Yep, I think that it is a delicate balance. The NPCs should be strong, but not overpowering. Particularly in something like this where the broad outline is prescripted there should be a certain inevitability but the PCs must be able to play a very important role in the plot. For example I would let the actions of the PCs determine whether the final evacuation of the citadel is a desperate fearful retreat in the face of inevitable defeat or a cunning ruse and (in some way) victory. Thus, if the PCs are passive in the face of the comming defeat then this will colour how the final days go, but, if they are proactive and come up with good plans (and convince Broyan, etc) then the ending will be a victory of sorts for them. And these things will carry on over to the rest of the campaign. If they fled WW willy-nilly they will be hunted fugitives, etc while if they managed to do soimething "positive" the whole tenor of the events afterward would change. All this IMHO.
Basically what I want to say is that the NPCs should be strong (characterwise) but not overpowering and, while the PCs can't change the final outcome, they can certainly influence the manner in which it occurs.
Thus, for eg in the ToDP, Varmand's last charge was, to all intents and purposes, a (prescripted) defeat for the Varmandi but the actions of the PCs set the tenor of that defeat. Instead of ending up ragged, hunted fugitives we wwere able to sieze new land for ourselves and retain some position of strength...
>
> > For PCs in this crisis forms the drama of this part of
Whitewall. Do
> > they want the Esvulari to stay or to go. The Illiad is about
the
> > conflict within the Greek camp and the crisis caused by
Achilles
> > withdrawal from the field. That's the feel we are after surely.
>
> Yep. I think this is good drama. I'm sure there will be many such
> conflicts on the Orlanthi side.
And the lunars, if not quite as open... Hmmm, gotta love those dart wars.
Yak
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