A Question of Breeding by Adam Flynn - any tips on running this gem?
It was a 2005 Bi fan scenario. You can download it online with a quick search.
jh
A Question of Breeding - any tips on running this gem of a scenario?
I assume we can put the rush of replies down to the wonders of internet technology and what it does to people's attention span. I'll have a look at it at some stage and get back to you.
Here's a temporary link to this fine fan-scenario in case you don't find it elsewhere:dl.dropbox.com/u/167876/WFRP2%20BI5%20-%20A%20Question%20of%20Breeding.pdf
Lately, I've had a string of railroad scenario situations, so I'm hoping to get some non-linearity worked into them.
jh
Gah, I do hate it when that happens but the silly buggers just can't seem to think for themselves sometimes. What's happening?
SPOILERS --- NPC GUIDE
GM's guide to A Question of Breeding
Cast of Characters:
- Heinz Haushalter - Burger Father. Hires the PCs to find is distant claim to noble heritage. p6
- Etelka Haushalther - Daughter engaged to Karl Volte.p.6
- Lord Karl Volte - minor noble, engaged to Etelkap.26
- Gunthar (Gregor) Steinhoff -rival burgomeister father, wants his own daughter to wed Volte.p26
- Udo Hockschwarzer - missing Haushalter agent
- Fritz Manzel - missing Haushalter agent
- Adolf Grobschmeid -agent of Steinhoff
- Hugo Faustmann - Spirit. Missing priest of Morr. Killed by Felix von Kleist.p.22
- Frederick Von Keist - Noble in Marlerhof village.p.15
- Felix Von Kleist - the mutant. Brother to Frederick. p.20
- Heinrich Haushalter long-deceased ancestor to Heinz Haushalter whose signet ring must be found.
- Klaus Wetzell, mercenary leader - agent of Steinhoff.p10
- Rudolf Fenske, Village Reeve of Marlehof.p12
- Johanna von Kleist - Wife of Frederick p.15
- Anika von Kleist - Bitter daughter of Frederic. p. 15
- Lukas von Kleist - spoiled son of Frederick, starting to show
jh
I usually prep two scenarios. I haven't been able to do that lately, due to time constraints. I think I need a couple of red-herrings and red herring NPC's out there to flesh things out.
jh
Night two:
They stop at the coaching inn. I have added some NPCs.
1. The Halflings from Sigmar's Heirs adventure (ill met in Bogenhafen). I plan to work this into the scenario to keep it from railroading or to give a springboard to the next scenario.
2. An elf Envoy on his way to Altdorf. I will have the locals gossiping about the Elf, that he's evil, or brings bad mojo or something.
When the action happens that evening with Wetzell's gang chasing off their horses, both of these things can add some red herring options.
..at the Coaching in "Bury Berry Inn" (symbol of r.i.p. over a raspberry). I made the merc's Hung, led by the Wetzel(reiklander). They failed to rid th pcs of horses (they were riding in a farmer's oxcart anyways). They met the halfling piesellers from Sigmar's Heirs scenario. I had Verun (sp?) transporting the "box" from day late shilling short at the inn rather than the merchant.
At the manor house, the party did thier best to look innocent..but Lord Klaus knew better..and when they entered the crypts, he locked them in (as they were trying to flee the rat swarm(s)..after killing Felix (I gave him rat ogre statistics)..and starting the lower level on fire.
They managed to escape into the rat tunnels into the darkness...
Party:
Thorgrim - Dwarf Smuggler
Eldred - Commoner, Charlatan
Odo - Scout
jh
Final night of the scenario A QUESTION OF BREEDING: Odo is unconscious from burns from fire and bites from the rat swarm (and has a pleasant disease). Eldred and Thorgrim are in the darkness of the rat warrens.
I was going to have them traverse further into the "darkness" but I'll probably just have them make their escape, confront the ghosts(I'm having Felix ghostified as well), and
They have already vowed bad things on Ferederick von Kleist for locking them into the crypts with all the burning coffins.
Next, we'll be starting the DOOMSTONES..off to the Yeltzin valley and the clues leading them towards the supposed-abandoned dwarf warrens.
jh
The party started in the darkness of the Rat Warrens and came past the first nest. There were enough rats, but not enough to make a swarm. I tempted them with "theres some shiny stuff in the nest, do you want to disturb it?" I made them make disclpline checks as they're all larcenous characters. They passed.
The larger rat's nest, I had a massive slime-covered rat with two pods sticking off of its back containing the transforming-into-rat-ogre agents of Haushalter. The beast is sleeping, has green weepy (warpstone) patches that other rats have come to lick and caress. One player rubbed the stuff on his arms to see if he could get through the tunnel without being noticed. The other two tried to tiptoe through. Of course one of them stepped on the thing's tail and it awoke and chomped the already-injured dwarf in half (and somehow he managed to pull a severe wound as well..hence my other discussion about permanency).
The other two hightailed it out and left the dwarf..but I had the priest ghost of morr take a round or two over the dwarf (who had read the blessing), long enough for the dwarf to be rescued. Then the group fled with the signet ring.
They made all the magic happen at the wedding and everyone lived happily ever after..and they've sworn revenge on the noble that locked them in the crypt during the investigation.
Off to the DOOMSTONES..although I may pitstop back to Altdorf for Ashes of Middenheim.
jh