What all can be done in a fort?

[Protato]

I was just wondering, what all can be done at a fort? My set up is, two countries named Valace and Lebraguia are at war, and the players (Level 3, level up on milestone) have been assigned to help reinforce a Valacian fort. After making their way to the fort at the end of the first session, I wanted there to be a big battle, with enemy magic-users casting Eldritch Blast on walls to destroy them, and then having enemy forces flood into the fort and attack everyone, players and NPCs alike. The more NPCs they keep alive, the more that march with them to destroy a town taken over by enemy forces. However, that's all I had planned for the second session, and while that could be fun, one of my players gave me some advice, saying not every encounter has to be combat. That got me thinking, what all can I do to get my players involved at the fort beyond just fighting? The players have gathered several days worth of food from an enemy camp, and the camp has a Druid there to make more food if needed. I was also thinking of having players sharpen or make weapons but I was unsure of how to handle that, and what rewards there might be for it.

[Scripten]

Have you mapped out the fort?

My experience with fort building and preparing is that giving them a map and a set number of resources for the time span will generally keep them entertained. Allow them to take actions that bolster some of their resources for others, such as sending out workers to gather raw materials, which will slow building progress in exchange for having more materials to build with. Also let them choose the exact locations on the map where they want to fortify and then subtract the resources and manpower from their reserves. If they come up with traps, make sure they you allow them to be used, and that they either see the traps working or later see the results.

Other than that, I'd say to just listen to your players on what they want to do. It won't be too tough to resolve their orders and it allows for a ton of interactivity.

[Armored Walrus]

If they're looking for social encounters maybe they need to go out into the countryside to find and negotiate with a tribe of (whatever) to convince them to help defend the fort. Don't know if your timeline of events gives you enough time for them to go do that, though.

[Protato]

Have you mapped out the fort?

My experience with fort building and preparing is that giving them a map and a set number of resources for the time span will generally keep them entertained. Allow them to take actions that bolster some of their resources for others, such as sending out workers to gather raw materials, which will slow building progress in exchange for having more materials to build with. Also let them choose the exact locations on the map where they want to fortify and then subtract the resources and manpower from their reserves. If they come up with traps, make sure they you allow them to be used, and that they either see the traps working or later see the results.

Other than that, I'd say to just listen to your players on what they want to do. It won't be too tough to resolve their orders and it allows for a ton of interactivity.

I actually have a fort map already, I don't know how to make maps (I use Roll20 and don't draw my own maps, nor do I know how to make them look good in Tiled) but I can usually find something. Below is the fort map I'm using, although I extended the area around the fort and found some grass tiles, which I added to make the area found the fort a bit larger.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/293227565521436673/360083302490701834/barracks.jpg

It's not a terribly large fort, but is instead meant to be fairly small and falling apart, but is preventing enemy forces from marching into a nearby town. After the walls are destroyed, I was thinking then the party could gather items from the fort, and go march towards the enemy's base, well-fortified but with a big loss of men because of the enemy commander's anger and carelessness. I wasn't going to have the party go straight there, but instead run into merchants, maybe a town, and have to take shelter somewhere dangerous, all of which could be their own session. Is there anything I could do for these ideas? I'm new to DMing and have a bit of trouble coming up with ideas, I don't want to railroad too hard.

[Sigreid]

Rallying the troops and letting them try to figure out ways to fortify before the attack.

[smcmike]

I was just wondering, what all can be done at a fort? My set up is, two countries named Valace and Lebraguia are at war, and the players (Level 3, level up on milestone) have been assigned to help reinforce a Valacian fort. After making their way to the fort at the end of the first session, I wanted there to be a big battle, with enemy magic-users casting Eldritch Blast on walls to destroy them, and then having enemy forces flood into the fort and attack everyone, players and NPCs alike.

Are you married to using Eldritch Blast as a siege weapon? Because it isn't technically allowed by the rules - EB only targets creatures - and also strikes me as a bizarre image - like knocking down a castle with arrows. There are probably better spells to use, or you could just make it a big DM-fiat ritual.



The more NPCs they keep alive, the more that march with them to destroy a town taken over by enemy forces. However, that's all I had planned for the second session, and while that could be fun, one of my players gave me some advice, saying not every encounter has to be combat. That got me thinking, what all can I do to get my players involved at the fort beyond just fighting? The players have gathered several days worth of food from an enemy camp, and the camp has a Druid there to make more food if needed. I was also thinking of having players sharpen or make weapons but I was unsure of how to handle that, and what rewards there might be for it.

One thing I would not do is just give them an open-ended directive to "prepare the fort," or give them menial out-of-combat tasks that don't really engage them.

Give them a couple of days in the fort before the attack, and populate it with real NPCs with motivations and such.

The fort has a commander, but he is a coward and a fool. He believes his fort is impregnable, and won't open the gates for any reason, including scouting sorties or to allow the local peasantry a safe place to shelter. He is threatened by the presence of the party, since he sees them as usurping his authority.

His second in command is a good soldier, and knows his commander is a fool. He'll help the PCs prepare, but can't disobey direct orders. He's in love with a village girl, and will do anything to protect her, even if it means leaving his post.

One of the guards is a traitor and a spy, who is planning to open the privy gate to the enemy. He murdered the man who was supposed to watch the gate to get the assignment for himself.

The headwoman of the local village is a cleric, and can be a powerful ally if the party gets the villagers to safety.

