Help with game (Revenge)

[Toj]

I have been running a game for quite a while now with a group of players. The group consists of:

Roth'moru Nysora, High Elf of Xelturel
10th Level Monk / 1st Level Dragon Clan Master

Sandlewood, Halfling of Damara
3rd Level Rogue / 8th Level Wizard

Gwar Stonesmith, Dwarf of Stoneridge
10th Level Paladin

Largas, Halfling of Ileene (Cousin of Sandlewood)
5th Level Fighter / 4th Level Rogue

The party currently lives in a keep that they cleared out when they were about 4-5th level. The keep once belonged to a lich that had supposedly been killed by a group of adventures, but the adventurers never found any treasure. Anyway, the Paladin had heard goblins etc had taken it over and wanted to clear them out. Ever since then it has become their home base and serves all sorts of great adventure purposes.

So my question is this: During a mission where the party was escorting Sandlewoods father to the dwarven city of Stoneridge (it was delivering spices) the caravan was attacked by a group of 4 bandits. The party ended up killing 3 of the bandits and one escaped.

This happened about 4 years ago in game (so the party has went up many levels since then) I am now wanting this bandit that escaped to come back after the party. He is going to be the twin of one of the bandits that was killed and now wants revenge for his brothers death. This has consumed him since it happened.

When it happened, the bandit was a 3rd level fighter / 1st level Rogue.

The group is pretty well known in the general area of their keep. Their keep is about a 3 days journey into a forest. There is a town that they do lots of trading with along the forests edge.

What are your ideas on what this bandit has done to train himself etc? What would you do in his situation?

 

[Hand of Evil]

The bandit would spend his time learning everything about the party, this means he would have a spy in his pay. He would also copy the most powerful party member, possible a blackguard (adjust as needed). This could mean the bandit builds a force to counter anything the party may throw at him.

The spy, there are two ways to get a spy working for you, hire or force. A close NPC to the party can be used against the party, I have your kid, do it or else.

The tower itself, does the party leave it unattended? This means the villian can take it over and build it into a death trap, replacing items to traps. Hell, collect 50 kolbolds and release them into the place.

 

[Toj]

One of the first things the party did with the keep and the treasure they found, was hire a staff. This consists of guards, led by two corporals and a captain, as well as various tradesmen, such as cooks, blacksmiths, leatherworkers, a priest, etc. They have started attracting some farmers as well who have set up farms close to the castle.

 

[humble minion]

I'm assuming by the fact that you've got a PC from Damara that the game is set in the Forgotten Realms?

If so, then the bandit might have fallen in with the church of Hoar (the god of vengeance). He might have become a Templar or similar, and have fellow worshippers or priests to back him up. If so, he'll probably strike directly at the party. Another possibility is that after the failed robbery he had to flee to the wilderness and became a ranger in order to survive once his mates were killed. In FR, rangers can have organisations as their favoured enemy - if you wanted to be nasty, you could say that the PC party and their castle staff, subjects etc constitutes an 'organisation' for this purpose...

Otherwise, (Hoar being an LN kinda guy who wouldn't stand for this sort of thing) he might try to go for the poetic justice route - you kill my brother, I kill yours.

The party doesn't seem to have a wilderness-type (druid, ranger or barbarian) in it, so a useful tactic for the bandit might be to try to isolate them in their castle. If he's recruited a new bandit gang (probable, if he's high enough level to be a challenge to the party) then they'd be ambushing people who try to leave or arrive, burning crops, poisoning water, using Insect Plague and Diminish Plants to make things difficult for the farmers. Force the party to deal with fear and possible rebellion among their subjects, especially when the bandit lets it be known that he'll leave immediately if his brother's murderers are turned over to him...

 

[Toj]

Actually it is a homebrewed world. But the idea of having the bandit fall into an evil church, such as the church of Cyrus (Murder and Deceit) sounds like it may work. Also, the idea of poisoning crops and water might work too, seeing as they have two wells within the keep. Hmm....

Having his own cohorts would probably be wise as well, and the suggestion of a spy would easily work, as they hire new people often (especially after the dragon attack)!

Currently the party is engaged with a Dark Elf who is a Lieutenant in the Nationwide thieves guild (The Silent Web). The party had a run in with some thieves in Ileene and killed a few. This dark elf was suppose to handle the problem, but has failed twice now. He has been given one last chance to fix the problem, otherwise he will be replaced (Never a good thing).

So anyway, he has infilitrated the keep on many occassions and currently has Largas held captive. Sandlewood thought Largas just left to the city, so went there to look for him, and Roth just found the dark elf in the keep. They battled about 2 rounds and Roth had to run, and the dark elf headed back out into the woods.

So if this spy of the bandit is currently in the castle, he may think now would be a good time to do something, as they party is dealing with this dark elf, not too mention the party is separated.

 

[Hand of Evil]

One of the first things the party did with the keep and the treasure they found, was hire a staff. This consists of guards, led by two corporals and a captain, as well as various tradesmen, such as cooks, blacksmiths, leatherworkers, a priest, etc. They have started attracting some farmers as well who have set up farms close to the castle.

Well, there is part of the revenge, killing the folks that the party has built around them or at least making their lives harder. Ever read JV Jones Baker's Boy? In it the villian takes vengance on a minor issue with a lord by hiring a guy to destory his apple trees. It was a little thing but it built up.

Now let us talk about that Lich, maybe the bandit has found out something, like a hidden crypt or spell to open the portal to bring him back.

 

[Toj]

Well, the lich the owned the Keep is actually dead... they took care of that about 6 months after being in the castle. They read a bunch of the Lich's books and found out that he had an arch-lich (good lich) trapped, and from the books it appeared he was trapped in the keep.

Well, the Lich also has a room with 5 gates/portals. Each one is a permanent gate (password activated) to a different area on the world. Some went to his "allies", one goes to a place that is similar to the undermountain, and a couple go other places that they haven't figured out yet. Anyway, about 40ft underneath this room is another room that has no access but teleport or some form of incoporeality etc. They eventually used a wraithform and found the room, which contained a coffin surrounded by a globe of antimagic. Hanging on the wall outside the anti-magic was the evil lich's phylacery (sp). As soon as the PC entered the room he had to fight for his soul (he made the save) and he destroyed the phylacery. They then discover the good lich who had been trapped in the coffin for many ages.

So maybe with that extra bit of info (the 5 permanent gates) you may have more input.

They currently only know two passwords. One goes to a place called the Dragontooth Caverns (like the Undermountain) and the other goes to old allies of the Lich, a Red Dragon, a Wizard, and an Assassin. The party has not had the guts to enter this portal (they can see a large cavern with lots of gold).