Stone Circles of Echoing Voices

Uncover hidden schemes in a stone-age metropolis.

In the dense heart of an early urban settlement, an urgent plea for help reaches the players. A charismatic leader, revered for binding diverse tribes into a cohesive city-state, has vanished. With the wise leader missing, fractures threaten to unravel the delicate peace between the human and elven communities. Given just 24 hours before an important decision meeting, the players must navigate through political whispers, unearth hidden motives, and ensure the city doesn't descend into chaos. The clock is ticking, tensions rise, and each decision could tip the balance between cooperation or ruin.

The World

Context

In a stone-age era, an urban sprawl emerges, comprised of intricate stone structures. Human and elven communities formed alliances to build a thriving civilization, relying heavily on their harmony to sustain growth in such primitive times. Limited technology forces reliance on collaborative skills, making politics vital for survival. Without magic or advanced tools, the strength of words and unity becomes their most potent force.

Concept

A sprawling stone metropolis held together by delicate political alliances.

Impact

Daily life requires diplomacy to manage resources and coexistence, with intense power struggles beneath the surface.

The Plot

Summary

The players are summoned to locate the missing leader, who disappeared on the eve of crucial discussions impacting the city's future. The human and elven factions are on edge; whispers of betrayal and sabotage spread rapidly. Navigating through the stone city, the players encounter tribal elders with competing agendas, street leaders wielding influences, and a secret elven coalition plotting their ambitious schemes. Each interaction reveals hidden loyalties or conceals potential threats. When the leader's last location is identified as a desolate ritual site, players must decide who can be trusted in this web of intrigues. The resolution lies in understanding the deeper motivations driving each faction within their limited time.

Complication

Discover the missing leader's disappearance was orchestrated by their trusted lieutenant.

Hook

Reconcile divided leaders to prevent city collapse.

World stakes

City teeters on the brink of civil war, losing unity.

Personal stakes

Players are discredited and face exile if they fail.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

The players receive an urgent plea from a distressed emissary. Dispatched to the towering stone council chamber, they learn of the leader's disappearance. As time runs short, suspicions ricochet amongst council members. The players must interrogate three key individuals: the human elder, the elven delegate, and the civic engineer. Each character reveals clues or deepens suspicions, forcing players to decide on their next lead.

Location:

Grand stone council chamber, filled with urgent chatter.

Challenge:

Gaining truthful insights amid rising fears of betrayal.

Objective:

Unravel initial suspicions around the leader's disappearance.

Set Back:

A key witness recants their statement under duress.

Revelation:

Leader's trusted lieutenant involved.

GM's Guide:

Emphasize the urgency with NPCs nervously glancing at sundial shadows. Ensure each NPC interaction further blurs the lines of trust. Keep the pace brisk by allowing investigations to hint at broader conspiracies and escalate the tension.

GM's Move:

The discovery of a council member's secret allegiances adds tension.

Act 2

Summary:

Following the council session, the players must track the lieutenant's movements. They navigate narrow alleyways teeming with artisans and street performers, where whispers about a hidden meeting circulate. The players face moral dilemmas – earning trust by siding with different factions or going rogue to unearth truths swiftly. Their journey leads to a clandestine gathering that holds vital secrets about the power shift.

Location:

Busking filled alley, vibrant yet tense.

Challenge:

Breaking through layers of misinformation.

Objective:

Trace the lieutenant's trail through the bustling city.

Set Back:

A faction threatens to withdraw support over confrontational tactics.

Revelation:

Hidden meeting at a ritualistic site.

GM's Guide:

Highlight the dynamic atmosphere of the city streets, contrasting with the council's tense environment. Use environmental cues, like urgent conversations or symbol-marked pathways, to hint at deeper plots.

GM's Move:

Clues reveal the meeting site is a contested ritual ground.

Act 3

Summary:

At the ritualistic site, players uncover the truth. Its sacred nature amplifies tensions between humans and elves. The lieutenant, revealed to be power-hungry, schemes to seize control using ancient traditions twisted for personal gain. Players face critical strategic choices – expose the scheme or ally with certain factions to stabilize the city. Decisions must be quick to beat the ticking deadline and prevent doom.

Location:

Echoing stone circle, tense air of tradition and deceit.

Challenge:

Diplomatic or confrontational deftness to sway power dynamics.

Objective:

Expose the lieutenant's game and resolve city tensions.

Set Back:

One sympathetic faction becomes hostile due to accusations.

Revelation:

Lieutenant's bid for power exposed.

GM's Guide:

Focus on the site's ambience – echoing voices among stone circles lend to the urgency and importance of this moment. Allow players flexibility in strategy, showing clear consequences for actions.

GM's Move:

Time is nearly up; only minutes remain for decisions.

Climax:

Restoring order through player judgment determines the city's fate.