i am working on an one shot adventure for my group next week. Most of the Plot i already worked out but now i have one problem in particular. To give a bit context let me first summarize the plot for you. The group will come to a city in order to investigate recent murders. They will find out that the only thing the victims have in common are that they were members of a devil worshipping cult and that they were assassinated. If the players track down the assassins hideout they will find out that a demon worshipping cult ordered the assassinations. Additionaly they will find clues at the assasins hideout which will point the group to the location were the cult is based in order to wipe it out.
So far so good but now comes the problem: How do you realistic place clues for an assassination investigation? Murder mysteries in pen and paper are always not that easy to write, but if you have a "normal" murder you have many clues/things you can work with e.g. give suspects motives and alibis, place clues on the victims body (how was she/he killed, what was the murder weapon, etc.), or place clues at the crime scene like witnesses. Otherwise tracking down an assassin in a bigger city like Elturel (my adventure will play there) is another story. Besides the assassin getty sloppy with someone witnessing a murder, i cant think of any realistic clues that would lead the players to the assassins hideout. Maybe someone has ideas for me, would really help me out :)
The infernal pendants the victims' bodies wear are broken. (DC 10 Investigation/Perception Check)
Some of the victims' wounds appear to be scorch or shock marks. (DC 10 Medicine Check, DC 15 Arcana Check to realize the marks are from eldritch blast)
Some of the victims' wounds appear to be claw marks. (DC 10 Medicine Check, DC 15 Medicine Check to notice that the claws delivered poison, DC 15 Arcana/Religion Check to realize that a quasit's claws could have delivered the poison)
A few victims have an oily, blackish-green substance splattered over them. (DC 10 Investigation/Perception Check, DC 20 Arcana check to recognize the substance as demon ichor)
The infernal pendants the victims' bodies wear are broken. (DC 10 Investigation/Perception Check)
Some of the victims' wounds appear to be scorch or shock marks. (DC 10 Medicine Check, DC 15 Arcana Check to realize the marks are from eldritch blast)
Some of the victims' wounds appear to be claw marks. (DC 10 Medicine Check, DC 15 Medicine Check to notice that the claws delivered poison, DC 15 Arcana/Religion Check to realize that a quasit's claws could have delivered the poison)
A few victims have an oily, blackish-green substance splattered over them. (DC 10 Investigation/Perception Check, DC 20 Arcana check to recognize the substance as demon ichor)
thanks so far. definitely taking some of those clues :) But i still have the problem of how i can point my players to the location of the house/hideout of the assasin in a big city scenario.
Perhaps some of the victims carried a calling card to their various stores (which they used as fronts for their infernal operations), with addresses in them? After a possible tussle with any devils or living cult members in their base of operations, they get a few clues as to the abyssal cultists' nature, which then can be used to find their eventual location?
Like, say the cultists are cooking up a ritual to create a portal to the Abyss and need several lines of expensive, crushed-ruby chalk to complete it. The infernal cultists kept tabs of their joint stores and noticed a large amount of larceny attempts at stores that carried chalk, and might tell your players this info... for a fee. >:]
The location of the murders is a warehouse, which belongs to a particular trading company.
Crest on the building
Investigation / paying informants on the street (street urchins?)/ chatting up the locals.
That company, has another known company which is a fierce rival. The owner of the rival company ( hereafter referred to as Owner B ) is associated with the devil worshiping cult.
Corporate rivalry should be petty common knowledge - easily investigated.
Unsavory character of the noble/owner of the rival corporation can be mentioned.
Was the owner of the first company ( hereafter referred to as Owner A ) part of the demon worshiping cult? Did they survive? Can the Party find them? They might be able to point the Party at their rivals.
Alternatively - if owner A did not survive (and this should be part of the "hot gossip" on the street) - a distraught relative ( or even housekeeper ), might be able to provide some clues about the "unsavory rivalry" between Owner A, and Owner B.
Tacking that individual owning the rival company ( Owner B ) might lead the Party to a secondary meeting where they can witness some of the cult's activity.
