Okay first off, my players out if ur in here :-)
Okay so now I'm bringing deadman noose module on my players. All lvl 1s, a wizard, monk, alchemist, and a ninja.
The background. The players are part of an adventuring guild that has accepted a couple of jobs. Right now their mains are doing the kobold crown one. They have sent the dmnpc who is a bard ahead to scout out info on the mission for deadmans noose. The playersvare gonna have a couple of different characters to be able to do all the modules. This is one where they are bringing in their "alts". I have thru a dm fiat used messgae spell wayyyyy farther than what it allows to send word to them that the deadline is coming soon and that the bard is gonna do the mission himself and that when they are done with that to met up at the guildhall.
I have changed a bit of the module in that the bard will be disquised with the group and not the one gentleman. Basically the bard was snooping and came across the gentleman on his deathbed and learned how to take care of the problem. The gentleman had already prepared the poisens and tracked down all the subjects who were still alive and had sent letters to the relatives of the ones who were dead (aka the players) to met up at a certain inn at a certain time on the anniversary. The gentleman also since the bard swore to finish his work so that his friend could rest in piece told the bard about the ghost and gave him something to talk with said ghost. Bard when the friend died soon after went to the jail house and basically brokered a deal with the ghost that he would finish what was put in place so that "justice" could be served and inexchange the bard wanted protection from his wrath (basically safety in being an ally). Yes the dmnpc who is harbringer of the guild is lawful evil.
Now backstory done, I'm wondering what exactly was in the letters that were sent to my players to get them to come. I want the players to get spooked at the inn by the residents talking about the anniversary but I don't want the players to be spooked out and untrustworthy of said bard because he plans on poisening their food to knotch them out so that he can dag them to the courthouse. The players won't know each other, I need it to pertain to a relative that lived here that has passed on.
Also inside the courthouse, what's a good way to keep them trapped inside without breaking immersion. Would having it where fog covers the land to where u can see the rooftops but when u try to go there, it keeps getting farther away and make it seem like they have ran a bit of distance only for them to turn around and be right inside the court house be an okay thing?
Any other advice be much appreciative, like how I can dscribe the town as they are traveling inor how the locals act or say etc etc. I want the beginning to be just right layered in fluff and just enough info to let them be scared and have a slight I'idea when they wake up in the courthouse, what's up.
Tyvm in advance for ur advice :-)
Brainstorming some more and I think I got it.
Ill have the letters state that their is an inheritance but the characters have to show up at a certain inn at a certain time to receive the inheritance. The letters wouldn't lie because the characters would have inherited their deceased relatives spot in the situation.
Was thinking about having the characters arrive at different times but close to one another and describe the town part to them as they are going along and have the players overhear conversations of certain people missing to flesh out some npcs beforehand. Maybe have a deunk give a spooky ghost tale when the characters feign ignorance on that particular date.