How to get players 'in' on Yuan-ti plots?

[Nyaricus]

So, as the title suggests, I am trying to figure out how to get my players into some plotlines regarding Yuan-ti in Hlondeth, the City of Serpents.

My sig has more details (see the Ogre Mages of Murann thread for more details, ignoring the parts about the North/Waterdeep/Silverymoon) on the specifics, but for a basic idea, how do I drop the right hints to get them in on something sinister occuring?

The Yuan-ti are essentually going to be sub-bosses in my campaign, at around CR 10 for the big baddies (the upper levels of House Extaminos, and some relevant Clergy). The *really* BBEGs are going to be the Ogre Mages themselves, and the Yuant-ti are going to be a major enemy the PCs are going to have to take out, or die trying (hopefully only the former, however )

I was thinking on going GTA with this, and have the PCs witness a bunch of muggings of buisness owners, with these thugs being obviously 'tainted' with snakes' blood. They will have to go deep into the underground to rise up to the highest level of corruption: House Extaminos itself.

House Extaminos is currently constructing a portal to Murann to help back the Ogre Mages more easily, and this is going to be one of the goals the party will eventually realise.

So, how can I set the pacing in my game, with hints and such, to get my PCs in on the action?

 

[Nyaricus]

*bump*

So, anyone have any ideas? Anything would be really useful, thanks

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I introduced Yuan-Ti in my game thusly...

1. Ran a 3.X sort of version of the old Isle of Dread adventure.

2. Created a backstory that the Kopru in the adventure were long-lost ancestors of the Yuan-Ti that were being reawaked because of a growing Yuan-Ti civil war. (Followers of Meershaulk vs. Followers of Set; Using Forgotten Realms)

3. After defeating the Kopru and looting the temple the PCs come across an activated portal. They decided to go through....

4...teleporting to a summoning/teleport chamber deep in a Yuan-Ti city just as a large group of Yuan-Ti wizards were summoning and binding an extraplanar dragon to help in the civil war. The arrival of the PCs ruined the binding circle and let loose the dragon on a rampage of the city. The PCs had to take advantage of the chaos to escape out of the city and to the surface.

DS

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Same way you bring in any other conspiracy

There is no shortage of means for people to use magical disguises to avoid such inconveniences as looking more like a snake than a person. Just have the players encounter a Yuan-Ti using such means and do the reveal at a dramatically appropriate moment.

From that point, just pick some adequately nefarious plot for the players to thwart, or better yet, a nefarious plot that you can dupe the players into carrying out.

I suggest going with Orphans and an internal faction conflict within the Yuan-Ti. Its not hard to do either.

First, lets say we have a Yuan-Ti running an orphanage, and using it as a front to give the children to other Yuan-Ti who then transport the unfortunate but cute little children to the Yuan-Ti lair for slaughter and consumption, or slavery or whatever. He does this through human go-betweens who 'adopt' the children and then take them to another Yuan-Ti, who then does whatever sort of atrocity you see fit.

Another Yuan-Ti who is a rival to the one behind the Orphanage scam wants to have his rival killed. So he approaches the players in disguise and tells the party that he suspects that the head of the orphanage is running a slavery operation. The players investigate, catch the slavers, confront the leader of the orphanage, and suddnly its "OMG snakes", and a good time is had by all.

After the party takes down the head of the orphanage, the Yuan-Ti that hired them can then jump them when they are injured and if he wins, sell them to the other Yuan-Ti. But make sure you have a way for the Yuan-Ti that manipulated the players to escape. If the players win and kill him, the Yuan-Ti plot will be harder to continue from that point.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Tonguez]

It wasn't DnD but in one game I had a player who was an the City Engineer (both real life and in game) so I set up an adventure in which the PCs had to go into the sewers (chasing ghouls). Whilst in the sewers they were attacked by rats and the rogue decided to throw a torch at them.

I declared - "unfortunately the flame hits a stray methane leak and the wall of the tunnel explodes" (Make a Save)

...the now collapsed wall reveals another large chamber beyond in which sits the pool and remnants of an old fountain. At the center of the pool is a large carved figure of serpent with a womans breasts and arms, her eyes gleam with red gems.
On a plaque in the statues hands is written a message in some strange text (deciphered "Behold all ye tresspasser the Immortal Lady Nekasha, Mother of Serpents, Consort of the Great Devourer-who-encircles, She who shall overcome the Day")

 

[Nyaricus]

Thanks for everyone's submissions thus far

Sab, that seems a bit too specific for my games, but thanks!

Lord Z, I was thinking about the PCs stepping in on some underworld plots, so I may half to try to get something like that going...

Tonguez, that sounds like somethign I could really work on, and think I will feature in my game... nice

 

[trancejeremy]

Maybe one of the PC's girlfriends could turn out to be a Yuan Ti? Sort of like the movies where a guy marries a woman who turns out to be a daughter of a mob boss. Or like a Lifetime movie where the woman's husband/boyfriend turns out to be a criminal?

 

[Nyaricus]

that's not a bad idea either... too bad no-one seems to know anyone in Hlondeth; everyone if from the surrounding lands, not Vilhon Reach itself :\

Now, if only I'd done more prep

Thanks for the idea!