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View Full Version : Help build an encounter/sidequest!



Egiam
2009-12-05, 10:25 PM
I am trying to plan an encounter for an upcoming session of my 3rd level 3.5 Eberron Campaign. I would like to spice it up a little bit.

The PC's have located a stronghold of a local gang in Stormreach. The gang has very limited magical access (highest caster is level 5-6). The place (so far), is disguised as a simple house. If one knocks on the door rhythmically 5 times, a 1st level rogue allows entry.

The house is a small stronghold for thieves to lay low while being searched for, or a backup in case the main stronghold is discovered. The place is enhabited by a handful of low level rogues and warriors. There are two inportant parts to the place.
-A set of stairs lead to the basement, which is full of supplies, and an improvised holding cell. Inside the cell is a guild member that was caught pocketing some gold belonging to the leader, and a member of a rival gang. These are important for the adventure, but not for the encounter.
-Rackul, Tamer of Beasts, is in charge of the place. He is an expert 2/warrior 2 that's good with a crossbow, and has a handle animal score through the roof. He has a hobby of collecting creatures he finds and taming them. I am having trouble understanding the handle animal rules. Would it be possible for him to tame, say, a Worg? How about a Krenshar? Which animals should he have?

I imagine the characters doing a bit of research about the place first. Some of the neighbors might be willing to confirm the PC's suspicions with a little bribing/intimidation/diplomacy.

If they hang around outside, they find that every few hours a pair of the thieves leave, and head to Shadows, a brothel run by House Thuranni. They might be able to use this habit to their advantage, charming them when they are a distance from the hideout. At night, most of the gangmembers sleep in hammocks, while a few stay up and watch the door.

I imagine starting the fight with the PC's trying to kick in the door or climb through the window. At first they have to fight the thieves. As they head deeper into the small house, Rackul unleashes several animals on the PC's as he runs into a room and locks the door. The PC's open the door, and have to face two more animals, and Rackul with his Crossbow.


How could I make this more interesting? Some rooftop action? Some magic? A stairwell battle? Some sort of hazard? A need for the balance skill? Should the basement lead into an underground ruin? Climbing to a 2nd story window?

After this place, the PC's will find the main stronghold, face the leader of the guild, and find the quest objective. I imagine this place being either in a cleared out giant ruin under the main city, or a large luxury house out on the outskirts of the town. Which should I use, and should I change out one of these for the first stronghold?

Egiam
2009-12-06, 07:47 PM
Does anyone have any ideas?

Kalirren
2009-12-06, 09:19 PM
Maybe borrow a trick or two from the Home Alone movies? They could really have the place tricked out.

Rasman
2009-12-07, 12:26 AM
well...

...if it were me, I'd be a bit evil with this. But this requires that "Someone" among the theives be a mage or caster of some type, possibly your animal handler friend. Once they enter, their first "brawl" starts. After the battle is over, they notice two paths that lead downward, they must choose a door. From looking at it, neither seems any different from the other, besides the way in which they turn downwards. After inspecting the room further, (they make a spot check), they notice a sign above either door. The door on the left says, "You Must Make The Right Choice..." with an arrow pointing to the right. The door on the right says "...Or Be Left For Dead," with an Arrow pointing to the left. The answer to the riddle is that the "right choice/right door" will lead to a trap of some sort that will PROBABLY kill them, because they start the sentence on the left, so they move once to the right corner where the door is, then they move 4 times around the room, and that takes them to the door that will, leave them for dead, process of elimination leaves the door on the left as being safe. Something like a room full of Rackul's half starved beasts that he hasn't fully trained yet or a pathway that leads to a deadend with a chest that's actually a Mimic that's going to try and eat an unlucky rogue that tries to open it would be fitting at the end of the death hall.

Another_Poet
2009-12-07, 11:17 AM
First, a Worg or Krenshar are fine if you think it would make both a fun encounter and a level-appropriate encounter. Don't worry if there are normal rules for it. You have a bad guy who is good with animals and spent his life collecting the coolest ones he could find and train. That's good.

