I'm playing Rime of the Frostmaiden with a group of 4 players, and they just assaulted Naerth Maxildinar, the town speaker of the second biggest town in the region. They found out he was involved with trying to influence the election in Good Mead, and they went straight to "let's go rough him up a bit", which they did by barging into his room, tying him up, and smacking him around while they interrogated him. They ended up telling him to give up his evil ways, took his cage of flying snakes as new pets for themselves, and left him tied on the bed.
So here's my problem. There absolutely have to be consequences for this: sending the town guard after them, banishing them from the city, potentially even sending assassins in response. However, if I do that, it's almost guaranteed that the PCs are going to become convinced this is the main plotline. How do I convince them this isn't worth their time?
Here's the thing in D&D: the story is going to be what the players make it. I think you're right in that there will be consequences, and if that derails the adventure then go with it.
I don't allow my players to mistreat captives: I hate roleplaying a tormented or abused prisoner. In session zero I tell them that beating on prisoners just won't be allowed, including in interrogations during which they can make Persuasion, Intimidation and Insight checks but if you allow them to torture prisoners then it can become something they routinely do if they think it's getting them good information (torture is proven to almost always generate false information, as tortured prisoners will say whatever they can to get out of it. Lots of evidence based on CIA stuff for this).
The town speaker is going to declare that they broke in to rob him. They will become wanted criminals in every town in The Ten Towns. He should hire a load of security and send his own hunters after them.
However, these things take time to organise, and finding people isn't that easy. If they stick around in town, then yeah - a whole lot of trouble is heading their way.
One of the things I dislike about RotFM is the complete lack of structure or plot line through the first few chapters. In fact, the plot doesn't really start until a specific NPC asks for help when the characters have reached level 7. Before that, there is very little structure at all in the various rumors and side quests through chapter 1 and 2.
However, in your case this becomes an advantage since you can link any of the side quests to the precursor to the main quest in chapter 3 and 4. Rest in spoliers
Naerth is the local leader of the Zhentarim crime syndicate. I'm guessing that the PCs found out about him by interrogating one of the thugs sent to the staged fight in Good Mead?
It sounds like Naerth was alone and easy pickings. He probably should have had several guards though maybe the party killed them?
I also agree with you that there have to be consequences. As speaker of Targos he has a lot of resources.
Militia. Targos can muster up to 200 soldiers (use the tribal warrior stat block) and 16 veterans.
In addition, the head of the town militia is also a Zhent mercenary loyal to Naerth.
On top of that, trying to influence an election by staging a fight to make one candidate look like a hero is pretty mild when "accidents" can always happen to opposing candidates. The actions were underhanded perhaps but likely not even against the laws in the ten towns. So the party actions are pretty over the top.
If the characters are still in town, and a low enough level, have the militia subdue and bring them before the town speaker. Give them the option to perform a task in exchange for their lives and make it clear that the only reason they managed to subdue Naerth was because of surprise - he can make certain that will not happen again. The task could be recovery of the cauldron of plenty which is a twist on the Toil and Trouble quest from pg 62.
If the party level is too high to be intimidated or they have left the town then have the militia refuse them future entry to the town with orders to capture for trial on sight and kill if necessary, then spread the word to the other towns about these troublesome newcomers. When the party arrives elsewhere they will be hassled by guards, have prices increased by merchants, maybe have trouble buying food, some inns might refuse to serve them - make life tough for them. If they turn themselves in to the speaker of Targos he can have them perform a quest and then let them go with a warning to never interfere in the future.
However, as DM, for this to work, the characters need to know that attacking the speaker would be suicidal at least until later in the adventure.
If you want more tie ins to the main quest, Naerth could have made a side deal with the duergar to supply them with any chardalyn that he comes across. He gets paid well which can be used to increase the power of the Zhents in the ten towns. He probably has no idea what the duergar want with the chardalyn - it is just a source of money for him - but if it comes out somehow - it gives the players another hint towards the duergar operating in the ten towns.
Here's the thing in D&D: the story is going to be what the players make it. I think you're right in that there will be consequences, and if that derails the adventure then go with it.
I don't allow my players to mistreat captives: I hate roleplaying a tormented or abused prisoner. In session zero I tell them that beating on prisoners just won't be allowed, including in interrogations during which they can make Persuasion, Intimidation and Insight checks but if you allow them to torture prisoners then it can become something they routinely do if they think it's getting them good information (torture is proven to almost always generate false information, as tortured prisoners will say whatever they can to get out of it. Lots of evidence based on CIA stuff for this).
