You can foreshadow your adventures by introducing NPCs who feel like they'll make a difference. In this case, a swaggering and elitist Knight, someone as well-outfitted as anyone can be, makes mockery of the PCs at an inn. If they rise to his bait, his martial skill is enough to threaten the PCs in combat (perhaps a duel with scabbarded swords out in the street), and his social standing and sway will be enough to see him awarded a job that the PCs had already agreed to do. No-one can risk offending his family by refusing him, and he really is just that good a warrior that he might be worth all the bluster.
Which will make it all the more concerning when they find his cooling corpse in a pond the next day, his own sword rammed through his steel breastplate with inhuman strength, and with no other wounds on him. Who has he offended so gravely to make such an ignominious death his end? And how have they accomplished such a feat? Returning his body, and his sword, to his angry family might be worth a small reward- but being able to explain that they've already brought his killer to justice will be worth a lot more. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 26 November 2020. Comments are closed.
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AuthorI'm Luke. He/him pronouns. Archives
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