ZEITGEIST Party splitting up to follow different threads? I need advice

[LeanAsc22]

Hey all. I'm currently facing a problem which might be just me and that I'm not that experienced, so I came seeking advice. I'm running Book 2 (session 2, party already at Thinking Man's tavern) for a party of 6. After the scene at the consulate, the PCs have multiple threads they can pursue, and the book itself even suggests that one possible way to resolve the adventure is by splitting up and following different leads. I like this idea, especially because I have six players, and having them all together following the same thread and talking to the same NPC makes things less interesting. It would also speed up the mystery.

The problem I see is this: let's say, for example, Thread 1: Smugglers. The PCs visit Danisca’s shop and Blander. Unlike other encounters, like the smuggler operation at the docks, or going to MacBannin's mansion, I can imagine my players thinking that visiting the Waryeyes would just be to see what they know, but I know that it could easily lead to combat. And I don’t want to end up with only two players fighting, or worse, having to run two or even three simultaneous combats just to give everyone some spotlight and action. Even if I create interesting social events for the ones who aren’t present, it’s not the same as having an exciting fight. It would be a dream to have them go together but split between her shop and his building, but they could also go to interrogate the cleric who healed Nilasa (which is something they want to do) and miss the combat...

I thought about hinting through descriptive details or prior information, that things could escalate quickly at some locations—for example, describing Danisca’s apothecaries as being guards, so the PCs who were there would potentially decide to get the whole team together. Of course, I would have to do the same for every encounter in which I want them to be together.

Has anyone run into a similar issue? Do you have a better solution I might not be considering? I understand that heavily hinting that they should be together for certain scenes might be railroading them, but I don’t think it would be fun for two or three players to be in combat while the rest are investigating Wolfgang’s hotel, or talking with Jack Byron the driver.

Ultimately, I think it would be great that they split up, but I don't love the idea of 3 players fighting the Cloudwood brigands and Lorkan Kell's men, and the other 3 investigating a hotel. Even if I can get them to go with the Waryeyes, running two separate combats at the same time would be too much for me I think...

Thanks for reading and any advice would be appreciated.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

i mean, if you don't mind breaking the flow of the game and you can't think of a way to clearly foreshadow it, you could always tell the players as a DM that going to a particular location might result in combat. it's technically metagaming, but in your case it might be better then making half or more of the party sit around while the others get into a shootout.

alternatively, for more minor combats like the waryeyes, you could maybe resolve them as skill challenges instead of actual full-on combats so they go quicker.

if all else fails, i guess you could also just let the party grab police officers if they split up without spending a favour so that anyone whose character isn't present during a combat can play as one of the cops, just so they get to do something.

 

[aco175]

The classic problem of splitting the party; something interesting happens and only some of the players enjoy it. Half the party is on or in action at one time and the other half is waiting. It is ok in towns when the fighter goes to the smith and the mage goes to the library and the... In a dungeon or mystery adventure things happen and players should understand that things happen. They chose to weaken the party by splitting up, so encounters should not be watered down. Same thing for spotlight time. A fight happens, maybe make a fight happen on the other group as well.

One of the ways I tend to manage things is to have the other party members hear fighting going on. Usually in town, but players hate not being able to do things and watch, so they hear something and can come in a couple rounds. Not great verisimilitude, but works.

 

[Andrew Moreton]

The major combats are fairly predictable so you can encourage your players to gather for these major operations, for the lesser fights like the Wareyes, it is possible that the players will avoid the combat so if you need to make sure all players are involved as someone else suggested add minions.
In my recent playthrough for this and other investiagtions my players split into pairs with one character having food social skills and the other good social skills, In neither playthrough do I remember a fight breaking out when they were split

 

[MrsMongoose]

Or have the B team show up a bit earlier (also played by the PCs so they aren't actually split up) and do one of the threads either as a "favour", or because they are there for partially another reason too, and then find out about how it feeds into the main PCs case......
(preferably Waryeyes as then if they do have trouble, then they can always retreat/fight or call the big guns in).

IIRC, we only had one or two at the arsonists and Lorcan Kell's guys (as we spotted the "get help" ambush... maybe telegraph that a bit so they don't have to fight as much OR make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that they cannot win before talking to him)

"but I know that it could easily lead to combat."... is that because you think your players will do that...? Are they a bit more gung ho than the average group on this campaign in this forum, or do they not have a social enough character? Have senior officers give them a bit of advice in dealing with certain 'aspects' of the city, perhaps especially if they aren't Flint natives...? Or make them have local Knowledge checks?

After all, at the moment, everything is carefully balanced and it's only when the PCs begin poking things that power will begin to shift...