D&D 5E OotA - Arriving at Velkynvelve (Spoilers)

[Clumsybob]

Hi all, possible spoilers ahead so don't read if playing Out of the Abyss.

So my question is how did you get your players to Velkynvelve?

I know the adventure suggests just starting there however I don't want to rail road my PC's. I aim to start them on a short adventure and them being 2nd level when they wake up. I have no issues overpowering them and putting them to sleep etc but I can't get my head around the logistics of transporting several unconscious PC's for several days. Likewise I don't want them to travel through the Underdark prior to their arrival.

I did have the idea of the semi conscious PC's after being captured by a surface drow raiding party being put through a portal to Velkynvelve and dropped into the webs before being collected by spiders and placed in the cell.

Has anyone else addressed the same issue? I would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

I've got to say, in my personal experience: Players tend not to mind starting an adventure which presumes that they've already been captured. (And for the record, that's not railroading). They mind very much more having to go through a adventure, fight, or scene where they get captured...regardless of player agency or choice. There's no particular reason why one should carry unconscious PCs. You could just as easily explain that the drow marched the PCs through an endless and confusing series of tunnels, blindfolded or under cover of magical darkness if you feel the need for excessive justification as to why the PCs end up lost after escaping.

 

[CapnZapp]

You should really reconsider... And starting the adventure in Velkynvelve.

Anything else, and you need to ask yourself "am I prepared to allow the PCs to escape, and never reach the outpost?"

If the PCs do not have a real shot at escaping during transport, then you shouldn't play it out. And if there is, you can be sure they will escape, and then you have basically replaced Velkynvelve for an escape scenario you will have to provide all the details yourself.

And what's even more difficult to pull off is the actual capture. Basically, don't have fights with scripted outcomes. And that's what it is. If you intend to use OotA as written, in any case.

Being ambushed by utterly overwhelming force is never fun. And if the Drow aren't utterly overwhelming, you can bet the players will do anything and everything to escape, if not outright win the fight. There's a real risk at least one PC will escape.

And if the "award" for this into miss the adventure, then... well. Point is: narrate the capture, don't play it out round by round. And if you do, why not simply skip it altogether and instead start by telling the players they're slaves deep underground. If anything, ask your players to come up with the particulars as to how each individual got here themselves!

Like has been said, for there to be a railroad the players must conceive of several alternatives. And since it's the start of the adventure, there aren't any.

So you really needn't worry about your players feeling railroaded. Just start playing in Velkynvelve right after chargen as recommended

 

[wedgeski]

I simply said to my players: "This is a campaign that starts you with no gear in a prison cell, are you okay with that?"

They were all fine with it. All I did then was ask them to come up with the circumstances that led them to that prison cell, and those backgrounds will hopefully provide me with a little more meat to connect the PC's more with the adventure.

As the Capn said, that seemed preferable to a prelude adventure that must end with them as prisoners of the drow.

Edit: welcome to the board!!

 

[Iosue]

I had them roll to determine how many days they'd been captured before the game started, then when the day of them being captured came, I had them describe how they'd been captured. This let them have some creative choice in how they entered the game, and provided opportunities to flesh out their characters.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Like others, I just started with them as prisoners, and let them figure out how each of them got there.

While the idea of having a combat lead to the capture is appealing, the problem is that the end result pretty much has to be a forgone conclusion, by nature of the module. Maybe you could have the drow take an NPC prisoner – someone important to the PCs, that they will go to rescue. But then you’re stuck with them travelling through the Underdark after them, which you said you don’t want to do.

 

[Valdier]

I gave each of my players a quick story based on their histories, and backgrounds. Each was captured by the drow in some way, imprisoned and had been being transported by magic via different drow slavers. They all eventually made their way to Velk where they became prisoners.

 

[CAFRedblade]

I gave them some background on the fact they were working as caravan guards up on the surface. One night when it wasn't any of their turns for nightwatch the Drow attacked, using their sleep poison they are famous for, and killing/driving off the rest of the caravan.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

I actually introduced my players one a day over a period of 6 days. It gave rise to some strange trials of dominance in the cells between Ront and some of the characters and avoided the 'everyone is imprisoned at the same time' . I had players roll off for the order they were inserted.

 

[Endur]

The basic plot hook for OOTA has issues.

The module assumes that the PCs are from the surface world, were captured by the drow, and won't be able to make it back to the surface world after getting free without going on an Odyssey around the Underdark.

Problems with that scenario?

1) Captured by DM fiat or by role playing it, both have their issues;

2) If they were captured on the surface world, how did the drow bring them to the underdark and why can't the PCs use that route to go back home? A one-way portal could solve that issue, sort of.

3) Why were these particular surface worlders captured? Most of the other prisoners are from the underdark?

4) If they were captured in the underdark, why would they be trying to find their way back to the surface?

I like the module, but the beginning plot hook is weak.