Hi all,
(slight spoilers abound)
having re-read PF#1 to #3 several times now, I found one element decidedly missing from the AP. The introduction to Sandpoint does great work in setting up the Scarnettis as a "criminal syndicate" kind of organization, and several NPCs are detailed with nice plot hooks. Sadly, though, they are basically left in that state, as the only thing that's connected to them is the "burning of the mills" rumor.
There's such great potential in that family that I'd very much like to exploit further in-game. Consider: The heroes arrive in Sandpoint and are treated to a rumor mill encompassing everything from goblin troubles to town gossip. They hear about the mills being burnt down. If I know my group at all, they will want to pursue this plot after
So, I'm currently at a loss as to what information I might make available to them if they want to investigate the Scarnettis. What day-to-day nefarious activities might this family be connected to, something I can use as a lead to bring them on the track of who is responsible for the fires? How could I best setup the millers' rivalries?
If any of you have input on this, it would be greatly appreciated - I'm currently a bit at a loss as to what to do. Thanks in advance!
(Oh, and sorry if anything up there didn't make sense - English isn't my native language.)
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PF 4 has some ideas on evidence of nefarious activites coming to light during the giant raid.
Personally I don't see them as a crime family (don't confuse Scarnetti with Sczarni - the two groups likely loathe each other). I would say that one of them has engaged in criminal activities. The rest are just rather stuck up.
What I did was have Titus Scarnetti recruit the group's rogue to dig up Ethram Valdemar's past as a side quest. In my game, the elder Valdemar covered up an accidental drowning of an employee in the fishing industry years ago (Ethram gave the guy a battered and unsafe fishing boat), which the rogue will use as leverage in convincing Valdemar to accept the Scarnetti family's "protection services" - for the monthly price of "X" amount of gold and their discretion of the cover-up.
Wicht: Those two names are rather easily confused, aren't they? But I indeed got a 'mafia' family vibe from the Scarnetti description: dedicated to dominating the (lumber/grain) mill business in and around Sandpoint, no matter the cost (and without any scruples with regard to the means to accomplish this goal). The Sczarni, in contrast, are rather petty thieves and small-time felons.
Koveras: Thank you, excellent suggestion :).
In my game, I've played up the "Scarnettis are mafia" angle. The family's leaders are constantly escorted by thuggish servants/bodyguards and speak with a slight New York accent...
The Scarnettis are convinced that their leadership is needed to protect the town from "unsavory" influences; even the "good" ones can be very unscrupulous when "the ends justify the means".
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Except she's no "girl:" she's an experienced adventurer *and* business owner, and very likely grew up exposed to at least a minor amount of information about glassmaking. The Scarnettis would have an extremely difficult time making a case to the mayor that Ameiko can't take care of the business herself, and for that matter, the local laws would likely not be at all helpful to them in trying to do so. It's Ameiko they'd have to convince, not the mayor.
I like Sir Wulf's idea.
They may also try to convince Ameiko of this at the same time using similar tactics.
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I like Sir Wulf's idea.
** spoiler omitted **
I don't think it's a bad idea, you just have to agree with your players that you're playing in a town where the Mayor has a lot more political power than she probably has. Relieving someone of their property, especially someone as well known and respected as she is, is *not* as simple as the Scarnetti having a chat with the mayor. A mayor simply doesn't have that kind of authority. They'd have to convince people in Magnimar, make a hell of a lot of bribes for, in the end, a very minimal gain for them in the long run.
Plus, then they also have to take on the responsibility of actually running the place, staffing it, and producing product.
Besides:
I'm with Oroboro-Steve on this one. I agree that the Scarnettis might be motivated to "muscle in" on the glass business after the tragedy, but it's Ameiko's property to keep or lose.
I actually think it's a more compelling plot hook if:
This makes sense if the PCs saved her life and you assume that she's doesn't hold a grudge against them if they killed Tsuto when the rescued her.
In addition to the possibility of trouble with the Scarnettis, she would also probably have to deal with the Szcarni when she cuts them off from using the kiln to dispose of bodies or the tunnels for smuggling. Since she's good-aligned, I seriously doubt she would willing to put up wiht any of the shady stuff that her dad got involved in. Besides, it was a factor in his downfall and murder.
Perhaps the Scarnetti family could promise to bring in new glass artisans in return for a low price for the business and tax breaks. As far as the daughter taking over the business goes just look at what crimes her family has been involved in. Can you trust such morally questionable people to run one of the most important parts of Sandpoint. Better to let her run her tavern and trust a more respected family that has stepped up to provide for the town even though their good name is often scandalized with rumors. The Scaretti's are willing to take on the responsibilities for the good of Sandpoint.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32
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/snip/ Better to let her run her tavern and trust a more respected family that has stepped up to provide for the town even though their good name is often scandalized with rumors. The Scaretti's are willing to take on the responsibilities for the good of Sandpoint.
Spoiler:
Then the Scaretti's could bring in low cost help and sell off the parts of the glassworks to distant merchants. I am sure the old smuggling tunnels will be filled in, they promise. Maybe they can put in a small gambling hall/tattoo parlor back in the tunnels backed by a beautiful woman from Skull River
Oh that's evil!! I like that!!! Kudos!
Thanks, everyone! Great food for thought :).
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Perhaps the Scarnetti family could promise to bring in new glass artisans in return for a low price for the business and tax breaks. As far as the daughter taking over the business goes just look at what crimes her family has been involved in. Can you trust such morally questionable people to run one of the most important parts of Sandpoint. Better to let her run her tavern and trust a more respected family that has stepped up to provide for the town even though their good name is often scandalized with rumors. The Scaretti's are willing to take on the responsibilities for the good of Sandpoint.
