Putting it all Together
So let’s take the last encounter as an example. The Divas want to get into the Temple of Wee Jas and blow it up since their investigations have shown that Jasidian clerics are behind the assassination attempt, and because the new construction is blocking the rising solstice sun from shining on the Church of Pelor. The written scenario assumes the Divas will come to the Temple of Wee Jas, but also assumes: a) they are 12th level characters (they are 11th), b) they can break a DC 40 lock on the door (they have no rogue), and c) they have no intention of burning the place down.

a) Encounter Level – The Shackled City wants this to be Encounter Level 13. Using the Encounter Calculator, a party of 6 12th level characters would be 13.2, so this is reasonable. But my party is only 12.2, so I need to take this into account. I decide these are hired guards who won’t fight to the death. Their orders are to try to capture the PC’s, or draw them to the real fight deeper in the Temple. This makes the encounter a bit easier. Then, reading about Stone Giants, I realize their only real tactic is throwing rocks and melee fighting. Not good for capturing. But, if I make them Elders, then they get some spells and can use them to trap the PC’s. But this makes the encounter harder. So I lower the level of the fighters. In the end, I have a level 13 encounter using 2 Stone Giant Elders (CR9) and 4 half-orc fighters (CR6) to make my encounter. Challenging, but the fight is not to the death, so probably okay.

b) The Lock – I don’t have a rogue, so I make the front doors unlocked. But then I need to add some guards, so I do that. I make these half-orc fighters (CR 4) since they are there to deflect the attention of regular citizens. The Divas can certainly come in and get captured.

c) The Unexpected – I have a paladin who thinks the temple destruction is dumb, so she’ll be missing. Oops. Now we’re down a character. The Divas are planning to blow up the temple, so there may not be a “real fight” to draw them to. Oops. Need to adjust. After all the fun role playing, the encounter starts at 9:00. Oops. Too early to stop, to late to start. Well, let’s go for it.

Improvising
Since they are going to blow up the place, I decide to make this encounter the “real fight” and scale down the following one. I don’t change the strategies of the enemies though since they don’t know the plan. Since I’m doing this at the last minute I add some extra fighters. And, since the Divas’ plan is to bluff the guards away, and they’ll likely succeed, I add 2 more fighters, figuring they can bluff another two out of there. And even if they don’t, these are more people to question before blowing the place up.

Learning From Experience
There’s still things I would keep the same. Making the stone giants elders is something I would definitely keep. That mud geyser was fun. It’s also very fun that one of the giants got turned into a cat. It completely foiled the plan to stone shape walls around characters, then turn the stone to mud miring the characters, then turn the mud to stone trapping the characters, but hey, turning a giant into a kitten is hilarious! And, I would have still started the encounter one week and finished it the next. It was an experiment, and it’s good to know it’s doable. Not a good routine thing, but good to know.

To do things differently, I would not have added the extra fighters. Since the last battle was so epic, making another large fight right after was exhausting for everyone. Also, I misjudged the Divas. I didn’t expect them to really kill everybody. My fighters didn’t have a place to run. Worse, there was no one left alive to question. I should have kept the Divas on the original track to blow up the place. True, there was useful information and plot elements to find, so it’s good for them to search. But, in hindsight, they can blow up the place – there’s always another way to gain information.

Ah, live and learn.

The most important lesson here is this: Just because the Divas changed the scenario, doesn’t mean the scenario needs to adjust. Players should be rewarded for creativity, initiative, and zeal. They want to blow up the temple, they should be able to. Remember the brilliant plan to walk around the Lucky Monkey and go in the back door? I didn’t adjust that encounter and it was awesome. Remember the crazy idea to investigate Orak’s rat problem? Killing 30 goblins was a blast.

I’m awarding myself 4000XP for this encounter.

Why is this half-elf so angry? I asked myself that same question when I spied Felian at the Lucky monkey. Didn’t we help her out of a tight spot at the Dixie Mattress Company? Didn’t we help reclaim this very inn? Where’s the gratitude?

I’m getting ahead of my story. Let’s start with the interrogation.

With Acgar’s police background, she suggested we question the captives separately. Lucky for us a young cleric of Pelor, LeRoy had prepared a zone of truth spell. I had not prepared it for the day so I am thankful for his help. We had Zeke in one room with me and Cinder and LeRoy.
Acgar and Elvis had the other man, Zack in an adjoining room. We got some useful information. We also received some devastating news. It would appear that we were duped. By Celeste or by someone who duped her into hiring us. God help us, Zenith was the final piece they needed to begin the final destruction of Cauldron. He was the last “marked one” and now they can begin to purify those marked and in doing so, they summon the Overlord (who ever that is). Some of it makes no sense. I just know that my heart sunk as I realized the enormity of our mistake. In my despair, I asked Zeke, “if you were in my shoes, what would be your next step?” I believe he answered from the heart: “Join us.” But those words are the words of a godless man. With Pelor guiding my hand, I cannot fail.

