Drow Wars Book 1 chapter 9

[TopCat]

Hi all. Looking for a bit of advice on the "Corruption in Caldraza" chapter.

My campaign will be up to this chapter by the end of January. The problem that I forsee with my group of players is that they'll try to batter their way into the palace by any and all means at their disposal. They're not stupid but they tend to only consider direct solutions to problems. The idea of travelling days away from where the problem is to maybe find someone who may help them to get into the palace is probably going to seem like too much of a long shot to them.

Trouble is, this is likely to lead to a TPK (which I don't want). Even if they somehow succeed at getting in and unmasking the plot it's likely to leave the royal line of Caldraza wiped out and they're also unlikely to have obtained the information that they need in order to move on to chapter 10.

I know the book says that the DM should drop subtle hints that they should go after Romilly first but I would like to be able to do that in an in-game manner, rather than just telling them as DM to players.

One possible solution I came up with was to have Romilly own one of their signature items and to adjust the Ragged Man's information so that he tells them this. Technically that would delay the dream at the end of Chapter 8 until mid-way through Chapter 9 but I don't see any major issues with this change to the plot (other than persuading Romilly to hand the signature item over).

So, to those of you who have DMed this chapter, what hints or other ploys did you use in order to persuade your players to go after Romilly before storming the palace?

TC

 

[Graphil]

Make sure the guard on the palace gate is big enough to deter them from trying to attack. Make sure they have the rumours somehow of the alternate route in that Romilly should know about.

That should be enough to not try a suicidal attack. If they still try it just capture a few of them alive for interrogation rathing than going for a TPK. Perhaps Romilly could somehow free them from prison after that.

 

[Jinta]

While both of my groups did eventually go get Romilly, based on rumors that she knew how to get into the palace.... I think they could have come up with something else. It seems to me that some combination of divination, stealth, silence spells, dimension door, and judicious use of scrolls / potions could have gotten them in. One group had a pretty good plan, involving D Door at night to a balcony on the second level of the palace, sneaking in with the aid of much magic... etc.

I certainly would have let them try it. Going in through the front gate, would not have worked, although they considered that too.

Both groups also used Divination to get a better idea of what they were facing in the palace.

I guess my advice: go ahead and let them try it - make sure they're aware that going in the front gate would be very very difficult. I wouldn't bend over backwards to avoid a TPK (in fact, one of my groups suffered TPK in the alley ambush in Saragost). I'd handle it the same way the book suggests there - a local powerful person, perhaps a noble, or a dissident cleric... can haul them back to crecent city's node.

Oh yeah: if they get in some other way, you'll probably want to drop the encounter with the dwarf and the interrogator somewhere where they'll find it. They need to be warned about Underdell.

have fun!

 

[High Lord Dee]

Perhaps a Signature Weapon may be placed there? That should do the trick if not everyone has their's already.

HLD