Ah, and now I see the workings of something which makes a bit more sense:
Instead of them working the mayor angle, have them start working on Ameiko herself. Instead of bringing up her family's history, they could offer to relieve her of the burden of having to establish the business anew. Besides, with her father having been killed there, the agony of having to see the place where he was so brutally murdered would be painful to her every day, letting it go, while running such a respected and successful establishment as the 'Dragon free of the cares and worries...
The tactics above are on a better track overall, but are still targetting the wrong person, and are a bit too clumsy to believably work to come from a family like the Scarnettis.
(I really will pick an Avatar here soon...)
While the mayor might not have the authority to force Amieko to give up her family's business, I picture the Scarnettis as very used to telling people what to do, and "leaning on" anyone who refuses to go along. I expect that the mayor would be reluctant to confront them.
The Scarnettis may not have great power, but they have plenty of influence: Other people know that they can make doing business in Sandpoint a lot more complicated. If they want to "help rebuild Sandpoint's great glassworks", incidentally buying a controlling share in the business at a bargain price, many townsfolk might support their ambition.
I don't picture Amieko as highly regarded in her town. Ax ex-adventurer who runs an inn isn't necessarily going to enjoy the finest reputation.
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While the mayor might not have the authority to force Amieko to give up her family's business, I picture the Scarnettis as very used to telling people what to do, and "leaning on" anyone who refuses to go along. I expect that the mayor would be reluctant to confront them.
The Scarnettis may not have great power, but they have plenty of influence: Other people know that they can make doing business in Sandpoint a lot more complicated. If they want to "help rebuild Sandpoint's great glassworks", incidentally buying a controlling share in the business at a bargain price, many townsfolk might support their ambition.
I don't picture Amieko as highly regarded in her town. Ax ex-adventurer who runs an inn isn't necessarily going to enjoy the finest reputation.
I disagree on both accounts (though these interpretations are entirely up to the readers, of course)
In the case of the mayor, I see her as a pretty straightforward an no-nonsense kinda lady. She certainly would respect the Scarnettis and their influence and history, but at the same time, she has plenty of friends herself (the sherriff, the priest, and many of the townspeople). They don't make any mention of the shakiness of her position, so it is certainly possible to interpret it in either direction, but again, she is still only mayor, which means revoking the property of *another* founding family to another is going to be...difficult for her at best. If you really want to go that direction, for believability's sake, you're going to have to involve much more politically powerful individuals in Magnimar, ot just the mayor.
As for Ameiko herself, yeah, people look at her a bit weird given her background, but she also runs one of the most popular taverns in town, she has a lot of popularity from her cooking ability (her recent showing at the swallowtail festival shows people *like* her food), plus given the number of out-of-towners who favor her inn over the other local establishments, she's likely got powerful friends of her own.
I think this is a great side-story to run with, and I intend to run with it myself, but the devil's in the details.
We're both extrapolating reasonably from the material in the scenario, just going in different directions. In my games, the party and Amieko have become fast friends, so I wanted her to be an "underdog" in conflict with the Scarnetti family.
I assumed that the Scarnettis had heavy connections in Magnimar and habitually throw their weight around (even if a more subtle approach might be better). I described their servants as muscular goons, and let the players draw the obvious conclusions about the mill fires, so the player characters distrust them (Humming the theme from The Godfather and giving them New York accents probably didn't help improve the party's impression). The PCs are suspicious even when the Scarnettis' intentions are good.
I pictured Amieko as an adventurous young woman similar to Marion from Raiders of the Lost Ark: Capable, but not overcivilized. In my vision of the town, she avoided involvement in her family's business, preferring to avoid working with her overbearing father. Amieko's not unpopular among the townsfolk, but the "old money" types don't have confidence in her ability to run the glassworks.
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We're both extrapolating reasonably from the material in the scenario, just going in different directions. In my games, the party and Amieko have become fast friends, so I wanted her to be an "underdog" in conflict with the Scarnetti family.
I assumed that the Scarnettis had heavy connections in Magnimar and habitually throw their weight around (even if a more subtle approach might be better). I described their servants as muscular goons, and let the players draw the obvious conclusions about the mill fires, so the player characters distrust them (Humming the theme from The Godfather and giving them New York accents probably didn't help improve the party's impression). The PCs are suspicious even when the Scarnettis' intentions are good.
I pictured Amieko as an adventurous young woman similar to Marion from Raiders of the Lost Ark: Capable, but not overcivilized. In my vision of the town, she avoided involvement in her family's business, preferring to avoid working with her overbearing father. Amieko's not unpopular among the townsfolk, but the "old money" types don't have confidence in her ability to run the glassworks.
I can absolutely see her having avoided involvement in the business from the start. I mean, seriously, who, if given a choice, would *want* to work with the guy? He's an ass.
Two of my three groups have been pretty "hands off" with the town so far, not getting too attached, other than in a professional sort of way with the sheriff and mayor. I do have two characters who are either from Sandpoint, or who helped build the cathedral, so that approach wouldn't work so well, since in that scenario they'd already be familiar with the Scarnettis and their "ways."
In your scenario, how do the other noble families feel about the Scarnettis and their pushiness? I would assume they'd not simply sit back and just let them have their way.
I think I'm going to have the Scarnettis in at least one of my games, (one of them may simply never end up interacting with them much) start to lean on Ameiko a bit, and just run with it and see where it goes. maybe nowhere, maybe it develops into a bit of an intrigue where their move to take over the glassworks is foiled, but in which they gain a grudge against the party, or something. I've only just started reading book 4, so I'm only getting to that information on the Scarnettis...