PF How would you handle a session based on finding a serial killer (My players GTFO.)

[JoeYounger]

Like the title states, I'm thinking about having a session dedicated to the capture / killing of a serial killer that's been getting his slaughter on in this metropolis that the campaign is based in.

How would you guys handle it? Would you guys try to get in depth where there were clues left for the PC's to solve IRL that will leave to finding him? Or would you just leave it to a series of int checks to track him down / identify the killer. I'm hesitant to make it to where the players HAVE to figure it out with their OOC knowledge becasue I'm worried that will invalidate their characters. I mean, the wizard with an int of 18 is **way** smarter than his player is. But I'm also concerned that just having a series of "get there, roll int check, get clue, leave" encounters will turn boring real quick.

Have any of you guys done something like this before? How did you handle it? How did it work out?

[only1doug]

I'd suggest creating a matrix of clues and corellations, the clues to be spread across various locations and retrieved by different types of skill check, the correlations can be worked out by the players or if they ask for a hint a Int check will result in you revealing the correlation. (or int check for an idea of a location of a clue).

The characters have a role, the players have a puzzle, and if it is too hard for the player the PC can help out.

[bigstipidfighte]

Pretty much what Doug said, have Search, Gather Information, Intimidate and the like be useful in gathering clues. Let Knowledge and Int/Wis checks offer pieces of the puzzle but not reveal the entire thing.

For God's sake though, DON'T discount the PCs ability to use divination magic. Plan ahead for them to use Speak with Dead, Locate Object and the like even at low levels. At high levels, things like Scry and Discern Location open up. Even if a PC can't cast them personally, a metropolis probably has a resident NPC capable of doing so for a fee. Plan ahead for these; if the players ignore their magical options, they should be in for a much tougher time, but give the PCs int checks to think of using spells if they neglect the resource for too long.

[Honest Tiefling]

I kinda doubt that the player with the wizard is really going to mind a few hints or INT checks. I do think you are right that if the quest won't be terribly fun or mysterious if it's solved easily.

I'll third what has been said and say you might want to consider just giving the party INT/Knowledge/Perception/Sense Motive checks to nudge them in the right direction if they start to seriously go off away from the mystery. He'll feel important, the players in general will likely appreciate five sessions in the wrong district, and you'll probably have an easier time preparing if they stick to the mystery.

If players are absolutely baffled by a clue, that might also be a good time for an INT roll. Out of curiosity, what are the other players doing with their characters?

[Quietus]

The best advice I can give, I think, is to link you to this : The Three Clue Rule. (http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule)

[Grail]

One of the games that I've run plenty of over the years is SLA Industries. This has often quite a lot of investigative style play in it. As Serial Killers are litterally a plague in the world, hunting them down is quite often the goal of many a BPN (mission) for the operatives.

The best way to do this IMO, is to use lines of player questioning to trigger skill checks/attribute checks. You should never discount the player, but you should definitely never discount the character that they are playing.

Start with Perception checks to notice a few bits of information. Then let that information trigger the players to ask questions. Then get them to make appropriate skill checks based on the questions that you've given them. Then allow that to trigger more questions and so on. If you just leave it all to the characters, the players will not feel like actually getting involved in the scene. They'll just say, "What roll should I make", roll it, and then ask "Right where does that take me", kind of a basic look at it, but this is what can and often will happen. If you rely on the players, then those without forensic knowledge skills themselves will simply give up because it's too hard. Make them play, but use their characters.

Here's an example.

Characters come across a crime scene. Man has been brutally murdered in an ally, his throat cut, and his body mutilated.

Perception checks.

DC 10 = Notice that there is bruising on the body.
DC 12 = Notice a silver carving knife in the detritus of the alley.
DC 15 = Notice an injury on the wrist of the man.
DC 18 = Notice that it looks like organs are missing from the corpse.
DC 20 = Notice that it looks like the body has been moved after the murder.

