For context, I’m running In The Shadow of Tower Silveraxe. In the module, there is a group of distrustful, tribal cyclopses named the Golthek. They’re led by a priestess whose interests include collecting gems of power (vague battery-like magic rocks that can power a few dungeon features throughout the hexcrawl) and enslaving any “Others” (anyone non-Golthek).
Anyways, there is an exiled defect to the Golthek that has recently stumbled across and befriended the party. While the party (with exile friend in tow) was traveling within Golthek territory, they were ambushed and outnumbered. Throwing down their arms, they were taken hostage and led to the Golthek’s home.
They’ve spent a few hours in captivity, met two other captives (a pair of noble oafs were who having a casual hike through dangerous mountains), and I’ve sown a few seeds that some Golthek might be sympathetic or amicable to the exile.
My thoughts now are “why” and I’m having a bit of a block on coming up with something interesting. There’s not much description in the module about why the Golthek priestess has decided to take captives or seek out the gems of power (I think there’s just a line that she would take any that exist in the PCs inventory). Any evocative ideas, or thoughts on interesting events that might occur in the next few hours/days of gametime?
It’s been a bit since I’ve looked at Silveraxe but I would look to how I might tie in the Golthek priestess into the Silveraxe plot. Maybe Silveraxe has some of the gems of power? Perhaps one or more of the gems is in or near the tower and its environs? Alternatively, maybe some gems she desires are in another faction stronghold. In any event, I’d have the priestess compel the party to go after one or more of these gems for her.