The Frogmarsh Free-For-All

Cernig · 07-10-2007, 01:18 PM

Newb here, but with 20+ years GM and playing behind me. So for my first forum post I thought I'd try something ambitious - invite plot hooks, NPC's, beasties and anything else you can think of for an adventure setting from my GURPS fantasy setting, Tethira.

THE FROGMARSH FREE-FOR-ALL

Every few years, one of the Four Towns along the boggy lower reaches of the great Avona River begins to feel too pressured by the nasty beasties that live in the surrounding marshes and marchlands. This year, the town of Frogmarsh has decided to host the traditional response to such incursions - a bounty hunt.

For one month after the Summer Solstice festivities end, the town will pay a bounty from its coffers, in hard silver or gold, for every monster’s head. Amounts vary from one silver dollar per orc or goblin head upwards depending upon the dangerousness of the creature slain.

As might be expected The Hunt attracts all kinds. The hunters themselves cover a wide range from bands of mercenaries to groups of bandits, small parties of experienced bounty-hunters and adventurers and even nobles on a hunting vacation with large retinues. Out of town merchants selling gear and weapons as well as buyers of rare pelts, skins and other items come from far and wide, along with entertainers, camp followers and the “usual suspects.”

For a month, the entire town - which has the “frontier” feel at the best of times - is a frenzy of activity not unlike a gold-rush settlement as local merchants (and doxies) raise prices extravagantly, local ne’er-do-wells beg or thieve, the local Watch has apoplexy while mostly looking the other way and others who know (or pretend to know) the backwaters and rocky hills make a fortune as guides. For that month, the town effectively adds half again to its population of around 15,000 - although perhaps only a bare thousand of that number are Hunters. The influx spills out into a tent city around the town’s bailey which is, if anything, even more lawless and free-for-all than the town itself.

Plot hooks are surely plentiful, not the least being if the party decide to become Hunters themselves. The frantic town and tent encampment provide ample opportunity for other adventures. NPC's from both town and incomers, as well as creatures, further developments etc are all welcomed.

Well?

Regards, C

Anthony · 07-10-2007, 01:33 PM

Hm. Poor local monsters. They should band together and deal with these nasty people who are sponsoring a festival dedicated to killing them.

By the way, at TL 3 standards 15,000 is a fairly significant city, not a town.

mehrkat · 07-10-2007, 01:44 PM

You should run a game where the pc's play the monsters in this setting. All pc's should be sentient "monsters".

Cernig · 07-10-2007, 02:25 PM

Anthony, I'm aware of that - but it doesn't qualify for the criteria I use for a "city" appellation. No cathedral (read as senior administrative temple) or university. Historically, in the British Isles and across much of Europe, a town had to have one of those to qualify as a city, and qualified no matter what size it was. Thus, although Berwick was the second largest town in Scotland at one point, it was just a town while the much smaller St.Andrews (with both) was a city.

Oh, and the "gang-up" in retaliation is a good idea, perhaps as the next "setting". Now, can you suggest someone/something that can unify a large enough band to be a serious threat, and how that might happen?

Merhrkat, the idea of playing some monsters is a good one too - they might even try to be that unifying force.

Maybe I should clarify - I'm offering the free-for-all as a background and jump-off to a bunch of very different adventures, not just as the main event. So all kinds of hooks, NPC's situations etc are welcome. That way, forum users can pick and develop their own favorites for their own use.

Regards, C

Blood Legend · 07-10-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony

Hm. Poor local monsters. They should band together and deal with these nasty people who are sponsoring a festival dedicated to killing them.

By the way, at TL 3 standards 15,000 is a fairly significant city, not a town.

Town, city, whatever. There are people and LOTS of them. Crowded market, vast population, lots of activity and noise. Pickpocket Paradise!

The Players could be the thieves or the targets, whichever direction they take they'll certainly be running around dodging guards or finding their stolen valuables.

If signature gear gets pilfered from them, you could make an interesting come around when they happen to buy back their own sword.

Perhaps there's bad blood in the tent ring around the city, a fight breaks out and the PC's are stuck in the middle.

Plot to assassinate the nobles!

Plot to steal the coffers!

trooper6 · 07-10-2007, 03:21 PM

Poachers!

