Ok so here is how I want to use these adventures. I am starting a new campaign. Three of the pc's are brothers, they all picked the Giant race from Arcana Evolved. They live in a small town, and they have to flee to the city of Ptolus. They choose to flee to Ptolus because their father lives there and it is a safe place from "evil inquisitors". It will probably take them 4 levels to get to Ptolus (I am using the first 2 adventures of "The burning sky campaign").
When they get to Ptolus, they find out their father has been murdered, or will be murdered shortly. I want the hook for "Chimes at midnight" to be "Who killed our father?".
Any ideas on how to change the adventure to make it fit this? Why would Viktor kill their father? Maybe he works for the noble who angered him? Maybe their father is part of the Guild that he was applying for? I didnt really want their father to be powerfull/rich though. Maybe their father died as a caravan guard when Viktor freed his allies.... any other ideas?
Also how would I make sure Viktor lives so that I can reuse him in "Quoth the Raven"? I was thinking maybe a city watch NPC finds a murder confession and busts in on the adventurers as they are fighting Viktor, the NPC would then force an arrest. One of my PC's is a champion of Death, and I am pretty sure he will want to kill Viktor outright.
Just fishing for ideas :) Thanks if you have any!
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First, for whatever you decide to do, I'll give you the advice on what NOT to do: Don't make the city watch come in and rescue Viktor. This is just bad DMing.
Now, what I may have done if I wanted to go this route is a little more involved. The PC hook that gets the PCs into "Chimes at Midnight" can be that they hire Viktor to solve the Crime of Dad's murder -- this is great because HE is the one who murdered the father.
As for why, yeah, fine, you can come up with some reasoning, "he was given an award and Viktor was jealous"; "he wanted practice making "the perfect murder" before he starts his crime spree" (or the one you mentioned), whatever. Don't worry about it too much because the PCs will only get part of the story and even then they won't get that until the end of the adventure. This means you'll have several sessions in which the motives can develop in your evil little DM mind; the adventure will evolve and Viktor along with it.
And while Viktor is "searching" for clues into the PCs' father's death, the PCs can be going through "Chimes at Midnight." When they discover near the end that Viktor is the villain they simoultaneously discover that he killed their father.
This is perfect if you use something like the "Viktor wanted to make the perfect murder" motive (Killed for the sake of killing). During the two investigations Viktor can come spy on the PCs in the guise of updating them on his own "investigation." Of course, in his arrogance he tells the PCs how perfect a murder their father's was and how brilliant he is for finding "clues." Viktor is planning on manipulating the PCs for a long time. Maybe even setting them up for a fall.
When the PCs finally fight Viktor at the end you may actually have the City guard come to arrest the PCs for murdering their own father!!
-W. E. Ray
I really like having the city watch arrest them instead. Maybe Viktor tries to frame THEM.
But the PC's hiring Viktor would be a little difficult. Unless I railroaded them I would imagine they'd want to do the investigation themself. Plus it would probably feel a little hokey if the detective ended up being the murderer
Im thinking maybe he kills the father. Then his other murders continue just like chimes at midnight. The players know its the same murderer (same style ect), so thats there hook into chimes... But I will definetely have the watch bust the pc's, that will really anger them :)
Thanks for the ideas!