Second, Handle Animal works basically like this:
1) Assume the animals Rackul trained all have the relevant Tricks (Attack, Defend, Guard, Heel, Come, and Stay). Really, only Attack and Guard will be relevant.

2) Normally it is a move action to Handle a trained animal, which will get the animal to perform a trick. If Rackul uses a move action to Handle the worg and tells it to Attack, the worg will attack (and continue attacking until told otherwse). So, it is ONE move action, once; not a move action every turn.

3) I would choose one animal and allow Rackul to handle it as a free action. Druids and Rangers can handle their animal companion as a free action, so if he has one animal he's especially close with it makes sense. If you want, give him the Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) feat to justify this.

4) In one round, he can then handle 3 animals (move, move, free). Attack, Attack, Defend Me would be a logical combo. Once he has ordered eac one to Attack (or defend or whagtever) he can take his own actions on subsequent turns and the animals will keep fighting. Remember wolves have a free trip attempt on every successful attack. So do Riding Dogs and they have better stats than wolves (weird but true). Two wolves or riding dogs ordered to attack could flank with each other to really harass the PCs. Standing up from prone after being tripped provokes and AoO which gets... another free trip attempt!

5) Last, remember that animals only attack animals, humanoids, monstrous humanoids and giants. They're unwilling to attack anything else unless they have been taught the Attack trick twice. (Alternately, Rackul can try a DC 25 handle animal check to force the animal to do it anyway, but this takes a full-round action). Personally, as a GM I wouldn't say any of the animals have been taught to do this. If one of the PCs is actually a fey or outsider or something else that animals won't normally attack, that is kind of a cool advantage and I'd let them keep it.

Of course if an animal is cornered and being beaten to death it may still attack in self-defence, but only if it cannot flee.

On the other topic, I like the idea of an encounter that requires balance checks. Imagine an old basement, 40' x 60'. The wooden floor has been stripped out (maybe by squatters?) and only the big wooden support beams cross the basement. Something important is on the other side of course, and the basement floor is crawling with verming. A knowledge (dungeoneering) check identifies some of the vermin as poisonous insect, implying the thieves put them there intentionally. DC 12 balance check for every half-movement across the beams. DC 12 balance check anytime you are damaged while on the beams. Failure means a 20' fall and then a DC 11 Fort save against some minor poison every round until you get out.

ap

Egiam
2009-12-07, 01:24 PM
First, a Worg or Krenshar are fine if you think it would make both a fun encounter and a level-appropriate encounter. Don't worry if there are normal rules for it. You have a bad guy who is good with animals and spent his life collecting the coolest ones he could find and train. That's good.

Second, Handle Animal works basically like this:
1) Assume the animals Rackul trained all have the relevant Tricks (Attack, Defend, Guard, Heel, Come, and Stay). Really, only Attack and Guard will be relevant.

2) Normally it is a move action to Handle a trained animal, which will get the animal to perform a trick. If Rackul uses a move action to Handle the worg and tells it to Attack, the worg will attack (and continue attacking until told otherwse). So, it is ONE move action, once; not a move action every turn.

3) I would choose one animal and allow Rackul to handle it as a free action. Druids and Rangers can handle their animal companion as a free action, so if he has one animal he's especially close with it makes sense. If you want, give him the Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) feat to justify this.

4) In one round, he can then handle 3 animals (move, move, free). Attack, Attack, Defend Me would be a logical combo. Once he has ordered eac one to Attack (or defend or whagtever) he can take his own actions on subsequent turns and the animals will keep fighting. Remember wolves have a free trip attempt on every successful attack. So do Riding Dogs and they have better stats than wolves (weird but true). Two wolves or riding dogs ordered to attack could flank with each other to really harass the PCs. Standing up from prone after being tripped provokes and AoO which gets... another free trip attempt!

5) Last, remember that animals only attack animals, humanoids, monstrous humanoids and giants. They're unwilling to attack anything else unless they have been taught the Attack trick twice. (Alternately, Rackul can try a DC 25 handle animal check to force the animal to do it anyway, but this takes a full-round action). Personally, as a GM I wouldn't say any of the animals have been taught to do this. If one of the PCs is actually a fey or outsider or something else that animals won't normally attack, that is kind of a cool advantage and I'd let them keep it.

