Classic opposition brainstorm in The Eamonvale Incursion Forum

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Classic opposition brainstorm

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MacPhail	Classic opposition brainstorm	Lead	[-]
Posts: 2234 Apr 27 08 5:51 AM Necromantic Writer Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Hey all- Regardless of what shape Eamonvale takes in 4E, I'm looking for ideas for short introductory adventures to the setting. Since the setting is so complex and political, I'd like to offer a simple scenario for each of the three classic adventure archetypes: urban, rural, and delve. The goal is to get parties moving around in order to get a feel for the setting and meet some of the local encounters. I'm wondering what oppositional factions we do not see enough of in contemporary D&D... or more importantly, what is likely to be left out of 4E that shouldn't? I'm thinking ratmen and a pestilence clerical faction for the urban scenario (very Lankhmar-inspired), kobolds with sorcerers for the rural one, and something in a salt mine (we discussed this once in the Citadel forum) for the delve... maybe salt mephits, but they don't really scream 'old school' for me. Any other ideas? MacPhail
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Dark Mistress		#1	[-]
Posts: 2649 Apr 27 08 7:31 AM Dominatrix Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Elves... what? oh right. Um seriously for the rural I don't think fey get used all that much. Perhaps a fey gathering is upset at the city for pushing more and more into their world and want it stopped. For urban I have found it is always nice if they are not really "bad guys" so much as just having a agenda they think is for the greater good and doing what is required to do it. The moral grey bad guys I would like to see more of. Got nothing on a delve, they are common enough i can't think of anything that is really not used much. Maybe giants ants or some other type of bug. Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin For MSG - I am sure you can teach a monkey to scratch his butt, just tell him to watch you. After a couple of hours he should be a master at it.
MacPhail		#2	[-]
Posts: 2234 Apr 27 08 8:02 AM Necromantic Writer Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I give elves and the fey lots of love in Incursion. I do like your idea of the moral grey area. I was thinking of something along the lines of a band of refugee monstrous humanoids (kobolds) looking for a new home and way of life (a religious cult seeking out a realization of their draconic heritage) who are having all manner of trouble from intolerant humans in the area and have begun to fight back. The party could either eliminate them altogether of negotiate their safe passage. Ants would be cool... I remember enjoying a Formian adventure at some point. That could also work for the rural one. MacPhail
Mithriltooth		#3	[-]
Posts: 593 Apr 27 08 8:48 AM Spectre Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Urban, you can have the PCs run afoul of a thieves guild or a sect of hidden cultists. Anything pretty much goes with rural, goblins, kobolds, brigands, etc. For the delve.... The Mine is great, maybe they dug too deep and uncovered an Aspis lair, or you can use the ants, etc. Maybe while digging deeper they broke through a wall of a hidden temple/tomb containing something more sinister like a low powered outsider. Could make for a great web enhancement adventure. ______________________________________________________ Current NG stuff owned... CoF, ToA, MM, VoLK, HotRM, tGC, DaD, VaL, LCoB, TaD, SoDF, FotWK, CoS, DoL a.k.a. Sunderstone
Sykoholic		#4	[-]
Posts: 3127 Apr 27 08 10:32 AM Not of this World Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Urban: Various citizens and establishments in the "slum" neighborhood have reported sightings and attacks by swarms of vermin. An investigation leads the PCs to the lair of an insane druid with a jones for vermin (rats, roaches, spiders, centipedes, etc) who is intent on destroying the "blight upon nature (the city) and returning the land to it's children". Rural: An outlying village has lately been suffering from the predations of sheep rustlers. However, when one of the missing sheep is found mutilated, it becomes obvious that something more sinister is afoot. The PCs track the "killer" to it's lair only to discover it is in fact a very young and somewhat naive copper dragon that has very little (if any) experience with humans and hasn't quite caught on to the concept of "respect for other people's property". Delve: Work at the nearby mine has ceased. Recently, while cutting a new shaft, the miners broke thru into a complex of caverns and tunnels. Shortly thereafter, workers began disappearing and now the miners refuse to enter the mine at all. The PCs are brought in to explore the complex and clear out any monsters. They soon discover the complex is home to a hive of Fomorians/Aspis (your preference) who view the miners as intruders. The PCs can either wipe them out or perhaps negotiate a truce. <---- meh.... too cliche Mac- How were you intending to do the salt mine? I always thought salt was stip-mined. Rather than a network of tunnels, the mine would just be a giant open pit. ________________________________ "Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
