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As I find a bit of disconnect between the storylines of module 1 thru 6, I am attempting to drop little hints to build up to the final module.
1. The various intelligent opponents for each module have the favor of the nymph - so I've given them an actual, mechanical benefit. Each has (in turn) the inspiration bonus of the nymph. They each have a lock of her hair, that withers to dead plant matter after they defeat that particular threat. Some of course aren't appropriate - the owlbear (or, in my game, fey template dire bear), or the lich. Currently my plan is to have this for Irovetti, the Stag Lord, Hargulka, and the dead Eirikk.
2. The Voice of the Queen
I plan on having a higher level dreamweaver changeling witch, a grand daughter of the Knurly Witch and taught by the Nightmare Rook. She will will deliver a dream-scape warning unto the party. She will fly in, debuff them a bit, drop a symbol of sleep, and proceed to mess with their dreams. In their dreams, she will appear as loved or lost ones, alluding to their trespassing and dropping subtle threats to leave without actually invoking Nyrissa's name. She will however ask "Have you seen it?" - when asked what, she will reply with the Riddle. See below. In the end, a charm of pixies will fly in, dispel the sleep and drive off the witch before she can murder them all in their sleep. (What does one call a group of pixies? I like a Charm... also used for finches).
3. The Riddle
Here is the current version of the riddle
Have you seen it?
Woven of life,
a touch doth prick
And it bars the way,
a beautiful trick
In the spring,
a sweet perfumed smell
In the winter,
now defenses tell
Dark winter now,
but the dark winter lies
Come soon the bloom,
harvest made the Lady's prize
I like it... Might use it, if they continue to friend the pixies :)
You just gave me an idea for a Chanegling NPC who's out to help the players instead of hindering them.
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Pretty cool idea. There are plenty of ways to "show" Nyrissa as the big bad. It will keep them guessing and chances are they will mis-interpret the riddle, which can then inspire you with more sub-plots.
First time I ran Kingmaker I had the party stumble across a minor artifact that showed a pc a piece of history that I wanted them to see, literally. It allowed for a lot of the back story flavor to come forth. The one PC saw how the Stag Lord came to be, and what occurred with Arikos's past. The party found the circlet at the Mad Hermit's lair. It also had the potential to drive the PC insane (after five non-consecutive will saved DC 25). The artifact also put the pc into a trance state to reveal the vision (mostly at in-opportune times).
This time I have a pc's possessed sister revealing bits and pieces to the party as to what and whom is behind everything. The party is hating the sister because she hinders as well as helps, and always leaves a riddle.
Huh... I like the artifact/magic item idea with the glimpse into the past. Perhaps when the druid next Speaks With Plants he'll get a really old Oak that isn't from Golarion originally (sleeping Treant?). Or the standing stones with the mirrored pool staring into the first world... someone else was using that in this thread.
I am considering using Erastil to reveal some of the back-story for this purpose since he has some show-time in the first module through some of the locations in the Greenbelt.
Also considered using an idea from these boards with "Spirits of the Stolen Lands" that would reveal some of them.
like the idea of the artifact as the players miss out on allot of the rich backstories that make this AP pop, a divine servant of Erastil in the form of a wise owl that speaks common could serve the same purpose. It could also drive it's own plots and be a good hook here and there (getting captured for instance) handing out side quest in return for answers.
Thanks you gave me a good idea.
Is Old Hooter a little to cheeky a name...