Evil cleric scamming a town with fake exocisms and protection rackets - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Evil cleric scamming a town with fake exocisms and protection rackets

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
sleap
May 10, 2012 22:29:55 Okay, Im still new to this whole building adventures thing but here goes.

It's going to involve a town that is wrought with demon possesion and roaming zombies at night. A Cleric of pelor has become a savior and a becon of hope to them and they will literally listen to anything he says.

He and his assistants will repel the zombies and various other things that threaten the town and when one of the townspeople succumbs to demons posession he performs and "exocsim" unfortunately the demons that are possesing the towns people will mearly jump to another person when they are exorscised, so sadly...the Cleric must perform a special ritual that involves killing the host to kill the demon inside them. (One of the firs things the players will see is a brutal "exocism" of a townsperson)

The Cleric accepts the payers help and for a while they fight the good fight (The cleric being a DMPC that just wrecks the undead when he is around, make them see how strong and powerful he is)

One night the players see one of his lackeys out in the woods performing a ritual, and the palyers discover that he is the one raising zombies (if they try to find out stuff he tries to say that the cleric put him up to it,)..."window.parent.tinyMCE.get('post_content').onLoad.dispatch();" contenteditable="true" />
when they bring this up with the cleric he acts shocked and glad that you got rid of him, and feels foolish for not realizing it sooner. Just then a scream is heard, its the mother of an adorable little girl who the players talked too earlier in the campaign...shes possesed...the cleric takes out his mace and commands the players to hold her down so he can do what must be done this plays out however it will...

My plan is to put in a ton of clues and just have him do worse and worse things until the players figure out that this is a bad guy
He greats you with a slogan from pelor but says it in a slightly off way
There is something a little off about his pelor amulet (it snaps a part off and is an evil amulet under it)
If you notice it the cleric gets a slight glean of joy when he performs an exocism
If they spy on him at night they see him praying to an evil idol
They can belive the lackie at the graveyard and try to find out if he was telling the truth

If they stop the cleric from killing the little girl they can find out shes not possesed she is just under a spell, they can free her and she goes on about how the bad man came to her at night and made her eat icky herbs. (The cleric has been poision people to make them LOOK like they are posesed so he can exocise them, he is really sacrificing them to his evil god)

Now the PC's fought along side with this cleric so they saw how much of a badass he is so knowing that they are about to go toe to toe with him makes them very worried because he is summoning demonic entities.

If they fail at exposing the cleric then the demons are unleashed and I'm going to make it an almost impossible to win encounter. They will either wipe or everyone in the town will be killed by the arch-demon the cleric released (which I might use as a hook in the off chance it happens)

I want it to play out in one long session, a couple hours. A small setting, simple mystery with multiple ways to uncover it. With a forest of zombies around you to provide encounters.
#2
Akoo
May 10, 2012 22:47:40 Sounds good, were you looking for any sort of help?
#3
sleap
May 10, 2012 22:49:21
Sounds good, were you looking for any sort of help?

Just some tips if you have any
#4
Akoo
May 10, 2012 23:17:30 Definitely watch your wording carefully, in that case. A little too strong and the connection will become painfully obvious to the players, especially if they are experienced with RPGs or mysteries. If there is a ton of roleplay (and it seems there will be) don't use solely zombies in the encounters, mix it up with a bloodhulk or flesh golem (ohh, with symbols of the evil deity inscribed into it!!) or some other "raised" undead.
And make sure you have your poker face. There is nothing worse then when a player sees you smile when they jokingly suggest its the cleric and he blabs to everyone, effectively ruining the adventure, unless the group finds a way to make the whole thing interesting... like playing along with the baddie until the right time to strike presents itself.
#5
sleap
May 10, 2012 23:38:50
Definitely watch your wording carefully, in that case. A little too strong and the connection will become painfully obvious to the players, especially if they are experienced with RPGs or mysteries. If there is a ton of roleplay (and it seems there will be) don't use solely zombies in the encounters, mix it up with a bloodhulk or flesh golem (ohh, with symbols of the evil deity inscribed into it!!) or some other "raised" undead.
And make sure you have your poker face. There is nothing worse then when a player sees you smile when they jokingly suggest its the cleric and he blabs to everyone, effectively ruining the adventure, unless the group finds a way to make the whole thing interesting... like playing along with the baddie until the right time to strike presents itself.

yeah we are used to playing with a DMPC just so the 4 of us can play, I'm going to make this cleric my DMPC (and I usually play clerics alot anyway) so they will just think "oh okay this is just sleap playing a cleric again"
#6
Akoo
May 11, 2012 15:27:01 seems like a pretty good fit in that case! goodluck
#7
xervous
May 11, 2012 16:35:38 Almost everything depends on what your group is like, but... here are some ideas in case they come in handy.

