Echobeats
2014-05-25, 04:18 PM
Hi folks,
I am planning a one-shot (D&D 4e, 6th level) and am a little stuck at one particular point. The PCs will be travelling through a forest which they really ought to cross before nightfall (or risk being attacked by savage creatures), so that's a skill challenge. Depending on how well they do in that challenge, and what choices they make, they may meet some fey woodland beings who are averse to letting strangers roam in "their" forest and insist the PCs turn back.
Obviously one way round this is to fight them, but I want to reward alternative strategies. So if they succeed in getting the dryads etc. onside via good Diplomacy, they will be offered free passage and a shortcut/faster transport to the forest's edge if they help solve some sort of problem. If they choose violence, it will be a winnable but tough fight.
So, what sort of task could a group of dryads/nymphs/treants etc. have that a party of adventurers could sensibly help them with, taking roughly a couple of hours in-game? Maximum fun/coolness factor, not too complex, no need to connect it to the wider plot. (Though if anyone wants to try and connect it to the wider plot, I can give details: just ask.)
Since they will already be in the middle of one skill challenge, I'm thinking some sort of puzzle or mini-encounter is appropriate. I have a couple of ideas but I'm not sure they're terribly good, so I'll keep them to myself for now so that they won't influence anyone else's thoughts. Happy to share (between spoiler tags) if asked though.
This is a non-specific setting, so no player/character knowledge of particular world elements can be assumed. (I.e. this is not Eberron, Athas, Faerūn or wherever.)
Many thanks in advance.
I am planning a one-shot (D&D 4e, 6th level) and am a little stuck at one particular point. The PCs will be travelling through a forest which they really ought to cross before nightfall (or risk being attacked by savage creatures), so that's a skill challenge. Depending on how well they do in that challenge, and what choices they make, they may meet some fey woodland beings who are averse to letting strangers roam in "their" forest and insist the PCs turn back.
Obviously one way round this is to fight them, but I want to reward alternative strategies. So if they succeed in getting the dryads etc. onside via good Diplomacy, they will be offered free passage and a shortcut/faster transport to the forest's edge if they help solve some sort of problem. If they choose violence, it will be a winnable but tough fight.
So, what sort of task could a group of dryads/nymphs/treants etc. have that a party of adventurers could sensibly help them with, taking roughly a couple of hours in-game? Maximum fun/coolness factor, not too complex, no need to connect it to the wider plot. (Though if anyone wants to try and connect it to the wider plot, I can give details: just ask.)
Since they will already be in the middle of one skill challenge, I'm thinking some sort of puzzle or mini-encounter is appropriate. I have a couple of ideas but I'm not sure they're terribly good, so I'll keep them to myself for now so that they won't influence anyone else's thoughts. Happy to share (between spoiler tags) if asked though.
This is a non-specific setting, so no player/character knowledge of particular world elements can be assumed. (I.e. this is not Eberron, Athas, Faerūn or wherever.)
Many thanks in advance.