I'm using Delvesdeep's most excellent foreshadowing of Shebeleth, having him pose as an Inquisitor in the Church of Pelor who will come to Cauldron to 'help' investigate the deaths of the three Pelorian priests pre-campaign. Now I'd like to give the other players some background ideas to get them more involved in the backdrop. I'm also halving the XP from combat encounters to allow for more RP opportunities at various stages of the campaign and to throw in some side-quests and such.
What are some good ideas to foreshadow other members of the Cagewrights? I like Alurad being a known party-killer, but I'd like to introduce some of the others somehow. The party paladin took the Scarred Soul trait, which makes him a Shackleborn, and I'd like to have a member of the Cagewrights take notice of him. Thirifane will probably notice the birthmark at the end of Life's Bazaar when she's standing there invisibly while Vhalantru makes them wet themselves. Perhaps her master can take a personal interest in this 14th Shackleborn 'just in case.'
I've got the party rogue interested in developing some connection with the Last Laugh. I was thinking of having him have some kind of involvement with Jil, since they totally missed her in the alley in the opening scene. This would give me an opportunity to introduce her and personalize the Last Laugh. He's already said he's a freelancer, a wanderer, etc. Maybe he's been wandering so much because the Last Laugh isn't happy that they aren't getting their cut of his take.
Then there's the 10-year old sorcerer, who took the Wyrm Blooded feat. I figure it's easy enough to make Dhorlot his great-great-grandfather or something, and have the Dragon-father recognize him as being his descendant when they meat in the kuo-toa hangout.
Any other suggestions?
The party paladin took the Scarred Soul trait, which makes him a Shackleborn, and I'd like to have a member of the Cagewrights take notice of him. Thirifane will probably notice the birthmark at the end of Life's Bazaar when she's standing there invisibly while Vhalantru makes them wet themselves. Perhaps her master can take a personal interest in this 14th Shackleborn 'just in case.'
I used Jil just last session for this exact purpose. My rogue has just joined a 'good-aligned' thieves guild I created for Cauldron called the Acquirers (I posted it up on the RPGenius. com website if your interested :)).
When the party returned from the Koa-Toa shrine with Zenith a halfling with approached the rogue stating that his patron wished to speak immediately with him in private. Curiousity overcame good judgement and he went with the halfling down a number of back laneways and finally into a cellar accessed at the end of the alley.
The rogue then was guided to a seat by two 'harlequins' where Jil appeared moment later. When Jil first saw the character and looked upon him closely she seemed openly surprized and stared at his face before catching herself and resuming her usual smug mask of contempt.
Basically to cut a long story short the Cagewright Apprentice/Assassin requested that the character act as a spy for the Last Laugh in the Acquirers and stated he would be rewarded highly for any useful information given.
When the refused she uncharacteristically let him leave to the open surprize of her followers.
Jil saw that the rogue is a Shackleborn using a see invisibility spell she cast froma scroll before he arrived and thought that Orbius (Vhalantru though Jil does not know this) would be very interested in learning that she had found a 14th Shackleborn.
Later (Chapter 5 in my game) I plan on having the same character dramatically abducted and his mentor killed by Jil and then waking up tied up in a room. The same halfling stands infront of him that first took him to Jil in the initial meeting and Jil looks on from the corner. After a flash of light etc Orbius will appear and address Jil.
'Where is this rogue, Apprentice..' he will spit from his oversized maul.
'He is here my lord. I have captured him and he bears the sign, i have seen it myself' Jil says with a quiver in her ususal steady voice.
Orbius slowly moves towards the rogue and stops when his slobbering mouth is only feet from him. His great bloodshot gaze moves over him and stops on his face.
'Yes, he will is one of the Shackled. You have done well Jil. You will soon become a master yourself'
'Thankyou lord, it is my greatest hope'
'Once he is pertified bring his statue to the safehouse where I will have him tranported to Oblivion' he says sending great globs of spit onto the character'
#Now this next part will work in my campaign because the party will travel to Ysgard where lost body parts regenerate ;)
Orbius' gaze will then lower to his left hand - 'But first, I am hungry... remove his hand. He will not need it for the ritual'
The halfling gleefully moves forward and draws his blade. Looking into the rogues eyes he looks, savouring his pain and he saws throug his wrist.
Once the hand is removed he throws it towards Orbius who swallows it with one bite.
'Now my pitiful rogue you will furfil your destiny and join the other Shackleborn'
Orbius then uses his 'Stone to Flesh' eye to petrify the rogue.
Meanwhile the party are contacted with the news by Snivel/Artius (the LL insider) about the abduction and with the location of the character.
The party (assumably) quickly race to his rescue where they will need to fight a number of LL and finally face off against the halfling to rescue their petrified comrad.
The goal of this encounter is threefold
(1)To build up hatred for Jil and Orbius (orbius in particular doesn't make an appearance in the HC between Chapter 1 and 8 otherwise)
(2)To introduce the concept of Shackleborn
(3)To foreshadow the idea that Jil & Orbius are an Apprentice & Master of some sort of organisation outside of the LL
You could easily use this idea substituting Thifirane for Jil but you would have to have her appear in her veiled 'diguise' or competely invisible so as to not give up her 'diguise' to early in the Path.
Anyway this is just my foreshadowing method for the Scarred Soul/Shackleborn Trait. Nasty I know.
Delvesdeep