D&D 5E (2024) The Black Road - Help me flesh out an Adventure idea.

[Lidgar]

maybe have a Zhent agent part of the caravan that is transporting a highly dangerous item to a contact in Phlan. The owner of that item - say it’s an Iron Flask - attacks the caravan at some point to try and retrieve it. Perhaps it’s one of the many cults in the Realms. It’s a way to introduce an ongoing antagonist that harasses the caravan along the way.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

maybe have a Zhent agent part of the caravan that is transporting a highly dangerous item to a contact in Phlan. The owner of that item - say it’s an Iron Flask - attacks the caravan at some point to try and retrieve it. Perhaps it’s one of the many cults in the Realms. It’s a way to introduce an ongoing antagonist that harasses the caravan along the way.

Great idea and it gives me a good opportunity to mention - I am happy to listen to very specific recommendations. By which I mean, everyone should go ahead and make specific suggestions, and I will change details for my own game to fit. You don't have to take pains to term things in general "this or that or whatever" terms. That part will take care of itself. I hope that makes sense!

 

[Plaguescarred]

The Aurora's Emporium could have a recent division for cheaper ground transport.

If their heavy use of Teleportation pose a problem to your adventure idea, perhaps a different one could be used among Forgotten Realms Mercantile Company or Trading Costers such as Lionshield or Iron Throne for example, that rely more on caravans.

 

[Plaguescarred]

I like your road journey. Many stops in various size settlement would offer many chances to alter the caravan, with goods loading or drop off, staff rollout, caravan maintenance, animal aid or replacement, all sorts of amusement during downtime. Within the staff, could be gambling, conflict, competition, smuggling, side deals, betrayal, scheming of all kind. The caravan goes in different terrain also offering distinct flaura, fauna and their inhabitants to encounter.

 

[Epic Meepo]

Why NOT teleport?
When I decided to use Aurora the Younger as my Patron, I did a little reading on her. The FR Wiki says "Aurora's Emporium is a business that delivers exotic and luxury items sourced from all over world to its shops located in many cities via extensive use of teleportation magic."

That last is a problem for me, both because it would ruin my premise, but also because I wonder, with all of my extant complaints about the oddities of the D&D economy, how to imagine how that even works. D&D both treats teleportation as "free" (like in this case) but then also has Teleport as a 7th level spell, which is "worth" 20,000gp as a Service. So which is it? Cheap, or expensive?

Not to mention that the spell can, as written, only transport up to a single object of Large Size per casting.

At any rate, I'd rather have her make a grand showing of using this (her test model) in a big send-off, Victorian novel-style, wearing stylish clothes and giving a big speech, first:

View attachment 426322

The wiki only says Aurora is using teleportation magic to distribute "exotic and luxury items" to "shops located in many cities." That leaves a lot of leeway when it comes to which combinations of goods and destinations get prioritized for teleportation magic. I don't see anything precluding ground transportation for certain items along certain routes.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

The Aurora's Emporium could have a recent division for cheaper ground transport.

If their heavy use of Teleportation pose a problem to your adventure idea, perhaps a different one could be use among in Forgotten Realms Mercantile Company or Trading Costers such as Lionshield or Iron Throne for example, that rely more on caravans.

True! But I also had a fun idea that Teleportation has become unpopular due to "Planar Incursions" and that Aurora is doing her "Ornithopter & Caravan" as a PR-show to show that she is an "ethically responsible business". The idea being that the general public believes (due to the story in a popular Bard's Tale) that TP can cause "Planar Holes" through which extra-planar creatures can break into the Material Plane.

Elmister released a statement, saying, "Rubbish. If nefarious entities, be they from the so-called 'saintly' upper or malevolent lower planes, wish to penetrate the planar boundary, they will find the means through methods variously brutish and devious, with historical devices and furtive consortia to aid in their passage. But not, I attest, through the location of a recent egress/ingress, the act itself only connecting two points upon the same planar firmament. And at any rate it would in no way leave a scissure, nor nary the merest divot, in the boundary between their place of origin and our own. Rest assured, while I cannot guarantee your safety from extraplanar incursions, I can testify that it is through no fault of any single Wizard's telesmatic jaunt."

... which did nothing to reassure the common folk, who had no idea what he was talking about.

 

[Plaguescarred]

The shipment could have a variety of unique Realmstuff like;

• Mirabar's black iron tradebars
• Calishite Kaeth beans
• Zakharan's silk
• Maztican's quace-infused tabacco
• Barium power
• Telstang metal shards
• Large tantulhor statue of demonic figure
• Chained up Thayan coffin
• Chultian Bytter nut
• Sembian furniture, among which a Mimic is smuggled
• Duskwood planks
• Orblen gemstone
• Rothé fur
• Residuum power
• Cantobele preserved carcass

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Fwiw, I might consider creating quick "what's available for trade in this town" table for the various towns along the way. And it might be 1d6 rolls on a d20 chart. You can have super cool rare stuff be at 19 and 20, each, whereas the normal stuff (like wheat) be on 1-5, 6-9, 10-14, etc.

In addition, seasonality may impact what's available for trade; as well as what the location is willing to pay. Wool and fur may fetch a higher price in winter than in summer.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Oh - one more thing - is there going to be an over-arching storyline? And also, relatedly, how will you handle the "rising power" of the PCs? What was challenging for 1st level guards won't be at all challenging at 5th level, much less 10th level.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Fwiw, I might consider creating quick "what's available for trade in this town" table for the various towns along the way. And it might be 1d6 rolls on a d20 chart. You can have super cool rare stuff be at 19 and 20, each, whereas the normal stuff (like wheat) be on 1-5, 6-9, 10-14, etc.

In addition, seasonality may impact what's available for trade; as well as what the location is willing to pay. Wool and fur may fetch a higher price in winter than in summer.

I've been thinking of doing that rolling myself (mixed with making stuff up) and coming to the table with things available for the PCs to buy in each town. The idea is to make each location as unique as possible.