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gnfnrf
Pie
(11/6/02 11:21:08 pm)
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Fire Bridge (Yet more about D'Gran)
So, I've just run a session detailing the assault on the fire bridge, and I'm in a bit of a bind.
The short version is, I think the party is going to die, and I don't want to let them, but I also don't want to give them a free ride.
The situation right now is that everyone is collected in the corridor outside the main hall of the fire temple. The hill giant guard is at the intersection about 20' away, D'Gran and Tippesh are in the throne room. Most of the humans and gnolls are dead.
Of the six PCs, no one is unwounded, and two are unconcious. The hill giant is at half HP and D'Gran is unhurt (Other than melee, I don't think my party CAN hurt him. Even if they beat his SR, his resistances get most of their damage dealing.)
The problem is, basically, I think my PCs will try to retreat, but there is no good reason that D'Gran can't keep pace with them invisible and harass them more or less indefinately. With their damage levels (D'Gran got all but one in a Cone of Cold) I think he would drop them with bowfire before they could exit the temple, and he evades just way too well for them to stick and kill him.
So, the question is, why wouldn't D'Gran pursue, and how can I present that so my PCs don't think I just got soft?
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gnfnrf
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Zagig
Pie
(11/6/02 11:29:18 pm)
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Re: Fire Bridge (Yet more about D'Gran)
Well, I have two thoughts on this. First is that D'Gran follows the party, but does not necessarily attack. He's already defeated them, now he gets to play with them. Plus, he can gain information from them that he can relay to Hedrack for some brownie points.
Second thought, D'Gran is a chaotic egomaniac. He's defeated the party, let the remaining members live with the memory of that defeat. He will figure that these puny adventurers won't dare return, and even if they do, D'Gran can defeat them just like he did the first time.
Zag ig
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Ssendam
Pie
(11/6/02 11:53:52 pm)
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Re: Fire Bridge (Yet more about D'Gran)
I remember the battle with D'Gran and his underlings being one of the very first truly tough and gritty battles for my group. However, they did not seem to be put on the ropes as badly as your group seems. So the group is at the point where they have to retreat... Well, I like Zagig's idea of following the group and not necessarily attacking. But I guess if the group refuses to leave the mines, then I can't see why D'Gran would just let them rest up and try again.
Perhaps try and encourage them in some sort of way to leave the mines completely. Maybe have D'Gran follow them and harass them. Make them feel pressured to leave. If they actually stay within the mines even after all of that, well, mercy can only be extended so far. D'Gran would probably just find out where they're camped out and then either take them out himself or get some of his remaining forces to aid him in finnishing them off.
Or I suppose you could have D'Gran just bathe in his victory and gloat. How much of a real dent have the PC's put into the his forces? Does he have a realistic gauge of the party's power? D'Gran is actually very intelligent, so he'd need a fairly good reason to just let the party bail and not pursue them. It sounds like his heavy hitters (Hill Giants) are still intact, so maybe he feels like he doesn't have much to worry about. One thing though, I'd have a real hard time seeing why he'd let them take their unconscious comrades with them unless he is unable to prevent them from doing so.
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gnfnrf
Pie
(11/7/02 12:22:01 pm)
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Re: Fire Bridge (Yet more about D'Gran)
A few more details on the situation.
Most of the humanoids under D'Grans command are dead. Huenar is dead. The dinos are dead. Tippesh is at 1 HP. One hill giant is at about half HP, standing directly over the unconcious monk. The other hill giant and the giant wolverine have not engaged the party yet. The other unconcious PC is still on the back of his reasonably smart riding boar.
Maybe D'Gran should just follow along and only shoot a couple arrows, to make it clear that they need to keep moving.
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gnfnrf
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 Infiniti2000
Pie
(11/7/02 12:35:55 pm)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Fire Bridge (Yet more about D'Gran)
Two ideas, though I'm not sure how useful/good they seem:
(1) Have the unhurt giant stay behind the party and "push" them out, not seriously injuring them and not coming within 20 feet. This should encourage the party to leave. If they turn around to fight, they have to fight the hill giant, who now unloads completely, and D'Gran, who has been flying invisibly next to the giant. They should learn. D'Gran is just along to watch and gloat. Perhaps, as they exit the mine, D'Gran materializes and spouts some fond parting wordings, half in abyssal.
(2) Have D'Gran (and perhaps the unhurt giant) go after the party, but not to harass them, to capture one more player. Will the rest of the party run like scared chickens after that? The captured people could then be presented to Naquent, or the Infernal Device, whichever you see fit.
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Andy Collins
Vexander Sangreal
(11/7/02 6:08:03 pm)
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Re: Fire Bridge (Yet more about D'Gran)
D'Gran's also probably smart enough to wonder if the (unsuccessful) attack might be a diversion, intended to bleed off forces in pursuit while another group attacks from a different direction.
Remember, the Fire Bridge forces aren't friendly with the orcs to the south. While the orcs don't seem to pose much of a threat as far as D'Gran knows, who's to say that they couldn't ally with someone else (even another faction among the temples)?
Particularly if this is the party's first real setback in the Mines, I'd lean toward letting them get away. You've bruised their egos--no point in rubbing their noses in it, IMO.
Andy Collins
RPG Designer/Developer
Wizards of the Coast R&D |
Zagig
Pie
(11/7/02 6:25:54 pm)
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Re: Fire Bridge (Yet more about D'Gran)
Infiniti's suggestion is what I used a few weeks ago when my party had the same problem. Both giants were at half hp but one of the trolls was alive and well. The troll and one of the giants chased the party to just past the dead umber hulk, then let them go. The party was hurt so bad they scrammed out of the CRM like a shot.
Zag ig
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Abelard
Orc
(11/7/02 7:37:06 pm)
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Re: Fire Bridge (Yet more about D'Gran)
D'Gran following invisibly and laughing mockingly from just down the tunnel or corridor can also do wonders to motivate your party to beat feet out of there...
From D'Gran's point of view, I think this would be somewhat satisfying, but also not as risky as actually trying to attack the fleeing party solo - even standing back with a bow, he'll lose his invisibility and be more vulnerable. He's confident, but not stupid, and as previously suggested, probably wouldn't bring his tough minions along to pursue in case the attack was a diversion. And without them to back him up, he wouldn't risk exposing himself too much.
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