In my Carrion Crown game, we're big into prelude cut-scenes. For example, before Harrowstone, we played a one-shot where all of the PCs were guards trying to stop a prisoner rebellion. They all died in a fire of course, but once they started playing their "real" PCs, they cared so much more about what was going on in Ravengro.
Having just put down the Aberrant Promethian last session, we decided it was time for the next prelude cut-scene. Given the fact that the political situation in Broken Moon is very complicated, and the PCs have very little ability to learn much of it until late in the module, I decided it would be great fun for them to play as werewolves in the oneshot. Only this time, we're going to break from Pathfinder rules entirely, and we're going to do it with the World of Darkness Werewolf the Forsaken rules.
I'm still figuring out exactly how I want to do this, and I'm looking for ideas. Here's what I know so far:
- I want some amount of time to take place in Courtrad, since the (real) PCs spent some time there, it will thus give grounding to the setting. And knowing that werewolves had infested the place is cool/creepy.
- I'll have to invent more locations in Shudderwood than just the Highthrone. Place the (real) PCs will never go. Conversely, I don't want to involve Ascanor Lodge for the werewolf PCs at all.
- I'm thinking of the PCs mostly being Silverhides, perhaps with a BrokenOne present in a priestly capacity.
- Some part of the quest should involve getting something from an ex-tribemate who has since converted to the worship of Jezebal and joined the Demonwolves, since that will doubtlessly cause good RP, and showcase that tribe's MO.
- The northern Shudderwood is mostly given over to spider-like creatures. This is reinforced in Broken Moon. Therefore I want an epic battle with a giant spider-beasts for my werewolf PCs.
- I don't want the PCs to be Kilveca Sain's assassins, but it would be great if they could do some mission that sets up for the assassination. In any case, it would also be good for the PCs to meet Kilveca Sain before she's killed.
- I don't want to do much with the Prince's Wolves since they are kindof the "good guys" (from the modules point of view), and thus need the least showcasing in a cut-scene.
Any thoughts besides?
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Run a few missions where the group helps set up sabotage so that Mathus can kill Kvlaca. Perhaps they deliver some tribute to the Vollensag den that is really poisoned. This way they would meet the current Packlord and even get familiar with the structure of the Wood.
Perhaps your party could be the three werewolves that Duristan has killed. Slowly getting picked off by this bravado noble from the east during individual missions for the pack. Then, when there's only 1 or 2 party members left, the Jezeldans swoop in and demand conversion or heart.
One of the things we talked about in our Gamers' Guide to the Haunting of Harrowstone podcast episode was that I really regret that I didn't do was a lot more foreshadowing of the adventures. Back when I was coming up with things to do should I run an Age of Worms campaign I had this exact type of one shot before each adventure all planned out. THIS is exactly the type of thing I should have done!
Ok... so that isn't really helpful to you though.
The first thing that comes to mind is that you want to be sure that spoiling that there are werewolves won't be too big a spoiler for the adventure. IMO, it isn't. The bigger payoff is that there is a political structure in the ww of the woods that the PCs are now dealing with.
I will spend some time thinking about this and see if I can come up with some more specific ideas. I am running TotB right now, so this will be coming up for me soon as well. Not sure I will go the WoD route myself though (don't have the books).
Anyway... good stuff! I look forward to coming up with ideas as well.
Sean
Heh. The only thing that immediately jumps to my mind is that the werewolf prelude should end with Auren Vrood killing them. And maybe having an "honor guard" of reanimated werewolves when the real party faces him.
Perhpas they escape as witnesses to Sain's assassination, only to to discover that Mr. Vrood didn't feel like leaving a mess behind this time.
Heh. The only thing that immediately jumps to my mind is that the werewolf prelude should end with Auren Vrood killing them. And maybe having an "honor guard" of reanimated werewolves when the real party faces him.
Perhpas they escape as witnesses to Sain's assassination, only to to discover that Mr. Vrood didn't feel like leaving a mess behind this time.
Problem is, all Werewolves return to their human form after they die. So reanimated werewolves would be just skeletons/zombies.
Did some more work on this, since my session is tonight. Feedback or arbitrary elaboration is welcome and encouraged!
Here are the pregen/oneshot PCs:
Desmond Khorch - Elodoth Silverhide
An herbalist that lives in the city of Courtrad with his wife. He spends more time as a human than as a wolf, both out of preference to the human way of living, as well as being an urban spy for the Silverhide tribe. His wife, Marya, is a human (albiet wolfblooded), and knows of his secret and supports his activities in any way that she can. She is one of the town's midwives, which helps gain her the trust of many of the citizen in town, and also helps explain why they always have bloody and torn rags in the home. Desmond is feircely protective of his wife, and has several spirit wards placed around his home.
Virtue: Prudence
Vice: Envy
Renown: Honor 1, Wisdom 1, Cunning 1
Gifts: Straighten, Partial Change, Ward Versus Predators
Gerard Beauturne - Irraka Silverhide
A former noble of not insignificant fame and power, Gerard is now presumed a casuality of the Palatinate. In reality, the rage and depression that he felt when his lands were being seized from him by own servants is was forced his First Change. Unbeknownst to him or his family, his grandmother, on his mother's side, was a commoner, and a woolfblooded one at that.
Now Gerard eeks out a nomadic lifestyle, to which he is somewhat accustomed from his hunting days as a human, but he also is occasionally found lurking around his old holdings in Courtrad (now converted into a posh hotel). He serves a role of border patrol and scout within the Silverhide tribe.
Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Wrath
Renown: Glory 1, Cunning 2
Gifts: Feet of Mist, Know Name, Warning Growl
Oak - Ithaeur Dorzhanev
In his human days, Seymore always found his small farm blessed. The wolf-raids and other calamities that struck his neighbors never seemed to happen to him. He always thought it was because he studiously followed the Old Ways, as taught to him by an old hermit who went by the name of Eternal Oak. Only after his violent eruption into an Uratha did Seymore realize that the Old Ways he had been taught were laying the principles for the Rites and Rituals of the werewolves, and the real reason his farm was safe was due to his (future) tribe mates protecting him.
Now known as Oak, he has studied the legends and traditions of the werewolves of Shudderwood, and has come into his own as a priest and seer. Seemingly in his 50s, he has actually lived for over 100 years, watching with a grim face as his tribe continues to slide into a weaker and weaker position. With sadness and resentment he's taken to partnering with non-tribe members who need his knowledge and services. And yet, there is always hope for his people to one day reclaim their glory.
Virtue: Charity
Vice: Pride
Renown: Wisdom 2, Purity 1
Gifts: Sense Malice
Rituals: Shared Scent, Rite of the Spirit Brand, Fortify the Border Marches, Blessing of the Spirit Hunt
Sounds cool. We do similar things in our group, but a little different. I write short scripts (a couple of pages) that reveal a cut-scene or some back-story, and then have the PCs act it out. Every few sessions we do one of these.
We're half-way through TOTB just now, so not written any for Broken Moon but my thinking was a scene set 10 years ago or so, with Auren Vrood at the start of his necromantic career. He is doing vile experiments somewhere in the shudderwood and a bunch of were-wolves band together in human form to drive him out of the wood. My scene would involve hints that Matthais (or another Silverhide) isn't entirely behind the pack as well as exploring some of the different themes within the wolf society.
Something similar could work here. Have the PC's "mission" to drive a lower-level Vrood out. That sets him up more as the main bad-guy (which is what you want... bwhahaha) as well as introducing the Shudderwood and its inhabitants. Kvalca Sain could be the mission giver (NPC) and perhaps give one of the PCs the secret task of passing a message from Matthais to Vrood.