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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BSF" data-source="post: 1152673" data-attributes="member: 13098">Heck!  It sounds like you have a nice storyline and a good idea what you want to do.  I'm not entirely sure how I can offer advice, but I'll give it a try.You have given yourself 111 days before the compact is broken.  So, you can't really have a major invasion kicked off yet.  I am a big fan of using cut scenes to provide a peek at what else is happening in the world even if the characters can't do anything about it immediately.  It makes the world feel a bit more alive.  You have a half-Umbral/Half-Fiend that has plane shifted to the Plane of Shadow.  If you are confident that the players can differentiate between IC knowledge and OOC knowledge, maybe do a cut scene with Murdock "at home".  Go into detailed description of the Plane of Shadow.  The way it is composed of blacks and grays and perhaps sepia undertones.  The way he blends into the environment and is harder to see.  Then have him taking orders from some larger, shadowy figure.  Nothing to reveal too much of the story too early, but enough to give the players the feeling that this guy is involved in some heavy stuff and is no slouch himself.  Then, once he has received his ambiguous, yet clearly vile, instructions, have him depart for the Prime again.  Leave it hanging at that.  They won't know where he returned to, or when.  You might even be able to spook them enough that they are reluctant to walk around at dusk, or at night.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Dorus:  You think you didn't make him come across correctly?  He is bitter and adversarial, yet he is the head of the local church.  You can play up his bitterness as a contrast to his benevolance.  Why is he bitter?  Perhaps he thinks the only work worth doing is preaching to the flock and everything that isn't that time is when he is bitter.  Perhaps the PC's could help resolve his bitterness by showing that his skills will be needed to save the believers from the threat of demonkind?  Just a few ideas on how you can make him a little more interesting.  As for his bitterness, perhaps a cut scene with him really tearing into one of the acolytes, followed by his kindness and guidance to a follower that is in need?  When the characters are speaking with him, adopt a mannerism.  Perhaps he sneers at them and looks down his nose condescendingly?  Maybe he spits out some of his words, making them sound harsh?  If you are into that sort of thing, don't describe it, act it out.  Use your own body language.  Somebody adversarial will often cross their arms and stand or sit angled away from the person they are speaking with.  Don't face them directly, that is confrontational.  Angle off to the side and whenever they speak, look away, and maybe roll your eyes a bit.  Be careful though, it is easy to overdo bitterness to the point where nobody cares about the NPC.  That is why I suggest cut scenes giving insight into his compassion.  Give them the diamond in the rough that the heros might be able to bring forth.The Duchess:  She should definitely be confident.  Play off her initial "flatness" as constructed indifference.  She is the sovereign of the land?  Why would she be eager to take advice from the PC's?  They need to build credibility before she really shows them emotion.  It doesn't matter whether she loves them or hates them.  Until they get under her skin, she won't show any emotion.  That will buy you a little time to figure out what personality traits you want her to have.OK, most of this doesn't get the next session off to a bang.  Let's see, instead of a cut scene with the barbarians, have the party sneak them out of town.  As the barbarians ride down the road, have the retriever slide out of the shadows and take one of the barbarians out, but not the prince, then disappear.  Did the retriever accomplish it's goal?  If so, why did it want to take out one of the bodyguards?  The party will be forced to decide it they want to go with the prince, or if they have other important things to do.  Does that help any?  Let me know what was useful and what wasn't.</blockquote>

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