D&D 5E Out of the Abyss: Traveling in the Darklake

[TheNoremac42]

So I'm currently running a campaign through the Underdark. The players and their small caravan of NPC companions are traveling along the Darklake going from Sloobludop to Cracklstugh after fleeing from a rampaging Demogorgon. While sailing the Darklake is starting to become a little tedious, I have some plans to speed that up. My current question is how sailing should be effecting the Drow Pursuit Level. It's supposed to be harder for the Drow to track the party on the Darklake, but it's not specified how that changes the mechanics. Does it pause? Does it only increase by 1/2?

Another thing... The first time the Drow caught up to the party on their way to Sloobludop, they made short work of their forward scouts before hightailing it to the village. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make them a legitimate threat instead of a Team Rocket level nuisance? I'm thinking mercenaries and professional bounty hunters.

 

[MarkB]

One thing to bear in mind is that actually crossing the darklake is a tricky prospect for anyone not an experienced Underdark navigator. Once you're out there you'll quickly reach a point where any and all reference points are well beyond the range of even the best darkvision, just a tiny bubble of water in an endless expanse of blackness, with little in the way of prevailing wind or currents to indicate direction.

So, unless they want to get lost, most groups will tend to stick within visual range of the shore. And if they're doing that, they'll be more visible, so the Drow pursuit will only be somewhat hampered if at all.

 

[TheNoremac42]

One thing to bear in mind is that actually crossing the darklake is a tricky prospect for anyone not an experienced Underdark navigator. Once you're out there you'll quickly reach a point where any and all reference points are well beyond the range of even the best darkvision, just a tiny bubble of water in an endless expanse of blackness, with little in the way of prevailing wind or currents to indicate direction.

So, unless they want to get lost, most groups will tend to stick within visual range of the shore. And if they're doing that, they'll be more visible, so the Drow pursuit will only be somewhat hampered if at all.

They have at least a couple NPC companions that can act as guides. Hemeth, a duergar they rescued in Sloopbludop and hired to escort them to Gracklstugh, and Shuushar their kuo-toa companion. So navigation is not an issue.

 

[muppetmuppet]

The whole drow tracking the party across the entire underdark thing is a bit weird anyway. I mean why would they bother. I'm not sure it adds a great deal either.

 

[TheNoremac42]

The whole drow tracking the party across the entire underdark thing is a bit weird anyway. I mean why would they bother. I'm not sure it adds a great deal either.

I think it's just another symptom of the abyssal madness infusing the Underdark. From the book, "the drow priestess Ilvara becomes increasinbly obsessed with the adventurers, believing they are involved in some secret conspiracy, or perhaps some test of her worthiness. The longer the pursuit, the more determined she is to retake them and have the opportunity to teach them the error of defying her."

Ilvara clearly isn't being rational, but she is determined to find them regardless. I just want to make her more threatening than a repeated annoyance.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I agree, it's definitely madness at work, but by my reading, not entirely. The drow houses are ever on the lookout for signs of weakness and would gleefully pounce on a house that displayed any. Depending on how the adventures escaped, the debacle of Velkynvelve could look very bad for House Mizzrym if they failed to retaliate.

Anyway, as far as increasing their toughness, I'd probably add a Drow House Captain from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes to the pursuing party, as well as increasing the HP of the rest of them. Heck, maybe even add a Drow Arachnomancer, depending on the level of the party. The drow pursuit, by the time the drow caught up with the PCs, were no match when I ran it.

I think it's just another symptom of the abyssal madness infusing the Underdark. From the book, "the drow priestess Ilvara becomes increasinbly obsessed with the adventurers, believing they are involved in some secret conspiracy, or perhaps some test of her worthiness. The longer the pursuit, the more determined she is to retake them and have the opportunity to teach them the error of defying her."

 

[Larnievc]

I had them running out of water until they found a wreck the could explore after fighting off the water trolls. Then I hand waved the rest of the journey.

I never used the mechanics of pursuit: I just had them pop up when it was dramatic for them to do so.