Help im Stuck [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help im Stuck [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Roger Nicholls
09-09-05, 03:05 PM OK here's my problem.

I've been running an Eberron campaign now for about a year. My group consists of:-

Changeling: Rogue:2/Wizard 6 - From Sharn
Warforged: Paladin: 8 - From Cyre
Human: Monk 7 = From Karnnath
Gnome: Bard 5 - From Zilargo

All of the characters work for Rand Investigations an Investigate Agency where no case is to big or to small for them to send investigators to solve it. (All for the right price of course).

Theyve spent months crossing backwards and forwards across Khorvaire making friends and enemies in many places. All the while a background plot involving The Dreaming Dark has been taking place.

They've recently taken up the task of investigating the murder of a Karnnathian Politician who was assasinated. She was murdered whilst giving a speech declaring the Karnnathian military "warmongers" and that the recent border skirmishes with other nations were in fact fabrications to reignite the war.

Now here's my problem - ive got DMs block. I'd like to bring in the background plot a lot more in this one as i think its perfectly in line with the Dreaming Dark for them to be manipulating border issues and political confrontations. I also think it might be time for the Blood of Vol to make an appearance. Incidentally they've been told by local Karnathian authorities that the case is being handled internally by the investigators Jotrem and Saulo (Five Nations) in the city of Korth.

Has anyone got any ideas ? The group is not combat orientated and really love the role play elements of the game session. Having said this they like a good fight when presented with one ! :P

Regards

Roger
Majorafire77
09-09-05, 03:22 PM Well, maybe she was killed by the Karrnathi warmongers. If the investigation revealed that, then the people of Karrnath would find out and either support it and join in to start another war or they'd revolt against the Karrnathi government and the country would collapse. As long as the DD helps along the investigation and frames a Karrnathi warmonger, then it goes well for them either way. I'm not quite sure how to incorporate the blood of vol though. I guess if the politician was a member of the blood of vol, then the DD could make it seem as if the Karrnathi government targeted her because she was a member, and that would result in civil war if enough similar situations occur in other parts of Karrnath.
Radkres
09-09-05, 03:39 PM The killer was a cleric of the Blood of Vol who is just a puppet (possessed) being controlled at the time by a DD operative to start civil unrest between the church and the state. Then make the puppet good looking and nice person who would not hurt a fly so the killing would be totally out of character and they don’t know how they got their.
The last thing they remember was going to one of the Karnnathian military leaders party last night.
DragonWatcher
09-09-05, 04:11 PM My question is: Why would a Karnathi politician be speaking publically about the warmongering ways and motives of Karnath? In a society that is under martial law, this is a treasonous act, and her life would be forfeit anyhow. I would actually think that the murder was perpetrated by a member of the Dark Cabinet or some other officially sanctioned branch of the military. Karnath doesn't suffer traitors.

As I've said, however, as I DM I would lead the characters to question why this woman was committing such a blatantly suicidal act in the first place. This could lead in a couple different ways that I can think off the top of my head:

1. The politician was a mind-seeded quori. Perhaps she had been working (knowingly or unknowingly) as a spy for the Dreaming Dark for some time, and either she knew too much or was about to be discovered. Either way, she was disposable and needed to be eliminated before things got out of hand. If the PCs investigate her past, they might discover that she was in possession of items that didn't make sense for a woman of her position (military maps, fortress supply lists, troop rosters, etc.). What was she doing with these things, and how did she get them?

2. The politician has actually been abducted (or offered asylum) by agents of Breland, and the "assassination" was an elaborate ploy pulled off by members of the Tyrants (an underworld group of changelings from Sharn (see: S:CoT)). Examinating the politician's home shows that several items seem to be missing, and the house has been thoroughly searched (likely by Jotrem and Saulo) who have been investigating this politician for some time (expecting that she was a Breland Sympathizer). They might even know that the assassination wasn't real, and they want to find this woman and silence her before she talks too much.
Roger Nicholls
09-09-05, 04:26 PM My question is: Why would a Karnathi politician be speaking publically about the warmongering ways and motives of Karnath?

It was actually part of one of the characters background stories that they had been body guarding a particularly outspoken politician who had chosen to confront what she believed where "dark forces" within her beloved Karnnath. Although they are a militaristic nation she had no desire to return to the war that had brought such massive destruction to the continent and felt it was time to speak out in the hopes others might support her.
DragonWatcher
09-09-05, 04:41 PM It was actually part of one of the characters background stories that they had been body guarding a particularly outspoken politician who had chosen to confront what she believed where "dark forces" within her beloved Karnnath. Although they are a militaristic nation she had no desire to return to the war that had brought such massive destruction to the continent and felt it was time to speak out in the hopes others might support her.

Sure... somebody might do that. However, I'm just pointing out that Karnath doesn't follow the Code of Galifar, they follow the Code of Kaius. There's no freedom of speech, and in the military (especially the way they describe Karnath's military) dissent = treason.

I'm not arguing that nobody would ever dare speak against the practices of the government... just that they would know that it would make them target #1. As such, I think that my second possible plot hook might work well for your purposes. After it became clear to her that she would be silenced "one way or the other", the politician decided to take what information she could to King Boreneal (sp?) in Breland (after all, that's where Kaius' daughter is) and work more behind the scenes to prevent her beloved Karnath from being decimated. However, if she was going to avoid being followed, she would need a diversion...

