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vulcanbardmoon
2012-03-27, 08:18 PM
Ok so new to posting at giantitp, but my buddy has been trying to get me on here for a while.
So, I am running a game for the first time in a while and the first time I am creating a whole new module to run in... ages. I'm pulling largely from Eberron material, seeing if it runs well with our group and so the first (and possibly only) session will be a lightning rail heist. And I have a bunch of disparate plot elements I would like to incorporate. There will be dinosaurs being transported for some reason or another. I think I want the party either kidnapping someone or stealing something back from some ner do well. I also plan to have the issue be complicated by some form of attack on the rails I am leaning towards Halflings trying to steal the dinosaurs (never thought I'd use that sentence.) I also really want to use warforged as possibly guards though the concept of warforged train robbers has benn thrown about. But the how's and why's are not coming to me. So if people could throw out some ideas for this sort of encounter that would be great. Thanks in advance.

HunterOfJello
2012-03-27, 09:15 PM
I think you have enough ideas for the entire opening already! What you need to do is write out a plot chronology of the events that each organization will be doing. Leave the time chronology of what the players need to accomplish empty, but have a general idea of the mission that they'll be put on. Set up the plot points of the halfling banditos and the train guard's reactions to the multiple robberies.

I would start working on the actual possible encounters and groups. Pick out the dinosaurs you want in there. There are dinos in the Eberron Campaign Setting book and the MM3.

Throwing in some Changelings, Shifters, and/or Warforged would also be a good idea to throw more flavor into the adventure.

Set up the group(s) of guards with at least 2 interesting guardsmen. Give them special physical traits that they can be remembered by along with memorable personalities and perhaps fighting styles. These can be enemies or allies depending on how the players play things out.

Next work on the Halfling group. The Halflings of the Talenta Plains are an interesting bunch. They're definitely very wild. Not all of the Halflings can be psychotic tiny indians, but many of them should be. Having them whooping and hollering using strange Talenta weapons is a must. They should definitely be using Tangats and Sharrashs (Note: Sharrashs are do not have proper stats in the book.) They should be throwing around Talenta Boomerangs and scaring the crap out of all the ordainary passengers by being ridiculously wild.
Giving the Halflings a Changeling spy inside the train could be a fun idea. The Changeling could be near whatever goal the PCs are supposed to get to. Confusion of two crimes occurring at once is always awesome in train robbery situations. (The Good, The Bad, and The Weird is a good example of this.)

I would set the dinosaurs up in between the party and their target. You could even have them start with their main escape route being back where they started (though they can obviously find new escape routes, like on the back of dinosaurs).

Throwing in a random wizard or artificer passenger could be fun too. I'd go with a Human Artificer from House Cannath. If the PCs get on the wrong side of the Artificer, the npc could end up helping out the guards. If the PCs get on the good side of the Artificer, they could end up getting helped out with buffs (Artificers can use infusions as a full-round action if they use an action point) and get in the Artificer's good graces too.

Throwing in extra hostages is fun too.

Get creative, have fun, and leave the players to decide what they want to do. The best adventures are those written without preset endings and the best puzzles are those without preset solutions.

Kol Korran
2012-03-28, 06:13 AM
i think you need to keep it simple mechanically, though complex in options and involvement. also, i suggest you seek out the module "whispers of the vampire's blade" it has a train attack by talenta halfling (on glide wings) and warforged. might be orth a look for mechanics and maps)

the main problems in a train heist is getting whatever you want off a moving train (in a stressful situation at least) i thought about this a bit and here is my suggestion:

The PCs are requested to Heist a person. in fact, they are hired by someone who loves her and wants her to be his bride.

the potential bride in question is a native to the Talenta planes. House Jorasco wishes to lessen the friction with their "barbaric" cousins in way of marrying to the duaghter of one of the most important tribe leaders. this is an arranged marriage and the Bride is escorted to some major temple.

but the PCs employer is her one love- another halfling of a fairly low status that shoe loves as well, and who has now loaned a great deal of money to hire "experts" (the PCs) to accomplish this (who he loaned from might add more hooks to the picture).

but there is another factor. another halfling Talenta tribe dislikes this joining with the "soft and greedy" Jorasco, and intends to kidnap the bride and marry her into their tribe, gaining a lot of prestige. they arrange an attack on the train.

The talenta tribe of the bride is sending a few dinosaurs with her to keep her company (special bond and all that) and as a present of union. the raiding halflings are going to try and let these loose panickly on the lightning rail, or even ride them.

as to warforged: i suggest you give the bride a few guards (perhaps body guards from the house of Sentinel) but also perhaps a few warforged elite guards.

another option is to have a bunch of warforged try to kidnap the bride as well, adding to the mayham. they might belong to the lord of blades. what does he want with a fleshling? is there more to the union than just tying up knots? what is house Jorasco planning?

last thing, the Bride herself- she might have strong feelings for all of her kidnappers (well, warforged maybe not) - wanting to go to her loved one, but also acknowledging the importance of a diplomatic marriage, but also greatly respecting the free will and spirit of the plains and such. the PCs might need to make some good persuading arguments in the middle of combat.

hope this helps.

vulcanbardmoon
2012-03-28, 08:17 AM
Thanks both of you :smallbiggrin:. The encounter stuff was a nice touch, I was really looking for just some sort of reason for the heist but I had not thought of using the glide wings that could be really cool. And I should probably make the guards distinct.

The PCs are requested to Heist a person. in fact, they are hired by someone who loves her and wants her to be his bride.
I really like that idea. I will probably adapt it

another option is to have a bunch of warforged try to kidnap the bride as well, adding to the mayham. they might belong to the lord of blades. what does he want with a fleshling?
I had considered an idea something like this, toyed with the idea of having the players hired to kidnap a rogue master maker, but I might adapt some of that in as well. Or at least hint they are worshipers of the lord of blade.