Memorable city fight encounter? ran it last night!

[RichGreen]

Hi,

I have a sub-plot going on in my Lands of Intrigue campaign based around Desert Wind, one of the Weapons of Legacy (and also featured in Tome of Battle: Book of 9 Swords). The PCs have it and a jann swordsage wants it. Since the campaign is set in a big city (Zazesspur in the Forgotten Realms, based on Ptolus), the jann and his lackeys are going to come after the PCs somewhere in town to try and take the sword. I'd like this to be a memorable encounter.

So, the question is: what would make a good encounter site in a city for an attack on three PCs by four genie swordsmen with Bo9S powers? I'd like there to be some tactical options as well as bystanders etc. Any ideas?

Cheers


Richard

 

[Gilladian]

I'd say pick a nice open place in the city - such as the main market square, or the forum in front of the temple. You can have lots of people around on their own business, you can have enough open space for a big combat, but at the same time you could have booths from the market, or fountains and statuary or perhaps even garden areas if it is outside a temple. This gives hiding/ambush locations. Maybe even narrow alleys opening into the market.

Steps leading up to the temple/inn/large official building allow for high ground and/or awkward footing. Depending on the levels of your foes, you could have some on nearby rooftops/flying for an added dimension.

Don't forget to add in the villains grabbing hostages, weak city guards getting slaughtered (if the PCs are mid-high level, that is), and perhaps a few important NPCs getting involved (ie the high priest of the temple might come out and try to rescue the townsfolk, or a few members of a wizard's guild might do the same.

HTH...

 

[Piratecat]

I'm not sure why I didn't consider it myself, but genies make a wonderful method for introducing Bo9S mechanics into the game! What a cool concept.

I'm a huge fan of rooftop fights -- PCs scrambling up domes and leaping from roof to roof. That being said, I think you should have a fight on the Cascading Stair, a huge fountain in Zazesspur that overlooks the famous Glassworks and Porcelain Marketplace. The fountain is built like a giant staircase 30' high, and has sheets of water leaping from the top and flowing to the bottom. Fantastic sculptures of genies and monsters rise from the water, some of them spitting water; it's very impressive.

Is there any way in which you can steal the sword for just a few seconds, without seeming lame? I'm picturing this scenario:

1. Invisible rogue sneaks up on PC, grabs sword from PCs' sheath, and tosses it into the air.

2. Telekinesis (one-shot item) or a summoned minor air elemental catches the sword and starts carrying it towards the jann, waiting on the roof of the ancient palace (since turned into a warehouse) next to the fountain.

3. The PCs cut down the poor rogue, and use arrows or spells to kill the air elemental carrying the sword. (Or the telekinesis effect ends, with the sword only half-way to the Jann.) The sword falls - right into a sculpture halfway up the fountain.

4. The PCs and the jann race to be the first person to reach the sword.

5. Memorable fight. Hopefully the fight also involves many shattered pieces of porcelain and glass.

 

[Mark CMG]

Roughly what level and how many in the party, please?

 

[The Lost Muse]

Is there any way in which you can steal the sword for just a few seconds, without seeming lame?

All I see is the AWESOME!

 

[RichGreen]

Love Piratecat's idea!

Roughly what level and how many in the party, please?

Three PCs: 11th level female human cleric of Sune, 11th level male human wizard and 6th/4th male air genasi unfettered/rogue.

The jann swordsage is 9th level (CR 13), accompanied by three jann with a couple of martial scripts (one-use Bo9S maneuver items) each.

Cheers


Richard

 

[BV210]

I love Piratecat's suggestion. And Gilladian hits the nail right on the head.

I've got a scene in my campaign that will involve the party fighting a bunch of ninjas in the very busy market. (Picture the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indy is trying to catch the Nazi's taking Marion away in the basket.) I've created a couple dozen stalls with various items (fruit, carpets, knives, etc) for the belligerents to maneuver though while all the innocents flee for their lives.

Another one has an ambush that ends up with the party and the baddies duking it out on the rooftops.

Let us know how the fight turns out.

 

[RangerWickett]

5. Memorable fight. Hopefully the fight also involves many shattered pieces of porcelain and glass.

Must . . . posrep!

 

[Mark CMG]

Perhaps, because of the way it creates rainbow effects, they use a recirculating 5-to-1 ratio of water and non-flamable oil in the fountain. Things might get a little slippery for anyone who is in, or has been in, the fountain.

 

[RichGreen]

I'm definitely going with Piratecat's fountain and adding in Gilladian's suggestions. The market means a fair few complications in getting to the fountain on foot too. There's also every chance one or two opportunistic bystanders might try and grab the sword before either the PCs or the jann can get there.

I'm not sure how easy it's going to be to grab the sword from the PC without it seeming too contrived though. This would require a high disarm check, wouldn't it? Can you use Sleight of Hand for this as it's not a small object? Any other ideas?

The PCs must succeed in stopping whatever is transporting the sword across the square to the jann -- if it gets to them, they'll plane shift and they'll be no fight! An air elemental is pretty fast (100 ft move) and might get there too quickly so would it would be better to use a trained arrowhawk (60 ft) or eagle (80 ft)? I could just make the distance further, I suppose but I do like the idea of it being a bird swooping down and grabbing the sword: it seems more cool.

Oh, and the fountain, will be very slippery!

Cheers


Richard