Hi everybody ! :3

Over the last weeks have I been thinking of the next Campaing I'll be running. I have come up with the setting and the basics of the plot; a plauge have strucken Altdorf and the city hav been isolated by fear of the plauge reatching othe cities. The Slum and docks hav been shut of to all people beacouse of the plauge. Now I have got this Idea that their is a Chaos cult (no suprise there) who's worshipping Nurgle and are beeing lead by a fallen Wizard (who is belived to be dead by his fellow wizards), any how they have succseaded in bringing down the grandfathers "blessing" on Altdorf, the food is being rasioned but the nobles keeps on having their banquets and parties, more and more people are dying by the day, and it's all totaly misserable. I hope that you get the general idea

The problem Im having is to find a way to get the characters drawn in to it all.. I was thinking of using the Castor Liberung (sorry dont know how to spell his last name) from the good old "Ennemy within: Mistaken Identety" campaing that maybe soe of you remember. For you who don't know who Castor is, he is a almost identical looking person with one of the PC's and he is a somewhat high ranking mangus in a Chaos cult.

I thougt about having something delivered to the PC (aka Castor look-a-like) I don't know what yet, mayby a note, a invetation or some one tryes to assassinate him and the PC's finds a note on the assassin leading to a person, meeting, lokation for getting the payment or something along those lines (sloppy work by the assassin but it would help the plot xD)

Now Im wondering if you people have some ideas to add to this, ANYTHING that you come up with would be great help :3

Woops dubble posted the topic my bad xD

I like the idea of having a note that was meant for Castor be delivered to the look-alike PC accidentally by a confused messenger. You could have it be something so questionable that the PCs can't help but want to go check it out or find out to whom it belongs, and then you can let them get involved in the main plotline either by stealthily tracking Castor or by diving in and going after the plot revealed in the note. That way, they'll feel like they have some choice, but you can ultimately channel both pathways back to the same place, the plotline about the plague.

SPOILERS FOR 'THE ENEMY WITHIN'

It would be highly unlikely for a Kastor-look-a-like PC to receive a note that was addressed to Kastor because:

1. Couriers do not deliver notes according to facial features, but according to names. The courier would be looking for a person NAMED Kastor Lieberung, not for a person LOOKING LIKE Kastor Lieberung.

and to a lesser degree because

2. For the mix-up to occur, that would imply that both Kastor and the look-a-like PC reside in the same town/village which is a big coincidence. (On the other hand the meeting of the PCs with Kastor's body in Mistaken Identity is another big coicindence...)

If I were to do that Kastor thing, I'd have the PC walk into a bar/inn/tavern, just as Kastor (we call him Kastor for the ease of it...) walks out.

They bump into each other, and are both surprised, but the real Kastor hurries onwards (important business).

Then a messenger rushes into the bar (he's heard Kastor is in the bar), and asks the barman where Kastor is, the barman turns to the PC, and mistakes him for being Kastor (the barman has talked to Kastor earlier, but missed when he left the bar, you can even have the barman ask the PC "you're hungry/thirsty again?") and points the messenger to Kastor. The PC (and only the PC, not other players prefereable...) hears it, and can now either refuse, or play along. If he refuses, it's just one of thousands of plot-hocks PC's miss during a campaign, if he plays along he gets the note.

Thus it's self-explainant that the best PC to use, is the most rougish type...

Have the messenger demand 5 shilling, as agreed upon payment, so it's not a "free-lunch", and have the messenger look professional (armed and such), so it looks like an important message (also wax seal etc... maybe even a scrollcase).

I tried getting a fist in my face due to someone mistaking me for someone else, so it's not like this stuff never happens...

Regarding the message, then it's important that it's not a message someone would be waiting for, otherwise Kastor would be sitting (and stay put!!!) at a certain bar/inn etc... It has to be of a "Change of plans" nature. If not you could have the messenger excuse him being late, or likewise.

