My PC's have recently learned that a villain is residing in a specific castle by interrogating a squad sent out to eliminate them, by the villain. They chose to nail the "wanted" poster to the back of one of the raiders, and send him to the castle to tell the villain: "We're comming for you!" How would you guys approach this? Because i dont want them to be slaugthered in the castle but i do want this action to have some kind of consequence! Help appreciated :-)
A castle assault sounds like a lot of fun to me. Please describe the castle a little bit if you don't mind. Is it on a cliff near the sea? Is there a moat? Is it surrounded by dense prickly forest?
Could you also explain where the party is at right now/how far away from the castle? Are they in eye shot from the castle, or are they hiding and preparing a few miles away?
There are a huge number of ways this can go right and wrong. Decide what the villain is going to do then fire away! Is he going to hole up and wait? Is he going to send out a stronger patrol? Is he going to run away? Fake surrender?
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
Well, of course the villain will respond the way any responsible player would respond in a similar circumstance.
The villain will increase the numbers of guards on duty at any given time. All available weapons and ammunition will be prepped and readily available. Massive quantities of food and clean water will be brought inside the keep, in case of a siege. Scouts will be sent out to warn of the encroaching threat. Ramparts and obstacles will be erected on the approach. Gates will be closed and barred. Portculli will be lowered. Oil will be boiled to be dumped on attackers. Basically, the entire castle will be on Red Alert!
The villain may also offer a reward to his soldiers for the first to spot the enemy, or the first to kill an enemy, or the first to bring the villain a certain enemy's decapitated head.
Basically, a frontal assault on this keep will be a foolish exercise in futility unless the party are exceptionally high level.
So the party will need to devise a clever strategy. This is where the meat of the gaming session should happen! Let the players brainstorm, encourage them to consider all their options, and to think three dimensionally. There's always a way into a keep other than the front gate. If the players come up with a clever plan, and execute it well, they may succeed. Or they could just charge the front gate and hope for the best.
Either way.... "Have fun storming the castle!" - (Miracle Max)
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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.
Thanks alot for the feedback TaynDarkwood :-) - i was thinking the same stuff... But it is nice with some good feedback! :)
To be more specific! The castle is old an dillapidated, a Strong bugbear leads a goblin / hobgoblin warband who is currently residing there.. But the main villain (the one the PC's threaten), is not in the castle, he is pulling the strings from afar.. The Bugbear is reporting to the main villain, so he knows this. It is going to be a party of 4 who assaults the castle, so no big war yet :P The castle is deep in the woods, there is a main gate to the west, a small entrance to the south, and a hole in the wall to the north..
The party is within sight of the castle, so they know the outer structure.. And they are hiding and preparing, checking out possible entrances.
Like Tayn said i'm currently thinking: - The inhabitants are much less likely to believe a deception - Patrols around the castle - Entrances are carefully guarded.
The hole in the northern wall would either be repaired or left open as a trap.
If they hole up for too long with no action, there's always the possibility of the goblins/hobgoblins getting testy and infighting. So do they go with patrols, or just fortify their position? Patrols just give the party a chance to pick off some of their numbers, so I don't know that they'd put them out there. They know the party is there, knows they're coming, so just sit and wait.
They could send for reinforcements. Prepare an escape strategy. Abandon the keep in the dark of night. Like Tayn said, a frontal assault by the party would seem to be an incredibly reckless move.
One thing to consider. What does this Bugbear think of the adventurers? Is he terrified of them? Confident in his strategic advantage? Overconfident? That could define the way he prepares.
Well, of course the villain will respond the way any responsible player would respond in a similar circumstance.
This is not necessarily true, a villain is not a PC. They do not all think the same. Take Dr. Evil, few or no PCs act like that. Strahd von Zarovich does NOT act like a PC.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
One thing to consider. What does this Bugbear think of the adventurers? Is he terrified of them? Confident in his strategic advantage? Overconfident? That could define the way he prepares.
This here quote is gold. You should consider what the bugbear thinks of the PCs and how he may feel. As another said not all villains are PCs but that does not mean they have or lack intelligence either. Unintelligent beasts can still stalk prey and ill intentioned bad guys filled with fearful could still double the guard if he thinks he has no where to go.
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Carry the God’s will as your torch, with it destroy the shadows.
@Wysperra - My point (however inartfully expressed) is that every bad guy sees himself as the good guy in his own story. We all attempt to justify our actions with whatever reasoning is necessary. So the villain will do everything in his power, just as the players would, to win. So the players should not expect any punches to be pulled nor any quarter to be given.
@AQ - The bad guys obviously know the party is coming, so the party should assume that any openings in the castle walls are either traps or ambush points. Major Puddles brings up a good point, i.e.: the bad guy's frame of mind! Given that the bugbear has a fortified position, and has advanced warning of the impending attack, and (most importantly) has minions around whom he cannot allow himself to show even the slightest weakness lest he be challenged for command... he will appear supremely confident. And that confidence could be the greatest weapon the party could use against him. Hubris is more than just pride and confidence. Hubris is born of fear... the fear of others seeing us as we truly are rather than as we wish ourselves to be seen. So that's the "what", but what's the "how"?
