Level Up (A5E) Adventure Advice Request: What does the eldritch abomination pretending to be a human ask the PCs to do?

[Faolyn]

Yeah, so I'm being bad because I've become totally focused on a minuscule subplot that has a large chance of not even being picked up, but...

The setting: mostly city-based, Victorian-flavored. In the background, they've discovered and are in the process of colonizing another plane of existence, Novastia (this is an openly-known thing in the setting--it's sort of a "live the good life in the off-world colonies" deal). This plane thus far seemed to be devoid of intelligent beings with cultures, and thus was ripe for grabbing all its natural resources. Can I just say how happy I am that Planestrider's is going to discuss planar resources? Makes my life so much easier.

The complication: creatures (I'm using spell weavers) from a third plane are doing the same thing--Novastia is resource-rich, after all. Novastia and the spell weaver's plane are very alien in nature, and while the spell weavers are not evil, they're also not entirely sure the people from our plane are truly sentient beings and tend to think of the PC heritages as animals, like clever termites who are capable of building amazing structures and communicating in odd ways.

Some of them, though, are not so sure and want to gather more data, and they are sending their vat-grown minions observe. I'm using the keepers--I've loved them since they were first introduced in Planescape back in 2e and this is a perfect chance to use them. If you don't know what keepers are, imagine an entire race of Men In Black.

One of them will be observing in the area where the PCs should end up within the first session or two. This was mostly going to be a background thing, with at most the innkeeper maybe mentioning that this guy is weird and creepy but he pays a lot for his room so he (the innkeeper) is putting up with the weirdness for now. With a bit of luck, it would be an introduction to some planar weirdness and a hint of what's going on in the background.

Then I realized that the players are going to see a guy, dressed in mysterious dark clothes, wearing mysterious smoked-lens glasses, sitting in a dark corner of a bar while being mysterious. I might as well have put a neon sign over its head saying "Get Quests Here." Even though nobody at my table has ever used this sort of thing before, it's so very traditional it's basically been written into the DNA of every gamer. Then I also realize that the keeper might decide to test the PCs to see what data it can collect.

So, what sort of weird alien tests jobs can I have it offer? I'm drawing a blank and could use a poke.

 

[xiphumor]

Yeah, so I'm being bad because I've become totally focused on a minuscule subplot that has a large chance of not even being picked up, but...

The setting: mostly city-based, Victorian-flavored. In the background, they've discovered and are in the process of colonizing another plane of existence, Novastia (this is an openly-known thing in the setting--it's sort of a "live the good life in the off-world colonies" deal). This plane thus far seemed to be devoid of intelligent beings with cultures, and thus was ripe for grabbing all its natural resources. Can I just say how happy I am that Planestrider's is going to discuss planar resources? Makes my life so much easier.

The complication: creatures (I'm using spell weavers) from a third plane are doing the same thing--Novastia is resource-rich, after all. Novastia and the spell weaver's plane are very alien in nature, and while the spell weavers are not evil, they're also not entirely sure the people from our plane are truly sentient beings and tend to think of the PC heritages as animals, like clever termites who are capable of building amazing structures and communicating in odd ways.

Some of them, though, are not so sure and want to gather more data, and they are sending their vat-grown minions observe. I'm using the keepers--I've loved them since they were first introduced in Planescape back in 2e and this is a perfect chance to use them. If you don't know what keepers are, imagine an entire race of Men In Black.

One of them will be observing in the area where the PCs should end up within the first session or two. This was mostly going to be a background thing, with at most the innkeeper maybe mentioning that this guy is weird and creepy but he pays a lot for his room so he (the innkeeper) is putting up with the weirdness for now. With a bit of luck, it would be an introduction to some planar weirdness and a hint of what's going on in the background.

Then I realized that the players are going to see a guy, dressed in mysterious dark clothes, wearing mysterious smoked-lens glasses, sitting in a dark corner of a bar while being mysterious. I might as well have put a neon sign over its head saying "Get Quests Here." Even though nobody at my table has ever used this sort of thing before, it's so very traditional it's basically been written into the DNA of every gamer. Then I also realize that the keeper might decide to test the PCs to see what data it can collect.

