Fast Ones: An Exercise

Jun 25 2008, 6:53 pm

NPC A lives in Location A, a small acreage on the lee side of a forested hill. NPC A has fought for many years to keep hold of his land against the constant harassment of NPC B, who lives on top of the hill. NPC B is the wealthy and powerful lord who looks to claim all that he can see. NPC A feels his time is running out.

This might sound like a good set-up for action on the part of the players' valiant PCs. It may also serve as incentive for the lesser valiant to steal some glory or goods in the process of achieving ostensible justice. Like any good story, those following along enjoy a good twist. What can you do with this rather linear beginning to shake up the final stretch? I'll provide a couple scenarios for example and I challenge the rest of you to try your hand in response.

Scenario 001:
In predictable fashion, the PCs march up the hill and vanquish the "evil" NPC B and his minions. NPC A expresses eternal gratitude just before he is reunited with the object of power NPC B had stolen from him, though NPC B had been unable to use it. He offers the party the opportunity to serve him now that he has reclaimed his rightful place of power or be consumed by his wrath, or something to that effect. Oops; Both NPCs were "bad guys."

Scenario 002:
In predictable fashion, the PCs march up the hill, fighting their way to NPC B's main chambers, but NPC B turns out to be the 9-year-old boy heir, his father having died of a pox 2 years earlier. The boy is a brat who believes his destiny is to follow the ambitions of the father.

In both of these scenarios, the players not only have to rethink their next step (in lieu of the most typical loot, sell loot, buy cool stuff), they also might be less willing to charge into battle without all the facts firmly established ahead of time (and THEN they charge into battle). The flavor and scope of the scenarios might differ according to setting and difficulty level, but the goal remains to gauge the players' expectations in order to set them up before pulling a fast one on them and their characters, to the entertainment of all.