Contacts as Rewards - Deckard Cain

[nakedonmyfoldin]

I'm trying to reward my low level players who are on their way to a city for the first time. I think rather than low level magic items, they would enjoy gaining a contact in the new city. My mind immediately went to a guy like Deckard Cain from Diablo, who identifies the PCs items free of charge and supplies wisdom and stuff. I was wondering if anyone has any other ideas for special contacts in a city. Something better than "a special price at the blacksmith."

[BowStreetRunner]

Have you looked at the contacts section in Cityscape (page 57) yet?

Edit: Services provided by contacts mentioned in Cityscape include: asylum from powerful enemies; news of the criminal underworld; legal assistance; medical assistance; high-society access; smithing at cost; aid with research and identification; appraisal of mundane items; meals; spy on individual; diversionary performance; gather information and knowledge local bonus; city watch information; food and lodging; loan of funds and equipment; identify; political news.

Note that it also mentioned a frequency each contact would provide such services.

[Nibbens]

I'm trying to reward my low level players who are on their way to a city for the first time. I think rather than low level magic items, they would enjoy gaining a contact in the new city. My mind immediately went to a guy like Deckard Cain from Diablo, who identifies the PCs items free of charge and supplies wisdom and stuff. I was wondering if anyone has any other ideas for special contacts in a city. Something better than "a special price at the blacksmith."

i think the important thing here is to make sure that the NPC introduced grants not only a service, but has some political pull in the city. So the NPC who is "gained" is a contact with immediate benefits as well as a resource for future endeavors and long term resources. Something that once your PCs become tired or outgrow a certain service that he provides, he can now operate in a secondary capacity.

[Jowgen]

If they're going to a city for the first time, this ought to be their first time come face to face with big guilds and institutions. This contact could be a nice doorway to that side of the city-experience. If you make the contact a low-medium level member of some organization, he'd be able to essentially work as a liaison between the party and that group; giving the party access to the perks of being a part of it without having to work their way in/up. If the organization is really exclusive, your party will feel like it's a genuine reward. Also, if they decide to stick around and maybe occasionally help that guy; he might rise in position and thus bring more benefits.


I suggest the Paragnostic Assembly from Complete Champion as the organization, for fit the Cain vibe.