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Post by sparkusclark on Aug 14, 2016 2:59:18 GMT
So the boisterous, overly flirtatious barmaid at the Stonehill Inn has been harassing the rouge for weeks (much in the same way a cat wants pets from the one person they know hates cats). It has been a joy to pester the rogue everytime he has to visit the Inn (food, sleeping, picking up packages, etc.), but the joke will come to an end soon.
I had already planned on the barmaid, Elsa, being of the rogue class anyways (nothing like the last person you expect to speak your secret language!), but I'm stuck on which side of the party she should fall on.
On the one hand, I have need of an enemy spy to be in town, and it would be quite the surprise that the coquettish barmaid is working for the big bad.
On the other hand, it would be just as funny [to me anyways] to have her be an ally who has been playing up the part of the flirt in order to throw the rogue.
I am leaning towards the second option, but I wonder if I want to play up the ally angle just because I think it would be cool
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CRNFAllyKat
Commoner
Posts: 23 
Favorite D&D Class: Seeker
Favorite D&D Race: Shifter
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Post by CRNFAllyKat on Aug 14, 2016 4:52:28 GMT
Which one would
A- your players least expect?
B- cause the most emotional shock to your players?
I know which my players would react to the most (Being the spy). I personally think it's the best to throw them for a loop
Although sometimes you just have to do the thing that is funniest to you.
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Post by sparkusclark on Aug 16, 2016 14:21:44 GMT
I think that 'B' is what makes my decision. If she were the enemy, then it would feel as though 'oh,-not-only-has-she-been-annoying-me-but-she-works-for-the-big-bad,-of course', especialy for the rogue's player. For emotional shock, or just surprise in general, it would hit more if not only is she a skilled spy/fighter, but that she had been putting on the act, AND that she was also on their side.
Also, I got a friend of mine, who loves D&D but never has time to play, to take on the role of the big bad (she is much more evil and devious than I), and she suggested that the scribe down at the Miner's Exchange would be a better spy. Given how he is Halia Thornton's ***** and nobody pays attention to him, he's able to get more information with less exposure.
Thank you for the advice!
*pardon the phrase
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Post by joatmoniac on Aug 16, 2016 23:32:28 GMT
Her being an ally is a fun way to go about it, and I could see her denying the rogue like things she does whenever she is back at the bar, but then give sly winks about it as well.
So when you say your friend is playing the big bad does that mean she is making all of the decisions for that NPC and/or are there plans to have her physically at the table at any point?
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Post by blakeryan on Aug 17, 2016 10:32:29 GMT
Couple of options spring to mind...
- Perhaps she is a spy for the big bad, but is not treated well, and sees the Rogue and their party as a way out.
- She is a rival or enemy of another player character, and is just using the Rogue as a diversion to get close and embarrass/attack their rival/enemy.
- Perhaps she is a ghost, with only partial memories, and needs ongoing emotional contact that grows to restore her life and memory?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2016 23:31:15 GMT
Blake's suggestion about an ill-treated spy gets my vote as most fun, as you kind of get the best of both options.
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Post by sparkusclark on Aug 22, 2016 3:49:52 GMT
Her being an ally is a fun way to go about it, and I could see her denying the rogue like things she does whenever she is back at the bar, but then give sly winks about it as well. So when you say your friend is playing the big bad does that mean she is making all of the decisions for that NPC and/or are there plans to have her physically at the table at any point? She's making all the npc decisions. Since she can't make it to the table, it's a great way to have her still join in and play. I got the idea from Matthew Colville, who has done the same thing with his friends and even former PC's that can't make it to game night anymore. |
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Post by sparkusclark on Aug 22, 2016 4:17:05 GMT
Couple of options spring to mind... - Perhaps she is a spy for the big bad, but is not treated well, and sees the Rogue and their party as a way out. - She is a rival or enemy of another player character, and is just using the Rogue as a diversion to get close and embarrass/attack their rival/enemy. - Perhaps she is a ghost, with only partial memories, and needs ongoing emotional contact that grows to restore her life and memory? I like the first and the second idea you put forth. I may try and combine the two in someway, perhaps a former spy who is looking to get back into the bbeg's graces. Failing anything, I will hold on to both ideas for future campaigns. |
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DM Rowan
Adventurer
The DM Renaissance is in full swing!
Posts: 96
Favorite D&D Class: Bard/Paladin
Favorite D&D Race: Half Elf
Gender: NB Lesbian
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Post by DM Rowan on Aug 28, 2016 23:12:14 GMT
I would really go with the ally. I love the idea of her being on their side but loving to mess with him anyway. I feel like betrayal or secret villains is a huge trope used way too much in D&D and i think secret allies aren't used enough if at all. I think it would be interesting for them to go on a quest or try and spy on/ stop some big bad minions and they arrive and she's already there scoping the place out. they hear a scuffle around the corner and the rogue sneaks up to see a woman in dark clothing with a cloth over her mouth beating up the baddies. after the fight, she takes off the hood and mask to reveal she's the barmaid or flirts with the rogue before doing so, giving that moment of "wait... hold up"
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Post by zenith on Aug 30, 2016 4:06:38 GMT
Barmaid is a secret TargaryenDragon. Copper dragon, to be precise. Has to be.
