Module 6 Direct Action (Part II of "Meet the New Boss")
Jerry: Approved for play on 2013MAY02. Enjoy!
Jerry: Review finished on 2013MAY01. Please make the two corrections listed below and email me. I will then approve the module. :)
Jerry: Review starting now. Please do not edit or make comments until I am finished. Thanks.
List of Corrections:
--Jerry Correction: Add something here in case there is a sub. Give them something to chew on. Should they be talking to someone about something? Are there some in town that need to talk them about something? There’s no plot here--no story. We need some please.
--Jerry correction: We need a ending note here to give a sense of satisfaction. I think I might end with everyone looking to the party to go attack Town. Some townsfolk who lost family or friends want to go along. End with the hook for the next module. I’m guessing that the party has either told the town of the offer or haven’t. If they haven’t then the town is up in arms wanting to know why the Kobolds attacked. This is when the “spy” who heard the conversation earlier could come forward and say, “The party knows the answer to that!” So this could end with an offer to get revenge upon the fallen IF the party had told them about the situation. Or it could end in accusations blaming the party for NOT telling them so that they could properly prepare. Decide how you want the “story” to end and detail that here in this final scene. You could make these “repercussions” the final separate scene. UP to you.
Title of Module: Direct Action (Part 2 of “Meet the New Boss”)
Game: Cthonia
Projected Dates: May 1 - July 1, 2013
[List projected dates that module is to start and end. Remember to list those dates on the Woldian Module Calendar. If you realize that you’re moving fast or slow, please adjust the dates on the calendar and email Jerry.]
Author(s): Kathy Ice
Starting Party Level: 4
Summary of Module: This module is the second in a three-module series called “Meet the New Boss.” It chronicles the rise of a new crime boss in Town named Boss Wathe. The first module of the series was cut short when the PCs decided to return to the Trading Post rather than checking the rest of the waystations.
Shortly after they arrive at the Trading Post, the PCs receive an offer of employment from an employee of Boss Wathe. He hints that things are about to get messy at the Trading Post. Sure enough, a few days later, the trading post is attacked by stampeding dinosaurs, and then by the Ss'Hathk kobolds.
In the next module (the final part of the three-module series), the PCs travel to Town (now renamed Wathe’s Freehold) to confront Boss Wathe head-on.
Changes to module when played: 1 paragraph (to be done when the module concludes)
Clearly, I am not on the same page as my players. Scene 1 ran as planned, but when Tunks showed up in Scene 2, the PCs decided to pretend to go along with him so they could accompany him and find out what he was up to. I wasn’t ready for them to go to Town yet, so I had him meet with the Ss'Hathk kobolds to finalize the plans for the dinosaur ambush. That forced the PCs to tip their hand and attack Tunks. The tricky part was that for the plot to move forward, I had to have Tunks defeat the PCs so they would have to go back to the Trading Post. To do that, I had to make Tunks a really strong high-level character, which I hadn’t planned on. Once the PCs made it back to the Trading Post, the module ran more-or-less as written. Except I was stuck with a really strong Tunks whom the PCs would eventually need to defeat (see Cthonia Module 6).
==
Scene 1: Homecoming (1 week)
The PCs return to the trading post after an absence of a little less than two weeks. Not much has changed since they left. Zyk, the extremist druid whom they captured in a previous module has been put to work, basically fetching and carrying for people. A small space to live has been set up for him in the stable-loft. Ka, of the K'tthhykk kobolds, is still there; he and his warriors are camped outside the walls.
The PCs have the opportunity to report on what they found, catch up with any NPCs they care to speak with, and report to Pen. They also, apparently, have a way of visiting the Catacombs from the Trading Post, which I had not been made aware of.
Jerry Correction: Add something here in case there is a sub. Give them something to chew on. Should they be talking to someone about something? Are there some in town that need to talk them about something? There’s no plot here--no story. We need some please.
For the most part, let the PCs take the lead about who they want to talk to and what they want to talk about. NPC descriptions are available on the Trading Post’s Woldipedia page (http://www.woldiangames.com/Woldipedia/index.php/The_Cthonia_Trading_Post#The_Cthonia_Trading_Post). Pen wonders why the PCs didn’t check all the waystations themselves. Ka also wonders about that, although he is glad to have had the opportunity to see the trading post. He’s kind of dazzled by the magnificence of it all. Zyk is living up to the letter of his promise, but no more; I envision him carrying some grain or something to the brewery at a pace that will take him hours. Technically moving, but at a snail’s pace.
