Wraith Form
Explorer
Hi. I'm a n00b DM who has discovered that his creativity isn't as strong as I thought it'd be. This is a request for a plot twist. Nothing earth-shattering, as my players are only 2nd level (and there are only 3 of them - a bard/beguiler multi, a rogue and a dragon shaman), so I'm not looking to TPK them or anything.
Here's the set up. We're in a slightly higher tech-level world than standard D&D--more akin to post-Renaissance mid 16th century Europe. They're being "employed" (blackmailed, really) by a large and very powerful thieves' guild based in a large capitol city. The guild is much like the Mafia in the sense that hey have lots of contacts and very few scruples. Their first assignment has been to travel to a distant village, find a noblewoman's house, and retrieve her journal. That was all the characters were given from the guild as far as instructions, leaving the details of the heist up to the players and their characters to uncover and develop.
They've found her house and discovered that she's a shut in, a recluse from an old money family originally from a distant land. She lives with her daughter in a big, run down house. She receives packages of groceries every week from the village Towne Store (tm). The players don't know that the noblewoman also has a pair of dogs that will raise quite an alarm with their barking and attack the PCs on sight. (I'm using some of the details from the Shut In adventure in Dungeon #128 if you're familiar with that issue.)
Behind the scenes: originally, I intended this to be a very straightforward B&E job--well, straightforward except for the dogs....
The noblewoman is an alchemist who has developed a technique to create healing potions that don't require rare herbs, ingredients, etc.--just fairly common chemicals, not unlike how asprin is mass-manufactured in our society. The formula to create the potion is in a notebook that the noblewoman has stored in her alchemical lab on the second floor. The thieves' guild has discovered this, and wants the formula (for obvious reasons--fast & cheap healing for themselves and to sell to others).
The PCs just did the noblewoman's village a huge favor (last week's adventure) by uncovering a small conspiracy in the town, so they're currently seen as heroes. If they get caught and evidence is put forth that they were trying to steal from this noblewoman, they could face some difficult times. They will likely need to hand-deliver the journal to the thieves' guild. Thus, if they get caught--it'll be red-handed.
I set up an "instant messaging" system from the thieves' guild to the party--an enchanted scroll tube that instantly teleports notes to and from the party to their guild contact back home. The players (and characters) know nothing of the noblewoman other than what I mentioned above, so I'm free to change her background, personality, even motivations as I see fit.
Is this interesting enough on it's own, or is there a small twist that I can use to make this more interesting? Any suggestions for a twist that will make this more "thieves' guild-y" would be welcome.
Here's the set up. We're in a slightly higher tech-level world than standard D&D--more akin to post-Renaissance mid 16th century Europe. They're being "employed" (blackmailed, really) by a large and very powerful thieves' guild based in a large capitol city. The guild is much like the Mafia in the sense that hey have lots of contacts and very few scruples. Their first assignment has been to travel to a distant village, find a noblewoman's house, and retrieve her journal. That was all the characters were given from the guild as far as instructions, leaving the details of the heist up to the players and their characters to uncover and develop.
They've found her house and discovered that she's a shut in, a recluse from an old money family originally from a distant land. She lives with her daughter in a big, run down house. She receives packages of groceries every week from the village Towne Store (tm). The players don't know that the noblewoman also has a pair of dogs that will raise quite an alarm with their barking and attack the PCs on sight. (I'm using some of the details from the Shut In adventure in Dungeon #128 if you're familiar with that issue.)
Behind the scenes: originally, I intended this to be a very straightforward B&E job--well, straightforward except for the dogs....
The noblewoman is an alchemist who has developed a technique to create healing potions that don't require rare herbs, ingredients, etc.--just fairly common chemicals, not unlike how asprin is mass-manufactured in our society. The formula to create the potion is in a notebook that the noblewoman has stored in her alchemical lab on the second floor. The thieves' guild has discovered this, and wants the formula (for obvious reasons--fast & cheap healing for themselves and to sell to others).The PCs just did the noblewoman's village a huge favor (last week's adventure) by uncovering a small conspiracy in the town, so they're currently seen as heroes. If they get caught and evidence is put forth that they were trying to steal from this noblewoman, they could face some difficult times. They will likely need to hand-deliver the journal to the thieves' guild. Thus, if they get caught--it'll be red-handed.
I set up an "instant messaging" system from the thieves' guild to the party--an enchanted scroll tube that instantly teleports notes to and from the party to their guild contact back home. The players (and characters) know nothing of the noblewoman other than what I mentioned above, so I'm free to change her background, personality, even motivations as I see fit.
Is this interesting enough on it's own, or is there a small twist that I can use to make this more interesting? Any suggestions for a twist that will make this more "thieves' guild-y" would be welcome.