The town speaker is going to declare that they broke in to rob him. They will become wanted criminals in every town in The Ten Towns. He should hire a load of security and send his own hunters after them.
However, these things take time to organise, and finding people isn't that easy. If they stick around in town, then yeah - a whole lot of trouble is heading their way.
Just remember, almost every time the party will fight to the death rather than submit to capture. And if you capture them by DM fiat, they’ll resent the hells outta you for it.
Speaker Naerth Maxildanarr (lawful evil human spy) is secretly a Zhentarim agent, who won the speakership because of his popularity with the fishers. Naerth is eager to secure a Zhentarim stranglehold on trade in Icewind Dale. A Zhent mercenary named Skath (lawful evil tiefling veteran) who is loyal to Naerth leads the town’s militia.
Militia. Targos can muster up to 200 soldiers (use the tribal warrior stat block) and 16 veterans.
Naerth Maxildanarr, a former rogue of Luskan, moved to Targos a couple of years ago, took up residence in the Luskan Arms, and spread around a lot of gold, earning the loyalty of many local fishers. His cordial, down-to-earth demeanor contributed to his swift rise to power, enabling him to replace a town speaker who was well liked but didn’t want the job anymore. As the most senior representative of the Zhentarim in Ten-Towns, Naerth is determined to turn Icewind Dale into a trade hub for the Black Network. He has a dozen or more Zhentarim spies throughout Ten-Towns that he uses to good effect, disposing of suspected Harper spies and convincing business owners to buy fish from Targos instead of from other sources.
Good Mead also needs a new leader, and two locals have emerged as contenders to replace Kendrick Rielsbarrow as town speaker. It will take a week or two for the town to plan an election. One candidate is a red-bearded shield dwarf logger named Shandar Froth, and the other is Olivessa Untapoor, a middle-aged woman who descends from the town’s Chultan founders and who makes casks to hold Good Mead’s famous brew.
Shandar is wanted by the authorities in Mirabar for the murder of another dwarf. Zhentarim agents located Shandar a few years back and are blackmailing him into serving as their eyes and ears in town. Once a month, Shandar travels to Targos to brief Naerth Maxildanarr, its speaker, on everything that has transpired of late in Good Mead.
Okay, so there have to be consequences for torturing the mayor, but also, Naerth has some skeletons that he would rather keep in the closet. Presumably, he doesn't want it to come out that he owns the flying snakes, because that links him to the Zhents, who have some kind of trade designs on Ten Towns (which, by rights, should be the ass end of the universe; but that's not my business).
So, while I think Sanvael's advice is good, I think we can also try and keep the pot from really boiling over if we want.
Their Targos privileges have been revoked until they make amends with Naerth. That doesn't sound like much, but look at the map. If you can't go to Targos then you can't follow the trails to Bremen, Termalaine or Lonelywood either (unless they overland it, which has its own dangers). That's almost half of Ten Towns. So that's one consequence.
Also, since Olivessa doesn't want to be Good Mead speaker, she's certainly not going to want to have her name tied to a bunch of lunatics beating up Naerth, so she concedes the Good Mead race to Shandar, who trashes the PCs reps in town. The thing they didn't want to happen, happens. That's consequence number two.
Beyond that, I agree that Naerth will come after them, but I think it's more likely to look like an ambush. Wait until they're upcountry and start an avalanche above them. Ambush them on the trails between towns. Something sneaky. Maybe send a message to some hardcore assassin in Luskan to head north. Maybe cut a deal with the Tiger tribe to jump them in the Dale somewhere. Maybe use one of his spies in Ten Towns to poison or sabotage them.
The weird thing to me is the snakes. The players sound like they took them on a whim, but it actually gives them a tiny bit of blackmail leverage, though they don't know it. Presumably, once they're out of the cage, they'll fly straight back home to Naerth, identifying him as a Zhent. So they have that card, still.
As far as keeping the players from getting sidetracked over this - I'd show them that the real overarching storyline was Auril. Maybe they encounter Vellynne somewhere and she gives them a little perspective.
