Getting the players to Xen'drik - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Getting the players to Xen'drik

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
blackknight1239
Jan 13, 2011 21:27:00 Hey guys, I got a campaign I'm planning that I've run into a little trouble with. Basically, the PCs are part of an expedition to Xen'drik searching for an ancient artifact (not too sure yet, but I might just use the Ashen Crown for convince of it already being written up). I think I got a pretty good scenario down, fought with troubles and Pyhrric victories, but I run into problems getting them there. I think boating them there would be the reasonable thing to do, but how do I keep it exciting, and not just "oh, and some saughin attack. And you're sailing, and you're sailing, and you're sailing, annnnd a kraken attacks!"? I figure something like this would take a session or two to get through, and I'd like to put the idea that even traveling to a place like Xen'drik is going to kick your ass.
#2
tenchi79
Jan 14, 2011 1:10:40 Something one of my old DMs did when playing 3.5 was getting attack by pirates in an airship that hovered in over our standard ship in the middle of a dense fog.

Give that a try, I remember that was really fun and unexpected.
#3
Ogiwan
Jan 14, 2011 8:34:51 Well, if you think you can do it well, the sahaguin attack could kill the experiences helmsmen/lookout/whatever, and require the PCs to make a skill challenge to navigate Shargon's Teeth.

Oh, and did they negotiate with the Sahaguin tribes for safe passage yet?
#4
blackknight1239
Jan 15, 2011 19:18:16 I totally forgot about the Sahuagin tribes! Those will make this considerably more interesting. I think tossing them into some inter-tribal fights should provide at least an interesting encounter or two. As well, the airship idea would work well with my idea for a rival adventuring group, maybe connected to a house. How's this for a rough outline?

-Players get the job
-Soon after, while travelling with their patron, a botched attempt on their life is attempted. Something like a man or two in black trying to hit them with poisoned arrows
-Contacting the sahuagin and preparing the ship
-Smooth sailing, PCs help out, mostly RPing, playing up the eerie-ness of the Thunder Sea being so hospitable
-Air ship pirates attack. Hints that these are the same people as the first attack
-Soon after, they arrive at Shargon's Teeth at night, their guide wanting a break before tackling it. A rival tribe slays the guide, and storms the ship
-Players attempt to navigate Shargon's teeth
-Their ship limps out off the Teeth when they are caught up in a storm. Storm elementals make an appearance.
-The mast is broken in the violent attack, and they land on a small island to make repairs over the course of a few nights. A few missing crewmen prompt (hopefully) the players to discover a tribe of goblins using them as sacrifices
-The ship finally gets to Stormreach

It's really rough, but I'm hoping something like that is interesting enough to feel like it's an actual journey rather than a series of encounters.
#5
ReasonForTreason
Jan 16, 2011 6:47:26 I have a pretty famous german rpg-supplement/adventure/campaing (called "Die Phileasson-Saga) in my collection, that is pretty much all about 80 weeks on a boat with a bunch of pseudo-vikings. I'll browse this later and post some ideas from this source.

In addition: What about the seaweed-monster from "Thieves of Blood"? An endless mass of seaweed, with a strange plant monster in the middle. This would give you the opportunity to combine skill challenge and combat, as the jump and climb from their ship to other stranded vessles, trying to escape the tentacles whipping up all around them!
#6
blackknight1239
Jan 16, 2011 15:14:19
I have a pretty famous german rpg-supplement/adventure/campaing (called "Die Phileasson-Saga) in my collection, that is pretty much all about 80 weeks on a boat with a bunch of pseudo-vikings. I'll browse this later and post some ideas from this source.

In addition: What about the seaweed-monster from "Thieves of Blood"? An endless mass of seaweed, with a strange plant monster in the middle. This would give you the opportunity to combine skill challenge and combat, as the jump and climb from their ship to other stranded vessles, trying to escape the tentacles whipping up all around them!

80 weeks with Vikings? That's either the best or worst thing ever.

As much as I enjoy the idea, we had a very similar (if not the same) event happen to us in the Savage Tide campaign, so it's rather predictable I think.
#7
ReasonForTreason
Jan 16, 2011 16:37:47 The campaign was written in the late 80ties for Das Schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye, if anyone remembers) and often declared one of the best rpg campaigns ever. It's starts as a competition of two captains around the continent of Aventurien, this attracts the attention of certain parties and even gods, and it ends up being a pretty epic journey for the heroes.

I didn't exactly care for it too much, but that was because of the conflicted rules that came with the system and a pretty awful DM who didn't prepare anything and pretty much just read aloud out of the book...