The PCs are hunters...and every time (or nearly every time) they are about to make a really good kill, this one group (The Green Blades, or whatever), swoop in and take their kill and collect the reward. To further complicate matters, The Green Blades are all spoiled rich sons and daughters of nobility. You can't kill them without risking lots of trouble...and you can't accuse them in front of the town without risking lots of trouble...what to do about these obnoxious brats? Works especially well if the PCs are not wealthy and need the money the antagonists are poaching. Also works well if there is a prize for the the most x-killed. The PCs and the Green Blades are neck and neck for the prize (and the glory) and the Green Blades cheat, cheat, cheat.

KevinJ · 07-10-2007, 11:03 PM

This is a job for... Gypsies!

Yes, the Gypsy caravan is set up somewhere and they attract all kinds to watch daring feats of what-have-you and to visit the Fortune teller (who might not be a charlatan).

I used a Gypsy band as a diversion in a long adventure I ran and it worked out well since it was a break from the normal plot. One of the players tried romance a Gypsy wench, another tried to cheat them at cards while they were cheating back, a third tried to convert them to his religion. Lots of fun all the way round.

Cernig · 07-11-2007, 10:11 AM

I like all of these.

If you were feeling particularly twisted, you could combine the poachers and the assassination plot. The players become aware of the plot (possibly through being invited to join) which is aimed at the Green Blades, who are all heirs to major holdings. Gives them a bit of a moral dilemma. If they let revenge rule, stand aside and let the Blades die, there will be a small civil war and hundreds more will die. Oh, and they might end up being accused of the murders as part of the plot, even if they weren't. because Green blades retinue members would testify to the ill feeling there. Or they could be framed by the real plotters.

The Gypsies could be an opportunity for some urban horror roleplay against the Hunt as background too. Maybe they have a terrible secret - like being vamps or weres or black cultists. Or maybe they are there because they're a hereditary family of slayers and some vamps have moved to town to take advantage of the chaos.

How about the merchants who arrive to buy up rare pelts and body bits? Good way to make money if your players are poor, but dust off those encumberance, spell ingredient and rotting corpse rules. Oh, the stench!

How about competition between merchants selling gear to hunters at inflated prices that turns nasty and the players end up in the middle?

How about the players as a party from the Town Watch, investigating a string of murders that occur during the month-long chaos of the Hunt?

Then there's that group calling itself "Greenpeace" that shows up from the big Temple of the Deity of Love and tries to stop the hunting/warn all the monsters...just a nuisance, or will they offer the players more money than they could make hunting to be their bodyguards?

Regards, C

07-10-2007, 01:18 PM	#1
Cernig Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Texas	The Frogmarsh Free-For-All Newb here, but with 20+ years GM and playing behind me. So for my first forum post I thought I'd try something ambitious - invite plot hooks, NPC's, beasties and anything else you can think of for an adventure setting from my GURPS fantasy setting, Tethira. THE FROGMARSH FREE-FOR-ALL Every few years, one of the Four Towns along the boggy lower reaches of the great Avona River begins to feel too pressured by the nasty beasties that live in the surrounding marshes and marchlands. This year, the town of Frogmarsh has decided to host the traditional response to such incursions - a bounty hunt. For one month after the Summer Solstice festivities end, the town will pay a bounty from its coffers, in hard silver or gold, for every monster’s head. Amounts vary from one silver dollar per orc or goblin head upwards depending upon the dangerousness of the creature slain. As might be expected The Hunt attracts all kinds. The hunters themselves cover a wide range from bands of mercenaries to groups of bandits, small parties of experienced bounty-hunters and adventurers and even nobles on a hunting vacation with large retinues. Out of town merchants selling gear and weapons as well as buyers of rare pelts, skins and other items come from far and wide, along with entertainers, camp followers and the “usual suspects.” For a month, the entire town - which has the “frontier” feel at the best of times - is a frenzy of activity not unlike a gold-rush settlement as local merchants (and doxies) raise prices extravagantly, local ne’er-do-wells beg or thieve, the local Watch has apoplexy while mostly looking the other way and others who know (or pretend to know) the backwaters and rocky hills make a fortune as guides. For that month, the town effectively adds half again to its population of around 15,000 - although perhaps only a bare thousand of that number are Hunters. The influx spills out into a tent city around the town’s bailey which is, if anything, even more lawless and free-for-all than the town itself. Plot hooks are surely plentiful, not the least being if the party decide to become Hunters themselves. The frantic town and tent encampment provide ample opportunity for other adventures. NPC's from both town and incomers, as well as creatures, further developments etc are all welcomed. Well? Regards, C

07-10-2007, 01:33 PM	#2
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: The Frogmarsh Free-For-All Hm. Poor local monsters. They should band together and deal with these nasty people who are sponsoring a festival dedicated to killing them. By the way, at TL 3 standards 15,000 is a fairly significant city, not a town.

