Help me design an encounter.

[Elric VIII]

Dave and Joe, I know you're reading this. Go Away.


I would like to make a horror-style encounter in the campain I am running and I was hoping that you could help me with the particulars. Especially giving it an appropriate atmosphere. The players are going to be level 7-9.

The players are curently travelling through the desert. They will be chased and "persuaded" to take shelter from their pursuers. The location of the encounter will be a derelict city. I will disguese the nature of the city by having them encounter it at night.

The players will be trapped inside the city for a few days. Among other things, there will be the constant threat of a few Crawling Apocalypse (sandstorm) lurking the city. Ideally, the players will be mostly forced to run away/avoid the Apocalyses, most of the time.





I want to find some sort of mindless creature (probably undead) that can be the main population of the area. I am looking for something that is realtively weak (so that I can use legions of them without completely slaughtering the players), but that is capable of affectin players with rought 20-25 AC. I had though about useing the Ashen Husks from Sandstorm, but the dehydrating aura isn't that impressive. Is there anything that can fill this role better?


I want to keep the players trapped in the area of the city for an extended period of time. I think some sort of forcefield/barrier that prevents teleportation or physical exit from the city. As a bit of atmosphere, I'll probably have it block out most light. Is there some sort of artifact or spell that would acheive this? Or should I just use Mordenkainen's Magnificent Plot Hook?


How can I best emulate an atmosphere of despair in this encounter? I already plan to have the city lacking supplies, food, and water.


I want to ive the players a sense of hope, for a while. Upon approaching the city (to deceive them) and while travelling through the city, I want there to be some sort of creature that can be mistaken for light sources/survivors. Any suggections on what to use?


Most importantly, can anyone give me some advice on how to avoid repetitiveness in encounters that consist of hoards of creatures chasing the players?


Thanks.

[dsmiles]

I want to find some sort of mindless creature (probably undead) that can be the main population of the area. I am looking for something that is realtively weak (so that I can use legions of them without completely slaughtering the players), but that is capable of affectin players with rought 20-25 AC. I had though about useing the Ashen Husks from Sandstorm, but the dehydrating aura isn't that impressive. Is there anything that can fill this role better? Maybe Wights or Wraiths?



I want to keep the players trapped in the area of the city for an extended period of time. I think some sort of forcefield/barrier that prevents teleportation or physical exit from the city. As a bit of atmosphere, I'll probably have it block out most light. Is there some sort of artifact or spell that would acheive this? Or should I just use Mordenkainen's Magnificent Plot Hook?Mordenkainen's Magnificent Plot Hook.



How can I best emulate an atmosphere of despair in this encounter? I already plan to have the city lacking supplies, food, and water.Inflict nightmares on the characters. Will save each night or wake up fatigued. If already fatigued and you fail a save, wake up exhausted.



I want to ive the players a sense of hope, for a while. Upon approaching the city (to deceive them) and while travelling through the city, I want there to be some sort of creature that can be mistaken for light sources/survivors. Any suggections on what to use?Will'o'wisps? They make good light sources, but aren't really that impressive. Maybe throw in some Bodaks (or, again, Wights) to look like survivors from a distance.



Most importantly, can anyone give me some advice on how to avoid repetitiveness in encounters that consist of hoards of creatures chasing the players?Use terrain. Give the players buildings to get trapped in, or leap from rooftop to rooftop. Sand dunes, ancient sewers, and other terrain can make for interesting chases.

[Elric VIII]

Enemies with touch attacks, that's a great idea. It would also play nicely into the fact that in ine of the plot-relevant locations they will encounter a Caller in Darkness. Will-owisps also fit marvelously well into the horrible-catastrophe atmosphere of the place. I guess I tend to overlook the value of things in the core MM, because everyone knows them on sight. Thanks for those.

Is there a different version of the Nightmare spell? We only have 1 arcane caster (and a Bard, with only a bit of casting), and I don't want to have the effect be too baised toward them.