So, what sort of weird alien tests jobs can I have it offer? I'm drawing a blank and could use a poke.

They’re trying to gather evidence of sentience or non-sentience, right? So have them ask the PCs for something that would help their case. An astounding work of art comes to mind. Alternatively, maybe steal the Gom Jabbar test from Dune. See if the PCs will endure something painful for a higher purpose.

 

[Faolyn]

They’re trying to gather evidence of sentience or non-sentience, right? So have them ask the PCs for something that would help their case. An astounding work of art comes to mind. Alternatively, maybe steal the Gom Jabbar test from Dune. See if the PCs will endure something painful for a higher purpose.

That's a possibility--the art, not the Gom Jabbar thing, since I haven't seen or read Dune. It'd definitely be a weird ask, which would help cement the Keeper's alien nature.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

"Each of you must go forth and bring me a thing you value. Those who return at sundown tomorrow will be rewarded twofold."

The keeper will accept anything, even ephemera like a song or poem.

The "reward" for each participant will be exactly double what a different PC turned in, manifested out of thin air if need be (as opposed to, say, repeating a poem twice, deadpan). Magical items, scrolls and potions will appear identical (including a fake magical aura as appropriate) but have no actual powers. Hand rewards out one at a time, asking if the reward is acceptable each time. If there are any complaints, the keeper will ask the objector(s) why they do not value what the other PC did. Any PC whose offering is rejected by another PC will receive no reward, but get their (rejected) offering back. Smart players could come out well ahead here if they figure out the rules quickly and cooperate, but anyone who makes a really big score will no doubt be observed by other patrons of the inn and word will get around. If the inn's owner sees mounds of gold being passed around expect sudden increases in room and board costs for everyone, which won't bother the keeper any but may annoy other NPCs as well as the players.

This is partially a test to determine if the party has a collective intelligence or independent mentalities of some kind, and partially an opportunity to observe what is and isn't of value to these weird maybe-animals and whether their interests might conflict with the spell weavers' own.

 

[Faolyn]

"Each of you must go forth and bring me a thing you value. Those who return at sundown tomorrow will be rewarded twofold."

The keeper will accept anything, even ephemera like a song or poem.

The "reward" for each participant will be exactly double what a different PC turned in, manifested out of thin air if need be (as opposed to, say, repeating a poem twice, deadpan). Magical items, scrolls and potions will appear identical (including a fake magical aura as appropriate) but have no actual powers. Hand rewards out one at a time, asking if the reward is acceptable each time. If there are any complaints, the keeper will ask the objector(s) why they do not value what the other PC did. Any PC whose offering is rejected by another PC will receive no reward, but get their (rejected) offering back. Smart players could come out well ahead here if they figure out the rules quickly and cooperate, but anyone who makes a really big score will no doubt be observed by other patrons of the inn and word will get around. If the inn's owner sees mounds of gold being passed around expect sudden increases in room and board costs for everyone, which won't bother the keeper any but may annoy other NPCs as well as the players.

This is partially a test to determine if the party has a collective intelligence or independent mentalities of some kind, and partially an opportunity to observe what is and isn't of value to these weird maybe-animals and whether their interests might conflict with the spell weavers' own.

While I like the idea, it has "will use this as a way to ritually steal your soul" vibes and I don't think that anyone will bite.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

While I like the idea, it has "will use this as a way to ritually steal your soul" vibes and I don't think that anyone will bite.

That's their loss. Just let them skip it and then watch a few NPCs get a mix of results later on.

Honestly, why anyone would ever take a job from some mysterious stranger in a tavern is beyond reason anyway.

 

[Faolyn]

That's their loss. Just let them skip it and then watch a few NPCs get a mix of results later on.

Honestly, why anyone would ever take a job from some mysterious stranger in a tavern is beyond reason anyway.

I dunno, but it's a gaming staple.