| Chasers115 |
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So, after reading a bit through Ashes at Dawn and taking a look at the GM thread here on the forums (and stealing a couple ideas: thanks guys, you're great), I'm worried that my players will just murder their way through the Underground because "all undead are evil" and miss out on the wonderful roleplaying opportunities. As a preventative measure, I've swapped out the 'Morning Murders' encounter with an encounter I wrote - the problem here being that it is my first encounter I've ever written from scratch. I was hoping that some other GMs could read it over, tell me what they think, and maybe give some suggestions to make this an awesome encounter!
One such redemption seeker has opened up a clinic where people who can't afford spellcasting services can go free of charge. They also take blood donations, and sell them to vampires who have to feed, but are ashamed to do so on an unwilling victim.
Her and a few other vampires work in disguise, and have been running this successfully for a few years/decades now. Until now, when the PC's wake up to a commotion: someone's attacked the clinic!
1. There are no windows in the recovery room, where one might expect to find a lovely view of the outdoors. (Vampires obviously don't want sunlight streaming into their homes)
2. Two Journals, as detailed below
3. An 'Appointment Room' where volunteers would go and allow a hungry vampire to feed on them (I've written that some vampires prefer this over the bagged blood, and are willing to pay more. This room comes equipped a Wand of Lesser Restoration (2 charges) and a scroll of Rebuke Undead. There is also a grate in the room that would lead to the Underground if the PCs can navigate it (in the most likely case that they can't, it leads to a random sewer grate in the city)
4. A bathroom with no mirrors
5. A secret room with a few coffins, behind a classic 'tilt the book to open the secret door' wall.
6. A sole survivor, as detailed below.
Tammy Rhodes - Donation - 1 pint
Erica Hall - Donation - 1.5 pints
Johnny Swanson - Purchase - 1 pint
Angela Lane - Donation - .5 pints
Myra Ruiz - Purchase - 1 pint
Jerry Rivera - Purchase - 1 pint
Dean Bridges - Appointment
Doris Lawson - Donation - 1 pint
Julia Simmons - Donation - 1 pint
Taylor Foster - Appointment (Attacked Lydia, barred from entry)
Lydia Reed - Transfusion - 2 pints
Teresa Roberson - Appointment
Elsa Chavez - Donation - 2 pints (Fell unconscious, treated for one day before discharged)
Luther Cummings - Purchase - 1 pint
"It appears that people are more than willing to volunteer, provided that they are not killed during the sessions. Donations are no issue, but appointments must be closely supervised. I've put some equipment in the room that all volunteers know about, and it should give them an edge if they're attacked.
Although we haven't been in contact with the Underground for many years, enough associates come by that I've been able to keep up with news. Luvick has taken a harder stance on above-ground activities, meaning that more people are flocking here.
I can't blame him, in fact; I fully support this action. If we're ever to be redeemed, we need to take steps like this. An action of one can ruin the reputation of all of us, leading to more confrontations, and sliding back into darkness. From there, it's a domino effect until all out war.
I know we'd win, but war doesn't sound appealing to me. Slaughter is not the way to redemption."
She gives her story; how someone kicked in the doors, she grabbed a scalpel and hid in the morgue, and hasn't been out since. Anyone making a heal check at this point can discover that, despite having hid in the cold room for X amount of time, she's not even shivering.
The main thing for review here is her speech if pressed to combat. If the PCs are still going "oh they're all evil, let's kill them", then this is speech to at least make them feel bad for their actions:
“I have done nothing wrong! I came here to help at this clinic to make people’s lives better, as did Madame Darora and Lady Miha! We all sought to repent our inherent evil natures, for one reason or another. Do you have any idea what that entails, and what I went through before I came here?
I watched my husband die, horribly and slowly, because he refused to become a hideous creature like me, even while I begged for him to stay with me. I watched my children slaughtered by close minded fools like yourself, who killed them because they believed they'd grow to be monsters. All I want now is to see my husband and children again, instead of being dragged to Abbadon* like all other vampires, just because of my nature. I have spent the last two hundred years trying to redeem myself so I can see them, instead of being damned just because of a ‘gift’ I did not ask for.”
Tears stream down her face at this point, but that doesn’t hide the determined look in her eye. She is angry, angry at the world, and is not going down without a fight.
For Cece's stats, I've used those of Rakskaka's Vampire Alchemist from the GM Thread
*I couldn't actually find out what happens to a vampire soul when they die. The AP mentions Zura and The Revenant Court, but doesn't give a clear answer. I chose Abbadon because it's the worst plane for an evil-aligned soul to go to.
I really appreciate anybody who takes the time out of their lives to actually read all that, and I super appreciate anybody who offers their thoughts on the write-up. Like I said, it's the first one I've ever written: I've tried to just include the parts I think need some reviewing, but if someone would like to see the full write-up or more details, I'd be happy to share!