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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 5534290" data-attributes="member: 20323">Our group is going into paragon tier soon, and I'm laying the foundation to kick off the game with a bang: 3 level-appropriate encounters, back to back, no rests. I would looove feedback <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />There are 5 PCs: artificer, invoker, paladin, rogue, sorcerer.The PCs are big damn heroes after defeating the TYRANT years ago. They pay a visit to the young king (who they put on the throne). In the dead of the night, the king gets abducted; the PCs are alerted by sounds of fighting. The Knight Commander, a grudging ally, fills the PCs on what's going on. Hot on the heels of the kidnappers, the PCs enter the "Road of Kings", a secret escape passage from the castle. They're in for a hell of a fight.Here's what I'm planning. What do you think? Too lethal?Part One (3,550 xp)Entering the Road of Kings, the PCs are just about to enter a large hall when one of them hears a click beneath their foot. Ahead, a group of crossbow-wielding blackcloaks move into position, led by a fearsome warrior in black plate - some are manning 2 large ballistae.Behind the blackcloaks the PCs catch a glimpse of the unconscious king being carried by an ogre. A cadre of villains falls back deeper into the tunnels with the king: a cloaked rogue, a tiefling spellcaster, a deep gnome, and the king's own court mage!2 Svirfneblin Explosives (13 minion warder) 400 xp Perception DC 34Target: Knight Commander & whichever PC fails check the worstAttack: Close burst 2; +16 vs. Reflex; 3d8+5 fire damage, prone & dazed (save ends); Miss: half  The Knight Commander and one of the PCs step on trapped plates. If one steps off, the other’s plate explodes. If both step off at the same time, both plates explode…before next initiative count. Either way, the passage crumbles, cutting off support from king's guard.   Poison Gas (11 obstacle) 600 xp  The poison gas is triggered the same time the plates are stepped on, creating an urgency to resolve the explosives trap above. Not exactly sure what it does, probably slows PCs and inflicts ongoing damage.2 Ballistae (10 minion blaster) 250 xpInitiative: same as attacker'sAttack: +14 vs. Reflex (or a PC's Dex+1/2 level vs. Reflex)Hit: 3d8+5 damage and push 1 square + knock proneJamming: 20% cumulative chance jam with each attack; repair DC 18 Thievery16 Blackcloaks (9 minion) 1,600 xpHomebrew based on streetwise thug/dwarf thugThey're divided into 2 waves, and some man the ballistaeHuman Blackguard (12 soldier leader) 700 xpEx-guard captain lost everything (status, lands, family) when tried for treason after TYRANT executed, released from prison by noble benefactor, swore himself to shadow powers, seeking vengeance, still sends gold to his family, would prefer to kill the kingPart Two (3,300 xp)  Running after the villains the PCs witness the court mage complete a spell, taunting them as he does "Let's see just how many you've killed in the king's name!" Bursting forth from the shadows a huge specter appears before the PCs, barring their way, a composite of enemies they've killed. Realizing a dracolich is among the monsters the PCs killed, the mage gets nervous and falls back with other villains. The tiefling spellcaster cockily advances, "Let me handle them." She unleashes an burst of arcane fire which shakes the ruined columns - already damaged by the explosives before. Shuddering, the entire chamber begins to pitch and heave! 6 Wretches of Kyuss (13 minion) 1,200 xp   This is the aggregate illusion of enemies the PCs have killed in the past. Basically it's 6 Wretches of Kyuss occupying the same area, starting as a huge enemy but shrinking as minions are killed. Area/burst attacks only effect one minion at a time. The Wretch of Kyuss is an "explodes upon death" type minion, but I'm building in a way for PCs to circumvent this (it is an illusion after all). An Insight DC 20 check to disbelieve (minor action) destroys one minion without triggering its "explodes upon death" feature. Crumbling Ruins (12 elite hazard) 1,400 xp  I'm picturing something out of Indiana Jones or the Prince of Persia movie, but not sure how to design it yet.   Tiefling Witch-finder (12 artillery) 700 xp  Crazy tiefling witch-finder turned mercenary, stole child from a PC's tribe in past, breaking free of witch-finder curse made her crazy, originally she was made a witch-finder because she had a sorcerer daughter she tried to hide from Archmage of Suleistarn , “better to kill mages than let them fall into Archmage’s hands”  Part Three (3,100 xp) At last the PCs catch up to the villains with the king. The court mage smiles ruefully, "I see you bested my illusion." The deep gnome simmers glumly, "And my traps." The court mage continues, "The age of kings is at an end. You, who defeated the TYRANT, of all people you shouldn't be fighting us!"Stepping out of the shadows the cloaked rogue advances with two ogres at her side - one with the king slung over its shoulder. The rogue pulls back the cloak, revealing her face: It's the king's mother!  2 Ogre cave hunters (10 lurker) 1,000 xp  These are leveled up versions. I'm going to allow the PCs to make Perception checks to unlock called shots against the ogres for massive damage or forcing them to drop king.     Doppelganger Abductor (12 skirmisher) 700 xp  The "king's mother" is actually a doppelganger, an ambitious mercenary, sister to doppelganger who tried to assassinate good prince but killed by PCs (she doesn’t hold PCs responsible, considers her brother a fool for having loyalties besides himself), nothing personal against king, was a double agent infiltrating Order of Chimera for king personally but now it’s ambiguous just who she is working for…playing sides off each other all to help her beloved who is at the center of espionage circle  > if defeated will propose PCs assume identities of the rest of her “party” in order to make the captain’s debarkation time, only chance to infiltrate organization, this is a ruse and she plans to sell them out     Court Mage (12 controller) 700 xp  The king’s court mage is an enchanter/illusionist, he sees frightening similarities between king & his evil father the TYRANT & domineering grandfather, wants to destabilize the kingdom’s leadership to encourage populist revolution – kings are the problem! He was a street performer who gained attention of King Arath 10 years ago and invited to court, soon becoming court mage with passing of elder court mage     Svirfneblin Sapper (12 lurker) 700 xp  A mad sverfneblin inventor, he needs gold to buy ritual to undo mistake which petrified his clan, he's enchanted by shiny metals/gems like most of his kind, bitter about human kings stealing deep gnome's inventions and best mines</blockquote>

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