Currently, my group is 4-6 players (some skip a session or so), at around level 8. While traveling, they encountered a cave with a riddle. In the cavern, the adventurers saw figures sitting by a dinner table, each holding an item. The players are given a riddle, characters/items not explicitly mentioned in the riddle are covered by a magical blurry darkness (think Mortal Kombat unlocked character).
Basically, I redid the Jindosh riddle from Dishonored 2, renaming with my characters and random items with the Vault behind them. I've given the players an option to return to the cave, (they don't need to stay to solve the riddle, we can progress and they can return once they feel they solved it).
Question! What should I have behind the vault??? I was originally of doing a cruel Borderlands vault situation where nothing but a massive monster (idk, like a CR 18 abberation, although they literally just beat a CR 15 vampire gd they stole from). Or just give riches and gold and magic items? The group has pretty solid gear as it is, and we are working with crafting so items aren't in shortage.. I'm also trying to balance with the items they already have and don't want to grant something too world shaking.
What do you think I should give? Should I allow the epic monster to be unleashed and attack? should I have a crazy reward for all of their effort? Both? I was thinking some cool alien weapons? Low ammo but I'm worried that the ranger might take advantage of it (already has an Oathbow).
Put an androsphinx that rewards them with a heroes' feast... (and maybe some of its other lair actions, looking at what it can do, it's a great plot device monster).
How about the Vault is really just a library, nothing magical except maybe one or two flavorful trinkets (like a book that can flip pages on its own so the reader doesn't have to lift a finger; an ivory bookmark that reads aloud the text). If you're the type of DM who has spent a lot of time world building it can be a good opportunity for the players to start opening books to learn about history, geography, arcana, etc. that could eventually be useful in certain situations (maybe add a one time proficiency bonus to a history or nature check at just "the right time"). Or maps of locations, blueprints of castles, cave systems, for more informed travel. Language primers and translations so a player could eventually learn Abyssal or [insert other random obscure language here]. Sourcebooks on learning crafts (like jewelers and carpentry). Stuff that can expand character sheets in more unique ways rather than just random weapons of [blank].
Might as well have the Androsphinx guarding the entry, though, could be good opportunity for a roleplay ing entry or a combat, especially if it uses the Zone Of Truth right away to discern the partiy's intentions....
Maybe put a guardian, a quest and a legendary magic item. In theory, at level 8, your party shouldn't be seeing legendary magic items until somewhere in tier 3 unless you are playing an extremely high magic item campaign and bounded accuracy isn't an issue.
A special guardian and/or trap prevents the party from just taking the item. Perhaps have the item return to its storage location in one hour (or some other period of time the characters don't know about) unless the guardian has allowed for its removal (kill the guardian and the item vanishes - perhaps going to another location with a different guardian). Make use of the item contingent on performing one or more tasks for the guardian. This way you can gate the use of the powerful magic item so it can be used sometimes without upsetting the campaign.
A lot of good advice. So the way that I'm working on the crafting is that schematics must be found in order to follow the instructions to craft them. I can have the library contain a bunch of these, I can also have these links or at least refer to other lands; Barova, etc BUT I can also have them release an epic level boss, who hopefully TPKs them but is uninterested so just leaves them dying as he walts past them to take over the world.. then have the group check out the vault's contents as they recover.
I originally intended to have Acerak be the BBEG, (doing Yawning Portal, last adventure is Tomb of Horrors--- Acerak's tomb. Been really late introducing him, hadn't thought until recently -- but I can have this new guy be the worse of the 2 evils, possibly needing Acerak's help.. but would prefer not to add that much more to it, I'm already biting off more than I can chew in certain areas)
A little context, I was a little late in even thinking about it, but Yawning Portal is a fun campaign but doe SQUAT for linking each of the 7 adventures. Its more of a 'best of' from previous editions then a proper campaign, no real linking between each one, no main BBEG (since each is an individual adventure in its own right), no motive to progress. Only after the 3rd one did I even think of having a 'recurring' BBEG until during the 3rd adventure. Since I placed them in Chult for it, and some of my players played Tomb of Annihilation, I had the players join a festival in the local city celebrating the demise of Acerak. As of now, the only mention of Acerak.
I planned on having the next dungeon, White Plume Mountain, being 'hosted' by a wizard, Keraptis, have slip that he's working for Acerak. Then the next one Dead In Thay, literally invading a Thayan DoomVault but have Acerak be the powerful lick in charge (or was in charge) instead of Sazs Tam, after that Against the Giants, where something more than just plain giant raids would have Acerak behind the scenes.. Leading up to the finale, Tomb of Horrors where they hunt down Acerak for good.
So if I introduce a new foe in the vault, I can have them instead request help from Acerak to defeat it (but after all the planning and thinking of filling in all of the gaps for the 'campain' I can't think of how I can do all what I just said and have this new foe catch their attention in the background, while making them wait to encounter it.. My group is VERY into dealing with things NOW
Or I can actually have Acerak himself be released from this vault, since as far as they know, Acerak was defeated in Chult prior.. Sort of spoiling him from being in the background for the next 3 adventures though...
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Hey guys,
Currently, my group is 4-6 players (some skip a session or so), at around level 8. While traveling, they encountered a cave with a riddle. In the cavern, the adventurers saw figures sitting by a dinner table, each holding an item. The players are given a riddle, characters/items not explicitly mentioned in the riddle are covered by a magical blurry darkness (think Mortal Kombat unlocked character).
Basically, I redid the Jindosh riddle from Dishonored 2, renaming with my characters and random items with the Vault behind them. I've given the players an option to return to the cave, (they don't need to stay to solve the riddle, we can progress and they can return once they feel they solved it).
Question! What should I have behind the vault??? I was originally of doing a cruel Borderlands vault situation where nothing but a massive monster (idk, like a CR 18 abberation, although they literally just beat a CR 15 vampire gd they stole from). Or just give riches and gold and magic items? The group has pretty solid gear as it is, and we are working with crafting so items aren't in shortage.. I'm also trying to balance with the items they already have and don't want to grant something too world shaking.
What do you think I should give? Should I allow the epic monster to be unleashed and attack? should I have a crazy reward for all of their effort? Both? I was thinking some cool alien weapons? Low ammo but I'm worried that the ranger might take advantage of it (already has an Oathbow).
What do you suggest??
Put an androsphinx that rewards them with a heroes' feast... (and maybe some of its other lair actions, looking at what it can do, it's a great plot device monster).
How about the Vault is really just a library, nothing magical except maybe one or two flavorful trinkets (like a book that can flip pages on its own so the reader doesn't have to lift a finger; an ivory bookmark that reads aloud the text). If you're the type of DM who has spent a lot of time world building it can be a good opportunity for the players to start opening books to learn about history, geography, arcana, etc. that could eventually be useful in certain situations (maybe add a one time proficiency bonus to a history or nature check at just "the right time"). Or maps of locations, blueprints of castles, cave systems, for more informed travel. Language primers and translations so a player could eventually learn Abyssal or [insert other random obscure language here]. Sourcebooks on learning crafts (like jewelers and carpentry). Stuff that can expand character sheets in more unique ways rather than just random weapons of [blank].
Might as well have the Androsphinx guarding the entry, though, could be good opportunity for a roleplay ing entry or a combat, especially if it uses the Zone Of Truth right away to discern the partiy's intentions....
Boldly go
Maybe put a guardian, a quest and a legendary magic item. In theory, at level 8, your party shouldn't be seeing legendary magic items until somewhere in tier 3 unless you are playing an extremely high magic item campaign and bounded accuracy isn't an issue.
A special guardian and/or trap prevents the party from just taking the item. Perhaps have the item return to its storage location in one hour (or some other period of time the characters don't know about) unless the guardian has allowed for its removal (kill the guardian and the item vanishes - perhaps going to another location with a different guardian). Make use of the item contingent on performing one or more tasks for the guardian. This way you can gate the use of the powerful magic item so it can be used sometimes without upsetting the campaign.
Thanks guys!
A lot of good advice. So the way that I'm working on the crafting is that schematics must be found in order to follow the instructions to craft them. I can have the library contain a bunch of these, I can also have these links or at least refer to other lands; Barova, etc BUT I can also have them release an epic level boss, who hopefully TPKs them but is uninterested so just leaves them dying as he walts past them to take over the world.. then have the group check out the vault's contents as they recover.
I originally intended to have Acerak be the BBEG, (doing Yawning Portal, last adventure is Tomb of Horrors--- Acerak's tomb. Been really late introducing him, hadn't thought until recently -- but I can have this new guy be the worse of the 2 evils, possibly needing Acerak's help.. but would prefer not to add that much more to it, I'm already biting off more than I can chew in certain areas)
A little context, I was a little late in even thinking about it, but Yawning Portal is a fun campaign but doe SQUAT for linking each of the 7 adventures. Its more of a 'best of' from previous editions then a proper campaign, no real linking between each one, no main BBEG (since each is an individual adventure in its own right), no motive to progress. Only after the 3rd one did I even think of having a 'recurring' BBEG until during the 3rd adventure. Since I placed them in Chult for it, and some of my players played Tomb of Annihilation, I had the players join a festival in the local city celebrating the demise of Acerak. As of now, the only mention of Acerak.
I planned on having the next dungeon, White Plume Mountain, being 'hosted' by a wizard, Keraptis, have slip that he's working for Acerak. Then the next one Dead In Thay, literally invading a Thayan DoomVault but have Acerak be the powerful lick in charge (or was in charge) instead of Sazs Tam, after that Against the Giants, where something more than just plain giant raids would have Acerak behind the scenes.. Leading up to the finale, Tomb of Horrors where they hunt down Acerak for good.
So if I introduce a new foe in the vault, I can have them instead request help from Acerak to defeat it (but after all the planning and thinking of filling in all of the gaps for the 'campain' I can't think of how I can do all what I just said and have this new foe catch their attention in the background, while making them wait to encounter it.. My group is VERY into dealing with things NOW
Or I can actually have Acerak himself be released from this vault, since as far as they know, Acerak was defeated in Chult prior.. Sort of spoiling him from being in the background for the next 3 adventures though...