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Ideas for ongoing bad guy

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Phobos
Jul 26, 2011 9:58:24 4 characters: 2 weapon shifter ranger, halfling templar (Gallahandra), human paladin (Deneith), worforged fighter all at level 10

It was just a simple adventure, we hadn't gamed in a while so I grabbed the WotC Company of the Griffon adventure. I connected the Deneith Paladin with the Dwarf (Dourgutt?) as old business friends, the Paladin had recommended the Company on numerous mercenary requests before, so they were on good terms if not marginal friends.

We ran the adventure. The Dwarf had originally sent some of his men in, but they failed to return. Now time was tight, the party had less than 8 hrs to get in and find the scrolls. He used connections to get them teleported one way to the entrance, he had a sending stone he gave them to signal when they were done, he'd use Company resources to extract them.

The adventure went perfect, they had a blast, but I threw in a twist all last minute, and here is where I got intro trouble.

When they used the stone to signal the Dwarf, I instead decided to port the dwarf in with a handful of minions. I really didn't expect it to go too far, they fought, the Dwarf did a great job, the players were hooked in the cool story, the minions dead and the death blow fell.... the Paladin struck home and called out.... "non lethal damage".

Um, OK.

My players opted to bind and revive the dwarf, interrogate him for information. I made it up, the stranger, the job, the contract. Dwarf was in danger, no one to turn to, his life on line, a vision of a very powerful force behind the job, but not something he'd seen in person, evil, scary, eeek!

Turns out the Dwarf got himself into trouble. He took a mission he shouldn't have and the contract was a ruse, it bound him to more than just the job. His life depended on the scrolls being delivered and his "clean up" of anyone that knew. It wasn't simply a choice to betray the Paladin, it was a strong urge, not his own.

So now they want to take him to Sharn and Morgrave University, have the scrolls examined for what they are, some history as to who might want them, and try to protect the Dwarf and get him out of this.

I admit, I'm impressed. The Paladin's reasoning... he's a friend, and it's what I do. The rest of the group agreed 100%.

So, while I have a week to ponder and think on this, I'm looking for any ideas as to what is behind the actual contract. A devil seems a bit too "expected". Hell I don't even know what the scrolls do yet, so I have that as well.

So, random ideas anyone??
#2
Gilo
Jul 26, 2011 12:41:42 I’ll tie it all to the Dreaming Dark infiltration of the Deneith enclave in Sharn:

(as in: Sharn City of Towers page: 114 and
also this thread community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...)

The PCs are going to Sharn, The Paladin is of house Deneith, The Dwarf story sounds like a mind-seed / psionic suggestion.

As for the scrolls – one approach is that they are just a Red Herring as the DD agents wanted the Paladin dead or out of the way. was the Paladin in Sharn at the start of the adventure?

edit:
The paladins ability to detect evil could be the main reason why the Dreaming Dark wants him away from the enclave.
#3
Fenris13
Jul 26, 2011 23:53:35 One comment and one query:

I think its extremely cool that you group surprised you in a phenominally cool way.

Where is that adventure from? Id really like to see it but I cant seem to find it anywhere.
#4
Phobos
Jul 27, 2011 8:46:25 @Gilo, This is a cool idea, I will need to do some reading on it. Its complex (not bad) in that the DD is secret and subtle, but still a great way for me to toss in hints now and then. Thanks!

@Fenris13, it is one of the Delve adventurers, here is some info. This I think is a year old or more.

D&D Delve: Company of the Griffon (Lvl 10) (D&D 4e)
Company of the Griffon is an adventure designed for 10th-level player characters (PCs), and is part of the D&D Delve Night kit. The adventure takes place in an ancient ruin. A respected lieutenant of the mercenary guild, The Company of the Griffon, has engaged your services on a dangerous yet profitable mission.
#5
Fenris13
Jul 28, 2011 15:37:36 Thanks, it definitely sounds interesting, as Im curringly running a Last War military campaign. (My poor players are new to Eberron and have no idea the Queen and country they fight for is going to be wiped off the map in 5-6 years...)

Ill have to see if I can find that and mine it for ideas...
#6
Phobos
Aug 02, 2011 10:59:41 Ran this and the adventure went great. (see link for the adventure I ended up running next)

community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...

I did a LOT of replacing in the adventure to fit my "dream-state" world. The child was a 40 year younger version of the Dwarf, same purple birthmark on its face as Dourgutt. My players missed the connection, but noticed the mark. Later when they realize that the dwarf is mumbling the same things the dwarf child screams, they connected the dots. When the battle ensues, I use a thougthstealer.

The 4 figures eating the body were only apparitions. They jump up and charge the players, +10 attack vs Will. Those that saved saw their apparition vanish, those who failed took 3d8 psychic damage and a -2 to all defenses for the next encounter due to fear. The apparitions were mutilated versions of their own bodies.

I used intellect devourer figures for the train top, electrical section. The spires on the train looked like a spine with nerve sequences as the lighting fired off and ran down the train, shocking a random (1d8 location) 3x3 roof area as it did. They picked up on that.

I was surprised, but not disappointed to see that a DC 26 arcana check was reached to learn the true nature of the Quori creature before them. They drop into the conductor car (no prophecy marks) to instead land on a very soft, wet, bumpy and often hindering pink surface that made movement like quicksand. Yes, the surface of a brain.

They defeated the Quori, and awake in their seats but the dwarf never awoke, instead stuck in a catatonic state. When they arrived in Sharn (our Paladin opted not to contact the Deneith enclave in advance) they are greeted by 2 Company of the Griffon ranking members and 4 Deneith guards. Rumor is out they have kidnapped the dwarf, and walking off the lightning rail with him in a catatonic state, does not bode well.

