Johannes asked: > I have a basic concept for an adventure, but it still needs some > reworking. > > The basic setup is, that the characters are gladiators and aurigae > (chariot racers) in ancient rome around 90 AD. There is some Vodoo style > magic, but it only has minor effects, having it happen little more then > "coincidences". Magic is also always liked to a god, and you can only do > magic, that fits to your gods profile. > > What i want to do is to introduce an NPC, a female loveable rouge (think > along the lines of Amanda from the Highlander series), and inflict her on > one pc, and see what happens. I'd like her to keep her actions annoying, > but not too villianous, and for actions against the pcs, to have her a > handwaving explaination, why she had actually done them a favour. > > My current plan is to send her on a date with that pc, have them go to a > less reputable pub, there she provokes a drunk to attack her, forcing the > pc to help her, leaving the drunk woulded. > > The drunk happens to be a litter bearer, who now needs a replacement, who > is an acomplice, who steals something (or gets some information). > > The pcs should somehow get mixed up with that, or at least they get > information about it.
Maybe she has a plot which involves embarassing someone in public. She plans on the PCs (some or all) being witness to the event, and maneuvers them into place. Then she tries to get them to testify against a powerful antagonist, for "honor and truth". She needs an alibi, so she invites the PC to a date, spikes his drink, and gets away for a few minutes. The PC would again be put into a position to testify, this time to her good character and innocence. The enemy doesn't believe in those claims. She needs a safe house for an ally of hers, so she drops in on the PCs with "a good friend". I'll try to think of some more tomorrow ... > So one of the presents one guest brings for the party will be some books, > the thiefs mistakenly believe, that this book will be among it, and swap > the books on the way to the party. The pcs will learn the books have been > swaped, by comments of the giver not fitting to the books they actually > receive. > > Any ideas for alternatives? You want additional clues? Two connected guests bring the books and a beautiful rack for the scrolls. Oops, one of the scrolls doesn't fit into the rack. > I also need ideas for other noteworthy presents. A thousand amphorae of olive oil? (Now where shall I put them? ...) The sword or dagger used by a famous gladiator? A gladiator? A land grant? A town house? Or is that too big. A token that entitles the bearer to hospitality in a faraway place? Instead of a present, somebody brings a seriously noble guest who praises the hosts loudly. > One particular present giver i have no idea for yet, is Volebal the Set > priest, one rather competent magican. Most of what he does is helping in > birth control (Set being AFAIK not only the god of deserts, storms, > dryness, foreigners, redheads and evil, but also of infertility) but none > of the pcs has much need for it. The present is a magical charm that will ensure a healthy, male baby. If it is generally thought to work, it would be a powerful bargaining chip for lots of noble houses. The present is a charm that can turn the wearer into a redhead for a short time. > Unrelated to the above, i also have a dangling plotline, where some > conspirators have allied with a slave, her payment being, that some > aristocrats in the conspiracy adopt her child. The slave has died now, and > the conspirators have a child to dispose of in an intrigue now. I just > have no idea for an intrigue fitting for that, that would involve the pcs. When I think of Roman adoptions, I think of power deals. The adoptive emperors are still a few centuries in the future, but the pattern was a win-win-win deal between adults, right? The adoptive parent would get a proven ally, the adoptive child would get a strong supporter, the Imperium would turn a possible malcontent into a co-opted member of the elites. So go ahead with the adoption as planned, and as promised to the dead slave, and watch what happens when rivals search for angles involving the living child. * Plant inconclusive evidence that the child is the heir to some faraway mystical tribe. It doesn't have to be true to cause all sorts of mischief. Fanatical ninjas could arrive to kill or kidnap the baby, other fanatical ninjas try to defend it, and neither side is willing to speak. Perhaps the protector ninjas try to infiltrate the aristocrats' household ... * As above, but the child is thought to have inherited magical powers through one side of the family. * Someone spreads the rumor that the adoptive father is the true father. What does his wife have to say? Regards, Onno _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
