Need help with a campaign issue

[Gilladian]

Greenfield, I think you have to decide on what you're really doing here;
if you're winding down the campaign for a hiatus, then you need to let them win and end on a good, content, note so they're eager to come back and feel successful and powerful. No matter how frustrating for you, hit them with the clue bat and don't worry about it. They'll have forgotten the details by the time they come back in a few months, anyway.
if you're trying to make them realize that when they come back, the game will be different, then let them lose. They're in the wrong place, they got there willfully; they can't win unless they reverse course and make that their sole goal. Give them ONE or TWO clues and then let the chips fall. But be aware that when they come back in a few months (if they do!) they will be demoralized and may feel "sore" about the loss. Also, they'll have forgotten it was their fault by then, anyway.

Personally, I'd stick with goal A, and just get things over with. You'll have time to change the tone of the campaign next time. This one is "easy and campy" at this point, whether intended or not.

 

[Herobizkit]

As a random aside, do you think it's possible the players have also clued in as to how soft things have been and are actively DARING you to kill them, just to see if you'll do it?

Maybe they realize that they're also tired of everything being pushover-y.

I say unleash Hell. Blaze of Glory. If this be the End, make it a memorable one.

 

[Greenfield]

Okay, here's how it played out:

Their campsite at an oasis was being swarmed by Dustwight, a form of undead earth elemental. They're CR 7, and shouldn't really be a challenge, even en mass. +10 to hit, and a soft armor class for the party level.

The primary fighter, on their first encounter, got pounded, mainly because his AC was also soft for the level.

In the second encounter he failed four out of five Fort saves, while foolishly dancing with them. One was enough, and he was turned to stone. The by-the-book behavior of the creatures says that once they petrify someone, they break the statue to pieces.

The party's decision was to abandon the campsite and just leave. Some hid up a Rope Trick, some flew away on Phantom Steed, some just out ran the slow moving creatures (base move of 20).

The Druid turned into a Dire Badger and burrowed over to the PCs remains, going under the monsters that were stomping their campsite to ruin, and the others who were chasing the fleeing party. He recovered the broken pieces.

Afterwards their guide expressed concerned: That PCs all had magical bags and haversacks, and they'd had time to grab gear before the horde hit. The NPC guards and guides lacked these magical conveniences, and were now lacking bedrolls, water skins, their tent (shredded by the monsters), and everything except the weapons they'd brought out for the fight. The key was when the guide mentioned that "there was nothing here except twenty miles of flat, empty glass." The party realized that they were in the wrong place. They asked the key question, "Where is the Road of Glass". They guide tome them that they were hundreds of miles north of there.

So they cast Wind Walkagain and headed south. The found the road, and realized that they'd actually passed the place they were looking for.

I threw them the clue, that the place they were didn't hold a glass mountain. They took it from there.

They faced a blue dragon, and finally caught up with the enemy party at the glass mountain.

The enemy were on a stone barge (Wall of Stone) working their way across a lake of molten glass towards the goal.

I expected a furious battle. One of the party casters threw Invisibility and Fly to scout the area. He swa what they were up to and threw Transmute Rock to Mud on their barge. Caught me by surprise, and made the epic battle I had planned a lot less epic.

The enemy had cast Energy Immunityon the high level types, but hadn't had enough for everyone, so the mid level troops only had Resist Energy. That's fine for being close to the molten glass, but not for actual immersion.

So everyone went swimming, but they didn't all make it.

The party killed the enemy's head wizard (and party leader), Banished the Succubus, and beat both the Ranger and Fighter down to single digits before they managed to escape.

So the party won, got the Chariot of Helios out of the lake of glass and back into the sky. Retiring demi-god PC drove it up,met with the divine avatar of his half brother, Apollo, who finally welcomed him into the family, ald left to him the duty of driving the chariot of the sun, at least until the god-wars are done. Fanfare of music, and the hero rides off into the sunset.

Literally.

They won, partly because of my poor planning, but also because they rose to the occasion.

 

[Dandu]

I expected a furious battle. One of the party casters threwInvisibility and Fly to scout the area. He swa what they were up to and threw Transmute Rock to Mud on their barge. Caught me by surprise, and made the epic battle I had planned a lot less epic.

The enemy had cast Energy Immunityon the high level types, but hadn't had enough for everyone, so the mid level troops only hadResist Energy. That's fine for being close to the molten glass, but not for actual immersion.

Wait, what?

 

[Dwimmerlied]

Sounds like a good outcome! Doesn't sound like it was exactly handed to them, which would't have been satisfying. I imagine many games kind of play out like this, small things being forgotten, but the important thing is that game, by your description sounds suitably epic; fighting enemies on a lake of molten glass! Sometimes the players need to be thrown a hint or whatever.


Here's the question! Had they failed to take the clue, had you a contingency? What would you have called?

 

[Greenfield]

Dandu, what was the question?

Resist Energy is good for up to 30 points a round. While there is no RAW damage set for molten glass, there is for lava. Incidental contact does relatively minor damage. Mere proximity would be well within the 30 point limit. Immersion, however, rates a much bigger number.

Was the question about where the molten glass came from? The heat of the chariot of the sun (Helios) buried beneath the desert sands should answer that question.

 

[Dandu]

I see...