Suggestions for Node Based Adventure

[Postmodernist]

Hi all,

I'm running a node based adventure (https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/7949/roleplaying-games/node-based-scenario-design-part-1-the-plotted-approach) murder mystery for my players. It's Eberron, and they're in Aerenal, Shae Mordrai, where they're not supposed to be, due to the isolationism of the city. The elven character is supposed to be there to attend the Ritual of Transition for his father, the others have been largely smuggled in. They're also chasing an adversary who has ended up here, who is a former Mark of Shadow heir who has allied with the Skullborn/Stillborn and the Lich Queen, Erandis Vol. One character, a changeling who typically appears as an elf, has been framed for the murder of the priest who was supposed to perform the ritual.

Of course, the Stillborn agent and his associates did it. Specifically, a character I think the party doesn't suspect at all who is actually a changeling. The conspiracy of baddies will be: the changeling murderer, a rogue Phiarlan agent, a Valenar warrior, and a priest who is my elven party member's cousin.

I'm using the three clue rule, (https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule) and so far my nodes are the murder scene (the temple), a hidden underground lair for the Stillborn (with passages connecting several other nodes), the nearby tavern, the House Phiarlan outpost, and the rectory.

My intended clues include: a knife wound, evidence of purple worm poison (which has been present in prior murders the party has discovered) being used, a Speak With Dead use indicating a changeling (potentially casting additional aspersions upon the accused changeling party member), footprints from the temple to the tavern, a discarded knife along that route, a missing vial of purple worm poison from House Phiarlan stockpile. The lair will have lots of ominous clues - evidence of the Stillborn presence, a creepy altar, sacrificial implements, evidence of poison being prepared.

Interviews with the innkeeper, servers, priests, and beggars will reveal some possible motives: the ambitions and dissatisfaction of the bad guy priest and the rogue Phiarlan agent, a strange person taking an unusual route behind the temple to the tavern, odd behavior from the Valenar elf. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter which of these the players accuse, because they'll flee in a sufficiently incriminating matter. Their allies will follow, and there will be a cool fight.

I'd love the following:

Additional node ideas
Additional clue ideas
Additional motivations
Enhancements to any of the above
Overall feedback

Thanks in advance!

[Yakk]

The inverted 3 clue rule is that each node must have 3 clues pointing to it.

While that link focuses on arrows out, I think arrows in are more important. Ie, for each node, list what clues LEAD TO it (and where they are), at design time.

Then invert it - putting the clues on the nodes you find them -- and ensure that each node has interesting clues to find.

A "clue" needs to be sufficient information to approach a node. "A knife wound" isn't a clue unless it could be sufficient to send players to the specific node it is a clue for. I'm not sure how a knife wound could ldea to *any* of those nodes from another one of those nodes.

I suspect the path between the temple to the tavern is a different node than either of the other two. The footprints are a clue leading there. But I don't see a way to have 3 clues pointing at that node -- so that node is dead. (If you go to the tavern from anywhere except the temple, you don't spot the footprints or the knife).

Nodes of "confront the (possible) murderer" could be added. Then clues to the murderer act as adventure clues.

Personally, I'd leave it open for PCs to actually solve the murder and get the murderer caught. But "flee because we can't" should also be possible.

Why would the PCs solve the murder and not just flee in the first place?

OH! It is the accused baddies who flee.

At least one red herring "accuse" node needs to be added. It could even have a "I didn't do it, I know because X" and provide a clue to another node.

Witnesses are hard to avoid. At least someone needs to have seen something. Such a witness is a clue.

Criminal activity and conspiracy requires resources from outside of the conspiracy. Such interactions will leave traces. Lots of possible clues here, and possible nodes -- like, talk to the local crime boss, who isn't happy about the murder (the murderer didn't pay tax, or maybe the target paid protection money, or whatever).

The local police force will be doing stuff. Maybe they have grabbed some evidence the PCs need to prove their innocence. Or arrested some dude the PCs want to talk to.

How about a film noir inspired private detective who isn't convinced the PCs did it. A scene where they confront each other, and the PCs have information that convinces the private detective they aren't guilty. You could steal from the TV show "Invincible" and make the private detective a demon -- you pay the price, they solve the crime of pay the forfeit, even if you don't want them to. This demon gets too close and is killed -- two nodes, one of which is "stop the private detective from being killed" and "search the private detective's stuff after they are killed" can exist depending on PC timing, which can produce clues.

[Postmodernist]

Thanks for the feedback. Just as a clarification, my understanding of "clue" means that the players learn something about the means, motive, or identity of the suspect, not necessarily just pointing to another node as you stated, though it can do all of those things. So the knife wound and poison reveal the means - they're looking for someone with access to those items.

While I like the idea of a helpful detective, I've put a time constraint on the characters to maintain a sense of urgency. But I do like the idea of additional traces of Blood of Vol involvement. Maybe I'll include some necromantic spell component materials or something. I'm somewhat against red herrings - I think the Alexandrian article explicitly says they're not necessary, and my party is happy to jump at shadows enough as it is, I think distracting them will hinder more than it'll help.

[Yakk]

For a node-based game as described in your link, the path between nodes is based off clues.

So these "NodeClues" themselves need to exist, and there needs to be three of them for a Node to be "reachable". In addition, at any point of exploration, there needs to be 3 "exit" clues from a collection of explored nodes (so the collection of nodes doesn't lead to a dead end, with the players not having any clues to move on).

This is part of the adventure structure to make players running out of things to do unlikely to happen.

You can describe the "confront X as the murderer" as nodes as well. Then clues leading towards those nodes are also "NodeClues".

For things that are "just" information, they are a different kind of clue. As anything your players try to do or go is a node, is a clue that doesn't lead to an action or a place anything but a red herring/set dressing?

And yes, dead ends are optional. But I like the idea of someone being a possible suspect, and when confronted they provide evidence they aren't guilty that points towards something else. (Such evidence should have a physical copy, so if the PCs kill the suspect they can still find it out, heh). It is a really simple node, and if they ran into it, when they find evidence someone ELSE is guilty (the real culprit) they might be more likely to double-check and poke them rather than just kill them.

The point is that the Node based adventure is supposed to use glues and graph properties to ensure you don't write an adventure that is "accidentally" a railroad or one where the PCs run out of options. The idea is that by doing this, the DM doesn't have to help the PCs in the adventure itself; the PCs wander the graph themselves, and unexpected ordering and the like produces interesting results.

[Postmodernist]

Any suggestions on additional clues or nodes?