[RotRL Spoilers] - Some thoughts on how to play Aldern - Help?

[mfeld]

Hey guys! Spoilers from ROTRL follow below.

I'll start DMing it in a few weeks and I'm reading through book 2 now. I still don't know which one of the sins will be Aldern's obsession and I'm struggling to understand how to play Envy or Wrath. I'm not sure if Lust will work, since the group's female is a Gnome Sorcerer and the book says she should be human or half-elf.

1 - So how did you guys play Envy and Wrath obsessions? I'm not sure how to make them differ from each other exactly, because the book says that on both of them Aldern will try to frame the PCs. Other party members are Human Paladin, Human Rogue and Half-Elf Ranger.

2 - Envy: the book says Aldern tries to ridicule the character, involving him in a web of intrigue in which the PC might even get the blame for the murders. What did you make up to "ridicule" your player? Some ideas?

3 - Wrath: Aldern hates his rescuer and now wants to destroy him by framing him as guilty of the murders.

Thanks in advance!

[The Shifty Mongoose]

I actually played Aldern differently from the suggested route, which made it easier for the players to understand it:

He'd rather be Aldern Foxglove, alive human who's been trapped under unfair circumstances that are wholly not his fault at all; he's struggling to come to terms with being the undead Lord of the Skinsaws, indebted to his handlers and their mastermind; and he's been getting garbled commands from the remains of his grandfather, who just wants more hosts.

But that was what I did. As for you, how about this?

Wrath: Aldern blames the ranger for his current circumstances, and says he should've been the one to suffer. Maybe vaguely threaten a coming revenge for imagined slights.

Envy: The Skinsaw is better at getting away with his crimes than the rogue, and tries to prove it. Perhaps stealing something, then planting it near or in one of his victims? NPCs guess the undead killer may be or have ties with Jubrayal, only to end up with him dead with the same M.O.?

Lust: He's certain the paladin could make him alive again, and begs him to lay some hands on him. He could question his sexuality, or just miss being alive. Of course, he'd respond to getting rebuffed with violence.

Gluttony: Just so everyone gets to participate, how about a musing upon eating the sorcerer, calling her things like "a mouthful"? Or, with a demand from Vorel, inviting them home so they can feast their noses on the fragrance of a lifetime?

[mfeld]

The Shifty Mongoose wrote:

I actually played Aldern differently from the suggested route, which made it easier for the players to understand it:

He'd rather be Aldern Foxglove, alive human who's been trapped under unfair circumstances that are wholly not his fault at all; he's struggling to come to terms with being the undead Lord of the Skinsaws, indebted to his handlers and their mastermind; and he's been getting garbled commands from the remains of his grandfather, who just wants more hosts.

But that was what I did. As for you, how about this?

Wrath: Aldern blames the ranger for his current circumstances, and says he should've been the one to suffer. Maybe vaguely threaten a coming revenge for imagined slights.

Envy: The Skinsaw is better at getting away with his crimes than the rogue, and tries to prove it. Perhaps stealing something, then planting it near or in one of his victims? NPCs guess the undead killer may be or have ties with Jubrayal, only to end up with him dead with the same M.O.?

Lust: He's certain the paladin could make him alive again, and begs him to lay some hands on him. He could question his sexuality, or just miss being alive. Of course, he'd respond to getting rebuffed with violence.

Gluttony: Just so everyone gets to participate, how about a musing upon eating the sorcerer, calling her things like "a mouthful"? Or, with a demand from Vorel, inviting them home so they can feast their noses on the fragrance of a lifetime?

Those are really nice approaches! Thanks!

And did you develop these "feeelings" (envy, wrath, etc...) before everything happened with him? I mean, still during Sandpoint Festival and the boar hunt and etc...?

[The Shifty Mongoose]

Not really. Nobody really wanted to do anything with him, so I played him up as pathetically self-important, and wondered what conclusions he'd jump to regarding everyone, especially after what'd happen to him.

[mfeld]

The Shifty Mongoose wrote:

Not really. Nobody really wanted to do anything with him, so I played him up as pathetically self-important, and wondered what conclusions he'd jump to regarding everyone, especially after what'd happen to him.

Cool, thanks :D