Advice on Always on Time (spoilers - DMs only)

[Ulrik]

My group is not very focused on investigation. This lead them to pursuing every false lead on the train, helping Andrei free Isobel, aiding Damata and investigating Cardiff's suitcase (without discovering anything). This is partly my fault - the real suspects are naturally cagier than the false leads, and I was too stringy with information the one time they did follow Luc and Ottavia. They got intercepted by both Verzubak and Bree, but didn't react (I should have given them Insight checks).

But anyway, this meant the party wasn't suspicious of Luc, Ottavia, Bree, Verzubak OR Boone, at all. At this point I should probably just have them arrive in Verdicce and taken it from there, but I let Bree clue them in and had Boone drag them into Nem, meaning that they now finally know that Bree and Boone work for Luc, and that he's the main guy (they're good at solving combat encounters - they were out of Nem in 30 rounds, with a beaten and captured Boone). The problem is that I had Luc spring the trap before noon, and they are now hours out from Sid Minos and ready to go knock on Luc's door.

If they confront them I'll try to play it so that Luc is civil towards the party, in a "I know that you know and you know that I know, but this isn't the place"-way. That would easily lead to Ottavia taking off with the illusions in Sid Minos. What I can't really see is what kind of consequences there should be if they do try a physical confrontation aboard the train. The PCs quietly defeat Luc, and try to take his place at Vendricce? How much information will they get if they capture him? If a fight is noticed by the crew and other passengers (as it probably would be), what would be the consequences? Somebody would probably pull the emergency break, but would the guards side with Luc, the party, or try to throw everybody off in the middle of the mountains?

Hmm. Concievably the party might be able to take on the entire train - the guards are just level 2, and the only threats left on the train are Bree, Verzubak and Ottavia. This might just end up with the train stopped in the middle of Crisilliyr, the PCs having highjacked it. Interesting.

I bet Delft will be really pleased with them!

 

[Bruize]

If they confront them I'll try to play it so that Luc is civil towards the party, in a "I know that you know and you know that I know, but this isn't the place"-way.

I did something similar with Bree. I let slip too early in the module that Bree was the one they were looking for and for funsies, made Bree and Bergeron lovers (I don't think they were in the module). This really tugged on my players' collective heartstrings so they kind of let her off the hook. Later, after they killed the buyer for the briefcase, stole it, and then tracked down Cardiffe to steal his money while he was otherwise occupied at a house of ill repute on the outskirts of town. I had Bree stop by their suite on the train and give them a little exposition about the war including her interaction with Dr. von Whoseywhatsit. I basically had Bree tell them she knows what they're doing and she didn't really care because she was just along for the ride. I had her getting drunk with the party's dwarf. They've been buying things in bulk on this module.

Next up, they'll be heading off to the Island after Ottavia.

My one major recommendation is that the lantern encounter with the vestages be streamlined a bit. My players complained that they were so bored having to run from one end of the train to the other. I used an even 4 vestages and the players got wise after entering the 2nd car that had them...they just climbed on the roof and hoofed it. It seemed so much more exciting on paper but perhaps I didn't execute it properly.

 

[Ulrik]

My players immediately grabbed Boone after they crossed over, mercilessly pursued and beat him down after he escaped [complained bitterly about how NPCs got to shoot six times in one turn and they didn't], and then hoofed it to the front of the train. They took one attack from the vestiges and immediatly climbed the roof, regrouped, and made it to the front and attacked the wraith. The Ruin Wraith tried to push them off, but they maneuvred into position and pushed him instead, and for the first time ever somebody failed their save against forced movement putting them into a dangerous square - the wraith went over board and sailed five or six cars down before he could grab on. I did forget the acrobatics check - It certainly wouldn't have hindered the monk, but it may have hindered the swordmage. Them's the breaks.

They spent 25 rounds wondering what to do and 10 beating up everything (the minion wraiths were hardly speed bumps, although they did make them spend one daily on resist necrotic) and moving along the train.

They had three rounds before he could get back, which is about the time it took the half orc monk to get impatient from the muttering about what to do and he smashed it, bringing them back into their bodies.

If I have any advice about this encounter it's that you have a clear plan for how far along the train they can move in one turn. It could be as simple as saying that it takes two move actions to cross one car - just don't count each and every square if there's no enemies close by.

 

[Bruize]

We just finished the Odim Island encounter.

Our warlord strapped blastpatches to the supports inside the base of the tower and DROPPED THE TOWER ON OTTAVIA. Did not see that coming.

 

[Ulrik]

Our warlord strapped blastpatches to the supports inside the base of the tower and DROPPED THE TOWER ON OTTAVIA. Did not see that coming.

Awesome

Haven't gotten that far yet, how did you salvage it?

 

[Bruize]

I let them havy it for clever use of game mechanics...and physics. I made the player make a d20 role +3 to blow the supports and he made my dc. I had the tower collapse eastward as looking at the map normally but game Ottavia only half damage from the fall since she was on top and and I didn't feel full falling damage was appropriate. One they looted her body and the warlord killed her with Boone's cursed pistol (that's going to be a whole new running thing in our game I think) they fled to the catacombs below and had the big exposition with the demoness which tied some personal plot development into nice, neat little bows.