WRT terrain, would you recommend plotting out the entire city in one big map or having different "cells" that the players encounter in an order I feel works?

[Kol Korran]

First of all, it would be nice to establish the role of this derelict city in your game. is it just a cool horror themed encounter, or does it have some other purpose? in short- does the city has any more flavor attached to it other than "dead place in middle of the desert?"




I want to find some sort of mindless creature (probably undead) that can be the main population of the area. I am looking for something that is realtively weak (so that I can use legions of them without completely slaughtering the players), but that is capable of affectin players with rought 20-25 AC. I had though about useing the Ashen Husks from Sandstorm, but the dehydrating aura isn't that impressive. Is there anything that can fill this role better?

i suggest using ghosts, of fairly low level inhabitants of the city. this gives you quite a few interesting options:

though you have the same basic creature, you can easily make the ghosts different both by the base creatures, and by the ghost powers.
ghosts add to the feeling of "invetiability" of the place. the ghosts come back after destroyed, and they will keep coming back unless they are laid to rest somehow.
ghosts are cool combatants, due to various powers, and their incorporeality. they can be quite scaring opponents.
you can have different factions of ghosts (which manifest different powers) and give more story to the city, perhaps forcing the party to decide and help one faction or another.
ghosts can talk, creepliy, in riddles, clues, and disturbing ways, thus adding to the atmosphere.



I want to keep the players trapped in the area of the city for an extended period of time. I think some sort of forcefield/barrier that prevents teleportation or physical exit from the city. As a bit of atmosphere, I'll probably have it block out most light. Is there some sort of artifact or spell that would acheive this? Or should I just use Mordenkainen's Magnificent Plot Hook?
i don't know what Mordenkainen;s Magnificent Plot Hook is, but you're the Dm- decide the city was cursed long ago, and all that comes in, must stay in. i suggest to do in a more creepy affect rather than just having a force field. that is boring. instead how about the following:
-It's night in the city, always night. but the stars look... wrong, the constellations a bit different... some might even be missing. when the party travel out, they hear voices in their ears, calling in a long dead language, and they fall more and more asleep. till they blink/ doze off, and wake up back in the city. (or something like that)



How can I best emulate an atmosphere of despair in this encounter? I already plan to have the city lacking supplies, food, and water.
i'm no master of horror, but a few common things i know:

There should be a feeling of something deeply, inherently wrong. perhaps the sun doesn't seem to come up when they are in the city. perhaps they hear whispers in a dead language from the ghosts. perhaps the players themselves slowly start to become ghosts as time progresses. perhaps the ghosts slowly read their mind, and take the forms of their loved ones, or people they met, accusing them of hurting them, torturing them, killing them and making them ghosts.
it shouldn't just be a dead city, it should have some atmosphere, and the players should be able to learn a bit about it. but just a bit at first, enough to raise deep disturbing questions. they should learn more and more as they progress in it, each layer of info revealing more of the horrific truth. for example as they start becoming ghosts they start seeing some invisible signs at places, or mirages, or scenes half played out. as they become more ghsotly they start to understand the wordcs more, understand the signs and so on.
play on the senses, and let their imagination work it out: let them see part of monsters, part of ghosts, parts of sights, hear strange sounds, smell familiar smells that they can't QUITE pinpoint. let the players try and fgure those out, they will scare themselves.
every once in a while, something totally new and unexpected- one of the ghosts turns real, asking them to help him, before "it comes", pleading, searching, saying some name over and over again before turning back to a ghost. or maybe the partyy finds a well, only to have it be a corrupted defiled water elemental that dries them with each hit, or have their secure base (some old temple the ghosts can't enter) suddenly shift to another place in the city, and so on. keep them on their edge, make them feel NOTHING is certain.
music, creepy music, take a look at this (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7ECD8A2BB943B6B2&feature=plcp) and this (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA541805311B05F75&feature=plcp) for example, as well as things by Lustmord.



