Help with complications for a large campaign

New DM here - Just entering lvl 2 and we have a 7 person campaign (I know - but we are usually down a player most sessions due to scheduling). We did some lvl 1 campaigns to get folks familiar with systems but now they want backstory and hooks integrated.  We are doing a heist campaign based on the Stygian Gambit in Golden Vault where the players must steal from a 9 hells themed casino. I need help with a few complications and hick ups. Not going to do all of these in one session - but these would be " at the ready".

Bard - has a sorted history with their mother, husband, and child. I thought one could be at the Casino and recognize them during the heist.

Warlock - was turned into a chicken once by a powerful enemy - it is his biggest embarrassment and he has not told anyone. I wanted him to be turned into an animal again by touching an item in a treasure chest (not sure how to unchicken him). Alternatively - he worships the arch fey of fools and loves foolish things - trying to make a complication there.

Cleric - Was in a circus before joining a religious order. I thought the circus performers in the Casino show could recognize her and share a secret about her mentor.

Wizard/ Rogue - share a back story with a Nobleman who cheated them out of money. He will be a cheating gambler for sure at the at the Casino .

Monk/Paladin - Shared backstory - siblings who grew up orphaned in a monastery. They were followers of Shar and did some horrendous things before turning to the church of Selune. 

Also in terms of added complications  - in addition to the heist, I am adding in a rival gang who will be there trying to stop them. 

For the Wizard/ Rogue, you could make them accidentally bump into the nobleman or associate of the nobleman who is gambling at the Casino.

The Monk/Paladin, perhaps they are pointed out by some of the folk at the casino for doing some horrendous things previously, and that one of the npcs there was a victim of whatever they did.

And finally the Warlock for turning into a chicken, perhaps they have to do something like destroy the treasure chest to remove the curse or find another magic item to remove it. Alternatively, there could be a chicken in the chest that the warlock swaps bodies with. The Warlock has the mind of a chicken, and the chicken now has the mind of the Warlock. Later during their casino heist, there may be expensive potions that help swap the bodies of people, that are clearly labelled. It would be ideal if they had gone through a strenuous process or time before they find these potions or tools to revert back into their normal state.

Good luck with the campaign!

It would be funny if the sorcerer could only go back to his body if he could win at the casino. If not, it will remain in this body.
Anyway, I like your ideas, sounds interesting!

• My suggestion for the fey warlock is that the patron declared a prank war between their warlocks so they try to prank each other.  Any one could be another fey warlock in disguise who's only goal is to turn them into a chicken. For the warlock to be turned back they just have to concede in the prank war by doing the chicken dance the patron could choose to give this information at any time but as a pranking fey probably just before being a chicken stops being funny.
• As for worshipers of Shar, the goddess loves to create despair which is right at home in a casino. Some figures from their past could be involved in running it some how as loan sharks or security.  There is also the possibility of them being wanted criminals with a wanted poster or being called out by some one.

The mother of the bard is a half-deva Drow of Shar.  She was caught by more powerful Devas attempting to steal valuable items from Shar and the Shadowfell.  As a result, she fled the Shadowfell before judgment could be imposed, spreading chaos and havoc in the mortal planes until she can earn back her place in Shar's good graces.  To this end, she is looking for mighty artifacts she can use to buy back her status.  Along the way, she gave birth to the bard, but abandoned him/her, attempts to appease and delay the hunters from Shar by spreading misery in the mortal realms by randomly turning mortals into animals, running travelling casinos where she cheats and steals from the wealthiest of the gamblers, basically causing strife wherever she roams.  Needless to say, she has set up shop and is running a new travelling casino where the players encounter her.  She is up to her old tricks and wants to steal not only their gold and magic items, but their character levels to sell back too Shar.  

Quote from Robbiedrama >>

New DM here - Just entering lvl 2 and we have a 7 person campaign (I know - but we are usually down a player most sessions due to scheduling). We did some lvl 1 campaigns to get folks familiar with systems but now they want backstory and hooks integrated.  We are doing a heist campaign based on the Stygian Gambit in Golden Vault where the players must steal from a 9 hells themed casino. I need help with a few complications and hick ups. Not going to do all of these in one session - but these would be " at the ready".

Bard - has a sorted history with their mother, husband, and child. I thought one could be at the Casino and recognize them during the heist.

Warlock - was turned into a chicken once by a powerful enemy - it is his biggest embarrassment and he has not told anyone. I wanted him to be turned into an animal again by touching an item in a treasure chest (not sure how to unchicken him). Alternatively - he worships the arch fey of fools and loves foolish things - trying to make a complication there.

Cleric - Was in a circus before joining a religious order. I thought the circus performers in the Casino show could recognize her and share a secret about her mentor.

Wizard/ Rogue - share a back story with a Nobleman who cheated them out of money. He will be a cheating gambler for sure at the at the Casino .

Monk/Paladin - Shared backstory - siblings who grew up orphaned in a monastery. They were followers of Shar and did some horrendous things before turning to the church of Selune. 

 

Also in terms of added complications  - in addition to the heist, I am adding in a rival gang who will be there trying to stop them. 

 

What a fantastic setup — a 9 hells casino heist with this much personal backstory woven in is going to be unforgettable for your players.

For the Warlock, the cursed item could transform him into something equally humiliating — to reverse it, another party member must publicly embarrass themselves as a "willing fool" for his patron, which ties perfectly into the Archfey of Fools angle. For the Bard, have the family member recognize them mid-heist at the worst possible moment. The Cleric's circus friends could loudly reminisce right when stealth matters most, while https://tropical-casino.com/ the Wizard's nemesis nobleman is caught cheating — forcing the party to choose between revenge and the heist.

For the rival gang, have them already inside and occasionally mistaken for your players by casino security. Pure chaos.

What a fantastic setup — a 9 hells casino heist with this much personal backstory is going to be unforgettable.

For the Warlock, have the cursed item transform him into something humiliating — reversible only if another party member publicly embarrasses themselves as a "willing fool" for his patron. For the Bard, the family member recognizes them at the worst possible moment mid-heist. The Cleric's circus friends could loudly reminisce right when stealth matters most. The Wizard's nemesis nobleman is actively cheating at the tables — forcing the party to choose between personal revenge and completing the heist.

For the rival gang, have them already inside and occasionally mistaken for your players by casino security. Pure chaos.

Monk/Paladin - is really a ghost who has possessed the body of a criminal who broke into the church of Selune after a long crime spree. The criminal sometimes forces a contest of wills with the player ghost, acting strangely and out of character, until the player can wrestle control back.

Bard - parents are secretly part of a cult that the player is sworn not to reveal. Her family and husband are all part of the same dark cult and believe she is too but sense the bard is acting strangely of late. The bard is on a secret mission but in truth, wants to break away from the cult but is conflicted. (Perhaps they scry her or regularly read her mind?)

Cleric - was indentured into the Circus as a child in payment (parents gambling debt which links to thief or from an orphanage?) They escaped and became a priest more to seek the protection of the church than out of any true love for the god. Perhaps over time that changed). Going to the casino, they see the Circus Owner, who, now she is out of the confines of the church, see their chance to get back their star performer. They attempt to kidnap her when she is separated from the others.