That could prompt the players to ask about what kind of bruises, what kind of knife, does it look like a weapon or cutlery, are there any indicators on the knife as to who made it (most knife makers will engrave their creations), what kind of injury is on the wrist, what organs are missing, could organs be used in any ritural, or are they possibly wanted on the black market, how has the body been moved, are there indicators to more than one attacker, where did they move him from, where did they go afterwards.

This allows for skill checks such as Heal, Knowledge: Local, Knowledge: Religion, Knowledge: Local, Survival (track) etc.

Then you can expound on what they find, and give them places to go.

IE,

It looks like the mans liver has been removed, there is currently a religious ceremony in town by a strange cult that eat livers in the full moon whilst painting themselves white.
The man had a braclet on his arm that has been torn off.
The knife is engraved with the initials KM on it, there is a knife maker in town called Knifey Makey.
The Bruises indicate that he was hit with a sap a few times til he lost consciousness.
The Body was moved by three people and arranged in a specific way.
The specific way that the body was arranged is said to trap the soul by certain primitive cultures.
The people who attacked the man seemed to walk with him for some time before the assault.

Give them leads keyed off their skills and then let them do the rest.

[killianh]

I would start off with an encounter using INT and skill chacks to survey a crime scene with, with or without DM fiat, should give them their first few clues. This encounter should involve search, Gather Info, and the like.

Next encounter should be a misdirection or a puzzle. Using the clues you gave them give them a puzzle with two "correct" answers that either leads them to an unassociated murder (i.e. a sad house wife killed her abusive husband and used the current murders to try and hide it) or on to the next encounter. If they end up at the wife add another clue which hopefully makes the other answer obvious.

For the third I would suggest a chase scene through I crowded market place. make the foe invisible and have them attempt an attack then run into one of the side paths and escape. If the party has true seeing on permanently then simply make it some grunt that was hired to attack them as a diversion while another murder takes place right under their noses.

Evidence left behind from those attacks should be enough to lead them to the actual bad guy for a final fight scene. If you want the serial killer to be a recurring villain then make the killer a hit man working for someone more dangerous, someone under mind control, or a construct. Perhaps even a summoned creature.

I could offer more ideas if I had a clue to the type of character committing the murders i.e a rogue, mage, etc.

[BobVosh]

The best advice I can give, I think, is to link you to this : The Three Clue Rule. (http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule)

This is Vital. If anything three is sometimes too low.


For the third I would suggest a chase scene through I crowded market place. make the foe invisible and have them attempt an attack then run into one of the side paths and escape. If the party has true seeing on permanently then simply make it some grunt that was hired to attack them as a diversion while another murder takes place right under their noses.

There is a cool chase scene in Curse of the Crimson Throne by Pathfinder where the chick that is running uses a bunch of acrobatics and some small cantrips to run (bard). Basically what made it interesting was the unusual location for it (rooftops). So if you do do this, make sure the environment is interesting in how it interacts into the chase.

[Hawkings]

Most of the replies concern the mechanics which is good, but for the players the feel of a serial killer will be key, if he is just another schmuck they beat it won't be very fun.

Knowing their level and capability might help a bit since things like true seeing ruin everything in the game.

I've wanted to run players through a serial killer story for a long time so here's what I'd do.
First let's assume the characters a human assassin because I'm somewhat familiar with that class but it doesn't have to be one.

The serial killer goes about his business killing people and confusing the authorities and any investigators when he finds out adventures are on his trail, so he investigates them. He could choose a victum use the paralyzing death attack to capture and tie up a normal NPC and stuff them in a bag or portable hole (figure some way for them to breath), Using alter self and assume quirks he could replace the NPC and interact with the players, then later dispose of the body in a place that they'll find out about. Here's the kicker the body has a note or clue on it and the players have the other half mysteriously found in their pocket or in their room before even finding out about the murder. He could even go so far as to kill a NPC and replace him for days, then the body gets dumped all decayed but they saw him alive an hour ago, this might confuse and mislead them for awhile.

