BarbarianNina
2009-12-22, 11:42 AM
We switch off who DMs. I was originally planning a relatively short palace-intrigue interlude in which the other two characters (a rogue and a bard) could be stealthy and social, while my barbarian hid in the corner. There was going to be a side plot in which Yuan-Ti invaded a provincial border area.
So, um, yeah... I didn't consider the fact that the PCs were entering the kingdom THROUGH the provincial borderlands, and that the humans there have a powerful sense of hospitality, and that the PCs would be grateful. Nor that the Tiefling would reveal his demonic nature, impressing the Yuan-Ti into trying to use him as an assassin and bragging about their plans. Now the PCs are determined to save the doomed Highlands from the Yuan-Ti invasion, and the Tiefling is developing what may become a father-son relationship with a local Clan chieftain who didn't originally have a first name.
The Yuan-Ti are smart, and they have been planning this invasion for years. They provoked the local Lord into attacking first, so that they can do a massive land-grab in the Highlands and then claim it was self-defense. They are technically outnumbered by the humans in the Highlands, but the humans include children, old men, and women (very, very few of whom can fight). The Yuan-Ti are currently using the non-fighting portion of their own population as a food source, so they aren't spending resources defending their own civilians. Meanwhile, they've successfully killed off about a third of the fighting humans in a massive ambush. They are also much more dangerous than humans. They do have a few weaknesses: they are deeply overconfident and proud of their superior intelligence; they are led by three Yuan-Ti who do not always agree; and their leaders are Lawful and Neutral, while most of the Yuan-Ti are Chaotic and a bit sick of taking so many orders.
The PCs are a small, level 8 party with above-average equipment. If they could fight the Yuan-Ti one at a time, they could take on any but the three ruling Abominations... but the Yuan-Ti aren't about to let that happen. I'm having a hard time imagining how the PCs could win this, but I don't want to make them massively fail, either. Should I go ahead and make them cut their losses, retreating as a rear guard for the refugee civilians, and then coming back to fight with reinforcements and additionally levels? I really hate to do that. Should I cut back the power level of the Yuan-Ti? I don't think they would have attacked yet if they weren't confident of victory. I'm thinking the PCs might fetch reinforcements, but that doesn't seem quite heroic enough for mid-level characters.
Also, does anyone have advice about running battles between humans (mostly fighters and barbarians) and Yuan-Ti (rangers, druids, and clerics, with a few fighters, rogues and sorcerers)? Or about running wars, in general?
So, um, yeah... I didn't consider the fact that the PCs were entering the kingdom THROUGH the provincial borderlands, and that the humans there have a powerful sense of hospitality, and that the PCs would be grateful. Nor that the Tiefling would reveal his demonic nature, impressing the Yuan-Ti into trying to use him as an assassin and bragging about their plans. Now the PCs are determined to save the doomed Highlands from the Yuan-Ti invasion, and the Tiefling is developing what may become a father-son relationship with a local Clan chieftain who didn't originally have a first name.
The Yuan-Ti are smart, and they have been planning this invasion for years. They provoked the local Lord into attacking first, so that they can do a massive land-grab in the Highlands and then claim it was self-defense. They are technically outnumbered by the humans in the Highlands, but the humans include children, old men, and women (very, very few of whom can fight). The Yuan-Ti are currently using the non-fighting portion of their own population as a food source, so they aren't spending resources defending their own civilians. Meanwhile, they've successfully killed off about a third of the fighting humans in a massive ambush. They are also much more dangerous than humans. They do have a few weaknesses: they are deeply overconfident and proud of their superior intelligence; they are led by three Yuan-Ti who do not always agree; and their leaders are Lawful and Neutral, while most of the Yuan-Ti are Chaotic and a bit sick of taking so many orders.
The PCs are a small, level 8 party with above-average equipment. If they could fight the Yuan-Ti one at a time, they could take on any but the three ruling Abominations... but the Yuan-Ti aren't about to let that happen. I'm having a hard time imagining how the PCs could win this, but I don't want to make them massively fail, either. Should I go ahead and make them cut their losses, retreating as a rear guard for the refugee civilians, and then coming back to fight with reinforcements and additionally levels? I really hate to do that. Should I cut back the power level of the Yuan-Ti? I don't think they would have attacked yet if they weren't confident of victory. I'm thinking the PCs might fetch reinforcements, but that doesn't seem quite heroic enough for mid-level characters.
Also, does anyone have advice about running battles between humans (mostly fighters and barbarians) and Yuan-Ti (rangers, druids, and clerics, with a few fighters, rogues and sorcerers)? Or about running wars, in general?