Discussion of the assassin's success could be part of the meeting. Could mention the assassin by name, or make a more vague reference to a location " ... your operative from The Leaky Tap was impressively successful, if somewhat expensive ... "
Bribing the servants of Owner B might uncover clue as to their master's unnatural habits, and the odd hours of their comings and goings.
If the Party decides to visit a local Inn/Tavern/Pub somewhere around the home of Owner B, they might "coincidentally" run into some the household staff.
Staff's stories should put the Party on Owner B's tail.
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Just make sure the players can’t cast speak with dead, or they can cut right to the end. Or be ready to use that, give them a description or a clue that way.
Maybe the assassin was interrupted, made a quick getaway, and left his throwing knife in the body. The knife is magical and seems to have belonged to the assassin's patron, and an ally of the party might claim to recognize it, though the person he names might not be its true owner...
So basically lift the plot about the attempted murder of Bran from Game of Thrones. :-)
Seriously though, a weapon that can be traced back to the person who's sheltering the assassin might be cool...would especially make sense if that person is famous or powerful, so other people might recognize his distinctive weapon was used by the thief. This could send the players off navigating a web of lies in high society as they try to figure out who REALLY owns the weapon and hired the assassin. It might make a good opportunity to add in combat, too, if a noble who's not directly involved in the assassination or cult gets caught in a selfish lie and needs to avoid scandal...
Hey guys,
i am working on an one shot adventure for my group next week. Most of the Plot i already worked out but now i have one problem in particular. To give a bit context let me first summarize the plot for you. The group will come to a city in order to investigate recent murders. They will find out that the only thing the victims have in common are that they were members of a devil worshipping cult and that they were assassinated. If the players track down the assassins hideout they will find out that a demon worshipping cult ordered the assassinations. Additionaly they will find clues at the assasins hideout which will point the group to the location were the cult is based in order to wipe it out.
So far so good but now comes the problem: How do you realistic place clues for an assassination investigation? Murder mysteries in pen and paper are always not that easy to write, but if you have a "normal" murder you have many clues/things you can work with e.g. give suspects motives and alibis, place clues on the victims body (how was she/he killed, what was the murder weapon, etc.), or place clues at the crime scene like witnesses. Otherwise tracking down an assassin in a bigger city like Elturel (my adventure will play there) is another story. Besides the assassin getty sloppy with someone witnessing a murder, i cant think of any realistic clues that would lead the players to the assassins hideout. Maybe someone has ideas for me, would really help me out :)
Possible Clues:
thanks so far. definitely taking some of those clues :) But i still have the problem of how i can point my players to the location of the house/hideout of the assasin in a big city scenario.
Perhaps some of the victims carried a calling card to their various stores (which they used as fronts for their infernal operations), with addresses in them? After a possible tussle with any devils or living cult members in their base of operations, they get a few clues as to the abyssal cultists' nature, which then can be used to find their eventual location?
Like, say the cultists are cooking up a ritual to create a portal to the Abyss and need several lines of expensive, crushed-ruby chalk to complete it. The infernal cultists kept tabs of their joint stores and noticed a large amount of larceny attempts at stores that carried chalk, and might tell your players this info... for a fee. >:]
Just some thoughts; hope it's helpful :)
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.
Just make sure the players can’t cast speak with dead, or they can cut right to the end. Or be ready to use that, give them a description or a clue that way.
Maybe the assassin was interrupted, made a quick getaway, and left his throwing knife in the body. The knife is magical and seems to have belonged to the assassin's patron, and an ally of the party might claim to recognize it, though the person he names might not be its true owner...
So basically lift the plot about the attempted murder of Bran from Game of Thrones. :-)
Seriously though, a weapon that can be traced back to the person who's sheltering the assassin might be cool...would especially make sense if that person is famous or powerful, so other people might recognize his distinctive weapon was used by the thief. This could send the players off navigating a web of lies in high society as they try to figure out who REALLY owns the weapon and hired the assassin. It might make a good opportunity to add in combat, too, if a noble who's not directly involved in the assassination or cult gets caught in a selfish lie and needs to avoid scandal...
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club