Advice tying some PCs into the story

[GrandReaper]

Hi all,

Just started running Smuggler's Shiv this weekend - I'll post a little summation in the sticky when I have a chance. Anyway, I have two PCs that I think could be tied into the story in a very direct way and was looking for some advice on how/where to do it.

The first is a Ranger "with amnesia" - yeah, I groaned too. However, I think that it would be fun if he might have stumbled across a hidden cult of Serpentfolk (or even Yarzoth) and been mindwiped to keep him quiet. Not really sure why the Serpentfolk would let him go (maybe an implanted suggestion?). Maybe I'll give Yarzoth an automatic success on her Suggestion at the end of the Shiv and show some familiarity. That should get the PCs on her trail in a hurry.

The second is an Elf Sorceress with the Draconic (green) bloodline. She's playing that her father was a Green Dragon and she has spent the last couple decades seeking him out. A rumour of a Green Dragon inhabiting the Mwangi Expanse has drawn her to the area in case it is her father or may know something of his whereabouts. I'm not sure where to tie this in but I would love for it to be no later than mid book 3. I'm not too familiar with the books after Shiv just yet, so I'm wide open with this one.

Thanks in advance!

[tonyz]

Having a mindwiped ranger sounds like a reasonable way to fit it all together for that character.

As far as a green dragon goes, let's just say that there are plenty of places in book 3 where it would be easy to have one of them lying around.

[tbug]

You could also forget Yarzoth and use someone from later. Yarzoth has almost nothing to do with the main plot, aside from being the same race as the main antagonists, and as far as I can tell she was some sort of rival of Vyr-Azul. If the PCs leave her alone and let her succeed at her plan she might even try to slow him down and take his place. (She'd fail, but whatever.)

Could the ranger have run with the Maka-Yika? I feel like part of the problem with chapters three and four is the way that they have more or less the same boss fight (a mind-controller who had minions infiltrating Saventh-Yhi), and ways of helping the players distinguish between them can only help.

[GrandReaper]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I'd better get reading further ahead before I make up my mind. If I link the ranger to a different Serpentfolk later then maybe it could manifest as a terror check when faced with Yarzoth in book 1. Irrational fear sounds like a nice foreshadow without giving everything away - I like it.

[Abudufdef]

I had a cool thought for your ranger. So cool in fact that I might use it in a possible Serpent's Skull run this summer.

SPOILER:

Your ranger could be a member of the Coils of Ydersius, serpentfolk who volunteer to be killed and reincarnated in the bodies of other races in order to infiltrate them. Something went wrong in the process, or he/she got otherwise brain blasted. After living for some time in the wilds, the ranger feels inexplicably drawn to the Mwangi Expanse, the resting place of their near-dead god.
Reveals could include crazy nightmares, knowing (to some extent) Yarzoth or other Coils, or suddenly remembering how to read/speak Aklo.

[Sloanzilla]

From my experience, the players (at least my players) get a little stir-crazy from basically being in the same place by mid book 4. I added a sub plot where they had to free up a trade route through the mountain to Arkenstone that was very well received. A green dragon in a magic-warped area would be kind of memorable.

[martryn]

I like Abudufdef's idea, but your character might feel violated... which would serve him right for rolling up someone with amnesia. Do that. Information on that is located in book 6, though they make mention of it much earlier.

In fact, I've got two characters in my own campaign that might fit the bill for that. Sounds too cool not to use.

[GrandReaper]

@Abudufdef: I very much like the reincarnate idea, but I would worry that the PC would turn upon finding out. Hmmmmm. I might be conservative and stick with the mind-jobby by serpentfolk - and a brutal phobia to all snakes and snake people as a result.

@Sloanzilla: I will have to keep an eye on that. If Sargava were to be blockaded then any groups in Savanth-yhi would have to look elsewhere for resupply, wouldn't they? Hmmmm.