Of course if an animal is cornered and being beaten to death it may still attack in self-defence, but only if it cannot flee.

On the other topic, I like the idea of an encounter that requires balance checks. Imagine an old basement, 40' x 60'. The wooden floor has been stripped out (maybe by squatters?) and only the big wooden support beams cross the basement. Something important is on the other side of course, and the basement floor is crawling with verming. A knowledge (dungeoneering) check identifies some of the vermin as poisonous insect, implying the thieves put them there intentionally. DC 12 balance check for every half-movement across the beams. DC 12 balance check anytime you are damaged while on the beams. Failure means a 20' fall and then a DC 11 Fort save against some minor poison every round until you get out.

ap

Thanks! This really helps me!

As for training animals, could a PC train a krenshar?

Kol Korran
2009-12-07, 01:47 PM
i might have a few ideas, i've spoilered them for length.

1- you're in stormreach, which is based on the ruins of giants. i should definetly make either the main layer or the secondery lair an old giant ruin. the giant ruins usually have two scales in their structure- giant, and common (for the elven slaves) i suggest you incorporate these into it. a few giant steps for example might be a tad difficult to go up (requiring either climb checks, or use ropes to throw an anchor rope, or balance to use the planks the thieves set into the place)

2- give the hide out some character, and have a reason why it's abandoned- it could be (for example) an old giant mortuary- creepy feeling, very dark, perhaps a lingering echo of giant voices from the cataclysm (you can maybe have the characters make will saves if you wish, or be shaken). or giant temple, with painted glass giant gods looking down, large benches that provide cover, maybe chandeliers and maybe some religious phenomena that isn't explained (strange lights, seeping liquid, think Hallow spell). or perhaps it's an abandoned theatre training ground for phiarlan - lots of curtains, masks and dummies, mirrors and maybe even acrobatic instruments.

3- i'd suggest you have a few way to enter the place. it's alwys good to have choices instead of "must go through door". they can find an underground entrance to the place, either by a high gather info roll, befriending the thieves, or something else. (stormreach is littered with underground. the thieves might themselves be supperstitious about the path, guarding it uneasely. the party might also climb the walls (if it's a giant ruin. especially from the direction of the giant cemetery if it's a mortuary). or the party might even persuade some of the thieves to let them "apply for join" and therefor enter the hideout, estimate it, learn a bit about who's inside. of course, they are risking the hell out of themsleves here!



4- i suggest you devide the thieves into 3 sort of roles, as in the army: some are guarding the entrances, some form a response unit, and some are just hanging out. the guards are immediatly ready at their post. the response unit should get to any location in about 4 rounds after hostilities started. and the rest may take up to 4-8 rounds more. i suggest you make the response unti leader a second level character, preferably not a rogue, for variety- a bard, a Rogue/ sorcerer (with a potion of mage armor, and maybe shield as well?). others can help you better with this. one of the "laying back" crowd might also bear some surprises (surprising skill with a different weapon, maybe an abberent dragonmark that is usefull, surprising race or whatever)

5- i'd also divide the hideout into 4-5 sections: the first is the guard posts- these should be highly advantegeous for the thieves. think cover, concealment, and perhaps a simple hindering trap between them and the players. i wouldn't put too many thieves guarding here- 2 crossbowmen, and 1 alerter/traphandler/warrior. the objective of the defenders would be to hold out the attackers here till help could arrive.

the second are is the main hall, food place and sleeping quarters. here the rest of the theives stay, except for the beastmaster. if the party get in by an alternate route, they can find all the "laid back" thieves without armor, and maybe only daggers. 4 guys in the response unit (with one special), and 2-4 laid back, 1 of which is special (see in a minute)

the third place is what i call the "off base" place- this is a part of the structure is unused by the rogue, and they prefer to avoid it for some reason (supperstition and so on). here leads the secret pass if the party found it. 2 laid back people may be forced to guard this route reluctently, but since it's not believed anyone would approach through here, they are minimally armed. (and take distraction modifiers for their spot and listen)

another optional area is the "business" area- what the group of thieves do here- these could be number running, drug making, alcohol making, or just a treasure room. for your imagination. if it's a storage, have a reasonable trap here. if not, then maybe just 1-2 scared commoners.

