And Things Didn't Work Out...

[SpydersWebbing]

I'm running a 2-man campaign with one of my friends, and did we just have a doozy today. We're running a 4e Forgotten Realms game, 11th level.

The characters:

Ameril: A genasi swordmage. He's the king of Aglarond, and just sent staved off a vampiric assassination.

Po Po: An insane drow rogue. He was sent to Ameril as a "gift" in his fight against Thay.


The two went into the old sewer system, and were instantly bloodied by the necrotic energy oozing through the place. They ran into 4 Zombie Hulks (advanced to 12th level), and lost the fight. With Po Po's last vestige of strength he pushed the unconcious Ameril into a sewer pipe.

Ameril's woken up in the Sea of the Fallen Stars two days later, and was just picked up by Erdan, a paladin of Oghma (sp?).

What should happen next?

 

[Stormborn]

If he is a king his duty is to get back home. Of course there will be those who do not want him back, so they can take the opportunity to take over. They send out agents to find ways to delay him, if not out right kill him. His loyalists send out agents to find him as soon as possible, and perhaps keep him from doing stupid things like wandering around in infested sewers. Well meanign but in the way. Does the vampire have connections? They are going to want to finish the job. That makes 3 groups out looking for him. Basically remind him of his duty to go home and then set a guantlet against him getting there.

 

[Prisoner6]

Well, you've hit the reset button here. You can really do ANYTHING.

My guess is that Ameril is probably short on cash and supplies. I would try for something short and simple just to put some money in his pocket.

After that, Ameril might recognize someone from back home ... a minor rival of some sort - not the person who's out to assassinate him, but someone who just doesn't like him. Let's call this person Lieutenant Delcax of Luuk - an up and coming officer from a province neighboring Aglarond.

[Background] Luuk and Aglarond have an ongoing dispute over trade. Caravans and merchants from Aglarond must pay huge fees to cross through Luuk, thus making it difficult for Aglarond to trade with more distant neighbors. Travelling around Luuk is difficult and dangerous.

A few years back, however, a drought in Luuk cause a dramatic rise in food prices. Luuk was forced to get help from Aglarond, who used cheap grain as leverage to negotiate lower the fees on merchents passing through Luuk. Although this made merchents in Aglarond happy, and helped feed the people in Luuk, the leadership of Luuk feels that they've been taken advantage of and are bitter about the new arrangement.

Lieutenant Delcax was a minor official at the signing of a the treaty where Luuk made the concessions. He made it clear that he hates Aglarond, and thought a "military solution" would have been more appropriate. (Invade Aglarond and take thier grain). [/Background]

Feel free to change this around to suit your campaign of course.

Now, the adventure...

Ameril runs into Lieutenant Delcax in the market. Delcax is not in uniform, so he can't be immediately tied to Luuk. As Ameril is about to purchase an item, Delcax approaches the merchent and offers to pay more for the item - an extra 20% say. In an ideal world, this would be a potion of cure disease, or some other healing item.

The DM makes a roll behind the screen as says "he looks kind of familiar, but you can't remember where from." Or you can give the full back story here... up to you.

Now, Ameril has a problem. Lieutenant Delcax might just be being a jerk and bidding so he doesn't get the item. Or Lieutenant Delcax might actually need the item for some benign purpose. Furthermore, does Lieutenant Delcax recognize Ameril? Will the Lieutenant turn him in to his enemies if he gets the change? What is he doing so far away from Luuk anyway?

There's a whole lot of ways the adventure could go from here - whatever suits your campaign best.

I don't know if you can use this, but good luck anyway.

 

[SpydersWebbing]

Hhhmm... I like the idea of Delcax finding him, as well as the idea that the vampires are still looking for Ameril. I think I'll have the vampires hire some privateers to attack the ship Ameril's on. They'll sink the ship and Ameril will be put even further off course by it. He'll run into Delcax (I like the name, it'll suit fine), who has a choice: kill the king of Aglarond or help him get back to his home.

Yes yes..it's coming together...