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Zagig
Pie
(11/11/02 3:29:21 am)
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Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
After D'Gran had defeated the party the first time, I thought that, suffused with pride, he would finally succeed in wiping the orcs out. Someone suggested putting the troll tribe in the orc caves and at the main gate. Thanks to whomever it was. Here is what I have done to the orc caves. Any suggestions/comments would be welcome.
Grahk is the troll shaman (Adp3). He wears a symbol of EEE with the fire symbol attached.
Brekht is one of the troll warriors (War3).
Ruhk is the other troll warrior (War3). He was at the Main Gate so is now dead.
Changes to Orc Caves
52. No change to description. Orcs not present.
53A. Alarm is no longer present.
53B. Chariot is no longer present having been moved to 59 to be used in case of attack from south.
54. Normally four trolls reside here (they switch off with two at the Main Gate). They have straw and skins to sleep on.
55. Nothing has changed. D'Gran gave the equipment to the trolls to use.
56. The skull and hammer have been partially scratched out. The trolls have tried to get in the door but have not succeeded so far. If left alone, they will get through in time.
57. There is only some straw scattered around here as this is now the worgs' lair (only two are present at any one time, with the other two at the Main Gate)..
58. Grahk has commandeered this for his quarters. A symbol of EE/fire is scrawled on the wall.
59. There is only evidence of trolls here, 10 to be exact, although 5 were at the Main Gate. . The shrine has been destroyed and the statue lies on the floor below, smashed to pieces. The chariot from 53B is now here, sitting at the N side of the cavern pointing S.
60. This room is occupied by the two troll warriors. Only one is present (Brehkt) as the other is at the Main Gate. Only straw and skins indicate their prescence.
TROLL ROTATION AT MAIN GATE
There are a total of eighteen trolls, besides the two warriors (more than in the book, but I wanted to make it tough with splitting the trolls up). The two warriors each do a five day shift (as do Mikoolik and Snearak from the Earth Temple). The trolls also rotate in five day shifts. Therefore, nine trolls are at the Main Gate at all times and nine trolls are present in the caves.
This is how I have divided up the treasure from the orcs and the old umber hulk cave (since the party never explored it I let D'Gran have it). Some of the items have been damaged so are slightly devalued from what the description in the book says.
1,353 gp - room 43
1,546 sp - room 43
50-gp gem - room 43
100-gp gem - Brekht
75-gp copper statue of dwarven warrior, dented - corner of room 44
150-gp jeweled brooch - Grahk
100-gp pair of golden candlesticks - Ruhk
Ring of climbing - room 43
6 Repeating crossbows - trolls in caves
6 Splint mail - Fire Temple
6 Masterwork orc double axes - Fire Temple
+1 Orc double axe - Fire Temple
+1 Hide armor (covered in small fetishes - feathers, bones, animal skulls, coins, so on) - Grahk
Trident - room 60
50-gp Bloodstone - room 43
Bent and twisted silver holy symbol of Moradin (10 gp) - room 43
Ripped dwarven silk robe (15 gp) - room 43
Pair of pewter flagons with a dwarf embossed on each, now partially crushed (50 gp each) - room 44 (beside throne)
Jug of dwarven ale, opened and three-quarters full - room 44
Zag ig
EDIT - previous system did not work with what had already happened
Edited by: Zagig at: 11/11/02 4:19:30 pm
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 Infiniti2000
Pie
(11/11/02 8:27:14 pm)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
That looks great, Zagig! I have just a few additional suggestions. 18 trolls is a lot! Besides the shaman, the others will pretty much be, oh well, another troll. Perhaps, because of D'Gran's influence, a few ogres would be present. I'm thinking about 6 normal ogres, an ogre barbarian (female? Argtha), and an ogre druid (husband of barbarian, Hefikh) just to spice things up. Perhaps the ogre druid knows Tarren. For payment, each ogre gets 20gp, the druid gets the 50-gp gem, and the barbarian gets a mw orc double axe, which she happens to be proficient in.
Put the barb and druid in 53b, 2 ogres in 53a, and 2 more in 52. Two ogres are always on watch at the main gate. Every other day, either Argtha or Hefikh join the watch at the main gate.
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Zagig
Pie
(11/12/02 12:08:36 am)
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
Well, the party has already been through the main gate and killed eight trolls and a troll warrior (the ninth escaped south to warn D'Gran, although the party didn't show up at the Fire Bridge for another day). Snearak was on duty at the time and escaped back to the Earth Temple (who are pretty much content to leave the main gate alone as the party has only ventured north once and, even then, had to retreat).
I like the idea, though. Thanks, Infiniti. I'll see if I can work it in.
