Chimera
First Post
The session that really botched the entire adventure:
In town before setting out for the hills, a Fighter approaches several party members and says that he was ordered (by his and the party's employers - Republic government agents) to tell them about a misfortune that befell his party.
They had been scouting Kobolds north of the road when they were attacked by a man and a number of Orcs* (*Orcs aren't local. Only ones in region are 600 miles south. This is spelled out three times in the starting materials and the agents asked the party to find out why the Orcs are here. Keep this in mind.) While the Orcs held the party at bay, the man, named Janx, kept waving a Wand of Sleep at the party until they all went down. They were stripped naked, tied up and left outside a Kobold burrow. The party Rogue got loose, untied the rest and they escaped, making their way back to town completely naked.
So the party gets into the hills and is followed by a man and a bunch of Orcs. They turn to attack and the combat goes very badly for Janx and the Orcs. Janx is captured, the Orcs are all killed. Janx offers to lead them to his cache of riches if they will swear to release him. The party refuses. They decide to take him back to town for justice.
That night, they do not increase their watch (I asked). They decide that the one person on watch can also watch the prisoner. They say nothing about taking extra precautions. So Janx gets loose and takes off at a dead run. A while later, they track him down and catch him again.
Players angry. Insist that they did this, that and the other thing to ensure that he wouldn't get away. Did you tell me that? No, we just ASSUMED. Sorry, I don't make those kind of assumptions. Next time spell them out or they don't happen.
While trying to escape, Janx ran directly toward a very tall hill with three large bonfires on it. Nine days later, the party returns to the area and reaches this hill.
I map out the layout on the battlemat. The bend in the path that cuts along the side of this hill. A large swath of dead (brown) pine trees along the side of the large hill. It's mostly flat top, devoid of trees. They can see someone at the top, but are too far away for details.
The party continues along the path to the hill. There, they find a Half-Orc (Remember the Orc bit?) coming down from the top of the hill. They can see that the hill was once covered with trees, but they've mostly been cut down. Time to question the Half-Orc.
His name is Muuk. Probably an error, because they immediately said "He's just a mook, he doesn't know anything." Of course, this is the same group that decided that nothing could be learned from talking, so maybe they're just stupid. Half-Orc has never seen a Halfling before, thinks it is a child. Says that he works for a Wizard named Artemis, who has been burning Kobold corpses on top of the hill.
Players immediately jump on the idea that they need to speak to Artemis to find out why he is doing this. They use a Dork Tower card to aid their Bluff that the Halfling is Artemis' nephew and they need to get to his place. Get directions from Muuk.
Halfling Wizard casts Detect Magic and finds that the BattleAxe Muuk is holding is of Moderate strength. (+1 with several special abilities, specially keyed to Muuk.) I thought that this might jog them to more questions or investigation, but no.
"Are you going to the top of the hill?"
No, there's nothing important up there.
(Surprised look. I asked again a while later.)
"Are you going to investigate the dead trees?"
No.
"Are you going to ask Muuk anything else?"
No.
(Several other questions, asking if they're sure that they're not doing anything more here)
NO. No. No.
So off they went to find Artemis. Artemis kept them waiting overnight, then came out and played to their false beliefs, providing nothing of use. After the fact, the Halfling player castigated me for not having more to that encounter. Two others expressed amazement that Artemis didn't just come out blasting.
For what? They didn't know anything!
IF they would have checked things out at the Hill, they would have discovered;
* The trees were deliberately poisoned over a year previously so as to provide a large amount of dry firewood.
* Muuk was in the process of covering up the stuff on the hill, some of it was still exposed.
* There were three outer pits, with bones and ashes. A blood trail led from each to three stones around the central pit, in which was a large black stone.
* The black stone in the center was basically 1/6th of a stone wheel - think Stargate or a FR Portal. Black Basalt, covered in runes, astronomical and magical sigils.
* Strong Evil on the whole hilltop (if used Detect Evil). Very strong Conjuration and Transmutation magic on the central pit, Very strong Conjuration magic on the stone. Weak Transmutation magic on the outer pits.
Muuk, being a coward, would have told them a lot, though he still would have lied. He would have said that Artemis is building The Wheel, a powerful magic doohickey, with the blood sacrifice of Kobolds. (Actually, Humans too, but Muuk would not have told them that. However, using magic or other means, they could have learned that.) Muuk would have told them about Tengo, a powerful Wizard who made his Axe, and whom Artemis works for.
They would have learned a lot of other things too. I initially worried that I was giving away too much information up front.
I didn't figure on players who completely failed to grasp the idea that If the GM asks you if you are checking something out, the answer is NOT "NO".
I told them after the fact that there were multiple trails with clues scattered all around. All along, I asked them if they were taking any of those trails. Their constant answer was "no". In the very last session, I went so far as to openly suggest that they go overland to another trail when the one they were on was blocked.
Halfling player says "No, I think we need to stick to the paths we know".
There comes a point where Anger is justified, where repeated failure to listen or act intelligently just becomes overwhelming. I sincerely regret that I didn't walk away before that point came, but I was trying to be generous and give them the benefit of the doubt.
