Lavinia as a PC - spoilers likely

[Fletch]

One of my first and still favorite D&D 3e adventures is The Wizard's Amulet by Necromancer Games.

It's not especially groundbreaking story-wise, but there is one element right from the start that makes it stand out so much in my mind, and that's the role of the PC wizard or sorcerer in starting the quest. It wasn't a bunch of characters sitting in a tavern waiting for someone else to tell them what to do, it was one of the PCs himself, gathering up interested people and leading them to a hidden treasure.

The Whispering Cairn had kind of the same approach, and while it wasn't as player-driven as Amulet, it was still pretty empowering.

Looking at these two great examples of PC-initiated adventuring, I wondered if I couldn't get away with doing something similar in Savage Tide.

What if the role of Lavinia were played by one of my players as a PC? Not necessarily Lavinia herself, but a character who returns to Sasserine because her parents have died and has to go through all the steps of 'There is No Honor' to regain her inheiritance. This PC would then lead the way to Farshore and so on.

Two quandaries come to mind. The first is how to get the party to Scuttlecove. I can't imagine allowing a PC to be kidnapped and taken there, so I'd have to either have someone else get taken or find another reason for the group to go there.

The second quandary is to find equally as important things for the rest of the group to do during the AP. I suspect it'd be not as fun for those players who weren't filling Lavinia's role, so I'd have to work in some things for them to shine at.

Some specific changes that come to mind:

Get rid of the Jade Ravens. If "Lavinia" is actually part of the PC party, she wouldn't need a band of adventurers already working for her.

Replace the Blue Nixie with another site to retrieve the ring from. The group doesn't need two ships, really. Claiming the Sea Wyvern should be a great moment and deserves more than "look, another boat". This will probably lead to some changes in 'Here There Be Monsters', but I can work that out too.

Can anyone think of any pitfalls I'm opening myself up to? Any thoughts on what opportunities I can give my other players so they're not outshined for 20 levels?

[MrFish]

Actually it's not a bad idea. I'm replacing Lavinia with an npc whose been in my homebrew game for a while and fits her bill--really all I'm changing is her name since she's a sort of merchant prince's daughter who is a bit of a troublemaker but more in a 'college girl having fun' kind of way. However I was thinking that she'd be a good replacement PC so I'm keeping this in mind.

For your idea it isn't too bad and it would keep the pcs in some ways a lot more interested in the earlier three adventures.

[Milton]

Why not make it so the Vanderboren's had 3 children?

- Lavinia (existing NPC)
- Vanthus (well everyone knows about Vanthus)
Child #3 (your PC, who left Sasserine years ago to make his/her own way in the world and is now coming back to help deal with the death of his/her parents)

[Sect]

Milton wrote:

Why not make it so the Vanderboren's had 3 children?

- Lavinia (existing NPC)
- Vanthus (well everyone knows about Vanthus)
Child #3 (your PC, who left Sasserine years ago to make his/her own way in the world and is now coming back to help deal with the death of his/her parents)

ALready been suggested. Check the other thread.

[Milton]

Sect wrote:

Milton wrote:

Why not make it so the Vanderboren's had 3 children?

- Lavinia (existing NPC)
- Vanthus (well everyone knows about Vanthus)
Child #3 (your PC, who left Sasserine years ago to make his/her own way in the world and is now coming back to help deal with the death of his/her parents)

ALready been suggested. Check the other thread.

Oops didn't see the other thread