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Berova
Looking around
(1/2/03 1:01:28 pm)
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Aftermath CRM:MG
We had a virtual TPK at the CRM Main Gate.
The 1/2-orc barb(5) and halfling ranger/monk(1/4) both died. Wiz(5), Cleric of Pelor(4), and Xaod(5) were unconcious and stabilized while Redithidoor(Monte Bard 4) surrendered.
The short of it was, for some reason, the 1/2-orc barb rushed ahead, opened the then unguarded gates, and yelled out the description (painting/murals) of the main hall to the party who were back at the cave mouth. The party's teamwork was not the best (they didn't support each other enough) and they would not retreat despite Xaod's pleas while he was battling Mereclar and the howler.
The hobgoblin and human guards were all killed as well as the Ogre lieutenant. The party wizard managed to get off a couple of fireballs. Both the errata'd howler and Mereclar survived. Cleric and undead weren't unleashed.
Here's my situation: Everyone but the Wiz will be making new PC's. The Wiz player wants the new group to rescue him. He tried to get me to have his raven familiar effect a rescue by going into his "goody" bag and pop a couple of goodberries into him while he was unconcious so he can slip away while Mereclar and company were busy and not looking. NOT! Short of that, he wanted his raven to somehow get a new party to rescue him.
As an aside, the cleric of Pelor had just joined the group (this was his first session). I had a com1 accompany him from Verbobonc to Hommlet (where he hooked up with the party) then on to Rastor. The com1 had a dozen homing pigeons with him and stayed back at Rastor.
Questions for the Hivemind:
Should I go with/permit the rescue Wiz "plan"? The player preferred to keep his PC and said "he would not mind sitting out the next session (and play computer games) while the rescue was "in progress". [He would be taking a big chance any new party would be able to rescue him.]
How long should I allow time to pass before the 'new' party shows up? (rescue party or otherwise) This obviously affects the main gate's alert status. Any suggestions on restocking the main gate?
What to do with the captured PC/NPC's and where to put them?? Would they treat each one [elf Wiz, Cleric of Pelor, Pal of Heironeous, Bard] differently? Also, please keep in mind Mereclar will have all the maps and letters from the moathouse, mill, etc. on them. I would most appreciate any diabolical suggestions.
Now, I would think Mereclare (and the Howler?) would get XP out of this (if so, how much?), but would the "surviving" and now captured PC's (particularly the possibly returning Wiz) get XP? My gut instincts tell me they get no XP).
Finally, some additional background, the party never encountered Dunrat, nor Lareth. The Hommlet contingent are still kicking (possibly in the CRM) except maybe the Doppel Jaroo. For the most part, Dunrat and company reaquired the artifacts the PC's sold. As for Lareth, I guess my description of the ghost town freaked them out, they skipped town quick and skirted thereafter.
A big Thank You in advance to all replies and I wish all a happy new year!
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genlang
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(1/2/03 1:43:52 pm)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
Quote:
How long should I allow time to pass before the 'new' party shows up? (rescue party or otherwise) This obviously affects the main gate's alert status. Any suggestions on restocking the main gate?
The answer to that lies in where the new characters are coming from and how they are being brought into the plot. If the commoner with homing pigeons start summoning help (though, does he have anyone to summon help -from-?) it takes however long for the bird to fly to whereever, messages to be read, and decisions to be made, then for the new people to travel from that point back to the mines.
If another group of adventurers is drawn to the area for their own reasons, and then encounter the worried commoner in Rastor, it's a little harder to estimate how much time 'should' have passed, and it comes down to a GM call of how kind you want to be to the PCs.
As far as rescue plans go, I'd say sure, let the wizard sit and stew for awhile while the new PCs come around to where he is. It might take several sessions, however, if the new PCs are independant of the old PCs and need to be persuaded/bribed/whatever into mounting the rescue expedition. (as a sideline, the wizard can optionally discover the delights of torture [offscreen] and you have a chance to do some interesting solo RP, if you and the wizard feel like it)
Since the old PCs have become NPCs, the simplest suggestion is to kill them. Apply some serious torture offscreen for fun and profit (The EEE guys are not happy and fluffy, they're dark and evil) to break the spirits and get information, then kill them.
