OK, here is my situation.
One of the players in my group had his PC die several sessions back, and the new PC he came up with was a powerful dwarf fighter.
For his original (now-dead) PC, he came up with a pretty good background, but he kept it limited for his new dwarf – basically, since he was coming in at fourth or fifth level, his back-story was that he was a veteran dwarf who took up arms again when he found out his young nephew had gone missing.
So far, this dwarf has managed to find out that while his nephew was training (militarily) with some veteran dwarfs, a group of pirates had beset the small training group and overwhelmed them. The lead pirate was a particularly vicious and cutthroat type who often flayed his captives alive, just to hear them scream. (There are rumors of this pirate possibly being at least partly demonic in nature, too, but what are the chances of that?)
Later, upon discovery by other dwarves, all of the dwarven dead were accounted for, save the missing nephew.
Since the PCs were headed in the general direction of where this vicious pirate was known to possibly be located, the dwarf PC continued to accompany the players. And now, the PCs have now learned that said vicious pirate may be at a large gathering of pirates on a mysterious magically protected island. The PCs are also headed there now to help the king find out more about the pirates and the pirate problem plaguing the kingdom and the kingdom’s trade.
My original idea was that the nephew, for some reason, had offered to throw his lot in with the vicious pirate and it would lead to an eventual showdown with Uncle PC dwarf, who may or may not try to convince him of the error of his ways. However, I am not sure of that idea now, and if the nephew could be convinced to give up his life of piracy, or even why he went evil in the first place.
Also, the campaign has been a bit dark, as several NPCs that have associated with the PCs have wound up dead, but I do not want to limit myself to killing off every major friendly NPC.
So, here are my options.
1) Stay with my original idea that nephew went evil and sold out his dwarven companions and will remain evil to the end, thereby forcing his uncle (the PC) to kill him to restore family honor.
2) Nephew was spared by pirate due to his STR and/or CON, and now works as a slave for the pirate.
3) Nephew was spared by pirate due to his STR and/or CON and was sold to neighboring evil slave-trading theocracy, taking the nephew out of the game until later in the campaign (when the PCs need to confront the leaders of the theocracy) - makes it easy for now for me, the DM.
4) Nephew was spared temporarily, but later killed and dumped overboard. Easy way out for me, the DM.
5) Nephew pretended to turn evil, but is really a spy for the forces of good, but has not been able to communicate his findings.
6) Something else? Please let me know.
Any help and/or suggestions are appreciated. New ideas are welcome, too.
One of the players in my group had his PC die several sessions back, and the new PC he came up with was a powerful dwarf fighter.
For his original (now-dead) PC, he came up with a pretty good background, but he kept it limited for his new dwarf – basically, since he was coming in at fourth or fifth level, his back-story was that he was a veteran dwarf who took up arms again when he found out his young nephew had gone missing.
So far, this dwarf has managed to find out that while his nephew was training (militarily) with some veteran dwarfs, a group of pirates had beset the small training group and overwhelmed them. The lead pirate was a particularly vicious and cutthroat type who often flayed his captives alive, just to hear them scream. (There are rumors of this pirate possibly being at least partly demonic in nature, too, but what are the chances of that?)
Later, upon discovery by other dwarves, all of the dwarven dead were accounted for, save the missing nephew.
Since the PCs were headed in the general direction of where this vicious pirate was known to possibly be located, the dwarf PC continued to accompany the players. And now, the PCs have now learned that said vicious pirate may be at a large gathering of pirates on a mysterious magically protected island. The PCs are also headed there now to help the king find out more about the pirates and the pirate problem plaguing the kingdom and the kingdom’s trade.
My original idea was that the nephew, for some reason, had offered to throw his lot in with the vicious pirate and it would lead to an eventual showdown with Uncle PC dwarf, who may or may not try to convince him of the error of his ways. However, I am not sure of that idea now, and if the nephew could be convinced to give up his life of piracy, or even why he went evil in the first place.
Also, the campaign has been a bit dark, as several NPCs that have associated with the PCs have wound up dead, but I do not want to limit myself to killing off every major friendly NPC.
So, here are my options.
1) Stay with my original idea that nephew went evil and sold out his dwarven companions and will remain evil to the end, thereby forcing his uncle (the PC) to kill him to restore family honor.
2) Nephew was spared by pirate due to his STR and/or CON, and now works as a slave for the pirate.
3) Nephew was spared by pirate due to his STR and/or CON and was sold to neighboring evil slave-trading theocracy, taking the nephew out of the game until later in the campaign (when the PCs need to confront the leaders of the theocracy) - makes it easy for now for me, the DM.
4) Nephew was spared temporarily, but later killed and dumped overboard. Easy way out for me, the DM.
5) Nephew pretended to turn evil, but is really a spy for the forces of good, but has not been able to communicate his findings.
6) Something else? Please let me know.
Any help and/or suggestions are appreciated. New ideas are welcome, too.