I want to ive the players a sense of hope, for a while. Upon approaching the city (to deceive them) and while travelling through the city, I want there to be some sort of creature that can be mistaken for light sources/survivors. Any suggections on what to use?
Wiillow- O'- wisp make good candidates as well as perhaps the ghosts themselves (casting dancing lights) or perhaps some light themed living spells? even simple ones such as a living "produce flame" might be able to be mistaken for a torch.


Most importantly, can anyone give me some advice on how to avoid repetitiveness in encounters that consist of hoards of creatures chasing the players?

Thanks.
again, Ghosts could be quite varied i think in the tactics they employ. a horde of simple commoner ghosts backed up by some caster or another. if you're using the "different ghosts from different factions" angle you can also make ghosts of a certain faction more vulnerable to certain tactics while imprevious to another. the party might need to find safe places from the ghosts, and means to combat them effectively.

i suggest peppering the place with some few oddball encounters just to keep a bit more variety, and keep the party on their toes. elementals, oozes, golems, and other undead are just a few examples of how to spice things up.

i hope this helped, time for bed.
good luck! :smallsmile:

Kol.

[Elric VIII]

First of all, it would be nice to establish the role of this derelict city in your game. is it just a cool horror themed encounter, or does it have some other purpose? in short- does the city has any more flavor attached to it other than "dead place in middle of the desert?"

Well, the world is set in an apocalyptic Dying Earth-style universe. The dead city will serve as an area where they can finish one quest and learn more about the history of the world. They have currently fled from an impending siege upon an ancient fortess that has been converted into a city. They have also been sent on a quest by an ancient druid of a dying grove in what is now a wasteland; part of this is he has lost his time-sense, and he is sending them to this city, but he believes it is still alive. I am also building on the fluff of the Crawling Apocalyse as a remenant of a war, long past. So that will be the eventual origin of the invading horde that set the campaign into motion.



i suggest using ghosts, of fairly low level inhabitants of the city. this gives you quite a few interesting options:

though you have the same basic creature, you can easily make the ghosts different both by the base creatures, and by the ghost powers.
ghosts add to the feeling of "invetiability" of the place. the ghosts come back after destroyed, and they will keep coming back unless they are laid to rest somehow.
ghosts are cool combatants, due to various powers, and their incorporeality. they can be quite scaring opponents.
you can have different factions of ghosts (which manifest different powers) and give more story to the city, perhaps forcing the party to decide and help one faction or another.
ghosts can talk, creepliy, in riddles, clues, and disturbing ways, thus adding to the atmosphere.



That's a good idea, maybe a mix Ghosts with some Alips and Wraiths thrown in. Is there anything in Ghostwalk worth looking at?


i don't know what Mordenkainen;s Magnificent Plot Hook is, but you're the Dm- decide the city was cursed long ago, and all that comes in, must stay in. i suggest to do in a more creepy affect rather than just having a force field. that is boring. instead how about the following:
-It's night in the city, always night. but the stars look... wrong, the constellations a bit different... some might even be missing. when the party travel out, they hear voices in their ears, calling in a long dead language, and they fall more and more asleep. till they blink/ doze off, and wake up back in the city. (or something like that)


Mordenkainen's Magnificent Plot Hook is a bad joke on my part. I just don't want to have the players feel like there's no way to get out until I decide they can (even though that's exactly what is going to happen). The best advice I've received on DMing was to make sure the players don't realize that ehy are being railroaded. :smallbiggrin:



i'm no master of horror, but a few common things i know:

There should be a feeling of something deeply, inherently wrong. perhaps the sun doesn't seem to come up when they are in the city. perhaps they hear whispers in a dead language from the ghosts. perhaps the players themselves slowly start to become ghosts as time progresses. perhaps the ghosts slowly read their mind, and take the forms of their loved ones, or people they met, accusing them of hurting them, torturing them, killing them and making them ghosts.[quote]

This would be amazingly cool, but so far the character backstories I have recieved are a copy/paste of Grimm Shado and a parody of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

[QUOTE=Kol Korran;12984512] it shouldn't just be a dead city, it should have some atmosphere, and the players should be able to learn a bit about it. but just a bit at first, enough to raise deep disturbing questions. they should learn more and more as they progress in it, each layer of info revealing more of the horrific truth. for example as they start becoming ghosts they start seeing some invisible signs at places, or mirages, or scenes half played out. as they become more ghsotly they start to understand the wordcs more, understand the signs and so on.

This is something I planned to do.



play on the senses, and let their imagination work it out: let them see part of monsters, part of ghosts, parts of sights, hear strange sounds, smell familiar smells that they can't QUITE pinpoint. let the players try and fgure those out, they will scare themselves.
every once in a while, something totally new and unexpected- one of the ghosts turns real, asking them to help him, before "it comes", pleading, searching, saying some name over and over again before turning back to a ghost. or maybe the partyy finds a well, only to have it be a corrupted defiled water elemental that dries them with each hit, or have their secure base (some old temple the ghosts can't enter) suddenly shift to another place in the city, and so on. keep them on their edge, make them feel NOTHING is certain.

This is quite good. I think I get the idea now.



music, creepy music, take a look at this (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7ECD8A2BB943B6B2&feature=plcp) and this (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA541805311B05F75&feature=plcp) for example, as well as things by Lustmord.



Oh, I think I know what I'm going to do with this. I use my laptop when DMing, anyway, so it will be easy. Once they are in the city I will start playing this music very low, so they are not even aware of it until I raise the volume for dramatic effect.


Wiillow- O'- wisp make good candidates as well as perhaps the ghosts themselves (casting dancing lights) or perhaps some light themed living spells? even simple ones such as a living "produce flame" might be able to be mistaken for a torch.


again, Ghosts could be quite varied i think in the tactics they employ. a horde of simple commoner ghosts backed up by some caster or another. if you're using the "different ghosts from different factions" angle you can also make ghosts of a certain faction more vulnerable to certain tactics while imprevious to another. the party might need to find safe places from the ghosts, and means to combat them effectively.

i suggest peppering the place with some few oddball encounters just to keep a bit more variety, and keep the party on their toes. elementals, oozes, golems, and other undead are just a few examples of how to spice things up.

i hope this helped, time for bed.
good luck! :smallsmile:

Kol.

This has been quite helpful, thank you.

[Kuulvheysoon]

I want to find some sort of mindless creature (probably undead) that can be the main population of the area. I am looking for something that is realtively weak (so that I can use legions of them without completely slaughtering the players), but that is capable of affecting players with rought 20-25 AC. I had though about using the Ashen Husks from Sandstorm, but the dehydrating aura isn't that impressive. Is there anything that can fill this role better?

Well, Skeletal Dragons (Dra) with regular skeletons could work - you halve the CR of anything you apply the aforementioned template to, letting you use things like the desert landwyrm (CR18) as a CR9 challenge.

Incorporeal undead could also be interesting - their tactical options increase exponentially when fighting in a city - they can attack through the walls, through the floor, etc... Shadows (regular and greater), although not mindless, could be good for this, although their intelligence is only 6...

Another intelligent (score of 8) undead that fits would be the Dust Wight (MM3) (CR7), although these things are EVIL for their ability to (pretty easily for a CR7 monster, actually) destroy metal/stone armour.

As for low-level... I hesitate to suggest zombies, but if you template them up (spellstiched, etc...) they might be worth it.


I want to keep the players trapped in the area of the city for an extended period of time. I think some sort of forcefield/barrier that prevents teleportation or physical exit from the city. As a bit of atmosphere, I'll probably have it block out most light. Is there some sort of artifact or spell that would acheive this? Or should I just use Mordenkainen's Magnificent Plot Hook?

Well, since they're going to be arriving at night, why not take a page from the Underdark/Eberron's book and make the location co-terminus with the Plane of Shadow on certain nights? Maybe only on the night of the new moon; that way, it's both flavourful and it keeps them there for an extended period of time.

