DM Thoughts: Session 12

Today's session was one to be marked by surprises and unexpected developments - some major, some minor - but with all of the PCs likely to be shocked by one event or another. As such, it was more of a roleplaying session, with minimal combat (only a couple of minor fights near the end).

And so, allow me to outline the surprises that hit the party, along with my thoughts on each:

A) The Second Savage Tide

Centuries after the Olman characters were there to witness (and in some ways provoke) the first Savage Tide explosion, it was now time to hit the modern world with its first disaster - though this time set in a far more remote location: Kraken's Cove, days away from Sasserine. While this seems far less likely of a target than Thanaclan had been, this is explained by the fact that this current explosion was an accident. Nonetheless, it serves as a definite warning to the party that something very bad is going on, with Vanthus and Dracktus seemingly right in the middle of it. What might happen if Sasserine were hit instead?

B) The First Savage Creatures

While the Olmans merely witnessed the death of one Savage-Afflicted creature (for the most part avoiding the central island mesa where the explosion occured), our modern party was more directly involved in combatting some of the creatures. And in the process, they got to discover the dangerous and creepy death throes possessed by such monsters - a sudden revival and quick final attack, followed by an acidic burst. Dangerous and disgusting, to be sure, and something the party may need to prepare themselves for in the future - as encounters with the Savage-Afflicted become a recurring event. Not to mention the side-effect of being bitten, that Gustave nearly suffered himself... infection with the very disease that causes the Savagery in the first place.

C) Recovering the Sea Wyvern - Free For The Taking

On the beach of Kraken's Cove, amid a fleet of burning ships, the Gansworths were at last reunited with their father's ship, the Sea Wyvern. Some quick action eliminated the threat of it burning up, leaving it all theirs to reclaim... if they can safely navigate it out through dangerous reefs, that is.

D) Finding Rowyn - Begging To Be Killed

As the party did not succeed in capturing or killing Rowyn in the previous session, this left her alive and on the move - heading to Kraken's Cove to warn Vanthus and Dracktus of their impending pursuit. Yet, her fate was not to be so forgiving, as this instead placed her front and center for the Savage Tide. Hit hard by it and rapidly losing her mind, she could do no more than beg her former enemies for a quick and merciful death - which Gustave kindly granted.

E) Finding Anzak - Alive But Very Hungry

One of the most significant surprises of the session was the sudden finding and rescuing of Anzak, seemingly broken free from whatever charm had claimed him previously - but now turned Savage and seemingly in a rapid decline. What the group decides to do with him now is still up in the air... But whatever choice Gustave makes in the matter may be a turning point for his character and the campaign itself...

F) Captain Meets Captain

And with a handshake, Captain Garland has finally met his counterpart, Captain Harliss of the Kraken Society, a powerful and lethal fleet of pirates. Both have a thirst for blood against Vanthus and Dracktus... but will the future bring these two into a partnership of sorts, or will it eventually pit them one against the other? Only time will tell...

G) At Last, The Manor Is In Danger

The party has been expecting an attack or threat against Vanderboren Manor since the start of the campaign, constantly surprised to see Vanthus not ordering an attack against it. At last, however, while Lavinia herself lies unprotected within - the attack is now on its way, ordered instead by Captain Harliss. While she sees it as deserved revenge against Vanthus and his family, the party knows different... but can they get back in time to rescue the damsel in distress?

H) "We've Been Vhalantru'ed!"

Truer words could not have been said. The start of the campaign posed an interested dilemma for me, in that I knew I wanted Orbius Vhalantru to return as a major villain in this campaign, but I wasn't sure how exactly I could repeat or duplicate the manner in which he'd been so successful the first time around. What Vhalantru had done to the Outsiders was a large-scale scheme which involved gaining their trust, manipulating them to do his bidding, using them to help him rise in power, then fleeing the scene as soon as he sensed they were on to his plans. That was the type of villain he was - the behind-the-scenes type, who was always involved in far more evil plots than you suspected him of.

So, my dilemma was how to try and replicate this story in such a way as to make the current PCs hate him just as much (or even more) than the original Outsiders did. The players knew Vhalantru, and would likely be interested in getting even with him - but for it to really work, the new characters needed a reason to hate him too. And so, I began with the plot thread of the Simulacrum Suit. I established in an Ahead of the Storm entry that plans for creating more of them were found in his Oblivion base - meaning that he could possibly take over someone else's identity all over again.

From there, it was a matter of deciding WHO he could be. I posted on the Paizo message boards, asking for advice... and received the intriguing suggestion of making Vhalantru be Vanthus Vanderboren himself. This intrigued me, yet at the same time, I liked Vanthus a lot as a villain too, and didn't know if I would be short-changing the campaign by effectively replacing one of its main villains with another one altogether. So instead I looked to other options, namely taking someone who was not supposed to be a major villain, and turning them into one.

And that's when I came to the idea of Dracktus. Here was a corrupt man who was effectively ruling over Sasserine as its mayor - which is Vhalantru to perfection. Add in his pre-conceived ties to the Gansworths, and I began to see the potential there. And even the name was perfect, somehow... the symmetry between Orbius and Dracktus as they roll of the tongue just sounded right.

So I went with that, and let things build up from there. Soon, with Garland reporting to Dracktus as a member of the Dawn Council, and Dracktus using him to help orchestrate the escape of Vanthus and Rowyn... things were well in motion toward meeting the end result I was hoping for.

And so now, with that plot revealed, Vhalantru has also been established, alongside Vanthus, as being the two major villains of the campaign to come. What their exact plans and motives are, remains to be seen. But in terms of building up hate and resentment from the party, I think they've both hit their stride, in terms of the group just dying to get their hands on them for what they've done to them so far.

So, while I don't know if this "Vhalantru'ed" moment was as unexpected as the first one had been (my player Chris said he saw it coming), I do hope that it is nonetheless a fun development. I personally love the Vhalantru character, so having him back in the fold makes the Savage Tide campaign even more exciting to me than it was originally planned to be. Let's hope the players agree!