As you would expect, there is a general trend of fewer combatants the tougher they are, but hobgoblins are sort of an anomaly. And here is the map of the caves color coded by humanoid type. You can see higher up and farther into the ravine means more danger for the party:
As far as the factions go, it is almost a cross-ravine war going on; goblins and hobgoblins versus orcs. Except the gnolls sometimes ally with the orcs. The ogre generally fights for the goblins but will go to the highest bidder. Kobolds try to stay out of the line of fire. Bugbears pick off any stragglers. And the simulationist in me wonders what the hell they all eat.
Heh - they eat each other...
ReplyDeleteGood analysis. Still have the wild cards, too - the Minotaur, the Medusa, the undead and the evil priest... It gets downright chaotic there :)
Considering the much vaunted Gygaxian-naturalism, the Caves of Chaos always seemed far from it. Esp. odd since you would think that beginners would be encouraged to think along these lines from the get-go.
ReplyDeleteGreat layout of info.
ReplyDeletethe simulationist in me wonders what the hell they all eat.
ReplyDeletePizza?
There's an under-explored aspect of life in the D&D world: the Hobbesian (but wildly interesting) life of a pizza delivery boy on the Borderlands.
Useful analysis btw. Thanks.
Thanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteI think B2 is interesting as far as naturalism goes because it's really a great abstracted adventure locale: it shows a new DM and players how a dungeon can work with player choice but with a clearly defined danger gradient. It works well with multiple forays and allows for some creative negotiation, and intelligent opposition when the factions work against you. It also gives you a preview of all the bugaboos you can fight in D&D and offers a place players can work up several levels as they climb through opponents. As an abstracted adventure gaming locale it seems perfect.
The price you pay is having players wonder how this ravine got crammed full of 6 different tribes hostile to each other. But as with D&D's combat system I think sometimes the benefits from abstraction outweigh the potential breaking of suspension of disbelief. But I'm sure, as with saving throws earlier, where each of us falls on the continuum of comfort as far as abstraction differs.
@Tim: Thanks! I set out just trying to make it clear to myself. But after finishing I was thinking that their might be ways adventure map maker could make the maps more useful for DMs.
I'm pretty sure B2 explains the caves are a "source of chaotic energy/malice/whatever/evil" and that attracts the various humanoids to the area.
ReplyDeleteYou can alternatively assume they are encouraged by the temple to settle and to fight. Thus providing fresh supplies of corpses to animate as well as a "speed bump" for any would be invaders. Sort of like how USSR set up the Warsaw Pact.
I've never had a problem rationalizing anything ;)
One thing I liked about Hackmaster's B2 is that they added latrines and the like to the various lairs.
Seeing as how this is a wilderness instead deep in a dungeon, I don't see why the humanoids can't hunt and attack travellers.
ReplyDelete