I really like the twist your players came up with--it is creative and interesting!
The hardest opponent to beat is always your own self. They have this thing that is very valuable, the Falangian Diamond. To be exact, they have exactly one Falangian Diamond, and they have something they intend to do with it, something they want to do.
So tempt them with something else, something that lines up with the personality and relationships of at least one of the players, that would also require the diamond. For examples:
- another town is under even more immediate threat and would like to use the diamond (and the person asking is a friend, or a beautiful woman, or someone to whom they owe a great favor).
- If they are ambitious, someone reveals to them a ritual they could do which would establish their own little group as a legitimate House of the Princes, but of course this uses the diamond up somehow.
- If they have sympathy with the land, there is a chance to heal, restore, or otherwise save a major land daimon/spirit, but again it would require the diamond. Doing this thing would help make Maniria a less tortured place, or would open up a new route, or something equally important.
Of course, you can do that to them, and still follow Peter's suggestion.... :)
--Bryan
>
> First, this is a SPOILER for our Fay Jee campaing / French style. Go away,
> players. This means you, Eric.
>
> ... dum da dee dum...
>
>
> OK, I guess, they're gone now. Let me ask your opinion about something. Many of
> the ideas you guys gave me have found their way in our campaign, to everybody's
> pleasure, so I'd like your take on something else.
>
> In our next game, the PCs will start their Great Trek, the re-enactment of
> Caselain's travel through Maniria. They'll join the Great Trekk in Jubal Town,
> navigate up to Joral, cross the Dokal hills to the Temple of Peace and then hoof
> it through solanthi lands all the way to Solung. In theory.
>
> Being their usual selves (ie paranoid), my players expect troubles with
> sabotages from other houses on the road, especially Jhoraz. They expect attacks
> by barbarians. But mostly, they fear crossing solanthi lands and be the target
> of Greymane's greed. So much that the Caselain liturgist has come up with the
> idea of re-enacting the Gift of the Falangian Diamond, not to the Iron Elk as
> Caselain did, but to... Greymane himself. That sounds like a nice idea to wrap
> up this pilgrimage, and buy some time for Fay Jee to build its wall (work
> started a few days ago).
>
> Now how could I play this Gifting Ritual so it's exciting and - above all - has
> unexpected twists for the players ? They've see Greymane's hordes take Acrotor,
> and have crossed devastated Yellowstone. They live in fear of Greymane's horde
> attacking Fay Jee, and know Baron Jhoraz has links with him.
>
> BTW, they'll be attacked on the way to Joral by a fleet of canoes bearing
> haranding warriors (from the Blue Lion clan of Tradetalk fame), and will be
> saved by... soldiers of House Jhoraz. This is the Great Trek where ennemities
> are put aside.
>
> And oh yes, I've designed a nice Deadwood-style Jubal Town, with plenty of
> tensions. It looks suspiciously like second-age Fiesive from Mongoose but locals
> will look and sound like Al Sweargen "et compagnie". I'm curious to see the
> players try to work out who's out for their blood and who they could do business
> with.
>