A PC in my campaign, a Changeling, lost his father when he was young, but never saw him die. This of course give me as the DM a chance to place him somewhere, likely in hiding, somewhere in the world.
Their current mission has sent them into the Underdark and I have placed him in the city of Gracklstugh, the Duergar city. He has been given hints that a Changeling may be hiding there. Changelings are rare in the part of the world they are in, so rumors of one are a positive sign in his search. Assuming that he locates his father, what should I do?
I debated the whole death bed thing we often see in movies and comic books, where the main character finds his long lost friend/family/lover/etc..****y to arrive as they are dying. But is that too cliche? Kind of feels like it; but it does allow for reconciliation and closure all at once. Probably why it's used so much.
But any ideas? What have you done in the past as a PC found a long lost family member?
I think killing off the father is a bad way to go--not only is it cliche, but it is anticlimactic, making the party feel like they wasted a bunch of effort on something that was ultimately a dead end. The perception you will give is that you didn't actually care about this plot point, so you wrapped it up in a nice little bow so it would not interfere with your campaign. That is not what you are going for--but it still is a likely takeaway by your players.
Instead, make the dad an important NPC in your campaign. The easiest way to do this would be to give the father information that is valuable to the party as a whole and which advances them on their quest. Maybe you want him to know something directly useful to the party--perhaps he entered the Underdark for similar reasons to your party, knows something directly relevant to your party's quest, and can share that information. Or maybe he knows something more tangential--perhaps he was taken by slavers to the Underdark and has spent the last few years escaped, trying to find his way to the surface and his son. In doing so, he has a good idea of the layout of the Underdark and can provide the party directions and survival advice they need to traverse the maze of underground tunnels.
This way you leave him open as a potential future NPC, while also providing some closure to the player character and some information to keep everyone else at the table engaged.
A PC in my campaign, a Changeling, lost his father when he was young, but never saw him die. This of course give me as the DM a chance to place him somewhere, likely in hiding, somewhere in the world.
Their current mission has sent them into the Underdark and I have placed him in the city of Gracklstugh, the Duergar city. He has been given hints that a Changeling may be hiding there. Changelings are rare in the part of the world they are in, so rumors of one are a positive sign in his search. Assuming that he locates his father, what should I do?
I debated the whole death bed thing we often see in movies and comic books, where the main character finds his long lost friend/family/lover/etc..****y to arrive as they are dying. But is that too cliche? Kind of feels like it; but it does allow for reconciliation and closure all at once. Probably why it's used so much.
But any ideas? What have you done in the past as a PC found a long lost family member?
Since they're a changeling, why not introduce them as an NPC in another form?
Before they even get to the city (or soon after entering if they're already there), have them meet someone who offers them help or useful information in their search. This person sticks around and helps them find the rumored changeling... and instead of the character's father, it turns out to be a doppelganger(s) or some other form of shape changer, whatever is a level-appropriate threat, doing Evil Things
After they win the fight, then dad reveals himself -- he wasn't sure why the party was looking for him, or whether his son hated him for leaving etc etc, and his real reason for being down there (plot hook) was too important to risk until he was sure of the party's motives. Also taking out the doppelgangers helped his mission (he says as he pockets the MacGuffin from among the loot)
The emotional payoff if done right and the party don't catch on too early (always a risk with things like this) is outstanding -- the player has that moment of "oh, no, my quest to find my father has failed, this was all for nothing and a waste of time", but then...
At that point they can part ways if the party is also on an important but different quest in the Underdark and the player is happy with that resolution, or help dad with whatever he's doing. Leave the dramatic death scene (or even "death" scene if you want to leave it open to bring him back later) until after some quality bonding time
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
For some drama, make the father a rival. Someone interested in the same thing the PCs want, but for his own reasons. And only one can actually have/use it — no way to share it.
You realize that the PC may have already met the Father. Maybe more than once. Is there a mechanism that makes one changeling aware of another changeling?
As a changeling, there is no reason that the NPC couldn't have been the kindly innkeeper, or the woman who owns the noodle shop, or the town drunk, or all three. The key to the ruse is that the changeling NPC can't be in the same place as its other personalities. It could literally be anyone. Heck, it could be the quest giver!
The clue that the PC would need to piece together is that the NPC would have knowledge that was only shared with the other personality(s). There is no reason to out the Father until the PC figures it out, if ever. Keep leaving breadcrumbs and point out odd coincidences. If the PC changeling is doing similar things it may be easier for them to figure out.
Also, the Father left for a reason. Figure out what that reason is. Weave it into the story. Why is the Father not more involved with the PC. Are they keeping tabs on them, trying to help or thwart progress? Has one of the personalities been hired? Or is this just parental guilt?
Figure out how much help or meddling the Father is willing to do. When is the meddling likely to happen? Will it be direct or through a proxy? Why then? Has it happened before? How would the PC know/find out.
