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View Full Version : various questions about a campaign [4E] (second part)



Kol Korran
2009-03-22, 12:57 PM
this thread continues from another thread by the same name, but deals with a different encounter. it's here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107684)
so my players (1st level) have just escaped the search parties of a big shifter clan (reduced to 1-3 level) in the ruins of an old city, they rest a bit and are being led by a native companion unwards, until they near a bridge... (possibly, partly what this thread is about)

now, what i'm looking for here is a memorable encounter, in which the party fights a lot of foes, but break contact with them (and a pursuit) in some way.
my idea is that the party comes to the bridge, fight a bunch of bridge guardians, suddenly a whole lot of other shifters start to approach them at a run, so they fight and board the bridge, get to the other side, and then cut it down, effectively leaving the shifters on the other edge. (the shifters could follow, but they will have to take the long route around.
question: good enough idea, or do you have another way to block pursuit. it's importent for them to feel outnumbered, and that they need to think creatively to solve this. also- what do you think could go wrong?

as to the actual encounter: it will include several 1 level shifters, two wolves, and the main appetizer: the druid/ shaman of the tribe have erected a special guardian- a spirit bear in a magic circle just at the foot of the bridge. this is basically a trap. the spirit rises when someone gets close and attacks. it especially focuses on anyone who tries to mess with the circle. two ways to disarm this:
- thievery/ arcana over the ritual circle (shifting magical bear bones and such) 4 succeses before 2 failures (in which the spirit bear get healed) if the spirit bear attacks you you can't concentrate, (or the DC goes up)
- kill the spirit bear (haven't decided on it's statistics yet, but probably something on the line of a shadow spirit).
question: any better ideas for the spirit bear? or how to handle this?

the spirit bear awakening alarms the druid/ shaman, who is nearby with a hefty portion of shifter reinforcements, they start making way. after several rounds (i'll call it depending on how things go) shifters and wolves start arriving at the back of the party. i want the party to be nerveous andd fight on two fronts. most shifters will start throwing javelins at the group, mainly magic users and those disarming the bear. more will arrive each round.
idealy, this should take place after 2 successes with the bear.
question: do you think the timing should be different? any other way you'd suggest to create the same effect?

fighting retreat: or perhaps not so much fighting- once the bear is dealt with, i hope the group will get on the bridge and start to hassle towards the other end. i think that maybe i'll force an acrobatic test or two to keep balance for running characters, but at this point i think it might just be annoying and ruin the mood and pace. they will have a few javelins thrown at them, and perhaps one or more persistnet attackers that follow them on the bridge itself. once on the other side, i belive they will cut it down
question: other than the obvious danger of the group deciding to fight it out, or not cut the bridge down (players will surprise you), anything else that might realy jam the game, or intended feel of things?

once again, any help, advice, or comments are more than welcomed.
Kol.