Plot Help: The King's Cup

[00dlez]

Trying to flesh out a little adventure plot hook for a homebrew setting but have come to a little writer's block and thought I'd tap into some greater minds.

A little background...
The adventure takes place in the capitol of a very old Kingdom, that is primarily human but quite diverse, and well mixed with dwarves and elves (50/20/20 or so, and 10% other). The Kingdom has survived for thousands of years in a very brutal world thanks mostly to, of all things, their temperament. They are explorers back to the earliest days of their Kingdom, and while they've raised great armies, connected the world with trade, harnessed powerful magics, and are the home to High Temples of many major dieties, they have survived and thrived because they do not project this power outward in greed or lust, but focus first and foremost on protecting themselves and what they have rather than expand their influence.

The "King" is actually chosen by a Council of 9 - 3 Humans, 3 Elves, and 3 Dwarves (representing the original coalition that founded the Empire and carved out their long standing boundaries). Their ruler, while not exclusively, is often Human and the transfer of power is hereditary. Changes do occur though when there is no direct heir or there is a political need for it (ie. the GoT King Joffery would not happen).

Basic Plot
The Capitol is coastal, at the mouth of a fertile river valley. Many miles up river (a few days walk, perhaps 50 miles) is verdant wine country (as well as other alcohols, such as mead) where some of the best wine in the world is produced. The wineries are family owned and go back many generations, some thousands of years near the foundation of the Kingdom. Traditionally, each year in celebration of the up coming harvest, a boat from each winery sails down river to the Capitol to present the King with a cask of their finest vintage for his judgement. In the past, the contest was more of a boat race, but that has since become more pageantry and symbolic – some of the boat captains/crews have a competitive edge amongst themselves, but the true contest is now based solely around the wine. The winner, as the King’s Cup namesake implies, wins the cup that the King drank his samples from – a valuable piece of art, typically silver with inlaid precious stones, engraving, etc.

For some reason or another (likely the PCs did some favor or service to the crown, City, Council official) they earned in invite to the ceremony – a feast where after the winner is declared, the reminder of the “loser” casks (all still phenomenal and expensive wines by their own merits) are shared with the Court. With guests looking on, the King tastes cask after cask, until near the end, he pours a cup, drinks, and spits the wine to the ground!

Gasps and whispers fill the room and after a moment to compose himself, the King looks distraught and angrily draws a sword and breaks the cask in two, spilling its contents onto the throne room floor… Including a severed human head! Women shriek, men put hands on their sword pommels as no one is quite sure what is going on, but it is quickly realized that the head is that of the Prince – obviously murdered. The family whose wine it was are quickly slapped in irons and dragged off, much their own confusion and protest.

There will be a bit of a murder mystery that ensues, which the basics are that one of the wine families killed the Prince and tampered with another family’s cask to frame them.

I want the murdering family to have been slighted by the King in some way, perhaps passed over on something in favor of the framed family. What might this slight have been? I want something worthy of a heinous crime such as this, but also something seemingly petty – the patriarch of the murdering family might be off his rocker, or have some ulterior motive in addition to the slight (done on behalf of a third party who exploited his anger over the slight, etc).

What might the slight have been? They game world is still quite raw, so throw out anything you might have! Thanks for reading!

[SilverLeaf167]

Presumably you already thought of the answer that "The murdering family lost an earlier King's Cup against the framed family". :smalltongue:

I'm assuming these wine families are really that, wine families? Most of their contact with the King and each other is likely related to the wine in some way? Even if not, the players and NPCs will probably assume so. In that case it could be a bit of a twist if the true motive for the murder was something completely unrelated to the wine and the competition. Or maybe they actually wanted revenge on the Prince personally, and not the King? The Prince could've visited their vineyard for some reason and gone on a drunken rampage or given them some other motive to murder him in an act of passion, so after they realized what they'd done they decided to try and pin it on a rival family.

Alternatively, there might be another competitive scene overshadowed by the King's Cup: who actually provides the court with wine all year? Often the winner of the King's Cup, but not always. The true motive may lie there.

