Looking to Flesh Out an Adventure 2 Contact

[Panthanas]

Hey everyone,

Prior to running Adventure 2 I had my players come up with their contacts. One of my players surprised me by coming up with a contact in the Danoran Consulate:

"Name: Sareth Montague
Class: Warlock
Race: Human
Affiliation: The Aristocracy; Danor
District: North Shore
Relationship: Consultant/resource for Danoran/Demonic/Spirit information

Backstory: While pursuing leads on a Danoran assassin wanted for several murders, Kael (the PC) used his contacts within the nobility to reach out to the Danoran Consulate in North Shore. Kael met with Sareth in attempting to locate and identify the assassin. They were able to track the assassin to an inn where Kael and Alex (Kael's partner) made a failed attempt to capture the assassin, which led to Kael being mortally wounded. The assassin escaped and still remains at large.

After recovering from his brush with death, Kael continued to consult Sareth, although Kael doesn’t especially trust Sareth – and even suspects he might know who the assassin is. However, for now he finds him useful. Sareth seems to be a good resource for information in North Shore as he is part of the Danoran nobility and resides in Consulate."



I have a few ideas how to play this out, but since this is too good of an opportunity to waste, I wanted to ask others here, who have run and written Zeitgeist, for their ideas on how they would handle this contact.

We have only had one session in this adventure so far.
What the PCs know:
- Nilasa was working for Gale
- That she was bailed out by Heward/where she worked/lived.
- A shadowy figure slashed her face and she was shot after jumping.
- Discovered Wolfgang is/was staying at the House of Blue Birds, but have not followed up yet.
- Someone with "necromantic infused blood" was injured in the ally way that Wolfgang fled down.

Sareth was on an errand outside of the consulate during Nilasa's death and the PCs investigation.
The session wrapped up on the end of the 1st with the PCs making plans on what leads to follow up on the next day.


Thank you!

 

[gideonpepys]

I have a few ideas how to play this out, but since this is too good of an opportunity to waste, I wanted to ask others here, who have run and written Zeitgeist, for their ideas on how they would handle this contact.

One great way to reward players who come up with detailed contacts is to have the contact provide them with clues they may have missed. For example, did anyone cotton on to the fact that LeBrix was lying to them? Or more importantly, that he was under duress when doing so? As an inside man, the contact might be able to provide that information at least.

My general advice would be, don't let player contacts do the work for them, let them do the work for you. Players shouldn't be able to have contacts do hours of donkey work for them, for example. But they are an ideal way for you to jump-start a installed investigation.

 

[Panthanas]

One great way to reward players who come up with detailed contacts is to have the contact provide them with clues they may have missed. For example, did anyone cotton on to the fact that LeBrix was lying to them? Or more importantly, that he was under duress when doing so? As an inside man, the contact might be able to provide that information at least.

They did pick up on those two things. They know where Wolfgang went, but not who he is (they didn't ask) so perhaps I'll have the contact pass that info along.

Thank you for the reply!