If I were in that party, I would suggest that we search the surrounding area for scouts, kill them, and flaunt those dead bodies to those inside the castle. Maybe by stealthing the bodies into the moat to be found or by tying the heads to a horse and having the horse run up to the gate. The goal is not so much attrition, but to send a message to those inside that they are not safe. This fear will fester in them. They may begin to question the leadership capabilities of the bugbear captain. Kill off patrols, use ranged attacks from stealthed positions to snipe a few guards on the walls, and then just hide and wait. Let them feel trapped. Sow dissent in their ranks. Keep moving, stealthed ranged attacks from every direction. Make 4 feel like 40. Make them feel surrounded.
Perhaps, when the final battle starts, not all of the enemy's minions will be willing to give their all for their leader. Some may run, some may surrender, some may even attempt to use that moment to claim control by killing the chief for his perceived weakness. The goblinoids are a dangerous enemy not because they are monsters, but because they are, in fact, so very human. I would use that against them.
I hope the party does, too.
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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.
How capable is the bugbear leader and how many "soldiers" does he have at his disposal?
If I were in his shoes as a PC I would find a way to get the animals to spy for me by using various spells. I would even consider polymorphing one of my followers to act as an animal spy, probably some sort of bird. With the knowledge of the party's size, makeup and some sense of their abilities, I would attempt to wear them down. This is the problem with magic in fantasy games; both sides should be expected to make the best use of it for their own ends.
There will be communication between the bugbear and his master. He may lend a hand in shoring up his guard with magic and/or dispatch troops to reinforce him. He could even send a higher level lieutenant to take over the defense of the area.
The basic premise of castles and things were they served as strong points for barons and the like to secure and rule a region. The castle provided the support for the local garrison in terms of food stores, weapons and animal care, but they were not considered stand alone outposts. They were part of a network of strongpoints. If one castle is attacked they would hole up and defend. If possible the local garrison would simply go out and kill the marauders. If not, the noble would hole up and send a message to his neighbors asking for aid. They would muster an army to break the siege. No static defense can withstand a sizeable mobile army.
So your party needs to decide how they are going to whittle down the bugbear's forces as quickly as possible before his team can cobble together an adequate response. Beware of how his side might use magic to maintain the upper hand. - Good luck.
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Hello everyone.
My PC's have recently learned that a villain is residing in a specific castle by interrogating a squad sent out to eliminate them, by the villain.
They chose to nail the "wanted" poster to the back of one of the raiders, and send him to the castle to tell the villain: "We're comming for you!"
How would you guys approach this?
Because i dont want them to be slaugthered in the castle but i do want this action to have some kind of consequence! Help appreciated :-)
A castle assault sounds like a lot of fun to me. Please describe the castle a little bit if you don't mind. Is it on a cliff near the sea? Is there a moat? Is it surrounded by dense prickly forest?
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Could you also explain where the party is at right now/how far away from the castle? Are they in eye shot from the castle, or are they hiding and preparing a few miles away?
There are a huge number of ways this can go right and wrong. Decide what the villain is going to do then fire away! Is he going to hole up and wait? Is he going to send out a stronger patrol? Is he going to run away? Fake surrender?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Well, of course the villain will respond the way any responsible player would respond in a similar circumstance.
The villain will increase the numbers of guards on duty at any given time. All available weapons and ammunition will be prepped and readily available. Massive quantities of food and clean water will be brought inside the keep, in case of a siege. Scouts will be sent out to warn of the encroaching threat. Ramparts and obstacles will be erected on the approach. Gates will be closed and barred. Portculli will be lowered. Oil will be boiled to be dumped on attackers. Basically, the entire castle will be on Red Alert!
The villain may also offer a reward to his soldiers for the first to spot the enemy, or the first to kill an enemy, or the first to bring the villain a certain enemy's decapitated head.
Basically, a frontal assault on this keep will be a foolish exercise in futility unless the party are exceptionally high level.
So the party will need to devise a clever strategy. This is where the meat of the gaming session should happen! Let the players brainstorm, encourage them to consider all their options, and to think three dimensionally. There's always a way into a keep other than the front gate. If the players come up with a clever plan, and execute it well, they may succeed. Or they could just charge the front gate and hope for the best.
Either way.... "Have fun storming the castle!" - (Miracle Max)
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.
Thanks alot for the feedback TaynDarkwood :-) - i was thinking the same stuff... But it is nice with some good feedback! :)
To be more specific!
The castle is old an dillapidated, a Strong bugbear leads a goblin / hobgoblin warband who is currently residing there.. But the main villain (the one the PC's threaten), is not in the castle, he is pulling the strings from afar.. The Bugbear is reporting to the main villain, so he knows this.
