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I Need A Starting Point

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
arco_versipellis
Aug 15, 2009 18:21:13 I meet with my players after a few months off, during which I did a major overhaul of my setting. Now, we are ready to start off at level 12, slightly higher than were we left off. I have an idea for an adventure, but I am having trouble coming up with a good start. I like the idea of starting by rolling initiative, but I can't help falling back to more traditional low level starts.

I want to point out that the characters are new to the players, and the setting is totally different, so I doubt the players will have a lot of setting knowledge or party history.

The premise is that a banshrae that lords over a handful of gnomes has learned from a goblin that a nearby dungeon counts a magic flute among the treasure there within.

I like the banshrae as a possible patron, because my players tend towards evil. Also, I can feel it out to see if the impish trickster or the cloodthirsty killer suit them. Also, they can walk away after the first quest if they choose.

The dungeon is home to a female medusa, so I can use victims freed from her stone gaze to drop in other quests, so once I get the start I feel like I am good.

So here is the start I came up with: The party is drugged by consuming fey wine. They awake restrained by vines. The banshrae offers them freedom if they retrieve the flute and perform for him. (There is a bard in the party.) A curse is placed to ensure they return.

If you could make that better, I'd appreciate it.

EDIT: My players are lazy when it comes to backgrounds, so I can't use that to help.
Patry= Half-ELf Bard, Dragonborn Sorcerer, Elf Cleric (or Druid)
#2
Grimbus
Aug 15, 2009 20:38:56 If the party are as "evil" as you say they are, why bother drugging the wine? The players will only try and break the curse and kill the banshrae at the end of the quest.

Maybe the Banshera (not sure what it is and I've mislaid my new MM) (or his minions) would rather invite the players to dinner and discuss it there -

The magic flute allows powerful magics to be cast if the right tune is played. It cannot be detected as a magic item until a tune is played which activates the spell -this makes it the ideal item to sneak past royal guards.

The Banshera has obtained some kind of domination/control/curse/suggestion spell which he intends to use at at Royal Banquet of some kind to gain control over a noble to help him gain power.

Of course, he doesn't tell the players this, he just says it is a masterwork flute or whatever that has some kind of minor magical effect, or that the noble in question is a collector of instruments and the players should retrieve it from the dungeon to receive a large reward.

So the players go fetch the wand and the bard plays the music and bad stuff happens... Then your players have a choice - they can act heroic and try and defeat the evil plan, which will involve finding the right piece of music to undo the spell, they can join in with the evil plan or they can take the money and run.
#3
arco_versipellis
Aug 15, 2009 22:30:29
If the party are as "evil" as you say they are, why bother drugging the wine? The players will only try and break the curse and kill the banshrae at the end of the quest.

I'm not sure they will go evil, but they have leaned that way in the past. I figure I will have a better idea which way they are leaning if they choose to restore the medusa's victims or not.

Maybe the Banshera (not sure what it is and I've mislaid my new MM) (or his minions) would rather invite the players to dinner and discuss it there -

Banshrae are insect-like fey that cannot speak or play wind instruments. They speak telepathtically, and their bloodthirsty ways can be soothed by a song. Hence, retrieve the flute and play it for freedom came naturally.

The DMG suggests that asking the players to do something is giving them a chance to say no, so I feel if the banshrae just asks them to retrieve the flute in exchange for a reward I am giving them a chance to say no. Not that I want to eliminate options, once they get the ball rolling they will have a lot of choices.

I guess what I really want is to start the adventure in combat, then move to the encounter with the banshrae where the quest becomes clear. Most importantly, I want it to be difficult to say no to accepting his quest.

So the players go fetch the wand and the bard plays the music and bad stuff happens... Then your players have a choice - they can act heroic and try and defeat the evil plan, which will involve finding the right piece of music to undo the spell, they can join in with the evil plan or they can take the money and run.

This part I really like. I've been looking for a way to have frogs rain from the sky. So, the banshrae will ask for a specific tune and when the bard plays the old standard on the magic flute havoc ensues.
#4
Grimbus
Aug 16, 2009 6:19:21 The first combat could be with folk trying to hunt the Banshrea down - it could be a party of Ogres or something. It is a really difficult encounter . As the players get into deeper trouble the Bansherae contacts the players telephically and asks them if they need assistance.

No matter what, once all th eplayers are on their last legs the Bansherae breaks cover and kills the remaining hunters. The Banshrae then allows the players to heal in or near his abode.

