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Entifidich
Ebon Hand Cultist
(12/22/03 5:08 am)
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Help for the Crater Ridge Mines?
Hi,
my players just arrived in Rastor and I just realized that this part is quite vague.
The players are about to go talk to the chief of the village chief and the dwarf is about to ask about the Cult in the mines and about the Orcs in the village.
The dwarf of the party can't believe that Orcs come peacefully to the village and would like to know more about this.
Can you help me?
What does the priest (village's head) know about the Orcs, about the cult?
Does he offer a reward for clearing the CRM?
How does this go on?
I must say I didn't prepare that part of the adventure yet and when I look at it right now, I don't know what will come next.
My misstake
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Andorax
Brother of Venom
(12/22/03 7:41 am)
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Re: Help for the Crater Ridge Mines?
Ok, some of this is vague, so understand that this is *my* take on the matter.
Most everyone in town, Rerrid included, knows that there are "mad cultists" in the CRM, but not really who they are, what they stand for, what they're doing, etc.
I depicted Rastor as having mostly humans, with a small and very insular Dwarven population (maybe 20-25 total). They're the last reminants of the clan that once lived in the CRM, and all they really remember of it was that some terrible things appeared within the mines and slaughtered most of the clan. The few surviving refugees retreated to the small "trade town" that the humans had built in order to do business with the (then very profitable) CRM dwarves.
Orcs aren't tolerated, as much as they are an unavoidable fact of life. The Dwarves of Rastor hate the Orcs as much as any other Dwarves hate Orcs, but they are few while the Orcs are many, and they don't have a mountain stronghold...they have ramshackle human buildings and one decent-built temple that wouldn't withstand a long siege in any case.
So the attitude of the Dwarves of Rastor is one of depression and despair. They're trapped, they're dying off, and they're suffering a painful, slow death besides. That they must suffer the indignity of dealing with Orcs, that they must live in the shadow of their former home...it's almost too much to bear.
No, no reward is offered for "clearing out" the Mines...it's absurd to think anyone could. The Dwarves of Rastor think it an impossible task, and wouldn't discuss it with an outsider in any case (too painful). If presented with incontrovertable evidence of successes (the treasures of the Dwarven Temple, for example), they might be heartened.
In fact, if the PCs can show signs of great successes, as well as finding the secret passage into the temple (Rerrid does not remember it, he was but an acolyte at the time of the fall), they might be able to convince the Dwarves of Rastor to move back into the temple complex, in which case expect them to do so overnight, without telling any of the humans, and leaving a very confused Rastor in their wake.
If that's so, the Dwarves will gladly keep the temple as a refuge for the party...will defend and aid them, heal and succor them, and cheer their triumphs. If they ever found out that the cultists were behind the arrival of the creatures that destroyed their home, they might even become (irrationally) vengeful...or they might realize that they're not up to the task.
Then again, you can also do what I've suggested from time to time. Do all of the above, wait until the PCs have done some serious damage to the Outer Fane, then turn Thrommel loose amongst them, slaughter many, turn the rest to Vampire Spawn and Rerrid into another true Vampire, and leave the lot to "welcome" the PCs back when next they seek rest and comfort.
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lightnng
Tolling Bell Cultist
(12/22/03 8:04 am)
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Re: Help for the Crater Ridge Mines?
Far be it from me to say anything that contradicts Andorax... but Im running Rastor differently. My motivation was to be able to run it without having to deal with "too much" - this module is already extremely taxing on my poor DM's resources (read "brain"), without overcomplicating my work even more.
Anyway, IMC the Dwarves and Orcs have actually been trading and even living together for enough times that they have grown sort-of used to each other. No, they dont really comingle; but some of them do speak to each other quite regularly, some of the Orcs have moved in to Rastor, and Orcs roam the streets often. Yarew has also dealt with the Orcs quite a bit, and he turns a profit "for his retirement" from arranging deals between the Orc leader Kreugna and other interested parties. For example, the latter is always interested in arms and armor, and although he cant afford to pay for masterwork quality, he does have enough for regular stuff. If the party talks to Yarew trying to find out where they can sell of the loot from the mines, he will (carefully) suggest he can arrange something, and will do so for a 20% cut.
Rerrid IMC actually does suspect the hidden temple of Moradin - but he cares too much for the safety of the people of Rastor that he has shoved that into the back of his mind. However, if the party does find the temple and let him know about it, it will change things significantly, not only making the dwarves rush in to overtake and secure the temple, but also causing an influx of dwarves to come in from other locations as the word spreads out in the world. IMC there is a dwarven cleric of Moradin, so Rerrid actually conferred with him before the party went in the CRM and it has become a sort of miniquest for him to find the temple.