-Sketch up a glorified, ficticious backstory for the cleric filled with past deeds that he sometimes references, or tells people about in grand storyteller fashion.

-Have an obvious "culprit" who, by stereotyping appears to be responsible for all these troubles. This guy (or gal) will mostly avoid the PCs and be witnessed at the wrong place at the wrong time leading them to believe he's the one. The cleric will be trying to kill this guy, and will happily do so when the PCs get him cornered, claiming something like "FOR YOUR SINS I SHALL END YOU NOW" and bashing him to a pulp before the PCs get to interrogate him. Your choice what the cleric does when this "culprit" is out of the way; perhaps he claims there is a curse upon the town itself?

-make your clues subtle. PCs are (hopefully) highly inquisitive and dislike being spoon fed empty mysteries. Passive checks can be used to "give" them basic information while hinting that they can find more if they actively pursue it, like an insight check of X lets the PC notice that the cleric is enjoying the exorcisms.

-Present plenty of distractions, if everything is A) Cleric B) Cleric C) Cleric D) Cleric E) More Cleric, the PCs will latch on to the only mass of detail they can: the cleric, and depending on their alignments / morals might confront him too soon for your liking. lots of varied zombie encounters should help. If the zombies come into the town, or closer to it, the Cleric could claim that its getting worse and take appropriate actions, or ask the PCs to do the same (perhaps send them on a wild goose hunt into his lackeys' lair when he feels they are getting close to finding him out)

#8
The-Magic-Sword
May 13, 2012 21:47:37 i have a suggection that migth deepen your plot (nicked from the witcher)

there's a local benign witch, always somewhat outcasted- she is blamed by the cleric, it would add another npc to the area, if you made her try and prove her innocence to the NPC's to enlist their help in clearing her name/accusing the cleric, then you could go a little lighter on the clues since the PC's will get someone pointing them in the right direction (a few red herrings however, will still point to the witch's culpability, but have morally grey/simple explanations- for example, she gathers herbs similar to those used by the figure... in order to create a painkiller, or narcotic for illegal sale)

going lighter on the clues would help you avoid the following:

tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Most...

tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Pape...

note that most of your clues are too obvious, the chipped amulet would have to be focused on and described, brought directly before the players attention, it's not a movie where a detail can be there without being noticed (unless thats actually a perception check... which would make sense)

furthermore, you could use more possible culprits, there's currently no one else to blame

