D&D General Dragons of Autumn: The Sla Mori Question

[This Effin’ GM]

OK, so my players are running through 3.5 conversion War ofthe Lance: Draghons of Autumn. We are about to enter the Sla Mori with Gilthanas, who has experience using this secret way to get into Pax Tharkas.

Any ideas on how to convince the players they have the ability to explore the place? Im struggling with Gilthanas for two reasons.

1. He knows the way to Pax Tharkas, he has used it before, why WOULDNT he just bee line it to the end.
2. How to convince myself that he wouldnt get offended by players looking around and picking up treasure in an Elven crypt (None of the players are elves).

I don't know why this is hanging me up

 

[not-so-newguy]

It's been decades since I've read Dragonlance. So I looked up Gilthanas on a wiki:

Gilthanas Kanan (GIL-than-as KAN-nan)( 4 Corij, 241 AC - ? AC) grew up as the middle child in the Qualinesti Royal Family, brother to Porthios Kanan and Laurana Kanan, and a cousin of Tanis Half-Elven. As the second son of Speaker Solostaran Kanan, Gilthanas was brought up to become a diplomat and spokesman for his people, and also become a skilled fighter and moderately skilled magic-user as well.

It would be reasonable for an elven prince to be pissed.

If you want the players to explore the ruins, then maybe create a side quest? Or rewarding players for recovering and returning elven treasure?

Edit:
Side quests:
Recover historical Maguffin
Restore a desecrated tomb

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Two questions - are they playing as any of the "pregens" or with original characters?

Is there a strong in-game reason Gilthanas needs to be there? Without a guide they'll have to explore it on their own.

Or alternately, maybe Gilthanas doesn't know where he's going as well as he thought and leads them right to a dead end or into a trap, thinking it's the right way. After that he can't very well object to them poking around. Well, he could, and maybe at that point in his development would, but I think even he would have to admit that there's nothing else for it but for them to explore.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Since presumably he hasn't been through there for years, just put in some rock falls that force exploration down the side tunnels. You can add other tunnels to make connections back to the main route if necessary.

 

[Burnside]

Since presumably he hasn't been through there for years, just put in some rock falls that force exploration down the side tunnels. You can add other tunnels to make connections back to the main route if necessary.

Yeah, this is what I was going to suggest. He believes he knows the way through, but then almost immediately discovers that a collapse in the intervening years has completely blocked the route he used previously, so a new one must be found.

 

[Stormonu]

Yeah, blocking the path in some way (collapse, random monster, curious/lost draconian guard, helpful/harmful spirit) making taking the normal route impossible or unwise that he normally uses is one way to go.

As I seem to remember from the novel, he haughty towards non-elves; it may very well be that his personality of wanting to "get this over with" and being dismissive towards exploring the tunnels could be played on in a way that makes the PCs more curious to check out the side tunnels ("Yes, these were the king's tunnels. There are branches to old treasure vaults, weapon vaults and other vaults you humans would see value in, but are of no value to our mission. Can we be on our way now?").