After they have healed up he tells them of the magic flute and everything goes downhill from there...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 arco_versipellis Aug 15, 2009 18:21:13	I meet with my players after a few months off, during which I did a major overhaul of my setting. Now, we are ready to start off at level 12, slightly higher than were we left off. I have an idea for an adventure, but I am having trouble coming up with a good start. I like the idea of starting by rolling initiative, but I can't help falling back to more traditional low level starts. I want to point out that the characters are new to the players, and the setting is totally different, so I doubt the players will have a lot of setting knowledge or party history. The premise is that a banshrae that lords over a handful of gnomes has learned from a goblin that a nearby dungeon counts a magic flute among the treasure there within. I like the banshrae as a possible patron, because my players tend towards evil. Also, I can feel it out to see if the impish trickster or the cloodthirsty killer suit them. Also, they can walk away after the first quest if they choose. The dungeon is home to a female medusa, so I can use victims freed from her stone gaze to drop in other quests, so once I get the start I feel like I am good. So here is the start I came up with: The party is drugged by consuming fey wine. They awake restrained by vines. The banshrae offers them freedom if they retrieve the flute and perform for him. (There is a bard in the party.) A curse is placed to ensure they return. If you could make that better, I'd appreciate it. EDIT: My players are lazy when it comes to backgrounds, so I can't use that to help. Patry= Half-ELf Bard, Dragonborn Sorcerer, Elf Cleric (or Druid)
#2 Grimbus Aug 15, 2009 20:38:56	If the party are as "evil" as you say they are, why bother drugging the wine? The players will only try and break the curse and kill the banshrae at the end of the quest. Maybe the Banshera (not sure what it is and I've mislaid my new MM) (or his minions) would rather invite the players to dinner and discuss it there - The magic flute allows powerful magics to be cast if the right tune is played. It cannot be detected as a magic item until a tune is played which activates the spell -this makes it the ideal item to sneak past royal guards. The Banshera has obtained some kind of domination/control/curse/suggestion spell which he intends to use at at Royal Banquet of some kind to gain control over a noble to help him gain power. Of course, he doesn't tell the players this, he just says it is a masterwork flute or whatever that has some kind of minor magical effect, or that the noble in question is a collector of instruments and the players should retrieve it from the dungeon to receive a large reward. So the players go fetch the wand and the bard plays the music and bad stuff happens... Then your players have a choice - they can act heroic and try and defeat the evil plan, which will involve finding the right piece of music to undo the spell, they can join in with the evil plan or they can take the money and run.
#3 arco_versipellis Aug 15, 2009 22:30:29	If the party are as "evil" as you say they are, why bother drugging the wine? The players will only try and break the curse and kill the banshrae at the end of the quest. I'm not sure they will go evil, but they have leaned that way in the past. I figure I will have a better idea which way they are leaning if they choose to restore the medusa's victims or not. Maybe the Banshera (not sure what it is and I've mislaid my new MM) (or his minions) would rather invite the players to dinner and discuss it there - Banshrae are insect-like fey that cannot speak or play wind instruments. They speak telepathtically, and their bloodthirsty ways can be soothed by a song. Hence, retrieve the flute and play it for freedom came naturally. The DMG suggests that asking the players to do something is giving them a chance to say no, so I feel if the banshrae just asks them to retrieve the flute in exchange for a reward I am giving them a chance to say no. Not that I want to eliminate options, once they get the ball rolling they will have a lot of choices. I guess what I really want is to start the adventure in combat, then move to the encounter with the banshrae where the quest becomes clear. Most importantly, I want it to be difficult to say no to accepting his quest. So the players go fetch the wand and the bard plays the music and bad stuff happens... Then your players have a choice - they can act heroic and try and defeat the evil plan, which will involve finding the right piece of music to undo the spell, they can join in with the evil plan or they can take the money and run. This part I really like. I've been looking for a way to have frogs rain from the sky. So, the banshrae will ask for a specific tune and when the bard plays the old standard on the magic flute havoc ensues.
#4 Grimbus Aug 16, 2009 6:19:21	The first combat could be with folk trying to hunt the Banshrea down - it could be a party of Ogres or something. It is a really difficult encounter . As the players get into deeper trouble the Bansherae contacts the players telephically and asks them if they need assistance. No matter what, once all th eplayers are on their last legs the Bansherae breaks cover and kills the remaining hunters. The Banshrae then allows the players to heal in or near his abode. After they have healed up he tells them of the magic flute and everything goes downhill from there...