Adventure plot took a sidetrek [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adventure plot took a sidetrek [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Jaxom
07-06-05, 02:09 AM Just for information, this adventure is for a group of characters of around 27th level, but that shouldn't effect the plot of this adventure too much.

I gave the character's six weeks of downtime, but they don't know that. The character alignment varies and a common goal keeps them working together.

One newer character to the group wanted some scrolls made that will take weeks to have done, in the process he doesn't see why he shouldn't pay for them. A spell he wants will take some travel to a remote location and since that gives him a way to take a job of killing a consort to the high preist of the St. Cuthbert Temple in town. He took the job...

What they don't know... the person that gave the job is waiting for an omen to appear and he's going to launch a well planned attack on the Temple and kill the priests and templars inside since they didn't support him way back in an adventure we played years ago. The attack is still five weeks away and the players are investigating the murder by using speak with dead and checking the home of this noble for breaches in magical protections.

I have to fill the five weeks left so the story can continue, but I don't want it to bog down the game too much so I'm looking for a little advice on how to close the open ends... I'm thinking about maybe the blame being brought upon somone else just so the people of the town feel better that a killer is caught.
Astinex
07-06-05, 12:14 PM Just for information, this adventure is for a group of characters of around 27th level, but that shouldn't effect the plot of this adventure too much.

I gave the character's six weeks of downtime, but they don't know that. The character alignment varies and a common goal keeps them working together.

One newer character to the group wanted some scrolls made that will take weeks to have done, in the process he doesn't see why he shouldn't pay for them. A spell he wants will take some travel to a remote location and since that gives him a way to take a job of killing a consort to the high preist of the St. Cuthbert Temple in town. He took the job...

What they don't know... the person that gave the job is waiting for an omen to appear and he's going to launch a well planned attack on the Temple and kill the priests and templars inside since they didn't support him way back in an adventure we played years ago. The attack is still five weeks away and the players are investigating the murder by using speak with dead and checking the home of this noble for breaches in magical protections.

I have to fill the five weeks left so the story can continue, but I don't want it to bog down the game too much so I'm looking for a little advice on how to close the open ends... I'm thinking about maybe the blame being brought upon somone else just so the people of the town feel better that a killer is caught.
I was hoping to answer but I'm a bit confused, even after reading your posts several times. Let me see if I have this straight;

1) New PC, (will call PC1), kills a consort to a High Priest, we assume, for cash.

2) The NPC who [paid] PC1 is waiting for omen, then will kill High Priest and friends for revenge.

3) PC's without PC1 are investigating the murder of the consort?

4) You need 5 weeks of filler to keep all PC's interested until NPC in #2 makes his move?

Just trying to clarify, and will help if I can.
Jaxom
07-06-05, 03:04 PM I was hoping to answer but I'm a bit confused, even after reading your posts several times. Let me see if I have this straight;

1) New PC, (will call PC1), kills a consort to a High Priest, we assume, for cash.

2) The NPC who [paid] PC1 is waiting for omen, then will kill High Priest and friends for revenge.

3) PC's without PC1 are investigating the murder of the consort?

4) You need 5 weeks of filler to keep all PC's interested until NPC in #2 makes his move?

Just trying to clarify, and will help if I can.

You pretty much nailed it. Sorry if it was confusing, I wrote it late at night without having much time to do so... bad combination I guess.

Thinking on it a little more I feel I should have someone arrested for the crime, maybe even someone that the guilds can setup just to keep the pressure off their backs. Then I have the politics of electing a new consort to the church which will take some time. I was just trying to think of other things that might come up as well since this is technically downtime and magic items (scrolls) are being made.

The player whose character took the job of assassination did a good job on making sure he couldn't be linked to the crime. The other player's know his character fairly well and don't see how he was able to be in two places at once since they scried on him that day and he was in the woods just where he should have been. He actually plane shifted back to town and waited a day before breaking into the home, killing the noble, and then planeshifting out to a different plane that was forested similar to where he was hiking the day before. The following day he'll planeshift back to the forest and continue his little quest. As a further note, all characters in the group have planeshift 1/day, a powerful being gave the power to us just recently for doing a task for him.
Astinex
07-06-05, 04:41 PM If your PC's are as powerful as they seem to be, I would hope PC1 did a very detailed job of covering their tracks. The rest of the PC's should have a lot of resources to use to discover the killer. Because of this, unless PC1 framed another person, I would stay away from the false accusation. At a minimum your PC's should be able to discern a falsely accused person’s innocence. Remember, proving the innocence of someone is different then discovering the guilty.

Options to burn time;

1) Depending on the PC’s alignments and classes maybe one of them is chosen to stand in during the ceremony to replace the dead consort. (Normally the old consort would “vouch” for the new one, but due to untimely death a proxy for the old consort is needed.)

2) The High Priest needs assistance with a ceremony or event that the consort was scheduled to handle. The High Priest asks the PC’s for assistance in running said event.

3) Give them a “throwback”. Have a little girl approach the PC’s and request for assistance in getting her doll back. The girl saw her doll taken by a green man. PC’s get to enter a cave/sewer/dark area and kill a goblin that took the doll. The point is to make the encounter insanely easy; this should give them a thrill.

4) Have a traveling carnival arrive. The PC’s may partake in a few games of chance and skill, as well as see a few oddities from the surrounding lands. If you need a real challenge, maybe one of the oddities escapes and has to be recaptured.

