My party is playing Lost Mines of Phandelver for the first time.
They dealt with the ambush by killing three of the four goblins but spared the fourth. They interrogated him non-violently and persuaded him to lead them to his camp. At the cave entrance the players... basically... knocked on the door and asked to speak to the man of the house. They pointed out to the guards that they'd spared Skreek (the goblin) and just wanted to talk to the boss, and they rolled insanely high on their persuasion checks.
So, advice time. What do i do? They're sitting in Klarg's cave, around his fire, drinking whisky with him and I think once we're back from the break they're going to try and bargain with him for Sildar's freedom.
I don't think goblins would have gone this root. I really hope the person pursuading them speaks goblin at least. I would try and redeem this now by having the goblins turn this Parke into a trap. Goblins don't speak common, don't negotiate over whiskey and don't give up hostages.
We've finished for the night. The characters successfully bartered half of the goods on the wagon for Sildar's release. Sildar has offered them the job of accompanying him back to clear the caves out, once he's healed. I planted the idea that the goblins really don't like Klarg, and tried to make Skreek as endearing as possible to suggest a revolt might be engineered against the bugbear.
I can see this kind of departure from the module happening quite often with this party :D
Well, he's chaotic evil - no regard for others' lives, tendency to be selfish and cruel, etc.
Have him demand a high price to trade for Sildar's freedom, or even use the opportunity of 'non-hostility' to stage an attempt w/ the goblins to capture the players (for ransom, to eat, slavery, etc). You can go the extra mile by slicing off an appendage of Sildar and tossing it to the players if they give a "final offer", as if he was selling Sildar by the pound.
Let your imagination go wild. This should be a bad/evil guy, make him act that way. The players should have issue with his morality and values.
I appreciate the suggestion, Sedge. The players really don't like him; he's dead meat for sure (dice willing). I played him as overconfident and smug, full of himself, thinking he's smarter than he is, and that seems to have done the trick. I got positive feedback from the group about it too.
I wish my players tried diplomacy more often...I don't like the idea that the bad guys are always bloodthirsty killers and that my players HAVE to fight all the time, so I think you did a good job going along with your players' intent (especially considering Lost Mines is probably their first D&D experience?). The same tactics won't work all the time (and shouldn't), but I'm glad you encouraged your group to solve problems with more than the blade end of their swords.
In the module, there is canon strife between the goblins in that cave. You could leverage that strife with this parlay. Maybe Klarg has heard rumblings of the insurrection by Yeemik and will give up sildar and allow safe passage out, but only if the party kills Yeemik. This could be a nice set up for Klarg to be a grudging ally, who may inform the party about the Cragmaw further along the story.
I wish my players tried diplomacy more often...I don't like the idea that the bad guys are always bloodthirsty killers and that my players HAVE to fight all the time, so I think you did a good job going along with your players' intent (especially considering Lost Mines is probably their first D&D experience?). The same tactics won't work all the time (and shouldn't), but I'm glad you encouraged your group to solve problems with more than the blade end of their swords.
First: I don't know the module you are playing at all Second: what AK30 said. If they found a non violent way to master the situation, it should be rewarded, especially if the group is made up of good and neutral characters.
I see no problem with them finding a non-violent route. Not every situation needs to be resolved with swords and fire. Sounds like you have a great group!
That's a brilliant solution. My players never let anything live long enough to ask it questions. They're currently stumbling around the Triboar Trail wondering how to save Gundren, not having any clue where Cragmaw Castle is, killing everything that might tell them, despite me being fairly clear on what they need to do... The closest they got was going to see the Banshee, but for some reason they just decided to ask the location of the Wave Echo Cave itself. Now they're underlevelled for that area and I need to try and guide them to the castle first just so that they can level. >.>
My party is playing Lost Mines of Phandelver for the first time.
They dealt with the ambush by killing three of the four goblins but spared the fourth. They interrogated him non-violently and persuaded him to lead them to his camp. At the cave entrance the players... basically... knocked on the door and asked to speak to the man of the house. They pointed out to the guards that they'd spared Skreek (the goblin) and just wanted to talk to the boss, and they rolled insanely high on their persuasion checks.
So, advice time. What do i do? They're sitting in Klarg's cave, around his fire, drinking whisky with him and I think once we're back from the break they're going to try and bargain with him for Sildar's freedom.
I don't think goblins would have gone this root. I really hope the person pursuading them speaks goblin at least. I would try and redeem this now by having the goblins turn this Parke into a trap. Goblins don't speak common, don't negotiate over whiskey and don't give up hostages.
Yours might not.
Thanks for your input all the same.
We've finished for the night. The characters successfully bartered half of the goods on the wagon for Sildar's release. Sildar has offered them the job of accompanying him back to clear the caves out, once he's healed. I planted the idea that the goblins really don't like Klarg, and tried to make Skreek as endearing as possible to suggest a revolt might be engineered against the bugbear.
I can see this kind of departure from the module happening quite often with this party :D
Well, he's chaotic evil - no regard for others' lives, tendency to be selfish and cruel, etc.
Have him demand a high price to trade for Sildar's freedom, or even use the opportunity of 'non-hostility' to stage an attempt w/ the goblins to capture the players (for ransom, to eat, slavery, etc). You can go the extra mile by slicing off an appendage of Sildar and tossing it to the players if they give a "final offer", as if he was selling Sildar by the pound.
Let your imagination go wild. This should be a bad/evil guy, make him act that way. The players should have issue with his morality and values.
I appreciate the suggestion, Sedge. The players really don't like him; he's dead meat for sure (dice willing). I played him as overconfident and smug, full of himself, thinking he's smarter than he is, and that seems to have done the trick. I got positive feedback from the group about it too.
I wish my players tried diplomacy more often...I don't like the idea that the bad guys are always bloodthirsty killers and that my players HAVE to fight all the time, so I think you did a good job going along with your players' intent (especially considering Lost Mines is probably their first D&D experience?). The same tactics won't work all the time (and shouldn't), but I'm glad you encouraged your group to solve problems with more than the blade end of their swords.
In the module, there is canon strife between the goblins in that cave. You could leverage that strife with this parlay. Maybe Klarg has heard rumblings of the insurrection by Yeemik and will give up sildar and allow safe passage out, but only if the party kills Yeemik. This could be a nice set up for Klarg to be a grudging ally, who may inform the party about the Cragmaw further along the story.
REWARD THAT DIPLOMACY OMG.
First: I don't know the module you are playing at all
Second: what AK30 said. If they found a non violent way to master the situation, it should be rewarded, especially if the group is made up of good and neutral characters.
I see no problem with them finding a non-violent route. Not every situation needs to be resolved with swords and fire. Sounds like you have a great group!
Thanks all. Group is not new to D&D but we've never gotten round to playing LMoP (owned it for years), it's quite fun so far.
That's a brilliant solution. My players never let anything live long enough to ask it questions. They're currently stumbling around the Triboar Trail wondering how to save Gundren, not having any clue where Cragmaw Castle is, killing everything that might tell them, despite me being fairly clear on what they need to do... The closest they got was going to see the Banshee, but for some reason they just decided to ask the location of the Wave Echo Cave itself. Now they're underlevelled for that area and I need to try and guide them to the castle first just so that they can level. >.>
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