Naerth won't go to the legitimate authorities on this because "secrets." They will call upon some rough and tumble types (whether bona fide Z agents or one of the many rough and tumble types found throughout Ten Towns) for reprisal. Probably the sort of thing where maybe you shape one of the quests far in the wilderness as one where they have to team up with this other party, or the other party requests their assistance. Turns out it was a set up, mid long rest when the other party is on watch, they wake up looted with no supplies, days away from Ten Towns and some indication of "this is what happens when newcomers mess with the local power base". If they surivive, they can take their lick and move on, or continue a tit for tat sideplot or reprisals with Naerth as the actual adventure plays out, maybe after both the rivalry and actual adventure progress and Naerth's resources may be helpful, they can break bread, or the sideshow burns out in some minor conflagration that may or may not involve actual fire and burning one party or the other to the ground where they stand.
Sanvael's right on the relative uselessness of torture in information gathering ... but this action instigating Naerth's reprisal wasn't "in the course of an investigation", this was the party being brutal to deliver a message. I think people can pose moral questions to the tactic but let's recognize this was a beating to intimidate or "teach a lesson" it was vigilantism, not bad cop/bad cop. So more "taking the law into their own hands" as happens in areas with loose law and order, than a questionable investigative tactic. So I wouldn't call the party morons, but might have a "are you the baddies?" conversation to find out where they see themselves going in a part of the world where folks generally have to lean in to community to survive.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Naerth won't go to the legitimate authorities on this because "secrets." They will call upon some rough and tumble types (whether bona fide Z agents or one of the many rough and tumble types found throughout Ten Towns) for reprisal.
I don't buy that this guy would be OK with "As punishment, go and do a quest that you'll enjoy doing."
If the bad guys invaded a PC's home, robbed and tortured them, would that PC then agree to offering the bad guy a menial task as punishment? I'm willing to say "Never, ever would the player agree to that."
He might use being discovered roughed up and tied to his bed as a way of gaining local support, militarising and rousing up pitchfork mobs. "Proof" that a sterner hand was needed in control. But he'd definitely be sending about 12 of his 16 veterans after the PCs, while keeping the other 4 by his side for protection.
Also, when the dragon hits Targos would be a good time to wrap this plot up, either by fragging the mayor in the chaos or feeding him to the dragon or saving his life.
Naerth won't go to the legitimate authorities on this because "secrets." They will call upon some rough and tumble types (whether bona fide Z agents or one of the many rough and tumble types found throughout Ten Towns) for reprisal.
Truth.
Except .. remember that Naerth IS the legitimate authority. He is the speaker for Targos, duly elected and in charge. The head of the militia is directly loyal to him and there are likely others. The PCs could already be branded as thugs and bandits for breaking in and beating up the speaker. Most folks are unlikely to believe a bunch of unknown adventurers who (after beating up the speaker) claim that these flying snakes are actually his - another possibility is that the other speakers will think the PCs are Zhent representatives scouting ten towns with the snakes to prove it.
However, as both speaker and the head of the Zhents in the ten towns - Naerth has both legitimate and covert resources to draw on to put these characters in their place. So he might choose to spread the word that the characters are dangerous and not to be trusted because they assaulted the speaker of Targos while at the same time sending some assassins that can't be traced back to him to whittle down the opposition. You could have the assassins finish off the party one by one (or at least try) until the party decides to talk instead of run or fight.
As DM, if you don't want this to go too badly, you'll need to come up with a reason why Naerth would want to keep the PCs alive and perhaps make use of them. The PCs probably don't understand the icerberg that they attacked where the majority of Naerth's resources aren't immediately obvious.
Just remember, almost every time the party will fight to the death rather than submit to capture. And if you capture them by DM fiat, they’ll resent the hells outta you for it.
Except .. remember that Naerth IS the legitimate authority. He is the speaker for Targos, duly elected and in charge. The head of the militia is directly loyal to him and there are likely others. The PCs could already be branded as thugs and bandits for breaking in and beating up the speaker. Most folks are unlikely to believe a bunch of unknown adventurers who (after beating up the speaker) claim that these flying snakes are actually his - another possibility is that the other speakers will think the PCs are Zhent representatives scouting ten towns with the snakes to prove it.
