All,
As my group finished up the first book of the AP I lost two players, and found out I will be losing two more in the near future. The group was at 6 players originally, and I hope to keep it at five or six.
I have lined up one player and may have two more.
The party has knows Justice Ironbriar is in route to town to collect some prisoners and meet them. I have also let them know they will have some free time before the next "book" starts for item creation and other interests.
I'm trying to brain storm some ideas to use to introduce new PC's in a reasonable manner. I don't know what the confirmed new PC will be playing yet.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
JD
Too bad you don't know the characters yet. Would make things easier. Anyway, here goes:
- Add one or two extra murders with the new PCs being friends/relatives of the victims joining the investigation.
- Maybe Ironbriar travals with a caravan to Sandpoint and the new PCs are part of that caravan (as guards or travelers). If you play your cards right, they might be impressed by the noble and benevolent Justice.
- They could also have worked with him for some time. He might even ask them to stay in Sandpoint for the investigation, just so they don't meddle with his affairs in Magnimar (assuming he doesn't know the connection himself). This idea works best for good-aligned characters that seem reasonable competent to catch on to Ironbriar and threaten his plans.
- Scholary types might have heard of the the discovery of the cathedral of wrath and/or the lower levels of Thistletop and seek out the "old" PCs to learn more.
- Unsavory PCs might have connections to the dead con men and could even become suspects, trying to clear their own name by investigating.
- A new PCs as a messenger from Aldern. Mr Foxglove heard of their great deeds in Thistletop and sends a messenger to invite them to his manor in Magnimar. He hopes they can help him so he instructs the messenger to do anything he can to make sure they meet him. Unfortunately, they can't leave Sandpoint until the murders are dealt with so the new PCs joins them. --- This one's a bit tricky with the timing. The messenger would need to spend quite some time between Magnimar and Sandpoint. Maybe he gets cought up in the murder investigation in Magnimar before he even leaves, delaying his travels.
That's all I can think of right now. Hope that helps.
I am in your current situation. We have finished book 1 and we are adding a new player.
The new player is running a Samurai and has been tasked by Ameiko to guide a bunch of glassworkers from Magnimar to Standpoint to help her with her inheritance. The new player went to Magnimar to find the workers are being held hostage by the skinsaw cultists asking Ameiko to double her price (greed!).
Ameiko asks the current group to work with the Samurai to help spring her new workers. On the trip to Magnimar, the group has encounter some ghouls attacking a farm to give a little for shadowing.
Once the get to Magnimar, it will be interesting to see if the PCs try to negotiate or rescue.
Thanks for the ideas & suggestions.
I'm hoping the character ideas & backgrounds will provide me some things to work with as well.
JD