KoD: need help leading players on the right track (DM only) - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

KoD: need help leading players on the right track (DM only)

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Jul 15, 2004 5:25:44 SPOILERS INSIDE - do not read if you play KoD as a player

This thread is quite long, so bear with me, if you dont mind.

Me and my players are a very experienced group of RPGers, playing for almost 12 years in this or a similar "configuration".

Nevertheless, the DL setting is relatively new to me and my players.

I need a little help with the "flow" of the KoD setting, since I believe it is not made very clear FOR THE PLAYERS where they need to go next.

1) After they brave the ruins of Hurim, the ghost of Uleena appears and tells them:

"you ... find what you seek in the ruins of a city that once felt no fear, but now lies beneath a shadow of fire and death....."

Maybe someone who is very familiar with the setting immediately knows where to go, but although my players are very experienced, they are not familiar with the setting. I am not so sure if they will know what this last sentence means.

So I only have 2 options: I tell one player, maybe my Solamnic Knight or my Steel Legionnaire (I have one of each in my group) that he only could imagine that this must have to do with kendermore and the peak (of course with a little story behind this, we do not have a kender in the group)

OR

I let them solve the riddle on their own - that will invariably involve asking some NPCs around. Since their next target has to be Ak Khurman, they have to decide more or less "on the spot" where to go next.

What du you suggest how the players could "learn" about kendermore, without blatantly telling them: "you need to go there!"

2) after reaching kendermore, they need to head to the peak of malys. There is nothing in kendermore hinting at this. The only way I see how they could learn from their next destination is via the 3 witches on their road to kendermore. But only if they choose to ask the right questions. Since I know them for over 12 years, I am quite sure that my players do not want to owe the "elves" some service. So I fully expect them to not ask any questions (I could be wrong of course) - how do you suggest should I bring them on the right track?
I thought about letting the "shard of light" emit a faint glow everytime the shard is held in the raw direction of the peak once they reach kendermore.

Again, this sounds a bit of blant to me, any more "stylish" ways to solve this? Something more in line with the adventure?

Thx in advance,

Rorin
#2
jonesy
Jul 15, 2004 6:26:11 I'd just let them ask around. I think most people would know what the city that once felt no fear was. Maybe have them stumble into a kender who blurts out the story of Malys attacking it and how Kronn-alin Thistleknott, a kender hero, killed Malys' child at the peak (with 'a little' help from Riverwind, a famous hero of the War of the Lance era).
#3
kipper_snifferdoo_02
Jul 15, 2004 8:29:51 Well I think the most important part would be to get them to Ak-Khurman from Hurim. Once you do that it should be easy to find a number of different ways to set them on the right track to Kendermore. 1) They ask around and someone tells them, (like jonesy suggests) a kender volunteers the info, they are walking by a street performer telling about the fall of kendermore "A city of fearless hearts broken by a great evil"... and so on. Or just have someone make a knowledge check DC 10. The "Kender Flight" is a pretty well known part of Ansalon's history, especially if any of them come from the east.

2) after reaching kendermore, they need to head to the peak of malys. There is nothing in kendermore hinting at this.

Well what about page 125? The kender Patrick Whistlewalk is being accosted by ogre slavers that are collecting kender and taking them to the Peak of Malys. Patrick asks for the characters help to find his sister and where the other kender have gone.

Good Luck with the adventure! :D
#4
zombiegleemax
Jul 15, 2004 9:03:50
Well what about page 125? The kender Patrick Whistlewalk is being accosted by ogre slavers that are collecting kender and taking them to the Peak of Malys. Patrick asks for the characters help to find his sister and where the other kender have gone.

Yeah, thank you.

Totally overlooked this the first time I looked through the adventure.
That should be enough for the chars to go out and investigate whats happening at the peak.

Thanks again

Rorin

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Jul 15, 2004 5:25:44	SPOILERS INSIDE - do not read if you play KoD as a player This thread is quite long, so bear with me, if you dont mind. Me and my players are a very experienced group of RPGers, playing for almost 12 years in this or a similar "configuration". Nevertheless, the DL setting is relatively new to me and my players. I need a little help with the "flow" of the KoD setting, since I believe it is not made very clear FOR THE PLAYERS where they need to go next. 1) After they brave the ruins of Hurim, the ghost of Uleena appears and tells them: "you ... find what you seek in the ruins of a city that once felt no fear, but now lies beneath a shadow of fire and death....." Maybe someone who is very familiar with the setting immediately knows where to go, but although my players are very experienced, they are not familiar with the setting. I am not so sure if they will know what this last sentence means. So I only have 2 options: I tell one player, maybe my Solamnic Knight or my Steel Legionnaire (I have one of each in my group) that he only could imagine that this must have to do with kendermore and the peak (of course with a little story behind this, we do not have a kender in the group) OR I let them solve the riddle on their own - that will invariably involve asking some NPCs around. Since their next target has to be Ak Khurman, they have to decide more or less "on the spot" where to go next. What du you suggest how the players could "learn" about kendermore, without blatantly telling them: "you need to go there!" 2) after reaching kendermore, they need to head to the peak of malys. There is nothing in kendermore hinting at this. The only way I see how they could learn from their next destination is via the 3 witches on their road to kendermore. But only if they choose to ask the right questions. Since I know them for over 12 years, I am quite sure that my players do not want to owe the "elves" some service. So I fully expect them to not ask any questions (I could be wrong of course) - how do you suggest should I bring them on the right track? I thought about letting the "shard of light" emit a faint glow everytime the shard is held in the raw direction of the peak once they reach kendermore. Again, this sounds a bit of blant to me, any more "stylish" ways to solve this? Something more in line with the adventure? Thx in advance, Rorin
#2 jonesy Jul 15, 2004 6:26:11	I'd just let them ask around. I think most people would know what the city that once felt no fear was. Maybe have them stumble into a kender who blurts out the story of Malys attacking it and how Kronn-alin Thistleknott, a kender hero, killed Malys' child at the peak (with 'a little' help from Riverwind, a famous hero of the War of the Lance era).
#3 kipper_snifferdoo_02 Jul 15, 2004 8:29:51	Well I think the most important part would be to get them to Ak-Khurman from Hurim. Once you do that it should be easy to find a number of different ways to set them on the right track to Kendermore. 1) They ask around and someone tells them, (like jonesy suggests) a kender volunteers the info, they are walking by a street performer telling about the fall of kendermore "A city of fearless hearts broken by a great evil"... and so on. Or just have someone make a knowledge check DC 10. The "Kender Flight" is a pretty well known part of Ansalon's history, especially if any of them come from the east. 2) after reaching kendermore, they need to head to the peak of malys. There is nothing in kendermore hinting at this. Well what about page 125? The kender Patrick Whistlewalk is being accosted by ogre slavers that are collecting kender and taking them to the Peak of Malys. Patrick asks for the characters help to find his sister and where the other kender have gone. Good Luck with the adventure! :D
#4 zombiegleemax Jul 15, 2004 9:03:50	Well what about page 125? The kender Patrick Whistlewalk is being accosted by ogre slavers that are collecting kender and taking them to the Peak of Malys. Patrick asks for the characters help to find his sister and where the other kender have gone. Yeah, thank you. Totally overlooked this the first time I looked through the adventure. That should be enough for the chars to go out and investigate whats happening at the peak. Thanks again Rorin