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Little Changes with Big Flavor
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<blockquote data-quote="Forrester" data-source="post: 133464" data-attributes="member: 1279"><p>Certainly more fun for *me* . . . and I think the players are enjoying it. One of them has developed an ulcer, and two more have the shakes, but it's all in good fun. </p><p></p><p>By the way -- there *is* no city they can go to. They are playing humanoids whose land has been encroached upon by a rather large group of elves (500+). The closest thing they have to a "city" is a refugee camp of about 150 goblins and kobolds (most of them noncombatants/women & children). </p><p></p><p>A couple sessions ago the PCs decided to try to ambush a patrol of 20 elves that they suspected was trying to hunt *them* down. The Alarm spells gave them away, though, and they ended up running away like kobolds. Lost one party member to a Sleep spell. Elves didn't capture him, so that he could sneak away later, or be rescued. Nope. Orcs don't torture well . . . coup de grace time. </p><p></p><p>Even if the party had had surprise, I don't know if they would have won; the elves knew that the party had successfully managed to bring down a 30-elf caravan two weeks previous, and was damn well prepared. Of course, when the party brought the caravan down, they had the help of eight other NPCs. </p><p></p><p>The elves didn't know that though <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />. I told the players after the patrol debacle that if they had been nice enough to let the elves know that there were now only <em>five of them</em>, the patrol could have been nice enough to make sure that its ECL was low enough to "challenge the party, but not kill them". </p><p></p><p>Yeah, right! </p><p></p><p>Which brings me to *MY* biggest rule: Make things as "realistic" as possible. Things should make logical sense -- as much as they can in a fantasy world. </p><p></p><p>If the bad guys' patrols get attacked, they'll send out bigger patrols, and try to get reinforcements. </p><p></p><p>If they have spells/items that are useful, they'll use them (and not keep them locked up in chests or stuck in the eyes of stuffed bears!) </p><p></p><p>If they can bring overwhelming force to bear, they'll do it. If they can flee to fight another day, they'll do it. </p><p></p><p>Cause and effect . . . cause and effect . . . it's what makes a good story, and I think it's what makes a good campaign.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Forrester, post: 133464, member: 1279"] Certainly more fun for *me* . . . and I think the players are enjoying it. One of them has developed an ulcer, and two more have the shakes, but it's all in good fun. By the way -- there *is* no city they can go to. They are playing humanoids whose land has been encroached upon by a rather large group of elves (500+). The closest thing they have to a "city" is a refugee camp of about 150 goblins and kobolds (most of them noncombatants/women & children). A couple sessions ago the PCs decided to try to ambush a patrol of 20 elves that they suspected was trying to hunt *them* down. The Alarm spells gave them away, though, and they ended up running away like kobolds. Lost one party member to a Sleep spell. Elves didn't capture him, so that he could sneak away later, or be rescued. Nope. Orcs don't torture well . . . coup de grace time. Even if the party had had surprise, I don't know if they would have won; the elves knew that the party had successfully managed to bring down a 30-elf caravan two weeks previous, and was damn well prepared. Of course, when the party brought the caravan down, they had the help of eight other NPCs. The elves didn't know that though :). I told the players after the patrol debacle that if they had been nice enough to let the elves know that there were now only [I]five of them[/I], the patrol could have been nice enough to make sure that its ECL was low enough to "challenge the party, but not kill them". Yeah, right! Which brings me to *MY* biggest rule: Make things as "realistic" as possible. Things should make logical sense -- as much as they can in a fantasy world. If the bad guys' patrols get attacked, they'll send out bigger patrols, and try to get reinforcements. If they have spells/items that are useful, they'll use them (and not keep them locked up in chests or stuck in the eyes of stuffed bears!) If they can bring overwhelming force to bear, they'll do it. If they can flee to fight another day, they'll do it. Cause and effect . . . cause and effect . . . it's what makes a good story, and I think it's what makes a good campaign. [/QUOTE]
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