I was thinking that you leave it to chance. The father is not in good shape. Depending on his condition, you make it a DC=5 to DC=10 check each day until he gets to a healer able to address his specific ailments. If the father fails the check he drops into unconsciousness and death saves begin. This puts the party on the clock. Are they going to rush back with him immediately to have the best chance of his survival? Are they going to expend resources to keep him alive? If there are many days before they can get back to the surface, then a DC=5 check may even be too high for the tension you want. But using this you could allow the player a couple days to reconnect with his father and this allows the player to be more important in the last moments of his father. If his father survives, then what are you going to do with him? Is he going to want to be reunited with his family? Is there any family left besides the PC? What about their community?
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
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A PC in my campaign, a Changeling, lost his father when he was young, but never saw him die. This of course give me as the DM a chance to place him somewhere, likely in hiding, somewhere in the world.
Their current mission has sent them into the Underdark and I have placed him in the city of Gracklstugh, the Duergar city. He has been given hints that a Changeling may be hiding there. Changelings are rare in the part of the world they are in, so rumors of one are a positive sign in his search. Assuming that he locates his father, what should I do?
I debated the whole death bed thing we often see in movies and comic books, where the main character finds his long lost friend/family/lover/etc..****y to arrive as they are dying. But is that too cliche? Kind of feels like it; but it does allow for reconciliation and closure all at once. Probably why it's used so much.
But any ideas? What have you done in the past as a PC found a long lost family member?
I think killing off the father is a bad way to go--not only is it cliche, but it is anticlimactic, making the party feel like they wasted a bunch of effort on something that was ultimately a dead end. The perception you will give is that you didn't actually care about this plot point, so you wrapped it up in a nice little bow so it would not interfere with your campaign. That is not what you are going for--but it still is a likely takeaway by your players.
Instead, make the dad an important NPC in your campaign. The easiest way to do this would be to give the father information that is valuable to the party as a whole and which advances them on their quest. Maybe you want him to know something directly useful to the party--perhaps he entered the Underdark for similar reasons to your party, knows something directly relevant to your party's quest, and can share that information. Or maybe he knows something more tangential--perhaps he was taken by slavers to the Underdark and has spent the last few years escaped, trying to find his way to the surface and his son. In doing so, he has a good idea of the layout of the Underdark and can provide the party directions and survival advice they need to traverse the maze of underground tunnels.
This way you leave him open as a potential future NPC, while also providing some closure to the player character and some information to keep everyone else at the table engaged.
Since they're a changeling, why not introduce them as an NPC in another form?
Before they even get to the city (or soon after entering if they're already there), have them meet someone who offers them help or useful information in their search. This person sticks around and helps them find the rumored changeling... and instead of the character's father, it turns out to be a doppelganger(s) or some other form of shape changer, whatever is a level-appropriate threat, doing Evil Things
After they win the fight, then dad reveals himself -- he wasn't sure why the party was looking for him, or whether his son hated him for leaving etc etc, and his real reason for being down there (plot hook) was too important to risk until he was sure of the party's motives. Also taking out the doppelgangers helped his mission (he says as he pockets the MacGuffin from among the loot)
The emotional payoff if done right and the party don't catch on too early (always a risk with things like this) is outstanding -- the player has that moment of "oh, no, my quest to find my father has failed, this was all for nothing and a waste of time", but then...
At that point they can part ways if the party is also on an important but different quest in the Underdark and the player is happy with that resolution, or help dad with whatever he's doing. Leave the dramatic death scene (or even "death" scene if you want to leave it open to bring him back later) until after some quality bonding time
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
For some drama, make the father a rival. Someone interested in the same thing the PCs want, but for his own reasons. And only one can actually have/use it — no way to share it.
You realize that the PC may have already met the Father. Maybe more than once. Is there a mechanism that makes one changeling aware of another changeling?
As a changeling, there is no reason that the NPC couldn't have been the kindly innkeeper, or the woman who owns the noodle shop, or the town drunk, or all three. The key to the ruse is that the changeling NPC can't be in the same place as its other personalities. It could literally be anyone. Heck, it could be the quest giver!
The clue that the PC would need to piece together is that the NPC would have knowledge that was only shared with the other personality(s). There is no reason to out the Father until the PC figures it out, if ever. Keep leaving breadcrumbs and point out odd coincidences. If the PC changeling is doing similar things it may be easier for them to figure out.
Also, the Father left for a reason. Figure out what that reason is. Weave it into the story. Why is the Father not more involved with the PC. Are they keeping tabs on them, trying to help or thwart progress? Has one of the personalities been hired? Or is this just parental guilt?
Figure out how much help or meddling the Father is willing to do. When is the meddling likely to happen? Will it be direct or through a proxy? Why then? Has it happened before? How would the PC know/find out.
Congratulations! You've created a subplot.
I was thinking that you leave it to chance. The father is not in good shape. Depending on his condition, you make it a DC=5 to DC=10 check each day until he gets to a healer able to address his specific ailments. If the father fails the check he drops into unconsciousness and death saves begin. This puts the party on the clock. Are they going to rush back with him immediately to have the best chance of his survival? Are they going to expend resources to keep him alive? If there are many days before they can get back to the surface, then a DC=5 check may even be too high for the tension you want. But using this you could allow the player a couple days to reconnect with his father and this allows the player to be more important in the last moments of his father. If his father survives, then what are you going to do with him? Is he going to want to be reunited with his family? Is there any family left besides the PC? What about their community?
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt