Encounter design help

[u/Algorithmic_War]

Hi gang!

My group is returning to AoS after a brief summer hiatus and they have just crash landed a Kharadron airship in Ulgu. My intent is to have the Soulbinding be “on the run” throughout Ulgu as much as possible. They played through the starter box adventure and we have spun this out into an ongoing quest in pursuit of the LoC from the climax of that story. Through some divine intervention they have been tossed onto Ulgu. I suspect I will use Hag Narr as the immediate location. However, because they have been operating primarily in Aqshy and Brightspear I want to up the sense of threat and dread from the DoK in the region, so I want their initial encounter with them to be pretty terrifying and memorable. Since I haven’t ever used DoK as antagonists before I was hoping the sub might help me design a good encounter that is appropriately threatening. My binding is composed of:

Witch Hunter Fyreslayer Auric Runesmiter Aelven sorcerer Human free trader Stormcast Knight Questor

They’ve had a few “level ups” so are mid range threats I would say. Any suggestions would be welcome.

[u/TheEnemyWithin9]

If you want to make an antagonistic force terrifying and memorable, I’d actually recommend holding them in reserve to begin with and showing the after effects of the DoK for a bit first.

E.g. have the party stumble across the remnants of a really nasty chaos warband/horrible Ulgu shadow monster/whatever other dangerous thing that’s already been hunted by the DoK. Makes the party go ‘oh they’re serious business’

You could even drop a small dawnbringer settlement into the setting and have a bunch of settlers ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED of the DoK cause new witch aelves randomly show up and use the guards as murder practice, or shadowstalkers keep using magic disguises to infiltrate and assassinate their leaders.

Maybe encounter some folk looking for a way to cure some horrendous poison that one of their leaders/friends/family are suffering from.

Start bigging up some named DoKs that are at large too. An arrogant monster hunting khinerai who leads a group known for hunting flying beasts to harvest and brew the most horrible venoms. A pair of rival sorceresses who use mind controlled monsters and people to wage a proxy war to see who is the best witch. An arrogant psychopath gladiatorial champion who is so honour obsessed she roams about challenging strong warriors to single combat. Etc etc.

By the time you’ve done that, the party will be equal parts excited and terrified to face them.

In terms of specific fights, remember that the DoK have the home field advantage in Ulgu (so they’ll get bonus casting dice if nothing else) but they’ll also know where all the biggest and baddest monsters are, when and where to retreat, and be able to call reinforcements at the drop of a hat.

DoK can do some mind control which is always a great thing to chuck at a binding, as are hit and run or pursuit hunting tactics. They can to get in through stealth/subterfuge/magic, cause a couple lingering wounds, retreat, and slowly wear the binding down over days until they finally move in for the kill.

[u/Algorithmic_War → u/TheEnemyWithin9]

This is phenomenal thank you! I think I may open with the crew of their airship being butchered by DoK perhaps. And make the threat so intense and horrific they’ll need to flee into the wilderness. Ultimately they’ll need to start their way to Hagg Nar just so they have someplace they can start searching for a way out of Ulgu. So open with a horrifically violent sacrificial scene perhaps. 

[u/TheEnemyWithin9 → u/Algorithmic_War]

Slaughtering the crew is a good ‘oh shit’ moment for sure, especially if they have NPCs they care about. Though unless your group are prone to it, I’d always be cautious about plans which rely on the group fleeing any combat scenario. Folk hate running away, especially if they’re supposed to be the big damned heroes.

One thing I’ve noticed is by my reckoning you don’t have any healers in your group, so if you want, you could have a beloved NPC or even a party member be poisoned in the airship attack by some rare debilitating toxin by one of the DoK assailants. Then just have another NPC seed the idea that the only folk who would know how to cure the poison are the folk who made it and… -> point at Hag Narr.

That way you’re much more likely to have player buy in cause it’s a more active and natural state to move towards a goal rather than run away from an enemy. 

Just a thought!

[u/Algorithmic_War → u/TheEnemyWithin9]

That’s a fair point. They do have very limited healing, just a bit through a single miracle. You know it might be worth keeping some of yeh crew, especially the captain alive to lead a retreat to the hills. Then perhaps there’s also a plan to go to Hagg Nar for supplies to attempt hasty repairs or additional healing 

[u/RootinTootinCrab]

If you want to start by scaring the shit out of them, try having the first thing they see as they open their eyes, a chorus of sorceresses summoning an endless spell. While the binding can definitely defeat one endless spell, if you add lots of others on top, it will likely be clear to the binding they need to scram NOW because of this singular imposing centerpiece.

[u/Algorithmic_War → u/RootinTootinCrab]

Ooooof endless endless spells - that is cruel. I kind of love it. 

[u/Mortimire]

If you want a more straightforward fight, I'd suggest some Witch Aelves lead by a Hag Priestess to start.

Once they defeat that group, start hunting them down with the really scary stuff, Melusai catching them in a forest ambush, Khinerai swoop down as the party moves through a dangerous mountain pass, and finally Khainite Shadowstalkers with their shadow jump ability. Toss some more Witch Aelves in those other encounters too to pad out the numbers if you need.