PDA

View Full Version : (3.5) Zhent Adventurer Killers



DoomedPaladin
2008-09-30, 12:51 AM
Right, I'm running a rather large(and strange) group through the "Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land" module. Near the very beginning there is a ruined keep near Shadowdale that has a portal in it's basement. This portal leads to a place where the Zhentarium is prepping reinforcements for their invasion into the Dalelands.

Somehow the leader of the party got it into his head that Shadowdale was through the portal. Being a cleric of Ellistree he took a look through the portal just before it opened and prepped the party to bluff their way through the passage. They think they succeded.

After a tense conversation with the forces on the other side they are allowed through and the portal closes. Then the leader of the Zehnt forces says to them, "If you needed to get to Shadowdale, it was a short walk from your previous location. Welcome to Zhenthil Keep."

I'll remember the looks on their faces for the rest of my life.

However, I'm at a loss for what to face them against. The Zhents and Sharrans knew they were coming, so the group they are facing now are villans who specialise in "Cleaning Up" Adventurers. Any reccommendations?

The Players, all 11th level, are:

1 Lythari (Werewolf/Elf with no middle form) Cleric of Ellistree

1 Dwarven Kensai

1 Bakali (Homebrew I'll "spoiler" in my sig when I figure out how to) Fighter

1 Very Young Dragon (another Homebrew, pathetic attacks really just a scout) Cleric of Selune

1 Human Ninja

1 'Deep Imaskari' Human Wizard (took the Otherworldly feat, so is now a native outsider)

Doresain
2008-09-30, 01:09 AM
a group of changeling factotum/chameleons...the party gets to face off against a group that can literally be anyone and do just about everything

Tsotha-lanti
2008-09-30, 05:52 AM
Seems straightforward enough - just a bunch of relatively high-level fighters, wizards, and clerics (say, levels 5-8, considering the party level, with leaders around 9-12). Split into several encounters. Just use good tactics - the fighters work together to lock down enemy combatants and protect the wizards and clerics, the clerics buff the fighters and themselves, and help put the hurt to the PCs, and the wizards destroy spellcasting adventurers and control the battlefield.

jcsw
2008-09-30, 06:02 AM
Err. Are you intending for them to sustain heavy losses and generally die/escape with the skin off their teeth, or keep them alive while making it look like they're doomed at all times?

Cause if it's the first one you'll have no trouble.

If it's the second, just have them imprisoned for questioning/torture and have them break out, giving them the literary means to face the keep one encounter at a time.

Kaihaku
2008-09-30, 06:34 AM
I agree with the above, use intelligent prepared tactics. I'd toss up some illusions, a few invisible enemies, summon in some support, possibly have silence up on a meleer, and generally have everyone pre-buffed.

I would probably have one caster prepared to counterspell. This might not be the smartest tactic to win but it keeps you from killing them all off while prolonging the encounter by keeping them from swiftly killing their enemies off. I think it would seem to make the battle seem more desperate while actually keeping the risk about the same (one caster for one caster) and feel more like they are fighting adventurer killers.


The Players, all 11th level, are:
1 Lythari (Werewolf/Elf with no middle form) Cleric of Ellistree
1 Dwarven Kensai
1 Bakali (Homebrew I'll "spoiler" in my sig when I figure out how to) Fighter
1 Very Young Dragon (another Homebrew, pathetic attacks really just a scout) Cleric of Selune
1 Human Ninja
1 'Deep Imaskari' Human Wizard (took the Otherworldly feat, so is now a native outsider)

Diverse group... If there are ranged enemies they would probably be equiped with Humanbane, Elfbane, and Dwarfbane ammunition. Dragon, Lythari, Bakali, and Outsider(Native) are rare enough that they wouldn't be had. Might be fun to target the Wizard with Humanbane weapons and then have someone comment on how it didn't kill him. Might be the only time it ever comes up.

I think what you want to do is find ways to make this seem a lot more desperate without actually making it become a slaughter. I think counterspelling does that, I'm not so certain what other tactics would.

Tsotha-lanti
2008-09-30, 08:08 AM
Oh yeah, toss in a few assassins. They're sub-par as PCs but decent NPCs. use paralyzing attack only if you dislike save-or-dieing your players; it's still crippling.

DoomedPaladin
2008-09-30, 10:30 AM
Thank you all.

A desprate fight IS what I'm looking for. A smart tactics reminder is always welcome in the blandness of a module. An assasin in the back after they get away from the main combat is a good idea. As is the Counterspelling. I'll likely have two mages, one to counter and one to cast debilitating spells to capture them.

Let you know how it turns out.