MacPhail		#5	[-]
Posts: 2234 Apr 27 08 10:56 AM Necromantic Writer Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	This would be a rock salt or halite mine like the pre-historic ones in Eastern Europe. Tunnels and rooms make it perfect for adventuring. Here's a link I found useful. I like the Formian idea... don't know much about Aspis though. I also like the vermin thing, although I think I'll try to connect it to a ratman plague cult. That would be just the sort of thing a city would want to deal with in a hurry, but not anything too challenging for a lower-level party. Thanks, y'all. Keep 'em coming! MacPhail
Q1000		#6	[-]
Posts: 1276 Apr 27 08 11:32 AM Vampire Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The interesting thing is that a functional salt mine covers all three bases. Salt can have a value greater than gold itself. It would influence those who wish to control its trade, the rural economy as a town for the miners would spring up to provide services then the mine itself, a mix of tunnels and natural caves. Ken
Sykoholic		#7	[-]
Posts: 3127 Apr 27 08 1:30 PM Not of this World Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	MacPhail wrote: I like the Formian idea... don't know much about Aspis though. I also like the vermin thing, although I think I'll try to connect it to a ratman plague cult. That would be just the sort of thing a city would want to deal with in a hurry, but not anything too challenging for a lower-level party. Aspis originally appeared in "A1 - Slave Pits of the Undercity" and then re-appeared in the original "Monster Manual II". They're basically black humanoid insects...well, the drones are, at least. Hmmm... perhaps my idea for an insane druid with a thing for vermin could instead be the shaman of your ratman plague cult. Another idea for the delve/mine, instead of the cliche "accidentally broke through into a monster's lair", you could try something like the mining operation has suffered a series of strange accidents and set-backs. All evidence points to sabotage. When the PCs investigate, the mine caves in behind them, sealing them inside. The PCs then have to work their way through the mine to find a means of escape. While doing so, they learn that the various accidents as well as their own predicament is actually the work of some manner of malicious fey... or maybe even that Salt Mephit you mentioned. Instead of the typical dungeon crawl, it would be more of a game of "cat and mouse" as the PCs try to find a way out while being hounded and harassed by the fey/mephit. ________________________________ "Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Dark Mistress		#8	[-]
Posts: 2649 Apr 27 08 2:58 PM Dominatrix Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The Aspis was the ants I was thinking of. I just couldn't remember their name. Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin For MSG - I am sure you can teach a monkey to scratch his butt, just tell him to watch you. After a couple of hours he should be a master at it.
Mr Baron	ssIdea	#9	[-]
Posts: 247 Apr 27 08 5:53 PM Ghast Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hey Mac! Urban - I really like the ratmen/were rats and plague priests idea. Rural - Wolfwere encounters. Human expansion runs into a wolfwere pack. Delve - How about a mine that a minotaur has taken over, and turned into a maze of traps? Killer DM #61 http://grumblingrognard.blogspot.com/ (game blog) http://mrbaron-bps.livejournal.com/ (misc stuff blog)
Sykoholic		#10	[-]
Posts: 3127 Apr 27 08 6:57 PM Not of this World Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Dark Mistress wrote: The Aspis was the ants I was thinking of. I just couldn't remember their name. Has the Aspis even been updated to 3.5? The only monster books I have are the MM and Tome of Horrors 1 and its not in either of them. ________________________________ "Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
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Dark Mistress		#11	[-]
Posts: 2649 Apr 27 08 7:09 PM Dominatrix Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Don't know but since this will be 4e stuff I imagine, from what I have heard. It sounds like it will be pretty easy to make new monsters that are the same or just update them. Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin For MSG - I am sure you can teach a monkey to scratch his butt, just tell him to watch you. After a couple of hours he should be a master at it.
