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My current game has just finished up (finally!) Burnt Offerings. Returning triumphant from Thistletop, they are now beginning the lull between the first and second AP within which I'm inclined to line up some story depth, characterization and roleplay opportunities.
One of my ideas was to create an RP scene centered around...
the funeral of Ameiko's father and brother.
One of my players is running his PC as having fallen for Ameiko since the Swallowtail festival - a half-elf fighter, no less. During the festival, he even won a feat of strength that got him a free dinner coupon for winner of the food competition that year (Rusty Dragon, obviously). Never-mind that a certain obsessive man has, among other things, stolen that token from him, foreshadowing the next chapter.... (I even erased the item from his sheet between games and let him find out on his own later...) :)
But I digress.
I'm inclined to challenge him with his courtship of her. The level of depth and maturity for the group is well discussed and agreed upon before we ever started, so I'm confident that I could go fairly strong drama-wise without flipping him out. We're all in our thirties, FWIW.
In preparation for their funerals, the Gnome Bard has been enlisted to assist the 1/2 Elf Fighter in dressing appropriately and providing social instructions so as to not inadvertently disrespect her family. So she is looking for me to provide some detail about the funeral so she can tell him what not to do....
I'm looking at the funeral as being a Japanese / Buddhist ceremony, being that the tradition of Tian Xia is supposed to be loosely based on this. I'm willing to buy that their family has been in Sandpoint long enough to kind of incorporate local traditions in the mix, but I also would like this to be as inclusive as possible. Am I off the trail here?
I'm also sensitive to the idea of good game design doesn't mean one guy plays while everyone watches for an hour. Anything that provides a better experience for the group playing at the expense of "realism" or whatever is A-OK for me.
Any ideas on how to bring people together? My initial inclination is that the "Heroes of Sandpoint" and many of the townspeople will turn out for the Lonjiku funeral out of respect for the founding family patriarch and his former place in the region. This brings all of the PCs into it, and part of the ceremony may be shared among them.
The Bard arranged with the Sandpoint Boutique for getting a custom dress for Ameiko as a gift on this somber occasion. I figure since his wife's funeral was just a little bit ago that they are familiar with what is appropriate already. Do you think this jives?
I'm open to all suggestions or brainstorming the idea that you're willing to expend on me. :) Maybe Mr. Jacobs with his impressive knowledge on the whos and whatfors of Cyclops diets and Boggard's leisure activities will have a dissertation on Tian Xia funeral practices. :)
Thanks for reading all this. ;)
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First I would decide if this funeral is supposed to be small and private, for close friends and family (which might be more appropriate for a Tian Xia type funeral, dunno) or more open to the public. Her father was a public figure, so it follows that it might be open to the public. Here are some thoughts that might help you with details:
- Tsuto is portrayed as being considered disreputable by his father, so depending on Ameiko's wishes, their funerals might be separate, one to honor the father (larger, grander, and more public) and one to honor her brother (smaller and more private). This would also allow the half elf to score brownie points by attending the funeral for her brother, since it might have very few other participants and she may have regrets or mixed feelings about his death.
- Not sure how your story is set up, but in my game Madam Mvashti is the old school Varisian spiritual leader and Father Zantus is the current temple spiritual leader. If I were going to do a big public funeral as DM, the Ameiko in my town would probably ask both of them to participate, so as to include as many people as possible. She would probably ask them to perform certain roles within the Tian Xia funeral rites (hah! no idea what to use for this). Certainly the other three major noble families would either offer some sort of funeral gift of significance, say a few words, etc, so as to participate, since he was the head of his noble house.
I recommend any rites include fire, glass (house specialties), water, and flower petals.
Thats all I got! :)
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A couple of opportunities that you can put into the funeral/the wake so that everybody can have some spotlight time.
# - As the funeral begins a local boy is pickpocketing the mourners. When a PC notices this they have to subtly stop the pick-pocket without disrupting the service. Perhaps with an intimidate check, or a well-timed grapple check (to grab the boy by the arm).
# - A friend of Ameiko's brother shows up to the wake, very drunk. (Perhaps forshadow this by having some players notice the man giving them death glares while surreptitiously drinking from a hip flask). During the wake he loudly crashes into one of the PCs and demands an apology: "Why should the murderer of my oldest friend eat the food of his family? You got shum nerve showin' your face 'round here..." E.T.C. the PC involved will probably have to make Diplomacy or Intimidate checks to get rid of the man before it gets out of hand.
# - Slyve Hesslemonde (Necromancer 4) has been waiting for fresh human corpses so he can continue his experiments. After the wake as a couple of PCs make their way through the town, they notice a bald gangly man struggling with a covered wheel barrow. On seeing the PCs he attempts to run off (with the wheelbarrow (which of course have the recently exhumed body parts of Ameiko's brother and father inside)).