First things first: if you're Esnapand, do not read this.
I'm going to start a campaign soon where the PCs will have to escort a girl safely through rough territory.
The journey will start in southern Brevoy and will go south from there through the River Kingdoms and Galt. On from there, I have no idea.
The girl is a good ten and a half years old, maybe a little favored by Shelyn (she's a good singer and loves to paint), but nothing overly special, a human.
That's what I have. What I don't have is a specific place whre to bring her and more importantly, why.
Any input is much appreciated and met with a thousand thanks.
Off the top of my head - to a temple (of Shelyn, for example) or relatives.
Let's say she's a descendant of a Brevoyan noble family that was wiped out - either a bastard daughter or a member of a small side branch of the family. Brevoy has a lot of nobles and vendettas, so that would be fairly fitting. She was to the side of things, so she survived the initial purge, but now her family's enemies get wind of her and decide to make sure she's killed so she doesn't grow up, get powerful and call a vendetta. So she should be sent to a safe place, say with a temple (of Shelyn, perhaps) or far-off relatives in... Oh, say Taldor. It's large and cosmopolitan, not too close, not too far, plenty of nobles if you want to play up that connection, and the characters will pass through some places where keeping their ward alive and well may be ... eventful.
Now, a more important question - why would the PCs do that? Well, it depends on her - and their - background. Perhaps the girl's caretakers were rich enough to hire them as mercenaries - or her relatives there will pay (in gold, influence or services) to see her safe and sound. Perhaps some of the PCs are far-off relatives or otherwise friends of her family, or a benefactor of theirs is and is calling in a favor. Perhaps they get a prophecy that they should follow, or perhaps (if they are really nice and good) they have another reason to be going there and she's a stowaway on a ship they are on and the ship gets attacked. It really depends on your players.
Just, please, make her a nice and not over the top character. Pretty much everyone hates escort missions.
The more unique and "special" this little girl is, the easier it is to use her as a plot hook. Instead of making her "maybe a little favored by Shelyn", I'd make her distinctly uncanny. Perhaps she shows an unusual gift along the lines you've mentioned, but has begun manifesting some of the abilities shown by nymphs (Such as Wild Empathy, Unearthly Grace, and some 1st level druid spells). The priesthoods of Shelyn and Erastil both feel that she should be fostered into their care.
Near Woodsedge in Galt lies a shrine sacred to both Shelyn and Erastil, founded by a rural shepardess who acted as priestess to both sects. In that place, her unique abilities can be developed and trained.
Unbeknownst to these orders, a coven of Lamashtu worshippers also desire to claim her, so that they can twist her budding powers to their own dark ends. Their agents stalk the party, hoping to steal her away and force her to embrace their twisted creed.
The Lamastu cult also carries word of the girl's potential power to bloodthirsty "fellow travellers" within the latest Galtan government. These folk also hope to seize the girl to support their own power plays.
Now, a more important question - why would the PCs do that? Well, it depends on her - and their - background. Perhaps the girl's caretakers were rich enough to hire them as mercenaries - or her relatives there will pay (in gold, influence or services) to see her safe and sound. Perhaps some of the PCs are far-off relatives or otherwise friends of her family, or a benefactor of theirs is and is calling in a favor. Perhaps they get a prophecy that they should follow, or perhaps (if they are really nice and good) they have another reason to be going there and she's a stowaway on a ship they are on and the ship gets attacked. It really depends on your players.
Just, please, make her a nice and not over the top character. Pretty much everyone hates escort missions.
The reasons for the PCs (which actually consist of a gestalt PC and a gestalt DMPC, it's basically a on-on-one game) shall not be the problem. The PC will do this because his father asks him to and he wants to make him proud. The DMPC has a protective spirit and loves kids.
Apart from that, yes, I plan to make her behave nice and not be a brat. She's not spoiled in any way.The more unique and "special" this little girl is, the easier it is to use her as a plot hook. Instead of making her "maybe a little favored by Shelyn", I'd make her distinctly uncanny. Perhaps she shows an unusual gift along the lines you've mentioned, but has begun manifesting some of the abilities shown by nymphs (Such as Wild Empathy, Unearthly Grace, and some 1st level druid spells). The priesthoods of Shelyn and Erastil both feel that she should be fostered into their care.
I had the feeling she might be a bit too normal, but a try to avoid the cheese. I actually have statted her out as a first level aristocrat with stat adjustments for a child. She has high charisma and the Prodigy feat (on Perform [Sing] and Craft [Painting]) and the Magical Talent (Prestidigitation) trait. She's gifted with talents (and want's to become a famous bard later) but apart from that I don't want her be be "extra-special" as a person. More so as an object/purpose.
Thanks for the input so far, there definitely has to be an opposition of some kind.