Zag ig
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Zagig
Pie
(11/13/02 4:34:52 am)
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
Well, how about having the ogres and the trolls sharing living quarters in the old orc caverns and rotating watches at the gate. If we use the number of trolls in the book (12 plus a Adp2 and a War3) then only three trolls and a shaman would be left. The shaman gets Murant's digs (5 and the three trolls are his concubine (also 5 and his private guard (57). Instead of 52 and 53, the ogres are in 53A, 53B, and 54 with the leaders at 53B. We can have the chariot destroyed in the battle. The pieces have been used to block the stairs from 57 to 56 (just as a precaution against the ogres).
Well?
Zag ig
PS: I hate that stupid symbol that replaces the 8's!!!
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Infiniti2000
Pie
(11/13/02 7:19:28 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
That sounds good. I'm thinking that something special needs to be added, like a couple of fiendish worgs to help with invisibility intrusion.
"PS: I hate that stupid symbol that replaces the 8's!!!"
Put a space in between the '8' and the ')'...like so, "(also 58 )"
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Zagig
Pie
(11/17/02 8:12:44 pm)
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
Working up stats for ogres at the moment, any suggestions for levels for the ogres. I was thinking a Druid4 and Barbarian3.
BTW, after looking up what fiendish adds to a creature, I like it!! Thanks, Infiniti.
Zag ig
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 Monte Cook
Guy with a shirt
(11/17/02 9:57:03 pm)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
Interesting.
Here was my thinking (from way back when) when I put in the orcs. After what proved to be some really tough encounters in the bridge complex, the PCs had gained some levels but had been so hard pressed they really never had the chance to feel rewarded for their new power. Thus, a bunch of orcs, who appear far more scary (because they have tactics and that weird war machine thing) than they really are. The encounters thus felt tough, but really the PCs just kicked butt. They felt good about themselves.
I look upon those orcs as almost a side adventure. They've little to do with the rest of the temple (intentionally). It's like a little break.
I'm not saying don't change it. I'm just telling you why it is the way it is.
Monte
http://www.montecook.com |
Siobharek 
Orc
(11/18/02 1:43:13 am)
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
I changed the orcs to a dwarven lich with a half-golem eldritch warrior sidekick. I know that the orcs are there to make the PCs feel good. Thing is, my PCs (/players) got their kicks against the bugbears.
However, as described in my session, the group is now so tough that unless the cream of the crop of the CRM band together, I don't think they can make much of a dent in them.
So Fanes, here we come.
Siobharek
...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. |
Infiniti2000
Pie
(11/18/02 2:19:32 pm)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
Druid4 and Brb3 seem right. That's gonna be a nasty but fun combo. The male druid can buff up the female barbarian with some neat spells: magic fang, invisibility to animals (to combat those pesky animal companions and familiars), and endure elements. Give the barbarian improved unarmed combat, change wf (greatclub) to weapon focus (iuc), and give her something like dirty fighting or close quarters fighting or even power attack. Having her grapple the heavily armored fighter at first should be loads of fun, possibly throwing him into an area hit by soften earth and stone.
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Fellwind 
Pie
(11/18/02 3:03:34 pm)
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
What happened with my group is that the players killed off the critters in this area and D'Gran took off , nearly beaten unconcious.
I had D'Gran go and recruit the tribe to replace his gnoll and human guards.
The orcs were killed in a bit of foreshadowing, I had some unknown evil creatures slaughter the orc tribe. The PC's found the terrible remains. Very Call of Cthuluh ish. We spent more time on the players investigating the dead orcs and describing the horror of it all than fighting that night.
So now the players have a little Troll suprise waiting for them when they return from the Air temple.
"You must not Ph34r, Ph34r leads to anger, anger leads to hate. Hate leads to beatdowns, and B34td0wnz Sux0r."
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Zagig
Pie
(11/18/02 9:11:06 pm)
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Re: Replacing orcs near fire bridge with trolls
Monte posted on one of my threads. I feel so special!!! 
Really, thanks for the info Monte. I considered it, as seen below.
The ogres and remaining trolls will probably be attacking the party, not the other way around. The party has decided to rest after what they thought was a challenging battle (I didn't think so but then, I lost). Since the druid and troll shaman can prepare spells at midnight, the attack will take place shortly thereafter. So, really, this is all part of the Fire Bridge Complex fight. Edit: Since the ogres/trolls will be able to see the dead bodies singed by fire, they can prepare fire protection ahead of time.
I am probably trying to incorporate too many ideas. Nevertheless, inspired by Fellwind, if I have orc bodies stacked up in one room of the orc caves then it will make the orc caves more interesting and easy (to follow Monte's line of thought).
Infiniti, thanks for the feedback throughout this thread. I won't use the iuc since I wanted to use the orc double axe with the barbarian. hadn't thought of the buffs, though, thanks.
BTW, one of my players mentioned this week that he might just let D'Gran go since they can't seem to kill him. Same guy that scrapped the idea of cutting off D'Grans head. 
Zag ig
Edited by: Zagig at: 11/18/02 9:38:15 pm
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