[Unoriginal]

Depending how long you want to give your players before the attack, "go to X place to fetch weapons/war machines/medical supplies/ressources/etc" might be a good idea, especially if it gives them a preview of the enemy forces.

One advice I can give you for the battle is to *not* script it. Write down an idea what everyone will be doing if left uninterrupted, but give the PCs a chance to intervene and changes this. The door doesn't have to fall, etc.

[druid91]

Eldritch blast is not a siege weapon. You're better off with either shatter, or an actual siege weapon.

[Protato]

Are you married to using Eldritch Blast as a siege weapon? Because it isn't technically allowed by the rules - EB only targets creatures - and also strikes me as a bizarre image - like knocking down a castle with arrows. There are probably better spells to use, or you could just make it a big DM-fiat ritual.



One thing I would not do is just give them an open-ended directive to "prepare the fort," or give them menial out-of-combat tasks that don't really engage them.

Give them a couple of days in the fort before the attack, and populate it with real NPCs with motivations and such.

The fort has a commander, but he is a coward and a fool. He believes his fort is impregnable, and won't open the gates for any reason, including scouting sorties or to allow the local peasantry a safe place to shelter. He is threatened by the presence of the party, since he sees them as usurping his authority.

His second in command is a good soldier, and knows his commander is a fool. He'll help the PCs prepare, but can't disobey direct orders. He's in love with a village girl, and will do anything to protect her, even if it means leaving his post.

One of the guards is a traitor and a spy, who is planning to open the privy gate to the enemy. He murdered the man who was supposed to watch the gate to get the assignment for himself.

The headwoman of the local village is a cleric, and can be a powerful ally if the party gets the villagers to safety.


I was planning it to be more like, a bunch of Warlocks fire beams all at once at the same place at a crumbling fortress. However, a proper siege weapon (albeit a small one) would make sense for the role.

As for the NPCS, I like these ideas and I could probably modify them a bit. I have three named characters, two Druids and a Fighter (I statted them as PCs because they're plot-relevant). One Druid, Silas, defected to the hero's side, and is very shy and would have to be convinced to fight. He could be a bit defeatest, always trying to surrender to the enemy out of fear for he and his allies' life, but could be convinced to fight. Inlies is a Tiefling druid, and is backup player character for someone who's planning to possibly have their character turn to evil. Until then, they're an NPC. The Fighter's name is Paul, he has one eye and one arm, and was a war hero but was "reassigned" to this fort due to going against his superiors. He's confident and fatherly, and I want him to be something of a mentor figure.

As for a spy, I was planning to maybe have a Rogue player character (the player couldn't make it in the first session) working as a spy or assassin or something but I want to hear more details from the player first. An enemy spy could be used though, maybe an agent working in a nearby town under enemy control, maybe even have them BE the helpful priest?

[smcmike]

I only meant to give examples of what I was talking about - you have to make NPCs that fit your campaign and you are interested in playing.

You don't need to stat them like characters, though. Using NPC stat blocks can make it easier to populate the story and lets you focus on their charactesrs and motivations

There are tons of character types you can use. I'd give them a couple of NPCs who are unpleasant and cause problems, and at least one who is sympathetic and likeable, with his own Good goals.

[Cl0001]

You could have a spy infiltrate the fort. You have to find him before he gets away. If he gets away the attackers can know about a secret passage way or something

[DarkKnightJin]

You could take some inspiration from the Guild Wars games, and the Searing. A big ritual that was used to sunder the walls of many fortifications.

I'd suggest a smaller ritual, but allowing your players the chance to go ahead and stop the ritual before it can be used to break the fort walls.

If they don't make it in time, not all is lost. There is still the taking of the fort they can prevent from being succesful.

And of course, reinforcing the fort's defenses and setting traps to slow down invaders is always a good option for your players to do.

[ImproperJustice]

Just some food for thought:

Things go missing. Starts as food and a fee odd supplies, now no one can find one of the stablehands. He's the son of one of your lieutenants.
What is the connection?

The local farmers are grumbling. If they don't leave to sow/plow/harvest soon, no one will survive the coming winter.

If it's winter, the enemy will capture the local food stores from a nearby town. The harsh choice is that someone will need to set them to flame. This doesn't sit well with the locals.

While the fort is well stocked with weapons, and food, no one gave much thought to:

Sanitation (We used to have an Ooze or Otyugh in the basement, now we need to capture (alive) another one.

Proper Living Quarters (everyone is getting sick, we need medical supplies or materials)

Entertainment: Sitting around waiting for deatg is really getting people down. Time to find some talent! Or it's up to YOU to put on a talent show!

[Safety Sword]

You could have a spy infiltrate the fort. You have to find him before he gets away. If he gets away the attackers can know about a secret passage way or something

Murder mystery after the second in command of the fort is assassinated.

Also, typically PCs do things like patrol outside the walls, deliver messages in the war zone, gather supplies etc. so that you can keep them in the center of the action with no need for massive combat turns with many NPCs because they tend to be slow and less player focused.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

There is a chance the bad guys could try to dig a tunnel under the walls oe something especially in the D&D world.

[smcmike]

Also, typically PCs do things like patrol outside the walls, deliver messages in the war zone, gather supplies etc. so that you can keep them in the center of the action with no need for massive combat turns with many NPCs because they tend to be slow and less player focused.

This is a good point. Even during the main. battle, give the players specific missions and keep the mass combat in the background.

[Sigreid]

There is a chance the bad guys could try to dig a tunnel under the walls oe something especially in the D&D world.

This has been a standard tactic since before the Romans.