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<blockquote data-quote="JohnSnow" data-source="post: 8079950" data-attributes="member: 32164">This is the best summary of things more subtle than a letter from an evil mastermind. I have used all of them in games. Subtle clues work best, assuming that your players are remotely clever. Also, a short note that doesn't explain the plot in detail is great if you want to have wheels within wheels and keep your players guessing.And coins clearly from another region are awesome. Weapons bearing a particular smith's mark. Or trade goods that come from a particular guild. Maps. And don't neglect the value of semi-cryptic notes...&quot;Grickshank - Excellent. Your actions will be brought to His attention. When the work is done, send a message to me at the usual place in Fallcrest. - E.F.&quot;Now the characters have a lead. It's not a great lead, and it's a note that makes sense, but it's a lead. Combine it with a few suspicious trade goods or the like, and they're pursuing a mystery. They'll probably wonder if every &quot;E.F.&quot; they meet is the evil mastermind, or it could even be a title: Ellen Fagle, Edward Fitzhugh? The Earl of Flanders? Who KNOWS?! You just have to keep dribbling bread crumbs.And it's far better than having the bad guys do too much monologuing or leaving out over-expositive letters.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="JohnSnow, post: 8079950, member: 32164"] This is the best summary of things more subtle than a letter from an evil mastermind. I have used all of them in games. Subtle clues work best, assuming that your players are remotely clever. Also, a short note that doesn't explain the plot in detail is great if you want to have wheels within wheels and keep your players guessing. And coins clearly from another region are awesome. Weapons bearing a particular smith's mark. Or trade goods that come from a particular guild. Maps. And don't neglect the value of semi-cryptic notes... "Grickshank - Excellent. Your actions will be brought to His attention. When the work is done, send a message to me at the usual place in Fallcrest. - E.F." Now the characters have a lead. It's not a great lead, and it's a note that makes sense, but it's a lead. Combine it with a few suspicious trade goods or the like, and they're pursuing a mystery. They'll probably wonder if every "E.F." they meet is the evil mastermind, or it could even be a title: Ellen Fagle, Edward Fitzhugh? The Earl of Flanders? Who KNOWS?! You just have to keep dribbling bread crumbs. And it's far better than having the bad guys do too much monologuing or leaving out over-expositive letters. [/QUOTE]

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