If they're on a different plane, then 'escape' is technically impossible via mundane methods. They'd need access to plane shifting which, IIRC, is out of their reach for the moment.

If you want to stay on the Material (boring :P) then you could consider a Wierdstone (for magical travel at least);


6 mile radius block on teleportation, scrying, astral and ethereal travel into the covered area.



I want to ive the players a sense of hope, for a while. Upon approaching the city (to deceive them) and while travelling through the city, I want there to be some sort of creature that can be mistaken for light sources/survivors. Any suggections on what to use?

Why not both? Asheratis (Sand) could be survivors, and they can double as light sources (lol)

[Calanon]

Maybe Wights or Wraiths?

No, Wights aren't horrifying... Scary yes! but useful in horror? No...

I prefer Ghost instead... an entire area full of Ghost...

This is the best damn Ghost Template because it is able alter the setting entirely if built correctly... (http://dicefreaks.superforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=15)


Inflict nightmares on the characters. Will save each night or wake up fatigued. If already fatigued and you fail a save, wake up exhausted.

I LOVE this idea to death and back :smallbiggrin:

And after this point I use a lot of "hidden" text that only the cover of night can see... I had A LOT of fun writing this comment so... yeah :smallredface:

Music to set the mood... (http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=7ObJquEZy_s)


I want to keep the players trapped in the area of the city for an extended period of time. I think some sort of forcefield/barrier that prevents teleportation or physical exit from the city. As a bit of atmosphere, I'll probably have it block out most light. Is there some sort of artifact or spell that would acheive this? Or should I just use Mordenkainen's Magnificent Plot Hook?

"The inevitability of death in the city is so dark and vile that the souls of its inhabitants keep the foolish mortals who wander in its streets forever bound by its evil... inscribed upon this dreaded cities walls are charms that read in dark speech "Undeath is the greatest gift and the most dreaded curse created under Orcus' wand" during the day the grass and inhabitants look as lovely and as lifelike as any other mortal creature... Everything comes to life at night however taking on a dark image..."
-Tales of the Dark City Pt.1 Published:1694 by Lynus Dorannar

Make the entire city into a finite plane at night... going out one side of the city automatically teleports you in another part of the city... Pretty neat if i say so myself


How can I best emulate an atmosphere of despair in this encounter? I already plan to have the city lacking supplies, food, and water.

"And in the dark city food shall taste of rot, wine will taste of ash, and the well shall be filled to the brim with blood and bile... but only in the light will It taste as a mortal would taste it... While in the night it shall taste as it would for the dead..."
-Tales of the Dark City Pt.2 Published in:1894 by Lynus Dorannar(?)


"Fare of the damned" ...It always taste so good... until of course its rotting in your belly...


I want to ive the players a sense of hope, for a while. Upon approaching the city (to deceive them) and while travelling through the city, I want there to be some sort of creature that can be mistaken for light sources/survivors. Any suggections on what to use?

"Beware young travelers of host being to welcome to there guest! a welcoming host has more then one motive then filling thy belly with food, drink, and entertainment! In some cases... the host want nothing more then to fill your belly with iron... What seems like a child welcoming you with floral reefs might turn to be a demon ready to feast on your mind..."
-Selarius "The Mad Witch of Ostrolag" warning travelers to be careful on there quest...

Make the players feel comfortable when they come sit at the table and kindly explain to them that today is just going to be a party game... but worn them to be wary of there kind host...

Be careful young travelers :smallbiggrin:


Most importantly, can anyone give me some advice on how to avoid repetitiveness in encounters that consist of hoards of creatures chasing the players?

"The Tactics of a ghost involve a little less hoard based combat and more subterfuge as such this makes combating ghost fairly difficult, in fact many times most adventurers never even realize they are encountering a ghost until it is to late. This is usually accomplished through telekinesis, possession, curses, and in some extreme cases full scale haunting. When planning an assault upon a Ghost's Haunt it is imperative to know: The Ghost name, cause of death, and in some cases year of death"
-Manual on Undead confrontations by and Unknown Priestess of Pelor...

