In my homebrew campaign, I have the PCs working for a wealthy benefactor who often sends them on jobs to either help clear a storehouse or to get rid of an infestation of monsters in land owned by him. However, for the latest job, I want the PCs to travel to a specific city so they can meet a vital NPC, but I am all out of ideas for the job the benefactor could send them on. The city I want them to go to is a coastal city, which is the second largest port city in the country they are in currently. It is mostly middle-class skilled workers and laborers, and has a big ship-building company. There are a few extremely skilled artisans and higher class citizens, but mostly middle class inhabitants. What could my benefactor want/need to do in this city?
Since it's a coastal city, perhaps he sends them there to procure a rare pearl he's heard of has been found and is for sale? Depending on the NPC, he might want them to steal it or buy it on his behalf. Perhaps vital NPC is the one who owns this pearl. Maybe benefactor NPC knows the owner and has secured a trade deal and simply requires the PCs to fetch it for him, having already purchased it from vital NPC.
This benefactor NPC could also know this other vital NPC and perhaps there's a reason he wants them to meet this NPC - sending them there just to meet this NPC is a fair reason, too.
Could also be benefactor NPC has a friend in the coastal town that is in need of a job to be done, and he knows the PCs are good for doing jobs for coin, and he wants them to head there to help said friend with this job in exchange for gold. While they're doing this job, this friend NPC could introduce them to the vital NPC, or they run into the vital NPC while doing the job.
The benefactor NPC could also have an enemy in this city that, perhaps, he wants the PCs to spy on. While gaining information about this enemy NPC, perhaps they see he meets with vital NPC regularly, and maybe this vital NPC notices them watching their talks and approaches them or corners them somewhere.
I was thinking they could be sent to meet a ship, obtain a piece of important cargo, and bring the cargo back to him. Simple. Plenty of hooks in there.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
They could be guarding an emissary he is sending to negotiate something with someone. They could be there to escort the person betrothed to his heir back. Pick up a prized breeding stallion for his stable. If it’s a there and back mission, just make it your basic fetch quest, and have whatever they are fetching be some plot device or another.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
In my homebrew campaign, I have the PCs working for a wealthy benefactor who often sends them on jobs to either help clear a storehouse or to get rid of an infestation of monsters in land owned by him. However, for the latest job, I want the PCs to travel to a specific city so they can meet a vital NPC, but I am all out of ideas for the job the benefactor could send them on. The city I want them to go to is a coastal city, which is the second largest port city in the country they are in currently. It is mostly middle-class skilled workers and laborers, and has a big ship-building company. There are a few extremely skilled artisans and higher class citizens, but mostly middle class inhabitants. What could my benefactor want/need to do in this city?
Since it's a coastal city, perhaps he sends them there to procure a rare pearl he's heard of has been found and is for sale? Depending on the NPC, he might want them to steal it or buy it on his behalf. Perhaps vital NPC is the one who owns this pearl. Maybe benefactor NPC knows the owner and has secured a trade deal and simply requires the PCs to fetch it for him, having already purchased it from vital NPC.
This benefactor NPC could also know this other vital NPC and perhaps there's a reason he wants them to meet this NPC - sending them there just to meet this NPC is a fair reason, too.
Could also be benefactor NPC has a friend in the coastal town that is in need of a job to be done, and he knows the PCs are good for doing jobs for coin, and he wants them to head there to help said friend with this job in exchange for gold. While they're doing this job, this friend NPC could introduce them to the vital NPC, or they run into the vital NPC while doing the job.
The benefactor NPC could also have an enemy in this city that, perhaps, he wants the PCs to spy on. While gaining information about this enemy NPC, perhaps they see he meets with vital NPC regularly, and maybe this vital NPC notices them watching their talks and approaches them or corners them somewhere.
Their benefactor could be a crime lord and set the players on a rival gang.
They could be asked to clear out an infestation of sharks that are causing problems with his fishing business.
They could be asked find a new trading vessel on his behalf.
They could be asked to start a fishing business on his behalf.
They could be asked to locate a person that their benefactor wants something from.
When the DM smiles, it is already to late.
All of these are great ideas, thank you so much!
I was thinking they could be sent to meet a ship, obtain a piece of important cargo, and bring the cargo back to him. Simple. Plenty of hooks in there.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
They could be guarding an emissary he is sending to negotiate something with someone.
They could be there to escort the person betrothed to his heir back.
Pick up a prized breeding stallion for his stable.
If it’s a there and back mission, just make it your basic fetch quest, and have whatever they are fetching be some plot device or another.