Need a couple encounters in Sasserine

hey guys,

My PC's just completed The Bullywug Gambit. I'm giving them some much deseerved "downtime" in Sasserine before we jump into Sea Wyvrens wake. Anyway...just be cause they aren't in an adventure doesnt mean that we can't run some encounters.

I need a few encounters in Sasserine that will further the STAP mega-plot or foreshadow future events in the upcomming adventures. There is the likelyhood that they will split up so the encounters doesn't necessarly need to involve combat...but its okay if they do.
The party consists of:

1/2 sea elf cleric of Procan (ocean deity)
1/2 orc druid
human swashbuckler
elf wizard
human Scout.

Anyone else stage some encounters in Sasserine between adventures?

Any ideas?

I wrote a quick side adventure (that now I'm probably not going to use because the PCs are at a high level) where Lavinia asks the PCs to go to Castle Rakin (See Dragon's area around Sasserine) to bargain for Urol's services on the Sea Wyvern for Part 3 of the path. The PCs also interacted with Avner's sister who ran the fort (See same Dragon). She did major foreshadowing by warning the PCs of her "bastard brother and his damned horse". It made for a neat way to introduce Urol and foreshadow Avner.

Hope that helps.

Think of just about anything that could go down in a city. Twice now my PC's have been pickpocketed, they did not even catch the fact the first time till the party scout found a potion missing before bed and the second time led to a chase through crowded street. Other things like guards picking on innocent gnomes because of racism, recapturing displacer beast meant for the arena after a wagon spills their cages in the streats, or maybe recovering a merchant daughters wedding ring from the bottom of the bay after she accidently dropped it. All of these are easy to incorporate into the game and lend a aspect of minor incidents that happen day to day. Hope these suggestions help.

How about an encounter that somehow forshadows Malcanthets (sp?) interest in them, or causes her to notice them and decide to involve tem in her plot against Demagorgan?

Perhaps they inadvertantly foil or help one of her agents on an unrelated mission. The encounter may seem random, but there should be something about it which will make sense later in the campaign to link it with the queen of succubi.

How about an encounter that somehow forshadows Malcanthets (sp?) interest in them, or causes her to notice them and decide to involve tem in her plot against Demagorgan?

Perhaps they inadvertantly foil or help one of her agents on an unrelated mission. The encounter may seem random, but there should be something about it which will make sense later in the campaign to link it with the queen of succubi.

Nice, thats a sweet Idea. I've already intertwined Malcanthet into one of the PC's backgrounds. He inherited a magical cutlass from his great great grandfather. The sword was made for Malcanthet by Demogorgon, and she lost it to his great great grandfather in a game of three dragon ante. So he is using her blade essentially.

Hmmmm, how could we foreshadow malcanthet in sasserine....perhaps she has already noticed them and wants to test their skill in battle to judge them worthy or not. She could shapeshift into a meek looking maiden, then fake an attack on herself by a summoned creature of somekind. The idea being to get the PC's to "save" her, and judge their abilities. She could be wearing a very descriptive necklace. When the PC's finally meet Malcanthet in her true form, they will notice said necklace, and realize the maiden was really Mal...

Any other ideas?!?! Good stuff!

My plans are to have the PCs do some "shake down" voyages in the Sea Wyvern before setting out on a 6 month voyage wth a novice crew. The PCs are seeming to be rather anti-pirate at the moment and one is heading for legendary captain, looking for a nearby pirate operating area to patrol. I'm thinking of either the EL 6 pirate encounter in Stormwrack (although that may give them an extra ship) or doing something more traditional with pirates attacking from shore on long boats (probably with spell caster support to still the wind in their sails).

This will give the PCs a chance to work with their crew for a bit and a bit more time to work on the back stories of the NPCs (except for Avner, who would still show up in a flourish as written looking for a private room and space for his horse).

My plans are to have the PCs do some "shake down" voyages in the Sea Wyvern before setting out on a 6 month voyage wth a novice crew. The PCs are seeming to be rather anti-pirate at the moment and one is heading for legendary captain, looking for a nearby pirate operating area to patrol. I'm thinking of either the EL 6 pirate encounter in Stormwrack (although that may give them an extra ship) or doing something more traditional with pirates attacking from shore on long boats (probably with spell caster support to still the wind in their sails).

This will give the PCs a chance to work with their crew for a bit and a bit more time to work on the back stories of the NPCs (except for Avner, who would still show up in a flourish as written looking for a private room and space for his horse).

Neat idea, sort of a "practice run" so to speak... I like it.

If you want to play up the Malcanthet angle, I would suggest doing something a bit more social. Perhaps Avner's father or some other debauched nobleman invites the PCs to a masked ball at his manor. It is there, amidst the excesses of nobility, that an agent of Malcanthet watches behind a mask in order to examine the characters and their motives. The PCs can partake in the celebration or recoil from it, as is their want, and perhaps they are there as escorts to Lavinia. If she did not attend, her family may lose face and the Meravanchis could pull support from the colony. Perhaps the PCs are sent in disguise to engineer the escape of the nymph that the elder Meravanchi keeps hidden away for himself.

Thanks guys some of those ideas sound like fun. Here my two coppers in the pot for ideas I'm running for my P.Cs who just finish TINH.

The eldest daughter of house Knowlorn (Aristocrat 1/Expert 3/ Enchanter 3) is kidnapped and the players happen to be at the right place at the right time. Either witnessing the kidnapping or the party Ranger notices that a strange Puffin wearing a jeweled coller (her familiar) wants the P.C to follow it to where she is being held. If the P.Cs save her they might not only score points with a powerful noble house but also the daughter might develop a Crush on one of her rescuers.

Lady Aribani is holding a party and the P.Cs are invited or go as repersentatives of house Vanderbouren (maybe lavinnia does'nt like Aristocratic parties or Lady Arbani or both). Unfortunately some Drow slave traders have heard of her Dark Elf blood claims and if there one thing they cant stand it’s a wannabe. They infiltrate the party and plan to enslave everyone

good stuff, anyone else have any encounters that forshadow future events /NPC's that can take place in sasserine after TBG?