|
Im reading through Skinsaw Murders right now, in preparation of running it for my group. Several threads Ive read through on this forum have suggested having an additional scene or two with Aldern in Burnt Offerings to add to his role in Skinsaw Murders.
However, some players of my group fall into the 'Its an NPC with a name, and is therefore, the BBEG' camp.
Im hoping to break them of this by the time Burnt Offerings is done, considering the sheer number of named NPCs in the town whom they can encounter, but who knows.
Fairly early on, when the hint is dropped about 'Misigivings', I feel that its going to be extremely easy for the party to figure out who the killer is, especially if Alderns role is played up.
In all honesty, I wouldnt be surprised if, assuming I play Aldern up a bit more in BO, that as soon as the first note addressed to his obsessed target is handed over, the party will immediately jump to the conclusion that it must be him.
So, Im wondering what your opinions might be, oh anonymous masses, on this situation. Do you think its too easy for the PCs to figure out who the bad guy is, too early?
Also, while Im on the subject, how long do you think it should take for a party to play through the events of Skinsaw Murders? Is a couple days in between each murder too much? Not enough?
|
|
Actually I didn't play it up much more than they book suggested, and they had all but forgotten about him... the trick that I should have done, is make it so that they actually liked him. Make him something more than just a fanboy, so that when they do figure out that it is him, they are like, "what happened?"
What I did was extend the time between BO and Skinsaw. They were gone almost a year before Skinsaw happened. The murders started within a week from their return to the region.
Looking back I would have done it different, but only to make it a bigger impact on the players.
|
Aldern only features in the light-hearted first-third of Burnt Offerings. He is one of many named NPCs and the players are going to miss out on a lot of fun if they meta-game into miserable gits who hate all NPCs.
If they get the Aldern think straight away then that's okay anyway, but it is not inevitable.
|
My party never accepted the hunting trip with him, they were on a separate side mission i created for them.
They only got to know him through the initial encounter when the PCs saved him from the goblin.
I would do your best to leave him as a 'vague' NPC or better yet, really work up another NPC so the party might focus on him instead of Aldern
I wish I had taken more time with the hunting party with my group. I skimmed it b/c of some RL time constraints. It became a side note of "It was an enjoyable week, despite the constant hero worship" sort of thing. As one PC would make fun of Aldern alot. I used the "wrath" suggestions. I played up the whole framing the PC's idea. So much so, that it had an odd effect on the player. He took a wrong turn on the clues and thought his character was under some enchantment and really was doing the murders Oo! It didn't help that the other characters started refering to him as "His Lordship".
Greg
I simply set him up to be a future cohort, playing off his watching the PCs as a need to emulate their abilities. My PCs naturally assumed that this guy was just being setup to join the party as a cohort later and went with it. They had all but forgotten about him after the climax of the adventure, so when the second adventure was midway through, my PCs had an idea or two it might be him, especially when the notes began appearing expressing his need to become like his chosen target. Great role-playing, and it made the 'Field of Screams' and the Haunted House after it all the more memorable since they had a face to attach to all the atrocities they saw in those two places.
|
|
Thanks for the ideas, guys. Keep them coming.
Another question, which I was originally gonna put in here, but forgot, lol:
When you get into the mansion, how do you handle the haunts if the players dont specifically say they are going into the room? Several of the haunts have really specific triggers (the scarf comes to mind) about how to get it, so if they realize stuff happens to them in the rooms, then wouldnt they just avoid going into any room they could manage?
Im thinking of just having those haunts that are just 'enter the room' dependent activate even without going into the room, but suggestions would be good.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
if they realize stuff happens to them in the rooms, then wouldnt they just avoid going into any room they could manage?
Let me ask you one question: Why are the PCs there? They're not going through the building because they HAVE to, they're going through the building for a purpose. Most likely, they're there to find the person who's been killing people left and right, and if they can't find him, they're there to find clues to where he may be. If your group takes on the attitude of, "Well, this room is trapped, so we're not going in," then I can't think of what they expect their characters to be doing. How can you expect to get anything accomplished if all you do is glance into a room and then move on?