feel free to ignore the above of course, i started rambling partway through XD

edit: wait... am i missing something? the cleric is the villain... and going to join the party O.o... if you don't mind me asking how is this going to happen?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 sleap May 10, 2012 22:29:55	Okay, Im still new to this whole building adventures thing but here goes. It's going to involve a town that is wrought with demon possesion and roaming zombies at night. A Cleric of pelor has become a savior and a becon of hope to them and they will literally listen to anything he says. He and his assistants will repel the zombies and various other things that threaten the town and when one of the townspeople succumbs to demons posession he performs and "exocsim" unfortunately the demons that are possesing the towns people will mearly jump to another person when they are exorscised, so sadly...the Cleric must perform a special ritual that involves killing the host to kill the demon inside them. (One of the firs things the players will see is a brutal "exocism" of a townsperson) The Cleric accepts the payers help and for a while they fight the good fight (The cleric being a DMPC that just wrecks the undead when he is around, make them see how strong and powerful he is) One night the players see one of his lackeys out in the woods performing a ritual, and the palyers discover that he is the one raising zombies (if they try to find out stuff he tries to say that the cleric put him up to it,)..."window.parent.tinyMCE.get('post_content').onLoad.dispatch();" contenteditable="true" /> when they bring this up with the cleric he acts shocked and glad that you got rid of him, and feels foolish for not realizing it sooner. Just then a scream is heard, its the mother of an adorable little girl who the players talked too earlier in the campaign...shes possesed...the cleric takes out his mace and commands the players to hold her down so he can do what must be done this plays out however it will... My plan is to put in a ton of clues and just have him do worse and worse things until the players figure out that this is a bad guy He greats you with a slogan from pelor but says it in a slightly off way There is something a little off about his pelor amulet (it snaps a part off and is an evil amulet under it) If you notice it the cleric gets a slight glean of joy when he performs an exocism If they spy on him at night they see him praying to an evil idol They can belive the lackie at the graveyard and try to find out if he was telling the truth If they stop the cleric from killing the little girl they can find out shes not possesed she is just under a spell, they can free her and she goes on about how the bad man came to her at night and made her eat icky herbs. (The cleric has been poision people to make them LOOK like they are posesed so he can exocise them, he is really sacrificing them to his evil god) Now the PC's fought along side with this cleric so they saw how much of a badass he is so knowing that they are about to go toe to toe with him makes them very worried because he is summoning demonic entities. If they fail at exposing the cleric then the demons are unleashed and I'm going to make it an almost impossible to win encounter. They will either wipe or everyone in the town will be killed by the arch-demon the cleric released (which I might use as a hook in the off chance it happens) I want it to play out in one long session, a couple hours. A small setting, simple mystery with multiple ways to uncover it. With a forest of zombies around you to provide encounters.
#2 Akoo May 10, 2012 22:47:40	Sounds good, were you looking for any sort of help?
#3 sleap May 10, 2012 22:49:21	Sounds good, were you looking for any sort of help? Just some tips if you have any
#4 Akoo May 10, 2012 23:17:30	Definitely watch your wording carefully, in that case. A little too strong and the connection will become painfully obvious to the players, especially if they are experienced with RPGs or mysteries. If there is a ton of roleplay (and it seems there will be) don't use solely zombies in the encounters, mix it up with a bloodhulk or flesh golem (ohh, with symbols of the evil deity inscribed into it!!) or some other "raised" undead. And make sure you have your poker face. There is nothing worse then when a player sees you smile when they jokingly suggest its the cleric and he blabs to everyone, effectively ruining the adventure, unless the group finds a way to make the whole thing interesting... like playing along with the baddie until the right time to strike presents itself.
#5 sleap May 10, 2012 23:38:50	Definitely watch your wording carefully, in that case. A little too strong and the connection will become painfully obvious to the players, especially if they are experienced with RPGs or mysteries. If there is a ton of roleplay (and it seems there will be) don't use solely zombies in the encounters, mix it up with a bloodhulk or flesh golem (ohh, with symbols of the evil deity inscribed into it!!) or some other "raised" undead. And make sure you have your poker face. There is nothing worse then when a player sees you smile when they jokingly suggest its the cleric and he blabs to everyone, effectively ruining the adventure, unless the group finds a way to make the whole thing interesting... like playing along with the baddie until the right time to strike presents itself. yeah we are used to playing with a DMPC just so the 4 of us can play, I'm going to make this cleric my DMPC (and I usually play clerics alot anyway) so they will just think "oh okay this is just sleap playing a cleric again"
#6 Akoo May 11, 2012 15:27:01	seems like a pretty good fit in that case! goodluck
#7 xervous May 11, 2012 16:35:38	Almost everything depends on what your group is like, but... here are some ideas in case they come in handy. -Sketch up a glorified, ficticious backstory for the cleric filled with past deeds that he sometimes references, or tells people about in grand storyteller fashion. -Have an obvious "culprit" who, by stereotyping appears to be responsible for all these troubles. This guy (or gal) will mostly avoid the PCs and be witnessed at the wrong place at the wrong time leading them to believe he's the one. The cleric will be trying to kill this guy, and will happily do so when the PCs get him cornered, claiming something like "FOR YOUR SINS I SHALL END YOU NOW" and bashing him to a pulp before the PCs get to interrogate him. Your choice what the cleric does when this "culprit" is out of the way; perhaps he claims there is a curse upon the town itself? -make your clues subtle. PCs are (hopefully) highly inquisitive and dislike being spoon fed empty mysteries. Passive checks can be used to "give" them basic information while hinting that they can find more if they actively pursue it, like an insight check of X lets the PC notice that the cleric is enjoying the exorcisms. -Present plenty of distractions, if everything is A) Cleric B) Cleric C) Cleric D) Cleric E) More Cleric, the PCs will latch on to the only mass of detail they can: the cleric, and depending on their alignments / morals might confront him too soon for your liking. lots of varied zombie encounters should help. If the zombies come into the town, or closer to it, the Cleric could claim that its getting worse and take appropriate actions, or ask the PCs to do the same (perhaps send them on a wild goose hunt into his lackeys' lair when he feels they are getting close to finding him out)
#8 The-Magic-Sword May 13, 2012 21:47:37	i have a suggection that migth deepen your plot (nicked from the witcher) there's a local benign witch, always somewhat outcasted- she is blamed by the cleric, it would add another npc to the area, if you made her try and prove her innocence to the NPC's to enlist their help in clearing her name/accusing the cleric, then you could go a little lighter on the clues since the PC's will get someone pointing them in the right direction (a few red herrings however, will still point to the witch's culpability, but have morally grey/simple explanations- for example, she gathers herbs similar to those used by the figure... in order to create a painkiller, or narcotic for illegal sale) going lighter on the clues would help you avoid the following: tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Most... tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Pape... note that most of your clues are too obvious, the chipped amulet would have to be focused on and described, brought directly before the players attention, it's not a movie where a detail can be there without being noticed (unless thats actually a perception check... which would make sense) furthermore, you could use more possible culprits, there's currently no one else to blame feel free to ignore the above of course, i started rambling partway through XD edit: wait... am i missing something? the cleric is the villain... and going to join the party O.o... if you don't mind me asking how is this going to happen?