Is this a decent encounter/plot hook or too staged...

[pbdr]

So I am trying to get the PCs in my game to have a bond with a large tribe of nomads currently encamped. The aim being that this will be the "safe" place fro them later if things get wonky.

Due to the party make up (they are all neutral to chaotic neutral, with a NE thrown in) and a setting reasons, a traditional "go on a vital mission" would be difficult.

So I came up with this.

The nomads are no friend of the ruling kingdom on the other side of the mountains. They camp for a few months int his place every year for the big conclave/trading season and their is usually an attack by the kingdom. The nomads are pretty tough horse warriors and it's usually just a skirmish to drive away the attackers.

Except this year, they had a second hidden force that attacks the encampment after the main army leaves and is engaged with the main enemy force. The few soldiers left are able to just about contain the second attack until the main force can return. Their is a smaller, swift strike team that is sent to find and assassinate the Nomad Sheikh's family. This is the group that the PCs (and one NPC that is their current main contact in the tribe) would face.

It will be a tough fight, but winnable and the Sheikh will be suitably grateful.

So the question is, is this a decent set-up or way too staged? Any tweaks?

And I know my players will add some twists and possibly throw it all out of whack (a plan only lasts until first contact with the "enemy").

(As a P.S. The attacking army is made up of tweaked draconians (updated for 3.5 and death effect removed, and more standard lizard race genesis), I like them for a desserty flavored enemy army and they different kinds work well as standard bad guys....)

[Surfnerd]

No I don't see it as too staged. Having motivations for your encounters doesn't make it anymore staged than saying bandits attack the sheikh and try and kill him. If anything it gives you a direction to go with it if the players decide to follow up on the assassin or being neutral evil decide they really need to learn that guys moves where did he train?:smallwink:

If the draconian kingdom sending out a small skirmish party usually drove the nomads off their land, why would the nomads stay if they tried an assassination attempt this time if normally they would flee? That is my one question, how does it remain the PCs base if the nomads run away, unless you intend for them to travel with the nomads. Then the PCs being PCs will just obsess over the draconian kingdom and their assassins and want to return.

You could have the nomads be displaced from the lower lands long ago which in those days they could survive in other parts of the land. Now with diminished food and water supplies in their other lands they can't as easily run away from the draconian kingdom, as a matter of fact, the assembled horse nomad leaders have decided the draconians have possessed the verdant lowlands long enough and intend to sweep in and raid the area. That could add more driving factors behind a more strongarmed attempt with the sheikh of assassination and why the nomads didn't flee this time.

[Shining Wrath]

The "main army retreats / smaller group assaults camp / city" has historical precedent.


When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city. 15 Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness. 16 All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city. 17 Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand. 19 As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.

Joshua 8


FLUELLEN

Kill the poys and the luggage! 'tis expressly
against the law of arms: 'tis as arrant a piece of
knavery, mark you now, as can be offer't; in your
conscience, now, is it not?

GOWER

'Tis certain there's not a boy left alive; and the
cowardly rascals that ran from the battle ha' done
this slaughter: besides, they have burned and
carried away all that was in the king's tent;
wherefore the king, most worthily, hath caused every
soldier to cut his prisoner's throat. O, 'tis a
gallant king!
Henry V, Scene VII

So it seems hardly unlikely that the kingdom would try this strategy. What needs work is why the party would be allowed to remain in camp with the non-combatants; that involves some level of trust.

[pbdr]

I think I must not have explained too clearly. The Nomads drive off the attacking army every year, but the kingdom (which is human/egyptian) which breeds the draconians for it's armies, keeps trying anyway. They are currently expanding toward empire and maintain the base level of hostilities towards this nomad camp. They have other irons in the fire, and just want to keep tabs on the nomads and "survey their forces and capabilities", thus the annual feint attacks....

The nomads stay put for 2 - 3 months, then they move almost en mass through their annual migratory cycle, with a few additional stops along the way for other trading conclaves. The nomad camp is large and has about 20,000 plus or minus (this is the biggest annual stop for them). It is really like a traveling city/culture.

The point about trust is a good one. The sheikh has left some elite guards for his family so he has some confidence in their safety. He's also not really aware of the PCs too much at this point, and the PCs near his family in the city or to a power level that attracts too much attention (4th - 5th lvl).

They have connections to a the remnants of a group of related but defeated nomads (that the PCs don't really care about, but did a paid favor for).

I mostly want an excuse for the Sheikh to be willing to treat them as VIPs and offer protection in the future, it might be useful later....

[Shining Wrath]

I think I must not have explained too clearly. The Nomads drive off the attacking army every year, but the kingdom (which is human/egyptian) which breeds the draconians for it's armies, keeps trying anyway. They are currently expanding toward empire and maintain the base level of hostilities towards this nomad camp. They have other irons in the fire, and just want to keep tabs on the nomads and "survey their forces and capabilities", thus the annual feint attacks....

The nomads stay put for 2 - 3 months, then they move almost en mass through their annual migratory cycle, with a few additional stops along the way for other trading conclaves. The nomad camp is large and has about 20,000 plus or minus (this is the biggest annual stop for them). It is really like a traveling city/culture.

The point about trust is a good one. The sheikh has left some elite guards for his family so he has some confidence in their safety. He's also not really aware of the PCs too much at this point, and the PCs near his family in the city or to a power level that attracts too much attention (4th - 5th lvl).

They have connections to a the remnants of a group of related but defeated nomads (that the PCs don't really care about, but did a paid favor for).

I mostly want an excuse for the Sheikh to be willing to treat them as VIPs and offer protection in the future, it might be useful later....

OK, but why do the PC's want to get involved in the fight? By alignment, the Sheik's family being killed is regrettable but not their concern, except for the NE char who might be amused by the clever ploy.

[Rhynn]

Yeah, the situation doesn't seem too staged, but it's not a very strong hook. I'd say it's even odds the PCs fight for one side, for another, or stay out of the fighting altogether. (Unless someone has cause to think they're powerful warriors and offers them money or treasure to fight - and they're reasonably sure they can't get that treasure easier by letting everyone else fight each other, then robbing the battered winners...)

[pbdr]

OK, but why do the PC's want to get involved in the fight? By alignment, the Sheik's family being killed is regrettable but not their concern, except for the NE char who might be amused by the clever ploy.

Yeah, the players are all kind of "point and shoot". If they see someone to fight, they will. At this point, they sill see the nomad camp as useful, and have been on the bad end of the other kingdom before....

[Shining Wrath]

Yeah, the players are all kind of "point and shoot". If they see someone to fight, they will. At this point, they sill see the nomad camp as useful, and have been on the bad end of the other kingdom before....

That's good enough. There they are, happily noshing on kabobs, and people come in who clearly need whuppin'. So they'll whup.