Lich Queen Campaign Derailed...Help Needed - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Lich Queen Campaign Derailed...Help Needed

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
johnnyarkham
Jul 28, 2008 18:30:27 So we'd started this great little group and were just getting started on the Eyes of the Lich Queen when 2 of my 5 players had to drop out of the campaign.
One was incidental and I can account for; the party's Elven Soulknife. He was the primary archer (headed towards SoulBow) and first into a melee...but ultimately didn't bring anything to the group that they can't work around.
The other, however, was the lynchpin; a Kalashtar Telepath who had actually hired the remainder of the party to assist her whilst pursuing a Vision.

Suddenly she's unavailable to play.

So I'm wondering...do I take her PC and make her an NPC?

Do I have her killed off and pray that the party stays together to finish the job?

For those familiar with the campaign/adventure/module, I have yet to introduce Sur'Kil (was taking an alternate path that felt a little more 'organic'), so that's still an option after this first bit.

I'd hate to have to hit the reset button after 3 games and start all over...but I'm considering it as losing 40% of the party does require a serious rethinking of my campaign goals.

Which raises the other concern outside of continuity; can a party of 3 characters actually handle that module?
I kinda don't think so...and I personally don't feel like running 2-3 NPCs just to help them succeed...it'd feel very forced, I think.

Suggestions desperately needed!
#2
PJammaGod
Jul 29, 2008 1:00:11 I'm not familiar with the Campaign Module but as a DM who has experienced something similar I think the first words I can say are the same ones that made Douglas Adams famous, "Don't Panic" :P .

Anywho if you've got a character who "was" a lynchpin of the campaign arc you've got a problem. Personally I'd approach the players and explain to them the problem and see what they have to say. If they're cool with it you could puppet the Kalashtar as an NPC. On the other hand if they'd prefer a Wayne's World wiggly hands reset, perhaps it might be for the best.

So yeah, my advice is go approach the players and see what they've got to say.
#3
thaliost
Jul 29, 2008 14:44:12 Agree w/ PJamma.
It happened a few times that my players are not "interested" in certain quests according to their backgrounds, so it may so happen to you if the kalashtar is dead. So discuss with the players. My guess is that puppeting will work.
#4
Arcane_Guyver
Jul 29, 2008 23:36:19
Which raises the other concern outside of continuity; can a party of 3 characters actually handle that module?

After running this mod, I have to say that you're in for a rough ride if you think 3 players is enough to tackle the challenges within. Some of the encounters are absolute cake, but others are atrociously difficult. One in particular involves over 20 L3 barbarians, plus the *real* heavy hitters. Now, if each player brought in a 'second PC," each controlling two characters...then it might be feasible.

Now, about your psion going away...you could have the character suffer some serious physical trauma, so he/she is incapable of adventuring, but still able to fund the party's exploits. OR have the party run into some strange psionic....cluster****, which somehow disintegrates the psion, yet transfers the personality and knowledge to another PC (obviously, you'll want to discuss this route with the player beforehand). Basically, the character will have the psion constantly talking in the back of his head.

Option 3 is just keep the psion around as an NPC whose build doesn't necessarily make him/her real fantastic in combat (so the PCs aren't ever outshined).
#5
dread_lord
Jul 31, 2008 3:58:54 That's almost, sort of funny. I had a good solid group going too until I started this adventure. Then the artificer moved. Then we gained and lost a cleric and the ranger has become unreliable due to a new job. A couple new people have joined but also missed a session or two.

I gave up on trying to fix things in-story. Each session, regardless of who makes it and who's new, we just pretend like this has been the group all along. I usually try to work changes into the story but I also usually play off-the-cuff with only an outline.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 johnnyarkham Jul 28, 2008 18:30:27	So we'd started this great little group and were just getting started on the Eyes of the Lich Queen when 2 of my 5 players had to drop out of the campaign. One was incidental and I can account for; the party's Elven Soulknife. He was the primary archer (headed towards SoulBow) and first into a melee...but ultimately didn't bring anything to the group that they can't work around. The other, however, was the lynchpin; a Kalashtar Telepath who had actually hired the remainder of the party to assist her whilst pursuing a Vision. Suddenly she's unavailable to play. So I'm wondering...do I take her PC and make her an NPC? Do I have her killed off and pray that the party stays together to finish the job? For those familiar with the campaign/adventure/module, I have yet to introduce Sur'Kil (was taking an alternate path that felt a little more 'organic'), so that's still an option after this first bit. I'd hate to have to hit the reset button after 3 games and start all over...but I'm considering it as losing 40% of the party does require a serious rethinking of my campaign goals. Which raises the other concern outside of continuity; can a party of 3 characters actually handle that module? I kinda don't think so...and I personally don't feel like running 2-3 NPCs just to help them succeed...it'd feel very forced, I think. Suggestions desperately needed!
#2 PJammaGod Jul 29, 2008 1:00:11	I'm not familiar with the Campaign Module but as a DM who has experienced something similar I think the first words I can say are the same ones that made Douglas Adams famous, "Don't Panic" :P . Anywho if you've got a character who "was" a lynchpin of the campaign arc you've got a problem. Personally I'd approach the players and explain to them the problem and see what they have to say. If they're cool with it you could puppet the Kalashtar as an NPC. On the other hand if they'd prefer a Wayne's World wiggly hands reset, perhaps it might be for the best. So yeah, my advice is go approach the players and see what they've got to say.
#3 thaliost Jul 29, 2008 14:44:12	Agree w/ PJamma. It happened a few times that my players are not "interested" in certain quests according to their backgrounds, so it may so happen to you if the kalashtar is dead. So discuss with the players. My guess is that puppeting will work.
#4 Arcane_Guyver Jul 29, 2008 23:36:19	Which raises the other concern outside of continuity; can a party of 3 characters actually handle that module? After running this mod, I have to say that you're in for a rough ride if you think 3 players is enough to tackle the challenges within. Some of the encounters are absolute cake, but others are atrociously difficult. One in particular involves over 20 L3 barbarians, plus the real heavy hitters. Now, if each player brought in a 'second PC," each controlling two characters...then it might be feasible. Now, about your psion going away...you could have the character suffer some serious physical trauma, so he/she is incapable of adventuring, but still able to fund the party's exploits. OR have the party run into some strange psionic....cluster****, which somehow disintegrates the psion, yet transfers the personality and knowledge to another PC (obviously, you'll want to discuss this route with the player beforehand). Basically, the character will have the psion constantly talking in the back of his head. Option 3 is just keep the psion around as an NPC whose build doesn't necessarily make him/her real fantastic in combat (so the PCs aren't ever outshined).
#5 dread_lord Jul 31, 2008 3:58:54	That's almost, sort of funny. I had a good solid group going too until I started this adventure. Then the artificer moved. Then we gained and lost a cleric and the ranger has become unreliable due to a new job. A couple new people have joined but also missed a session or two. I gave up on trying to fix things in-story. Each session, regardless of who makes it and who's new, we just pretend like this has been the group all along. I usually try to work changes into the story but I also usually play off-the-cuff with only an outline.