Need Help: Airships, Halfling Bandits, and Brixas!

[Infiniti2000]

Okay, I need help tying these things together. The adventure will be for level 2-3 in 4E (if it matters). I'll work on stats for the halflings and brixas, so I don't really need help there (though I'll accept any help you offer). What I do need help is tying it all together, hopefully in an interesting and non-obvious way. My world has airships powered not by magic but by "floating sheep." (These creatures were the subject of another thread which I cannot seem to find right now.)

Brixas, if you don't know, are essentially combat goats that halflings can ride as mounts.

The obvious plot would be that the halflings stole an airship and have several other bandits on the ground (on brixas) as support to deter the heroes (and guards). Can you try and come up with something more interesting? I still want the airship, but if necessary I can use something other than halflings and/or brixas.

 

[Gilladian]

You need FLYING brixas. Potions of flight or levitation or salve that gets rubbed on their feet, or even just a "zone" where they are magically able to fly around the airship. Then they can act as fighters.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Very intriguing. Maybe they're brixa/semblit crossbreeds.

 

[fba827]

the brixa have magical barding that allows them to fly. Sure enough the leather form the barding is made from the flying sheep.
The halfling bandits need more flying sheep to make more barding to equip more braxis. Hence, it becomes a hiest for the sheep that power the airship.
the pcs looking over the edge of the airship may first notice what looks like halflings and a herd down below. But when they look over the edge a second time they notice that the herd seems to be floating up towards them!

alternatively, maybe the airship already has a halfling that snuck on board; halfling bandits are all sneaky and stuff. His mission is to (crash? or steer?) the airship at/to a certain place where an ambush can happen on the ground (or at elevation, such as between two mountain slopes where other halflings on the ground can attack).

maybe they don't want the sheep for their flight.. maybe they want some cargo that is on board. or maybe the sheep have really good wool and it isn't the flight ability that they are hoping to get. or maybe they want the airship itself.


mmmm.. what else.?. i'll keep thinking about this and will add more if some random idea pops in to my head later tonight.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Generations ago, a shire birthed an enterprising but twisted halfling sorcerer who eventually caused a Ki-Rin (or Pegasus) to mate with a Brixa...and the resulting creature could fly.

And it bred true!

The sheltered shire that maintained the flock...er...herd...of these creatures lived a typical life as far as most of the world can tell, but they secretly supplement their fortunes as Sky Rustlers..

Now they've got their eyes set on a true airship, one large enough to become a mobile platform for launching raids further afield...

The airship in question happens to be the one upon which the PCs are passengers.

At one point, as they pass through a particularly dense cloud bank, one PC makes a spot check, noticing a Bixa and its rider off to the starboard. He alerts the crew, "There's a halfling on a goat on the control vane!"

Following his gestures, they look out...and see nothing.

Shortly thereafter, he sees another. Gesturing again, and again made to look a fool, the PC vows to act if he sees another.

Then cries for alarm ring out from all sides...

Sky Pirates!!!

 

[Infiniti2000]

What could be the name of the group of halfling sky pirates?

I like the idea of some secret agent halflings already on board. I have a plan for this, though things may change later on depending on the actions of the party. I'll just stat up a few of the critters and let the wings of player decisions guide the 'trap.' I'll pay attention for any of those further ideas. You have plenty of time to come up with them (a couple of months most likely).

Most likely, btw, this will be an airship that ferries the PCs to the nearby elven settlement where the elves plan to reward the heroes for an as-yet heroic deed. Alternatively, it'll be some other reason for an airship, but knowing my players that's like the reason that will play out.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Possibilities include:

Ram Air Pirates
Sky-Shire Raiders
The Corsairs of Hidden Vale

and so forth.

 

[Cyronax]

1) The Brixas Brigands

2) Team RamRod (sorry SuperTroopers refernce )

3) A.G.E.N.T - "Aerial Goat Expeditionary and Napalm Troopers"

For #3, they could be raiders armed with precision thrown alchemical fire pots (i.e. napalm). Maybe the better napalm items have larger bursts than normal alchemical items? A.G.E.N.T. could be the vanguard order of a rising revolutionary movement among halflings in a world full in big race oppression.