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Eorran
2008-03-03, 05:13 PM
I need help planning an encounter. The PCs (lvl 7/7 Gestalt) are camped in a small wadi (dry riverbed), along with about 20 NPCs (the PCs are exploring a lost city, ancient-Egypt style, and the others are there to follow behind and catalogue).
The camp is going to be attacked at night by desert bandits, on horses. Their plan: one group rides in, creates confusion, and dashes off, (hopefully) drawing away the camp's armed guards (including PCs). Then the second group comes in from a different direction, does the actual raiding, and runs away before the guards return.
The bandit horsemen (there will be about 30 of them) are experienced desert nomads, mostly mounted melee/archery types, average levels 3-5. They also have a few (let's say 3) druids, including one of 7th level.
The problem is one of the camp members is actually a dragon (bronze, age category 3), and will probably pursue.
What tactics can the bandits use to escape immediate pursuit? The attack will be at night, and the desert is familiar to them. Their escape is preferable, but if it ain't possible, I don't want to Dm fiat it. The bandits will have a plan to escape, but they may not have anticipated the dragon.:smalleek:

Hal
2008-03-03, 06:06 PM
Potions of Invisibility?

FlyMolo
2008-03-03, 06:07 PM
A couple of smokesticks and 1-time-use rocks of darkness. Push a little button on the side or break them, and darkness happens. I don't remember the rules on magical darkness and darkvision(which dragons have, right?) but smokesticks is a good idea. Drop some smokesticks, take a quick shortcut through a dune, most normal pursuers are foiled. Or just scatter into the darkness.

As a back up plan(thinking like a raider) I'd take along some nets and a tanglefoot bag or two. If they have a psionic in the house, the power entangling ectoplasm is pretty good.

But basically, I dunno that I would be expecting pursuit at all. On a camel or horse or something, tearing through a camp, everyone's going to come awake and have no idea what's going on. Make sure to spook or loose any mounts you find, and unless they have truly scary base land speeds, you're fine. Who can keep up with a horse on foot? Over more than 20 feet, I mean.

AslanCross
2008-03-03, 06:08 PM
They would know of a wadi of their own where they can hole up quickly. Because of the druids I'd suggest a spell, but there seems to be a lack of sandstorm-causing spells in core and in the Spell Compendium. Maybe the Sandstorm book has them. Sandstorms are deadly in the desert and desert-faring nomads would know how powerful they are. (And the dragon wouldn't really have a counter to that at its age)

The only spell I can think of is control weather, and that's a Lv 7 spell.

Kol Korran
2008-03-03, 06:26 PM
just a few simple ideas:

- potions/ scrolls/ hay (for the horses) of expeditious retreat or (better yet for a chase) longstrider- a cheap way to get an edge.

- potions/ scrolls/ hay of "pass without trace"- they raiders would prferably use it after they made some distance, so as to lead the pursuers away, only to "vanish" in the sand.

- the pursuit takes place at the dry river at first, yes? well, it could be booby trapped to collapse at some point, after the raiders passed it (or upon the pursuers?).

- Sleet Storm could turn a sandy area to muddy. there could be an ambush of archers at that point.

- at some point Fog Cloud could disorrient some of the pursuers. to that add Caltrops (to cripple horses), flaming oil (have the place strewn with dead dry bushes and vegetation. for a nice bonfire)

- Stone Shape can close narrow openings in canyon walls.

- Giant Vermin could delay, poison, or even kill some ofthe pursuers.

- simple traps: sandy/ salty sinkholes, ropes at ankle height, and hidden spikes/ spears in the sand after it, tanglefoot bag thrower, and so on...

Triaxx
2008-03-03, 06:49 PM
Cavern's will throw the dragon if it pursue's from the air. Don't forget that suddenly riding up onto a rocky surface will eliminate the trail.

Have the druid summon something nasty, like an earth elemental in the path of the pursuers? DON'T CALL A FIRE ELEMENTAL. They light up the night.

Or have an air elemental waiting 'off-camera' to summon up a dust storm.

Jack_Simth
2008-03-03, 07:03 PM
Pass Without Trace (Druid-1, Ranger-1, 1 hour/level) will do for tracking; it's a touch-range, 1st level spell, so you can spam it to the horses, no problem. Caverns to deal with the Bronze's Flying move spotting them (they occasionally go after Wizards, who fly), and use Light Horses (50 foot move) for the actual retreat. A simple casting of Obscurring Mist at a good forking point in the cavern (3+ possible directions), and you're set.

KillianHawkeye
2008-03-03, 07:10 PM
A couple of smokesticks and 1-time-use rocks of darkness. Push a little button on the side or break them, and darkness happens. I don't remember the rules on magical darkness and darkvision(which dragons have, right?) but smokesticks is a good idea. Drop some smokesticks, take a quick shortcut through a dune, most normal pursuers are foiled. Or just scatter into the darkness.

True Dragons have improved low-light vision, 120 ft. darkvision, and 60 ft. blindsense.

While magical darkness beats darkvision (except for devils, warlocks with Devil's Sight, and certain deities), the blindsense will still work. (Creatures in the darkness would still have total concealment, however.)

The darkness will only cover a small area, so I don't know how effective it's going to be when you and your opponents are in constant motion. It might work against the PCs, but the dragon will be able to spot them from the air. Also, keep in mind that the bandits themselves (and their mounts) will probably be just as hampered by the darkness as their pursuers.

FlyMolo
2008-03-03, 07:47 PM
True Dragons have improved low-light vision, 120 ft. darkvision, and 60 ft. blindsense.

While magical darkness beats darkvision (except for devils, warlocks with Devil's Sight, and certain deities), the blindsense will still work. (Creatures in the darkness would still have total concealment, however.)

The darkness will only cover a small area, so I don't know how effective it's going to be when you and your opponents are in constant motion. It might work against the PCs, but the dragon will be able to spot them from the air. Also, keep in mind that the bandits themselves (and their mounts) will probably be just as hampered by the darkness as their pursuers.

ooh. Blindsense. Rely on that being 60 foot range, and darkvision 120, then. But seeing as the raiders aren't expecting blindsense, perhaps that's perfect, then. But to get away from blindsense, just scatter. Spread out as much as possible.

Chosen_of_Vecna
2008-03-03, 08:37 PM
Replace the Druid with a Cleric with the Sand and Travel domains. Have him prepare Dimension Door. Have him waiting at some prearranged point to the group (or a good part of it) to a cavern inside the rock formation nearby.

Also, magical darkness doesn't block site, only gives a miss chance, anyone can still see you just fine. Also, just make sure the Dragon can't take them alone.

KillianHawkeye
2008-03-03, 09:02 PM
You're right. I keep thinking that darkness makes it impossible to see anything in the affected area. I think it's because that's the way it was in 3.0.