Theater Adventure

There are no krissbeths allowed in this thread!




I'm running a 1 PC campaign, and her character is a Bard. Last session, I essentially ran "Noises Off" as a campaign session, where she tries to keep the play running without a hitch as everything goes wrong backstage. Now, two productions later, I want to run a backstage murder mystery. She's singing at an opera production of Tristan and Isolde.

What I need help with is ideas for a few extra characters, some gratuitous murders, and clues.

The cast:

The Impressario: The gnome conductor owns the theater. He's convinced that he can make the PC into a star, despite her being a mezzo soprano instead of a soprano. This does not endear him or the PC to the female sopranos who wanted that part. Also, it's the 100th anniversary of the theater and he's running it's very first play: Tristan and Isolde. That play has a reputation akin to MacBeth.

The Aging Battle Axe: "Stay out of my light and do exactly what I tell you, dear, and we'll get along fine." Hates the Ingenue for reminding her of her glory days and the PC for being an upstart. Will upstage you.

The Ingenue: "That part was mine!" Otherwise, a trifle air-headed and vulnerable to the blather of...

The Method Actor: "I have to use my fear of these horrible murders to get into my character..." Major interests seem to be advancing his career, advancing his theory of the Method, and advancing you into bed. Think Donald Sutherland in Animal House, according to krissbeth.

The Lech: Initiates on-stage "touch attacks," if you get my drift, depending on female actresses not wanting to ruin their performances.

The Avuncular Drunk: On the wagon until the curtain rises, at which point the stage hands start to frantically try to find his hidden bottles of liquor.

The aasimar costume designer and stage manager: no personality yet. Could have a bit of a thing for the Impressario.

The Disgruntled Stage Hand: An actor who got fired for a poor performance and is now gleeful that his performance as a stage hand is so masterful. Hoping to ruin the theater.

The Ghost: The original elvish female composer comes back to watch performances of Tristan and Isolde. Invariably one or two deaths occur. Also likely to dislike the PC playing Isolde, as it means re-writing the music to be in her vocal range.

I had planned on having the last two be the murderers, but if someone has a better idea for someone else, I'd scrap that idea.

Who should die? What clues should there be for the Bard to uncover that the corrupt cops don't?

I wonder if you can get a hold of the 2e Dungeon adventure featuring a theater; the name is on the tip of my tongue. It was great!

What does the PC want?

When you know what that is, answer this: whose death will create the most interesting opposition to that goal?

Piratecat said:

I wonder if you can get a hold of the 2e Dungeon adventure featuring a theater; the name is on the tip of my tongue. It was great!

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Yeah it was! I forgot the name too. Arrgghh!

Just did a little searching - I think it was called Legerdemain in issue 39.

That was it! Murder mystery, reincarnated assassin, unrequited love and obsession, and deadly props. Good times.

I don't have any suggestion yet --morning coffee has yet to kick in-- but this is one of the best adventure set-ups I've ever heard.

GlassJaw said:

Just did a little searching - I think it was called Legerdemain in issue 39.

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I just swung by to suggest this. I have read it many times, but have not gotten a chance to run it. I hope I will get to in my current campaign.

Dungeon had at least 2 adventures that were theater-related in their last year or so, didn't they?

Not that I can seem to find them.

Okay, but I'm still going to need help, because I can't possibly get the issue in time for my session. (I will buy it, however, 'cause, "Bard Campaign.")

LostSoul said:

What does the PC want?

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Well, she's been cast atypically as a mezzo-soprano in a soprano role, which is evidently quite unusual in opera. She's being heavily promoted by the impressario as a star in the making for the reason that she's talented and, as the local heroine du jour in the big city, will put fannies in the seats. So she'd like to succeed artistically.

She's also the world's chief advocate for the goddess of good luck at a time when deities of very narrow portfolios are fighting for belief share and thus, their very survival. Succeeding here as a living demonstration of the power of good luck to overcome the accident of her birth (a.k.a. her vocal range, lack of formal training) advances her goddess's goals.

LostSoul said:

When you know what that is, answer this: whose death will create the most interesting opposition to that goal?

Click to expand...

It'd be easiest to come up with NPC motives for killing the impressario. What possible plot implications would occur if we kill the gnome impressario?

(Actually, the ghost, the Battle axe and the Ingenue all have artistic grudges against the PC too. She's definitely a target at some point.)