After the questioning, we took them to Quinlan for safe keeping. We were due at the Lucky Monkey grand reopening. As we left the city, we were informed by a guard that we would be taxed upon re-entry.

I shook that from my mind; I was looking forward to meeting this Alec fellow that Jenya thinks so highly of. Not long after we arrived we realized that Felian was glowering in the corner. He literally jumped Sadi and started yelling. “Why’d you do it? Why did you take Zenith? Fools!”

I’m glad that he was not the one to break the news to us. I’m glad that we had time to process the error on our own. Oddly enough Sadi, who doesn’t like anyone, took a shine to him and they went to a table with a bottle of whiskey.

I got to meet Alec. I can understand why Jenya is so besotted. He is quite comely, if you like brawn over brains. He told a tall tale about angels and magic mirrors. And about his plan to challenge the mayor of Cauldron. He, as a scion of the city, can call for a vote of no confidence.

We have him to thank for the scene that greeted us on our return to Cauldron. After we’d paid our entry tax and been informed that there is an “adventurer tax” on the horizon, we headed to the town square where a anti-tax demonstration was taking place.

Alec, in conjunction with the merchant prince, Mauvern had organized this gathering right outside the town hall. There were hundreds of Cauldronites in attendance. Mauvern stirred the crowd with his oratory. We tried to spread ourselves through the crowd in case there was trouble.

There was trouble. A riot broke out when a lone police officer tried to arrest Mauvern. Eight people attacked him. Then punches started flying all over.

Thanks to a quick and powerful entangle spell by Sadi, a mad gallop to St. Cuthbert’s by Kiriana for cleric backup, and the golden tongue of Kyrlscar, disaster was averted. As a small bonus, Cinder killed a Yin Yang member in the crowd and looted his body. Not something I would have tried, of course, but I am glad to have one less villain on the streets.

I just remembered that the day before we left for the Lucky Monkey, on a lark, I stopped in at a soothsayer’s not far from the Pelorian temple. She read my palm and looked deep in my eyes. “The streets are not safe for you. Seek the company of trees and birds.”

I’m glad I came to my senses just inside the courtyard. I would be mortified if one of my fellow adventurers had been forced to shake me out of the spell. A cleric not healing?! What is that? Only Cinder was badly wounded.

We faced four doors in the kitchen. I had convinced the group to focus here on the kitchen, certain, certain that the basement entrance would be found here. But which door? Luckily the second door, opened by Myntilly had stairs going down. I said a small prayer of thanks.

I should have saved my breath since we found Sarashem moments later, found most of him, I should say. We knew it was him. Clutched in one hand was a mace, a slender ring on one finger. Around the stump of his neck was a pearl necklace. Myntilly detected magic from these items. We took them for safekeeping. We would take his body back to Cauldron. But first, clues and survivors.

We eased through a doorway in the basement — was the ape-man here? It was noticeably cooler here. Muddy-looking footprints, blood and beer covered the floor. It was a mess. Nothing but empty chests and wine racks…… The door at the end of the hall (which on our map showed a well) was cold and sort of warped looking. With a few good shoves from Krylscar and a determined Cinder, the door was wedged open. As we squeezed in one by one, I thought, “Is this such a good idea?” As always Pelor shines his light on us — the room was free of enemies. Huddled on the far side of the well was a female humanoid. Sadi ran to her side, lifting her cloak from her own shoulders to cover the woman. It’s funny how things strike you — I think that was the first time I’ve ever seen Sadi without her cloak on.

It was so cold, Sadi’s teeth immediately began to chatter. We could all hear it in the sudden silence. In one swift motion, Sadi grabbed the woman and lifted her to her feet. Later Sadi said she realized the danger from the cold and knew she only had moments to act.

Once out of the well room, I healed Sadi and the woman. The woman was slender, like an elf, but dark-skinned and had white hair. I’d heard of drows before. Heard bad things but at that moment, she was a child of the sun, and good or evil took a backseat. It turns out her story seemed true and her heart good; she ran the tavern. She was a victim of the ape-man, not a conspirator.

The courtyard showed drag marks — something, two somethings, actually, were dragged from the kitchen through the courtyard. The drow was named Shensen and she told us that beyond the courtyard was the common room. She also suggested that we use the open sky bridge that connected this part of the tavern with the common room. We could survey the courtyard from the bridge. The drag marks were more noticeable from up there and we could see the baboons in the trees. Nothing else.