Avoid hoards of undead chasing the players then... encourage the players to run away when crap gets to scary! if you have to make the players panicked and force them to run as quickly as possible

As the last Priest of the Cult of Orcus, Anora closed the book walking slowly into the pool of blood of his brothers and sisters... slowly whispering to himself "I let you, my Demon Prince take my last breath...away...from...me..." before fully submerging himself in the pool never to be heard from again...

[Toy Killer]

Perhaps a city that day/night occurs somewhat haphazardly, and during the 'day' time they (the 'people') are completely normal, although they seem to live out the same day again and again, but when night strikes they abruptly become ghasts/ghouls/wights/mohrgs/etc...

Throw in a morbid theme to the day they're reliving again and again. maybe the people were starving, a handful tried to steal the food from the nobles and we're executed. the Starving nation decided that fresh meat couldn't be wasted no matter what (or in this case, whom) it comes from...

throw the ravenous template to the zombie-folk for extra flair.

The people don't even have to realize they did what they did, defeating the local butcher will put the souls to rest. everyone could be rejoicing at the fact the butcher, strangely, received a shipment of fresh meat and a few could throw in that someone must've made it into the noble's storehouse and back safely...

[Elric VIII]

Designs for the city are going well, however, I have hit a minor snag. As per the suggestions in this thread, the main inhabitants of the city are ghosts.

I want the players to be able to flee from them and use the ruined buildings and other terrain to elude the ghosts and create safehouses. However, walls don't really stop ghosts. My first thought is that the ghosts believe they retain the limitations of their physical forms, thus would not try to pass through the walls. Although that feels a bit trite. Does anyone have a suggestion for making a plausible excuse to not have the ghosts chase through barriers?


Also, since this adventure will feature large quantities of weak foes, the players will be exposed to large amounts of ghosts at once. This means that they will be subject to a large amount of saving throws, due to the ghosts' abilities. Is there some formula to consolidate many low-DC saving thrown into one save with a higher DC?

[Kuulvheysoon]

I want the players to be able to flee from them and use the ruined buildings and other terrain to elude the ghosts and create safehouses. However, walls don't really stop ghosts. My first thought is that the ghosts believe they retain the limitations of their physical forms, thus would not try to pass through the walls. Although that feels a bit trite. Does anyone have a suggestion for making a plausible excuse to not have the ghosts chase through barriers?

Ghostwall Shellac from Dungeonscape (pg. 35).

At 150gp a pop, it prevents incoporeal beings from passing though the surface that it's applied to for 4d6 hours. Maybe have them discover an alchemist's shop with a couple of vials of it, along with instructions? Maybe one of the rich nobles ordered it when the ghosts started becoming a problem but died before picking it up.

[Elric VIII]

Ghostwall Shellac from Dungeonscape (pg. 35).

At 150gp a pop, it prevents incoporeal beings from passing though the surface that it's applied to for 4d6 hours. Maybe have them discover an alchemist's shop with a couple of vials of it, along with instructions? Maybe one of the rich nobles ordered it when the ghosts started becoming a problem but died before picking it up.

That's perfect, thanks.

[Kol Korran]

a few suggestions:

- for preventing the ghost following: parts of the city exist in the ethereal plane as well, quasi manifested in the real world, providing actual barriers to the ghosts. enable the characters to discover these walls (detect magic perhaps?) to enable some tactics

- there might be "safe houses" in the city: locations the ghosts can't enter due to some divine magic protecting them. this might be from former "prisoners" in the city or from when the city existed. places like temmples, hollowed ground and such.

- for the multiple saves: first- most ghosts should have, top 2 abilities. secondly, i suggest you use 1-3 saves at most, with more ghosts upgrading the DCs (lending their power to the other ghosts), though i don't know by which formula)