Plot Line Problems

[devfrag]

My apologies if this is posted in the wrong forum. I'm hoping someone will have an idea to help me with a plot line in my campaign. I'm looking for general ideas to help move the story forward. Here's the story so far...

The Elven Ranger in my group is royalty. She was next in line to be queen of her people. Her initial reason for adventuring in her backstory was to explore the world before coming back home a hero and taking her place as the queen. Unfortunately her parents ruined the economy back home with lavish spending on frivolous luxuries. They then had to make a deal with some neighboring half-orcs to keep the kingdom going financially (and also to line their pockets even more). The deal with the half-orcs went sour and they saw an opportunity to take invade and take control. Her parents were fine with this as long as they got paid. Things then went from bad to worse after a series of portals to the Underdark opened up in the region. Her near death parents got word to their daughter to come save them. She managed to convince the group to help her back home but by the time they got there the half-orcs had set fire to the place and stolen anything that wasn't nailed down. It all went up in flames in a matter of hours.

She managed to find her parents and about 200 refugees including her very sick parents. They traveled 200 miles to find sanctuary in the closest town. There were only 120 left after the trip. Here parents were being nursed back to health when she found out they had made the deal with the half-orcs. In a, brilliantly role played, moment of confusion and rage she killed both of her parents and managed to escape with the rest of the party.

This happened a few sessions back and I want to bring it back front and center. My issue is that I'm not sure exactly how to move things forward. Here are a couple of ideas I've had so far...


The remaining people in the govt. hire bounty hunters to bring her in and put her in prison
Hire assassins to kill her
Bring her in to hang her


I'm looking for any ideas to help. I want it to have more than just a revenge motive but don't know how to accomplish that. Be more meaningful, etc...

Sincerely,
struggle bus rider

[Andraax]

The deal included her hand in marriage to the leader of the half-orc clan, and he plans to make sure the marriage happens...

[LordEntrails]

Or, since their were probably a few people who saw the harm her parents were doing, their might see what she did as justice. Perhaps an uncle/aunt is seeking for her to return and rule (justly)

Don't forget, their is magic, so it would be "easy" (or at least possible) that a divination has revealed that according to a god or gods her actions were not only justifiable, but necessary.

Also don't forget, once she becomes queen, she can't really be an adventurer anymore as she will have other things to do than wander around with her friends being a hero. Also, though I know you like this story line, what about the rest of the players? Are they fine that the entire story revolves around this one character?

[Temmpest]

Also, though I know you like this story line, what about the rest of the players? Are they fine that the entire story revolves around this one character?

Good question. I have had players quit because their back story wasn't getting enough attention. It's unfair to relegate the other players in the party to the background.

[Davinci522]

There is a difference between relegating everyone else to the background and giving everyone there own section. Maybe a message is sent to them and they can decide from there. Or maybe bring someone else’s story up and revisit this later. Recovering from a burned down city takes time especially if no one has money.

[Davinci522]

I see it hard to hire an assassin or bounty hunter if the city was in financial problems and everything was burned to the ground. Maybe they ask her for money so she has to adventure more to send money back home?

[devfrag]

First and foremost thank you all so much for the valuable feedback. You have given me a couple of great ideas. Here are the replies all in one post.



Also don't forget, once she becomes queen, she can't really be an adventurer anymore as she will have other things to do than wander around with her friends being a hero. Also, though I know you like this story line, what about the rest of the players? Are they fine that the entire story revolves around this one character?


There is a difference between relegating everyone else to the background and giving everyone there own section...


Good question. I have had players quit because their back story wasn't getting enough attention. It's unfair to relegate the other players in the party to the background.

The group doesn't have a problem with the story revolving around one character. We've been together for 3.5 years and in that time I have given each player at the table a plot line completely based on their back story.
Thanks for the reminder about her becoming a queen LordEntrails. I don't think she would ever want to be a queen now given what she has done. She has no remorse or regret and the idea of being a queen likely makes her sick to her stomach. She has gone from a total diva princess to murdering her parents. It has been a great role playing experience with her.


