(Ig)noble plot?

[deef]

Asking for ideas for an upcoming adventure.

The adventure will feature conflict between Lord Mudge Ambrose and Lord Harry Footly. They grew up together, Mudge looking up to Harry. They were partners in crime, plotting to enrich their houses at the expense of their neighbors. Mudge wasn't very daring, so he didn't gain much, and he's since repented. However, before he repented, he married his oldest daughter to his mentor in payment for assistance on a plot. When Mudge's son dies, Harry will blackmail him into naming Harry's second son, Leyton (his oldest child by Mudge's daughter), as Mudge's heir. He then plans to assassinate his former friend.

What did Mudge do to require Harry's aid, that Harry can now use to blackmail this newly pious lord?

[Kajani]

Re: (Ig)noble plot?

Well, it must be something very damaging if it could work still. It is even more complicated if he wasn't daring. Maybe one of this intrigues were the reason he was not so daring? He may have plotted against a neighbour - seting some buidling in a settlement alight, sabotaging a mine, enrage the smallfolk to a riot or something. He did not planed SO much more than troublle and loss of wealth for his neighbour, but things went much worse than he had thought. Maybe the fire spread, the mine collapsed, in the riot a septon and a relative of his neighbour was killed... He could hide his role in the thing, but Harry has proof (maybe one of the saboteurs confessed to him and is in his hand etc.) for Mudge's roll. If that comes to light now, the house who suffered under the sabotage very likely will declare war. And even if the proof is not enough for that, it may demand a trial by combat, and since that house hase a very skilled fighter at hand, lord Mudge has not, so his guilt would be obvious.

[deef]

Re: (Ig)noble plot?

Nice - I like the idea of a minor scheme gone way out of control. Great ideas! I plan to make these houses fairly integral to the plot down the line, and I'd like to have plenty of ideas to pick through (one of my players reads these forums), so if anyone else has some ideas, please, throw them out here!