[NOhara24]

You might have a bit more luck posting this in "Roleplaying General" forum - but you're not new here so you likely already know that.:smallsmile:

Regardless, I like what I read. The issue I see is that if it was the king specifically who wronged the guilty family, why wouldn't they just try to outright kill him instead of murdering his son and framing this other family? It doesn't fix anything really, it's a blind act of revenge that leads to less competition in the wine industry but doesn't fix the root of the problem, this king that the guilty family doesn't like is still in power after the prince is murdered.

What I suggest is that the primary plot be between warring families - it will allow the characters to spend more time around them and really develop the families themselves and make the organizations characters all their own (potentially, even get the players all wound up and have them unknowingly on the side of the guilty party.) And at the same time, if it's the families that are warring, it would make sense to assassinate a member of the crown family in efforts to take down the other as a sort of "nuclear option". The King's Men telling a family of lowly winemakers to cease production and forfeit all assets to the crown on the charge of murder could make quite a scene.

[00dlez]

Presumably you already thought of the answer that "The murdering family lost an earlier King's Cup against the framed family". :smalltongue:

I had, yes, but I wanted the mystery to tap into/expose some other underlying political/kingdom type issues for the PCs to be aware of and perhaps explore further - leaving it completely within the realm of "wine families feud, kill prince" seemed too small of a scope to me.


I'm assuming these wine families are really that, wine families? Most of their contact with the King and each other is likely related to the wine in some way? Even if not, the players and NPCs will probably assume so. In that case it could be a bit of a twist if the true motive for the murder was something completely unrelated to the wine and the competition. Or maybe they actually wanted revenge on the Prince personally, and not the King? The Prince could've visited their vineyard for some reason and gone on a drunken rampage or given them some other motive to murder him in an act of passion, so after they realized what they'd done they decided to try and pin it on a rival family.
Yes, the family vineyards are the family staple, if not only, source of wealth/income/prominence. Some might dabble in other merchant realms, trading wine for other goods, owning a small merchant fleet to export wine and bring back other goods, etc.

That said, I can dig this (not sold, but dig it) maybe the Prince is rumored to have disappeared a few days or a week prior... as he is known to do being a young, handsome, 20-something Prince, but to miss the King's Cup is quite out of character. His carousing is frustrating to the King, but it never has interfered with City/Kingdom/family business until now. Perhaps he wandered to the winery, liked what he saw in one of the vinter's daughters and after too forceful of an advance wound up with a dagger in his gut and the whole thing is a cover up.

Again, though, this doesn't really start to expose other hooks and threads for politicking in the City.


Alternatively, there might be another competitive scene overshadowed by the King's Cup: who actually provides the court with wine all year? Often the winner of the King's Cup, but not always. The true motive may lie there.
Perhaps, but the competition, more than the trophy or money to be made off of direct sales, is about the prestige and honor. The wine families are old, wealthy, and care more about the legacy and prestige winning brings than any extra sales.



Regardless, I like what I read. The issue I see is that if it was the king specifically who wronged the guilty family, why wouldn't they just try to outright kill him instead of murdering his son and framing this other family? It doesn't fix anything really, it's a blind act of revenge that leads to less competition in the wine industry but doesn't fix the root of the problem, this king that the guilty family doesn't like is still in power after the prince is murdered.
Point well taken. (1) Opportunity to kill a King would be difficult indeed - poisoning the King's Cup wine to frame another house, perhaps, but I think it would be somewhat obvious the house was framed, who would poison the King, standing 10 feet away while he taps, pours, and drinks wine from a cask with your house markings? (2) Maybe the King overall is an alright guy, but something triggered the revenge and it was emotional. Death is too good for the King on this personal level and drinking wine fermented with his sons head, and the horror resulting, is a far more pleasing punishment to the offended family?


