-one of the merchant-nobles hires some mercenary types to help curb the rise in crime. This puts them in touch with a thieve's guild/crime ring/syndicate, which can be a long-term enemy or ally.
-there is a subtle infernal presence in the city, due to the devils that have persuaded the merchant prince down his current path.
- a terribly addictive and consumption new drug is running rampant in the poorer quarters. The collective desperation of the impoverished, or a new form of attack on the city?
- there is something in the sewers.
- the east sector is still scarred by fire. People tell their children to avoid the charred wreckage at night.
- bandits have been waylaying tax collectors in the forest.
- there have been three murders in the past nine days. All priests, all missing their tongues and right hands.
- a well-to-do but forgetful wizard has misplaced his current project. He needs to recover it before it gets hungry.
- the ruins of another city, ancient beyond reckoning, is said to be buried beneath the streets.
- one of the rougher, more honest taverns has a problem with rats in the cellar.
|
This setup actually lends itself to a very structured, opposite of sandbox type game. The PCs are employees, so they spend most of their time doing what the boss tells them. In this case it sounds like they're bodyguards to a princess. So their days consist of following her around and trying to keep her out of trouble, tracking her down when she gives them the slip to go hang out with her boyfriend, and things of that nature. You could easily write a series of encounters, situations that the princess gets herself into, and the players have to figure out how to resolve them.
It could also work in the opposite direction, with the PCs leveraging the influence of the runaway princess to accomplish their goals.
They keep on her good side by doing things that make her happy -- sneaking her out of tiresome banquets, smuggling her boyfriend to see her when her authority figures would not approve, keeping unwanted suitors away because the PCs "didn't recognize them", writing speeches when she needs to comment on recent events, preparing letters making requests from or pledging support to nobles for her to send, and generally doing the day-to-day responsibilities of someone of her station for her.
Having a disinterested noble at your disposal is a great asset for a group of potential "advisors"
It could also work in the opposite direction, with the PCs leveraging the influence of the runaway princess to accomplish their goals.
They keep on her good side by doing things that make her happy -- sneaking her out of tiresome banquets, smuggling her boyfriend to see her when her authority figures would not approve, keeping unwanted suitors away because the PCs "didn't recognize them", writing speeches when she needs to comment on recent events, preparing letters making requests from or pledging support to nobles for her to send, and generally doing the day-to-day responsibilities of someone of her station for her.
Having a disinterested noble at your disposal is a great asset for a group of potential "advisors"
I like this take, except less friend-zoney. The noble and partner(s) team to take the share of the power vacuum. I'd make the princess likeable but very homely.
There's an artifact that is used in diplomacy that sunk off the coast.
There's a poison that can be used for murder of a rival that requires ingredients from a specific island.
There's an athletic competition to win favor.
The party is poisoned with mind altering substance and has to determine friend from foe.
This is very similar to the Council of Thieves AP. I would look there for some inspiration.
With all-out war on the horizon, the real creeps start to get giddy with excitement... the local Necromancer cult is playing both sides, their true intentions could be to use the fallen from both sides to form one huge Undead army.
Maybe this Necromancer cult has ties to a hag, perhaps some its members are coven-bound to the aforementioned hag.
The reaches of this cult/coven could extend into the underground/black-market, and the blacksmith/armorer guild... everyone who can benefit/profit from playing both sides of the upcoming war.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
With all-out war on the horizon, the real creeps start to get giddy with excitement... the local Necromancer cult is playing both sides, their true intentions could be to use the fallen from both sides to form one huge Undead army.
Maybe this Necromancer cult has ties to a hag, perhaps some its members are coven-bound to the aforementioned hag.
The reaches of this cult/coven could extend into the underground/black-market, and the blacksmith/armorer guild... everyone who can benefit/profit from playing both sides of the upcoming war.
how great would it be to actually keep track of all the things the party kills (and maybe even how they are killed) over the campaign and in the end they encounter them all again as undead (death wounds included!)
Imma steal this...
For the masked man, I would have this old elf be a Warlock Vigilante-12... Agent of the Grave-5... and he's part of the Necromancer uprising. Lol.
For the princess, I would have her as an Arcane Healer/Flame Dancer Bard... if you want her to be useful.
If you want the ultimate pathological liar, then give her 4 levels of Charlatan/Guild Agent UnRogue, and the rest of her levels in Brazen Deciever Bard... then she can literally dictate the story because nobody can call her BS. She is so good at lying, whatever she says goes... like a princess.
Is this an evil game or good game?
The Star Diplomat quietly arranges various events behind the scenes while making it abundantly apparent the merchant prince is being set up to be the figurehead. This is because he's planning a major catastrophe that he wants the new merchant prince to take the fall for and reap the rewards with his return. Whilst he has a dark patron with it's own demands, the artifact he is acquiring will ensure the independence of the city.
The Merchant Prince is planning a different sort. He's consolidating wealth and resources whilst transferring them to more liquid forms or investing outside of the city. He wants to essentially scrap the city of everything of use when the war eventually comes for them. He has agreements with both sides to gain amnesty and has been supplying both with arms.