The PCs track the Lost Ones to an abandoned temple of Pelor, and the search for the messenger comes to a violent end.
Once the PCs succeed or fail at the skill challenge to located the messenger that Kalad or Reniss mentioned, they find themselves in the dismal Nine Bells district. Nine Bells was once a proud neighbourhood dominated by the nine temples at its centre, but since being walled in with the Boneyard and Blister, it's wealthy patrons have fled and left the temples to their fate. As it turns out, even a shrine devoted to Pelor is not immune to neglect, and there should be a very noir feeling to this encounter. It demonstrates ably that evil can lurk in the midst of civilisation.
Alys, the messenger from Brindol, is lying bound and gagged in the centre of the temple when the PCs arrive, left there by the Lost Ones as bait. It's a good plan, because the pooling rainwater around her makes the stone floor difficult terrain. That will hinder PC efforts to move her to safety, while also making it difficult for controllers to fire off area effects with impunity.
The combat itself will largely be an exercise in the Lost Ones trying to drag ranged PCs behind the frescoes where they can gang up on them, while the attack dogs and the Lost One boss try to keep melee PCs busy. The Lost Ones' grab and go at-will power (which allows the lost one to shift 2 squares and drag the target with them) combined with their kidnap encounter power (increase the grab and go shift to 4) means that it's actually a viable tactic. Once behind the frescoes, it could prove difficult for a trapped PC to contribute effectively to the combat or hold out for rescue.
However, this combat really gets interesting if the PCs failed the skill challenge to locate Alys. They eventually make their way to the temple, but in doing so draw the attention of a group of doppelganger assassins hired by Sarshan to eliminate them. The assassins join the combat in round 3, and promptly set upon the party. As if the added enemies weren't enough, DMs should bear in mind that they'll appear from the rear at a time when the defenders and other meleers are probably fighting the lost ones amongst the frescoes. Whoever is lurking near the front door (likely a controller or ranged striker) is about to eat 3 assassin's quarry (+10 v Ref; 3d6 + 8 and 5 ongoing damage) attacks, which is going to hurt.
This encounter has the capacity to be a fitting finale to the PCs' involvement with the Lose Ones. It's a heroic tier showdown done right.
Encounter rating: 4
Alys, the messenger from Brindol, is lying bound and gagged in the centre of the temple when the PCs arrive, left there by the Lost Ones as bait. It's a good plan, because the pooling rainwater around her makes the stone floor difficult terrain. That will hinder PC efforts to move her to safety, while also making it difficult for controllers to fire off area effects with impunity.
The combat itself will largely be an exercise in the Lost Ones trying to drag ranged PCs behind the frescoes where they can gang up on them, while the attack dogs and the Lost One boss try to keep melee PCs busy. The Lost Ones' grab and go at-will power (which allows the lost one to shift 2 squares and drag the target with them) combined with their kidnap encounter power (increase the grab and go shift to 4) means that it's actually a viable tactic. Once behind the frescoes, it could prove difficult for a trapped PC to contribute effectively to the combat or hold out for rescue.
However, this combat really gets interesting if the PCs failed the skill challenge to locate Alys. They eventually make their way to the temple, but in doing so draw the attention of a group of doppelganger assassins hired by Sarshan to eliminate them. The assassins join the combat in round 3, and promptly set upon the party. As if the added enemies weren't enough, DMs should bear in mind that they'll appear from the rear at a time when the defenders and other meleers are probably fighting the lost ones amongst the frescoes. Whoever is lurking near the front door (likely a controller or ranged striker) is about to eat 3 assassin's quarry (+10 v Ref; 3d6 + 8 and 5 ongoing damage) attacks, which is going to hurt.
This encounter has the capacity to be a fitting finale to the PCs' involvement with the Lose Ones. It's a heroic tier showdown done right.
Encounter rating: 4
Informative post.
ReplyDeleteAstral