We could hear voices in the common room, male voices, heavy with drink. Two groups sprawled around the common room, all wearing red sashes. One group was only two men, Cinder noticed that those two were hatless. The other group all wore hats. They were talking and drinking. As we debated what to do — fight them or try to sneak past and out to the horses — one of the men with hats suddenly raised his voice. “You look like an ass without a hat.” The two hatless men got to their feet. “What? Come over here and say that, sweetheart.” A couple of the other men roused themselves, ready to fight. “I”, announced the hatted man who’d spoken, “I am sick and gods damned tired of you stupid hatless bastards acting like you own the place. I don’t have to take it. I won’t take it!” With the last words he shoved a pitcher off the table and towards the two hatless men.

As they began to circle and close on each other, Cinder crept out past the bar. She was headed towards the one man not spoiling for a fight. He was on the floor, propped up against the back wall and he seemed more concerned about the health of his wine bottles than what his friends were doing.

She gave him a big smile and sat down beside him. “Hi handsome” she whispered. He turned to her, bleary, “Hey! Who? What!”
She held her fingers to her lips. “Shush. Your friends are boring. Let’s party, just you and me.”
He blinked at her. “You’re pretty.”
“Thanks. We make a great pair. And I’ve got a couple of friends who’d like to meet you. They are just over there. Let’s get out of here quietly, OK?”
“Friends? Wait, where’s your hat? I don’t think (his voice began to raise his voice), I don’t know you!”

Cinder put her finger to his lips. “Shhhhhh. Don’t be a bore. My friend is dying to meet you.” She grabbed his collar and started puling him across the floor. His hand flailed out and grabbed a wine bottle, which he cradled to his chest.

Krylscar whispered, “Damn, she’s strong.” And then he reached out to help her pull the last few feet. They dragged him outside to where Sadi was talking quietly with Obi.

I noticed that one of the horses was gone. Shensen said she’d see if she could find them and moved off into the trees. I turned back to hear the drunk man say, “What’s he doing here?” pointing at Krylscar. “He’s our body guard,” said Myntilly.

Sadi sat down on one side, Myntilly on the other and Cinder in front of him. “You have the coolest job ever! Tell us, handsome, how did you get such a cool job?” Basking in all the female attention, the guy told us all about his gang, the “Alley Bashers” and how they are moving into Cauldron, big time. His boss was the ape-man who called himself “Tongue-eater”. (I shuddered, remembering that Sarshen’s head was missing the tongue.)The ape-man’s boss was a beautiful red-haired woman. It took awhile but drunk guy finally remembered her name as “Thearelle”. “Yeah,” he admitted, we’d probably seen him and his buddies at the Tipped Tankard.

Krylscar lifted him up and slung across Obi’s back. “Let’s go there now!” He grunted with the effort of lifting the drunk man. Shensen came back with two horses, so luckily we all rode comfortably back to Cauldron. About half way back to the city, we let the sleeping drunk guy slide off Obi. He barely woke up as we rode on.

Our first bit of business was to take Sarashem’s body to St Cuthbert’s. Jenya knew right away that something was wrong. We gave her the body and head. She asked for the mace and Myntilly handed it over. As she held it, a calm came over her. “This is the symbol of the high office of our church. Thank you for bringing him and it back.” She knelt by the body.

“The wands! Where are the wands?” Her hands patted Sarashem’s body. “We didn’t, um, we didn’t find them.” I admitted. She closed her eyes tight and then stood up. “I have work to do……. Thank you for bringing him back to us.” She turned to leave. Sadi held out the pearl necklace, “We found this, too.” Jenya stopped, smiled and said, “Keep it. And if you also found the ring, please keep it, too. No doubt they will do you good. It is a small thanks. Now, please excuse me.”

Sadi kept the necklace — it gives wisdom to the wearer. And Cinder kept the ring, which seems to augment armor. We went to the Tipped Tankard. We were all tired from the long journey, but with the wedding tomorrow afternoon, we had little time to find more clues.

I don’t think Krylscar is a stranger to any
tavern, but he got an especially hearty welcome at the Tankard. We mingled and tried to get info about gang activity from the locals. Sadi spotted our friend Quinlan in the corner, drinking steadily. We crowded into his booth, ordered another pitcher and settled down to talk.

Sure I said one little prayer to Pelor, but that was for me. To help me kill this man. And why? Sharasen, the trapped cleric of St. Cuthbert, should have been my focus.

It had already been a busy day. We were coming back from the Mayor’s house when Rufus brought us Jenya’s plea. It seemed like a good idea to see the Mayor. Ever since our first meeting with him, he’s seemed like a dupe, a dangerous dupe. I asked Myntilly, who is very charming, if she would agree to my casting a spell on her. The spell is called Eagle’s Splendor and it makes the person more charming (but only for 5 minutes.) She agreed. I told her that I wanted to also cast a spell called Zone of Truth when we were with the Mayor. All of us would be within a aura of truth; no one, no matter how charming, could tell a deliberate lie. Pelorian prayers are generally phrased as affirmations, so I felt like I could get away with casting the spell in the Mayor’s hearing. We discussed truthful phrases that she could use if the Mayor asked uncomfortable questions. We needn’t have bothered.

