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<blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 6318607" data-attributes="member: 79141">Not to disagree with you, but I would argue that if a DM fleshes out the named background NPCs and adds them to the roster of suspects alongside the major NPCs, there is more than enough to be getting on with without adding even more.&nbsp; Each of those NPCs has a reason to draw suspicion: bloodstained shoes; nervousness; combat readiness; esoteric arcane knowledge, etc. The challenge of the adventure becomes deciding how to assign each party member - who to follow at each port of call; how and when to question them, etc.&nbsp; If they don't act intelligently and decisively they won't be able to handle even the dozen or more suspects contained in the adventure.The PCs also need to bear in mind that if they reveal their hand, the gig is up.&nbsp; The usual gung-ho antics won't do, and nor will absolute caution.&nbsp; (Interrogating everyone on board is not only impossible but likely to reveal their mission to the bad guys.)As I mentioned earlier (and in my campaign journal) I drew my own portraits for all of the NPCs so the PCs couldn't distinguish between the major ones and the minor ones.&nbsp; If it would be helpful, I could upload the images here.&nbsp; (They are pencil drawings.)&nbsp; Having a visual image for everyone really helped.I also drew up a detailed list of what each NPC does at each station - the same for the minor NPCs in case the PCs focus on them mistakenly.&nbsp; You can check out how that part of the adventure went for our party on pp16-18 of our campaign journal thread (The Continuing Adventures of Korrigan &amp; Co.)Let me know if you think those NPC portraits would be useful.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="gideonpepys, post: 6318607, member: 79141"] Not to disagree with you, but I would argue that if a DM fleshes out the named background NPCs and adds them to the roster of suspects alongside the major NPCs, there is more than enough to be getting on with without adding even more. Each of those NPCs has a reason to draw suspicion: bloodstained shoes; nervousness; combat readiness; esoteric arcane knowledge, etc. The challenge of the adventure becomes deciding how to assign each party member - who to follow at each port of call; how and when to question them, etc. If they don't act intelligently and decisively they won't be able to handle even the dozen or more suspects contained in the adventure. The PCs also need to bear in mind that if they reveal their hand, the gig is up. The usual gung-ho antics won't do, and nor will absolute caution. (Interrogating everyone on board is not only impossible but likely to reveal their mission to the bad guys.) As I mentioned earlier (and in my campaign journal) I drew my own portraits for all of the NPCs so the PCs couldn't distinguish between the major ones and the minor ones. If it would be helpful, I could upload the images here. (They are pencil drawings.) Having a visual image for everyone really helped. I also drew up a detailed list of what each NPC does at each station - the same for the minor NPCs in case the PCs focus on them mistakenly. You can check out how that part of the adventure went for our party on pp16-18 of our campaign journal thread ([I]The Continuing Adventures of Korrigan & Co.[/I]) Let me know if you think those NPC portraits would be useful. [/QUOTE]

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