Let's think about this from a goal oriented perspective.
First off, this is a Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign, with a couple important changes. The PCs are a group deputized by the Council of Speakers to sort of create confidence in the Council despite the unending winter and other hardships. It so happened based on random rolls the first real threat they encountered was the duergar, and so they hyper focused on it. As such and given the character levels, when I decided to turn it into a mini-campaign (again mostly because the group isn't gelling despite all being people I have otherwise played with successfully in other contexts) I decided to at least resolve this story for them. I know I hate an unfinished arc. To do that, I decided there would be a direct access (teleportation circle) between the outpost and the fortress.
The party assaulted the outpost and the son escaped. Then they took a short rest and went to clean out the rest of the duergar and another lieutenant got away. They are convinced -- except the barbarian -- that the bad guys are laying passively in wait so they figure they can take a long rest then assault. But that lieutenant witnessed them getting nearly spent as well as their cleric dying outright before fleeing. There is no reason for a force not to come to retake the outpost of the PCs take the time to long rest.
EDIT: I forgot the goal part because I am trying to cook dinner. The long and short of it: I want a satisfying conclusion to this arc so I can end this campaign on a high note (even if that means an epic fight they lose).
First off, this is a Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign, with a couple important changes. The PCs are a group deputized by the Council of Speakers to sort of create confidence in the Council despite the unending winter and other hardships. It so happened based on random rolls the first real threat they encountered was the duergar, and so they hyper focused on it. As such and given the character levels, when I decided to turn it into a mini-campaign (again mostly because the group isn't gelling despite all being people I have otherwise played with successfully in other contexts) I decided to at least resolve this story for them. I know I hate an unfinished arc. To do that, I decided there would be a direct access (teleportation circle) between the outpost and the fortress.
The party assaulted the outpost and the son escaped. Then they took a short rest and went to clean out the rest of the duergar and another lieutenant got away. They are convinced -- except the barbarian -- that the bad guys are laying passively in wait so they figure they can take a long rest then assault. But that lieutenant witnessed them getting nearly spent as well as their cleric dying outright before fleeing. There is no reason for a force not to come to retake the outpost of the PCs take the time to long rest.
EDIT: I forgot the goal part because I am trying to cook dinner. The long and short of it: I want a satisfying conclusion to this arc so I can end this campaign on a high note (even if that means an epic fight they lose).
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