I'll be running some friends through Hangman's Noose in a month or two. We only play monthly, one shot adventures, pre-generated characters for each adventure, no persistant campaign or characters. This is because with our busy lives it's way to infrequent to get everyone together so now it doesn't matter if you miss 1 or 10 sessions; nobody falls behind, nobody feels left out, we all get to game more often, and we get to try lots of fun new things like Pathfinder :) As a result I have a little more control on PC design since I pregenerate them for each adventure.
With this module I would like to tie in the PCs to the story as them being actual jurors. They won't be taking the place of the NPCs but rather their character backgrounds will be intertwined with the story itself. I think this will lend to the sense of being a part of the plot and also the urgancy of figuring out how to satisfy ole' Mord before it's their turn to die! Below are the characters and the motives I've written up which ties them to the plot. Please read them and provide any thoughts you may have. Keep in mind the Motive is seperate from the characters Description and Persona (which I haven't written yet).
Merisiel
Elf – Rogue – Level: 1
MOTIVE: Some 10 years ago Merisiel was a street urchin indentured to the up and coming gang called the Grindle Street Shades. When offered her freedom and even some coin to give her a leg up she was more than eager. She was told all she had to do was vote guilty in the trial against Jarbin Mord. Arrangements were made and she was put on the jury. The price of freedom was heavy and its ramifications not cast off lightly.
Kyra
Human – Cleric – Level: 1 –
MOTIVE: In years past Kyra was but an acolyte at a small temple in the city of Absalom near the Beldrin’s Bluff neighborhood. She was conscripted to fulfill her civic duty as a juror in the trial against Jarbin Mord. She remembers the early proceedings of the trial well enough but the actual time spent in the court room during the trial and conviction is all broken and fuzzy memories. One thing is clear; she must have voted guilty since Mord was hung.
(NOTE: The player doesn't know this but Kyra can't recall much of the trial for the same reason the paladin can't. They were both charmed by the sorcerer during the trial. This all may be discovered through RP)
Seoni
Human – Sorcerer – Level: 1
MOTIVE: As a resident of the Beldin’s Bluff neighborhood Seoni was enlisted to serve on the jury for the trial against Jarbin Mord. A week before the trial a dirty, scribbled, note clearly explained she would be voting guilty “or else”. On her way back from market with her daughter, the night before the trial, she was cornered into an alleyway by a couple of unsavory characters. One of them grabbed her daughter away while the other shouted over the crying and screaming that she better vote as she’s been told or much worse tragedies would befall upon her family. With a heavy heart and against her better judgment she did vote guilty to hang poor old Mord. Seoni wishes more than anything to atone for her hand in the perpetration against Jarbin Mord.
Valeros
Human – Fighter – Level: 1
MOTIVE: Ten years past Valeros was nothing but a common hobo; panhandling for coin and spending it all on booze. In a drunken stooper, wandering the Grindle street area, he stumbled into a well dressed man. Instead of casting Valeros aside like so many other snobs the man offered a hefty purse of small gems and coins. All Valeros had to do was show up at the court house a few days later, “do the right thing”, vote guilty, and he’d get his payment. It wasn’t malice that led Valeros to vote guilty but rather inebriated ignorance. Years later Valeros sobered up, realized the tragedy spawn from his actions, and repent his sins.