What I suggest is that the primary plot be between warring families - it will allow the characters to spend more time around them and really develop the families themselves and make the organizations characters all their own (potentially, even get the players all wound up and have them unknowingly on the side of the guilty party.) And at the same time, if it's the families that are warring, it would make sense to assassinate a member of the crown family in efforts to take down the other as a sort of "nuclear option". The King's Men telling a family of lowly winemakers to cease production and forfeit all assets to the crown on the charge of murder could make quite a scene.

I do like perhaps making the PCs choose sides, so much the better if they are compelled to pick wrong and go through the effort of clearing their name in the process of the ordeal.

Perhaps the framed family is relatively new (say only a century old :smallsmile: ) and a little more upstart-ish - much to many other family's chagrin. The King did them some favor and it sent the patriarch of the murderers over the edge. He must be taught a lesson, the old families get preference, not these pretenders. Death wont solve it, but the King must be punished and this new family brought to rubble. Perhaps the patriarch is acting alone and/or against the will of his family, and he has gone too far. Outing him might bring the whole house down, so protecting him is their only option now, like it or not. They call in favors and make deals with seedier elements of the City to see the plot through and it sets off a chain reaction of intrigue that taps into a web of dealings the elites of the City/Kingdom, and not just the wine makers, would rather not come to light...

[NOhara24]

Perhaps the framed family is relatively new (say only a century old :smallsmile: ) and a little more upstart-ish - much to many other family's chagrin. The King did them some favor and it sent the patriarch of the murderers over the edge. He must be taught a lesson, the old families get preference, not these pretenders. Death wont solve it, but the King must be punished and this new family brought to rubble. Perhaps the patriarch is acting alone and/or against the will of his family, and he has gone too far. Outing him might bring the whole house down, so protecting him is their only option now, like it or not. They call in favors and make deals with seedier elements of the City to see the plot through and it sets off a chain reaction of intrigue that taps into a web of dealings the elites of the City/Kingdom, and not just the wine makers, would rather not come to light...

1) If you establish some kind of life-changing prize for winning the king's cup outside of increased business (IE,something worth killing for; I can imagine these families are already wealthy so simple "riches beyond their wildest dreams" won't do.) you would create a big motivator. It would supplement the idea you're kicking around of the patriarch of a given family being off his rocker. If winning this competition could potentially set up his bloodline to be permanently cemented into the king's court or something like that, it would make sense to try and win at any cost. If his own family found him out his excuse would be "I was just trying to help us! Help you! Set my grandchildren and your children and generations down the line on "easy street''!

2) "The king must be punished..."

This could establish a whole sub-plot in itself, especially if it's known through the kingdom that the king is just a figurehead for the families (which would most certainly be the case if they see the crown as something that could be punished without any reprehension.) So it could be both the "whodunnit?" sort of plot and then also the king's hand is forced into dismantling the thinly-veiled oligarchy that is his kingdom.

[00dlez]

1) If you establish some kind of life-changing prize for winning the king's cup outside of increased business (IE,something worth killing for; I can imagine these families are already wealthy so simple "riches beyond their wildest dreams" won't do.) you would create a big motivator. It would supplement the idea you're kicking around of the patriarch of a given family being off his rocker. If winning this competition could potentially set up his bloodline to be permanently cemented into the king's court or something like that, it would make sense to try and win at any cost. If his own family found him out his excuse would be "I was just trying to help us! Help you! Set my grandchildren and your children and generations down the line on "easy street''!


Hmmm... I liked the idea of the King's Cup being a more innocuous stage for such a grandiose crime, but maybe the event (and crime) could be given some special significance making the gesture all the more significant... perhaps an X thousandth anniversary.


2) "The king must be punished..."

This could establish a whole sub-plot in itself, especially if it's known through the kingdom that the king is just a figurehead for the families (which would most certainly be the case if they see the crown as something that could be punished without any reprehension.) So it could be both the "whodunnit?" sort of plot and then also the king's hand is forced into dismantling the thinly-veiled oligarchy that is his kingdom.
It's fairly well known that the Council as a whole have the real power - they don't put up purely figure head Kings per se, but the consensus of the Council is 95% of the King's commands. The King does have power, authority, and the capacity to affect his will (for better or worse) and historically has, but on a majority of issues, the Council's collective wisdom is the King's guide.