More late.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 blackknight1239 Jan 13, 2011 21:27:00	Hey guys, I got a campaign I'm planning that I've run into a little trouble with. Basically, the PCs are part of an expedition to Xen'drik searching for an ancient artifact (not too sure yet, but I might just use the Ashen Crown for convince of it already being written up). I think I got a pretty good scenario down, fought with troubles and Pyhrric victories, but I run into problems getting them there. I think boating them there would be the reasonable thing to do, but how do I keep it exciting, and not just "oh, and some saughin attack. And you're sailing, and you're sailing, and you're sailing, annnnd a kraken attacks!"? I figure something like this would take a session or two to get through, and I'd like to put the idea that even traveling to a place like Xen'drik is going to kick your ass.
#2 tenchi79 Jan 14, 2011 1:10:40	Something one of my old DMs did when playing 3.5 was getting attack by pirates in an airship that hovered in over our standard ship in the middle of a dense fog. Give that a try, I remember that was really fun and unexpected.
#3 Ogiwan Jan 14, 2011 8:34:51	Well, if you think you can do it well, the sahaguin attack could kill the experiences helmsmen/lookout/whatever, and require the PCs to make a skill challenge to navigate Shargon's Teeth. Oh, and did they negotiate with the Sahaguin tribes for safe passage yet?
#4 blackknight1239 Jan 15, 2011 19:18:16	I totally forgot about the Sahuagin tribes! Those will make this considerably more interesting. I think tossing them into some inter-tribal fights should provide at least an interesting encounter or two. As well, the airship idea would work well with my idea for a rival adventuring group, maybe connected to a house. How's this for a rough outline? -Players get the job -Soon after, while travelling with their patron, a botched attempt on their life is attempted. Something like a man or two in black trying to hit them with poisoned arrows -Contacting the sahuagin and preparing the ship -Smooth sailing, PCs help out, mostly RPing, playing up the eerie-ness of the Thunder Sea being so hospitable -Air ship pirates attack. Hints that these are the same people as the first attack -Soon after, they arrive at Shargon's Teeth at night, their guide wanting a break before tackling it. A rival tribe slays the guide, and storms the ship -Players attempt to navigate Shargon's teeth -Their ship limps out off the Teeth when they are caught up in a storm. Storm elementals make an appearance. -The mast is broken in the violent attack, and they land on a small island to make repairs over the course of a few nights. A few missing crewmen prompt (hopefully) the players to discover a tribe of goblins using them as sacrifices -The ship finally gets to Stormreach It's really rough, but I'm hoping something like that is interesting enough to feel like it's an actual journey rather than a series of encounters.
#5 ReasonForTreason Jan 16, 2011 6:47:26	I have a pretty famous german rpg-supplement/adventure/campaing (called "Die Phileasson-Saga) in my collection, that is pretty much all about 80 weeks on a boat with a bunch of pseudo-vikings. I'll browse this later and post some ideas from this source. In addition: What about the seaweed-monster from "Thieves of Blood"? An endless mass of seaweed, with a strange plant monster in the middle. This would give you the opportunity to combine skill challenge and combat, as the jump and climb from their ship to other stranded vessles, trying to escape the tentacles whipping up all around them!
#6 blackknight1239 Jan 16, 2011 15:14:19	I have a pretty famous german rpg-supplement/adventure/campaing (called "Die Phileasson-Saga) in my collection, that is pretty much all about 80 weeks on a boat with a bunch of pseudo-vikings. I'll browse this later and post some ideas from this source. In addition: What about the seaweed-monster from "Thieves of Blood"? An endless mass of seaweed, with a strange plant monster in the middle. This would give you the opportunity to combine skill challenge and combat, as the jump and climb from their ship to other stranded vessles, trying to escape the tentacles whipping up all around them! 80 weeks with Vikings? That's either the best or worst thing ever. As much as I enjoy the idea, we had a very similar (if not the same) event happen to us in the Savage Tide campaign, so it's rather predictable I think.
#7 ReasonForTreason Jan 16, 2011 16:37:47	The campaign was written in the late 80ties for Das Schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye, if anyone remembers) and often declared one of the best rpg campaigns ever. It's starts as a competition of two captains around the continent of Aventurien, this attracts the attention of certain parties and even gods, and it ends up being a pretty epic journey for the heroes. I didn't exactly care for it too much, but that was because of the conflicted rules that came with the system and a pretty awful DM who didn't prepare anything and pretty much just read aloud out of the book... More late.