My adventure takes place outside of a coastal halfling settlement. The small town has been afflicted by they know not what. Come to find out that there is a black ship which has anchored off shore which is the source of their troubles. The ship contains vampires. This is a low level adventure so I've home-brewed some weaker vampires that can be handled by low levels. The adventure would be to board the ship in order to discover the source of the trouble. They would then find out that vampires are behind the trouble - preying on this weak halfling settlement when night falls. The vampires are asleep in their coffins aboard the ship during the day, but they come out at night to prey on the town. The ship itself is the lair. Inspiration drawn from 30 Days of Night.
I want to discuss this from a story perspective. Why would the vampires have an interest in preying upon this halfling settlement? Is it simply because they're perceived as weak and helpless? Maybe the halflings resemble children to the vampires and so represent perpetual youth? Help me out here. Thanks!
Be careful of making them too easy to kill. ie: "F this guys, lets just get back on deck and torch this ship!"
As for vampire motivation...... I think the vampires are just being opportunistic. When they've decimated the halfling village they'll just move on. Runners to nearby towns may find the direction the vampire ship has been moving.
The bottom line for most vampires is hunger. Halflings are not typically considered to be warriors, or particularly dangerous, so it's easy to think of them as 'easy pickings' for lack of a better term.
I would highly recommend the vamps have some kind of minion without a solar allergy on hand to defend them during the day. Or perhaps the ship is black because it's enchanted to be perpetually night on the ship regardless of the actual status of the sun.
Hmm. Maybe the halfling settlement was unintentionally built upon an ancient vampire lair with a queen inside that still slumbers. The vampires are attacking because they want to free her.
Perhaps they were from the lair but were forced out on the ship by the halflings centuries ago and set adrift on the seas with no sails. An unfortunate merchant ship comes across the vampire ship and that allows the vampires to fix their ship and return home to reclaim their rightful home.
The bottom line for most vampires is hunger. Halflings are not typically considered to be warriors, or particularly dangerous, so it's easy to think of them as 'easy pickings' for lack of a better term.
I would highly recommend the vamps have some kind of minion without a solar allergy on hand to defend them during the day. Or perhaps the ship is black because it's enchanted to be perpetually night on the ship regardless of the actual status of the sun.
I am planning on other baddies being on board. I was thinking of cultists who are devoted to the vampires and watch over the ship during the day.
Halflings are more than just stealthy. They have a knack for not being seen. I refer you to page 101 of Mord's Tome of Foes, the chapter titled, "Hidden in Plain Sight". That ability to be conveniently overlooked and to avoid prying eyes would be an absolute treasure to vampires, whose very existence is so often considered an abomination.
So the vampires have come in search of that secret. They will discover how the halflings can hide entire settlements so easily... by any means necessary.
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Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
Anzio Faro. Lvl 5 Prot. Aasimar Light Cleric.
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My adventure takes place outside of a coastal halfling settlement. The small town has been afflicted by they know not what. Come to find out that there is a black ship which has anchored off shore which is the source of their troubles. The ship contains vampires. This is a low level adventure so I've home-brewed some weaker vampires that can be handled by low levels. The adventure would be to board the ship in order to discover the source of the trouble. They would then find out that vampires are behind the trouble - preying on this weak halfling settlement when night falls. The vampires are asleep in their coffins aboard the ship during the day, but they come out at night to prey on the town. The ship itself is the lair. Inspiration drawn from 30 Days of Night.
I want to discuss this from a story perspective. Why would the vampires have an interest in preying upon this halfling settlement? Is it simply because they're perceived as weak and helpless? Maybe the halflings resemble children to the vampires and so represent perpetual youth? Help me out here. Thanks!
Halfling blood tastes better because of the care-free life they lead. Also, their family groups are easy prey like sheep to a wolf.
Be careful of making them too easy to kill. ie: "F this guys, lets just get back on deck and torch this ship!"
As for vampire motivation...... I think the vampires are just being opportunistic. When they've decimated the halfling village they'll just move on. Runners to nearby towns may find the direction the vampire ship has been moving.
The bottom line for most vampires is hunger. Halflings are not typically considered to be warriors, or particularly dangerous, so it's easy to think of them as 'easy pickings' for lack of a better term.
I would highly recommend the vamps have some kind of minion without a solar allergy on hand to defend them during the day. Or perhaps the ship is black because it's enchanted to be perpetually night on the ship regardless of the actual status of the sun.
Hmm. Maybe the halfling settlement was unintentionally built upon an ancient vampire lair with a queen inside that still slumbers. The vampires are attacking because they want to free her.
Perhaps they were from the lair but were forced out on the ship by the halflings centuries ago and set adrift on the seas with no sails. An unfortunate merchant ship comes across the vampire ship and that allows the vampires to fix their ship and return home to reclaim their rightful home.
I am planning on other baddies being on board. I was thinking of cultists who are devoted to the vampires and watch over the ship during the day.
Halflings are more than just stealthy. They have a knack for not being seen. I refer you to page 101 of Mord's Tome of Foes, the chapter titled, "Hidden in Plain Sight". That ability to be conveniently overlooked and to avoid prying eyes would be an absolute treasure to vampires, whose very existence is so often considered an abomination.
So the vampires have come in search of that secret. They will discover how the halflings can hide entire settlements so easily... by any means necessary.
Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
Anzio Faro. Lvl 5 Prot. Aasimar Light Cleric.