D&D 5E Party derails massive battle with single healing spell [gates of firestorm peak]

[Ancalagon]

Hello

So the party is deep in the Duergar complex under the Firestorm Peak (Spoiler alert!). Specifically, they are in the Bazaar, which is full of underground foreigners (i.e. they are somewhat blending in). More importantly, they have avoided a silent alarm trap that would have triggered a massive fight...

... by using a Duergar elevator and very noisily breaking it. While they are trying to gather information, a duergar goes to complain to the King about the damage. The King, who is paranoid about intruders, comes out on the balcony overlooking the Bazaar, spots the party and launches the attack, walking down the wall (spider walk), bellowing for the guards and waiving his axe around.

The way the battle was started matters a lot because it means that the party doesn't have to fight off a few squads of guards who respond to the alarm first before the king even reaches the fight. The "sequence" of the fight has been changed. Instead, the King is right there, leading the charge. This isn't very smart of the king, but that's because the King is not ok in the head. See, an evil wizard has infested him with brain slugs but stopped the process partway, meaning half of his brain is normal brain, and the other half a mass of brain slugs. This, along with other things, makes the King a puppet of the evil Wizard. It also makes him very aggressive and look... unwell, with half his head swollen, strange lumps under his skin, matted hair and a feverish look.

The few Duergar guards who are present mount their steeder spiders and attack with moderate success. While the monk and other party members guard that flank, the party paladin rushes to intercept the king. But does he engage the King in a battle? Does he draw his sword? NOPE.

The paladin player says "I lay on hand on the king!". Now lay on hand isn't quite a "proper" touch attack spell, so I say fine but he will get an attack of opportunity while you struggle to really get your hand on him. The player is fine with that.

The player misses and the king clobbers the paladin for 19 points of damage. The paladin attempts again and manages to use lay on hand on the king.

So.... what happens? I'm stumped. The game specifically says that once the brainslugs have eaten your brain, you are gone and nothing can rescue you but a wish spell (PCs can get infected too!). BUT the story specifically says that the evil wizard has interrupted the process! So... hmmm... a quick google search doesn't provide any advice. Are my players the first to do this? Or is the module too old? It's a bit late, and I can see that the players are *delighted* by this turn of event. So I rule that the effect does work, and that the slugs are gone.

Of course, the King has half his brain now goo, and promptly enters into a massive seizure. Thankfully for the party, the wizard-dominated, slug-brained King was a terror and a tyrant, and the other Duergars stop fighting. It doesn't hurt that the paladin seems to be trying to help the now unconscious and frothing king (ie isn't acting hostile).

There was going to be spider-riders, crossbowmen on the balcony, clerics, panicked merchants, inconvenient onlookers, the works! But the entire fight was derailed with one clever use of lay on hands.

Ah well, that's why you give the PCs hard fights - to see what they come up with.

 

[Unwise]

That is great, it is a much more interesting turn of events than even a set-piece battle was likely to be.

 

[Motorskills]

Credit to you for rolling with it. Much better.

 

[Ancalagon]

Oh they were all thrilled. One of my players has very recently given birth and was playing remotely via video call; she commented how happy she hadn't missed that session.

(now that's dedication!).

Admittedly, perhaps the monk, who was busy unleashing a can of whoop-ass on the duergars, was slightly disappointed...

 

[FrogReaver]

Personally I wouldn't have let lay on hands cure that. However, it sounds like it was better that you did. So good call. Glad your players enjoyed it.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I love it when a plan goes haywire!

 

[Ancalagon]

Personally I wouldn't have let lay on hands cure that. However, it sounds like it was better that you did. So good call. Glad your players enjoyed it.

I really hesitated - not only from the "hmm, what *would* happen?" but also the "what would be most fun?" angle.

One way or the other the King was doomed though - not only he was vulnerable to being focused fired upon by the party due to being so aggressive, but the above-mentioned Duergar clerics... well the high priest was planing to betray him (being a puppet of an evil wizard and all that...)

 

[robus]

But given the seizure that happened to the king the other Duergar didn’t assume the Paladin had attacked the King? And redouble their efforts against the party to rescue the king?

 

[pming]

Hiya!



This is good "old skool" DM'ing, m'boy! There's an old Gygaxian saying that goes something like: "Roll the dice and let the chips fall where they may". That sentiment has guided my hand at DM'ing since the 1e DMG came out. Your decision to 'go with the flow' was the best choice, IMNSHO. I approve.

Being able to cure disease by Laying on Hands is one of the coolest and most defining aspects of being a Paladin. Nobody else can do that without using a spell/item. By letting it work (IMHO it should), you didn't force "your" story. You let the players guide the story. You also let them have a great "out of the box" win! It's one thing to win a battle by rolling good and having good tactics...it's quite another feeling to win a battle without even drawing your sword! The Players now know that you will not 'punish' them for creative thinking. They also probably feel pretty damn giddy with pride!

Ok. Now that the praise is over... you really are on the correct track. You stopped and thought "What would happen?", then decided, and now all you have to do is keep extrapolating. The grey dwarves didn't like the King...so they paused the attack. What do you think the 'next in line' would do? Think about what his motivation would be for Aggressive, Neutral, and Helpful stance to the PC's. The dwarves do have an evil society, so make sure to keep that perspective; showing weakness/kindness. Maybe the 2nd in command/line orders his men to hold. He then approaches the PC's and...? Tries to make a deal? Tries to get them to leave the King alone and leave immediately? Warns them that they will be attacked any second because the penalty for laying hands on the King (hehe...no pun intended...) and he's giving them a chance to surrender? (iirc, Duergar are LE?).

In short...run with the direction the PC's seem to be leading the story. Then toss a monkey wrench into it somewhere near the end of the next session! Your players just got a taste of some serious "unexpected story turn" Roleplaying. You all should enjoy it! And reinforce it by adding another 'twist' that is related to their actions with the whole 'saving the king' thing. Showing actual "consequences" for actions is essential for a good, long-lasting campaign. It also shows your Players that you are NOT going to "force" your/the adventures Story Line regardless of their actions. This WILL have a POWERFUL effect on your Players future play. Don't underestimate the gold mine you just struck!

Keep up the good work!

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Wiseblood]

So.... what happens? I'm stumped. The game specifically says that once the brainslugs have eaten your brain, you are gone and nothing can rescue you but a wish spell (PCs can get infected too!). BUT the story specifically says that the evil wizard has interrupted the process! So... hmmm... a quick google search doesn't provide any advice. Are my players the first to do this? Or is the module too old? It's a bit late, and I can see that the players are *delighted* by this turn of event. So I rule that the effect does work, and that the slugs are gone.

Of course, the King has half his brain now goo, and promptly enters into a massive seizure. Thankfully for the party, the wizard-dominated, slug-brained King was a terror and a tyrant, and the other Duergars stop fighting. It doesn't hurt that the paladin seems to be trying to help the now unconscious and frothing king (ie isn't acting hostile).

There was going to be spider-riders, crossbowmen on the balcony, clerics, panicked merchants, inconvenient onlookers, the works! But the entire fight was derailed with one clever use of lay on hands.

Ah well, that's why you give the PCs hard fights - to see what they come up with.

Nice. Let the king recover give him a brand new personality quirks and all......my advice random selection sanity optional.