That said, there could be a whole structure of intrigue behind this overall benevolent system - who whispers into the Councils ears and what moves them might play a bigger role that doesn't go to the top, but certainly would destabilize the regional politics

[Fuzzy McCoy]

With respect to why the prince and not the king, maybe one of the families (or a third party bargaining with the family) wants to take the kingship for themselves? Their goal may be to paint the current king as a tyrant, and if the king plays into their hand by going on witchhunt/headchopping rampage/etc, it wouldn't be too hard to convince the council/people that a new king is needed. By killing the prince, they get two people with one murder - the prince is out of the way, and the current king is removed, making the throne empty with no successors (presumably).

Alternately, perhaps the family in question was slighted by the king in some way. If the vintners are minor royalty, maybe the prince was supposed to marry the family's daughter, but something stopped the engagement from happening. Maybe the prince had an indiscreet affair, or the king received a better offer? Maybe the king found out something about the daughter that the family at large is unaware of (already secretly married, perhaps)?

A twist to either of the two options is this is just the beginning - the king must suffer and break, to the point he would beg for death. There would be few better ways to start the process than by killing the king's child.

[00dlez]

With respect to why the prince and not the king, maybe one of the families (or a third party bargaining with the family) wants to take the kingship for themselves? Their goal may be to paint the current king as a tyrant, and if the king plays into their hand by going on witchhunt/headchopping rampage/etc, it wouldn't be too hard to convince the council/people that a new king is needed. By killing the prince, they get two people with one murder - the prince is out of the way, and the current king is removed, making the throne empty with no successors (presumably).


Yeah, that's the ticket... NOhara24's words "nuclear option" also linger in my head - this could be good... Got some context brewing that needs to marinade a bit, but keep these great ideas coming!

[mistermysterio]

You could get the group even more involved in this - maybe their ticket to the party was given to them by either the group who gets accused, or the group who actually committed the murder. Somehow, the group is asked to present the wine or something, resulting in their getting blamed, or at least investigated - so they have to clear their names as well as figure out what really went down.

Do your characters have backstories? Maybe you could bring someone's backstory into play as a reason why the group would use them to take the blame.

Maybe the ones doing the killing are next in line for the throne if the king and the prince die... or maybe they are third in line, and the ones being blamed are second (and the leader of the "bad" group can act like the benevolent helper, who doesn't want the throne but will tragically accept it). *shrug*

[00dlez]

Do your characters have backstories? Maybe you could bring someone's backstory into play as a reason why the group would use them to take the blame.
No backgrounds or PCs yet, still fleshing out the setting. A lot of the time I'll craft adventures for different areas of a world to get a better idea of who is there and whats going on.



You could get the group even more involved in this - maybe their ticket to the party was given to them by either the group who gets accused, or the group who actually committed the murder. Somehow, the group is asked to present the wine or something, resulting in their getting blamed, or at least investigated - so they have to clear their names as well as figure out what really went down.
Good notion, but I might not take it quite so far. I might have the PCs do some work (clear the forests, deliver the thing, etc) for the framed family. In court after the murder, maybe some of the memebers of the court finger them as recent associates of the framed family. Taken in, questioned, eventually released... Maybe those who were quick to point out the PCs can be useful allies later in solving the murder.





Maybe the ones doing the killing are next in line for the throne if the king and the prince die... or maybe they are third in line, and the ones being blamed are second (and the leader of the "bad" group can act like the benevolent helper, who doesn't want the throne but will tragically accept it). *shrug*
I had dismissed this as a little to obvious and overt, but with all the ideas for twists and smoke I've gotten here it might not be so bad after all. Perhaps the King wasn't hereditary and chosen by the Council, but chosen for good reason, but that reason never gained relevancy... Like, there was a war presumed to be coming, and the King was chosen for his vastly superior military mind, but the war never came and a decade or so later those passed over (perhaps one or both of the vinters) are more than a little bitter.