The deal included her hand in marriage to the leader of the half-orc clan, and he plans to make sure the marriage happens...

This is interesting. Maybe the half-orc leader tracks her down to make the deal work?

[Andraax]

This is interesting. Maybe the half-orc leader tracks her down to make the deal work?

I was thinking more along the lines of sending henchmen to kidnap her and bring her back to force the marriage... As the party defeats the initial set of henchmen, more skilled / powerful henchmen are sent. I could drag this out for a year at least... <grin>

[LordEntrails]

And then they half work shows up a year later, and pretends he doesn't know about the thugs trying to kidnap her and tries to be all charming and debonair

[epithet]

The elven kingdom doesn't have a mundane ecology, it is a magical ecosystem sustained by the throne, which is an artifact. The active participation of the King/Queen is required, or the ecosystem fails and the people start starving and being eaten by wolves. When she killed the King and Queen, the ranger became the Queen in accordance with the rules of the throne artifact, and in her absence the kingdom is falling apart because the throne's magic isn't being focused/renewed.

Some want the ranger to return and restore the kingdom, others want to kill her and become the King.

If she returns and restores the kingdom, she can perform a ritual of abdication and force the throne to choose a new King or Queen.

[GavinRuneblade]

How does the law and morality work in your setting? In Europe, for a decent bit of history Royals murdering their siblings and/or parents to take power was considered a legitimate power grab in many countries and still happens from time to time today. The classic Greek stories of Edipus Rex and Electra for example, both include children murdering their parents. In one case the child keeps the kingdom and marries his mother, in the other she commits suicide after murdering her family to avenge her father's murder by the mother and son and mother's new lover. Hamlet could count too with a murder to steal the throne. Henry the second was killed (chased until he died of exhaustion and illness) by his son Richard (the lionheart) who inherited his lands and was accepted by the realm. Edward II was captured and imprisoned by his son and wife (plus her lover) so the son could take the throne (and so the wife could be with her lover). Basically a modern reliving of Electra actually except with no Trojan war connection. And the list goes on and on both in literature and the real world history.

I guess I just wonder why it is a problem unless your world has post French Enlightenment-style laws and morality? Most of the Forgotten Realms does, for instance, and so does Eberron by default. But I don't like to take it as a given that all worlds do. As Lord Entrails mentioned some might side with the child not the parents if the details were revealed.

[Mgrancey]

Depending on the party, since not much has been told about them, that sounds like a good section of political/espionage roleplaying. Depending on the Queen's character playstyle they could do alot of setup to work on getting her desired outcome. If the party has been wandering around they could call in help and favors from past associates.

As a thought, since I it wasn't listed as to how abdication works, if she is killed the throne picks the next closest blood relation OR if she abdicates then she would be able to choose the next ruler. This would setup a situation where some people would want her dead because they think they or someone they have good ties or control over would become the next ruler VERSUS those who would be working to have her choose person X or Y who probably wouldn't be chosen if she is killed. You could have anywhere from 3 basic factions to a bunch though I would suggest no more then 5 to keep things from getting out of control.
Ideas for factions:
* Person X by her death (2 or at most 3 of this)
* Person Z by her abdication (again 2 or at most 3)
* Person F working with Half-Orc (could be same as either X or Y person)
* Person A working in collusion to destroy her country
* Person G, self-centered and greedy lookin to get as much as possible and then escape (copy of parents)
* Group S hoping to make her stay as Queen, guilt her into it
* Person M hoping to marry her, become king then let her leave so they can rule

The player could spend some time gathering info and sneaking around, avoiding and fighting those trying to capture or kill her. While gathering assistance and aid from acquaintances or friends from past adventures. Have allies go to her country in preperation for whatever she plans for.

Favorite advised author for something like this would be Alistair MacLean, there are some others that I can't recall at the moment but he is my favorite for the protaganist being underhanded, sneaky, political and victorious in believable ways.

[devfrag]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and ideas. I ended up going with the hand in marriage idea from Andraax.