In town before setting out for the hills, a Fighter approaches several party members and says that he was ordered (by his and the party's employers - Republic government agents) to tell them about a misfortune that befell his party.
They had been scouting Kobolds north of the road when they were attacked by a man and a number of Orcs* (*Orcs aren't local. Only ones in region are 600 miles south. This is spelled out three times in the starting materials and the agents asked the party to find out why the Orcs are here. Keep this in mind.) While the Orcs held the party at bay, the man, named Janx, kept waving a Wand of Sleep at the party until they all went down. They were stripped naked, tied up and left outside a Kobold burrow. The party Rogue got loose, untied the rest and they escaped, making their way back to town completely naked.
So the party gets into the hills and is followed by a man and a bunch of Orcs. They turn to attack and the combat goes very badly for Janx and the Orcs. Janx is captured, the Orcs are all killed. Janx offers to lead them to his cache of riches if they will swear to release him. The party refuses. They decide to take him back to town for justice.
That night, they do not increase their watch (I asked). They decide that the one person on watch can also watch the prisoner. They say nothing about taking extra precautions. So Janx gets loose and takes off at a dead run. A while later, they track him down and catch him again.
Players angry. Insist that they did this, that and the other thing to ensure that he wouldn't get away. Did you tell me that? No, we just ASSUMED. Sorry, I don't make those kind of assumptions. Next time spell them out or they don't happen.
While trying to escape, Janx ran directly toward a very tall hill with three large bonfires on it. Nine days later, the party returns to the area and reaches this hill.
I map out the layout on the battlemat. The bend in the path that cuts along the side of this hill. A large swath of dead (brown) pine trees along the side of the large hill. It's mostly flat top, devoid of trees. They can see someone at the top, but are too far away for details.
The party continues along the path to the hill. There, they find a Half-Orc (Remember the Orc bit?) coming down from the top of the hill. They can see that the hill was once covered with trees, but they've mostly been cut down. Time to question the Half-Orc.
His name is Muuk. Probably an error, because they immediately said "He's just a mook, he doesn't know anything." Of course, this is the same group that decided that nothing could be learned from talking, so maybe they're just stupid. Half-Orc has never seen a Halfling before, thinks it is a child. Says that he works for a Wizard named Artemis, who has been burning Kobold corpses on top of the hill.
Players immediately jump on the idea that they need to speak to Artemis to find out why he is doing this. They use a Dork Tower card to aid their Bluff that the Halfling is Artemis' nephew and they need to get to his place. Get directions from Muuk.
Halfling Wizard casts Detect Magic and finds that the BattleAxe Muuk is holding is of Moderate strength. (+1 with several special abilities, specially keyed to Muuk.) I thought that this might jog them to more questions or investigation, but no.
"Are you going to the top of the hill?"
No, there's nothing important up there.
(Surprised look. I asked again a while later.)
"Are you going to investigate the dead trees?"
No.
"Are you going to ask Muuk anything else?"
No.
(Several other questions, asking if they're sure that they're not doing anything more here)
NO. No. No.
So off they went to find Artemis. Artemis kept them waiting overnight, then came out and played to their false beliefs, providing nothing of use. After the fact, the Halfling player castigated me for not having more to that encounter. Two others expressed amazement that Artemis didn't just come out blasting.
For what? They didn't know anything!
IF they would have checked things out at the Hill, they would have discovered;
* The trees were deliberately poisoned over a year previously so as to provide a large amount of dry firewood.
* Muuk was in the process of covering up the stuff on the hill, some of it was still exposed.
* There were three outer pits, with bones and ashes. A blood trail led from each to three stones around the central pit, in which was a large black stone.
* The black stone in the center was basically 1/6th of a stone wheel - think Stargate or a FR Portal. Black Basalt, covered in runes, astronomical and magical sigils.
* Strong Evil on the whole hilltop (if used Detect Evil). Very strong Conjuration and Transmutation magic on the central pit, Very strong Conjuration magic on the stone. Weak Transmutation magic on the outer pits.
Muuk, being a coward, would have told them a lot, though he still would have lied. He would have said that Artemis is building The Wheel, a powerful magic doohickey, with the blood sacrifice of Kobolds. (Actually, Humans too, but Muuk would not have told them that. However, using magic or other means, they could have learned that.) Muuk would have told them about Tengo, a powerful Wizard who made his Axe, and whom Artemis works for.
They would have learned a lot of other things too. I initially worried that I was giving away too much information up front.
I didn't figure on players who completely failed to grasp the idea that If the GM asks you if you are checking something out, the answer is NOT "NO".
I told them after the fact that there were multiple trails with clues scattered all around. All along, I asked them if they were taking any of those trails. Their constant answer was "no". In the very last session, I went so far as to openly suggest that they go overland to another trail when the one they were on was blocked.
Halfling player says "No, I think we need to stick to the paths we know".
There comes a point where Anger is justified, where repeated failure to listen or act intelligently just becomes overwhelming. I sincerely regret that I didn't walk away before that point came, but I was trying to be generous and give them the benefit of the doubt.
