Advice on an adventure

[cerebrolator]

First, I hope it's appropriate to post an idea for an adventure to get ideas on this forum. Second, Almightygm, stay out of this post or it will ruin an upcoming session that you're playing in.

I've run one session so far and used the "Rescue" adventure in S&P. The players did very well so I'm following up. The noble that they rescued now wants to hire them for what appears to be a simple mission taking him and his cousin on a safari. His cousin is next in line to be the family heir and he suspects his cousin is seeking a way to kill him that won't look like murder. He is scheming to reveal this about his cousin and to get him out of the picture so he can concentrate on how to expand his wealth and power. He will not be filling the PCs in on his suspicions but is bringing them along to protect him. He simply tells them that he wants them to crew his yatch and help him in the hunt.

This trip has been planned for a while and the cousin has already prepared a way to kill the noble. He has captured one of the dangerous predators that they are hunting and hidden it in a cave near where they are to set up their camp. His plan is to drug the noble, mark the camp where the noble is staying with the pheromones of a female of the predator species, and then turn the predator loose while he stays a safe distance away. The predator should then devour his noble cousin leaving only enough remains to identify his DNA. Then he becomes the heir and takes home the trophy of the predator that ate his poor noble cousin.

The characters need to pick up on enough cues to figure out that the hunt isn't exactly on the up-and-up. Here are the clues that I've come up with.
1.) While out hunting they might notice some tracks or signs that someone has been in the area recently. If they follow the tracks, they can actually find the cave with the caged predator in it. If they aren't covert about following the tracks, then the cousin's thugs will try to stop them. If they find the cage and tell their noble boss about it, he will send them back to plant bugs so they can get evidence of the cousins plan.
2.) They will hear howls/growls of the predator at night but they sound somewhat muffled. This might lead them to go to the cave.
3.) They will have a chance to notice the camp cook adding something to the Baron's food. There's no way to pin this on the cousin as the cook won't confess who is behind it. If the cook is caught, the cousin will inform the baron that he and his men are going on a separate hunt the next day. He will unleash the predator the next day.
4.) Early on the cousin's thugs will apply pheromones around the camp and on the shelter the baron is staying in. Originally the baron was planning to sleep aboard the shuttle that brought them to the planet but his cousin will cajole him into roughing it in a shelter. Analysis of the materials that have been sprayed with the pheromones will allow them to identify what they are and give them a clue that the cousin was trying to attract one of the deadly creatures to the baron's shelter.

My players include a retired army grunt, a retired navy engineer, a retired free merchant, and a psion (mostly telekinetic ability) who has spent his life trying to keep his psionic abilities secret. There is also an NPC medic that helps the group.

This is all that I've come up with. I'm worried that the adventure will be a bit flat and hope that you can help me spice it up. Please feel free to make suggestions and to criticize. I'm sure that will help me make it better.

 

[BP]

Certainly its appropriate! This forum will feel free to criti.. er.. help make it better!

Sounds like a fine plot for a nice adventure - probably feels flat because it needs some subplots, or more opportunies for players to independently figure things out.

Like, it turns out the predator is a locally protected and tracked species - and the group gets a visit from the local game wardens inquiring about a missing tagged female. OR the players stumble upon a child playing who want to know why they caged his 'suzzie'. And the normal cook gets sick (food posioning <grin>).

Also, add some unrelated events to throw off.. er.. provide opportunities for your Players to deviate from the obvious logical path. Like, valuables of both the noble's & the cousin's go missing (maybe the original cook stole them). And maybe the noble and his cousin are actually targets of a third group of activists who want them dead and it turns out their weapons appear to have been jury-rigged (perhaps after there are explosions on the ship that leave the group stranded without comms or working M-Drive for a bit). The cousin's last minute 'girl friend' might want the cousin dead for past wrongs, or be some radical anti-royalty or anti-hunter psycho.

Though the PCs may not know that the noble intents his cousin harm, the cousin might try to enlist the PCs for protection (perhaps unknowingly from the 'girl-friend').

Maybe the cousin and noble turn out to have more family - who also want them dead.

Regardless of who dies or doesn't - the local law should end up after the characters at some point - it certainly sounds like the grateful noble is more than willing to throw the group under a bus at any time...

I'm sure you'll get some better ideas from this forum!

 

[cerebrolator]

Thanks, BP. I can see how your subplot suggestions would really add to the adventure. I'll think about how to incorporate them and let you know what I come up with.

 

[BP]

Glad to help - the concept is more important than the specifics - once you get thinking along those lines, things will occur to you.

Catch the forum at the right moment and these types of threads really blossom with ideas as there are plenty of helpful folk around here...

 

[cerebrolator]

Here's what I'm thinking...

The baron knows that something is up and believes his is involved cousin but he might also suspect that there is more going on. He's right. There's a third party that is out to kill both of them. (I need to work on a motive for that but perhaps both the cousin and the baron have been involved in dealings with the third party.)

The cook is actually an agent for the third party. He's trying to get as much out of it as he can so he will try to poison the baron so that he can get that payment. Once the baron is finished off he will try to take out the cousin. the question is how? In what way(s) will the characters be involved?

Do you think that something like a closed room mystery would work here? Both the baron and the cousin end up dead and then the blame is placed on the players so they have to solve the mystery? It would really change the nature of the adventure since it wouldn't involve a deadly beast that they might have to fight and wouldn't involve a firefight between the players and the thugs.

