[Ardanyans Revenge] Conclusion

[Dougansf]

Spoiler Warning

I'm getting very close to the end of the module. I'm trying to think of some way to end it that is rewarding to the PC's, harmful to the villains of the piece, but doesn't involve friendly NPC's stealing the glory.

Loosing the town, and freeing the Kaer is good, but doesn't feel like enough. Having the villain group becoming ongoing enemies isn't bad, but there should be some Fall Guy, or climactic showdown. Right?

Has anyone else run this module? How did you end it?

[The Undying]

For what it's worth, maybe a different perspective:

The Novice Adepts have freed an entire Kaer (thousands of Namegivers) from what is basically enslavement. That's a pretty big deal.

You have a scapegoat in the villain group. Their actions can be fully revealed by the conclusion. Whether they get lynched or escape, and whether they become recurring enemies if they escape, is kind of up to you. No way the players are taking them on, they'd get mulched. However, the players don't have to be central to everything that happens - they've already made a huge difference, if greater powers are needed to punish higher Circle Adepts, so be it.

[Dougansf]

You have a scapegoat in the villain group. Their actions can be fully revealed by the conclusion. Whether they get lynched or escape, and whether they become recurring enemies if they escape, is kind of up to you. No way the players are taking them on, they'd get mulched. However, the players don't have to be central to everything that happens - they've already made a huge difference, if greater powers are needed to punish higher Circle Adepts, so be it.

The players have figured it out, and are about to reveal them to the public.

I agree, direct confrontation with any one of the villains would mulch the PC party.

But death by lynching, or even the other Masters in the Kaer, feels like cheating the PC's from their victory and catharsis.
Having the entire group escape feels similarly cheaty.

[Kosmit]

In my campaign the whole cross fled. If It would come to fight It would be massacre and Leldrin running for his life to the tunnel is climatic enough.

The rest of the campaign unveiled Cross of Ardanyan as Ristulars. Being questors of Raggok made them one of three mad passions' cults trying to bring Ristul to Barsaive through Aras Nehem (we had two characters that joined later and one of them was from Urupa, she had some troubles with Ristular before, but only delayed their plot).

And then, cult after cult they fought Ristular. Dis followers stylized as Davy Jones crew came upon them on the party in Shabira's Keep which ended in killing the cultists and destroying the Keep to kill Kraken.

Then they learned about Cross trying to retake Ardanyan with the help of therans whom in my Barsaive weren't idle but wanted an outpost closer to Throal. Therans seized control on coil river and turned their eye on Ardanyan as e perfect spot. And then there was epic fight at the top of the roof of council house with cadaver men keeping city guard busy, newly befriended old enemies ork scorchers fighting Therans and Cross of Ardanyan vs Phoenixes of Ardanyan (they were named so because they were almost wiped by Mangalin and Silverbrow at some point during campaign. Cross thought they were dead so they jumped on them and turned Argenthiel into wet puddle.

And all the fight was played to Strength of a thousand men by Two steps from hell.

Yep, Ardanyan's Revenge is great to begin with so I am updating it to Fourth Edition. Stay tuned

[Dougansf]

In my campaign the whole cross fled. If It would come to fight It would be massacre and Leldrin running for his life to the tunnel is climatic enough.

The rest of the campaign unveiled Cross of Ardanyan as Ristulars. Being questors of Raggok made them one of three mad passions' cults trying to bring Ristul to Barsaive through Aras Nehem (we had two characters that joined later and one of them was from Urupa, she had some troubles with Ristular before, but only delayed their plot).

I'm thinking about doing something similar. Still hatching an idea for the next arc.

Yep, Ardanyan's Revenge is great to begin with so I am updating it to Fourth Edition. Stay tuned

I already have, but it'll be interesting to see how someone else does it. I'll probably add commentary to yours when you post it.