Party skipped Misgivings - advice?

[Calebar]

Hey everyone, I'm a first time GM running RotRL with a party of 5.

Last session after being told by Grayst to go to the Misgivings, my party headed that way. They hadn't found out very much about the murders at all, and hadn't realized it was Aldern.

Thanks to an excellent spot check and their "leave no stone unturned" attitude, they spotted the passageway in the well leading to the basement. They followed it and ended up finding and killing Aldern without exploring any of the house whatsoever.

We ended the session in his room down there, and I'm kind of at a loss about what to do next. They found the note from Xanesha but seemed to have the mindset that if the murderer is dead, the problem threatening Sandpoint is dealt with. Currently they have no idea why he murdered anyone, no clues other than the note (because they skipped the house), and no real idea of the bigger story he's a part of.

I'm considering having the ravens try to keep them in the Misgivings until they have explored and have a sense of the history of the house and how Aldern plays into it. What would you do?

[Biztak]

you could have them return to sandpoint, but eventualy xanessa sends skinsaw cultist after the party (or to resume Aldren's work)seems the easiest way to motivate them into finding the cult leader if nothing works have the Sacrecrow pay them a visit

[Cintra Bristol]

Since they don't know the story yet, you could adjust the story a bit.

Example 1:

Spoiler:

Iesha became a Revenant and Aldern locked her in the attic, then sought out the help of the cult. The cult came and performed some unknown ritual that made her loyal to the cult - and she helped them convert him into his present nature. She is now wandering the house, and instead of seeking revenge on Aldern (she sort of already got that by ghoulizing him), she seeks to complete the mission of the cult. (Come up with something specific for where she is now and what she's doing.)

In this case, you probably want to do something to keep them in the house. Perhaps the Ravens (and a knowledge check to understand the nature of the ravens, that can tell them they haven't solved the issue so the hauntings so those hauntings seek to prevent them from leaving).

Example 2:

Spoiler:

Put one of Aldern's sisters in the house, re-using as much as possible of Aldern's stat block. She came to live there when Aldern contacted her, upset because Iesha had "suffered an accident." She has been with him ever since, got caught up in the cult, and got exposed to the same ailment he suffered. She can seek to continue his "work" in his absence. In this case, go ahead and let them leave the house, but then have another murder take place, letting you bring in any pre-Misgivings encounters you might have missed.

Just be sure that if you go with one of these modifications, you think through if any of the Haunts should be adjusted for them. (Not sure if any changes are necessary.)

[Calebar]

I really like example 1. I think I might do that and have them catch her in the act of cutting up another body, so the victim is still alive (but barely, and bleeding hard). The victim can elucidate some of the Xanesha plot from what he overheard Iesha and Aldern talking about. Thanks!

[NobodysHome]

Honestly, my initial answer is, "Do nothing."

They're going to start next session in the basement. Either:
(a) They'll be curious about the rest of the house and explore it. Problem solved.

(b) They'll try to leave. The ravens try to stop them. They kill the ravens. They leave.

I've yet to encounter an adventuring party in the (b) department. "Roleplayers" want to learn the story. "Looters" want any loot that they might have left behind. "Obsessive-Compulsives" won't leave the house unexplored.

Run one session. If they choose (b), let them sell their stuff around Sandpoint. Let a few days pass until market day. Have a merchant at the market mention the "dark murders" happening in Magnimar. Let time pass until the PCs learn that similar murders are happening in Magnimar *AFTER* Aldern's death. That should push them to Magnimar to continue the AP.

[Digital Mystic]

Did your players capture any of the bad guys in chapter 1? Tsuto, Nualia, Lyrie, etc.? If so, they could be called to Magnimar to testify against them in their trial before Justice Ironbriar. While they are waiting to testify, they overhear / are approached by someone who wants Ironbriar to be more thorough in his investigation of the skinsaw murders.

[Twigs]

Alternatively, you could bring the house/the story to them, in the form of Iesha. Have the death of Aldern break her from her thrall upstairs, and send her wailing through the house to confront the party. It gives you a chance for exposition while sparing your party an aimless romp through the Manor. Many players find the haunts more frustrating and confusing than anything, and her revenant should be able to share a little of Aldern's backstory and turn to the Skinsaw Cult, and a pretty nasty encounter to boot.

Otherwise I pretty much agree with NobodysHome. They're not missing out on the thread of the main plot, just Aldern's subplot. They'll be swept up investigating the Skinsaw Cult again soon enough, and if you don't want to use Iesha perhaps a journal in Aldern's townhouse will suffice. Don't be afraid to change things around for inquisitive PC's.