Need help with a Druid PC. - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Need help with a Druid PC.

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
durskut
Jun 23, 2008 16:46:36 I am having a bit of trouble with the Druid in my game. Not in any mechanical aspect, but rather I am struggling to come up with ideas on how to keep her engaged in the story.

I am running the FF --> SotLW --> WotVB --> GotEC adventure arc. The PCs are about to begin SotLW. The druid in question is a pretty standard Human Warden of the Wood Initiate. The player says her overall goal is to fight unnatural evil in Eberron.

Given the main villian(s) of the arc are Blood of Vol centric I don't think I'll have a wildly upset player if I run things as usual. However the hardest hooks to come up with (for me) are hooks for druids. The only sub-plot I have thought of is a priest of the Silver Flame. They could talk about supernatural evil hunting and such.

Any suggestions on rounding out interesting diversions for this character? For extra credit (or if you have other ideas) I'd be grateful to tie in more of the party as well.

Rest of party:
Trust Agent (Gnome Bard/Cleric (The Traveller) -> Divine Prankster)
Trust Enforcer (Gnome Rogue/Fighter -> Shadowdancer)
Tribal Explorer (Halfling Ranger -> Halfling Outrider)
#2
perrywrogers
Jun 23, 2008 19:31:55 Rather than hooking the druid by her(his) class, how about by race/heritage/nationality?

When I ran the set of adventures, my party's druid was a Talenta Plains hafling. I used the aerial attack on the lightning rail to hook her. One of the hafling mercenaries was her brother. He was killed in the attack. She bought into the adventure to see that justice was served to Vol's servants.

Alternately, the sort of 'non-natural' aspects of the Cannith artifact (Xulo) could be used to draw a druid into the fray.

That set of adventures, and especially the fallout afterward, set up nearly two full years of adventuring for my group. Destroying Xulo after the Xen'drik leg of the series was some of the best stuff ever. They trekked completely across Khorvaire.

Cheers!
#3
durskut
Jun 24, 2008 6:44:01 I was thinking about doing the same thing with the halfling in my group in that scene! Maybe i should just wait it out and stress (description-wise) the part with the glass zombies and make the footprint of the Order's camp much larger. Hopefully that will get her going a little more. Or perhaps I should just make a Warden of the Wood NPC who has been captured/tortured/killed slowly to pull in the sect line.

I'll try to think up some more and see what happens.
#4
Ashlock
Jun 24, 2008 13:12:17 Durskut, one of the things that keep the Wardens of the Wood busy in the Eldeen Reaches is the Gloaming. Depending on where your PCs are at any given time, perhaps your druid player catches wind of a "second Gloaming" appearing somewhere quite far from the Eldeen Reaches. And as a Warden, she might feel it her duty to investigate it. How serious is it? Is it an actual new manifest zone?

Even if she finds it, it needn't derail the ongoing story arc. Perhaps, whatever it is (a mini-Gloaming), it could be small now....not such a threat. But in time it will be, if it goes unchecked. Her job could then be to seek out other druids (rangers, etc.) to make the problem known. And to counter those who want to exploit such a place.
#5
durskut
Jun 24, 2008 19:02:14 Thanks for the post ashlock. Your post make me to crack open Faiths of Eberron again and while i didn't go in that direction, i did think of something else. What if i made Garrow a Children of Winter druid?

In my arc the Schemas make up an eldrich machine capable of binding even the most powerful wills to the devices controller. The giants originally intended this to bind Kalaraq quori to fight for the giants. Now Vol intends to use it to bind the will of the creature at the bottom of lake dark (Tarresque for me ) to suit her needs. I think a child of winter may join up in such an effort because
A: they study the mysteries of death (like vol).
B: if she unleashes it, the destruction could symbolize the coming winter.

Any thoughts on this course of action?

Additionally, is anyone aware of a calendar being created? i know i've seen a couple threads on listing known holidays and such. Thanks alot!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 durskut Jun 23, 2008 16:46:36	I am having a bit of trouble with the Druid in my game. Not in any mechanical aspect, but rather I am struggling to come up with ideas on how to keep her engaged in the story. I am running the FF --> SotLW --> WotVB --> GotEC adventure arc. The PCs are about to begin SotLW. The druid in question is a pretty standard Human Warden of the Wood Initiate. The player says her overall goal is to fight unnatural evil in Eberron. Given the main villian(s) of the arc are Blood of Vol centric I don't think I'll have a wildly upset player if I run things as usual. However the hardest hooks to come up with (for me) are hooks for druids. The only sub-plot I have thought of is a priest of the Silver Flame. They could talk about supernatural evil hunting and such. Any suggestions on rounding out interesting diversions for this character? For extra credit (or if you have other ideas) I'd be grateful to tie in more of the party as well. Rest of party: Trust Agent (Gnome Bard/Cleric (The Traveller) -> Divine Prankster) Trust Enforcer (Gnome Rogue/Fighter -> Shadowdancer) Tribal Explorer (Halfling Ranger -> Halfling Outrider)
#2 perrywrogers Jun 23, 2008 19:31:55	Rather than hooking the druid by her(his) class, how about by race/heritage/nationality? When I ran the set of adventures, my party's druid was a Talenta Plains hafling. I used the aerial attack on the lightning rail to hook her. One of the hafling mercenaries was her brother. He was killed in the attack. She bought into the adventure to see that justice was served to Vol's servants. Alternately, the sort of 'non-natural' aspects of the Cannith artifact (Xulo) could be used to draw a druid into the fray. That set of adventures, and especially the fallout afterward, set up nearly two full years of adventuring for my group. Destroying Xulo after the Xen'drik leg of the series was some of the best stuff ever. They trekked completely across Khorvaire. Cheers!
#3 durskut Jun 24, 2008 6:44:01	I was thinking about doing the same thing with the halfling in my group in that scene! Maybe i should just wait it out and stress (description-wise) the part with the glass zombies and make the footprint of the Order's camp much larger. Hopefully that will get her going a little more. Or perhaps I should just make a Warden of the Wood NPC who has been captured/tortured/killed slowly to pull in the sect line. I'll try to think up some more and see what happens.
#4 Ashlock Jun 24, 2008 13:12:17	Durskut, one of the things that keep the Wardens of the Wood busy in the Eldeen Reaches is the Gloaming. Depending on where your PCs are at any given time, perhaps your druid player catches wind of a "second Gloaming" appearing somewhere quite far from the Eldeen Reaches. And as a Warden, she might feel it her duty to investigate it. How serious is it? Is it an actual new manifest zone? Even if she finds it, it needn't derail the ongoing story arc. Perhaps, whatever it is (a mini-Gloaming), it could be small now....not such a threat. But in time it will be, if it goes unchecked. Her job could then be to seek out other druids (rangers, etc.) to make the problem known. And to counter those who want to exploit such a place.
#5 durskut Jun 24, 2008 19:02:14	Thanks for the post ashlock. Your post make me to crack open Faiths of Eberron again and while i didn't go in that direction, i did think of something else. What if i made Garrow a Children of Winter druid? In my arc the Schemas make up an eldrich machine capable of binding even the most powerful wills to the devices controller. The giants originally intended this to bind Kalaraq quori to fight for the giants. Now Vol intends to use it to bind the will of the creature at the bottom of lake dark (Tarresque for me ) to suit her needs. I think a child of winter may join up in such an effort because A: they study the mysteries of death (like vol). B: if she unleashes it, the destruction could symbolize the coming winter. Any thoughts on this course of action? Additionally, is anyone aware of a calendar being created? i know i've seen a couple threads on listing known holidays and such. Thanks alot!