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Helderik
Tolling Bell Cultist
(1/2/04 12:18 am)
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What to do with the ettin (and the dragon)...?
Last session, my players battled Terrenygit and some forces of the earth temple. As a last resort, Terrenygit offered them significant influence in the main gate area. This plan was foiled by the PC's and now Terrenygit is dead, and the swordmaster and Greshta retreated to the earth temple.
Next session, the pc's will return to the CRM. However, I do not think they're going left towards the earth temple. They will probably go right and explore the mines. There, they will find Marlgran, his pet and maybe Vranthis.
What's the deal with these monsters? Do the work together? What's Marlgran's role in the mines? I guess he is one of the few ettins that survived the battle of Emridy meadows and retreated with the doomdreamers to the CRM? How did you guys handle Marlgran and Vranthis? Are they just simple encounters? What are the roleplaying opportunities? IMC, rumours of dragon attacks have already reached Rastor. My players however don't know Vranthis yet... Any ideas?
www.student.tue.nl/H/e.j.a.manders
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Cordo Crowfoot
Deathmantle Cultist
(1/2/04 12:32 am)
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ettin and the rust monster
My impression is that Marlgran is simply an opportunistic resident of the mines, setting up house and enjoying his easy source of income taxing those who pass through. I was going to have Marlgran not attack the party at all, just demand money, but my group attacked him on sight.
As for Vranthis, one good idea that many have used is that Vranthis is interested in finding out what the Doomdreamers are up to for himself (noting his high Knowledge: Religion skill). Again, you could have him be a typical green dragon, and ruthlessly attack anyone he perceives as trespassing in his domain, or he could recognize the opportunity to recruit the party as his agents.
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grimbold
Tolling Bell Cultist
(1/2/04 2:37 am)
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Re: ettin and the rust monster
IMC, Vranthis hired the ettin´s help after the players had almost defeated him:
Grimbold´s campaign log
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 Infiniti2000
Brother of Venom
(1/2/04 6:32 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: ettin and the rust monster
First, the random dragon attacks probably come from the white dragon in the random encounter chart (I treat random encounter tables as a guideline for additional planned encounters).
I view Marlgran as an opportunist, deciding to collect a fee for passersby. However, given the dangers ahead and behind, I'd say he hasn't gotten to collect any taxes in some time. If the party is even able to communicate with him, that should surely be a part of the conversation. Have one head mention it, and then have the other berate that head for even mentioning it.
Head A: We had not got collect taxes in many days. Why you suppose'n dat is?
Head B: Shut yer trap, you idiot! Don' tell targets, er, I mean customers, about that! It'll lessen the price!
...
The best time is for Marlgran to approach the party as they are climbing down the ladders, or just entering the larger cavern from the ladder room to the north. I assume Marlgran makes a payment to the dragon for added protection. Vranthis is really extorting the ettin here, and due to the recent lack of funds, I'm guessing Vranthis is putting added pressure on the two-headed giant.
Perhaps that can play a hand. Let's say Marlgran requests an absurd amount of money, like 100gp a head. The party rejects it and tries to haggle. Instead of a reduce price, Marlgran suggests they travel for free if they decide to 'take out' Vranthis, who, of course, overhears everything because the dragon always listens in.
Don't forget about Moolowik, too, make sure the kuo-toa hears everything. I had the kuo-toa scouting for people to help in the assault against the fire temple. It would be particularly interesting to have him go "Psst!" during a combat with the dragon. There's nothing like a good spot of RP in the middle of combat! 
Hope this sparks some more ideas.
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Helderik
Tolling Bell Cultist
(1/2/04 7:00 am)
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Re: ettin and the rust monster
Thanx guys...
I'll give it some thought during the weekend. It would be nice to have my group bargaining with the ettin, in stead of chopping it's heads off without even speaking to it... It should be a welcome diversion to all the battles from the last few sessions... I'll let you guys know what I will do in a couple of days...
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Infiniti2000
Brother of Venom
(1/2/04 8:32 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: ettin and the rust monster
A little side comment about communicating with the ettin. Roll the first few language checks such that the party understand the complexities involved, but then stop worrying about it as it becomes a huge bother and really ruins the roleplay. Indeed, it would be better to entirely roleplay the event, but you would have to be a superspecial DM to be able to handle that amount of acting.
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Mr Kaze
Ebon Hand Cultist
(1/2/04 8:43 am)
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Re: ettin and the rust monster
For my $.02...
I replaced the woodland-dwelling green dragon with an overly-tactical Umber Hulk that followed a simple "Rise, Confuse, Attack, Burrow" plan (if you've got an fireball-launching arcane caster at the back fo the line, so much the better -- pop up there and then LYAO if they fail their Will save). The fight -- against a single umber hulk -- went on for longer than many that have twice as many combatants, lasting over 20 rounds. We even got to see the party troll sit on the fighting cleric [overrun + grapple] after the cleric failed his second will save vs. confusion. After making a whole lot of troll jerky and taking a chunk of damage, the hulk retreated ne'er to be seen again -- until two weeks later. This umber hulk also fits in nicely with the umber hulks that are coming up before the air temple...
About the others: if you've got an Ettin and a Rust Monster, it's highly unlikely that anybody's going to care much about the dumb and brutish Ettin compared to that mastermind of villianous tactics, the Rust Monster. Trust me on this. Nobody with a $8000-$18,000 sword talks to anybody who has a pet that eats swords like that without so much as a second thought. It'd be like an armorsmith talking to a Balor and his pet Bebiliths, except slow and dumb.  No, my advice here is to set them up in ambush as described and be sure to advance the rust monster (if necessary) so that it's a challenge to not lose any gear -- I was just in a game where the party rogue had +17 to his reflex save when he got slapped with a summonned rust monster... but with +17, he wasn't actually in any danger of losing anything. At all. Booor-ing! (I used the rust monster as written because the baby troll was out front, but made his reflex saves quite luckily. Got pounded into green goo by the ettin, but it wasn't fatal.)
Alternately, you could replace the encounter with another umber hulk joining the green dragon replacement, such that they attack in concert, one from the front and one from the rear. But that might be a bit to cruel, depending on the composition of your party.
Cheers,
Mr. Kaze
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