I have also allowed the party at some point to purchase a building in Rastor. Ive invented Erek, a half-orc cousin of Jardeth, who is a builder. When the party comes into Rastor, he is just building two new houses, one for himself and one for Tal (who is mistakenly expecting a need for it as the search for the champion nears its end). This plays no importance except if the party wants to buy a house and they ask Jardeth about it, at which point they will find out that one has become available recently (Tal figured out the extra building won't be necessary and so has pulled out of the deal).
Also, Ive made Rastor a bit bigger; the trading with the CRM, the Orcs, and a few other close communities has made it worth a merchant from Verbobonc's time to send a small caravan (OK, a couple wagons) there about once a month.
Edited by: lightnng at: 12/22/03 5:50 pm
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msherman
Crimson Coil Cultist
(12/22/03 8:04 am)
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Re: Help for the Crater Ridge Mines?
One suggestion to change what Andorax recommended: IMC, Rerrid was just a babe-in-arms when the Dwarves were driven from the mines. If you say he was an acolyte, then IMO he'd know too much that would be useful to the party. In my game, they were very friendly with Rerrid before hitting the mines (they cured the town of Tanbrosh addiction, so Rerrid owed them big), but even still all he could tell them was that he knew there was a sealed temple _somewhere_ in the mines, but he didn't know where.
BTW, sending Thrommel to raze the recovered Dwarven temple is truly evil. 
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 Infiniti2000
Brother of Venom
(12/22/03 9:40 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Help for the Crater Ridge Mines?
I've played up the drug addiction a little more. Thandain has completely lost her faith and dwarven heritage, now carrying a symbol to Gruumsh and fully consorting with the two orc traders, sleeping with one or both. She has pulled a number of additional dwarves down with her, convincing them that survival, in any form, is better than the wretched existance as exhibited by Rerrid. Rerrid is extremely depressed and rather indifferent about the whole thing. He was an acolyte during the downfall of the CRM dwarves, but has mentally blocked that portion of his life from his memory. This is a common mental 'illness' and I thought it more than appropriate. If the party ever thinks to heal Rerrid, they will uncover the truth. Fortunately, by the time they can cast 6th level spells, the information will be more than appropriate for the time of the adventure.
Jardeth, on the other hand, is a half-orc who fervently worships Moradin. Indeed, he is probably the most highly spirited follower of Moradin in town. He hates the other orcs and the dwarves who have seemingly turned their back on the God of the Forge.
This dichotomy of orcs worshipping Moradin and dwarves worshipping Gruumsh really intrigued my players and provided for some great RP. It was particular exciting when they were arguing with Thandain and for the first time realized the truth. She yelled at the dwarven cleric, spittle flying out of her mouth, pulling the iron symbol of a single eye, a holy symbol to Gruumsh One Eye, out from her chain shirt, "Despicable follower of the False God! Only Gruumsh has answered the calls of the dwarves here in Rastor! Moradin is no longer needed."
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smetzger
Tolling Bell Cultist
(12/22/03 11:58 am)
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Re: Help for the Crater Ridge Mines?
My take on the orcs...
I see the Orcs as primarily neutral and more in tune with nature than your usual orcs. This is only a small portion of a once large orc tribe that used to inhabit the region. The more evil orcs and ones who liked to live in caves have been recruited a long time ago by the forces of the CRM. These orcs have since been betrayed and chewed up by the constant in-fighting in the mines. The sole survivors are currently trapped in the CRM without an escape route and without any temple allies.
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Andorax
Brother of Venom
(12/22/03 3:34 pm)
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Re: Help for the Crater Ridge Mines?
Actually, lightnng, I'm thrilled you posted such a radical counterpoint to my own. It gives the poster more options for how he wants to run it.
There is no true "one" answer to Rastor, and any of these ideas can be what would fit best into the campaign.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
Entifidich
Ebon Hand Cultist
(12/23/03 11:22 pm)
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Re: Help for the Crater Ridge Mines?
Thanks a lot for those hints. This is what I think I'll do.
The group I'm mastering has a dwarf who was really concerned about the orcs roaming the village.
I think I'll have the cleric tell them the dwarves have been chased out the mountain by strange creatures (Is it OK to describe some elementals??) a couple of years ago. The dwarves are kinda homesick and would really like to go back under the mountain, but now the mountain seems to have new inhabbitants in ochre robes.
I'm sure the dwarf will be willing to have a look and they'll end up chasing the cult, freeing the mines and invite the dwarves back into their former home.
I allready described Moradin's Temple as a poor barnlike building with only a stone altar as reminder that it's supposed to be a Temple to Moradin.
The dwarf was shocked to see this mockery of a tempel and is really eager to have a chat with the Cleric.
The party would also like to have a chat with the person who would give a cart to the cultists. What does he really know? What is his reaction to the adventurers?
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