Post by lostinmydms on Sept 27, 2020 20:47:35 GMT
Newish DM here. My players have completed LMoP, and I'm working on a homebrew sequel for them. Looking for feedback.
Quick campaign background: the party captured Glassstaff, delivered him to Harbin and the town jail and Glassstaff escaped. This led to Harbin losing a special election after Halia sneered "This goblin (pointing at Droop, who has become an important NPC) could do a better job than you" and the party championed Droop for Townmaster. But Harbin had promised to beef up the jail's defenses before he was ousted, leading to a problem.
Droop is Townmaster, and Halia has Zhentarim agents "protecting" Droop, limiting access to him and trying to manipulate him for their own ends. Meanwhile, Halia is bringing in Zhentarim agents while she rebuilds the manor to be the new seat of power in town.
Question #1: how would a wizard beef up magical defenses of a jail? The best I could come up was to provide a golem for security, but I'm not sure what the going rate for a rental would be. Given the cost of golem making, I'm thinking that 500gp per month would be reasonable, though outside Phandalin's budget. Thoughts? Golems are super expensive.
Question #2: how much would the mines in Wave Echo Cave reasonably produce? Would the dwarves spend the money in town, or simply hoard? And how do the local miners feel about these dwarves?
Perhaps Halia would insist that some locals be hired to work the mines as well. Also, perhaps some locals would be attempting to tunnel into the mine from the side.
Trouble in Phandlin
With the discovery of the Lost Mines (and anticipating the need to imprison magic users like Glassstaff, who in our campaign escaped the town jail) Harbin hired a wizard to beef up the town's prison. This wizard offered his services for 500gp, per month. Harbin thought it was 500gp to beef up the jail permanently and now they are at an impasse.
This wizard is named Deascus Jarrabrol, and is an arrogant and powerful spell caster (level 11?) who has a clay golem in a wagon. His plan was to simply rent out the golem to act as security at the town jail. Also, since a clay golem is healed by acid, the golem wears a vest covered in breakable glass vials of acid. Deascus would use the Acid Splash cantrip to heal the golem as necessary.
As a side note, one thing I'd like to try is to introduce NPCs and monsters that the party could not defeat and should not try to fight. If the party tries to fight Deascus, he might simply reduce them all to unconsciousness. He might also invite them to fight his golem in the town square as a demonstration.
He also would threaten to lay waste to the town if not paid by the next new moon. He's not actually evil, but doesn't care for Phandlin and feels he's been wronged.
Deascus himself is from a family of golem makers, but his golem has been in his family for generations. He would like to get his hands on a Manual of Golems to make a stone or iron golem. I'm thinking he wants to marry a sorceress, but she scoffs at his "hand-me-down golem".
Deascus is intrigued by the Forge of Spells, but hears it's become feeble. He is claustrophobic and so won't enter the caves, but might lend out his golem.
Harbin is intimidated by Deascus and realizes he's messed up. Deascus is refusing to leave until he's paid for at least two months. So Harbin flees with the contents of the town's coffers, where I imagine he's waylaid by orcs or goblins and killed. Potential quest to go after him and the town's money.
Halia's problem
Halia had reported to her Zhentarim contacts that the Forge of Spells had been located, and they sent agents to the town. But because the forge is feeble, she risks losing status and perhaps being moved back to Neverwinter. She asks the party to investigate the mines to see if the forge can be restarted.
I'm thinking the dwarves will complain to the players of a sign from the towmaster instructing them to suspend mining operations for a few days while Zhentarim agents try to restart the mine - perhaps using a human sacrifice of a merchant who owed the Zhentarim money and/or his family.
Sildhar & Sister Garaele
Conversely, they are concerned about both Deascus and the Zhentarim's attempts to restart the Spell Forge and their presence in the town. They might ask the adventurers to try to shut down the forge entirely.
Sister Garaele might offer them a magical item which will indicate the presence of danger, getting warmer as they approach.