07-10-2007, 01:44 PM	#3
mehrkat Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Austin Texas	Re: The Frogmarsh Free-For-All You should run a game where the pc's play the monsters in this setting. All pc's should be sentient "monsters".

07-10-2007, 02:25 PM	#4
Cernig Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Texas	Re: The Frogmarsh Free-For-All Anthony, I'm aware of that - but it doesn't qualify for the criteria I use for a "city" appellation. No cathedral (read as senior administrative temple) or university. Historically, in the British Isles and across much of Europe, a town had to have one of those to qualify as a city, and qualified no matter what size it was. Thus, although Berwick was the second largest town in Scotland at one point, it was just a town while the much smaller St.Andrews (with both) was a city. Oh, and the "gang-up" in retaliation is a good idea, perhaps as the next "setting". Now, can you suggest someone/something that can unify a large enough band to be a serious threat, and how that might happen? Merhrkat, the idea of playing some monsters is a good one too - they might even try to be that unifying force. Maybe I should clarify - I'm offering the free-for-all as a background and jump-off to a bunch of very different adventures, not just as the main event. So all kinds of hooks, NPC's situations etc are welcome. That way, forum users can pick and develop their own favorites for their own use. Regards, C

07-10-2007, 03:21 PM	#6
trooper6 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Medford, MA	Re: The Frogmarsh Free-For-All Poachers! The PCs are hunters...and every time (or nearly every time) they are about to make a really good kill, this one group (The Green Blades, or whatever), swoop in and take their kill and collect the reward. To further complicate matters, The Green Blades are all spoiled rich sons and daughters of nobility. You can't kill them without risking lots of trouble...and you can't accuse them in front of the town without risking lots of trouble...what to do about these obnoxious brats? Works especially well if the PCs are not wealthy and need the money the antagonists are poaching. Also works well if there is a prize for the the most x-killed. The PCs and the Green Blades are neck and neck for the prize (and the glory) and the Green Blades cheat, cheat, cheat.

07-10-2007, 11:03 PM	#7
KevinJ Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arizona	Re: The Frogmarsh Free-For-All This is a job for... Gypsies! Yes, the Gypsy caravan is set up somewhere and they attract all kinds to watch daring feats of what-have-you and to visit the Fortune teller (who might not be a charlatan). I used a Gypsy band as a diversion in a long adventure I ran and it worked out well since it was a break from the normal plot. One of the players tried romance a Gypsy wench, another tried to cheat them at cards while they were cheating back, a third tried to convert them to his religion. Lots of fun all the way round. __________________ So you've got the tiger by the tail. Now what?

07-11-2007, 10:11 AM	#8
Cernig Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Texas	Re: The Frogmarsh Free-For-All I like all of these. If you were feeling particularly twisted, you could combine the poachers and the assassination plot. The players become aware of the plot (possibly through being invited to join) which is aimed at the Green Blades, who are all heirs to major holdings. Gives them a bit of a moral dilemma. If they let revenge rule, stand aside and let the Blades die, there will be a small civil war and hundreds more will die. Oh, and they might end up being accused of the murders as part of the plot, even if they weren't. because Green blades retinue members would testify to the ill feeling there. Or they could be framed by the real plotters. The Gypsies could be an opportunity for some urban horror roleplay against the Hunt as background too. Maybe they have a terrible secret - like being vamps or weres or black cultists. Or maybe they are there because they're a hereditary family of slayers and some vamps have moved to town to take advantage of the chaos. How about the merchants who arrive to buy up rare pelts and body bits? Good way to make money if your players are poor, but dust off those encumberance, spell ingredient and rotting corpse rules. Oh, the stench! How about competition between merchants selling gear to hunters at inflated prices that turns nasty and the players end up in the middle? How about the players as a party from the Town Watch, investigating a string of murders that occur during the month-long chaos of the Hunt? Then there's that group calling itself "Greenpeace" that shows up from the big Temple of the Deity of Love and tries to stop the hunting/warn all the monsters...just a nuisance, or will they offer the players more money than they could make hunting to be their bodyguards? Regards, C