Put them in a situation where the “right thing to do” appears to be their intervening in something, but it turns out that was the “wrong thing to do.” Like, they see some people getting beaten up by a masked figure in dark cape and cowl so they step in, but it turns out that masked figure is a beloved vigilante and the “victims” were notorious criminals. (Did they just attack NotBatman? Yes they did. Only people actually love NotBatman.)
How disliked are we talking here? Small towns can always be suspicious and unwelcoming. Maybe there was an unsolved murder at the Todwiller ranch and here come a bunch of armed strangers, throwing around money at the tavern! Seems fishy, if you ask me!
From an in-game perspective, here's one option: have the players match the description of some local bandits! Like, maybe they come to town and find out that they're disliked because a group of bandits, same number as the party, with at least one bandit roughly matching the description of one party member (just vaguely - like, "an elf" or "heavily armored"), has been raiding merchant caravans. Not the village specifically - don't want the villagers to be actually hostile - but nearby enough to hear about. The villagers don't actually know for sure that the PCs are the raiders, but are suspicious.
For the players, it'll just be part of the setup of the town - "oh, these guys are all suspicious".
Be wary that the players can take a few different approaches - some groups might try to fix the issue by getting the town to like them, others might try to just move on ASAP, others might respond with "Screw you guys, if you don't like us we're not gonna like you either."
Another option is to talk to one of your players offline to enrich his/her character background with a rival, and that rival could be a power figure in town or even the whole realm. That could be a win-win: that player would appreciate extra story arc for the character and you get the plot you want.
I'd say that you need to be real careful with this to avoid being a jerk.
As an example, my party usually has a combat encounter every time we journey from one town to the next. I am the Bard in this party. We collect evidence of each successful victory as evidence. When we arrive at the next town we have two things we generally focus on straight away; arranging for our lodging and meals and seeing the towns officials to warn them of the dangers lurking on the road from which we came, along with the evidence. So in every instance we start with positive relations. If the DM decides that none of that matters, and he does with more frequency than I would recommend, then it simply damages his credibility as a referee. If the players begin to believe they don't have any control over the story through the actions of their players, then the group will have fewer players.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Along the lines of what ftl said, there could be a story circulating about them. Anything they’ve done, at all, can be fodder for it. They killed a villain, well, that was shopkeeper bill’s nephew and everyone in town knew and liked him before he moved away a couple years ago; they just can’t believe the stories they’ve heard about him, must be theses strangers who are the evil ones. They fought in a battle; the town’s sympathies were with the other side.
Or even they’ve heard false stories about the party and what they do in towns. Or if there’s even one bad or borderline thing they’ve done, it’s been blown out of proportion by the rumor mill, and the town has heard the rumors.
To tell the truth, simply being an armed adventuring party is probably enough to make commoners distrust them. Like in the old westerns, a group of gunfighters in town is never a good thing, nobody cares what color their hats are.
Going with armed adventurers, I suspect all you might have to do is just have a town law that says you can't walk around the town armed. Most players will not want to have their PCs part with their weapons, which for many characters is their only means of defense. The ensuing argument with the town guard could make them very unpopular.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Going with armed adventurers, I suspect all you might have to do is just have a town law that says you can't walk around the town armed. Most players will not want to have their PCs part with their weapons, which for many characters is their only means of defense. The ensuing argument with the town guard could make them very unpopular.
Yup. And other laws against Spellcasting within town limits. Even if the party does comply, have them get jumped in an alley or barfight. They will defend themselves and there’s your excuse.
Have them see a board of adventure hooks - missions, etc. Each has a different description - but each lead to the same mission: (Leave out the part in parenthesis)
I am running a campaign w/ some of my friends today, and need to force something to happen, without it being clear. How can I do that?
Enjoy my magic items, spells, monsters, my race, and a few feats. And GIVE ME FEEDBACK... or else.
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Depends on the “something”
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They need to be disliked by officials and the general population
Enjoy my magic items, spells, monsters, my race, and a few feats. And GIVE ME FEEDBACK... or else.
Like what I say?
⬐ Just press this little guy right here.
Put them in a situation where the “right thing to do” appears to be their intervening in something, but it turns out that was the “wrong thing to do.” Like, they see some people getting beaten up by a masked figure in dark cape and cowl so they step in, but it turns out that masked figure is a beloved vigilante and the “victims” were notorious criminals. (Did they just attack NotBatman? Yes they did. Only people actually love NotBatman.)
That’s just one idea off the top of my head.
