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View Full Version : fly fishing vrs. six lines (yeah we're talking plot hooks)



tardisvalkyrie
2013-01-10, 06:20 PM
okay, so i need some help with the next step in a campaign

so, my players are level five, when they created their characters, they decided that they all were the only surviving, free, members of the royal family's of Waterdeep. (we are using forgotten realms, but also oriental adventures, and kingdoms of kalamar for the classes) they decided that there were three rulers in Waterdeep, an elf, a human and a dwarf. the human fighter is heir to the human throne, he elf duelest the elven throne's heir's heir, the halfling the adopted granddauter of the human king, and the dwarf wizard is the younger brother of the dwarven crown prince the city fell under a goblin/demonic army, however they, young, were sent to get help through a secret tunnel, they got the reinforcements through, but when they returned, the tunnel had collapsed, :smallmad: the young royals tried to get the neiboring nations to help liberate the city. the nations tried, but were unable to siege the city, between the city's defenses and the army of demons:smallfrown:

so, they escaped to the islands and hid, and trained, and became a team:smallcool:

so, i allowed this story, as i needed a major villain anyway, and it was so well crafted, i allowed them the request that at level six, they get leadership, in exchange, every time they show their faces in public, they get assassins sent after them, i felt it was fair.

so the clear out some ruins on the island, and reach level five, surviving three assassination attempts :smallbiggrin:. and now they have decided to go back to the mainland and try to liberate the city on their lonesome, and i am faced with a quandary. i don't want to tell them that they cannot liberate their city, but they're level five, so i need a halfway solution, any advice?:smallsmile:

HMS Invincible
2013-01-10, 06:41 PM
If you don't feel comfortable making them face overwhelming odds, to force them to back off, get them to look for a mcguffin somewhere else that will help them defeat the demons/seal the portal/w/e.

bobthe6th
2013-01-10, 06:54 PM
Well, you could make it a reasonable set of fights... using some CR5 monsters reflavored as monsters, or just some CR5 fiends/demons, and end it with a balor. They die horibly and their souls are taken to the abyss.

Then, continue the game with the characters having to fight through all the hells. Some time when they hit level 10ish, perhaps let them escape to the heavens and gather an army against the fiends. Spend another five levels doing stuff for the celestials until they will follow you back to the prime.

bam, 10 levels, they get a solid army and you have a reasonable force to take the city.

nedz
2013-01-10, 07:47 PM
I once ran a campaign where liberating a city was the long term objective.

I expected them to use hit and run tactics to wear down the conquerors, but they got bored of this. This would have been possible.

I tried to set up some diplomatic options so that they could get some other (military) powers to assist, but they didn't exploit the options available.

There were plenty of further plot arcs, both DM and player generated, which made for a good campaign. Liberating the city was always the long term objective, but there was always something else happening. The party functioned as a group of exiles/ wannabe resistance fighters, which gave them a reason d'etre.

In the end I set up a xanatos pile up; which they could have averted but instead watched unfold. They did mop up the pieces quite well and free the city in the end.

ngilop
2013-01-10, 08:28 PM
Well, if I was a player i would have left the game as soon as teh others wanted to strorm the city.

knowing that entire neighboring NATIONS could not do, what kind of crack smoking crazed X-race thinks they have a shot with a handful?

I might be going against the grain on this, but if they are seriosuly thinking something like this, Now might be a good time to teach them that sometimes you fail and sometimes you die.

that being said, if you still want to baby foot them around, just keep remidning them that entire nations were unable to do what they think just themselves can.

Guizonde
2013-01-10, 09:19 PM
Well, if I was a player i would have left the game as soon as teh others wanted to strorm the city.

knowing that entire neighboring NATIONS could not do, what kind of crack smoking crazed X-race thinks they have a shot with a handful?



a team of real munchkins.

however, the idea of sniping powerful generals while remaining covert to crumble defenses could work. 5 generals, each one dead adds one more kingdom to the fight. something like that?