Plot Line Problems

**devfrag** · January 27th, 2019, 04:28

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** · January 27th, 2019, 04:55

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** · January 27th, 2019, 05:13

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** · January 27th, 2019, 06:33

Originally Posted by LordEntrails

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** · January 27th, 2019, 08:10

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** · January 27th, 2019, 08:11

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** · January 27th, 2019, 14:08

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.

Originally Posted by LordEntrails

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?

Originally Posted by Davinci522

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

Originally Posted by Temmpest

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.

Originally Posted by 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...

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

**Andraax** · January 27th, 2019, 14:12

Originally Posted by devfrag

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** · January 27th, 2019, 17:10

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** · January 28th, 2019, 00:33

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.

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