This is resonating the most with me. Naerth could totally use the snakes to frame the party as a group of Zhentarim agents. I think he's going to send 8 of his veterans out to capture the PCs, knocking them out in combat if they resist. (Don't know if you consider that DM fiat, Sposta) A Harper agent can free them from the dungeon if necessary, giving them a helpful NPC to let them know they screwed this one up and Naerth is out of their reach for now. If I can convince them to leave Targos, that buys me time to think of a resolution while they're off doing random adventures.
Of course, they could always ignore the warning and march straight back into town. That will not go well for them.
I'm talking about running an actual combat, which I'm assuming they will lose as a group of level 4 characters outnumbered two-to-one by CR3 veterans. Not just saying "the guards knock you out; you wake up in a jail cell."
knocking them out in combat if they resist. (Don't know if you consider that DM fiat, Sposta)
Don’t matter what I think, the players will.
If the players ask “why,” and your only answer is “because I said so,” that’s DM fiat.
Not necessarily. I ran an encounter in Curse of Strahd where a large pack of werewolves engaged the party in a difficult fight when Strahd showed up and upcast Banishment on two of them while he smirked. The remaining characters were "killed" (actually knocked out but the players didn't know that until after the combat) by the werewolves though they didn't finish them off. When the banished characters came back, they found three of their companions lying on the ground at zero hit points. It was a case of Strahd testing the mettle of the characters. (Strahd occasionally came to see how the party dealt with various challenges - he flew over Yesterhill for example on his Nightmare to see how the druids fared - they did not impress).
It was also useful to emphasize to the characters that Strahd was a challenging opponent and one not to underestimate. They were about level 7/8 at the time and at about the point where they might head for the castle which would probably not have gone that well for them. (Though by the time they did go to the castle, Strahd was a bit enhanced and some thematically appropriate monsters were added to make the encounter at least a bit of a challenge - in a straight up fight, with the magical artifacts that the party can acquire, vampires and undead don't stand much of a chance).
Anyway, the point is that such an encounter can be fun and interesting and a learning opportunity. If the party happens to defeat the party sent to bring them in then cool ... but if not then the party learns that there may be situations where they need to be a bit cautious.
I'm talking about running an actual combat, which I'm assuming they will lose as a group of level 4 characters outnumbered two-to-one by CR3 veterans. Not just saying "the guards knock you out; you wake up in a jail cell."
That’s a different story. But remember,if it’s gonna be a landslide with an obvious outcome it should be over by the end of round 2 at the latest or people will get sulky. (I’m only mentioning this stuff because I’ve been there.)
I'm talking about running an actual combat, which I'm assuming they will lose as a group of level 4 characters outnumbered two-to-one by CR3 veterans. Not just saying "the guards knock you out; you wake up in a jail cell."
That’s a different story. But remember,if it’s gonna be a landslide with an obvious outcome it should be over by the end of round 2 at the latest or people will get sulky. (I’m only mentioning this stuff because I’ve been there.)
If you run combats where the PCs can't win, but you then spare them all despite the villains having no reason to do that, and they then escape, then you didn't really play the NPCs as they should be.
If you want to give the PCs a chance at surviving this without just pre-planning that actually, they can't die, then maybe do the following:
Naerth doesn't know where the PCs are going
He sends out 12 of his Veterans in two groups of 6. If you want to be really lenient then you can split them into three groups of 4. But remember, NPCs don't know about CR ratings or character levels. Naerth would want them dead for the abuse he suffers at their hands. He needs his force to be overwhelming when it finds them so at least 1 for 1.
Track where the veterans are going to go, looking for the PCs, and give them a head start. Each day track the PC's movement, and the Veterans. If they would clash, then the Veterans try to kill them.
Assume the Vets ask at each shop and tavern they visit along their route as they go through the Ten Towns.
If you play by "The villains will try to take the PCs alive" then really you can kind of dispense with dice rolling altogether and just tell the PCs whether they win or lose, since you've decided that character death isn't really an option. If you absolutely have to go this route, then it will feel cheap to the players. At the very least, permanently strip them of all equipment.
How do you want to run the world? If you are going Medieval authentic, those players would most likely end up in stocks at the very very very best and likely killed depending on the person they beat and cost of item stolen. Strangers coming into medieval towns were looked upon with suspicion by the townsfolk because they don't travel. If something untoward happened to someone, the strangers were likely to be the scape goats. It required an inn keep to vouch for the strangers for them to enter the town and if they did a crime the inn keep could be liable for it as well. Beating up a citizen of the town would get them beat at the least, put up in stocks or flogged and then most likely banned from entering a medieval town if they were lucky. There were very few rich and very many poor, so the punishments were extreme to prevent peasant revolts.
