D&D 5E So How Do You Trash A Town?

[Zardnaar]

My PCs have just hit 5th level and I want to set up a scene for a Dragon army attack on the town of Threshold. The idea is that a Dragonborn/Hobgoblin army is going to make an example out of Threshold in order to convince other towns and cites in the area to surrender without a fight. The goal of the PCs is simple survival. I figure an adult blue and red dragon with younger Dragons+ ground forces should be enough to make an impression. PC survival not guaranteed and if they want to make a stand vs CR 16 and 17 critters death is a option. The idea is the PCs fight a rear guard or even just help townsfolk flee the area/survive.

Partly inspired by Dragonlance I suppose. Anyway I want to have hints of what is coming, I am thinking of an encounter with a group of Dragonborn as the PCs have already encountered one and there are rumours of lizard men going around. The PCs are looking forward to the Dwarven caravan arriving in town so I may have some agents of the Cult of the Dragon interfere there and add rumours of sightings of Dragons. The PCs also have access to a town house that could be breathed on with them in it which means they would have to escape a burning building.

So pacing, drama and plotline advice would be useful for a lead up to a Draconic assault on the PCs more or less hometown.

 

[dd.stevenson]

Why is the town choosing to stand and fight? What makes the town council believe they can withstand the might of an army with two dragons at its back?

(I assume the army isn't going to "make an example" out of a town that surrendered, as that would send the wrong message.)

 

[Zardnaar]

Why is the town choosing to stand and fight? What makes the town council believe they can withstand the might of an army with two dragons at its back?

(I assume the army isn't going to "make an example" out of a town that surrendered, as that would send the wrong message.)

They are not going to chose to stand and fight, they are going to be attacked and massacred to send a message.

 

[Sadras]

I'm assuming you're referring to Threshold of Karameikos (Mystara Setting), below are some hints/clues leading up to the draconic assault...(unless you want it completely unexpected):

• Have a few foresters/trappers from the Furriers Guild mention of recent sightings of Dragonborn/Hobgoblins in the wooded/forested areas, perhaps there was a violent exchange between the two groups (arrow fire, before the trappers made a run for it...start a rumour mill.
• A fortune-teller reveals to a PC that "winged death" is approaching...something along those lines.
• The ducal cartographers have not returned from the wilds for a scheduled meeting with the Baron re their progress of mapping out the Black Peak Mountains.
• The weir by the dam is damaged by the sliced body of a hermit who was living in the north, did some trade when needed with the fishermen of the dam or Loggertown locals.
• A sage/farmer who follows the yearly migratory patterns of the birds in the area, reports of bird flocks never arriving, although there has been no change in the weather
• Loggertown residents report the sighting of a multitude of fires burning in the evening on the other side of the dam.
• A wizard, arrives into town searching for the Threshold-based adventurers he commissioned a month ago to obtain a material component from the Black Peak Mountains.
• A young Traladaran girl experiences a series of nightmares, the clergy are at a loss to explain why. In her nightmares she sees beasts, that based on their description, resemble bipedal dragons (dragonborn)

Things to note -
1. Loggertown would generally be the first to be hit...allowing for panic to hit the streets of Threshold once they had word of it. Makes for dramatic play - if the dragons/humanoids attack while the populace is fleeing. Pure chaos!

2. Tarnskeep is where the ducal coins are being minted - this information might be revealed upon evacuation of the town - Could this cause clashes between the baron's soldiers and the local populace? Perhaps the Baron might use the treasury to slow down the enemy?

Hope some of this helps...

 

[steeldragons]

I find, especially as PCs gain levels and begin to hit "the sweet spot", all eyes turn to "What can I do next? What's my next power/spell/feat/superduper thing that villains won't know what hit them?" The eyes turn, as they should be to an extent, "foreward", if you will. Everyone forgets to look "back." The low level magic. The simple tactic. The basic stuff you can already do, but forget/ignore because you're only interested in the "new shiny" spell/power/feat/etc... Not a judgement or comment on playstyle or anything, just an observation.

With that in mind...

One (or a few) low-level clerics/cultists of the dragon can trash a town without an army lifting a finger.

Couple of "Putrify Water" spells or well-placed "Destroy Water"s if you want a higher level villain and the town is pretty much toast. A few well-placed "Cause Disease" (after they are without fresh potable water) to get the ball rolling (Who's sick for evil spells and who's sick by tainted water?) and the town will be on its knees before the army ever shows up.

[Naturally this presumes the army has its own water supplies and/or the clerics that can produce enjoy "Create Water" spells to keep the army hydrated.]

If you're looking for an "example by massacre" then have the town suffer long enough for word to get out about their poor disease-riddled quickly dehydrating population and the messengers go out asking neighboring settlements for aid and/or priests to come bless their water supplies...and then the army show up and slaughters the known-unable-to-put-up-a-fight. Also gives a chance/some time for a stream of refugees (mostly children?) to begin/get out of town and provide the "help the refugees" scenario.

Oh, and "Partly inspired by Dragonlance [you] suppose???" hahaha. Have fun with it.

