My Pcs are walking into a deathtrap

[Gregor]

You can let them go and attack the City of Shade...which at 6th level is absolute folly (considering the high prince is a 40th level arcane caster - if he is in your game) but let them work towards it and throw ALOT of challenges in their way.

First they probably have to cross the desert wastes where things like Blue Dragons are common place and then they have to somehow find a way to get onto a flying city WAY above them.

So, make them do a bunch of long and arduous tasks that will move them along their desired course (ie working towards invading the city) and with any luck they will either get frustrated with the futility of it all or work well at it and gain enough levels that they can actually make some form of attack.

Force them to seek out Halruaa and "borrow" an airship to fly into the city or try and get some power-hungry Zhents to help them out (who are no friends of the Shade Empire).

Either way, you are leaving the door open for them to do what they want, just forcing them to complete a number of steps to do so.

just my 2 coppers,

 

[BlackMoria]

Have them encounter the BBEG at range where they have some chance of escape. Make sure the BBEG goes first in initiative. Then announce something like "18D6 Horrid Wilting coming your way!" and roll a number of dice. Then shake your head and say "crap roll" and then announce the amount of damage, making sure that the amount of damage you call out leaves the character with the lowest hit points at 1 hp.

Then allow them to go in initiative. Chances are real good now that they will figure out that they are outclassed and use their turn to escape.

I actually did this very thing once in a campaign I ran in which the PCs didn't get the 'hint' that they were so 'in over their heads'. The PCs IMC cut out and ran for it on their initative.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Well, my idea was to not have the BBEG kill them, but more or less kick their butts and then take away all their magic items. Of course as someone mentioned, getting there will be another tasl. While they may have a mage hwo can fly, I know that the Shades would not just let anyone fly into theri city. I am thinking of putting a barrier up around a radius around the city. The barbarian is the most cocky one of the party, mainly because he once cause 80 damage with a good crit. Even with that though, he is still not match for the city of shades. After the whompingI will probably have thm go on a quest for new armor, that will involve travelling all over Faerun, possibley Toril, and if I feel like it Realmspace.

I am thinking of each of them having to go through a "dungeon" on their own, now getting to each one will be an adventure unto itself. Once they reach it,I will probably have to figure out some way to have each player come to my house alone when they reach their respective dungeon, and play it through with them. So that way the others will not be sitting around bored. Does that sound like a good idea?

EDIT: For those of you familiar with the RelamsI have made some changes, such as the Plains of Purple dust having expanded, and there being a lrage chasm across most of the southern region of Faerun. Not to mention hordes of rampaging demons. And most all of the plant life is dying, so it is hard to get food. Waterdeep is also utterly destroyed.