We stopped here as a suspense ending.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Phobos Jul 26, 2011 9:58:24	4 characters: 2 weapon shifter ranger, halfling templar (Gallahandra), human paladin (Deneith), worforged fighter all at level 10 It was just a simple adventure, we hadn't gamed in a while so I grabbed the WotC Company of the Griffon adventure. I connected the Deneith Paladin with the Dwarf (Dourgutt?) as old business friends, the Paladin had recommended the Company on numerous mercenary requests before, so they were on good terms if not marginal friends. We ran the adventure. The Dwarf had originally sent some of his men in, but they failed to return. Now time was tight, the party had less than 8 hrs to get in and find the scrolls. He used connections to get them teleported one way to the entrance, he had a sending stone he gave them to signal when they were done, he'd use Company resources to extract them. The adventure went perfect, they had a blast, but I threw in a twist all last minute, and here is where I got intro trouble. When they used the stone to signal the Dwarf, I instead decided to port the dwarf in with a handful of minions. I really didn't expect it to go too far, they fought, the Dwarf did a great job, the players were hooked in the cool story, the minions dead and the death blow fell.... the Paladin struck home and called out.... "non lethal damage". Um, OK. My players opted to bind and revive the dwarf, interrogate him for information. I made it up, the stranger, the job, the contract. Dwarf was in danger, no one to turn to, his life on line, a vision of a very powerful force behind the job, but not something he'd seen in person, evil, scary, eeek! Turns out the Dwarf got himself into trouble. He took a mission he shouldn't have and the contract was a ruse, it bound him to more than just the job. His life depended on the scrolls being delivered and his "clean up" of anyone that knew. It wasn't simply a choice to betray the Paladin, it was a strong urge, not his own. So now they want to take him to Sharn and Morgrave University, have the scrolls examined for what they are, some history as to who might want them, and try to protect the Dwarf and get him out of this. I admit, I'm impressed. The Paladin's reasoning... he's a friend, and it's what I do. The rest of the group agreed 100%. So, while I have a week to ponder and think on this, I'm looking for any ideas as to what is behind the actual contract. A devil seems a bit too "expected". Hell I don't even know what the scrolls do yet, so I have that as well. So, random ideas anyone??
#2 Gilo Jul 26, 2011 12:41:42	I’ll tie it all to the Dreaming Dark infiltration of the Deneith enclave in Sharn: (as in: Sharn City of Towers page: 114 and also this thread community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...) The PCs are going to Sharn, The Paladin is of house Deneith, The Dwarf story sounds like a mind-seed / psionic suggestion. As for the scrolls – one approach is that they are just a Red Herring as the DD agents wanted the Paladin dead or out of the way. was the Paladin in Sharn at the start of the adventure? edit: The paladins ability to detect evil could be the main reason why the Dreaming Dark wants him away from the enclave.
#3 Fenris13 Jul 26, 2011 23:53:35	One comment and one query: I think its extremely cool that you group surprised you in a phenominally cool way. Where is that adventure from? Id really like to see it but I cant seem to find it anywhere.
#4 Phobos Jul 27, 2011 8:46:25	@Gilo, This is a cool idea, I will need to do some reading on it. Its complex (not bad) in that the DD is secret and subtle, but still a great way for me to toss in hints now and then. Thanks! @Fenris13, it is one of the Delve adventurers, here is some info. This I think is a year old or more. D&D Delve: Company of the Griffon (Lvl 10) (D&D 4e) Company of the Griffon is an adventure designed for 10th-level player characters (PCs), and is part of the D&D Delve Night kit. The adventure takes place in an ancient ruin. A respected lieutenant of the mercenary guild, The Company of the Griffon, has engaged your services on a dangerous yet profitable mission.
#5 Fenris13 Jul 28, 2011 15:37:36	Thanks, it definitely sounds interesting, as Im curringly running a Last War military campaign. (My poor players are new to Eberron and have no idea the Queen and country they fight for is going to be wiped off the map in 5-6 years...) Ill have to see if I can find that and mine it for ideas...
#6 Phobos Aug 02, 2011 10:59:41	Ran this and the adventure went great. (see link for the adventure I ended up running next) community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758... I did a LOT of replacing in the adventure to fit my "dream-state" world. The child was a 40 year younger version of the Dwarf, same purple birthmark on its face as Dourgutt. My players missed the connection, but noticed the mark. Later when they realize that the dwarf is mumbling the same things the dwarf child screams, they connected the dots. When the battle ensues, I use a thougthstealer. The 4 figures eating the body were only apparitions. They jump up and charge the players, +10 attack vs Will. Those that saved saw their apparition vanish, those who failed took 3d8 psychic damage and a -2 to all defenses for the next encounter due to fear. The apparitions were mutilated versions of their own bodies. I used intellect devourer figures for the train top, electrical section. The spires on the train looked like a spine with nerve sequences as the lighting fired off and ran down the train, shocking a random (1d8 location) 3x3 roof area as it did. They picked up on that. I was surprised, but not disappointed to see that a DC 26 arcana check was reached to learn the true nature of the Quori creature before them. They drop into the conductor car (no prophecy marks) to instead land on a very soft, wet, bumpy and often hindering pink surface that made movement like quicksand. Yes, the surface of a brain. They defeated the Quori, and awake in their seats but the dwarf never awoke, instead stuck in a catatonic state. When they arrived in Sharn (our Paladin opted not to contact the Deneith enclave in advance) they are greeted by 2 Company of the Griffon ranking members and 4 Deneith guards. Rumor is out they have kidnapped the dwarf, and walking off the lightning rail with him in a catatonic state, does not bode well. We stopped here as a suspense ending.