 

[jrowland]

Depending on how dark you want to go...I'll keep this PG, but I would describe it R-rated at a table of adults

Phase 1) I would have the Dragonborn/Hobgoblin army encircle the town...the idea is to cause fear/terror. Do as suggested by [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION] to further terrorize, along with fly-by's by powerful dragons (dragon fear) and perhaps a single building reduced to rubble daily. Play would be things like figuring out who/how water is being removed from wells, poisoned, etc. How to stop the disease from spreading, saving people from burning buildings, and perhaps scouting missions of armies forces (why seige? are they weaker than we expect? No...good god no). Perhaps even escort/guard duty for a parley (honored, but even capitulation denied)

Phase 2) Army attacks. Mass destruction. People are captured/enslaved. PCs are captured eventually as well. I'd play it as a long night, no long rests, perhaps only a single short rest if they manage to hole up in a forgotten basement or something. Basically a TPK where they wake up "in jail", naked but for a loin cloth. Casters are gagged and hogged tied and kept in isolation.

Phase 3) Either Prison break (can be fun. The A-series [scourge of the slave lords] modules features it a couple of times if you want inspiration) or basically every 3 days 10 "peasants" are rounded up and set free (no weapons or armor) to brave the wilds as they head for safety and the message of doom given by the evil army. PCs would have to improvise weapons, then perhaps steal/barter weapons and armor from woodsfolk (or monsters) etc as they protect and help feed the peasants with them.

 

[ExploderWizard]

An army large enough to mudstomp Threshold will have had to gather and camp somewhere. Then there is the matter of their approach to the town. They will displace outlying settlers long before arriving at the town's doorstep. These fleeing settlers will have tales of terror to tell, and someone will be needed to scout the approaching force and determine if it is as large and unstoppable as the fleeing settlers claim it is.

The PCs are perfect candidates for this. The challenge for the players will be assessing the threat, returning, and convincing the rulership that the entire town needs to evac to Specularum, then assisting with that.

There is a lot of opportunity for interaction trying to convince those with their fortunes invested in the town to just run, and plenty of opportunity for heroic action fighting against the first scouts & skirmishers of the invasion force as the townsfolk try and flee.

It is a great opportunity to show the players the high cost of overconfidence should they try and convince the town to stand and fight.

 

[Zardnaar]

I'm assuming you're referring to Threshold of Karameikos (Mystara Setting), below are some hints/clues leading up to the draconic assault...(unless you want it completely unexpected):

• Have a few foresters/trappers from the Furriers Guild mention of recent sightings of Dragonborn/Hobgoblins in the wooded/forested areas, perhaps there was a violent exchange between the two groups (arrow fire, before the trappers made a run for it...start a rumour mill.
• A fortune-teller reveals to a PC that "winged death" is approaching...something along those lines.
• The ducal cartographers have not returned from the wilds for a scheduled meeting with the Baron re their progress of mapping out the Black Peak Mountains.
• The weir by the dam is damaged by the sliced body of a hermit who was living in the north, did some trade when needed with the fishermen of the dam or Loggertown locals.
• A sage/farmer who follows the yearly migratory patterns of the birds in the area, reports of bird flocks never arriving, although there has been no change in the weather
• Loggertown residents report the sighting of a multitude of fires burning in the evening on the other side of the dam.
• A wizard, arrives into town searching for the Threshold-based adventurers he commissioned a month ago to obtain a material component from the Black Peak Mountains.
• A young Traladaran girl experiences a series of nightmares, the clergy are at a loss to explain why. In her nightmares she sees beasts, that based on their description, resemble bipedal dragons (dragonborn)

Things to note -
1. Loggertown would generally be the first to be hit...allowing for panic to hit the streets of Threshold once they had word of it. Makes for dramatic play - if the dragons/humanoids attack while the populace is fleeing. Pure chaos!

2. Tarnskeep is where the ducal coins are being minted - this information might be revealed upon evacuation of the town - Could this cause clashes between the baron's soldiers and the local populace? Perhaps the Baron might use the treasury to slow down the enemy?

Hope some of this helps...

I have shifted the town to another world but yes it is the same town. Some great ideas here and this is exactly what I am looking for. I'll drop some NPC hints as the Dwarven Caravan arrives.

 

[Zardnaar]

Depending on how dark you want to go...I'll keep this PG, but I would describe it R-rated at a table of adults

Phase 1) I would have the Dragonborn/Hobgoblin army encircle the town...the idea is to cause fear/terror. Do as suggested by @steeldragons to further terrorize, along with fly-by's by powerful dragons (dragon fear) and perhaps a single building reduced to rubble daily. Play would be things like figuring out who/how water is being removed from wells, poisoned, etc. How to stop the disease from spreading, saving people from burning buildings, and perhaps scouting missions of armies forces (why seige? are they weaker than we expect? No...good god no). Perhaps even escort/guard duty for a parley (honored, but even capitulation denied)

Phase 2) Army attacks. Mass destruction. People are captured/enslaved. PCs are captured eventually as well. I'd play it as a long night, no long rests, perhaps only a single short rest if they manage to hole up in a forgotten basement or something. Basically a TPK where they wake up "in jail", naked but for a loin cloth. Casters are gagged and hogged tied and kept in isolation.

Phase 3) Either Prison break (can be fun. The A-series [scourge of the slave lords] modules features it a couple of times if you want inspiration) or basically every 3 days 10 "peasants" are rounded up and set free (no weapons or armor) to brave the wilds as they head for safety and the message of doom given by the evil army. PCs would have to improvise weapons, then perhaps steal/barter weapons and armor from woodsfolk (or monsters) etc as they protect and help feed the peasants with them.

I can go very R rated if I feel the need I leave rape out of it anything else is more or less fine. I like some of these ideas and even if I screw up and "TPK" the party they can then be captured, used and abused before being set free to spread the word.