That's more logical, but still, it would cause many problems with my group, if I ever did that.

First, it would be rather suspicious for the PCs to see his double. Even the players (not characters) would be intrigued by the double and would want to follow him (which is against good RP, but my players have trouble metagaming). Following Kastor could alter a bit The Enemy Within campaign. The significance of Kastor isn't explored until well after the third part. Also, there are some very funny encounters that the less you know about Kastor, the more hilarious they are. I am refering to the chance meetings with the cultists.

The PCs will also be curious why the Kastor is in that town. According to The Mistaken Identity, Kastor was probably travelling to Ubersreik (what a coincidence), because the 'inheritance' was a house on that town. What a coincidence that Ubersraik is 3rd editions 'adventure hub'... This revelation might cause the pcs to do unecessary investigations in Ubersreik. The inheritance is a McGuffin used to drive the plot. So any investigations would be unnecessary and might bog down the plot.

Off course all the above could be plot hook for a master GM (so, not me), but could also significantly dillute The Enemy Within campaign.

Don't think he wants to run TEW, just use the "look a like" theme from there as a plot hock.

As a GM you could even say that this is all done on purpose, the players are surposed to get it, because "Kastor" (who's just a grey wizard using illusion magic to look like the PC) or his friends, needs someone to blame later on. Maybe the note is about a temple under a house, and when the players go down to investigate, "Kastor" calls the guards of a suspected break and entry, and find the players inside the house (unless they escape) with a dead family, murdered by "Kastor". The letter could even contain a ring as reward, a ring that they stole from the filthy rich merchant earlier, so the players now has the merchants ring on them, thus looking like robbers.

Of course, the grand risk here is that your players become afraid of taking any plot-hock again

Spivo said:

I really loved the look-alike plot hook (or McGuffin as I like to call it) in TEW. I would be really hesitant about having it an illusion spell/ability though, because that breeds a distrust of everything - it could be him, or him, or even you *points at fellow party member*

To the OP, are we to assume the PCs are not in Altdorf when it's quarantined? If they are, then they're already involved to a degree, and it won't take much encouragment to get them to look into things. If not, they're going to need to get into Altdorf - a major city that has been shut off from the rest (i.e. no coach travel, probable barricades, probable soldiers stopping people getting out/getting in). All things you need to consider.

As for the plague, will wiping out the cult simply end the spread of the disease - or is it too far gone? Or is it just the beginning?

Do the PCs arrive at Altdorf to help get the plague under control? They manage to sneak into the city, realising that sneaking out again will be next to impossible. After initial investigations, the numbers of dead is in the hundreds, possibly more. That night, the group are disturbed from their slumber by screaming. Checking it out, they are told that a recent victim of the plague, who was buried the day previous, was seen stumbling through the streets... The plague is far worse than initially thought.... A sudden crash of thunder draws the groups attention to the graveyard on the hill, the lightning illuminates hundreds of shapes clambering from their graves..

Sorry, went off on one there I do loves me zombies though...

How about making things a little more complicated and not quite as they seem?

eg. the plague could be a naturally occurring one (not the plot of a Nurgle cult). It starts on its own - or brought in by rats etc. Once it gets going a tiny Nurgle cult decide to take advantage and pretend that they're the cause. They try to 'take ownership' of the plague - and or course, spread it further, introduce new plagues etc.

So PCs going after the cult won't be quite on the right track, and defeating the cult won't necessarily solve the problem - as it wasn't actually the cult that started things.

Re: the 'mistaken identity' plot hook... I think it can be overdone. How about getting the PCs involved because of positive action they've taken, rather than pure coincidence? eg. Instead of someone handing them a message, how about they get involved in an arguement in the street between several people, which gets out of hand. They intervene, annoying the messenger (they don't realise he's a messenger though). The messenger sends some thugs after them as revenge. PCs defeat thugs, come looking for the messenger. Beat him up / kill him and loot the body, and then find the 'change of plans' message.

