ZEITGEIST Rushing to Gale (spoilers obv)

[aartvb]

My first session of adventure 2 was a blast! They found some (but definitely not all) clues at the consulate. They traced Dr. von Recklinghausen to the House of the Blue Birds, and they went to Heward's factory. Their plan is tomorrow (in-game) go to Nevard first, to get to Gale. But if they go to Nevard tomorrow, meet with Macbannin in the afternoon and go up Cauldron Hill at night, then Nevard's rally will take place 2 days later (so at day 4). But that would mean that they can find out that Macbannin is behind everything on day 4, with little attention to the other 2 threads. How would I deal with this hypothetical situation? Give Macbannin a full agenda so they can only meet a day later? And then him needing an extra day to prepare his people for the climb onto Cauldron hill?

 

[arkwright]

First off, don't stress. While the book says that Nevard's rally takes place the night after Cauldron Hill, there's really nothing to stop Nevard wanting a few days to think it over.

You have however pinpointed an issue with Book 2. Of all the threads, the most definitive proof comes from raiding the Bleak Golem factory. And the tipoff for the factory doesn't come from any action the PCs do in a thread, it just comes from enough time passing.

My suggestion is to delay Nevard's rally until the PCs have dealt with the other threads, and try to offer some payoff for those threads being completed. Like getting more of a drop on the factory so as to prevent the attack from happening, or being able to recruit help for arresting Macbannin.

 

[aartvb]

Ah yes, that's possible of course. And that's good advice, I will keep my eyes open for such opportunities from the other threads!