I am about to start my first campaign as a GM for my group of 7 years now. We have always had the same GM and there are things I wanted to do that haven't been done. One of those things includes invitations for the characters to start the campaign. They are starting at level 10 and are from all over the world. These invitations are personalized but I am trying to find more to day other than:
"The Pathfinder Society has requested the honor of your presence at the Great Lodge. If you choose to answer this call you are to report to the city of Absalom to meet with Venture-Captain Gileon Parre, two weeks from today. You have been selected for your skills and renown as an adventurer and combatant."
I just feel like something is missing. Anyone have any suggestions?
Different alignment characters might have different connections, the pathfinder society could be putting together a team with the help of an inderpendant arch Mage or some sort of thieves guild or merchants guild. So different characters could get invitations from different people.
I'm not sure what you could add to the draft you had though sorry. You might add there profession, so your presence as a ....(master of the arcane for example) at the great lodge.
How long have the characters been members of the Pathfinder Society? At 10th level it could have been for a fair while. If that's the case, Venture-Captain Parre may know some or all of them personally, or one of his aides does - maybe even a mix to tie the characters to different potential support NPC's. If that's the case, have the letters actually be personal - "Dear Grognak, I hope this doesn't come at an inopportune time, but I (or the Society, or my boss VC Parre, etc.) need your help...". If your players have given you any backstory details, you can reference something from that to create the historical connection between the characters and the NPC's who are writing and asking for help.
Each one has their name and class on them, and they are personalized to their skills and interests. They haven't worked for the Society before, each one is coming from their own walks of life. Our group wanted to start at a higher level instead of level 1 again. The group has been watched for a year by a mysterious person and this message comes in a flash of fire when each of them are alone. I should have given more information in the first post.
Definitely work out some choice famous accomplishments/positions/famous treasures of the PCs. These can be referenced as titles in the message.
"From Venture-Captain Gileon Parre of Absalom and the Society of Pathfinders, to Elona Treestrider, Chief Warden of the Mireling Wood, Slayer of the Deor and Beor the Stone Giants, and Keeper of the Sunlit Arrow, greetings. I seek the honor of your presence and request your aid in no small matter. I cannot divulge more, but your dear friend Drakefist is with me as well, and he requests that you 'Bring your bow, and be steeled for battle.' If you will accept, cast some token into the fire, and come to Absalom on the night of the New Moon of the Third Month. We direly need your help; both we and fate wait with baited breath."
Well then write up a little bit about their past feats feats which impressed the dude and that's why he has gone to them
Well, your additional details begs the question, "Why them?". Other than the obvious metagame reason of needing to pull the players' characters together, why have these specific people been chosen out of all the people in the world? If that isn't one of the secrets/mysteries that they are supposed to solve, maybe be blunt in their invitation and tell each of them, "You because...".
Are the PC's aware that they have been being watched? If not, the whole mysterious person angle doesn't really effect the characters, at least to start - they could find out later that they had been watched I suppose. If they do know that they have been being watched, you could use that in the letter as part of the hook. "I have been watching you (having you watched) for some time now and I believe that you are one of the people I need." This might be particularly effective if their back story includes them trying to catch/meet the mystery watcher and the chance of finally doing that might be the reason those PC's answer the call.
As a side question, are they being watched "in person", or are they being scryed on? If it's been in person, why hasn't it been scrying? Is there something blocking that or is there another power that might notice the scrying and thereby notice the PC's too, so scrying was ruled out to keep the Society's interest in the PC's a secret? I'd think that anyone powerful enough to be interested in a mixed group of people from all over the world would easily have access to scrying either directly, or as part of their resources. A savvy player might start asking questions about this...
As a side thought, just because the PC's haven't been members of the Pathfinders, that doesn't mean that by 10th level they haven't met and interacted with people who are. Some of the invites could still be a direct personal request from someone they know from their past.
Nothing is at stake, hint at something perhaps...
+ The Satyr Gods Cometh!
+ Aboleths orchestrating Global War
+ An major Artifact found and they are experts
+ They all have a history with un unsavory individual...lam style
Why not craft some campaign traits? each one would give a background reason as to why they would answer the summons, provide a colourful background hook, enrich the character, provide them with a small bonus and make it more personal. Maybe one of them tried entering the pathfinder society as a young adventurer and failed the tests for whatever reason; maybe they've always wanted to be part of the society; maybe they want access to the society's archives. See if the PCs have any ideas.
Alternatively (or in addition), you can add You are our only hope. While still a bit of a cliché, this enigmatic message virtually guarantees a response from every players inner hero; if the characters aspire to be a hero in any way this will appeal to them.
I like Gorethel's suggestion of hinting at the stakes. At 10th level, the threat required to justify watching and then assembling them should be fairly significant, and it will play to their egos to know they're being called in for 'serious bizniz'.
I also agree with the idea of personalizing the inviation by reference to their past deeds, etc.
If you give us a breakdown of your incoming characters and their backgrounds, that might also be helpful in triggering some more specific advice.
Thank you for all the suggestions, I took something from everyone of them. They sound much better now that I have raised the stakes and listed some accomplishments for each of them.