BSF
Explorer
In a week and a half, I will be running a two-session adventure for my players. Alas, Macbeth won't be able to make it. Still, that just means he can contribute if he would like. So, if you are playing in these two adventures, do me a favor and just move along to another subject. 
Now, for those that are not playing in the game, and want to contribute to the carnage, welcome! I will be pleased to have your help.
First off, the Setup:
Last year, I ended a campaign in an epic battle against massive hordes of undead. The PC's did very well and most of them survived. We retired the game at that time so we could start a new campaign in a later time period of the world. Basically, everything the PC's did became history, myth and legend. It's been nice.
But, the PC's are still alive and I wanted to dig them out a little bit. One of the characters has a thing against dragons. Specifically, Green Dragons, and would dearly love to take one out. Preferrably, the one that is responsible for killing his family. This is the "hook". I posted that anyone who wanted to join in the Dragon Hunt was welcome to do so. Right now, they are upgrading their characters since I didn't do any exp at the end of the last campaign. This is taking place 3 years after the epic battle. Enough time that they have helped rebuild the city, are important, and are probably just a little bored. Most of the players have jumped at this! Right now, I know there will be 6 characters hunting the dragon. They are levels 16-18 and include a Psion/Ghostbreaker, Ranger/Fighter/Devoted Defender, Sorceror/Dragon Disciple, Wizard/Planeshifter, Pure Cleric, and a Satyr Ranger. If any more of my players pipe up, there might be more.
We are mostly using 3.0 rules since this was the parameters of the campaign.
Next, the Target:
They are going after a Green Dragon. In the game world, the forest they are entering is at a tentative peace. It is split between the area that belongs to the dragons, and the area that belongs to the Gnomes & Halflings. Forget about the politics, I only bring it up because of the dragon society that has emerged.
The Green Dragon's are loosely organized under a council. The Green Dragon's council watches out for the good of the Green Dragons. I want the PC's to be trying to take out one of the council members. Somebody important, but not unbeatable.
Q1 - What age a dragon should I use (if played reasonably competently by me) to present a good challenge to the party in combat?
Of course, dragons are not that easy to take out. As well, this is a council member. I am going to make this more difficult on the PC's by have dragon fosterlings. There will be 3 fosterlings that are being reared by the primary dragon. I am thinking 3 Young Adult Green Dragons will be a good prelude to the big fight. Depending on PC tactics, they may encounter the younger dragons at once, one at a time, or if they are really clever, maybe they can avoid them. I doubt they will really avoid them, but I won't railroad them into being unavoidable either.
Q2 - What would be good ages for the younger dragons to provide a decent encounter before reaching the big bad?
Now, I am thinking that dragons would only take on fosterlings if it served their purposes to some degree. In this case, one obvious purpose is that the younger dragons are cannon fodder. They will weaken any intruders and provide warning if the intruders are particularly clever about sneaking into the lair.
I am also thinking that the older dragon might setup one of the younger dragons to be the dominant of the group. This is, of course, to fool skilled adventurers into blowing all their magic prep on the wrong dragon.
Q3 - What kind of tactics would a Green Dragon employ to make the fosterlings as useful as possible in defense of the lair?
With fosterlings, and the rest of the Green dragon council environment, there is a lot of potential for negotiations, if the players are clever. Instead of fighting the fosterlings, can they bribe them? Stuff like that.
Q4 - Any thoughts/ideas on what kind of motivations might be played upon by the PC's? I'm not sure it will come up, but it never hurts to be prepared.
The lair is kind of up in the air. I am looking more for cinematics than anything else. What I am thinking of is a series of caves in a forested hill. The caves will have a river running through them that pours out of the cave mouth, into the forest. Within the caves will be several chambers for the fosterlings. I want the chamber for the big bad to be harder to find and it will probably be very hard to access. I am thinking that the big bad will ambush the PC's before they get to his lair. Perhaps after they have dealt with the younger dragons and are trying to heal up. If the PC's put up a vicious response, the big bad can still retreat to his lair to heal and prepare for the PC's to follow.
I want there to be a lot of water, since the green's can swim and breathe in it quite well. I think I want there to be a lot of algae and moss so those with 0 ranks of balance can feel the pain. I want there to be spray from the water falling in the caves that might provide concealment. I want the battle with the dragons to be damned memorable and something they will talk about for years to come.
Q5 - Any suggestions for making the dragon's lair a memorable, frightening environment?
This battle should be extremely dangerous. I want the PC's to have a chance to succeed, but I do not want it to be easy. These characters are retired, so it won't be a tragedy if they go down in a blaze of glory. I know the great minds here at EN World will help me achieve that.