I'm playing Rime of the Frostmaiden with a group of 4 players, and they just assaulted Naerth Maxildinar, the town speaker of the second biggest town in the region. They found out he was involved with trying to influence the election in Good Mead, and they went straight to "let's go rough him up a bit", which they did by barging into his room, tying him up, and smacking him around while they interrogated him. They ended up telling him to give up his evil ways, took his cage of flying snakes as new pets for themselves, and left him tied on the bed.
So here's my problem. There absolutely have to be consequences for this: sending the town guard after them, banishing them from the city, potentially even sending assassins in response. However, if I do that, it's almost guaranteed that the PCs are going to become convinced this is the main plotline. How do I convince them this isn't worth their time?
Here's the thing in D&D: the story is going to be what the players make it. I think you're right in that there will be consequences, and if that derails the adventure then go with it.
I don't allow my players to mistreat captives: I hate roleplaying a tormented or abused prisoner. In session zero I tell them that beating on prisoners just won't be allowed, including in interrogations during which they can make Persuasion, Intimidation and Insight checks but if you allow them to torture prisoners then it can become something they routinely do if they think it's getting them good information (torture is proven to almost always generate false information, as tortured prisoners will say whatever they can to get out of it. Lots of evidence based on CIA stuff for this).
The town speaker is going to declare that they broke in to rob him. They will become wanted criminals in every town in The Ten Towns. He should hire a load of security and send his own hunters after them.
However, these things take time to organise, and finding people isn't that easy. If they stick around in town, then yeah - a whole lot of trouble is heading their way.
One of the things I dislike about RotFM is the complete lack of structure or plot line through the first few chapters. In fact, the plot doesn't really start until a specific NPC asks for help when the characters have reached level 7. Before that, there is very little structure at all in the various rumors and side quests through chapter 1 and 2.
However, in your case this becomes an advantage since you can link any of the side quests to the precursor to the main quest in chapter 3 and 4. Rest in spoliers
Naerth is the local leader of the Zhentarim crime syndicate. I'm guessing that the PCs found out about him by interrogating one of the thugs sent to the staged fight in Good Mead?
It sounds like Naerth was alone and easy pickings. He probably should have had several guards though maybe the party killed them?
I also agree with you that there have to be consequences. As speaker of Targos he has a lot of resources.
Militia. Targos can muster up to 200 soldiers (use the tribal warrior stat block) and 16 veterans.
In addition, the head of the town militia is also a Zhent mercenary loyal to Naerth.
On top of that, trying to influence an election by staging a fight to make one candidate look like a hero is pretty mild when "accidents" can always happen to opposing candidates. The actions were underhanded perhaps but likely not even against the laws in the ten towns. So the party actions are pretty over the top.
If the characters are still in town, and a low enough level, have the militia subdue and bring them before the town speaker. Give them the option to perform a task in exchange for their lives and make it clear that the only reason they managed to subdue Naerth was because of surprise - he can make certain that will not happen again. The task could be recovery of the cauldron of plenty which is a twist on the Toil and Trouble quest from pg 62.
If the party level is too high to be intimidated or they have left the town then have the militia refuse them future entry to the town with orders to capture for trial on sight and kill if necessary, then spread the word to the other towns about these troublesome newcomers. When the party arrives elsewhere they will be hassled by guards, have prices increased by merchants, maybe have trouble buying food, some inns might refuse to serve them - make life tough for them. If they turn themselves in to the speaker of Targos he can have them perform a quest and then let them go with a warning to never interfere in the future.
However, as DM, for this to work, the characters need to know that attacking the speaker would be suicidal at least until later in the adventure.
If you want more tie ins to the main quest, Naerth could have made a side deal with the duergar to supply them with any chardalyn that he comes across. He gets paid well which can be used to increase the power of the Zhents in the ten towns. He probably has no idea what the duergar want with the chardalyn - it is just a source of money for him - but if it comes out somehow - it gives the players another hint towards the duergar operating in the ten towns.
Just remember, almost every time the party will fight to the death rather than submit to capture. And if you capture them by DM fiat, they’ll resent the hells outta you for it.
