A guide to Hangman's Noose

[Boxhead]

There seem to be a few threads around talking about this adventure. Most of them seem to focus on the prep work needed for the adventure. I have a few ideas on this that I have posted and thought I'd start thread to share them again. I really feel this adventure was written to be run as a one-nighter, so most of my advice is geared toward that goal. I'll post over the next few days to help this.

Hangman’s Noose Pregens
So I ran this as a one-shot. I built pregenerated characters for it with some back story. I figured I'd post them here in case anyone needed some inspiration or had any advice. The adventure just screams for a deeper connection for its characters. The goal was also for each character to have a better of a piece of the story right from the get-go, to try to fit it in a slightly shorter session.
Cleric

Spoiler:

You were an acolyte of the famed Father Kelgaard, a blond-haired, blue-eyed charismatic cleric of Sarenrae the Dawnflower, goddess of sunrise, redemption and healing. Shortly after your training finished, Kelgaard led a group of adventurers to the old courthouse in Piren’s Bluff. Only one survived the expedition and he was driven completely mad. You have recently decided to try to find out what you could of your old master’s fate, and started to seek information in Piren’s Bluff.
This character will get Vision 3

Fighter

Spoiler:

Bastard son of one of Lord Tandinian Fellcroft’s many dalliances with beautiful maidens; you were raised by the nobleman nonetheless. Lord Fellcroft’s oft-illicit activities led him to some trouble with a hobgoblin thug named Malgrim Hurkes. You know some past debts resulted in the goon paying visits to your family’s house and blame the goblinoid for your father’s mysterious death one year ago. Having been cast out of noble society, you honed your skill with a blade, now seeking revenge on the “man” you feel is surely guilty of your misfortunes.
This character will get Vision 1

Rogue

Spoiler:

You have grown up on the streets of Absalom, mostly in Piren’s Bluff and the surrounding districts. You learned most of what you know from your old uncle Horace, a great deceiver and self-proclaimed king of the streets. You’ll never forget the day he earned gold to eat for a year by helping hang that old executioner who murdered his family. He passed away about six months ago, leaving you to fend for yourself in the underworld of Absalom.
This character will get Vision 2

Sorcerer

Spoiler:

You are an amateur fortune-teller and alchemist, plying your family’s trade in the city of Absalom. One morning, as you were telling your morning fortunes, you started to see and unmistakeable pattern emerge. The same cards kept coming up- the Hangman, the Keep and Death. Scouring the portents, this lead you to the district of Piren’s Bluff. For some reason, you knew you needed to be right here, right now.
This character will get Vision 4

The next thing to do is sort out NPCs. I developed a habit for each one, so I could slip into character (this is recommended in the module. I say EXAGGERATE). The following is a "descriptor" for each, and a "habit".

Spoiler:

Mine were as follows
Halgrak- Massive Half-orc smith- Sighs, Nay-says
Ebin- Alcholic gnome jester- Twirls sap
Patrissa- Voluptuous human enchantress- Pearl necklace (chews, feels)
Killian/Sveth- Ragged nobleman- Sips flask
Malgrim- Burly hobgoblin tough- Long drags on cigars
Sir Rekkart- Naive Paladin- Snuff box
Madge- Athletic halfling- Toys with earlobe
Tablark- Gruff old dwarf- strokes chin

I attached pictures of each of the NPCs to the front of the screen, removing them as they got killed.

[Stewart Perkins]

I really like what you did with it, and agree that it is the best one shot I've ran so far. I will say this though, the end game resolution is a bit shaky and I wish there was a way to make it more natural and not so easily figured out, but beyond that.

Here's what I changed to get the pcs to fit:

Spoiler:

I changed it so that there were an additional 4 or 5 jurors, based on number of players (I ran it twice as halloween one shots). These unnamed extra jurors were simple patsies easily manipulated the same as the others. The catch is, that since the trial all of them have died, been killed, or vanished (possibly 1 or 2 killed off by the alchemist when he failed to extract them) in the nd it doesn't matter, because the alchemist knows that for the Hangman to get his vengeance everyone involved must be represented. The pcs are the closest living relatives and as such have been chosen as their stand ins. Also the pcs have been haunted by dreams (the first of their set of visions) prior to the day as the alchemist has been hiring a wizard to use nightmare spells on them. This has the odd side effect of causing the actual visions in the courthouse (this is an optional bit). Originally he planned on them meeting their relatives justice but quickly (hopefully) realizes they are heroic types willing to solve the case and give justice.

But that's what worked for me. I like your changes aswell.