I need some DM advice

We're a relatively new group and I'm a relatively new DM (I won't go into my experiences here, but I just wanted everyone to know where I'm coming from).

My players are up to something, and I'm not really sure where they're going with it so far. They've been intentionally knocking lots of things out instead of killing them. This in and of itself doesn't bother me much, but they've then been tying them up and holding on to them rather than questioning them. From time to time when I'm coming back from the bathroom or something I hear them saying things from the other room like "The first rule of kobold fight club is there is no kobold fight club". They've managed to collect 6 kobolds so far, and last night they used the same tactics to collect a level 1 white dragon wyrmling.

Is there some way I can discourage this tactic in the future? Is there something I can do about this collecting of creatures for whatever purpose they plan to use it for? Is there something I can maybe do to remove these things from the players possession? They have a base of operations they've been carting their captives to.

Well, practically speaking there are plenty of downsides for the characters to collecting a menagerie like this. They are going to have to feed them, keep them secure, provide for their other needs, etc. This could become somewhat of a drain on their funds.

On the other hand why worry about it? If the players are having fun then more power to them. Eventually they're going to have to try to enact whatever their plan is and then it will fall into your side of the court. Remember, "say yes" is really a good piece of advice and should be your default. If they decide to do something totally crazy and unworkable, then let it fail spectacularly or play it for laughs etc.

You can also let them get away with it all for a while and meanwhile plot in some story consequences. Maybe some local people get killed and the populace decides the PC's menagerie is responsible. Maybe the authorities get worried about what's up and try to put a stop to it. Perhaps some local shady characters decide it would be nice to have some kobolds of their own. Perhaps the mother of yon White Dragon Wyrmling shows up at some point (yeah, try negotiating with an enraged mother...). Just don't invoke these sorts of plot elements as a way to crush the whole thing, instead do it to throw a whole new twist on whatever their fun is into the mix. In the end they should wind up with something cool happening.

Honestly stuff like this is a fun opportunity. I know sometimes player schemes can clash with your idea of how the game should go, but I'd resist temptations to make it a struggle to control the game, those never end well...

I think it's my tendency to say yes that's getting me into this situation heh. I'm currently running them through "Keep on the shadowfell", so I'm hoping to at least get them through that module before I have to come up with a way to deal with it.

Perhaps I should have the wyrmling eat the kobolds while they're away adventuring heh. That would take care of part of the problem anyway...

Perhaps you should introduce them to the second rule of kobold fight club:

The Second Rule of Kobold Fight Club is that they will get out of their restraints and knife you while you are sleeping.

korjik said:

Perhaps you should introduce them to the second rule of kobold fight club:

The Second Rule of Kobold Fight Club is that they will get out of their restraints and knife you while you are sleeping.

Click to expand...

Truer words have rarely been spoken of Kobolds.

korjik said:

Perhaps you should introduce them to the second rule of kobold fight club:

The Second Rule of Kobold Fight Club is that they will get out of their restraints and knife you while you are sleeping.

Click to expand...

Yeah, the average 1st level Kobold has a +9 to thievery skills. If they have 6 of them working together, that's +19 to one check. Someone is getting out of their shackles.

Hawkeye

My advice is to let them have their fun until it stops becoming fun for you.

And when that happens, it is probably better to discuss with your players how to handle it outside of the game instead of having all kinds of contrived problems happen to their project. If you have decent enough players, they will drop it once they realize it's making you uncomfortable.

I guess I should wait and see what they're planning before I jump to conclusions. This just has me very worried. Especially the fact that they have a dragon.

Why do you seem so nervous about this? Your players are having fun. You can't tell me you won't enjoy it if the players set up some sort of scheduled "Monster Fights" thing to make some extra cash. You could even find a fun mechanic to make up for it.

Then, you can get some Kobold Rights Group harassing the party, threatening them if they don't release the kobolds. They're still an intelligent race after all. Even a city guard could get on them for slavery or something.

Basically, what I'm saying is just go with it. See what they do. Try and enjoy it. Maybe do what you said and let the wyrmling break its bonds, the players coming back to find two of their kobold prisoners gobbled up or something. The bottom line is it's both your world and theirs. You can always find a good, flavorful way to get rid of their captives if needed.

According to my experience players begin to start their own side "plots" if they are not occupied with the game. That may have two reasons (I know of so far): Either they are just not taking you serious as a DM, which is a big problem, if it's just a social thing and has nothing to do with the game or secondly the game is not exiting enough (with may be a reason for the first point). The last one can be solved relatively easy. Give them more to chew on. Long-term threads, important decisions with lasting consequences and stuff (in both cases the "long" part should foreseeable). Although it might be difficult with wizards official adventues, because they tend to be pretty grindy and "dumb".