Jerry Comment: How are they visiting the Catacombs? I’m just curious. I mean they need to, but I don’t know how they would work it. If I was DM, I might have them “shop” through a caravan. It would be a way to explain how they have access without it seeming trite. ;)
Apparently they have pins or something? It’s something the former DMs set up but didn’t tell me about.
Jerry: That’s kinda goofy. Feel free to change it to something more appropriate. And how you’d do that is up to you. It can be done in character or out with just an announcement.
[Treasure: None.]
[XP: 300]
Scene 2: An Offer (2 weeks)
Things are quiet for several days following the PCs’ return. Ka and his warriors bid their farewells and depart.
About a week after the PCs’ return, a visitor arrives at the Trading Post. He is Gibbon Tunks, a large, tough-looking man. When people ask him what he’s doing at the Trading Post, he replies, “Minding my own business. You should try it sometime.”
He does, however, want to meet with the PCs. He’d prefer to meet at the Inn, but he’ll go wherever the PCs want to meet him.
He tells them that he’s been authorized to extend them a job offer on behalf of Boss Wathe. He explains that Boss Wathe has “taken over” Town and has big plans for it. The PCs are acquiring a reputation as a good crew to have on hand in case of a fight, so Boss Wathe would like them to come to Town and work for him.
Tunks drops some ominous hints about how the Trading Post has “no future,” and how anybody smart would abandon it for Town. “Most of the lumps here, it don’t matter. But you got potential. Be a shame to waste it.”
Aside from the hints, Tunks doesn’t press the point. He will take “no” for an answer, and depart shortly thereafter.
Before he departs, however, he succumbs to temptation and drops a few ominous hints around the Trading Post about how their days are numbered. Residents are understandably concerned. Some want to leave; some want to shore up defenses. Some want to string up Tunks and be done with it, although he leaves before this group really gets going. Mostly, they fret and worry (if these were people who panicked easily, then presumably they wouldn’t have volunteered to come live in a remote outpost in a wilderness surrounded by dinosaurs).
Jerry suggestion: An easy fix for the asked for correction in Scene 1 would be to combine Scenes 1 and 2. I also think it would be very interesting if someone overhears the conversation with Tunks and the town panics. Some would want to leave. Some want to take the attack to Town. Some want to set up defenses. Most just panic. Just a suggestion to add to the drama of the scene.
[Treasure: none]
[XP: 600]
Scene 3: Stampede! (3 weeks)
Shortly after Tunks leaves the Trading Post, there is a dinosaur stampede. A large group of pachycephalosauruses come rushing at the Trading Post, hurling themselves into the walls hard enough to make the whole Post shake. The break through in a few places, and the PCs have to fight the ones that get through. This will actually be three combats: first, a lone dinosaur, then a group of two, then a group of three. The idea is to show that more and more are getting through.
Luckily, the group of three is the last group the PCs have to deal with.
Because the pachycephalosaurus is not a well-known dinosaur, I looked up a reference illustration:
The monster statistics are here: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary3/dinosaur.html#_dinosaur,-pachycephalosaurus and have been reproduced below.
PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS CR 4
N Large animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 37 (5d8+15)
Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee slam +8 (2d6+9)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks clobbering charge
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +3; CMB +10; CMD 22
Feats Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Run
Skills Perception +8, Stealth +2
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Clobbering Charge (Ex) When a pachycephalosaurus hits a target with its slam attack at the end of a charge, it can initiate a bull rush as a free action to move the struck target back in the same direction as the dinosaur's charge. The pachycephalosaurus cannot move with the target of the bull rush. If a pachycephalosaurus scores a critical hit against a creature with its slam attack at the end of a charge, it also staggers the target for 1 round. If the victim succeeds at a DC 18 Fortitude save, the stagger effect is negated, but the victim still suffers the effects of the dinosaur's bull rush attempt. The save DC is Strength-based.
A pachycephalosaurus is a normally peaceful dinosaur that grows irate and violent during mating season or when its herd is intruded upon by potential predators. The dinosaur's skull has a distinctive dome-shaped crown surrounded by numerous bony horns—this, combined with the dinosaur's powerful, compact neck, allows it to make battering-ram-like charges capable of inflicting great damage.
