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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DaveW" data-source="post: 5301418" data-attributes="member: 94430">Thanks for the ideas!I didn't want to saturate my original post with all the details, but it seems there's some things I shouldn't have omitted. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />My plan for the tunnels, is to make it a modified version of the Tomb of Horrors. As much as possible, I'd like to dissuade my players from going in there. I'm setting it out to do something with in the future, although I haven't really decided what yet.The taxes are being collected for the King-the players will be allowed to keep a small portion.The barkeep that they traveled with will take on the role of Steward of the castle. He's an ex-adventurer with a good business sense, and the players cost him his bar.One thing I'm really looking for is quick events that can be solved in around 10-25 minutes. I have about 4 hours for the session, and getting through 6 months of game time will be a bitch. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> So while I appreciate your feedback, some ideas will take too long to work in this context; nonetheless, this feedback is amazing and highly inventive. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Now for direct replies...This is an idea I really like! I can work it out into a sort of map-based intelligence gathering puzzle, the players have to 'intercept' the bandits.I'm thinking this sort of thing would happen all the time, so I'm planning for the nobility to be a bit hostile to the players.The castle was basically abandoned when the borders changed at some point. It grew into disrepair, but recent political changes have made restoring the castle seem like a worthy investment to the king. When the opportunity arrived to delegate, he did just that. The castle has been looked after by a minimalist skeleton crew without any real leaders (one of whom was the Lycanthrope terrorizing the area).This is basically the big aim of the session. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />I'm planning that there is little to no religion in the area, and my party's cleric has the option of setting up a little church here. The cleric has a low personal/character investment in the party, and I want to increase that here if I can, by offering him the chance to attract clergymen to the area and set up a church. He's a gold-loving priest of some religion that hoards gold for some reason, I can't remember the exact name of the god. I think it was from a Dragon Magazine-I generally outlaw Dragon supplements because many of them seem unbalanced. Anyway, yeah, church development is something in the theoretical mission at the moment, so any ideas for that are welcome. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> It would help if you knew the god, I think it's a lesser god from the forgotten realms, but I can't find the name.I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that one.Making my players sort out a guild strike/problem sounds like fun... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />The tunnels will be a modified version of the Tomb of Horrors, although I haven't decided exactly what to do with it quite yet. I have some ideas, but I like the idea of it being a portal to something important, as opposed to a tomb of some kind.This is an absolutely fantastic idea. The players already know the Steward, who will take over for the one they killed. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> Well, he was a werewolf. So Steward, Head Cook, Stablemaster, Butler, some maids (who will probably end up being objects of desire for certain members of my party), and a head Workman. I'm planning that the King will send along a messenger to inform the party of their obligations, so I'll probably put him in servitude to the players, and make him look down his nose at them a bit. He can also serve as a 'keeping an eye on you' type spy for the player. As that's such a cliche, I'll have to play it up a little bit to make it entertaining. This is the best advice yet-I'll really need to spend some time working on a good family of NPCs to make the place feel like home. I think I know what I need to do to endear them to my players too. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />I won't be able to get my hands on it unfortunately. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f641.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":(" title="Frown    :("  data-smilie="3"data-shortname=":(" />I like the dryad idea-I'd like to incorporate a scenario that can end peacefully or with combat, with suitable consequences in the next month. I'd also like to be less predictable-so if I did the dryad and she agrees to peace with the players, she might freak out two months later and kill some people. Or perhaps, we agree to peace and the locals burn her forest down, and we must track down the people responsible.This is a far-flung part of the Kingdom, so the land has effectively been governed by the law of "Might is Right". Expect Boisterous Pirates, Tempestuous Mercenaries, Cunning Thieves, Insidious Bandits, Unscrupulous Merchants, Perfidious Noblemen and Treacherous Guardsmen; essentially, a veritable who's-who of shifty-eyed individuals and nefarious organizations.I'm hoping to create as many plot hooks as I can as I go along, so the players always have something to do. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Heh, it's a good idea. I wonder if my players will think of it? <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />Most of the taxes will go to the king, but I was considering giving them the first two months of taxes to go towards setting up in the area. Bandits will definitely be raiding the tax wagon at some point, but I like the idea of the Nobility trying to get rid of the players. Perhaps the Nobility is paying the bandits?I will, in the end, having something along these lines. A small trickle of tax money will go to the players, which they can pick up when they return to the castle later. I'd like Castle improvements to give the players something to spend their money on. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Thanks for all the suggestions so far! These are really great. If I can think of a few more ideas, I can single out some plot elements and get them worked in as well.There is one more piece of information that you might find helpful; we SHOULD have a new player in our group this session. My player becomes an NPC when I'm DMing, so I intend to have him 'find' the new player and put him on the council that rules. The council will consist of the players, only 3 of whom actually have titles, the two new players, and the Steward. I'm leaving a lot out for brevity's sake, but this might be important. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Thanks for the help so far guys, when I've sorted out the details, I'll keep this thread alive for further development and I'll update you on the night with the details of exactly what happens. I'm sure the magic of D&D will liberally crap all over my plans. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />-DaveEDIT: One more thing! The session will take place over the winter. It's assumed to be late summer at the moment, although we haven't expressly stated that in game before.</blockquote>

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