I guess I'm still struggling with seeing how the players can really be involved in the adventure. I'm still happy to get ideas but I don't think I'll run this one next -- it needs more time to percolate and more helpful suggestions.

 

[AndrewW]

The third party could have been hired by a business interest that knows with the baron and cousin out of the way they'll be the ones to get a lucrative contract.

Or perhaps someone that believes the baron stole his love and his out for revenge on the baron and his whole family.

 

[cerebrolator]

The third party could have been hired by a business interest that knows with the baron and cousin out of the way they'll be the ones to get a lucrative contract.

Or perhaps someone that believes the baron stole his love and his out for revenge on the baron and his whole family.

Both are great ideas. I guess what I'm struggling with the most is how to get the players actively involved in the adventure.

Do you think that the Baron should tell them that he suspects his cousin will try to do him in? I see pros and cons in this. If he tells them then the players will be more actively involved in trying to notice what the cousin is doing. If I stick with the original safari idea then they will be trying to track and carefully watching the cousin's men. The con is that might make the adventure too obvious.

The cook works for the third party. What kind of clues will help the players to figure this out?

Would you have the original safari or would you find some way to convert it into a locked room mystery? The locked room could be made more exciting by having the cook pull out a weapon once they figure it out and try to kill them. Overall the safari might be more exciting.

I've always struggled with how to make good mystery adventures and really appreciate all the input!

 

[AndrewW]

Do you think that the Baron should tell them that he suspects his cousin will try to do him in? I see pros and cons in this. If he tells them then the players will be more actively involved in trying to notice what the cousin is doing. If I stick with the original safari idea then they will be trying to track and carefully watching the cousin's men. The con is that might make the adventure too obvious.

Maybe the baron could indicate there is a threat to his life, but not mention the cousin.

The cook works for the third party. What kind of clues will help the players to figure this out?

Catch the cook at something. Maybe the cook is sneaking off to meet with someone and they could follow, if they have a reason to suspect something. Or could be they witnessed him sneaking off and later when they know there is a threat they might put it together.

Would you have the original safari or would you find some way to convert it into a locked room mystery? The locked room could be made more exciting by having the cook pull out a weapon once they figure it out and try to kill them. Overall the safari might be more exciting.

Nothing wrong with doing both. Could go ahead with the safari idea and add to it. If the predator from the safari fails to do the baron in there may be another attempt.

I've always struggled with how to make good mystery adventures and really appreciate all the input!

Can always read or watch a mystery to get some ideas.

 

[BP]

...I guess I'm still struggling with seeing how the players can really be involved in the adventure. I'm still happy to get ideas but I don't think I'll run this one next -- it needs more time to percolate and more helpful suggestions.

I believe you mentioned this would be only your second session? Just my 2 cents, but, if so, I would be real leary of attempting a mystery...

For mysteries to come off well generally requires extra prep time - in order to avoid 'railroading' or being so obvious that there is no real mystery. Odds are your players aren't just gonna get it like you plan - you need at least 3 clues for every one that needs to be figured out - and it would help if you have plenty of experience with your group (???). Likewise, as I was going for earlier - some side plots/angles to keep things from being too obvious.

The session you've outlined makes a nice story - but as your instinct is telling you - its a little too restrictive to provide freedom for your players to roleplay. Its a great seed - expand on it and let it grow. The players already have an in with this noble - I'd let it sit to the side and play another session - maybe one that will tie into the third party or, indirectly, the cousin.

Develop the major NPCs more - so the players can make guesses/draw conclusions in line with what you know. If the players already know these two would feel the universe (or at least their own) would be a better place without the other - they will be more inclined to making the proper deductions.

In short, its a good idea - build up to it, while it 'percolates'.

 

[rinku]

I think what you've already set up looks like a cracking little scenario! As others have said, whether it becomes more involved depends on how much you want to put into it.

While this is technically a mystery, it is also a straightforward bodyguard job. In the event that the players totally miss all the clues, you can just fall back on them protecting the target from the predator when it attacks, which would not be the case for something like a murder mystery. Make sure you have things for them to do apart from just stumble over clues (searching for game, interesting animal encounters, roleplaying moments from the NPCs etc).

The main thing is not to be too disheartened if the players either short-circuit the plot or fail to pick up on it. That's what players do.

 

[cerebrolator]

Thank you for the great suggestions. I agree with you. I wrote out a much more straightforward 2nd adventure last night. It was good for me and I think it will be good for the players to get more familiar with Traveller and my gming style before I thrown the "safari" adventure at them. My second adventure has a little bit of sleuthing to it but will work well even if they don't pick up the clues.

The main adversaries in the 2nd adventure will be the third party in the safari adventure. They are a terrorist organization that tried to abduct the baron in the first adventure. The players prevented that so they are seeking revenge.

The cousin actually helped them to plot the abduction attempt of the first adventure. The baron realizes that they had inside information and has come to suspect the cousin. The terrorist are using the cousin and plan to take out both the baron and his cousin. They will also be really frustrated with the players since this will be the third time the players have gotten in their way.

I need to insert a scene where the players meet the cousin and sense some growing tension between the baron and his cousin.

Again, thanks for the help!