NiklasWB
2016-02-09, 07:14 AM
Hi guys and gals.
So I'm DM:ing a group this Friday. Last session ended on a real high-note where the player characters were chased out of the town Daggerford (Forgotten Realms, Sword Coast) because they had presumably stolen magic items from the Duke's armory. This wasn't what happened though. In reality, the PC:s were promised rewards from the armory, but since the Duke is secretly under a charm he refused them the reward. The castellan of Daggerford however snuck out the items to the PC:s in order to convince them to undertake another quest. The players were asked to rescue a whole village worth of people (the castellan's sister among others) that have been taken by hobgoblins to a long abandoned quarry at Mount Illefarn and the laughing Hollow. Since the players are in possession of the magic items no one would believe the PC:s, and the alarm was raised to apprehend the 'thieves'. The players also killed a possessed/charmed merchant they had had dealing with before when trying to leave, although no one else knows he was possessed.
Long story short, the PC:s are on the run from the Daggerford town guard for murder/theft. They have just escaped out from under the portcullis of the north gate and have destroyed the winch mechanism. This has probably given them 10-15 minutes head start against the guards (some of which have horses while the PC:s do not), while the guards have to go through town and around to another gate to give chase.
I'm hoping that the players decide to head toward Mount Illefarn in order to save the villagers in an attempt to regain some of their lost good graces. If they don't I guess I'll just have to make up some story reason that pushes them toward the mountain. However, I'm assuming the players see no other course of action since they are basically branded as outlaws by now.
Now, to the actual question: Could someone help me with some good story hooks, encounters and locations that would be memorable while they make their way toward the mountain. I'm assuming that it would take maybe 3 days on foot from Daggerford to Mount Illeran. The four PC:s are level four.
I've already mapped out a stealth/survival part where they have to evade the guards during the night in heavy rainfall, as well as an encounter with two Ankhegs to fight when getting closer to the mountain. What else would be a fun and appropriate encounter or location to stumble across? According to some maps of the region there are a few small hamlets (Stillwater, Mud Creek) on the north side of the river, as well as a small forest (Blackbranch), and something called "the Mazemine" in some hills before you reach the mountain.
My hope is that the session ends with the reaching the Mountain and the quarry where a makeshift slave/labor-camp ahs been established. The hobgoblins are using the villagers to excavate the old dwarven halls and mine the mountain for stone and ore. So I'm hoping to fill one session (5 hours approximately) with the journey to the quarry and then take 1-2 sessions at the quarry before returning to Daggerford for the final showdown with the duke and the dark thing that has him under a spell.
Any suggestions would be welcome. I'm having a bit of writer's block and my daytime work is kicking my ass right now.
Thanks y'all.
So I'm DM:ing a group this Friday. Last session ended on a real high-note where the player characters were chased out of the town Daggerford (Forgotten Realms, Sword Coast) because they had presumably stolen magic items from the Duke's armory. This wasn't what happened though. In reality, the PC:s were promised rewards from the armory, but since the Duke is secretly under a charm he refused them the reward. The castellan of Daggerford however snuck out the items to the PC:s in order to convince them to undertake another quest. The players were asked to rescue a whole village worth of people (the castellan's sister among others) that have been taken by hobgoblins to a long abandoned quarry at Mount Illefarn and the laughing Hollow. Since the players are in possession of the magic items no one would believe the PC:s, and the alarm was raised to apprehend the 'thieves'. The players also killed a possessed/charmed merchant they had had dealing with before when trying to leave, although no one else knows he was possessed.
Long story short, the PC:s are on the run from the Daggerford town guard for murder/theft. They have just escaped out from under the portcullis of the north gate and have destroyed the winch mechanism. This has probably given them 10-15 minutes head start against the guards (some of which have horses while the PC:s do not), while the guards have to go through town and around to another gate to give chase.
I'm hoping that the players decide to head toward Mount Illefarn in order to save the villagers in an attempt to regain some of their lost good graces. If they don't I guess I'll just have to make up some story reason that pushes them toward the mountain. However, I'm assuming the players see no other course of action since they are basically branded as outlaws by now.
Now, to the actual question: Could someone help me with some good story hooks, encounters and locations that would be memorable while they make their way toward the mountain. I'm assuming that it would take maybe 3 days on foot from Daggerford to Mount Illeran. The four PC:s are level four.
I've already mapped out a stealth/survival part where they have to evade the guards during the night in heavy rainfall, as well as an encounter with two Ankhegs to fight when getting closer to the mountain. What else would be a fun and appropriate encounter or location to stumble across? According to some maps of the region there are a few small hamlets (Stillwater, Mud Creek) on the north side of the river, as well as a small forest (Blackbranch), and something called "the Mazemine" in some hills before you reach the mountain.
My hope is that the session ends with the reaching the Mountain and the quarry where a makeshift slave/labor-camp ahs been established. The hobgoblins are using the villagers to excavate the old dwarven halls and mine the mountain for stone and ore. So I'm hoping to fill one session (5 hours approximately) with the journey to the quarry and then take 1-2 sessions at the quarry before returning to Daggerford for the final showdown with the duke and the dark thing that has him under a spell.
Any suggestions would be welcome. I'm having a bit of writer's block and my daytime work is kicking my ass right now.
Thanks y'all.