Pachycephalosauruses grow to a length of 15 feet and weigh 1,400 pounds.
Perceptive PCs may see or hear signs of the Ss'Hathk kobolds in the distance. They are the ones who caused the stampede, having been bribed by Boss Wathe to cause trouble at the Trading Post. Even if the PCs do not see the kobolds during the battle, the lookouts report seeing suspicious activity. And the next scene will confirm it.
How did the kobolds cause a stampede on top of a plateau? Oh, I’m so glad you asked. I’m positing that there is a path from the valley floor up to the top of the plateau. It’s a steep path, and the dinos don’t take it unless there’s a specific reason. The kobolds know of a food these dinos really like--maybe a kind of fruit or berry. They used the food to lure the dinos up the path. Since these seem to be herd animals, they would only have needed to get the first few moving, and the rest would follow. Some hours later, they’d have a small herd of dinos milling about on top of the plateau, browsing at the trees and finishing up the yummy fruit or whatever. Then it would just be a matter of thrashing in the bushes and making noises like a T. Rex.
[Treasure: none]
[XP: 2000]
Scene 4: The Second Wave (2 weeks)
The dinosaurs were just the beginning. Now that the trading post’s defences have been softened up, the Ss'Hathk kobolds attack directly. The post’s regular defenders can handle some of them, but there’s a particularly nasty group of 3 warriors and a shaman that the PCs will need to deal with.
Jerry Suggestion: I suggest that you set the number of rounds between waves here. Have the Kobolds attack on a certain round or when certain conditions have been met. It then becomes tougher if the party takes too long to dispatch or drive off the dinos. When I did this with my local group, their strategy was to counter stampede the dinos back upon the next wave. It didn’t succeed totally, but it did reveal to them that their was indeed a second wave.
SS’HATHK WARRIOR CR 4
Kobold barbarian 5
CN Small humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception +1, darkvision
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 Natural, +1 Size, +1 Dodge)
hp 43 (5d12+5+5)
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1
Defensive Abilities uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +1
Weaknesses: light sensitivity
DEFENSE WHILE RAGING
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 Natural, +1 Size, +1 Dodge, -2 Rage)
hp 53 (5d12+15+5)
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +3
Defensive Abilities: uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +1
Weaknesses: light sensitivity
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork greataxe +8 (1d10+1, crit x3)
Ranged blowgun +7 (1 damage)
Special Attacks rage (13 rounds/day), rage power (powerful blow +2, renewed vigor 1d8+3)
OFFENSE WHILE RAGING
Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork greataxe +10 (1d10+3, crit x3)
Ranged blowgun +7 (1 damage)
Special Attacks rage (13 rounds/day), rage power (powerful blow +2, renewed vigor 1d8+3)
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 17
STATISTICS WHILE RAGING
Str 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats: Dodge, Weapon Focus: greataxe, Toughness
Skills: Acrobatics +10, Climb +9 (+11), Handle Animal +7, Intimidate +7, Survival +9
Languages: Draconic
SQ fast movement
Gear hide armor, masterwork greataxe, blowgun with darts
SS’HATHK SHAMAN CR 4
Kobold adept 6
CN Small humanoid
Init +0; Senses Perception +2, darkvision
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+3 armor, +1 Natural, +1 Size)
hp 33 (6d6+6+6)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +7
Weakness: Light sensitivity
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk sickle + ()
Adept Spells Prepared (CL 6th; concentration +12); 2nd—cure moderate wounds, web (DC 14); 1st—bless, command (DC 13), cure light wounds; 0—guidance, stabilize, touch of fatigue (DC 12)
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 13
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 12
Feats: Combat Casting, Craft Wand, Toughness
Skills: Heal +11, Knowledge (nature) +9, Spellcraft +9, Survival +11
Languages: Draconic
SQ summon familiar (smoke mephit)
Combat Gear wand of burning hands (CL 5, 50 charges), wand of cure moderate wounds (50 charges), alchemist's fire (2)
Other Gear masterwork studded leather, masterwork sickle, wooden holy symbol, 4 gp
Aside from the gear, the shaman is also carrying the bribe from Boss Wathe.
