My party are going to encounter (and presumably free) an imprisoned empyrean deep beneath a drow castle. Once released it will cause an earthquake and plane shift away leaving the party stranded deep underneath a collapsing castle. This will start a skill challenge to escape

I was hoping I could steal some good ideas for skill checks and challenges on the way out of this castle as its the first time ive attempted a skill challenge or anything like this as a DM.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Thanks for the advice, I'll make sure to check out those sites

It's also important to consider the consequences of failure - if they do not get out, what will you do? What if some of them get out and others don't? I hope there's a bigger plan than "escape or die"!

Consequences of Failure is an important consideration.  In one campaign, this was calculated out poorly... and in spite of all the warnings... two players turned back to help the third's character that fell off a ledge.  They did manage to get him back up on the ledge as the rockslide happened and nearly everyone died, except the warlock who tried out the fancy new red wand he acquired and made his first visit to a plane of Hell.  As a player in that campaign, and the healer... you should know by now that I am going to go back and try to rescue someone so they don't die... but screw all movie logic... the dice dictated that we all must die... so we died.  We almost had a good movie going...

So... in that regard, as a DM, I would say know what you want to happen.  Make it dramatic.  Make it impactful... but if you have a chance to show the players some mercy and it will read more like a movie... make it like a Movie... don't put all your faith in dice and "The Plan".

Quote from Grayfax >>

Consequences of Failure is an important consideration.  In one campaign, this was calculated out poorly... and in spite of all the warnings... two players turned back to help the third's character that fell off a ledge.  They did manage to get him back up on the ledge as the rockslide happened and nearly everyone died, except the warlock who tried out the fancy new red wand he acquired and made his first visit to a plane of Hell.  As a player in that campaign, and the healer... you should know by now that I am going to go back and try to rescue someone so they don't die... but screw all movie logic... the dice dictated that we all must die... so we died.  We almost had a good movie going...

So... in that regard, as a DM, I would say know what you want to happen.  Make it dramatic.  Make it impactful... but if you have a chance to show the players some mercy and it will read more like a movie... make it like a Movie... don't put all your faith in dice and "The Plan".

In the landslide situation, that's an event which can only really cause death. Perhaps if instead the players fall into the ravine, and are rescued by an NPC who revived them but has bad plans for them (a healer who's also a cannibal, perhaps) who they now have to face.

I try to plan things which have 2 outcomes (plus all the improv ones) - one which the party wants (everyone makes it out of the castle before it collapses) and another which inconveniences the party (the party is trapped below the castle, the wall has cracked to reveal an ancient passageway which has been bricked up. closer inspection reveals the bricks to be scoured in deep scratches, as if some terrible monsters has been sharpening its claws here - some are old, others worryingly fresh. There is no other way out - the adventure continues through this extra maze of dungeon.).

There's not much fun in "succeed or die" events, to me at least. I prefer "succeed or this is going to be much more difficult".