Now for the mind games, using clues to mislead them to other npcs, lets say a dock worker, they investigate the dock worker and find out he's innocent, the next day the mans dead, soon everyone they investigate starts showing up dead.

Once they catch on switch to another method. You could have a NPC they hang out with the whole time secretly be the killer, or several NPCs around town so he gets to integrate himself into the investigation and lead them along the path he wants or just know how close they are to him; It might even be a big hit to find out a players new girlfriend was the serial killer the whole time, but that might be a low blow. Whatever you do make sure the players run in circles until finally they catch him or he reveals himself gradually through clues in a end game scenario where he leads them into a trap to finish his playmates off.

Changing things up when needed for good pacing and enjoyment, but remember that in most stories serial killers use the act of killing to communicate and play with their opponent, unless of course they're just typical madmen.

Don't forget to use things like modify memory, mindrape, geass, illusions dominate person and any other nasty ability to further a bored serial killers aim.
Nothing says guilty decoy like a NPC who's memory was modified to think he actually did it, that way the players will think he was caught and executed but the true killer could escape for your use later on.

What ever you do make sure the criminal always feels one step ahead until he finally messes up or they trick him somehow; just make sure you keep the right adventure mystery feel going and the players won't even think about the mechanical side.

[JoeYounger]

Thanks for all the great advice guys! I really appreciate it.

I probably should have included a bit more information for you guys since I was asking for help! We're playing an E-8 game, currently level 2. The baddie I'm thinking about using is a Bogeyman (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=pfsrd+bogeyman&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CE8QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.d20pfsrd.com%2Fbestiary%2Fmon ster-listings%2Ffey%2Fbogeyman&ei=EgTrT86FF4mC8ATy3KnaBQ&usg=AFQjCNH4ke4vi2-_XwpFjIWr85NY6sWy4g) who is a CR 10, so I expect it will take them a while before they are able to stand up to him. So it will probably be several sessions before I introduce this to them, but I'm wanting to get my ducks in a row. And realistically I may end up getting excited and swapping the baddie out for a group of Lurkers in the Light (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=pfsrd+lurkers+in+the+light&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CE0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.d20pfsrd.com%2Fbestiary%2Fmon ster-listings%2Ffey%2Flurker-in-light&ei=IAfrT6uvNYOe8gS1tqj1BQ&usg=AFQjCNFHl6PbiVifAhl8AISKyRx8jvfoTg) so I can do it a bit sooner.

The party consists of:

Rogue
Inquisitor
Ranger
Psychic Warrior
Sorcerer
Cleric

I think I’ll probably end up doing a Know: Local check DC 25 -1/victim to realize that it’s going on, and from there it will vary based on which baddie I use. If I use the Lurker in the light (which I probably will, I tend to get excited about these things and wanna play them out haha) then I’ll probably have people taken from broad daylight and then killed in groups of 5 to summon more of the lurkers. I’ll allow Know: religion to ID the ritual that summons them or a know: planes to reveal that LitL do this type of thing. Alternatively, if it’s a Bogeyman I’ll probably have him intimidate/murder a shop owner so he has a headquarters to operate out of and then just treat him like a regular person.

With it being monsters doing this stuff instead of townsfolk I think it will be harder for them to catch up to the baddie since he won’t have a home for the clues to lead to. Nor will he have a relationship with the victims, but I’m still excited to make it happen.