Rockseeker clan
The dwarves have brought many cousins to work the mines. One was eaten by a Gelatinous Cube. More giant spiders are entering the mines. There seems to be a draft coming up from Area 8 - Fungi Cavern. The dwarves offer gold if the players can investigate and take care of the monster problem. They are suspecting it leads down into the Underdark which they will not enter (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Underdark).
Into the Underdark
There is in fact a tunnel in the back of the chamber, somewhat hidden by a clump of fungus. It goes down into some chambers that roughly mirror the Wave Echo Cave layout.
I'm thinking that vision is bad here. For some reason, even dark vision is reduced by half. Perhaps this whole part will be "Theater of the Mind" and not use a visible map.
I'd like there to be a pool with an Aboleth in it and various Abloteth servitors (perhaps one of the dwarves originally a drow) trying to lure the party towards it.https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2019/05/monster-spotlight-dds-ancient-aberrations-the-aboleth.html
This part is not well fleshed out. But basically I'm thinking nests of Giant Spiders, some Gelatinous cubes and many servitors trying to lure the party to their doom.
Magical Condenser
In any case, there would be a chamber under the Forge of Spells, with a complicated machine run by a mostly blind gnome, who has been turned into a lich by his Drow masters. This character would not be evil, and in fact would be happy for the company. It wouldn't know about current events and might think the characters are orcs.
The machine is essentially a magical condenser. There is an underground drow city below, with the real (and more powerful) Forge of Spells directly underneath this camber. The exhaust from that forge runs to the condenser, which reclaims the magical exhaust and sends it back down via a pipe. I thought it would be cute to have it be the exhaust from the Drow's industrial clothes drier or something, but that seemed too cute.
There is a hole in one of the pipes which the lich doesn't know about, which is leaking and providing the feeble flame in the Wave Echo Cave. The players can try to persuade the lich to fix the leak or perhaps enlarge the hole in order to affect the Forge of Spells.
The lich is also in contact with the drow sorceress below via a message tube, and could obtain a manual of golems if asked. Or perhaps he has spellbooks.
I'm thinking the lich is magically bound to the chamber and cannot leave, but would be persuaded to help if brought fresh fruit or some other treat.
Any thoughts and feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Quick campaign background: the party captured Glassstaff, delivered him to Harbin and the town jail and Glassstaff escaped. This led to Harbin losing a special election after Halia sneered "This goblin (pointing at Droop, who has become an important NPC) could do a better job than you" and the party championed Droop for Townmaster. But Harbin had promised to beef up the jail's defenses before he was ousted, leading to a problem.
Droop is Townmaster, and Halia has Zhentarim agents "protecting" Droop, limiting access to him and trying to manipulate him for their own ends. Meanwhile, Halia is bringing in Zhentarim agents while she rebuilds the manor to be the new seat of power in town.
Question #1: how would a wizard beef up magical defenses of a jail? The best I could come up was to provide a golem for security, but I'm not sure what the going rate for a rental would be. Given the cost of golem making, I'm thinking that 500gp per month would be reasonable, though outside Phandalin's budget. Thoughts? Golems are super expensive.
Question #2: how much would the mines in Wave Echo Cave reasonably produce? Would the dwarves spend the money in town, or simply hoard? And how do the local miners feel about these dwarves?
Perhaps Halia would insist that some locals be hired to work the mines as well. Also, perhaps some locals would be attempting to tunnel into the mine from the side.
Trouble in Phandlin
With the discovery of the Lost Mines (and anticipating the need to imprison magic users like Glassstaff, who in our campaign escaped the town jail) Harbin hired a wizard to beef up the town's prison. This wizard offered his services for 500gp, per month. Harbin thought it was 500gp to beef up the jail permanently and now they are at an impasse.
This wizard is named Deascus Jarrabrol, and is an arrogant and powerful spell caster (level 11?) who has a clay golem in a wagon. His plan was to simply rent out the golem to act as security at the town jail. Also, since a clay golem is healed by acid, the golem wears a vest covered in breakable glass vials of acid. Deascus would use the Acid Splash cantrip to heal the golem as necessary.
