D&D General I need help again --- character hooks

[Princelucianus]

LONG STORY...... sorry in advance.
If things are unclear or if you have questions.... shoot.

A few hundred years ago, a powerful noble (Patrice Zwartwoud) was an instrument in a massacre. While there, he was manipulated by a young druid (Mories) whom he adopted and made a member of his family. The village where the massacre took place (Ossington, for those who’ve heard of it) was set up with monoliths for a magician’s ritual to become a lich. The magician was slain, but Mories had already learned about his intentions…

The nobleman was part of a family (Zwartwoud-trade and shipping) that controlled a city with two other families. The Barval’s (magicians) and van Spies, who control mining.
Mories used his manipulative powers to become a powerful magician and worked on becoming a lich himself.
The families found out, made a deal with a celestial and got Mories locked up in his phylactery. The celestial made a deal that he would be locked up there unless anyone in the three families would ever try to become a lich.
The families got rid of most mentions of Mories, apart from a few family trees.

Fast forward 385 years.
The heroes know there’s a lich around and think it’s Patrice Zwartwoud (he started building the family grave and the phylactery was found near his grave).
The heroes will find out that Mories was adopted from a family tree they’ll get to see, but for the moment, that will be all. One of the heroes belongs to the Barval family.

The three nightmares:
Three kids (young adults) from the three families have found out about Mories and where he came from (but not about the family’s deal with the celestial). They talked to a dead relative from 385 years ago and found out about Mories’ plans and what he did to accomplish that.
They’ve given a wizard funds to investigate Ossington and what will be needed to finish the ‘’becoming a lich’’ ritual.
They still have a long way to go, but their wish to stay together forever is still going strong.
(The heroes will take a while to find out about these kids -> probably when they find out about the deal with the celestial).

Now, I want the heroes to investigate Ossington (and play my adjusted…. The Standing Stone), but I don’t know how to get them there, without giving away the three kid’s.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[MattW]

In "real life" standing stones and menhirs tended to get recycled as building materials.

Let's say that there's been a series of mysterious thefts. One of the local gentry (perhaps even a relative of one of the players) has had a gatepost stolen. Why would anyone steal a gatepost? This is annoying and confusing. Things become even more strange when his neighbour reports that HIS favourite gatepost feature has also been vandalised - and another large stone has been stolen.

Eventually, it becomes known that both stones were "flamestones" - large, strangely-carved rocks that (according to superstition) protect against fires. Is there going to be an arson attack? Is this the first move against the player's family?

The only known source of flamestones is Ossington (and its infamous stone circle). Will the mysterious thieves strike again? If so, the stones at Ossington look like the next target. This might encourage the players to look at Ossington.

Another possibility: The players are asked to retrieve the stolen stones. Or, if this is not possible, find out where new ones can be obtained. Who owns the stone circle? Would they sell a couple of flamestones? Where were these stones quarried?

It may be a little disturbing to find that the stone circle (locally known as the Seven Dancing Fire Maidens) now has 9 stones....

 

[Stormonu]

You mentioned some mines - the characters might be coming to Ossington as mine guards and need to find local housing or perhaps they want to claim a supposedly tapped-out mine.

The Barval relative may have received a summons to come to Ossington, either a cryptic call for help or perhaps a relative has passed and left something of value for the character - but no one knows where it's located in town.

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

I always first ask myself what the main factions in the world would be trying to achieve?

For example:

• What does Mories want, and what abilities does Mories have at his disposal?
• What do the other powerful families want? And what power do they have?
• What is the general mood among the peasants/ordinary citizens?
• Do the stones have any opinion about the world, or are they inanimate (i.e. just an item)?
• Any other outside influences?

Then next, you ask yourself:

• Which of these factions is the main BBEG?
  • Do the players understand this? Or do they need a new more hints?
• Do any of those factions form logical alliances or are they sworn enemies?
  • How do the players view these? As allies, neutral or hostile? (Or "meh", which means the DM need to flesh it out a bit more, or drop it from the story altogether?).

Once you know this, it sets your world in motion. Now the players can start interacting with it, and can be allowed to get off the railroad. You can design logical encounters (roleplay and combat) which fit in with the motion of the main factions in the world.

 

[Quartz]

Mories crafted himself a crystal hypnosis ball. This has come into the hands of the three kids. This is the source of the nightmares. The kids aren't themselves powerful enough to become liches themselves but an elderly relative is, so the plan is to forcibly transform that relative into a lich, thus freeing Mories.

 

[Princelucianus]

My plan is to make the kids the BBEG but Mories is the lure. The players so far have no clue what is really happening. They think Patrice (see above) is the lich. The players have some allies, but they're not powerful enough to make a difference.
At the moment, the families have no idea what's going on and in the future, they'll easier believe that Mories is a problem than someone in their family. There power is big in the city where they reside, and present in the cities and villages nearby.
The Barval's and the Zwartwoud's distrust one another...

The city (of the 3 families) is in partial lockdown (how appropriate), since the kids have released a plague in the poorer parts of the city. The other citizens are still scared to venture out much. The worst is over though and it should be fine in a day or two.

Ossington is an experiment where creatures are turned into humans by the experimenting wizard. The monoliths are inanimate but have power for certain druidic rituals (and the ritual to become a lich).

I got a few good ideas from you all and think these could be mashed together to make the heroes go to Ossington... to get a clue about what's happening and tie this to the 3 families... without mentioning the kids.

Thanks!

p.s: Ideas are still very welcome!

 

[Ancalagon]

A false rumor of treasure could be planted by someone trying to oppose the 3 kids on the sly?

(btw, are they actually kids? )

 

[Princelucianus]

They're young adults
I would say between 16-18 years old. One dwarf, one human and a tiefling.

A secret ally is definitely an option. I'm considering Mories vs the 3 kids.
Has to be worked out since I also like hearing what the heroes think and incorporate that in the story!