As we sat down to tea with him, I said, “May Pelor find truth within this room.” The Mayor smiled quizzically but Cinder assured him that I was always spouting out such pieties. Did we learn anything useful? We shall see, but in my heart I think so. The Mayor relies on the advice of a Lord Valanthor, who he has never really met, not face to face over a pot of tea. He has met the Lord in darkened rooms once or twice. I will not be dissuaded from believing that Lord Valanthor is the beholder we met a few weeks ago. Kasmojin called the beholder “lord”. Slim evidence, I realize, but I know I am right.

The Mayor blathered on about the Flood Festival. Frankly I was put off (he doesn’t seem to appreciate Pelorians), but Myntilly and Cinder seemed intrigued. Myntilly was brilliant in flattering him: “Where do you see Cauldron in five years?” The Mayor is in love with the sound of his own voice….. I did enjoy the Earl Grey tea.

On Lava street — we were on our way to Skye’s Treasury — Rufus came running up with a message from Jenya of St. Cuthbert’s. Could we come to her right away? Jenya was in such a state that I cast “Calm Person” on her so that she could complete a sentence. It barely helped. She thrust a scrap of parchment at Cinder. “Read. Read this. Oh no, oh no!” The note was some sort of magical writing spell. Sharasen wrote to Jenya telling her that he was under attack at the Lucy Monkey tavern. He has the wands and he’s been attacked by an ape-man. He’s taken refuge in the basement, but he’s hurt badly.

“I can get you mounts. The Lucky Monkey is just half day’s ride from Cauldron.” Jenya clutched at hem of Sadi’s cloak. “Please.”

As we were saddling the horses Rufus came running up. He’d been to the Cauldron Visitor’s Center and was bringing us a couple of brochures for the tavern. God be good, the place is huge.

The journey was uneventful. Krylscar has cast his lot in with us. He was dead useful in freeing the prisoners and he is a handsome fellow, so I don’t mind that he is with us. He says he felt eyes on us during the journey but I wonder — neither our ranger or our rogue could find a source.

We had plenty of time to study the layout of the tavern. Cinder and I were in agreement in our belief that the basement stairs must be the stairs shown in the kitchen. We convinced the others to make the kitchen first priority. At that time I was still focused on the right objective — rescuing Sharasen. Myntilly saw what none of us saw — a back entrance for the kitchen!

Once there, we crept around the east side of the building. Cinder could hear banging — almost like construction or something. There was a window to the left of the kitchen door. Cinder slowly raised up to look through. She saw a huge ape-man counting gold coins. We discussed ways to enter the building. The doors open out, so we could not hope to sneak in. Krylscar was all for doubling back and approaching the kitchen from another part of the building. Cinder reported that the only set of stairs she can see go up. I stood silent. What to do? Where in the name of Pelor is the basement?

We let our voices get too loud; we hesitated too long. Our strategy session was interrupted by a roar! The ape-man had heard us. Sadi immediately rushed to the base of a nearby tree. I stepped to the right and was surprised to see another window. Krylscar grabbed his halberd. Myntilly and Cinder followed Sadi’s action and headed for the trees. Through the window I saw the ape-man. His back was toward me.

The roar brought many allies into the kitchen. I counted 8 men (they looked like men. Normal men except they all had a red sash around their waists.) I called out the enemy number to my friends and then I said my prayer. The notion of killing the ape-man had suddenly filled my brain to the exclusion of all else. On the heels of my prayer, I cast another spell — Spiritual Weapon which created a shimmering mace that attacks an enemy for 5 minutes. I set it upon the ape-man.

The melee was intense. From the trees Sadi, Myntilly and Cinder could fire ranged attacks. One group of men attacked from the kitchen door. The door, when flung open, slammed into me. Another group attacked from the left-hand side of the building. One of Sadi’s shots went wild and hit Cinder. But overall my friends in the trees dealt injury upon injury to the attackers. The man who’d hit me with the door was pinned to the tavern wall by one of Cinder’s arrows.

As the battle turned in our favor (thank you for your blessings, Pelor), the ape-man fled through a door in the kitchen, carrying some of the loot from the table. Almost against my will, I was impelled to follow. I rushed through the kitchen, ignoring the fallen enemies, ignoring Krylscar who was rolling on the floor from a hit to his crotch, ignoring even my own injuries. Where was the ape-man?