It is going to be a party of 4 who assaults the castle, so no big war yet :P
The castle is deep in the woods, there is a main gate to the west, a small entrance to the south, and a hole in the wall to the north..
The party is within sight of the castle, so they know the outer structure.. And they are hiding and preparing, checking out possible entrances.
Like Tayn said i'm currently thinking:
- The inhabitants are much less likely to believe a deception
- Patrols around the castle
- Entrances are carefully guarded.
What do you guys think?
The hole in the northern wall would either be repaired or left open as a trap.
If they hole up for too long with no action, there's always the possibility of the goblins/hobgoblins getting testy and infighting. So do they go with patrols, or just fortify their position? Patrols just give the party a chance to pick off some of their numbers, so I don't know that they'd put them out there. They know the party is there, knows they're coming, so just sit and wait.
They could send for reinforcements. Prepare an escape strategy. Abandon the keep in the dark of night. Like Tayn said, a frontal assault by the party would seem to be an incredibly reckless move.
One thing to consider. What does this Bugbear think of the adventurers? Is he terrified of them? Confident in his strategic advantage? Overconfident? That could define the way he prepares.
This is not necessarily true, a villain is not a PC. They do not all think the same. Take Dr. Evil, few or no PCs act like that. Strahd von Zarovich does NOT act like a PC.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
This here quote is gold. You should consider what the bugbear thinks of the PCs and how he may feel. As another said not all villains are PCs but that does not mean they have or lack intelligence either. Unintelligent beasts can still stalk prey and ill intentioned bad guys filled with fearful could still double the guard if he thinks he has no where to go.
Carry the God’s will as your torch, with it destroy the shadows.
@Wysperra - My point (however inartfully expressed) is that every bad guy sees himself as the good guy in his own story. We all attempt to justify our actions with whatever reasoning is necessary. So the villain will do everything in his power, just as the players would, to win. So the players should not expect any punches to be pulled nor any quarter to be given.
@AQ - The bad guys obviously know the party is coming, so the party should assume that any openings in the castle walls are either traps or ambush points. Major Puddles brings up a good point, i.e.: the bad guy's frame of mind! Given that the bugbear has a fortified position, and has advanced warning of the impending attack, and (most importantly) has minions around whom he cannot allow himself to show even the slightest weakness lest he be challenged for command... he will appear supremely confident. And that confidence could be the greatest weapon the party could use against him. Hubris is more than just pride and confidence. Hubris is born of fear... the fear of others seeing us as we truly are rather than as we wish ourselves to be seen. So that's the "what", but what's the "how"?
If I were in that party, I would suggest that we search the surrounding area for scouts, kill them, and flaunt those dead bodies to those inside the castle. Maybe by stealthing the bodies into the moat to be found or by tying the heads to a horse and having the horse run up to the gate. The goal is not so much attrition, but to send a message to those inside that they are not safe. This fear will fester in them. They may begin to question the leadership capabilities of the bugbear captain. Kill off patrols, use ranged attacks from stealthed positions to snipe a few guards on the walls, and then just hide and wait. Let them feel trapped. Sow dissent in their ranks. Keep moving, stealthed ranged attacks from every direction. Make 4 feel like 40. Make them feel surrounded.
Perhaps, when the final battle starts, not all of the enemy's minions will be willing to give their all for their leader. Some may run, some may surrender, some may even attempt to use that moment to claim control by killing the chief for his perceived weakness. The goblinoids are a dangerous enemy not because they are monsters, but because they are, in fact, so very human. I would use that against them.
I hope the party does, too.
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.
How capable is the bugbear leader and how many "soldiers" does he have at his disposal?
If I were in his shoes as a PC I would find a way to get the animals to spy for me by using various spells. I would even consider polymorphing one of my followers to act as an animal spy, probably some sort of bird. With the knowledge of the party's size, makeup and some sense of their abilities, I would attempt to wear them down. This is the problem with magic in fantasy games; both sides should be expected to make the best use of it for their own ends.
There will be communication between the bugbear and his master. He may lend a hand in shoring up his guard with magic and/or dispatch troops to reinforce him. He could even send a higher level lieutenant to take over the defense of the area.
The basic premise of castles and things were they served as strong points for barons and the like to secure and rule a region. The castle provided the support for the local garrison in terms of food stores, weapons and animal care, but they were not considered stand alone outposts. They were part of a network of strongpoints. If one castle is attacked they would hole up and defend. If possible the local garrison would simply go out and kill the marauders. If not, the noble would hole up and send a message to his neighbors asking for aid. They would muster an army to break the siege. No static defense can withstand a sizeable mobile army.
So your party needs to decide how they are going to whittle down the bugbear's forces as quickly as possible before his team can cobble together an adequate response. Beware of how his side might use magic to maintain the upper hand. - Good luck.