Advancing the plot without resorting to the ubiquitous "letter" from the evil mastermind

[Wasteland Knight]

It seems one of the classic tropes of FRPG campaigns is that evil masterminds write detailed letters to their subordinates, who then leave these letters lying around so the PCs can discover them as they loot said subordinates lair (after helping the subordinate shuffle off their mortal coil).

Obviously this is an easy way to move the plot forward. Suddenly the PCs realize the bandits/goblins/necromancers/etc. didn't just happen to direct their evil deeds at random, someone was pulling the strings! But I think it becomes tired after the umpteenth instance.

I'm currently plotting out a campaign where I'll be drawing on Shackled City AP plus several other Paizo APs and the idea of "wheels within wheels" will be central to the overall story arc.

So how do I drop clues for the PCs without resorting to my PCs finding a constant trove of correspondence?

 

[Bacon Bits]

Well, you can let them interrogate a surrendered henchmen or interview an NPC that has specific knowledge. You could find a trinket that one of the PCs knows has links to a certain area or group or that someone they know could inform them about.

The alternative is often to just leave bread crumbs about where the next dungeon is, but often the PCs will lack the context to know why they're going there without a push from an NPC.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

One thing I've liked and try to do in games comes from Gumshoe. The party will always find a relevant clue to move the plot forward. I don't think that always needs to be a letter from the BBEG revealing all of his plan, but it could even be something that has meaning - the party needs to figure out the meaning. Let's say they kill this evil slaver who's connected to the BBEG's plot. Instead of an itinerary, they find something that doesn't add up - let's say an invoice for casks of a certain vintage. Now they need to go to the winery and have an adventure.
Something else I try to put in my game is keeping a list of what PCs have what skills. It's less dice rolling, but finding clues, you can then say to one specific PC 'With your background in arcana/history/etc, you know that this winery has this history'.

 

[aco175]

The letter is the easiest. Asking the PCs to find clues may be harder if they need to link types of flowers on the table to a specific shop or casks of wine to a shop. The DM needs to give clues like a receipt. If it is highlighted, the players think of it as a clue. I tend to call for a check to point out things like the wine or flowers being imported to this region and only one shop may carry them.

 

[Wasteland Knight]

Well, you can let them interrogate a surrendered henchmen or interview an NPC that has specific knowledge. You could find a trinket that one of the PCs knows has links to a certain area or group or that someone they know could inform them about.

A good idea. I just need to train my players to take prisoners

 

[uzirath]

Depending on the cultural details of your game world, you can sometimes use languages this way. Why would this ostensible merchant have a primer on Infernal?

Or loot/gear that is linked to other plot elements. A group of bandits, for example, may be armed with high quality weapons. (I used that in a recent game... the PCs were immediately curious and took some of the weapons to a nearby city, eventually finding the blacksmith who made them and thus eventually connecting the bandits to a local lord who was encouraging them to prey on one of his enemies.) That's also a cliché, really, but it was more interesting than a letter from the lord in the chief's pocket.

Other quick ideas:

• Coins stamped with the seal of another kingdom.
• Trade goods from an exotic region.
• Something marked with a crest or coat of arms. (History check to figure out what it represents.)
• A map to a rendezvous location.
• A palantír, magic mirror, or other magical communication device. The PCs might try to trick the mastermind into believing that they represent the former lieutenant; the mastermind may be duped or play along to trick them later. Or he may just hang up on them, leaving them with a mystery to solve. Etc.
• A receipt for a large deposit of funds into a mysterious account. (Fantasy Swiss Bank).
• Evidence of blackmail.

 

[billd91]

You wouldn't need to have a letter with much detail either. Possible just a note with a date, place, and time for some meeting - something to connect two people together.
Ledger books with cryptic references to secret payments and cargos.
A scroll indicating membership in some weird, secretive organization like the Freemasons.

Basically, printed material is convenient because it doesn't necessarily require a live person to transmit the information. You just need to mix up what some of it is rather than just have letters from one villain to another.

 

[Wasteland Knight]

Great ideas! There are merchants and traders who support the Big Plan, and while none know the big picture, they have useful information.

I think I’ll make sure some shipments of certain goods, with merchant seals intact, are found in places they shouldn’t be. My rationale will be that if anyone is going to cut corners, it’s CE cultists, and while they were told nothing with distinguishing markings, sometimes people just take the easy route.

 

[Eltab]

One noncombatant is a courier. After the PCs wipe out his bodyguard, he may try to personally hire them as more-competent replacements. Or he may break down terrified and blubber various clues in no particular order. Or he may offer the PCs a chance to get in on the deal. Or he may try to bargain his way out, giving them something valuable (and traceable) or a ransom payment.
Another possibility: somebody in BBEG's organization is a disgruntled employee. After a good quantity of drinks he starts grousing about how he isn't getting his due. He will drop clues and hints about his part of the bigger scheme. He may start a drunken fight to take out his frustrations on whoever is present, as a substitute for his boss.

 

[ninjayeti]

Yeah the mysterious note works well in published adventures because it is pretty idiot proof, but it is more than a little cliche.

Ideally the PCs proactively gather this info rather than having it handed to them. Make sure the PCs understand they need to find answers, not just go murder hobo on a dungeon full of bad guys and put the burden on them as to how they are going to do it. Interrogating captured bad guys usually does the trick, but spying or eavesdropping on the bad guys rather than killing them outright can be a great tactic. Using some sort of deception or bluff can also work if you group has the skills for it. Magic like detect thoughts or speak with dead may work as well.

But if you need to just hand the info to the PCs I think it works better if it comes from an NPC rather than a note - that way you get to do some roleplaying instead of just forking over a handout. A couple ideas that can work:
-the villain monologue/ vow of revenge ("when my master leads an army of undead out of the black temple I will be avenged a thousand fold!")
-the prisoner who overheard part of the villain's plan
-the undercover good guy who infiltrated the bad guy's operation but is in over their head
-the cowardly minion who preemptively surrenders and spills the beans
-the turncoat minion who has a change of heart when he learns the evil plan ("Destroy Waterdeep? But my grandma lives in Waterdeep!")
-the dead villain's phone rings (or some magical equivalent)
-the rival villain who is willing to help the heroes to further his own agenda