D&D 5E Need advice on how to rationalize terms of surrender to a beholder...

[Klaudius Rex]

Ok, so first of all thanks to everyone who helped me with the post i wrote asking for traps for a beholder lair. I implemented a lot of your advice, and turns out 3 out of 6 characters died.

What i need help this time is rationalizing the terms of their surrender to the Xazax the Eyemongrel beholder.

So, my characters went looking for his beholder named Xazax, who this would have been their second fight against him. The first time was a TPK, but instead of killing all the players, Xazax instructed them to take the eyestalks of Lorthuun, another beholder who is friendly to the group, believe it or not. Of course, the players did no such thing, and went after Xazax wanting revenge. This time, they brought support.

But that still was not enough. Xazax was ready for them. And 3 out of 6 players died today!!

However, beforehand they fought some nothics, and approximately 1 mile near Xazax's lair, they started seeing eyeballs in the walls and darkness watching them. So much in fact that one of the floating eyeballs was taken by the players.

Then they went to face Xazax a second time, and lost. Since Xazax knew that the characters did not return with the eyestalks from Lorthunn, this surrender would have to be especially good. So the group bluffed Xazax into accepting the floating eye. Xazax lost the perception roll and accepted the floating eye that they found as payment for their lives and let them go.

I puurposely put the floating eye in the game before the fight with Xazax to give the players a chance to role play and possibly avoid death or to bargain with as they did in case they were wiped out like in what happened.

My question is, what do you think about this? Would Xazax be cool accepting a floating eye that would have been part of his lair anyways in the surrounding 1 mile? Should the floating ey be one of the nothics? How can i rationalize or otherwise spin a good reason for Xazax accepting an eyeball that isnt what he asked for in the first place.

Let me know what you think...

 

[auburn2]

Ok, so first of all thanks to everyone who helped me with the post i wrote asking for traps for a beholder lair. I implemented a lot of your advice, and turns out 3 out of 6 characters died.

What i need help this time is rationalizing the terms of their surrender to the Xazax the Eyemongrel beholder.

So, my characters went looking for his beholder named Xazax, who this would have been their second fight against him. The first time was a TPK, but instead of killing all the players, Xazax instructed them to take the eyestalks of Lorthuun, another beholder who is friendly to the group, believe it or not. Of course, the players did no such thing, and went after Xazax wanting revenge. This time, they brought support.

But that still was not enough. Xazax was ready for them. And 3 out of 6 players died today!!

However, beforehand they fought some nothics, and approximately 1 mile near Xazax's lair, they started seeing eyeballs in the walls and darkness watching them. So much in fact that one of the floating eyeballs was taken by the players.

Then they went to face Xazax a second time, and lost. Since Xazax knew that the characters did not return with the eyestalks from Lorthunn, this surrender would have to be especially good. So the group bluffed Xazax into accepting the floating eye. Xazax lost the perception roll and accepted the floating eye that they found as payment for their lives and let them go.

I puurposely put the floating eye in the game before the fight with Xazax to give the players a chance to role play and possibly avoid death or to bargain with as they did in case they were wiped out like in what happened.

My question is, what do you think about this? Would Xazax be cool accepting a floating eye that would have been part of his lair anyways in the surrounding 1 mile? Should the floating ey be one of the nothics? How can i rationalize or otherwise spin a good reason for Xazax accepting an eyeball that isnt what he asked for in the first place.

Let me know what you think...

I think this should be a fitting end to the adventurer's careers. Time to roll up a new 1st level party. The first show of mercy was ok, but no intelligent being is going to allow a double cross like that and no genius-level being is going to be fooled by giving him part of his own lair.

You could I suppose make them slaves, toiling away in Xazax mine or somewhere like that and then give them a chance to escape down the road. No getting treasure and magic items back though, there has to be a penalty. I would make it a quick and clean escape, maybe a cave in opens a tunnel to the surface. But then make them scrounge to survive until they can earn some money somehow. The super tough Maul wielding plate clad fighter fumbling through the woods naked with an improvised tree branch club. A wizard with no book, just the spells he had prepared. A rogue with no rouge weapons and no theives tools, Make them adventure their way back to civilization in such conditions. Then when they do finally meet up with their faction just give them basic equipment (maybe what 1st level characters have) or if they don't have a faction make them earn or steal it.

 

[Imaculata]

I would have the Beholder laugh at their petty attempt to bargain with him, and banish them to another dimension.

 

[GameOgre]

Yes I would have had him accept it.

Then once the dangerous and deadly adventurers were away and unaware. Like at night in a Inn room or having a party. I would have had the beholders human slaves/servants/minions drug them and capture them.

They awaken without there gear and bound together deep in the underdark. They are still groggy and can't move much at all as the Goblin looms over them.

"The Great and Powerful Xazax Has decided to forgive your betrayal and offers you this one last chance to die creatures of honor. Your gear has been taken from you, all of it. It was given to the Foul Kakkaforg, a Dragon of The deep as tribute two cycles ago. If you want it back,slay Kakkaforg and take it. Then finish your task given by the Merciful Xazax and kill the coward Lorthuun and deliver his entire corpse as payment for your misdeeds. A band of Drow are aware of your trespass into their realm and even now are tracking you here.

The Goblin Chuckles "be about your tasks fast,very fast indeed if you want to escape the noose you put around your own necks."

The goblin turns to leave"Also be aware that the Wise and Godlike Xazax has decreed that if you fail to make amends for breaking your bargain, each of your families will be given a opportunity to make amends as well. Even now the Mighty Xazax's agents search every corner of the land for them."

 

[Flamestrike]

I'd kill them.

 

[Olrox17]

I'd give them the chance to try some bluff and/or persuasion checks, with a very high DC. Fail, and it's time to roll new PCs.

 

[aco175]

I thought beholders were paranoid to the extreme. I would run with a scenario where the beholder makes sure the PCs do not come back again. If it is wounded enough to not kill the party now, it would make plans to kill them soon. Minions would be good here since the party has already damaged him. It would plan and devise more traps and modifications to it's lair to prevent them from getting in again.

If you are looking to save the group you can have the floating eye a scrying spell by a powerful mage who needs the party for some reason and would be willing to come save the party or even send others. You could have a group of NPCs teleport in and have the players run them. Make the PCs the ones in chains and hanging over the boiling pit of lava or such about to die. The NPCs come in and say, "Which one of you are XYZ", as they assault the beholder's forces. They can free the PCs to finish the fight, but make sure they know that they owe someone big time.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Since half the PCs were killed, and the Beholder failed that perception check, I'd say let it go for now. The PCs pulled off a scam, came up with a clever solution, but it cost them the lives of three of their comrades.

I'd let them have this victory. But Xazax will eventually realize that he has been duped, and that will come back to haunt them.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Since half the PCs were killed, and the Beholder failed that perception check, I'd say let it go for now. The PCs pulled off a scam, came up with a clever solution, but it cost them the lives of three of their comrades.

I'd let them have this victory. But Xazax will eventually realize that he has been duped, and that will come back to haunt them.

I'd go with this, except that "eventually" would mean "as soon as he examines more closely--probably within about thirty minutes". The PCs had better book it!

 

[Imaculata]

I would always seek a solution that provides more story and adventure. It is always better to throw your players into more challenges, then to outright kill their characters. Go for what ever seems to be the most fun for everyone.