Sykoholic		#12	[-]
Posts: 3127 Apr 28 08 4:44 AM Not of this World Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Dark Mistress wrote: ...this will be 4e stuff... ________________________________ "Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Dark Mistress		#13	[-]
Posts: 2649 Apr 28 08 7:16 AM Dominatrix Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	You know that is the response i was looking for Syk, even if my guess is wrong it made it worth it. Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin For MSG - I am sure you can teach a monkey to scratch his butt, just tell him to watch you. After a couple of hours he should be a master at it.
MacPhail		#14	[-]
Posts: 2234 Apr 28 08 10:42 AM Necromantic Writer Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Don't know about 3.x Aspis... not in any of the Creature Collections or Tomes of Horrors that I recall. Thanks Baron... I worried I'm drifting too close to Warhammer Skaven themes with the plague/rat idea, but I really like that idea too. I want that scenario to be all about dark alleys, robed, hunched figures, and festering wounds. MacPhail
Dark Mistress		#15	[-]
Posts: 2649 Apr 28 08 12:08 PM Dominatrix Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Kinda ironicly in the latest Pathfinder they had a plague with stuff involved in a city as a urban adventure. Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin For MSG - I am sure you can teach a monkey to scratch his butt, just tell him to watch you. After a couple of hours he should be a master at it.
MacPhail		#16	[-]
Posts: 2234 Apr 28 08 12:55 PM Necromantic Writer Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Can you give a few more details? I deliberately avoid reading 3rd party content when I'm in any sort of development mode, but it doesn't hurt to know what concepts to steer around. MacPhail
Dark Mistress		#17	[-]
Posts: 2649 Apr 28 08 1:04 PM Dominatrix Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The adventure is called Seven Days tot he Grave. Basically a group causes a plague to sweep thru a city, not sure why yet. Only thumbed thru it. I know their is Necro's and Vampires involved and a big part of the adventure deals with finding out who is behind the plague and how to stop it. But beyond that I don't know yet. I know the adventure has a big section on how to make diseases part of a DnD game and have them mean something ect. Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin For MSG - I am sure you can teach a monkey to scratch his butt, just tell him to watch you. After a couple of hours he should be a master at it.
sparky 90		#18	[-]
Posts: 1177 Apr 28 08 2:52 PM Vampire Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	sounds a bit like SoG
Sen the Collector	mine stuff	#19	[-]
Posts: 3869 Apr 28 08 3:40 PM Dark Walker of the Planes Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	For the mine how about an earth elemental? A classic monster, to be sure. Maybe it slipped through a portal and is enraged that it's stuck in a strange land with weird monsters (the miners) bothering it. Or maybe it's just an evil elemental. Khargras can be fun too. Though some DMs may not like using them due to their ability to destroy equipment. Mephits are actually old school. They were introduced in the 1E Fiend Folio and I had quite a bit of fun using a smoke mephit back in the day. Urban: how about an evil doppleganger? Wilderness: I like the lycanthrope idea. Maybe a werewolf who has worgs and wolves as allies? What if he's taken control of a tribe of humanoids (orcs or ogres) and infected a few "chosen ones"?
MacPhail		#20	[-]
Posts: 2234 Apr 28 08 4:12 PM Necromantic Writer Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Ultimately I intend to use these in some way or another as product support for The Eamonvale Incursion. To that end, I'm steering clear of some things that are central to the book, including doppelgangers, elves, and fey. (Whoops, was that a teaser?) I'm torn between elementals and ants for the mine. If I do elementals for the mine, I could do ants for the rural scenario (a huge mound appears one day and some farmer disappears into it, etc. I could still do the humanoid band getting all the blame). Rats are looking like a winner for the urban scenario. MacPhail
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