Advancing my plotline

[jerichothebard]

So, I have a question, which will take a little background. Bear with me.


The PC's just finished 'Season One' and took a summer hiatus (character advancement, joining some prestige classes, etc.). They are now in the middle of the first episode of 'Season Two'.

Average party level is around 6.

Having defeated their nemesis at the end of Season One, they are now on the lookout for the plot for S2. Accordingly, they are looking to find out who was backing (financially and magically) said nemesis.

In so doing, they have turned to a new NPC, the leader of a merchant house with a reputation for knowing stuff... a broker in information as well as goods.

She has sent them on a search and retrieve mission in payment for the information they seek. Accompanying the party is one of her employees, who also happens to be the character of the new player in the group. They are midway through this adventure.






What they don't know:

The merchant is a member of the cult that was backing their earlier nemesis, although not of the same 'cell'.

She is a vampire, and select members of her household are either spawn or dominated. (The new character is not undead, nor is she aware of her employer's nature.)

The party is carrying (quite openly) an ancient artifact that is one of the mystical keys to the binding of their world - one of the Elemental Seals. They don't know what it is, although they do know it is important and valuable. (This is the campaign meta-plot, and has been in motion for a while already.)

The object they have been sent to retrieve is another one of the Elemental Seals. They suspect that the two are related, but haven't opened the box with the object in it... yet.

The S&R mission was mostly a diversion to buy time, as the merchant (Lady Dara) needed time to consult with her superiour in the cult.

After this consultation, Lady Dara has sent a band of mercenaries to kill the party and take both objects. They are about to attack the PC's camp.

Along with the mercenaries, the party is about to be attacked by a secret society known as the Blood Fists. Basically, they are like the Magi from The Mummy or those guys that were charged with keeping the Grail hidden in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. They are charged with protecting and retrieving the Elemental Seals and have been tracking both the items now in the party's possession. Lady Dara obviously has no idea that the Blood Fists are tracking the Elemental Seals.

This fight will happen at the same time - a big, messy, three-way brawl.




I am open to whatever happens as a result of this fight (and I see at least four different possibilities) - that isn't my question.

What I'd like help with is this -

When they get back to town (possibly without the item, depending on the outcome of the fight), what does their new merchant friend tell them?

 

[thullgrim]

A couple of things occur to me immediatly depending on the outcome of the brawl:
(1) New PC could recognize one of mercs sent to kill them (he saw the merc leader or envoy at the house's HQ while he was performing his normal duties) this leads the PCs back to the merchant house angle.

(2)someone recognizes an emblem worn by a blood fist and this leads the PCs towards them.

(3) Pcs survive the brawl and have both seals. They now know there are multiple parties interested in them. Let the pcs run with the ball for a while. They are bound to start asking questions or hole up somewhere to figure things out. THey really only have two choices-go defensive, or go offensive in which case they will provide you direction and you can easily guide them along as you need to.

(4)Seems like gathering all the seals would give the pcs a tremendous amount of power. What happens if the seals are destroyed?

Thullgrim

 

[Whisper72]

Hmm.. indeed, it depends upon the 'henchman' of Lady Dara noticing whether the mercenaries / bandits were associates.

In any case, at first, Lady Dara could play 'dumb', just ask for the seal she asked them to retrieve and act as though she did not know about the attack. When she hears of the attack and if the PC's show her the emblem found on the Blood Fists, gasp and say she recognizes it, and then spin a tale about how these Blood Fists were the source behind the nemesis of the PC's in the first place and apparently have not given up on trying to destroy them. This way, she solves two problems at once, sending the PC's and these bloodfists at each other's throats...

 

[jerichothebard]

A couple of things occur to me immediatly depending on the outcome of the brawl:
(1) New PC could recognize one of mercs sent to kill them (he saw the merc leader or envoy at the house's HQ while he was performing his normal duties) this leads the PCs back to the merchant house angle.

I want to avoid that for the moment, as I would like to string out the dual-nature of her roll for a while and allow them to discover it slowly over time.

(2)someone recognizes an emblem worn by a blood fist and this leads the PCs towards them.

That's quite likely, actually. They are a group mostly composed of ex-monks, so the monk in the party has heard of them.

(3) Pcs survive the brawl and have both seals. They now know there are multiple parties interested in them. Let the pcs run with the ball for a while. They are bound to start asking questions or hole up somewhere to figure things out. THey really only have two choices-go defensive, or go offensive in which case they will provide you direction and you can easily guide them along as you need to.

(4)Seems like gathering all the seals would give the pcs a tremendous amount of power. What happens if the seals are destroyed?
Thullgrim

Yes, it would give them a fair amount of power, in the blackmail/political/knowledge sense of the word. The Seals themselves are only middle-level items with some nasty side effects. However, if they are destroyed, eventually, the whole world goes fizzle.

 

[Piratecat]

That's quite likely, actually. They are a group mostly composed of ex-monks, so the monk in the party has heard of them.

It would be fun to make them ex-monks for a very specific purpose; for instance, let it be known that they only accept members who have violated their oath to their God (heresy or devil worshipping), themselves (giving in to gluttonous or lustful temptation), or their honor (betrayed a sacred trust.) If you make their nasty deeds public knowledge, the actual members will seem even more loathsome.

 

[jerichothebard]

It would be fun to make them ex-monks for a very specific purpose; for instance, let it be known that they only accept members who have violated their oath to their God (heresy or devil worshipping), themselves (giving in to gluttonous or lustful temptation), or their honor (betrayed a sacred trust.) If you make their nasty deeds public knowledge, the actual members will seem even more loathsome.

Good point... It is generally known/believed (or in the campaign background material, at least) that they are a secret society dedicated to overthrowing the order of the Paladins. They have forsaken their oaths to support the church and dedicated themselves to the downfall of the righteous. It is the most extreme expression of a centuries-old rivalry between the two orders, which the leadership of both parties is trying to put behind them. The Blood Fists haven't been openly active in some time - most people believe they are a myth, although there are always stories...

That's the common folklore, anyway. And the NPC paladin cohort will have plenty to say on that topic.



The reality of it is a bit different, but they won't figure that out for a while.

 

[Lu Wei Fong]

You said that she was part of a different cell of that cult, right? Maybe when the PCs return she'll ask for the piece (or pieces if they have both) claiming she has an old friend who will keep them safe. "It would be too risky for you to carry them on your persons, especially in light of the two groups ambushing you." In reality she (or her superior in her cell if you prefer) wants them for her own (superior's own) little gambit for power. This could lead to all kinds of cool plot twists, unlikely alliances, etc.. down the road. Perhaps when the PCs find out about her true nature they'll have to take her out to reclaim the artifacts. *shrug* just my two cents