So I've been crafting this idea for a week or so now, and it's finally time to bring it to the boards to get the pro's help.
If all things go well, in a few weeks I'll be beginning a new Earthdawn campaign with all new people who, probably, have never heard of or touched Earthdawn before. For this reason, the initial adventure needs to be spot on to introduce them to the world, the terrors, and their roles in it. I think I've got a good outline for one that works, but ... Let's see if it works as a whole.
So, regardless of the Disciplines the players choose, their initial masters (I'll be rolling 1d4+3 to determine what Circle each of their initial mentors are.) will be sending them off to a village that has lost contact with the outside world. Be it a Swordsman who is sent to prove himself, or a Weaponsmith who sends his new apprentice because his old one picked up the Forge there and hasn't been heard from since, the reasons for being sent there by their mentors at Circle 1 can (and should) be lovingly crafted to be of some importance to them. But that will happen when they make characters later.
Until then, each one will arrive at the village within hours of the others. They are all sent separately but will arrive around the same time to an abandoned, and partially burnt, village. And yes, a theme I would like to dabble with is the Name of the village and how it brought together this coming adventuring group.
After they meet up (and hopefully have some good intro RP), they begin investigating what happened to this place. Now, here's where I need all the help I can get.
First, I plan on introducing an NPC to the group who I will tell the other players it's a PC but that player can't attend this adventure; however he gave me huge amounts of notes on his character and wants me to play him. This is for a few reasons. One, this NPC is the cause of the villages destruction. Introducing an NPC during such an adventure will surely cast some suspicious looks from players, but under the guise of another PC who can't attend the session, they will treat him appropriately like another player involved in the adventure. When the twist comes that he is the antagonist ... Hopefully it will be more interesting. Second, I really want to build up the ideas or Horrors and such... But in the end, this devastation was wrought by not a Horror... But by a Questor for a mad passion. Now which... I need help with.
Vestriel became the mad passion of lies and deceit. It would make perfect sense that the cause of the destruction would lie about being an ally just to revel in his lies a few hours longer before taking on the heroes. However, I don't believe Vestriel would ruinate a village.
Raggok, however, would. He would love to have a village destroyed and play with undead and eerie themes. But the flip side of the coin is it wouldn't make sense for a Questor of Raggok to lie in his identity just to enjoy the heroes coming across his disturbing work.
... So ... Which Mad Passion makes more sense to use? Why?
Next, what would be great for investigations? What has worked for you? What hasn't? What makes an Earthdawn investigation unique? I plan to make my Earthdawn world more Lovecraftian, more dark and eerie so the Horrors can really shine when they come into play (heh, making it dark so bad guys can shine.) I'd love this adventure to highlight dark and morbid experiences, but be a puzzle for them to work out while exploring the world of Earthdawn.
What would the players come across? What is common knowledge? What are great enemies to use to boost investigation while showing them what this world is capable of?
I hope this all made sense. This may be a rather long post but I did write it in a hurry before heading out. I would love any questions if I didn't make something clear enough, but most importantly would love to hear ideas and scenes that would play well for this.
Thank you.