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How disliked are we talking here? Small towns can always be suspicious and unwelcoming. Maybe there was an unsolved murder at the Todwiller ranch and here come a bunch of armed strangers, throwing around money at the tavern! Seems fishy, if you ask me!
Fairly disliked. i came up w/ a system for it:
-35 pts: Killing villager child
-13 pts: Killing commoner
-10 pts: Attacking villager child
-8 pts: Attacking commoner
-(cost of repair in gp) x 3 pts: Breaking something
-5 pts: Bar fighting
-3 pts: Not paying tab
-1 pt: Insulting somebody
+1 pt: Helping somebody i.e. old lady crossing street
+(cost x 3) pts Tipping heavily
+4 pts: Playing w/child
+15 pts: Saving commoner’s life
+30 pts: Saving child’s life/ mayor’s life
at -10 pts, they are asked to leave the town, for comparison.
Enjoy my magic items, spells, monsters, my race, and a few feats. And GIVE ME FEEDBACK... or else.
Like what I say?
⬐ Just press this little guy right here.
From an in-game perspective, here's one option: have the players match the description of some local bandits! Like, maybe they come to town and find out that they're disliked because a group of bandits, same number as the party, with at least one bandit roughly matching the description of one party member (just vaguely - like, "an elf" or "heavily armored"), has been raiding merchant caravans. Not the village specifically - don't want the villagers to be actually hostile - but nearby enough to hear about. The villagers don't actually know for sure that the PCs are the raiders, but are suspicious.
For the players, it'll just be part of the setup of the town - "oh, these guys are all suspicious".
Be wary that the players can take a few different approaches - some groups might try to fix the issue by getting the town to like them, others might try to just move on ASAP, others might respond with "Screw you guys, if you don't like us we're not gonna like you either."
Sweet!!!!!
Enjoy my magic items, spells, monsters, my race, and a few feats. And GIVE ME FEEDBACK... or else.
Like what I say?
⬐ Just press this little guy right here.
Another option is to talk to one of your players offline to enrich his/her character background with a rival, and that rival could be a power figure in town or even the whole realm. That could be a win-win: that player would appreciate extra story arc for the character and you get the plot you want.
I'd say that you need to be real careful with this to avoid being a jerk.
As an example, my party usually has a combat encounter every time we journey from one town to the next. I am the Bard in this party. We collect evidence of each successful victory as evidence. When we arrive at the next town we have two things we generally focus on straight away; arranging for our lodging and meals and seeing the towns officials to warn them of the dangers lurking on the road from which we came, along with the evidence. So in every instance we start with positive relations. If the DM decides that none of that matters, and he does with more frequency than I would recommend, then it simply damages his credibility as a referee. If the players begin to believe they don't have any control over the story through the actions of their players, then the group will have fewer players.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Along the lines of what ftl said, there could be a story circulating about them. Anything they’ve done, at all, can be fodder for it. They killed a villain, well, that was shopkeeper bill’s nephew and everyone in town knew and liked him before he moved away a couple years ago; they just can’t believe the stories they’ve heard about him, must be theses strangers who are the evil ones.
They fought in a battle; the town’s sympathies were with the other side.
Or even they’ve heard false stories about the party and what they do in towns. Or if there’s even one bad or borderline thing they’ve done, it’s been blown out of proportion by the rumor mill, and the town has heard the rumors.
To tell the truth, simply being an armed adventuring party is probably enough to make commoners distrust them. Like in the old westerns, a group of gunfighters in town is never a good thing, nobody cares what color their hats are.
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Going with armed adventurers, I suspect all you might have to do is just have a town law that says you can't walk around the town armed. Most players will not want to have their PCs part with their weapons, which for many characters is their only means of defense. The ensuing argument with the town guard could make them very unpopular.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Yup. And other laws against Spellcasting within town limits. Even if the party does comply, have them get jumped in an alley or barfight. They will defend themselves and there’s your excuse.
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Do the Magician's Force.
Have them see a board of adventure hooks - missions, etc. Each has a different description - but each lead to the same mission: (Leave out the part in parenthesis)
They are lvl. 20! how can i upgrade the bar fight?
Enjoy my magic items, spells, monsters, my race, and a few feats. And GIVE ME FEEDBACK... or else.
Like what I say?
⬐ Just press this little guy right here.
Dragons?
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A doppelganger in the form of one of your PCs murders someone in the town.
The Barkeeper is a demigod of wine and madness and he hates having to clean up.
You get a wonderfull view from the point of no return.
-Terry Pratchett
A former villain that had escaped death has set them up as revenge.
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