Kidnapping - need plot help

[Gilladian]

My party's rogue has just gotten himself into trouble. He robbed another rogue of a valuable ring with some unknown magical power. This is a 2nd level party, and the rogue he robbed is actually a 5th level rogue (3rd edition).

The victim has figured out that the thief was a grippli, but not exactly who. Since there are only 10 grippli in town, tracking them down was not hard. The victim is a rather amoral bard/rogue type who has hesitated not a minute to kidnap two of the grippli (while they were out fishing) to get information from them. She has since learned from them that Griptoe is the likely thief, and where he hangs out (and with whom).

Lydia, the victim, doesn't really want to hurt her kidnappees, but she WANTS her ring back. She's going to send a message to Griptoe, giving him an ultimatum; deliver the ring to a spot in the woods, and she will release his kin. If he doesn't, she'll deliver one frog (sans legs) to him in 24 hours. If he still fails, she'll deliver the second in the same way after another 24 hours. After that, she'll come for her ring in person.

She's a relative stranger to the region, but there is an active and strong group of bandits that she has connections to, so she has plenty of assistance. Suggestions on where and how she'd hold and protect the prisoners, and how she might arrange the trade would be appreciated. This is a low-magic campaign, so not too many magical tricks are available to her.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Some of my hideouts:

• Smuggler Hole - this is a place smugglers will store goods until it is time to move them. Smugglers have a number of them, so, some are always empty. This can be anything from a cave, a sewer a warehouse, etc.
• Camp site ruins - know that inn the players burned down a few adventures ago, it has not yet been rebuilt. Has some walls and maybe a cellar but it makes for a good camp site and meeting place.
• Old Shrines - maybe they are nothing but landmarks now but not bad places, well some are.

The trade should take place where a person has an advanage. This can be lay of the land and exits, or even conditions at time of trade.

My feelings...All trades should take place in a graveyard requires a guard and a speaker, at the dark of night. The speakers tell them where to drop the item off, this is a place you can see, the speaker meets them there. The Guard is off with the person being traded, waiting a signal. Once the item is verified, the signal is made. The Guard cuts the person being traded, just a small wound, telling them that is to get the ghouls interested, Guard leaves. The speaker tells the people that dropped off the item where to find the wounded person but they better hurry, the speaker then leaves.

Inn or traven is much the same, two to three people, a speaker and two henchmen. Speaker sits down with those he trading with, one henchman watching, at a signal the henchman will go get the the other and the item being traded. If things go bad the henchman 1 starts something like a fire, so speaker can get away.

 

[Gilladian]

Thanks! That gives me a couple of ideas; anyone else have a suggestion?

I really like the idea of a smuggler's hidey hole. There's not a LOT that gets smuggled out here; it is a frontier area. But the bandits need many small, temporary hideouts. An old ruined building, or an ancient cellar would both work, as long as there are multiple exits.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Thanks! That gives me a couple of ideas; anyone else have a suggestion?

I really like the idea of a smuggler's hidey hole. There's not a LOT that gets smuggled out here; it is a frontier area. But the bandits need many small, temporary hideouts. An old ruined building, or an ancient cellar would both work, as long as there are multiple exits.

As far as smuggling goes, arm sells is always a good one for plot. Crossbow to hobgoblins, arrow heads to goblins, axes to orcs. Even drink to "evil" races.