As a side note, one thing I'd like to try is to introduce NPCs and monsters that the party could not defeat and should not try to fight. If the party tries to fight Deascus, he might simply reduce them all to unconsciousness. He might also invite them to fight his golem in the town square as a demonstration.
He also would threaten to lay waste to the town if not paid by the next new moon. He's not actually evil, but doesn't care for Phandlin and feels he's been wronged.
Deascus himself is from a family of golem makers, but his golem has been in his family for generations. He would like to get his hands on a Manual of Golems to make a stone or iron golem. I'm thinking he wants to marry a sorceress, but she scoffs at his "hand-me-down golem".
Deascus is intrigued by the Forge of Spells, but hears it's become feeble. He is claustrophobic and so won't enter the caves, but might lend out his golem.
Harbin is intimidated by Deascus and realizes he's messed up. Deascus is refusing to leave until he's paid for at least two months. So Harbin flees with the contents of the town's coffers, where I imagine he's waylaid by orcs or goblins and killed. Potential quest to go after him and the town's money.
Halia's problem
Halia had reported to her Zhentarim contacts that the Forge of Spells had been located, and they sent agents to the town. But because the forge is feeble, she risks losing status and perhaps being moved back to Neverwinter. She asks the party to investigate the mines to see if the forge can be restarted.
I'm thinking the dwarves will complain to the players of a sign from the towmaster instructing them to suspend mining operations for a few days while Zhentarim agents try to restart the mine - perhaps using a human sacrifice of a merchant who owed the Zhentarim money and/or his family.
Sildhar & Sister Garaele
Conversely, they are concerned about both Deascus and the Zhentarim's attempts to restart the Spell Forge and their presence in the town. They might ask the adventurers to try to shut down the forge entirely.
Sister Garaele might offer them a magical item which will indicate the presence of danger, getting warmer as they approach.
Rockseeker clan
The dwarves have brought many cousins to work the mines. One was eaten by a Gelatinous Cube. More giant spiders are entering the mines. There seems to be a draft coming up from Area 8 - Fungi Cavern. The dwarves offer gold if the players can investigate and take care of the monster problem. They are suspecting it leads down into the Underdark which they will not enter (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Underdark).
Into the Underdark
There is in fact a tunnel in the back of the chamber, somewhat hidden by a clump of fungus. It goes down into some chambers that roughly mirror the Wave Echo Cave layout.
I'm thinking that vision is bad here. For some reason, even dark vision is reduced by half. Perhaps this whole part will be "Theater of the Mind" and not use a visible map.
I'd like there to be a pool with an Aboleth in it and various Abloteth servitors (perhaps one of the dwarves originally a drow) trying to lure the party towards it.https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2019/05/monster-spotlight-dds-ancient-aberrations-the-aboleth.html
This part is not well fleshed out. But basically I'm thinking nests of Giant Spiders, some Gelatinous cubes and many servitors trying to lure the party to their doom.
Magical Condenser
In any case, there would be a chamber under the Forge of Spells, with a complicated machine run by a mostly blind gnome, who has been turned into a lich by his Drow masters. This character would not be evil, and in fact would be happy for the company. It wouldn't know about current events and might think the characters are orcs.
The machine is essentially a magical condenser. There is an underground drow city below, with the real (and more powerful) Forge of Spells directly underneath this camber. The exhaust from that forge runs to the condenser, which reclaims the magical exhaust and sends it back down via a pipe. I thought it would be cute to have it be the exhaust from the Drow's industrial clothes drier or something, but that seemed too cute.
There is a hole in one of the pipes which the lich doesn't know about, which is leaking and providing the feeble flame in the Wave Echo Cave. The players can try to persuade the lich to fix the leak or perhaps enlarge the hole in order to affect the Forge of Spells.
The lich is also in contact with the drow sorceress below via a message tube, and could obtain a manual of golems if asked. Or perhaps he has spellbooks.
I'm thinking the lich is magically bound to the chamber and cannot leave, but would be persuaded to help if brought fresh fruit or some other treat.
Any thoughts and feedback would be greatly appreciated!