planning to have them help touch off a slave uprising (in fact they are actually in an Alley inside the Slave Quarter). The back story behind the Quake is that the Drow in this city are involved in a War against a nearby Duregar City, and as part of the war unleashed the earthquake on a battlefield as they were losing (Underground Nuke idea :)).... Kyrus :) the idea of a Disguise Kit is amazing :).... I will definitly see if I can implement it :)...... As it being deadly, yeah I do that. I believe in well-nigh killing the PC's (but stop short of actually doing it). Plus these guys are kinda new, so a Roleplay situation is something I want at this point :)... Thanks for the Ideas :) can you guys help me with more?... I only have to prepare about 2 hours of material, but the more I can pack into it the better *Grin*
kryus 08-22-03, 04:59 PM	The queen of spiders (Loth?) loves chaos. Perhaps the earthquake backfired because she, or more likely one of the ambitious priestesses, had a hand in it. Maybe even some other creatures had a hand in it. Be they Yuan-ti, Beholder or Dragon. Plans within plans while both sides blame each other and the war is rekindled... - The Duergar will likely mount a final counter attack to finish off the drow once and for all because they have seen the extent to which the drow will go. The PCs could be in the middle of a three way battle between the Drow, the Duergar and the revolting Slaves. The Duergar being ready to commit genocide on all the drow. - Things will degenerate very fast. In the initial days of the earthquake, the drow and slaves will be content in killing and stealing. However, as the conflict drags on, food will become scarce and potable water will become an issue. Everyone will start raiding for these. Disease will start to play a deadly role as well. Drow are not immune to it like they are to magic! - The priestesses of Loth that survive will plan to revive the dead into armies. They will then send them to fight the Duergar, other houses or/and the slaves. In order to do so, they need vast quantities of Black Onyx Gems. Perhaps the PCs can steel them to prevent this from happening. - For dramatic flair, I would title each day when the session starts. example: "Day 1 Post-Earthshatter". Need more?