And if you don't like it... that's fine too. Just trying to help. :D
Roger Nicholls
09-09-05, 05:01 PM And i truly do appreciate your help - the more help the better :-)

Its horrible feeling like ive got a story to tell and being unable to get it into some sort of order in my mind with the links in place to make it work ! :confused:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Roger Nicholls 09-09-05, 03:05 PM	OK here's my problem. I've been running an Eberron campaign now for about a year. My group consists of:- Changeling: Rogue:2/Wizard 6 - From Sharn Warforged: Paladin: 8 - From Cyre Human: Monk 7 = From Karnnath Gnome: Bard 5 - From Zilargo All of the characters work for Rand Investigations an Investigate Agency where no case is to big or to small for them to send investigators to solve it. (All for the right price of course). Theyve spent months crossing backwards and forwards across Khorvaire making friends and enemies in many places. All the while a background plot involving The Dreaming Dark has been taking place. They've recently taken up the task of investigating the murder of a Karnnathian Politician who was assasinated. She was murdered whilst giving a speech declaring the Karnnathian military "warmongers" and that the recent border skirmishes with other nations were in fact fabrications to reignite the war. Now here's my problem - ive got DMs block. I'd like to bring in the background plot a lot more in this one as i think its perfectly in line with the Dreaming Dark for them to be manipulating border issues and political confrontations. I also think it might be time for the Blood of Vol to make an appearance. Incidentally they've been told by local Karnathian authorities that the case is being handled internally by the investigators Jotrem and Saulo (Five Nations) in the city of Korth. Has anyone got any ideas ? The group is not combat orientated and really love the role play elements of the game session. Having said this they like a good fight when presented with one ! :P Regards Roger
Majorafire77 09-09-05, 03:22 PM	Well, maybe she was killed by the Karrnathi warmongers. If the investigation revealed that, then the people of Karrnath would find out and either support it and join in to start another war or they'd revolt against the Karrnathi government and the country would collapse. As long as the DD helps along the investigation and frames a Karrnathi warmonger, then it goes well for them either way. I'm not quite sure how to incorporate the blood of vol though. I guess if the politician was a member of the blood of vol, then the DD could make it seem as if the Karrnathi government targeted her because she was a member, and that would result in civil war if enough similar situations occur in other parts of Karrnath.
Radkres 09-09-05, 03:39 PM	The killer was a cleric of the Blood of Vol who is just a puppet (possessed) being controlled at the time by a DD operative to start civil unrest between the church and the state. Then make the puppet good looking and nice person who would not hurt a fly so the killing would be totally out of character and they don’t know how they got their. The last thing they remember was going to one of the Karnnathian military leaders party last night.
DragonWatcher 09-09-05, 04:11 PM	My question is: Why would a Karnathi politician be speaking publically about the warmongering ways and motives of Karnath? In a society that is under martial law, this is a treasonous act, and her life would be forfeit anyhow. I would actually think that the murder was perpetrated by a member of the Dark Cabinet or some other officially sanctioned branch of the military. Karnath doesn't suffer traitors. As I've said, however, as I DM I would lead the characters to question why this woman was committing such a blatantly suicidal act in the first place. This could lead in a couple different ways that I can think off the top of my head: 1. The politician was a mind-seeded quori. Perhaps she had been working (knowingly or unknowingly) as a spy for the Dreaming Dark for some time, and either she knew too much or was about to be discovered. Either way, she was disposable and needed to be eliminated before things got out of hand. If the PCs investigate her past, they might discover that she was in possession of items that didn't make sense for a woman of her position (military maps, fortress supply lists, troop rosters, etc.). What was she doing with these things, and how did she get them? 2. The politician has actually been abducted (or offered asylum) by agents of Breland, and the "assassination" was an elaborate ploy pulled off by members of the Tyrants (an underworld group of changelings from Sharn (see: S:CoT)). Examinating the politician's home shows that several items seem to be missing, and the house has been thoroughly searched (likely by Jotrem and Saulo) who have been investigating this politician for some time (expecting that she was a Breland Sympathizer). They might even know that the assassination wasn't real, and they want to find this woman and silence her before she talks too much.
Roger Nicholls 09-09-05, 04:26 PM	My question is: Why would a Karnathi politician be speaking publically about the warmongering ways and motives of Karnath? It was actually part of one of the characters background stories that they had been body guarding a particularly outspoken politician who had chosen to confront what she believed where "dark forces" within her beloved Karnnath. Although they are a militaristic nation she had no desire to return to the war that had brought such massive destruction to the continent and felt it was time to speak out in the hopes others might support her.
DragonWatcher 09-09-05, 04:41 PM	It was actually part of one of the characters background stories that they had been body guarding a particularly outspoken politician who had chosen to confront what she believed where "dark forces" within her beloved Karnnath. Although they are a militaristic nation she had no desire to return to the war that had brought such massive destruction to the continent and felt it was time to speak out in the hopes others might support her. Sure... somebody might do that. However, I'm just pointing out that Karnath doesn't follow the Code of Galifar, they follow the Code of Kaius. There's no freedom of speech, and in the military (especially the way they describe Karnath's military) dissent = treason. I'm not arguing that nobody would ever dare speak against the practices of the government... just that they would know that it would make them target #1. As such, I think that my second possible plot hook might work well for your purposes. After it became clear to her that she would be silenced "one way or the other", the politician decided to take what information she could to King Boreneal (sp?) in Breland (after all, that's where Kaius' daughter is) and work more behind the scenes to prevent her beloved Karnath from being decimated. However, if she was going to avoid being followed, she would need a diversion... And if you don't like it... that's fine too. Just trying to help. :D
Roger Nicholls 09-09-05, 05:01 PM	And i truly do appreciate your help - the more help the better :-) Its horrible feeling like ive got a story to tell and being unable to get it into some sort of order in my mind with the links in place to make it work ! :confused: