D&D 5E Princes of the Apocalypse campaign recaps

[Nebulous]

Another great recap as always.
I've been meaning to ask for a while now, Where do you get your character portraits for the NPCs?
Do you have a list of them already stored or do you have an online resource that you use?
I've started my LMoP campaign and I'd love to put some faces to the NPCs so the players have an easier time keeping them strait.

oh sorry, i just saw this. Um, honestly I take some time to power search images, grabbing bunches of them with no idea who they will be eventually, and as I need them I just assign a name to a face. It works well so far.

 

[Nebulous]

Session #10 - Deathtrap at Feathergale Spire

https://app.box.com/s/8n83xgmnjeiejjm4xznp36d4iz0atciq

 

[Nebulous]

I honestly don't know what will happen next session. I think they're going to skip the Air Temple and go to Red Larch or Beliard, probably Beliard i'm guessing now. In that case, I might possibly have a Devastation Orb destroy it.

Although the book suggests that happen after a TEMPLE is taken out, then an orb is used. Seems kind of harsh just for messing with the Spire, unless the cults had just planned to do that no matter what.

I WISH they'd go the Howling Hatred, i have the map ready for weeks now!

 

[Nebulous]

I could use some suggestions from anyone. The PCs are going to try the frame the Black Earth and wait and see if the Air cult takes the bait or sends more reinforcements to the Spire. I don't know how many people were "supposed" to be down there but I can't imagine that many. They've already killed 8 or 9 cultists and all the Feathergales. There do seem to a crapload of kenku, but i want to leave them down there for surprise.

I had one idea is that Queen Aerisi says screw this and summons 3 invisible stalkers to inhabit the tower and kill anything that enters.

Is it possible for the PCs to fight their way through Knifepoint Gulley and the guards? I assume so. They said (via email) they want a "good opportunity" to enter, otherwise they're heading elsewhere.

So what sounds like a good opportunity without making it seem like I either railroaded them or made it so obvious they had no better choice. Freedom of choice is always best, even if it is an illusion behind the scenes.

Another option I toyed with was to have a secret entrance from the manticore cave all the way down to the Temple, but I don't have any good reason for them to discover that.

OR, I just don't present a good opportunity and maybe they'll head to Rivergard Keep, which would be fine too.

 

[jrowland]

Is it possible for the PCs to fight their way through Knifepoint Gulley and the guards? I assume so. They said (via email) they want a "good opportunity" to enter, otherwise they're heading elsewhere.

Interestingly enough, I've often found weather/natural phenomena to be a good motivator for action. It's interesting because the players just take the real life attitude of, "you can't control the weather" and yet, duh, the DM DOES control the weather! In your case, a weather-based "opportunity" ties very well with the elemental evil.

An earthquake might open things up very nicely for you...maybe even kill two birds with one stone *groan*

The earthquake could compromise feathergale spire (not destroy): sorry guys, no squatting now, you'll need teams of masons and engineers for this. More importantly its stops the howling hatreds interest in the tower as well. The earthquake could also open up another "entrance"...use it before an aftershock collapses it or the temple reinforces it. And to add insult to injury, perhaps it was a Devastation Orb destroying Beliard that triggered the earthquake.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I could use some suggestions from anyone. The PCs are going to try the frame the Black Earth and wait and see if the Air cult takes the bait or sends more reinforcements to the Spire. I don't know how many people were "supposed" to be down there but I can't imagine that many. They've already killed 8 or 9 cultists and all the Feathergales. There do seem to a crapload of kenku, but i want to leave them down there for surprise.

I had one idea is that Queen Aerisi says screw this and summons 3 invisible stalkers to inhabit the tower and kill anything that enters.

Is it possible for the PCs to fight their way through Knifepoint Gulley and the guards? I assume so. They said (via email) they want a "good opportunity" to enter, otherwise they're heading elsewhere.

So what sounds like a good opportunity without making it seem like I either railroaded them or made it so obvious they had no better choice. Freedom of choice is always best, even if it is an illusion behind the scenes.

Another option I toyed with was to have a secret entrance from the manticore cave all the way down to the Temple, but I don't have any good reason for them to discover that.

OR, I just don't present a good opportunity and maybe they'll head to Rivergard Keep, which would be fine too.

Maybe have the Cultists spy and wait for the PC's to leave then repoluate the Tower.

Anyway I would let them go were they want to. Maybe throw some hints of the Other Elemental Cults. Make refrence to Scarlet Moon Hall and Riverguard see if they are interested in checking those areas out. You could get them on the path of the Side trecks like the Ice Shield Orc or Bargewight Inn.

 

[Nebulous]

Interestingly enough, I've often found weather/natural phenomena to be a good motivator for action. It's interesting because the players just take the real life attitude of, "you can't control the weather" and yet, duh, the DM DOES control the weather! In your case, a weather-based "opportunity" ties very well with the elemental evil.

An earthquake might open things up very nicely for you...maybe even kill two birds with one stone *groan*

The earthquake could compromise feathergale spire (not destroy): sorry guys, no squatting now, you'll need teams of masons and engineers for this. More importantly its stops the howling hatreds interest in the tower as well. The earthquake could also open up another "entrance"...use it before an aftershock collapses it or the temple reinforces it. And to add insult to injury, perhaps it was a Devastation Orb destroying Beliard that triggered the earthquake.

hmm. some ideas to mull over there. Thanks!

 

[Nebulous]

Maybe have the Cultists spy and wait for the PC's to leave then repoluate the Tower.

Anyway I would let them go were they want to. Maybe throw some hints of the Other Elemental Cults. Make refrence to Scarlet Moon Hall and Riverguard see if they are interested in checking those areas out. You could get them on the path of the Side trecks like the Ice Shield Orc or Bargewight Inn.

yeah, i could try some of the Side Treks, i forgot about those. I'm going to question the group more and have them tell me a more detailed plan, so I can better prepare (such as building maps I don't have yet)

 

[Nebulous]

This is something that keeps coming up in my head, and I guess I blame WotC (in the nicest way) for putting out another story arc so soon. What would be a possible ending place for Princes assuming the PCs don't systematically pursue each Haunted Keep and Temple to their ultimate end? What about some plot points where the Cults are allied Air and Fire vs. Earth and Water and maybe some NPC Factions with the Harpers and Emerald Enclave and Gauntlet sweep in to help? I mean, why the hell wouldn't they do that given their knowledge of the danger to the immediate region? Even if it is like, 20-50 people? I'm not even talking about 15th+ level heroes. In my Realms campaign canon doesn't matter. There are not many high level people traipsing across the continent, and if they are they're involved with other stuff.

This actually makes a great deal of sense to me. There is no valid reason why 3 people in the world (our current PCs) would confront all of this stuff other than in the interest of being heroic D&D people to kick everything's ass.

My point is, if I want to cut this campaign off at a shorter level, what are some options? My players too would probably like to reach maybe 10th or 12th and then start over again with new characters in a new arc. I've known them very well for many years.

 

[Nebulous]

In my experience as DM - you reward them for their ideas. Take what they think is great, unless it is absolutely, awfully crappy, and run with it. I can't tell you how many times a player has suggested or guessed or concluded what has MAYBE happened in the story, whether true or not, and I'll take that hook and go with it because it was better than what I had in mind anyway. And that makes the player feel super special for that great idea. Unless something awful happens, then he regrets it. That happens too.