[Roguenewb]

For normal DMing, the Three Clue Rule is golden. But for a mystery adventure, espcially, I go bigger. Presenting, the 7 Clue Storm:

Clues:
1-3: No checks or spells required
1: Freely obvious (where the body is)
2: Easily found without skill checks (asking a bystander reveals a black caped man with a red hat)
3: Really hard to find, but clever thinking reveals it without a skill check (The body has been dragged to the only part of town without a Fishy Joe's, and then dumped.)
4&5: Require skill checks
4:High DC, no cleverness (DC 35 Heal check reveals he was magically preserved after death to be dropped later)
5: Normal DC, highly clever (DC 20 Forgery check from the Fishy Joe's paychecks in his pocket reveals them to be frauds)
6&7 Magic
6: Due diligence, something they should be doing anyway (Speak with Dead reveals him to be very angry about not getting paid)
7: Cleverness, unexpected, but highly revealing (Break Enchantment on his corpse turns him back into a goblin! Dispel magic removes the aura-d illusions on his gear!)

You can add more, go for the hills!

[zorenathres]

The best advice I can give, I think, is to link you to this : The Three Clue Rule. (http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule)

thank you for this great article,

i wish one of my previous DM's (a ravenloft fanatic), read this, though im a DM now, i have had a lot of bad experiences with trying to solve mysteries as a player.

i like a combination of both clues/ evidence & skill checks, enough to let the players feel they are both getting use out of their skills & using their thinking caps.

Hawkings brings up some great points, give him/ them a purpose (even if its a self induced delusion).

[roguemetal]

Thanks for all the great advice guys! I really appreciate it.

I probably should have included a bit more information for you guys since I was asking for help! We're playing an E-8 game, currently level 2. The baddie I'm thinking about using is a Bogeyman (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=pfsrd+bogeyman&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CE8QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.d20pfsrd.com%2Fbestiary%2Fmon ster-listings%2Ffey%2Fbogeyman&ei=EgTrT86FF4mC8ATy3KnaBQ&usg=AFQjCNH4ke4vi2-_XwpFjIWr85NY6sWy4g) who is a CR 10, so I expect it will take them a while before they are able to stand up to him. So it will probably be several sessions before I introduce this to them, but I'm wanting to get my ducks in a row. And realistically I may end up getting excited and swapping the baddie out for a group of Lurkers in the Light (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=pfsrd+lurkers+in+the+light&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CE0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.d20pfsrd.com%2Fbestiary%2Fmon ster-listings%2Ffey%2Flurker-in-light&ei=IAfrT6uvNYOe8gS1tqj1BQ&usg=AFQjCNFHl6PbiVifAhl8AISKyRx8jvfoTg) so I can do it a bit sooner.

The party consists of:

Rogue
Inquisitor
Ranger
Psychic Warrior
Sorcerer
Cleric

I think I’ll probably end up doing a Know: Local check DC 25 -1/victim to realize that it’s going on, and from there it will vary based on which baddie I use. If I use the Lurker in the light (which I probably will, I tend to get excited about these things and wanna play them out haha) then I’ll probably have people taken from broad daylight and then killed in groups of 5 to summon more of the lurkers. I’ll allow Know: religion to ID the ritual that summons them or a know: planes to reveal that LitL do this type of thing. Alternatively, if it’s a Bogeyman I’ll probably have him intimidate/murder a shop owner so he has a headquarters to operate out of and then just treat him like a regular person.

With it being monsters doing this stuff instead of townsfolk I think it will be harder for them to catch up to the baddie since he won’t have a home for the clues to lead to. Nor will he have a relationship with the victims, but I’m still excited to make it happen.

Careful about using only checks on NPCs to lead into a plotline. Best motivators come from having the party happenstance upon something, and be then mildly restricted in their actions until something changes. Nothing motivates a party like being told no, they will almost always go against it unless they're serious RPers. For this situation I would suggest having authorities enter the scene while the characters do, make assumptions, and restrict them from leaving town or setting until the situation is solved. Work in some decent play with the local enforcement, be them impeding characters, or otherwise. A strong conclusion might be having to break the law to even reach him, or otherwise convince the authorities to let the party free to deal with the culprit. If the players ARE the authorities, having a larger organization preventing them from doing their job with NO relations to the killer is almost compulsory as this type of story format goes.