So, what ideas do all of you have?
Now, for those that are not playing in the game, and want to contribute to the carnage, welcome! I will be pleased to have your help.
First off, the Setup:
Last year, I ended a campaign in an epic battle against massive hordes of undead. The PC's did very well and most of them survived. We retired the game at that time so we could start a new campaign in a later time period of the world. Basically, everything the PC's did became history, myth and legend. It's been nice.
But, the PC's are still alive and I wanted to dig them out a little bit. One of the characters has a thing against dragons. Specifically, Green Dragons, and would dearly love to take one out. Preferrably, the one that is responsible for killing his family. This is the "hook". I posted that anyone who wanted to join in the Dragon Hunt was welcome to do so. Right now, they are upgrading their characters since I didn't do any exp at the end of the last campaign. This is taking place 3 years after the epic battle. Enough time that they have helped rebuild the city, are important, and are probably just a little bored. Most of the players have jumped at this! Right now, I know there will be 6 characters hunting the dragon. They are levels 16-18 and include a Psion/Ghostbreaker, Ranger/Fighter/Devoted Defender, Sorceror/Dragon Disciple, Wizard/Planeshifter, Pure Cleric, and a Satyr Ranger. If any more of my players pipe up, there might be more.
We are mostly using 3.0 rules since this was the parameters of the campaign.
Next, the Target:
They are going after a Green Dragon. In the game world, the forest they are entering is at a tentative peace. It is split between the area that belongs to the dragons, and the area that belongs to the Gnomes & Halflings. Forget about the politics, I only bring it up because of the dragon society that has emerged.
The Green Dragon's are loosely organized under a council. The Green Dragon's council watches out for the good of the Green Dragons. I want the PC's to be trying to take out one of the council members. Somebody important, but not unbeatable.
Q1 - What age a dragon should I use (if played reasonably competently by me) to present a good challenge to the party in combat?
Of course, dragons are not that easy to take out. As well, this is a council member. I am going to make this more difficult on the PC's by have dragon fosterlings. There will be 3 fosterlings that are being reared by the primary dragon. I am thinking 3 Young Adult Green Dragons will be a good prelude to the big fight. Depending on PC tactics, they may encounter the younger dragons at once, one at a time, or if they are really clever, maybe they can avoid them. I doubt they will really avoid them, but I won't railroad them into being unavoidable either.
Q2 - What would be good ages for the younger dragons to provide a decent encounter before reaching the big bad?
Now, I am thinking that dragons would only take on fosterlings if it served their purposes to some degree. In this case, one obvious purpose is that the younger dragons are cannon fodder. They will weaken any intruders and provide warning if the intruders are particularly clever about sneaking into the lair.
I am also thinking that the older dragon might setup one of the younger dragons to be the dominant of the group. This is, of course, to fool skilled adventurers into blowing all their magic prep on the wrong dragon.
Q3 - What kind of tactics would a Green Dragon employ to make the fosterlings as useful as possible in defense of the lair?
With fosterlings, and the rest of the Green dragon council environment, there is a lot of potential for negotiations, if the players are clever. Instead of fighting the fosterlings, can they bribe them? Stuff like that.
Q4 - Any thoughts/ideas on what kind of motivations might be played upon by the PC's? I'm not sure it will come up, but it never hurts to be prepared.
The lair is kind of up in the air. I am looking more for cinematics than anything else. What I am thinking of is a series of caves in a forested hill. The caves will have a river running through them that pours out of the cave mouth, into the forest. Within the caves will be several chambers for the fosterlings. I want the chamber for the big bad to be harder to find and it will probably be very hard to access. I am thinking that the big bad will ambush the PC's before they get to his lair. Perhaps after they have dealt with the younger dragons and are trying to heal up. If the PC's put up a vicious response, the big bad can still retreat to his lair to heal and prepare for the PC's to follow.
I want there to be a lot of water, since the green's can swim and breathe in it quite well. I think I want there to be a lot of algae and moss so those with 0 ranks of balance can feel the pain. I want there to be spray from the water falling in the caves that might provide concealment. I want the battle with the dragons to be damned memorable and something they will talk about for years to come.
Q5 - Any suggestions for making the dragon's lair a memorable, frightening environment?
This battle should be extremely dangerous. I want the PC's to have a chance to succeed, but I do not want it to be easy. These characters are retired, so it won't be a tragedy if they go down in a blaze of glory. I know the great minds here at EN World will help me achieve that.
So, what ideas do all of you have?
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