Okay, it's still a bit 'coincidental' but not quite so much as just looking like someone and waiting for the message to be delivered to them.

I just got home from work, and all day I have been turning and twisting the plot over in my head (sometimes it's great to be a gardener), and I just read your guys responses and some of them really "lit the spark of creation", cant thingk of a better way to put it in words :3

Plutonick: I totaly agree with you that messangers should not go on description but on name as they deliver their message, otherwise the mail servise in the empire would be in anarcy xD

Spivo: Great ideas with the whole getting in and not been able to get out of the city, not sure that I will youse it in this campaing, but I will most certanly use it in other campaings.. OR I could juse it in this one but not with the city as the place that the PC's can't get out from, maybe a Cult coven or a nobles house and hae to avoid detection. I don't know but it's a great idea that one could do just about anything with

Sausageman: I thought that the PC's will start in Altdorf, but I had one idea where they are Smugglers that once getting their goods to Aldorf they can't get out of the city (bringing Spivo's idea in to play) What do you guys think ??

I don't know if the stopping of the cult will end the plauge, but it would probarbly, reuce it's spreading out of the city.

Angelic Despot: I really like the idea of getting in to a fight with the messanger and then he is sending some thugs after th PC's. I think I know just where to put the fight/argument... as I said the food was beeing will be rasonated so in a food line would not be a bad place at all :3

Thanks for all the tip's you guy's it's great help and sorce of inspiration

plutonick said:

Yeah, I guess that didn't occur to me because I once used a plot hook like this with a weird-looking PC; it was easy to get look-alike and PC confused because they both had a similar facial tattoo, and the messenger was told to look for that tattoo as a way to find the right guy. Since the bar was busy and he was in a hurry, he went on the visual without checking out the facts, but in my own plot, the messenger's hastiness was a way bigger part of the plot than it is here.

I don't know what motivation works for your players, but here's how I would use a look-a-like hook for mine.

As they're entering a tavern a very drunk fellow is coming out, he seems surprised to see them. "Kastor! What are you doing here? Listen, about the gold, I cleared it with my father just go to Suchandsuch and give him this letter and you'll get all 300 of it. I hope that squares, us, 'k? Man, I gotta go pass out. Love what you did with your hair, looks good."

The key is to get to "about the gold" before the players have a chance to talk. At that point they'll stay quiet until they know what's going on.

To help prod things along maybe he'd open with, "I wasn't expecting you for two more weeks!" That way they have a time table to get to Suchandsuch and trick dear old Dad out of the gold before the real Kastor knows anything's wrong.

you should check out Terror in Talabheim 2nd edition (if you haven't allready). it has a similar theme that might give you some ideas for your own campaign.

good gaming

Sna,

Sounds like an interesting situation. Consider several things about "whats in it for them?": Duty, Honor, Love, Bravado/Show-off.

FIRST, look at their careers. Each career has organizations associated with them (duty). Give them the chance and benefit of joining an organization. spreadsheets.google.com/ccc

SECOND, ask your players about the backgrounds of their characters. Bring in old family members (LOVE) and have them involved.

THIRD, certain characters have HONOR issues. (don't forget to have a benefit to being honorable..white social dice or something)

LAST, think about players/characters that need the chance to show off. Some guys just want the chance to do lots of damage, or break in a new weapon.

Try to get away from the GOLD crutch. Have a couple temporary benefit cards made up on post it notes for your players: 2 white dice bonus to social checks if you're honorable (as above), Organization allows cheaper item purchases (temporarily), or saving a family member brings in purse strings that get the character a SUPERIOR item or something. I personally like the bonus dice condition (take a look at the OMEN spell..this is a perfect example of something useful).

Just like in sales and advertising: lead with benefits. People ask 'whats in it for me.' Creating an interesting background in Altdorf with lots of features is necessary, but as you say, players need to be drawn in!

jh