Hot Dark Elven Action (NPC and Plot Help)

[Delgar]

Here is an excerpt of the first session by Kur Zadkiel (Hound Archon)


I did two new things today. I fought in the arena, and I killed dead
people. You'd think dead people would be easy to kill since they're
already dead, but let me tell you, they're not. Dead people put up a
real fight. Maybe sleeping in the ground is uncomfortable or maybe
dead people get mad when you wake them up, but either way, the next
dead person I see... I'll make them dead again.

Kandiel says I almost died twice in the arena. That would have made me
mad. I don't want to die, especially not in that arena. That's not a
good place to rest. Some of the other people I was fighting with died
though. Kandiel says that's am-big-you-us whatever that means. I am
big but how can you be us? Kandiel sure talks funny.

She says to write down who died, but I didn't get everyone's name.
There was the elf that bull-man yelled at. He got eaten by the dead
people. Kandiel says we are lucky not to see him again. I don't see
how we could have seen him again because the dead people that ate him
got healed and they died. Dead people sure are funny. Healing them
makes them fall apart. I never saw that before.

I wonder if Kandiel is sad about the elf dying? She doesn't say
anything about it, but now she is the only elf. Gayly? She says she is
gayly not elf. Bull-man says all elves are gayly. I don't know what
that is, but Kandiel told him he fought quite gayly himself. Is
Bull-man gayly now too?

Bull-man's name is Shank. Shank is a pretty big guy, but he is kinda
clumsy. Kandiel says he has to grow out of his puppy feet, but I don't
see how that is going to happen since he has hooves. Still he fought
bravely and never ran away. Me, I got scared at the end. That big bone
guy was tough. He hit me and I fell down. When I woke up back in the
cell I thought I might be dead. Kandiel laughed at me when I told her,
but she wouldn't tell me why. She always does that.

Kandiel says to continue my list. After the elf, the dead people
killed the human, but at least they didn't eat him. Kandiel says I
fell down next, but I was stable. I woke up when they healed us. She
says that a dwarf was killed trying to fight a skeleton. She says
Shank tried to save him, but that luck was not with him. Maybe Shank
get lucky later. For some reason horse-lady got nervous when I said
this.

The horse-lady calls herself Phaedra. She's pretty for a horse, and
she can fight pretty well, but she is clumsy like Shank is. She broke
her lance on a pole. Shank offered her another lance, but Phaedra
didn't want it. I guess it was too small. Kandiel tells me I made a
joke, but I don't get it. Maybe she will explain it to me.

-Kur Zadkiel

 

[Al'Kelhar]

Curse you Delgar, I got suckered into reading this topic because of its title, only to find there are no hot dark elves to be seen anywhere...

 

[Qualir]

Before you actually allow the PCs to escape, you could have them tricked into joining a false escape attempt. This seems like the type of thing that those chaotic evil dark elves would enjoy. Give the pathetic slaves a glimpse of hope. Allow that glimpse to blossom into an undeniable dream. Make the dream seem a plausible reality. Crush all hopes of dreams of the ungrateful dirty lying scheming pathetic (you get the idea) nondrow into dust to be sprinkled upon the alters of the divine Lolth = Happy ending that is highly entetaining. It also makes it all that much more enjoyable when the PCs actually succeed in running for their lives from the far superior, and ultimately hot (as in hot persuit of) dark elves.

 

[Delgar]

But you could still help out???

Curse you Delgar, I got suckered into reading this topic because of its title, only to find there are no hot dark elves to be seen anywhere...

Delgar

 

[Delgar]

Still looking for help, but here's an Interview from Kur after the second session:

I am Alea Feletrix, official herald and odds-maker of the Gambler's Guide, and as a service to our many fine arena patrons, I am here today to learn more about some of the rising stars that Mistress Lucia has provided for our entertainment and enrichment. First on our list of rising stars is thechangeling known simply as Kur.

You have done reasonably well in your first forays in the arena, Kur. So far you have survived the Hungry Dead, bested the Bone Menace, and quite spectacularly cleaved the Sewer Demon in twain. Only the might and magic of your own team-mate Kandiel seems to have stopped you. To what do you owe your success thus far?

"I was lucky to have friends in the arena with me. Kandiel may look like an elf, but she fights hard and uses her magic to help us. Also I was on the same team with Shank the Minotaur. He hits stuff, sometimes, but even when he doesn't hit stuff he is always there. He is not as graceful as Phaedra is, but he never stops trying. I like having Phaedra on my team too. She is a good fighter and she is the only one who can keep up with me when we do our running."

We saw in your last bout that you can change into a dog. Is this part of your Blink Dog heritage? Can you change into anything else, a Werewolf perhaps?

"No, a Werewolf is not a real dog. It's something else, so I can't be a
Werewolf. I wish I could be a real Blink Dog sometimes though. I can look like one, but I can't blink."