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Here's what we know about the guy:
Okay, so there have to be consequences for torturing the mayor, but also, Naerth has some skeletons that he would rather keep in the closet. Presumably, he doesn't want it to come out that he owns the flying snakes, because that links him to the Zhents, who have some kind of trade designs on Ten Towns (which, by rights, should be the ass end of the universe; but that's not my business).
So, while I think Sanvael's advice is good, I think we can also try and keep the pot from really boiling over if we want.
Their Targos privileges have been revoked until they make amends with Naerth. That doesn't sound like much, but look at the map. If you can't go to Targos then you can't follow the trails to Bremen, Termalaine or Lonelywood either (unless they overland it, which has its own dangers). That's almost half of Ten Towns. So that's one consequence.
Also, since Olivessa doesn't want to be Good Mead speaker, she's certainly not going to want to have her name tied to a bunch of lunatics beating up Naerth, so she concedes the Good Mead race to Shandar, who trashes the PCs reps in town. The thing they didn't want to happen, happens. That's consequence number two.
Beyond that, I agree that Naerth will come after them, but I think it's more likely to look like an ambush. Wait until they're upcountry and start an avalanche above them. Ambush them on the trails between towns. Something sneaky. Maybe send a message to some hardcore assassin in Luskan to head north. Maybe cut a deal with the Tiger tribe to jump them in the Dale somewhere. Maybe use one of his spies in Ten Towns to poison or sabotage them.
The weird thing to me is the snakes. The players sound like they took them on a whim, but it actually gives them a tiny bit of blackmail leverage, though they don't know it. Presumably, once they're out of the cage, they'll fly straight back home to Naerth, identifying him as a Zhent. So they have that card, still.
As far as keeping the players from getting sidetracked over this - I'd show them that the real overarching storyline was Auril. Maybe they encounter Vellynne somewhere and she gives them a little perspective.
Naerth won't go to the legitimate authorities on this because "secrets." They will call upon some rough and tumble types (whether bona fide Z agents or one of the many rough and tumble types found throughout Ten Towns) for reprisal. Probably the sort of thing where maybe you shape one of the quests far in the wilderness as one where they have to team up with this other party, or the other party requests their assistance. Turns out it was a set up, mid long rest when the other party is on watch, they wake up looted with no supplies, days away from Ten Towns and some indication of "this is what happens when newcomers mess with the local power base". If they surivive, they can take their lick and move on, or continue a tit for tat sideplot or reprisals with Naerth as the actual adventure plays out, maybe after both the rivalry and actual adventure progress and Naerth's resources may be helpful, they can break bread, or the sideshow burns out in some minor conflagration that may or may not involve actual fire and burning one party or the other to the ground where they stand.
Sanvael's right on the relative uselessness of torture in information gathering ... but this action instigating Naerth's reprisal wasn't "in the course of an investigation", this was the party being brutal to deliver a message. I think people can pose moral questions to the tactic but let's recognize this was a beating to intimidate or "teach a lesson" it was vigilantism, not bad cop/bad cop. So more "taking the law into their own hands" as happens in areas with loose law and order, than a questionable investigative tactic. So I wouldn't call the party morons, but might have a "are you the baddies?" conversation to find out where they see themselves going in a part of the world where folks generally have to lean in to community to survive.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Truth.
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I don't buy that this guy would be OK with "As punishment, go and do a quest that you'll enjoy doing."
If the bad guys invaded a PC's home, robbed and tortured them, would that PC then agree to offering the bad guy a menial task as punishment? I'm willing to say "Never, ever would the player agree to that."
He might use being discovered roughed up and tied to his bed as a way of gaining local support, militarising and rousing up pitchfork mobs. "Proof" that a sterner hand was needed in control. But he'd definitely be sending about 12 of his 16 veterans after the PCs, while keeping the other 4 by his side for protection.
Also, when the dragon hits Targos would be a good time to wrap this plot up, either by fragging the mayor in the chaos or feeding him to the dragon or saving his life.
Except .. remember that Naerth IS the legitimate authority. He is the speaker for Targos, duly elected and in charge. The head of the militia is directly loyal to him and there are likely others. The PCs could already be branded as thugs and bandits for breaking in and beating up the speaker. Most folks are unlikely to believe a bunch of unknown adventurers who (after beating up the speaker) claim that these flying snakes are actually his - another possibility is that the other speakers will think the PCs are Zhent representatives scouting ten towns with the snakes to prove it.
