help with an encounter

[Quickleaf]

The PCs are rescuing a Prince from their kingdom who has been abducted (the PCs witnessed the abduction and tried to stop it) by foreign paladin fundamentalists of Pelor who are in cahoots with a general in the PCs' kingdom to perpetuate the conflict between 2 kingdoms. Generally, the conflict is over a contested region considered holy since it was struck by a meteor and many miracles reported there.

So the encounter takes place in the guerilla fundamentalist's hideout. I'm picturing a room over a large pit with hanging cages where prisoners are kept.

I've got some homebrew fundamentalist paladins, but what other enemies (or hazards) could I throw at the PCs?

6-7 4th level PCs
Level 7 Encounter (XP 2150)

Thanks!!

 

[Ryujin]

The Paladins should be the elite strike force; few and dangerous. How about tossing in a few fundamentalist alchemical suicide bomber minions as well? Top it off with an Invker style leader, who channels the "Glory of Pelor"?

 

[fba827]

is the hideout that this take place at in a cave, in a building (guessing basement if it needs a pit), in a forest, etc ?

 

[Flipguarder]

Might be a nice place to introduce enemy angels.

 

[Quickleaf]

The Paladins should be the elite strike force; few and dangerous. How about tossing in a few fundamentalist alchemical suicide bomber minions as well? Top it off with an Invker style leader, who channels the "Glory of Pelor"?

Yep, the PCs already faced the "sinerite sacrificheum" minions who exploded in radiance when they die gloriously. An invoker leader, good idea! It'll make an interesting foil for the invoker PC in the party.

is the hideout that this take place at in a cave, in a building (guessing basement if it needs a pit), in a forest, etc ?

A rock-cut cave, so it has a building like feel with oil lamps carved into the walls and statues of Pelor and his angels everywhere.

Might be a nice place to introduce enemy angels.

That stumps me. How do you have angels "serving" heretical extremists? I understand there's no problem with that in 4e cosmology, but I just don't understand how it would look. Not that I'm opposed to the idea, which I think is spiffy.

 

[Ryujin]

That stumps me. How do you have angels "serving" heretical extremists? I understand there's no problem with that in 4e cosmology, but I just don't understand how it would look. Not that I'm opposed to the idea, which I think is spiffy.

Have you ever watched the TV show "Supernatural"? Angels can be extremists too
--
There's another route that you could go, if you want there to be a hope of reconciliation between the two powers. What if the leader of the fanatics was actually a Starlock who got his Pelor and Ulban crossed?

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Plus, if you are into moral ambiguity in your campaign (I am, you may not be), getting the party rethinking what side they are on when they face off against a bunch of angels may (or may not) be a good thing - its certainly something I intend to spring on my players at some point. 8)

Incidentally, the two sides arguing over a crater just screams out the negotiation skill challenge in the DMG2 - another something I intend to work into my own campaign.

 

[Quickleaf]

Yeah, I'd totally run some more skill challenges around the conflict, but it's a side trek to the campaign which is more focused within internal politics.

Thanks for the input about using angels as opponents. You've convinced me to give it a shot.

An invoker and angels beg a prophetic theme to the encounter, so I'm going to play that up. One of the PCs is a shifter paladin whose poor family is from the region - they gave him to the paladin order to be raised. He also is a worshipper of Pelor, but little does he realize that there's heavy corruption and political backalley deals going in his church.

There's also a prophecy of a civil war in the PCs' kingdom.

Put that together and you get a raving prophet trying to convince the PCs they're on the wrong side (I'm going to have him use the invoker's "visions of blood" to great effect), while angels "wrestle" with the paladin PC demanding he purify his temple or himself be purified.

All this, while hopping around on swinging cages and rescuing the prince. Fun stuff.