What the Hell, is it time for one more heist? I feel it could be time for one more heist. In the present day, let’s check out The Stygian Gambit, the second-level journey within the Keys from the Golden Vault anthology. The satan is within the particulars.
Spoiler Warning
Whereas our earlier journey had just a few twists and turns and a few shock creatures exhibiting up. This one is a extra simple on line casino heist, so many of the spoilers are about safety measures and the placement of key gadgets. I’m not going to get too granular in my evaluation, however as with the earlier weblog entry, you could wish to skip the remainder of this if you’re planning on being a participant in a marketing campaign that makes use of this journey.
The Hook
Whereas the earlier journey concerned stealing one thing to assist cease a catastrophe and restore somebody’s wrongfully smeared repute, the offended occasion on this journey is rather less angelic. Truthfully, I’ll cease with the Hell puns, finally.
Verity Kye is a tiefling spy whose playing associate, a gnome named Quentin Togglepocket, double-crossed her, stole her cash, and used it to construct a on line casino that they had been planning on constructing collectively. Verity desires the PCs to steal the golden statue that’s the prize for a card match being run on the on line casino, in addition to the unique sum of money Quentin stole from Verity.
This setup isn’t fairly as heroic sounding because the earlier heist, however if you’re utilizing the Golden Vault because the group’s patron, Verity is an ally to the Golden Vault, so that you’re preserving an ally blissful by serving to her.
The Setting
Every little thing revolves round a on line casino that has been constructed inside a cavern. It sits on a waterway, and is barely accessed by boats, subsequent to a harmful waterfall. This all suits the theme, as a result of the on line casino is The Afterlife, and is styled after the 9 Hells. The boat carries you throughout the “River Styx” to a on line casino segmented into 9 elements, with a workers consisting fully of tieflings.
Heist Tropes
The construction of the earlier journey made it really feel a bit extra apparent what path to take with that heist. On this case, the PCs are left to plan their very own heist. That stated, there are nonetheless a number of tropes related to this journey that ought to resonate with anybody accustomed to the heist style.
- There’s a card match
- There’s a potential counteroffer if the PCs get caught
- The on line casino has sufficient safety which you could assume you all the time have eyes on you
- You’ll want to get to the vault, in addition to convey residence the statue
Just like the earlier journey, you may have a time restrict. On this case, it’s two days, as a result of after the second evening of the cardboard match, there can be a winner that’s awarded the statue that’s half of what you may have been employed to steal.
Particulars
There’s a checklist of on line casino patrons, in addition to some fast character sketches of the individuals within the card match. The staff are left undetailed, however there are many areas the place the DM is advised precisely the place numerous measures are that safety makes use of to keep watch over the staff.
Creatures
Many of the creatures the PCs will run into can be humanoids. There are numerous tieflings on this journey, as a result of theme of the on line casino. The vault has its personal animated undead guardian, so the fight PCs could get an opportunity to do what they do greatest after all the pieces else within the heist has been buttoned down.
After Motion
In contrast to the earlier journey, there aren’t numerous “added content material” solutions on the finish of this journey. Primarily, Verity is proud of them and pays them in the event that they succeed, she could give them one other job to do in the event that they fail, and she or he fails to pay them and walks off actually mad in the event that they double-cross her. If the PCs are additionally working for the Golden Vault, the PCs can snag one other unusual magic merchandise for his or her private use.
Ideas
I like this journey, however with fewer pointers as to what precisely the PCs ought to do as a way to pull off the heist, I do fear that this one goes to be trickier of the group doesn’t have already got numerous heist tropes in thoughts. Whereas I’m studying by this and interested by inflicting diversions or discovering a method to enter the cardboard recreation match, or all types of different vectors, that might not be as evident to somebody that hasn’t binge-watched Leverage or watched Logan Fortunate a number of occasions.
It’s additionally a bit unusual that in a number of elements of the journey, it mentions the place safety measures will be defeated with Dispel Magic, however that is an journey for 2nd stage characters. It may need been good so as to add in some anti-security measures that didn’t require entry to a third stage spell. It’s not which you could’t work across the safety measures with out Dispel Magic, it’s simply that I’m unsure what the purpose of emphasizing that as a method of shutting them down serves.
If I had been going to run this for a gaggle that might not be very proactive of their planning, or that isn’t very savvy in the best way of heists, I would give them a communication gadget the place they will maintain in touch with Verity in the course of the heist. That manner, she will function a method of nudging the PCs in a course in the event that they stall out.
All of that stated, I really like the environment on this journey. It’s a terrific setting, and I feel that proactive gamers which can be already into heist tales could have numerous enjoyable partaking with this situation as one thing to unravel.
