Anyone got any ideas?

[Mark]

They have issue #63 here for $5-

http://www.dragontrove.com/dungeons.html

Tony DiTerlizzi did the cover and here's how it looks-

http://www.diterlizzi.com/work/editorial/dungeon/dng63-dryads_ambush.html

 

[Desdichado]

How about this:

If the pirate is raising cattle or sheep instead of pigs, this actually becomes easier. Pigs are sedentary animals, while sheep and/or cattle are good for "pastoral nomadism," that is, instead of penning them up, you just kind of let them wander around with shepherd/cowherds to keep the animals and bandits away.

While his herds are wandering around, however, they are susceptible to being driven off and stolen by other brigand-type herders. Dread Pirate Roberts, therefore, asks the PCs to go and recover some of his animals from other herders in the area.

Now here's where you can make it a bit nasty: the Dread Pirate actually lied to the PCs, and instead of recovering his sheep or cattle they're actually stealing from legitimate farmers who are just trying to keep out of Roberts' way. Thus you've set up the PCs to get really ticked at the pirate after they find out they've been played, potentially they're set up to decide to try and "rectify" the situation, and you've created a somewhat long-term villain they can love to hate.

 

[Wicht]

Thanks Mark.

For purposes of the plot Jack, they have to meet him in his own village, but an escaped prized boar might make an interesting quest. The logistics of how to bringing it back could be lots of fun (for me)

 

[Mark]

Maybe it's a talking boar!

OK, OK, too much I suppose...

 

[alsih2o]

have them sent out to destroy the evil guy who runs the local lighthouse....even tho he isn't really evil, say he isnt doing his duties and have them bump him so pirate dude can put one of his own nefarious guys in charge

 

[Wicht]

I'm stuck on the pigs, Joshua, one because it tickles my fancy but two, because, as you pointed out, pigs are penned and the pirate (whose name incidentally is Captain Sickle - he fights with a sickle) still routinely leaves the village in the hands of a skeleton crew (so to speak). However, having them steal for him is not a bad idea - I considered having him hire them to take some boars from some goblins but decided as the goblins are in all likelyhood refugees (after a fashion - displaced from the mountains), pigs would not be ideal for them to have with them. Though I hadn't considered battle-boars.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

Thanks Mark.

For purposes of the plot Jack, they have to meet him in his own village, but an escaped prized boar might make an interesting quest. The logistics of how to bringing it back could be lots of fun (for me)

Alright, that's simple enough... The farmhand is watching the farm, while Captain Pigfarmer is enjoying himself in the local tavern. The character meet him and begin chatting him up. Then, just when their getting to the wheeling and dealing for the information, have a farmhand run in all out of breath to tell the captain the bad news.

Of course, the Captain's crew is on leave, and they'll never get rounded up and sober in time to catch the boar. So, he makes a deal with the characters to give them the info in exchange for retrieving the boar alive and in good health.

Little do the characters know, that a local tribe of goblins is also hunting the boar as the main course for their annual Goblinfest.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Maybe it's a talking boar!

OK, OK, too much I suppose...

Heh. Yeah you may as well throw in an oracular pig(*() while you're at it!

BG

(*) c.f. Lloyd Alexander

 

[Desdichado]

Well, it's easier to do with sheep or cattle, but not impossible with pigs. The real core of the idea is that Captain Sickle (I know, I just couldn't resist calling him the Dread Pirate Roberts) tricks the PCs into stealing from some local, honest, hard-working farmers, then the PCs find out that they've been played like a fiddle.

 

[Rune]

First of all, Joshua's absolutely correct in suggesting that you have the PCs get tricked into engaging in a little bit of piracy of their own. Beautiful.

Second, if the pirate is trying to pass himself off as legit, he should have a title (legitimate, or not), say...Tariff Inspector, Sheriff, or somesuch.

...And, just for fun, when the PCs come back with the stolen pig, maybe he could implement/arrest them, probably because the farmers came to him for help and he realizes that he can't possibly accept the pig from the PCs and continue to look like a legitimate non-pirate. So he passes it off as an unwarranted attack by the strangers in town.

By this time, the PCs should probably hate him, but if it's done properly, he'll have all of the innocent villagers on his side.

And all this trouble over a pig.

One more thing: later, in secret, he may give them the information that they want and let them go on the condition that they leave town quietly and never come back. If the PCs try to kill him on the spot, he can have the aid of the villagers in little time, claiming that the pig-stealing PCs are attempting an escape.