The only reason a group of players would take on the attitude you're describing is if they're no longer seeing Foxglove Manor as a set piece for a mysterious adventure, but rather as yet another series of obstacles before the BBEG and phat lootz beyond. "What? No obvious treasure and/or BBEG? Let's not go in that room, since it's probably trapped."
|
|
I understand the point your making, but that doesnt change how a group of players can perceive things. Even if I play up the mysterious advanture aspect, and not just use the house as a set of obstacles (which I hope to avoid, cause I like the storyline and want the pcs to get to hear it), there is nothing from stopping the players to just glance into every room they come upon until they find him, and if they dont (if hes out or whatever), then to go back and look around more thoroughly for clues.
Heck, if they decide to ignore the sobbing noises and go to the basement, they may not even bother going up to the attic later on to find out what was going on.
I guess Im just looking for agreement that, should they adopt this behavior, its not ridiculous to activate the haunt after the open the door, even if they say they arent going into the room, etc.
Also, Im kinda confused on the part of each haunt where its "Make a Spot/Listen check to..." So, is that for everyone, or just the target of the particular haunt?
When you get into the mansion, how do you handle the haunts if the players dont specifically say they are going into the room? Several of the haunts have really specific triggers (the scarf comes to mind) about how to get it, so if they realize stuff happens to them in the rooms, then wouldnt they just avoid going into any room they could manage?
Prod the players to be very specific about their characters' actions. A thorough search can't be done from the entrance doorway. Decrease the dependence on Perception rolls and let them find things without a roll once they describe how they search an area.
Keep in mind that thsese haunts reflect the malignant spirit of the house: They aren't like traps, which go off automatically. They reflect the horrible history of the place, but go off when the house wants them to.
Take a page from Stephen King's The Shining or 1408. Use the haunts for maximum malignant effect. As the party explores, add other minor incidents to keep them antsy, such as rattling windows (from gusts of wind), the sound of a bird poking about an attic room(one of the carrionstorm flock), or snatches of half-heard argument from a partially-manifested haunt in a nearby room.
The haunts serve three major purposes:
- They set the mood.
- They dramatically present clues about the story of the place.
- They burn a few party resources.
If the party's caution causes them to miss out, move a clue or two to help them understand the place's history.
Sir Wolf has some great stuff there. For myself, this was definitely one of the areas I chose not to use the battlemap. ( Visiting the nymph ghost in Hook Mountain was another time ) Not only by removing the map, did the players get more complacent. ( Oh, there is no need for battlemap, so must be no danger ) They also, began listening more to my descriptions of the areas, and less of the .. "10x20 room, check" mentality.
Strange thing I remember most about the mansion though, they were all terrified of the obviously diseased rats. Moreso than anything else.
They are finishing up Fortress of Stone Giants, now, and they still worry about those darn rats.
Greg
When you get into the mansion, how do you handle the haunts if the players dont specifically say they are going into the room? Several of the haunts have really specific triggers (the scarf comes to mind) about how to get it, so if they realize stuff happens to them in the rooms, then wouldnt they just avoid going into any room they could manage?Prod the players to be very specific about their characters' actions. A thorough search can't be done from the entrance doorway. Decrease the dependence on Perception rolls and let them find things without a roll once they describe how they search an area.
Keep in mind that thsese haunts reflect the malignant spirit of the house: They aren't like traps, which go off automatically. They reflect the horrible history of the place, but go off when the house wants them to.
Take a page from Stephen King's The Shining or 1408. Use the haunts for maximum malignant effect. As the party explores, add other minor incidents to keep them antsy, such as rattling windows (from gusts of wind), the sound of a bird poking about an attic room(one of the carrionstorm flock), or snatches of half-heard argument from a partially-manifested haunt in a nearby room.
The haunts serve three major purposes:
- They set the mood.
- They dramatically present clues about the story of the place.
- They burn a few party resources.If the party's caution causes them to miss out, move a clue or two to help them understand the place's history.
What Sir Wulf said.
|
|
I agree with sir Wolf; I had the exact problem you describe. So I made it clear for them that you don't see everything from the door, and that unless they entered rooms, that's be no good.
Further prodding was :"What do I see ?
Not much, just some furniture.
Do I see anything useful ?
No you don't, and you won't unless you take a risk and enter. What are you ? A level 1 commoner ?"
Ok, so it was a bit heavy handed, but it worked. They entered the rooms, triggered most of the haunts, and mostly had a good time.
Only one of the haunts was really life threatening, despite the fact that the party cleric never figured how to stop them on time.