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Post by sparkusclark on Nov 12, 2016 7:33:08 GMT
Whelp. On the way from a game my wife was talking about a recent interaction with the barmaid and went, "Whatch it turns out she's been Rogue's informant the whole time?"
Now two things, 1. my wife is the one playing the oft assailed rogue in question, 2. she does this to me All the Time. I'll be working on something cool and crafty and it turns out that the love an connection we share after ten years gives her psychic mind waves that pick up on said plots and plans.
SO, options:
A. the barmaid is still the informant and she gets to be correct.
B. it gets to be Grista, the almost toothless old dwarf lady who runs a delapidated tavern down the road and speaks only in grunts. Because, let's be fair, if I'm going to surprise everyone (my wife included) with the reveal of an ally spy, it should probably with the minor npc that everyone knows but ignores, yeah?
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Post by lasersniper on Nov 14, 2016 19:08:52 GMT
Whelp. On the way from a game my wife was talking about a recent interaction with the barmaid and went, "Whatch it turns out she's been Rogue's informant the whole time?" Now two things, 1. my wife is the one playing the oft assailed rogue in question, 2. she does this to me All the Time. I'll be working on something cool and crafty and it turns out that the love an connection we share after ten years gives her psychic mind waves that pick up on said plots and plans. SO, options: A. the barmaid is still the informant and she gets to be correct. B. it gets to be Grista, the almost toothless old dwarf lady who runs a delapidated tavern down the road and speaks only in grunts. Because, let's be fair, if I'm going to surprise everyone (my wife included) with the reveal of an ally spy, it should probably with the minor npc that everyone knows but ignores, yeah? I would say it would depend on how you reacted to her comment. The great part about talking with your players is you don't have to be clever, you just need to listen. If you still want to surprise them, you can shift gears to barmaid being the spy. As long as you haven't laid to much seen groundwork in the informant direction that is. |
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lemiel14n3
Squire
Posts: 25 
Favorite D&D Class: Sorcerer
Favorite D&D Race: Half-Elf
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Post by lemiel14n3 on Nov 15, 2016 16:57:55 GMT
The barmaid could also still be a spy, but for a third party. She could be looking to play both sides against each other, she could consider the big bad to be a threat to her boss so she's exploiting the party to take them out without being directly involved to protect her cover. If the big bad is a major power she could be trying to take them out to create a vacuum for her boss to fill.
Or if the party is murder hobo enough, they could be seen by this third party as inherently destabilizing, or they want them arrested. so this barmaid is here to find out their plans and mare sure that they're going away from their boss, or to pass that information on to the authorities.
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Post by galakan on Nov 15, 2016 17:02:29 GMT
I am really digging the ally idea (seems to be the consensus).
But what I have found for introducing surprise enemies is that you really want to do it when they have an NPC that they already really like. Maybe you don't do it with like their favorite NPC (or maybe you do), but just make sure it is someone who they have formed a connection with. Then it makes the reveal have that much more of an impact.
I would also caution that having too many surprise enemies will just make your players paranoid (I made that mistake before) where they just don't trust anyone and are more willing to kill new people out of suspicion rather than listen.
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Post by sparkusclark on Dec 29, 2016 23:53:57 GMT
Hey all!
Just an update on this particular plot thread:
The town of Phandalin had been attacked in the middle of the night. Unknown to the party was that they were doing so under the orders of the Black Spider (played outside of the game by my old DM, Buttons), and were sewing as much fear and chaos as they could until the party showed up and drove them off.
Since most of the hobgoblins were either killed or had retreated, I figured this was the perfect time for the flirty barmaid to make her true persona known. After flirting shamelessly with my wife's character, she handed him a note "someone had left for him." The note informed the rogue that his informant wanted to met at their usual drop off spot (which, for one reason or another, was the privy behind the Inn). The rogue slipped away and, to my chagrIn, it took the barmaid several rolls before she noticed. That was okay though, for when the rogue got to the privy, he found a live hobgoblin trussed up inside. The idea being that rogue and informant could question him about the attacks (this being their third runin with the party). ..... Of course, no plan survives the players.
Rogue: l remove the gag.
DM: He growls in goblin tongue and spits at you.
Rogue: *shrugs* Well l don't really need him, so l slit his throat.
DM: ..... Okay. Just as he falls dead at your feet you hear a voice say, "Hey boss, took me a moment to get out-" You turn and see the barmaid, Elsa (l also used a different voice) looking aghast. "Do you know how hard it was to take him alive?!"
Fortunately the bard-turned-warlock had an ally who knew 'speak with the dead,' so they were able to get some info. And while my big reveal didn't go quite like l thought it would (and does it ever?), it's been a week since the game and my wife is still talking about how the overly flirty barmaid was actually her rogue's informant.
So many a thanks to those of you who commented and left your input and ideas! It was TOTALLY worth it to see everyones reactions!
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