PC's are in the process of killing an important story NPC, whats one to do?

[Tric]

Smile wickedly at the players and reveal that the NPC is actually a Balor in disguise. Give them an offer: Do something for him (you decide) or die.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Smile wickedly at the players and reveal that the NPC is actually a Balor in disguise. Give them an offer: Do something for him (you decide) or die.

And then be surprised when the players get a new DM...

The Auld Grump

 

[Shyloc]

So I am dead. What is a dead Elvin prince to do... I think I need to feed the masses you all are hungry dogs. The world is my own. The final rise of man after the second dark age. The world was destroyed but life persisted. The Gods have been bared from the mortal realm, of course this hasn't stopped them from trying. Slowly leaking there power in over hundreds of thousands of years. Now the evil gods are making there move to grab control. The key that Shyloc has been searching for is used to power one of twelve lost airships, this being the only one known to exist. And the location of this ship is only known by two people, Shyloc and Stark, and will be found by the PC's at a later date. Stark is a servant to the bastard child of Hextor. So he's not talking or friendly. Shyloc will die. He may be resurrected but I don't see it happening right now, unless the PC's feel they have done something very grievous.

Thank you all for your help, many good ideas. Hopefully not just for me.

 

[Serpreme]

two words. Ghost Template.

 

[diaglo]

welcome aboard


let the PCs cut a lb of flesh from the NPC's hide.

 

[jmucchiello]

It's long... But the short of it is... He was searching for a key, to start an engine. He has been searching for some time well over a hundred years. It is lost. The PC's have yet to find their need for this key.

You must be mistaken. You mean he was hired by a man who has been searching for the key for a hundred years. The other man wanted him to hire a band of adventurers to find the key. Guess he'll have to find someone else to be his face-man.

 

[thud13x]

I'll concur with most everyone here.

Let him die and have his second in command take over the guild. He can be some evil mean MoFo that would enjoy making the PCs suffer in order to consolidate his hold on the guild. The possibilities are endless!

Nik

 

[werk]

Kill him and use him as planned.

If they didn't bother to talk to the guy they are killing at the end of the thieves' guild thrashing, then they don't know he's the guild leader.

The question is how much knowledge have the PCs gained? If they know everything, and have effectively spoiled the adventure, yur done. If they have any lacking knowledge or missing facts, exploit that to get back on track. It sounds like they are pretty blindly stomping out evil, so you shouldn't have any trouble with exposed intentions.

 

[Harmon]

Figure out where the campaign will go without him. Let the dice fall where they may.

If he is that important then maybe the group was followed and when they leave his corpse then a group of his buddies come along, find the body and take him back for the raising.

You might want to consider though he is dead and that you let his part in the story be filled by other people.

 

[Vurt]

I gotta agree here, let him die.

But it's a good thing he's only a body double, eh? What, you thought a guildmaster was going to have a face-to-face with some adventuring types he doesn't trust 100%?

And now he's got a good reason not to trust them. Or like them... Heh.

Cheers,
Vurt