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<blockquote data-quote="Shallown" data-source="post: 437756" data-attributes="member: 1368">I once (actually twice in different games) ran a serial killer in an Amber game and it worked out quite well.I focused on how grizzly the murders were. Characters/players tend to be jaded and sometimes you have to shock them a little as a serial killer shocks us.It makes for a great mystery especially if you set a time table of when someone dies. It gets the players moving along well and can make them desperate and more willing to enter into morale conflicts such as will we ignore the drug smuggler who wants to trade info for protection etc...In D&amp;D it would be important to shield or protect the killer from divinations and such. They could easily have a magic item, worship a God who approves of their activities or just simple stay somewhere barred from divination (like some temples or mage schools in my game) most of the time.I also find it worked well to work upwards through society. First murders are beggars/criminals/common laborers, then merchants, then minor royalty. Reason being the lower murders may be ignored by the upper management of the city and you can easily make it personal to the characters by it being someone they know. Make sure it is someone they are not too closely attached. Reason is if it is too close then players/characters take it as an attack directed at them. Don't focus it on the characters to start, if you can help it . The idea is to draw them in and then guilt them for taking so long to be drawn in.Usually a barmaid or servant will do to start. Just a few ideas. hope they help however decides to run with this idea.Later</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Shallown, post: 437756, member: 1368"] I once (actually twice in different games) ran a serial killer in an Amber game and it worked out quite well. I focused on how grizzly the murders were. Characters/players tend to be jaded and sometimes you have to shock them a little as a serial killer shocks us. It makes for a great mystery especially if you set a time table of when someone dies. It gets the players moving along well and can make them desperate and more willing to enter into morale conflicts such as will we ignore the drug smuggler who wants to trade info for protection etc... In D&D it would be important to shield or protect the killer from divinations and such. They could easily have a magic item, worship a God who approves of their activities or just simple stay somewhere barred from divination (like some temples or mage schools in my game) most of the time. I also find it worked well to work upwards through society. First murders are beggars/criminals/common laborers, then merchants, then minor royalty. Reason being the lower murders may be ignored by the upper management of the city and you can easily make it personal to the characters by it being someone they know. Make sure it is someone they are not too closely attached. Reason is if it is too close then players/characters take it as an attack directed at them. Don't focus it on the characters to start, if you can help it . The idea is to draw them in and then guilt them for taking so long to be drawn in. Usually a barmaid or servant will do to start. Just a few ideas. hope they help however decides to run with this idea. Later [/QUOTE]

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