the last are is the beast master's headquarters. cages, training grounds, and so on. i'd suggest you also give the beast master some slight territory/ trap advantage, but nothing as serious as the guard posts- the main focus is the animals here. one beast master and 2-3 critter's here

6- for the battle with the beast master- the handle skill has been superbly explained i see. i advise against Krenshar- it's fear basically takes a member or more out of the fight, when the party most needs them. true- it's appropriate, but it's just not fun. maybe you can make his howl make the players shaken? or maybe nauseated? you're the DM. (and if anyone knows these creatures you can just say they are indegenious to Xenderic). if you can play it right, i highly suggest a worg. all the advantages of a wolf, but it can also speak malevolently! i had great time with worgs! as to other creatures- how about a small flight of Stirges? these guys will scare bug the hell out of your players (2-3 should be enough). or... baby ankheg/s? (the beast master may want to train it to dig for hidden treasure) grapple cheks that are not too high, and you downgrade the acid as well.



7- one thing that you should really keep in mind: the party needs to take this place down (or find their contact, or capture a thief, or whatever they need in order to move onwards), in one go. if they "go to rest" then the headquarters will be alerted and the place will be much, much better defended... in order to do that try and make sure the party has a reasonable resource of healing (wand of lesser vigor and such, though for such intense activity i'd suggest maybe a wand of cure light wounds. alternetavely- some of the rogues may have potions on them.), and also don't make the place two crowded. in total i suggest 14 thieves (two of which 2 level), the beast master with 2-3 types of beasties.

8- i suggest to really try to play out the info gathering part, if your players are for it. from the preliminery inqueries, to maybe "joining the guild" ruse. make 2-3 personalities of the rogues, give them a bit more face. and of course- make at least one a changling (that may spy on the party in turn!)

9- one last advice: you asked whether to just go for the main holdout. well, does this holdout adds to the game? or is it just a place to clear out? does it advances the plot? if so, use it, if not- use a more complicated main compound and that's its.


by the way, i like your avatar. it makes me happy.

hope this helps, let us know how the meeting went. i'm curious!
Kol.

Egiam
2009-12-07, 03:14 PM
Thank you Kol Korran. Nice to hear from a fellow Eberron enthusiast.

I think that I will take your input put the final stronghold over an abandoned/cursed underground shrine. It could very well be used as a source of treasure and an additional hook for the next adventure.

As for the first, smaller hideout, I'm thinkin' that it will end up being a simple deal. Most of the thieves will try to run away, except the beastmaster and his pair of worgs. The PC's head down the stairs to find the mini-objective.

As for entering the building, I imagine a front and back door, both of which are locked at all times. Should I have a small second level? Maybe the monk could climb up and open a window...


by the way, i like your avatar. it makes me happy.


Oh. uh... thanks, I guess. It was made to look like my PBP Elf Ranger, Avalis.

Another_Poet
2009-12-07, 03:15 PM
Thanks! This really helps me!

As for training animals, could a PC train a krenshar?

By the core rules, probably not. Using Handle Animal you can only train an Animal with an Int of 1 or 2. A Krenshar is a Magical Beast (not animal) with an Int of 6.

However I think Krenshar is one of the options for a Monstrous Companion for the Beast Heart Adept class (in the WotC book Dungeonscape). A PC in that class could get a krenshar which acts like an animal companion and even learns tricks like an animal.

There are probably other ways to get a trained krenshar using the various splatbooks, or a generous DM might let a PC take it as a Cohort with the Leadership feat (since it does have Int 6 which is as smart as a neanderthal or so).

More importantly, a look at the krenshar's stats shows that it is not an uber powerful creature. You could look at animals on the Animal Companion list and find something of equivalent power levels, and based on that, add the krenshar to the available animal companions at that level. I would think a Druid 4 or Ranger 8 could have a Krenshar and it would not upset balance, though it is a houserule.