However, as both speaker and the head of the Zhents in the ten towns - Naerth has both legitimate and covert resources to draw on to put these characters in their place. So he might choose to spread the word that the characters are dangerous and not to be trusted because they assaulted the speaker of Targos while at the same time sending some assassins that can't be traced back to him to whittle down the opposition. You could have the assassins finish off the party one by one (or at least try) until the party decides to talk instead of run or fight.
As DM, if you don't want this to go too badly, you'll need to come up with a reason why Naerth would want to keep the PCs alive and perhaps make use of them. The PCs probably don't understand the icerberg that they attacked where the majority of Naerth's resources aren't immediately obvious.
Like I said before:
Ruffians would be simpler.
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This is resonating the most with me. Naerth could totally use the snakes to frame the party as a group of Zhentarim agents. I think he's going to send 8 of his veterans out to capture the PCs, knocking them out in combat if they resist. (Don't know if you consider that DM fiat, Sposta) A Harper agent can free them from the dungeon if necessary, giving them a helpful NPC to let them know they screwed this one up and Naerth is out of their reach for now. If I can convince them to leave Targos, that buys me time to think of a resolution while they're off doing random adventures.
Of course, they could always ignore the warning and march straight back into town. That will not go well for them.
Don’t matter what I think, the players will.
If the players ask “why,” and your only answer is “because I said so,” that’s DM fiat.
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I'm talking about running an actual combat, which I'm assuming they will lose as a group of level 4 characters outnumbered two-to-one by CR3 veterans. Not just saying "the guards knock you out; you wake up in a jail cell."
Not necessarily. I ran an encounter in Curse of Strahd where a large pack of werewolves engaged the party in a difficult fight when Strahd showed up and upcast Banishment on two of them while he smirked. The remaining characters were "killed" (actually knocked out but the players didn't know that until after the combat) by the werewolves though they didn't finish them off. When the banished characters came back, they found three of their companions lying on the ground at zero hit points. It was a case of Strahd testing the mettle of the characters. (Strahd occasionally came to see how the party dealt with various challenges - he flew over Yesterhill for example on his Nightmare to see how the druids fared - they did not impress).
It was also useful to emphasize to the characters that Strahd was a challenging opponent and one not to underestimate. They were about level 7/8 at the time and at about the point where they might head for the castle which would probably not have gone that well for them. (Though by the time they did go to the castle, Strahd was a bit enhanced and some thematically appropriate monsters were added to make the encounter at least a bit of a challenge - in a straight up fight, with the magical artifacts that the party can acquire, vampires and undead don't stand much of a chance).
Anyway, the point is that such an encounter can be fun and interesting and a learning opportunity. If the party happens to defeat the party sent to bring them in then cool ... but if not then the party learns that there may be situations where they need to be a bit cautious.
That’s a different story. But remember,if it’s gonna be a landslide with an obvious outcome it should be over by the end of round 2 at the latest or people will get sulky. (I’m only mentioning this stuff because I’ve been there.)
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DDB Buyers' Guide
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If you run combats where the PCs can't win, but you then spare them all despite the villains having no reason to do that, and they then escape, then you didn't really play the NPCs as they should be.
If you want to give the PCs a chance at surviving this without just pre-planning that actually, they can't die, then maybe do the following:
If you play by "The villains will try to take the PCs alive" then really you can kind of dispense with dice rolling altogether and just tell the PCs whether they win or lose, since you've decided that character death isn't really an option. If you absolutely have to go this route, then it will feel cheap to the players. At the very least, permanently strip them of all equipment.
How do you want to run the world? If you are going Medieval authentic, those players would most likely end up in stocks at the very very very best and likely killed depending on the person they beat and cost of item stolen. Strangers coming into medieval towns were looked upon with suspicion by the townsfolk because they don't travel. If something untoward happened to someone, the strangers were likely to be the scape goats. It required an inn keep to vouch for the strangers for them to enter the town and if they did a crime the inn keep could be liable for it as well. Beating up a citizen of the town would get them beat at the least, put up in stocks or flogged and then most likely banned from entering a medieval town if they were lucky. There were very few rich and very many poor, so the punishments were extreme to prevent peasant revolts.