OchreJelly
First Post
Players do the most unexpected things don’t they? This thread will have KotS spoilers so here’s the official spoiler warning:
*********SPOILER ALERT**************
So we had a KotS session last night and the PC’s are making their way through the goblin areas. They have only done the entryway and the torture chamber area and they free Splug. Now the book says play up Splug as a helpful NPC who will turn traitorous when the moment is right. The PC’s had Splug detail the parts of the Keep that he knew, which I felt was fair, so he provided a map of the first 4 areas. I had Splug know of the secret passage, however, but not reveal it.
Now here is where it gets interesting. I had Splug mention that he doesn’t like the current goblin leader. The warlock PC jumps on this and tells Splug that if he promises to work with the PCs and “not try anything funny”, they will see to it that Splug is installed as the new goblin leader. I figured this was too much enticement for Splug’s greedy little heart, so I setup an immediate skill challenge. Splug liked the idea but he wanted to hear from each PC to ensure that they would all help with this plan. Either thru bluff or diplomacy each PC succeeded to provide four successes. Splug was convinced so he drew in the secret passage on the map leading to Balgron’s bedchamber.
The PC’s moved quickly and dispatched Balgron with a well executed coup de gras. The goblin warrior guarding that area was surprised and the PCs cut him down but not before he could raise the alarm. The PC’s still at least had time to bar the door before the goblins arrived in force. With a few moments to refocus, the Warlock PC whispered honeyed words to Splug and had him take up the former leader’s reignments and call out to the goblins forming behind the door. Well the goblins must have clearly been confused by this so I called out a new skill challenge. The doors opened and parley commenced. The warlock PC regaled them with tales of Splug’s heroic single-handed defeat of Balgron the Fat. Most of the PCs were trained in intimidate so a few successes there cowed their adversaries into submission. The dwarf merely glowered at the nearest goblin warrior causing him to lose his nerve. In fact the only failure came from Splug’s miserable attempt to use diplomacy on his own goblins. The goblins begrudgingly agreed to accept Splug as their new leader.
So now the PC’s have the goblins from area 3 and 4 serving their catspaw leader. Splug doesn’t know the first thing about leadership but he’s winging it. I had some of the goblins look none-to-pleased with the arrangement so the warlock “made an example of” one of them. He used a non-lethal eldritch blast to teach him a lesson. The same warlock also took aside a tough looking warrior and bribed him into being Splug’s personal bodyguard.
I’m not exactly sure where to go with this, but I have a few ideas. I think I may have a few goblins “defect” to the hobgoblins. I figure the hobgoblins will be unhappy with this arrangement and send the statted patrol up to straighten things out, possibly leading to yet another regime change. What do you think? Any other ideas?
*********SPOILER ALERT**************
So we had a KotS session last night and the PC’s are making their way through the goblin areas. They have only done the entryway and the torture chamber area and they free Splug. Now the book says play up Splug as a helpful NPC who will turn traitorous when the moment is right. The PC’s had Splug detail the parts of the Keep that he knew, which I felt was fair, so he provided a map of the first 4 areas. I had Splug know of the secret passage, however, but not reveal it.
Now here is where it gets interesting. I had Splug mention that he doesn’t like the current goblin leader. The warlock PC jumps on this and tells Splug that if he promises to work with the PCs and “not try anything funny”, they will see to it that Splug is installed as the new goblin leader. I figured this was too much enticement for Splug’s greedy little heart, so I setup an immediate skill challenge. Splug liked the idea but he wanted to hear from each PC to ensure that they would all help with this plan. Either thru bluff or diplomacy each PC succeeded to provide four successes. Splug was convinced so he drew in the secret passage on the map leading to Balgron’s bedchamber.
The PC’s moved quickly and dispatched Balgron with a well executed coup de gras. The goblin warrior guarding that area was surprised and the PCs cut him down but not before he could raise the alarm. The PC’s still at least had time to bar the door before the goblins arrived in force. With a few moments to refocus, the Warlock PC whispered honeyed words to Splug and had him take up the former leader’s reignments and call out to the goblins forming behind the door. Well the goblins must have clearly been confused by this so I called out a new skill challenge. The doors opened and parley commenced. The warlock PC regaled them with tales of Splug’s heroic single-handed defeat of Balgron the Fat. Most of the PCs were trained in intimidate so a few successes there cowed their adversaries into submission. The dwarf merely glowered at the nearest goblin warrior causing him to lose his nerve. In fact the only failure came from Splug’s miserable attempt to use diplomacy on his own goblins. The goblins begrudgingly agreed to accept Splug as their new leader.
So now the PC’s have the goblins from area 3 and 4 serving their catspaw leader. Splug doesn’t know the first thing about leadership but he’s winging it. I had some of the goblins look none-to-pleased with the arrangement so the warlock “made an example of” one of them. He used a non-lethal eldritch blast to teach him a lesson. The same warlock also took aside a tough looking warrior and bribed him into being Splug’s personal bodyguard.
I’m not exactly sure where to go with this, but I have a few ideas. I think I may have a few goblins “defect” to the hobgoblins. I figure the hobgoblins will be unhappy with this arrangement and send the statted patrol up to straighten things out, possibly leading to yet another regime change. What do you think? Any other ideas?
