Help! I trapped my players and can't get them out!

[hunter2112]

Hi all. I'm pretty new to posting here but I've lurked around for a little while. Gotten some great ideas from here and I was hoping I could get a few more about a specific problem.

In the 3rd ed. game I'm running, the party just made it to a small (200 or so) dwarven tribe (mostly Brb classes) on their way to the main dwarven mines still aweek away. They had to go through a hefty fight to get there and when they arrived they were told by the chief, "Hope you enjoy your stay because you won't be leaving anytime soon."

As it turned out, the tribe has been surrounded by about 1000 orcs. They haven't attacked but are only trying to keep the dwarves from going anywhere. Any that try to leave are ambushed and forced back.

The party learned of a nearby place that was supposed to hold an ancient forge of mighty weapons (forge of fury) and they set out hoping to find something to help deal with the orcs, and to have some fun breaking through the lines. ("Orc crumping time!!!" cries Gromil the dwarf)

The problem I have is; what could be in the forge that would help 200 dwarves, only about 75 of which are truly effective fighters with the rest being miners, hunters, children, etc..., deal with 1000 orcs.

One last item. The Dwarf cleric of the tribe mentioned that while he could still use his magic, he could no longer commune with his God.. The party's priest also discovered he had the same problem.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. The players are having fun with the story so far but I'm getting stressed cuz I can't figure out how to get them out of this.

 

[Nifft]

Dwarves are good miners -- they could DIG their way to an underground river / natural caverns / abandoned dungeon / etc. which would carry the party beyond the surrounding orcs.

As to what would panic 1000 orcs: illusion magic, fear magic, some combination of those two effects.

Hope this helps, -- Nifft

 

[Hand of Evil]

At least five stone golems that protect those of the earth and forge!

 

[hunter2112]

At least five stone golems that protect those of the earth and forge!

Nice idea but the party is 4th going onto 5th. Wouldn't want them to get used to that kind of power... at least not yet

Though now that I think about it, I could use a variant of this. Any other ideas out there?

 

[Nifft]

Nature Spirit guards the area -- it can manifest as a Large Earth Elemental once per day, but can't leave the site for more than one hour per week. It can help get the players past the orcs ONCE.

-- Nifft

 

[mmu1]

Well, what are we talking about here, when you say 1000 orcs? What is their class/level breakdown? Do they have any casters?

If they're a horde low level orc warriors, a few wands of area effect spells ought to do wonders.

If they're tougher than that, items or spells that'd allow the party and a select group of the dwarves to penetrate their defenses and take out the leaders would be the way to go.

 

[Byrons_Ghost]

Well, it depends on what you want to happen after Forge of Fury, I'd say. This seems to have been a set up to run the module, what did you have planned next?

The two most likely possibilities: 1. The party finds a secret way out of the forge that circumvents the orc army;

2. The party finds something to help them drive off the orcs.

For the first one, the passage would be the main discovery, not any equipment or the like. They could escort the dwarves through the now-cleared ruins, then throughout whatever cave systems you come up with (might be a good tie-in to Deep Horizon or a similar module), then maybe help them find a home with another clan.

If you want there to be a big battle, then the dwarves will definately need a major advantage. I actually kind of like the golem idea, but you don't have the party control the golems directly. If they're ancestral dwarven golems (or something), then only the chief/shaman/whatever can control them. The golems deal just enough damage to the orcs to make the fight fair, then the controller is struck down by assassins and the golems go inert.

Also, I seem to recall there being a dragon somewhere in the module, you could change it's type to one of the more neutral ones and try to have the PCs persuade it to help the dwarves. Then, of course, the dragon will want something in return, which is where another adventure comes into play.

 

[Sagan Darkside]

The problem I have is; what could be in the forge that would help 200 dwarves, only about 75 of which are truly effective fighters with the rest being miners, hunters, children, etc..., deal with 1000 orcs.

You could have there be a cache of weapons with the bane(orc) enchantment. That gives all the weapons +2 to hit and +2d6 damage against orcs. A few hundred crossbow bolts of that with a host of melee weapons would help even out the odds.

How about manuals that teach the way of the dwarven defender PrC?

Or an ancient banner that demoralizes those that attack the army carrying it.

One last item. The Dwarf cleric of the tribe mentioned that while he could still use his magic, he could no longer commune with his God.. The party's priest also discovered he had the same problem.

You could make this a longer story point. Some power is interfering with connection between the prime and outer planes. The first result is the inability for communication with the heavens. Over time- other divine abilities begin to fade, giving need for heroes to step in.

SD

 

[hunter2112]

A bunch of great ideas here people, thanks loads. I think some little kernel of an idea is starting to form in my head already. Now if I can just find it in all that open space I'm set.

 

[hunter2112]

Re: Re: Help! I trapped my players and can't get them out!

You could make this a longer story point. Some power is interfering with connection between the prime and outer planes. The first result is the inability for communication with the heavens. Over time- other divine abilities begin to fade, giving need for heroes to step in.

SD

This one just triggered a thought process as well. I established in this world of mine a race of beings that had once enslaved the Elves Dwarves and Orcs (humans hadn't shown up in this part of the world yet) They did it by somehow imprisoning the gods of those three races. These beings were cast out over a 1000 (jeez I like that # don't I) years ago. Maybe they're preparing to return... hmmmm...