As for restocking... Well, there's a number of options. There's the ettin that could be brought north, along with his rust monster friend, and there's the Earth Temple to the North which could be tapped for help, and there's all the corpses to be turned into undead -- including the party members. Imagine their horror at having to fight ghoulish versions of their former selves, or vengeful spirits corrupted by the evil of EEE and made to help guard the place where they died. Fun fun fun, no? 
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maddman75 
Here for a while
(1/2/03 2:29:46 pm)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
Quote:
Should I go with/permit the rescue Wiz "plan"? The player preferred to keep his PC and said "he would not mind sitting out the next session (and play computer games) while the rescue was "in progress". [He would be taking a big chance any new party would be able to rescue him.]
I'd make sure he knew that there was a chance they'd fail, but otherwise I'd allow it. It makes for a good story.
Quote:
How long should I allow time to pass before the 'new' party shows up? (rescue party or otherwise) This obviously affects the main gate's alert status. Any suggestions on restocking the main gate?
I'd have another group traveling about. They'd heard of a cult hiring mercenaries inside an old mine and decided to check it out (the cult has been recruiting lately). They happen to find the commoner and familiar and stage a daring rescue. Maybe stretching believeability that they just *happen* to be here at that moment, but I always go for the option to make a better story.
Quote:
What to do with the captured PC/NPC's and where to put them?? Would they treat each one [elf Wiz, Cleric of Pelor, Pal of Heironeous, Bard] differently? Also, please keep in mind Mereclar will have all the maps and letters from the moathouse, mill, etc. on them. I would most appreciate any diabolical suggestions.
IIRC, Mereclar doesn't know squat about the moathouse and what goes on there. He would know of Naquent who signed one of the letters though (again, IIRC). So I think he'd probably want to learn exactly what the PCs know, to see if they are important enough to win him any favor with the Fanes. (and at this point, it wouldn't. The PCs are still nobodies)
I believe there's a storeroom that would be handy for stashing a prisoner, paticularly if you think he might be able to gain you some favor.
Oh, and be sure to have the commanders split up the loot, and use disposable items like crazy. .
Quote:
Now, I would think Mereclare (and the Howler?) would get XP out of this (if so, how much?), but would the "surviving" and now captured PC's (particularly the possibly returning Wiz) get XP? My gut instincts tell me they get no XP).
No, don't give XP to the monsters. Just have them on a high alert status now - they don't know if these guys have friends or not. Next time have the cleric come out with her zombies and have some guards man the ballista. Remember to make more zombies out of all the bodies! And the old character's heads on spikes outside the now barred door is always good for a laugh.
You get XP for overcoming challenges. Certainly they didn't overcome all of them, but they did some. I'd give him some XP, just use your judgement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." -- Buddha<BR><BR>
"Nothing's a cliche when it's happening to you." -- Max Payne Edited by: maddman75 at: 1/2/03 2:31:02 pm
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The guy from Belgium
Looking around
(1/2/03 2:39:22 pm)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
i'd have the killed pc's raised by the evil guys, just for fun!
the living ones might fetch a prize from the deeper parts of the temple of all consumption, perhaps thrommel wants some fresh blood or some new spawn?
and no, do not grant experience to the monsters who won the previous fight
as for the wizard, why not have him be tortured and broken, then return him to the old player with some negative modifiers (-1 permanent dex due to broken and ill-set left arm). Also make him paranoid from that day on, with a -1 on all spot and listen checks (did you hear that? - what was that? - ...)
there are tons of fun to be had with this!