Hope those help.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jaxom 07-06-05, 02:09 AM	Just for information, this adventure is for a group of characters of around 27th level, but that shouldn't effect the plot of this adventure too much. I gave the character's six weeks of downtime, but they don't know that. The character alignment varies and a common goal keeps them working together. One newer character to the group wanted some scrolls made that will take weeks to have done, in the process he doesn't see why he shouldn't pay for them. A spell he wants will take some travel to a remote location and since that gives him a way to take a job of killing a consort to the high preist of the St. Cuthbert Temple in town. He took the job... What they don't know... the person that gave the job is waiting for an omen to appear and he's going to launch a well planned attack on the Temple and kill the priests and templars inside since they didn't support him way back in an adventure we played years ago. The attack is still five weeks away and the players are investigating the murder by using speak with dead and checking the home of this noble for breaches in magical protections. I have to fill the five weeks left so the story can continue, but I don't want it to bog down the game too much so I'm looking for a little advice on how to close the open ends... I'm thinking about maybe the blame being brought upon somone else just so the people of the town feel better that a killer is caught.
Astinex 07-06-05, 12:14 PM	Just for information, this adventure is for a group of characters of around 27th level, but that shouldn't effect the plot of this adventure too much. I gave the character's six weeks of downtime, but they don't know that. The character alignment varies and a common goal keeps them working together. One newer character to the group wanted some scrolls made that will take weeks to have done, in the process he doesn't see why he shouldn't pay for them. A spell he wants will take some travel to a remote location and since that gives him a way to take a job of killing a consort to the high preist of the St. Cuthbert Temple in town. He took the job... What they don't know... the person that gave the job is waiting for an omen to appear and he's going to launch a well planned attack on the Temple and kill the priests and templars inside since they didn't support him way back in an adventure we played years ago. The attack is still five weeks away and the players are investigating the murder by using speak with dead and checking the home of this noble for breaches in magical protections. I have to fill the five weeks left so the story can continue, but I don't want it to bog down the game too much so I'm looking for a little advice on how to close the open ends... I'm thinking about maybe the blame being brought upon somone else just so the people of the town feel better that a killer is caught. I was hoping to answer but I'm a bit confused, even after reading your posts several times. Let me see if I have this straight; 1) New PC, (will call PC1), kills a consort to a High Priest, we assume, for cash. 2) The NPC who [paid] PC1 is waiting for omen, then will kill High Priest and friends for revenge. 3) PC's without PC1 are investigating the murder of the consort? 4) You need 5 weeks of filler to keep all PC's interested until NPC in #2 makes his move? Just trying to clarify, and will help if I can.
Jaxom 07-06-05, 03:04 PM	I was hoping to answer but I'm a bit confused, even after reading your posts several times. Let me see if I have this straight; 1) New PC, (will call PC1), kills a consort to a High Priest, we assume, for cash. 2) The NPC who [paid] PC1 is waiting for omen, then will kill High Priest and friends for revenge. 3) PC's without PC1 are investigating the murder of the consort? 4) You need 5 weeks of filler to keep all PC's interested until NPC in #2 makes his move? Just trying to clarify, and will help if I can. You pretty much nailed it. Sorry if it was confusing, I wrote it late at night without having much time to do so... bad combination I guess. Thinking on it a little more I feel I should have someone arrested for the crime, maybe even someone that the guilds can setup just to keep the pressure off their backs. Then I have the politics of electing a new consort to the church which will take some time. I was just trying to think of other things that might come up as well since this is technically downtime and magic items (scrolls) are being made. The player whose character took the job of assassination did a good job on making sure he couldn't be linked to the crime. The other player's know his character fairly well and don't see how he was able to be in two places at once since they scried on him that day and he was in the woods just where he should have been. He actually plane shifted back to town and waited a day before breaking into the home, killing the noble, and then planeshifting out to a different plane that was forested similar to where he was hiking the day before. The following day he'll planeshift back to the forest and continue his little quest. As a further note, all characters in the group have planeshift 1/day, a powerful being gave the power to us just recently for doing a task for him.
Astinex 07-06-05, 04:41 PM	If your PC's are as powerful as they seem to be, I would hope PC1 did a very detailed job of covering their tracks. The rest of the PC's should have a lot of resources to use to discover the killer. Because of this, unless PC1 framed another person, I would stay away from the false accusation. At a minimum your PC's should be able to discern a falsely accused person’s innocence. Remember, proving the innocence of someone is different then discovering the guilty. Options to burn time; 1) Depending on the PC’s alignments and classes maybe one of them is chosen to stand in during the ceremony to replace the dead consort. (Normally the old consort would “vouch” for the new one, but due to untimely death a proxy for the old consort is needed.) 2) The High Priest needs assistance with a ceremony or event that the consort was scheduled to handle. The High Priest asks the PC’s for assistance in running said event. 3) Give them a “throwback”. Have a little girl approach the PC’s and request for assistance in getting her doll back. The girl saw her doll taken by a green man. PC’s get to enter a cave/sewer/dark area and kill a goblin that took the doll. The point is to make the encounter insanely easy; this should give them a thrill. 4) Have a traveling carnival arrive. The PC’s may partake in a few games of chance and skill, as well as see a few oddities from the surrounding lands. If you need a real challenge, maybe one of the oddities escapes and has to be recaptured. Hope those help.