Yes, well, Mistress Lucia has made amazing advancements with her restraining bracelets over the years. You may not be able to blink, but you seem to know how to handle a sword well enough. Where did you learn your skill at arms?

"My brothers taught me how to use swords, but they said I wasn't old enough to wear armor."

Fascinating, do you have any other talents that we can expect to see in the ring?

"Kandiel says I can draw on my magic powers to aid others. I think I'll try that the next time we fight. I just hope that I don't fight Kandiel again."

That was one of the more disappointing fights of the day, Kur. You didn't even draw blood, why is that?

"Kandiel is my friend. I can't hurt her."

She didn't seem to have too much of a problem drawing blood. In fact, she almost killed the centaur when she was given the chance. That was most surprising. No one knew she had it in her. I also hear that she attacked Bruise on the way back to the pens. Is that true?

"Yes. Bruise was making fun of her."

I see. Does she often lose her temper at taunts and jeers?

"She just doesn't like Bruise. He hurt our friend Merklo."

Merklo. The Kobold who survived the Hungry Dead. What happened to him?

"Merklo works in the kitchens now. That should be a much safer place than the arena, but Bruise picked on him and tripped him. Kandiel and I made him apologize."

You made Bruise apologize?

"Well, we asked him to apologize, but he said no. That's when the crazy
human challenged Bruise and told him we was going to spank him."

Oh my, is this human into that kind of thing?

"Into what?"

Spanking.

"I guess so, he kept saying it over and over again. 'I owe you a spanking, sir.'"

Sometimes the weaker slaves find a stronger one to protect them. Generally it's the humans who are most likely to do this. I wonder if this human realizes what kind of package he's dealing with though. What was this human's name?

"Frederick Lance or Lance Frederick. Sometimes he says one name and
sometimes he says the other. I think Shank and Phaedra must have hit him too hard in the head. He does all kind of crazy things now."

What other things does this human do?

"You saw him go into the arena naked did you not?"

Oh that human. Yes, such a pretty face. He is perhaps wasted in the arena, but I'm sure Mistress Lucia has her reasons. Well, thank you for time, Kur. Hopefully, we shall be seeing you again. Next on our list is...

 

[johndaw16]

Delgar

Heres one of the first things that came to mind that no one else has suggested. How about some sort of outsider coming in looking for the group to throw a match (that is if its non-lethal). This could all be in the interest of hedging bets on the outcomes of the fights, offer a cut of the profits to the party if they agree. I'd imagine whoever the outsider is could be sort of an underground mafia/lone-shark kinda guy, lots of contacts and resources. Could offer help...For the right price of course !!!

As for an interesting sort of fight if you want to be insanely lethal set up a fight over on of the many chasm in the underdark. Lots of narrow, maybe even slick spans crossing the chasm on various levels, makes those climb and balance checks really important.

Another thought and I'm not sure how this would be implemented but what about a non-lethal King of the Mt. style fight. I'd say throw the party on tethers and ropes and they have to climb their way up to the top of a platform and hold it to win. The catch is they have to fight as climb, maybe face flying opponents along the way that try to snatch them off and toss them to the ground.

BTW what level are these guys ?

 

[Delgar]

Delgar

Heres one of the first things that came to mind that no one else has suggested. How about some sort of outsider coming in looking for the group to throw a match (that is if its non-lethal). This could all be in the interest of hedging bets on the outcomes of the fights, offer a cut of the profits to the party if they agree. I'd imagine whoever the outsider is could be sort of an underground mafia/lone-shark kinda guy, lots of contacts and resources. Could offer help...For the right price of course !!!

As for an interesting sort of fight if you want to be insanely lethal set up a fight over on of the many chasm in the underdark. Lots of narrow, maybe even slick spans crossing the chasm on various levels, makes those climb and balance checks really important.

Another thought and I'm not sure how this would be implemented but what about a non-lethal King of the Mt. style fight. I'd say throw the party on tethers and ropes and they have to climb their way up to the top of a platform and hold it to win. The catch is they have to fight as climb, maybe face flying opponents along the way that try to snatch them off and toss them to the ground.

BTW what level are these guys ?

Thanks for some great ideas, I think I'm going to steal the "get them to throw a match" idea, and the rope climbing idea is pretty good, I'll try to think of some way to incorporate that!

The characters are now level 4 (the human paladin is only level 3, but he missed the first session).

Delgar

 

[Delgar]

Any other ideas for some interesting NPC's? Gladitorial matches? Secret Plots?

Anything?


Delgar

 

[Delgar]

The more ideas, the more likely you'll see more Hot Dark Elven Action?

Delgar

 

[Arravis]

Perhaps some hot dark elven priestesses need more slaves to sacrifice... yeah... who cares, just throw in some hot dark elven action!