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maddman75
Here for a while
(1/2/03 8:38:25 pm)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
Except you can't raise the unwilling. They get an image of the person trying to raise them, and can refuse if they choose. To prevent exactly this situation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." -- Buddha<BR><BR>
"Nothing's a cliche when it's happening to you." -- Max Payne |
The guy from Belgium
Here for a while
(1/3/03 4:21:58 am)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
i'm sorry, you're right!
but i meant, animate them as zombies, give the new PC's hell to have to kill their own char (it still hurts, despite the zombies being undead and evil and stuff). The main thing is that they still have to be recognizable!
for the survivors, i'd really opt to see them again as powerful vampire spawn, courtesy of thrommel. he's gonna be thrilled to make another paladin into a vampire (xoad was among the unconscious PC's)
for the wizard who wants to be rescued, there's a nice part about a tortured bard further down the module, his memory is shattered and he doesn't remember a thing except for the torture (only negatable by greater restoration or heal i believe)
on top of that, make him paranoid or 'broken'
like i said, endless possibilities
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Andorax
Still here? Wow.
(1/3/03 7:30:42 am)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
One time through, I killed off the party's monk, knocked the cleric into negs, and trapped the fleeing wizard deeper into the mines (she surprised and MMed the Trog Rogue, and thus survived). Only the Psion escaped (Burst and Up the Walls).
I stabilized the cleric, stripped her down, tied her up in the storeroom, questioned her, and informed her that she was going to be sold to the Earth Temple as a sacrifice.
I nailed the Monk's head to the front door next to the other skulls, and fed his body to the Howler.
The Wizard took a risk and chugged the Trog's potion...discovering it was invisibility, she managed to slip out the gate and run for Rastor.
The Cleric managed to burst her bonds, bust down the barred door, and flee past the surprised Gnolls, also making it out the front gate and running for Rastor (sans equipment).
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
The guy from Belgium
Here for a while
(1/3/03 7:34:59 am)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
the cleric got away? without any equipment, whoow...
respect!
but i guess you gave her some leniency, there's no real way on earth she 'honestly' got out of there 
it was a cool attempt though, and i'd do the same if one of my chars was in that situation. It also gets a message across: this 'teritory' or cult is not to be messed with, they do mean business 
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SSShadowcat7
Here for a while
(1/3/03 9:38:33 am)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
Quote:
but i guess you gave her some leniency
If you read Andorax's campaign thread I'm not sure you'd call what he does "lenient". 
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Berova
Looking around
(1/4/03 1:38:44 am)
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
Thanks for all the replies/suggestions.
Tomorrow (well, looking at the time, later today), we'll be jump starting the campaign once again. I'll definitely be incorporating a bunch of your comments. I am still uncertain how I will exactly handle the torture/interrogation/torture of the Wiz, but my gut tells me he doesn't know what he's in for nor will he be happy when he finds out how dastardly evil these guys are (thanks to the Hivemind) ... (It's a b!tch when your spellbook and scrolls are taken from you when you're a MU  )
One player will be coming in with a cleric of Mayaheine (Living Greyhawk Gazetteer) who will be looking for Xaod and the cleric of Pelor.
Thanks once again.
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 Infiniti2000
Here for a while
(1/4/03 9:29:56 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Aftermath CRM:MG
"It's a b!tch when your spellbook and scrolls are taken from you when you're a MU"
Have the player write each spell name in his spellbook on a small scrap of paper. Then, collect them all and, one by one, rip them to little pieces in front of the player. This will simulate the "torture" and loss of his spellbook. I wouldn't destroy the scrolls as they are more useful to the temple. If you have time, you can even have a bad guy copy the spellbook before it is ripped up, so that it is not a complete loss, but anyway the effect here is worth it.
I would drag this out. Make sure the player (not you) writes down the spells, because it will have a greater effect that way. You could even do the 1 page/spell level, but it is unnecessary. A small scrap (1/8th a real page) is sufficient, so don't waste too much paper. Rip each one individually to accentuate it. This fun little exercise will clearly torture the player. Perhaps you can use it to extract information.
Bad Guy: Ooo, lookie here....fireball. What temple are you working for?
Wizard: I'm not working for any...
Bad Guy: Bzzt, wrong answer! *riiiiip* What do we have next? Ah, mirror image....
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