Castle Whiterock Question & Actual Play
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:32 pm
Ran Castle Whiterock over the weekend. The heroes snuck into the courtyard at night and surprised the slavers, dividing and conquering them before killing Ikenvar.
Some bandits survived, one of the PC's died, and the two groups agreed to a truce. The heroes withdrawing with their unconscious teammates, and the bandits doing the same. So Ikenvar may still be alive (traditionally non-heroes do not "go unconscious" but I may rule that since Ikenvar was a named NPC, he has the same privilege the heroes have).
Now my question is thus: Is there anything stopping the PCs from just climbing over the tunnel that leads to Area 1-1 and dropping into the courtyard from above? I have serious problems imagining the layout of the upper level in 3D. I've seen the 'model' from Player Handout E but it didn't really help.
It may be the answer is "No, perfectly legal for the PCs to climb up and over the gateway and guardpost." But the text on page 29 of the Red Book is written in such a way that it *very strongly implies* that the heroes are expected to fight or bluff their way past the main gate. I just can't figure out why exactly they'd do it that way--the hard way--and there's no text supporting the idea of just climbing over.
All in all it was not a hugely memorable kickoff session. They're just human bandits after all. I ran it like a "big things have small beginnings" kind of adventure but I think I would have preferred a slightly more exotic opening.
That being said, the PCs were 1st level and it's 5E which is all about mundane foes for the first two levels.
Some bandits survived, one of the PC's died, and the two groups agreed to a truce. The heroes withdrawing with their unconscious teammates, and the bandits doing the same. So Ikenvar may still be alive (traditionally non-heroes do not "go unconscious" but I may rule that since Ikenvar was a named NPC, he has the same privilege the heroes have).
Now my question is thus: Is there anything stopping the PCs from just climbing over the tunnel that leads to Area 1-1 and dropping into the courtyard from above? I have serious problems imagining the layout of the upper level in 3D. I've seen the 'model' from Player Handout E but it didn't really help.
It may be the answer is "No, perfectly legal for the PCs to climb up and over the gateway and guardpost." But the text on page 29 of the Red Book is written in such a way that it *very strongly implies* that the heroes are expected to fight or bluff their way past the main gate. I just can't figure out why exactly they'd do it that way--the hard way--and there's no text supporting the idea of just climbing over.
All in all it was not a hugely memorable kickoff session. They're just human bandits after all. I ran it like a "big things have small beginnings" kind of adventure but I think I would have preferred a slightly more exotic opening.
That being said, the PCs were 1st level and it's 5E which is all about mundane foes for the first two levels.