How to slowly unravel a plot?

[Obergnom]

I dislike giving out those 'diary' handouts often used in published adventures to reveal the plot. Currently, I'm somewhat stuck how to do so, though. Maybe someone here can help

Here is some info:

Setting (Modified Realms)

Lead by the powerfull city of Bard's Gate, the Dalelands are a trading hub and neutral ground between the powerful empires of Cormyr, the Moonsea and Netheril occupied Sembia. While the dales would be unable to defend themselves for a long time, should one of these empires decide to invade, it is both the age old pact with the Fey which ensures them the help of the Elves, and the rivalry of the former three that secures their independance. While each of the dales has its own lord, it is the Lord of Mistle Dale and High Councilor of Bard's Gate, the half-elf bard Cyrylia, who is the defacto ruler of the region.

Main Plot

The Cult of Xvim, the son of Bane and Exarch of Human Supremacy, discovered a powerful ritual in the endless ruins below Zhentil Keep. A ritual that creates a powerful disease, which attacks all traces of fey blood. The afflicted slowly vanish to the feywild, unable to return. They want to cleanse the Dalelands of all traces of elves and halfelves, establishing human rulership once and for all.

To complete the ritual, they need a vessel. And they found one: The unborn child of Marleel, a 17 year old girl and once lover of a charming Halfelf Bard from Mistledale. He left her. In her desperation, she was an easy target for the Lareth the Beautiful, Lord of Shadowdale. Unknown to nearly everyone, Lareth is actually one of the highest ranking priests of Xvim.

Besides the vessel, they need the blood of fey. A lot of it. And a source of great power. To reach these goals, they tricked the Zhentarim and the Church of Bane into establishing an outpost in the Tomb of Abysthor. There, Hedrack, High Priest of Bane and cultist of Xvim began to search for a source of great power, he suspects to be hidden in the burrial halls. In the same time, he hired the gnolls of Cormanthor, to catch as many fey creatures as possible and bring them to him.

What the cultists do not know, the power source they are looking for is in fact a black monolith, a connection to the far realm. Abysthor went there, to seal it. He was successful, but after he completed the ritual of sealing, he was transformed into a horrible abberant creature. The Cult of Xvim is about to open the seal, just to face hordes of Foulspawn and other creatures of the Far Realm, controlled by the creature that Abysthor became.

What the players already know:

- They escorted a cart full of wares coming from the Moonsee to Lord Lareth Amcathra. They do not know which wares the cart transported, but they know there was a young, pregnant girl with the driver, who is connected to Lareth.

- They know that Lord Amcathra does not like non-humans and does not respect the old pact with the fey of Cormanthor. But in the 12 years of his reign, he increased wealth in Shadowdale significantly. Many commoners love him, especially the younger folks.

- The elven witch Luriel suspects Lareth to be in league with dark powers. She went as far as killing the driver of the cart the PCs were escorting with a creature summoned from the shadowfell, to read his memory. She was unable to gather useful information, though.

- Fey creatures all over the Cormanthor have been kidnapped by gnolls. The elves know the Gnoll Fortress must be somewhere near Bard's Gate.

- The Elves were able to follow the gnolls to the Valley of Shrines, where the Tomb of Abysthor is located

- The Tomb of Abysthor were once a great, subteranean Burrial Halls for high ranking followers of Tyr (dead), Torm and Illmater. They are called Tomb of Abysthor, because the mighty priest Abysthor went there, long after they have been desecrated. He was on a holy quest, but never returned.

- A Banedead (Lich-like Undead Bane Priest, wearing regalia not used since 100 years ago) payed the Gnolls for capturing fey creatures. They found his hideout in the upper levels of the Tomb of Abysthor, but there were no fey creatures to be found.

- Deeper in the dungeon, they found an Entrance to an Outpost of Zhentarim, which they are about to enter...



My problem is, how to unravel the plot?

There is this big dungeon, and just 'grinding' through would eventually give them some information, but I do not like that. They go to Shadowdale quite often, actually do a side quest for Lareth (Though they do not like him).

And I would like to get the city of Bard's Gate involved...

Any ideas?

 

[fissionessence]

I'm not really familiar with the Realms, so some of the stuff you're talking about I didn't really get. Anyway, though, another important consideration when trying to built a plot is what you want the PCs to eventually achieve. They may not actually decide to do it, but if you're going to build a storyline you may as well have a goal. Do you want them to try to save the girl? Redeem Abysthor? Destroy the Cult of Xvim and cut of its heads (leaders)?

Another detail I didn't see there that could be important to how you build your story is the current situation of the abducted fey. Are they already dead? Being held somewhere that the PCs could rescue them?

Why did the bard leave Marleel after she became pregnant? Did he know she was pregnant? Is he the same half-elf bard who is the 'defacto ruler' of Cyrylia? How would he feel about the potential fate of his child? If you want to get Bard's Gate involved, introducing the father is an easy way to go.

Also, what is going to happen when the cultists open the gate and encounter the foulspawn? Is this going to happen off-screen, or should the PCs be aware of what's happening by the time this occurs (and perhaps even have the chance to stop it)?

~

 

[fba827]

I, too, don't know a lot of FR specifics so I can't speak for intricacies, etc...

But in terms of unraveling plot, I basically have to formalize certain plot milestones in my head ("girls are being captures" "captures are being sacrificed" etc) and then through adentures they learn one plot milestone at a time such as rescuing the girls, maybe another adventure they realize more grils are being captured so they can piece together it is a plot. Then eventually they'll find out that those that were captured are being sacrificed, etc.

Another (albeit trite) was is to have partial notes on the bodies of the fallen. maybe a dead orc has a note from the person that hired him "Find him in market square" it doesn't mean much alone but in the context it tells them that the orc was hired by someone. it also says that the orc was looking for a male. And do that every now and again.. but, really it only works in small doses and needs some sort of reason as to why that info would be written down.

 

[Obergnom]

Cyrilia is the female half-elf bard ruler of Bard's Gate, and I have not planned anything for this Halfelf Bard... so far, I thought about him as some kind of Rock Star

I was planning to have the fey killed before the players get there, but they were able to open a sealed door I was not expecting them to open before reaching 5th level or higher (It was a tough skill challenge). They are able to enter the Zhentarim Outpost now. I thought, I will allow them to get inside an rescue some fey before a general alarm is raised. The Zhentarim and their Hobgoblin Soldiers are to much a threat for them, it should end in a frantic race to the exit.
Which information should the fey creatures have?

At the momtent, Marleen (the pregnant girl) is with Lord Amcathra. Once her child is born, Amcathra will take it to the Tomb, where the ritual is performed.

I have no idea how to give them hinds that will eventually lead to his exposure.

So far, I did not give them a goal, because I hope for them to pick one.

Another mayor concern is, how to involve the city of Bard's Gate? Shadowdale is north of Bard's Gate, and the Tomb of Abysthor even further to the north. I really want some urban adventuring at some point in this campaign...

 

[Gilladian]

One way to involve Bard's gate is to have them find something that needs translating/decoding/scholarly study to understand. The only (reliable/easy to find/affordable) person who can do so is in the city.

Once there, you'll have to find reasons to make them stay. Just be sure that when you send them there, they're not working to a really tight time schedule. Nothing is worse than you wanting to run an adventure in town while the party is saying "hurry, we don't have time for this!".