[Treasure: Wand of Burning Hands, Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds, Elixir of Hiding, Lens of Detection, and about 1,000 gp in shiny, shiny gemstones]
[XP: 2500]
Scene 5: Cleanup (1 week)
Once the kobolds are defeated, the Trading Post can begin the process of cleaning up and repairing the damage. The PCs can investigate, and possibly question any kobolds they capture. All of the Ss'Hathk know that the “big boss” in the town paid them to attack the trading post. Most of them think it’s pretty funny that one group of humans is paying them to attack another group of humans, since attacking humans is something they like doing anyway.
Jerry suggestion: For realism I suggest having someone of “note” die in the combat among the town’s NPCs. Perhaps several, with one NPC that they care a bit about. Of course, that means roleplaying a funeral.
Heck, I’d kill most of them if I could. I don’t think the NPCs at the Trading Post were very well though out. Let’s say either Borcht or Klairiest or both.
Jerry: Fine by me, but then you have to figure out how to repopulate. ;) Either that or give some a life-changing experience and morph them into something you like bet
Jerry correction: We need a ending note here to give a sense of satisfaction. I think I might end with everyone looking to the party to go attack Town. Some townsfolk who lost family or friends want to go along. End with the hook for the next module. I’m guessing that the party has either told the town of the offer or haven’t. If they haven’t then the town is up in arms wanting to know why the Kobolds attacked. This is when the “spy” who heard the conversation earlier could come forward and say, “The party knows the answer to that!” So this could end with an offer to get revenge upon the fallen IF the party had told them about the situation. Or it could end in accusations blaming the party for NOT telling them so that they could properly prepare. Decide how you want the “story” to end and detail that here in this final scene. You could make these “repercussions” the final separate scene. UP to you.
The people at the Trading Post are upset at the attacks. Some are inclined to blame the PCs, but most put the blame on whoever is behind the attacks. They praise the PCs for their bravery (“if you hadn’t been here, it would’ve been ten times worse!”), and encourage them to take the fight directly to Boss Wathe in Town.
If the PCs do not figure this out on their own, various NPCs in town will warn them that these attacks will not stop until they confront Boss Wathe on his own turf.
[Treasure: none]
[XP: 300]
==
End matter:
A: NPCs [List all NPCs used in the module. Some like to link the first mention of each NPC in the module down to this location, but that is optional. Even if it is NOT the first time for that NPC to be used in the campaign, write a few words describing the NPC. If there are changes to the NPC in this module, note the changes. An alternative to this is to have an NPC page on Woldipedia and link to that page.]
Orris Wathe (“Boss Wathe”): A clever criminal who grew up in the rough-and-tumble Trash Level of Floating city, Boss Wathe is ambitious enough to want his own criminal enterprise, and smart enough to realize that it will be difficult to achieve in the Float. So he has set his sights on the lands beyond. Specifically, he wants to be Boss of the new town that is being established. He means to control the trade in Town, both legal and otherwise. He sees the Trading Post as competition, so he found a way to destroy the Gate that connected the Trading Post with Floating City. He spread rumors among the merchants of Floating City that the Trading Post has been plagued with problems, and that better trade can be had with Town. Now he is moving to act directly against the Trading Post.
Gibbon Tunks (New NPC): Mid-level tough in Wathe’s organization. Big, thuggish, smarter than he looks, always seems on the edge of losing his temper. His encounter is not intended to be a fight, but if things get physical, he is high enough level to provide a challenge to the PCs, even as a group.
B: Locations: [List all locations used in the module. Briefly, describe the location. We’re talking places like inns, shops, temples, etc. Note any changes just as with the NPCs above.]
C: Treasure: Two things go here.
Magic Items List: [Wand of Burning Hands, Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds, Elixir of Hiding, Lens of Detection, and about 1,000 gp in shiny, shiny gemstones.]
Total Treasure Value: [13,750 gp, or about 2600 per PC (assuming 5 PCs).]
D: Total experience: [5700.] PCs will be 5th level at the end of the module.
Final notes:
1) Give me the level of detail necessary to for a sub, not familiar with the game or campaign, to run the module. Anything beyond that is up to you. Look at your module as you fill in the template with that "focus" in mind. Can my Asst. DM or a sub DM run this module with this amount of information?
2) When the module is on a googledoc, please do not "hang out" and watch on a googledoc while I am reviewing a module. In relation to that, do not begin corrections while I am still working on the review.
3) Please do not remove any of the corrections from the document until the module is approved. I need to see them there when I do the final approval so I can easily see what has been changed and what my corrections were.
[last updated 2013JAN05]
