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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Uller" data-source="post: 6333079" data-attributes="member: 413">I think factions switching sides/betraying each other are very real possibilities.  That's what struck me as odd about the statement by a DM that he doesn't play monsters "stupidly" to avoid killing PCs.  I'm sure he meant something different, but if a new DM is in the mindset of "this is a game and you play games to _win_" it might mean to him or her to play the monsters to win like you are playing a game of Dungeon Command rather than playing them simply as part of a setting where everyone has their own interests and motivations...to each group and even individual "winning/losing" is a gray scale with different things at each end. (well, everyone has death at the losing end...at least most everyone) and might not even be linear.  So yes...not everyone is on a fixed side and if the players play their cards right they can use that.Yeah...I think so.  The way the adventure instructs you to play him is to use his assets in waves to wear down the PCs without revealing himself and to even allow the PCs some success if they are working to secure the elemental key.  I think once he learns the PCs are in the dungeon he'll start spying on them but only act against them when it truly suits him.Probably.  The Thayans have benefited the orcs somewhat by using magic to keep their lair from collapsing.  But at some point I think they'd wear out their welcome.  I think as long as the PCs stay off level 1 the orcs would see them as not a dire threat.  If they become aware of them they might be inclined to go on a sort of alert status and maybe kick out some recon teams to test the strength of the PCs...if they think they can smash the rotten elf, dwarf and human intruders easily they will.  If not, they probably would be inclined to let the wizards handle it and just defend their immediate turf.I forgot the PCs motivation...they're a faction too. I suppose.  The PCs encountered Arvik back in Baldur's Gate nearly a year ago when they were only 2nd level.  He had helped the Guild with some work in exchange for information he needed and the PCs were working for the Flaming Fist.  He nearly took out the entire party with a fireball when their paths crossed.  The only PC that didn't go down was the barbarian who had split from the party to chase down some street thugs.  When he came back the entire party was down and in a burning building.   Arvik was already bloodied and low on spells so when he saw the barbarian charging around the corner he ran out the nearest exit then covered it with a web spell.  The barbarian had to decide between trying to chase him or pull a few party members out before they burned to death.  The ONLY thing that prevented anyone from dying was the bard (no longer part of the party) rolled a 20 on his death save and stabilized.  I decided to play nice and allowed him to become conscious enough to cast a cure wounds spell on the fighter...that was enough to get everyone out safely.So they've been chasing Arvik ever since.  They saw him hanged by the authorities in Daggerford and turned their attention toward breaking up the rest of the Thayan operation.  But now they are hearing rumors from other NPCs that he is actually still alive they are pissed (EDIT: they have no idea that he's a raksasha but they've encountered it before...it was disguised as a different NPC and attacked them until it got what it wanted...so they know not every NPC is necessarily what he or she seems).  So they don't seem to care much about the orcs, dwarves or elemental keys...they want to kill Red Wizards, especially Arvik.   When the teenage Dworc told them the Thayans control the upper level they all said "we go there" until I managed to let them know at least one was in a prison cell.  They're somewhat newish players...I am trying to teach them to use their heads and assess the situation...look for unconventional ways to approach things.  Try to tackle the dungeon backwards if they can.  All those guards and minion types will just get out of your way if you already have the powerful magic weapon and the BBEG's head...</blockquote>

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