New DM needs Advice

[Lindeloef]

Based on what you've said of your group, why do you think the players NEED to go back to Winterhaven? Is there something there that you want them to do? Something that they need to accomplish?

hmm... primarily I want to make use of the npcs in winterhaven i have established so far. Especially to befriend them with Kalarel's spy (which isn't ninaran as i completly forgot her ), so that the betrayel is more shocking.
Also they haven't heard any back story about the Shadowkeep yet, I like to change that and Valthrun seems to me to be a good person for that job.
Maybe this situation is just a "problem" to me due to lack of experiance as a DM.


[MENTION=54600]Pseudopsyche[/MENTION]
Interesting idea. The kidnapped citizen would also be great to link this adventure to the "thunderspire labyrinth" adventure.
But I am not shure how they will react to Splug though I fear our Invoker will send him to the Raven Queen, as he does with nearly every creature.

 

[TheClone]

Well, one of the players in my D&D campaign is the DM for our DSA campaign, in which almost the same players participate. For me it's a welcome change of pace (particularly because I don't have to DM!).

I also used to play in an Earthdawn game but it's currently on hiatus
We're having trouble finding time to play because we're 'suffering' from a baby boom...

Interesting. I never thought that any DSA-player would switch to 4e. But if it works, it's good In some years gaming will get better. When the babies become young players

hmm... primarily I want to make use of the npcs in winterhaven i have established so far. Especially to befriend them with Kalarel's spy (which isn't ninaran as i completly forgot her ), so that the betrayel is more shocking.
Also they haven't heard any back story about the Shadowkeep yet, I like to change that and Valthrun seems to me to be a good person for that job.
Maybe this situation is just a "problem" to me due to lack of experiance as a DM.

I guess yes, that's a problem of inexperience. And you're hitting the DSA clishee perfectly (sorry, couldn't hold myself back). If your players have no interest in getting to know the NPCs and do to want any more backstory, you should not force them. If you get them to Winterhaven by tricks, then they won't pay any attention to the background or the npcs. If players do not want to do something there is no sense in forcing them. They'll just get bored or angry.

You can try two things in my opinion. Give them appetizers. Hint to what they're missing in Winterhaven somehow (I don't have any specific ideas at the moment) and maybe they'll bite and go over. Or you can put the information right to where the players are. For example you can transfer the backstory of the keep to sculptures, paintings and stuff inside the keep and describe those to them. If they like it, they'll ask and pay attention. If they hurry on, it's just not their type of game.

 

[JoeGKushner]

NPCs can be used at anytime. If the party doesn't stop there now, they may stop there latter.

Kalarel's spy, if I'm remembering correctly, is a ranger and out on the road herself no? Have the party meet her when she's setting them up to befriend her by having her kill some goblin minions in front of them or something along those lines.

The back story of the Shadowkeep? The bard knows it, the deva recalls it, the Raven Queen provides it to them...

Or not. It's not really important if everyone is playing and enjoying the game. Immersion in the depths of the campaign universe are not necessary to enjoy rolling the dice and shouting "20!"

hmm... primarily I want to make use of the npcs in winterhaven i have established so far. Especially to befriend them with Kalarel's spy (which isn't ninaran as i completly forgot her ), so that the betrayel is more shocking.
Also they haven't heard any back story about the Shadowkeep yet, I like to change that and Valthrun seems to me to be a good person for that job.
Maybe this situation is just a "problem" to me due to lack of experiance as a DM.


[MENTION=54600]Pseudopsyche[/MENTION]
Interesting idea. The kidnapped citizen would also be great to link this adventure to the "thunderspire labyrinth" adventure.
But I am not shure how they will react to Splug though I fear our Invoker will send him to the Raven Queen, as he does with nearly every creature.

 

[Lindeloef]

okay thanks guys (or girls) for your advice.
I decided to go with the flow and make things up if they fit in the present situation.

Sometimes i tend to overthink

 

[Farnsworth]

You may want to have an out-of-game coversation with the group as to what they would like to do/experience in game. On the one hand your groups says that they want more role playing encounters, and on the other it sounds like they are doing everything they can to avoid them.

Perhaps you can point out that there are many things that might aid/benefit the players by returning to Winterhaven. Clues and rumors that lead to other parts of the adventure. as well as treasure and good old forutne and glory. That may be enough to entice your group.

In the keep make the most out of Sir Keegan, in fact if you wanted to add more roleplaying encounters you could just insert more ghosts from the keep: Soldiers, Officers, or even Sir Keegan's family. Besting them in a skill challenge or combat depending on thier nature, and they reveal a little bit more about the history of the keep and/or what is going on with the main baddy.

 

[JoeGKushner]

And don't forget to download the free Fiery Dragon counters for this adventure. Good stuff.

 

[Robtheman]

There is no problem - only an opportunity.

1. The party has made choices. That is their job during the gaming session.

2. You're job is now to make choices in response to their actions. If you need inspiration simply look to their decisions during the last game session. What stands out as "definitive" from each character. You have mentioned some already: camping outside the cave; not wanting to go to the town. Make use of those choices by adding consequences.

- The PCs tipped off the slavers that their operation was busted. They had an observer outside the caves keeping an eye on things. Irontooth was none too bright so they required an insurance plan. Or perhaps they had side deals with Irontooth. In any case they decide to manipulate things at the town because they think their sweet deal is about to disappear.

They dupe Ninarin into thinking that Kalarel wants her to make a move that distracts attention from the keep. She pulls a stunt that gets the guards into the keep and then orchestrates a large scale kidnapping of townspeople who live outside the walls. Some of your NPCs get caught up in it. The players don't discover this, nor do they save the day. They didn't want to go to town, right?

Some of the slaves get away, including some NPCs. Your PCs encounter them making their way back to town. They share word of large chests of loot that the Slavers are taking out of the region and particularly tough leader with a (insert magic item of value to the druid). He also seems to have a fighting style that is similar to the fighter, or perhaps a symbol on his armor tells the PCs he hails from the same region.

If they don't bite, they aren't playing nice. In any case, the slavers take a path that brings the PCs closer to the keep. There is an entrance to the Underdark here that they use to transport slaves. This is where the PCs can catch up to the Slavers and rescue the other townspeople. This will reward the greedy, the riteous and the heroic alike, and dead people always please a servant of the Raven Queen.

Just one possibility to use their choices against them. I mean to build a better story.