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Seatbelt
2008-12-05, 12:34 AM
Long post, sorry. I'm fond of exposition.

I'm running a campaign for some friends at college. The party is level 3, and they will be leaving the DM's delight of "the wilderness" (Lets see... today you find a dungeon with stuff to kill, tomorrow, stuff to kill finds you, the next day.. a little of both) and entering the city. I have had alot of stuff on my plate with college, and finals right around the corner, so I havent been able to come up with anything real solid.

It's a horror campaign, and lately it's been light on the horror because.. well.. college is intense. But anyway, the party is now more or less a day's march from the city and they're heading to meet a bard named Eric Zahn. He is ultimately the BBEG in the city, although he doesn't even realize it himself. Eric will probably be providing a lot of the creepy vibe within town.

There is a thieves guild (headed by a level 10 human Rog 1/Clr5/Nightcloak 4 because I liked the idea of a non-rogue rogue.) The thieves guild is structured more or less along the lines of this document I found here (http://www.cerebrates.net/DnD/MAG/MAGDnDThievesGuild.htm). Each of the 6 divisions has a LBEG running it. I want the party to encounter the Acqusitions division first and deal with that LBEG before realizing that they have a much bigger problem on their hands.

There is a brutally opressive police force, let by a (Pal 5/Rog1/ Shadowbane Inquisitor 2). I havent figured out exactly what makes them brutally opressive yet. But I know I want this organization to make the thieves guild a little more sympathetic.

There is also a random monster problem tied to Eric and his secret BBEGness, but that will develope and I know how I want to handle it.

So that's the situation in town, more or less. I am asking you good people if you have any ideas for a "welcome to town" session, where I can introduce them to Eric, the police force, the problem with theft in the city (some pickpocketing, but also major robbery).
I'm also looking for some suggestions on how to make the Obviously Good police force seem draconian and brutal.

Another thing I'm grappling with: Around what levels would be apropriate for my thieves guild LBEGs? I'm having trouble pegging them.

If it helps, the party is big. I have a Favored Soul going for Stormlord, a newbie Druid going for Fist of the Forest, a virgin D&D player rocking out with a Sorcerer, a Dwarfbarian, a halfling rogue, and the Party Leader/Collective Voice of Reason/Main Roleplayer is a bard. And all of them are level 3. Thougts are appreciated.

Keld Denar
2008-12-05, 12:55 AM
Party gets pickpocketed by a girl, lets put her at about 11, old enough to have the dextarity, young enough to be considered an "innocent". Nearby peasent notices the party being pickpocketed and yell out. Nearby guards are summoned, and proceed to backhand her around a bit, before clapping her in irons. Her crimes bear the punishment of "behandment" or loss of the right hand. PCs are asked to testify. They can tell the truth and condem the girl to life as a cripple, or they can make **** up and try to get her off, possibly incuring the wrath of the local law. Very open-ended, yet grates the fingernails of morality across the chalkboard of the legal system.

Could be interesting if your players are mature enough to consider all of the consequenses of any action they take. Kind of a Kobiashi Maru situation, but critical thinking could possibly be used to get the girl off the hook without offending anyone. If I think of a way, I'll get back to you! lol