Headhunter Help

[Redwulf25_ci]

I'm thinking of running a Special Investigation based game once I grok the rules well enough and I think the characters first case will be catching a serial killer who takes their victims heads with him. I'm toying with the idea of them discovering that it really is a mundane psycho this time but even if that's what I go with I need some good red herrings for them to chase. What in the Dresden verse would collect peoples heads and why?

I suppose a Necromancer might take the heads away so they can be questioned (perhaps for bank account information) or simply tortured for fun . . .

Any other ideas?

[CMEast]

Perhaps there really is a necromantic ritual using a certain number of human heads and perhaps this particular psycho has found a kemmlerian spellbook with all of the details for it. The psycho is only mortal and can't cast it but he doesn't know that.

That should be a set-up for lots of red herrings, plus you can easily bring in supernatural types if you want. Any good?

[Deadmanwalking]

A suggestion: Do a Google search on

mythology severed heads

Here's the potentially useful result I got on the first page:

http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20020930/severed_head.shtml

After that, you're on your own, but just that seems to be a gold mine...shrunken heads used to trap the souls of enemies? Check. Severed heads speaking prophecy? Check, make it one verse per head and you've got a serial killer. Mad scientists trying to perform head transplants? Check.

[Crion]

After that, you're on your own, but just that seems to be a gold mine...shrunken heads used to trap the souls of enemies? Check. Severed heads speaking prophecy? Check, make it one verse per head and you've got a serial killer. Mad scientists trying to perform head transplants? Check.

And as a twist for the Dresdenverse: collecting heads of minor talents to bolster your own. Twist it as you see fit ^_^;

[Redwulf25_ci]

Some interesting ideas. Thanks.

[blues.soldier]

And as a twist for the Dresdenverse: collecting heads of minor talents to bolster your own. Twist it as you see fit ^_^;

That's a sick but REALLY fun twist. I can hear the "There Can Be Only One" jokes already.

[Redwulf25_ci]

I think I'm going to go with the prophesy angle for the actual killer just because the prophecies let me set up a future case for the PC's. Now if only I could find a random prophecy generator that I could set for extra doom with a side of hallucinogens and tentacles.

A red herring that recently occurred to me is a White Court vampire of clan Malvora, nothing like a serial killer to ramp up fear after all. Might have him working the crime beat for the local paper. Sound like something typical PC's would look into?

[Crion]

That's a sick but REALLY fun twist. I can hear the "There Can Be Only One" jokes already.

Until you said that, I wasn't even THINKING Highlander. I just remembered a few random myths/storylines/mechanics where you collect parts of various supernaturals to gain a degree of their power. Heads and hearts of spellcasters seem to be the most fitting (brains contain knowledge, heads can speak; hearts are seats of emotions, emotions fuel magic).

But I can't help but laugh at the Highlander reference. Thanks for catching me on it! *laughs*

I think I'm going to go with the prophesy angle for the actual killer just because the prophecies let me set up a future case for the PC's. Now if only I could find a random prophecy generator that I could set for extra doom with a side of hallucinogens and tentacles.

A red herring that recently occurred to me is a White Court vampire of clan Malvora, nothing like a serial killer to ramp up fear after all. Might have him working the crime beat for the local paper. Sound like something typical PC's would look into?

Prophecies tend to be cryptic, so be as vague as possible if you don't have a generator. Besides, who needs a generator if you can just confuse everyone with random words that seem to be nonsense.
As for the second part: Depends on the PCs. If you have a group of wizards/whatever who have a vested interest in it (victim was tied to them somehow, whether a friend, minor talent, or even a regular at the bar they frequent), then sure, quite possibly. But if you have a bunch of Red Court Infected trying to keep their heads down, Changelings that would rather stay on the run to stay out of trouble, or a group of minor talents too afraid to leave their homes at night. . .might be a challenge to get them motivated.

Either way, good luck!

--Crion

[CMEast]

Well they'll be motivated if they knew one of the decapitated victims, or if someone they knew only just escaped with their lives.

If it's doom and tentacles that you're after, you could have an outsider speaking through the heads? It would sound like prophecy but it's actually a cunning plan to manipulate the serial killer, sending him on missions to create or prevent a particular future when actually it's just opening a gateway for the outsider (plus friends) to pour through. That way the serial killer could be someone they'd never suspect, like a nun (on a secret holy mission to decapitate key minions of the anti-christ or whatever); a family man (protecting his children from the horrid future in the prophecy) or whatever. Fun

[Crion]

Well they'll be motivated if they knew one of the decapitated victims, or if someone they knew only just escaped with their lives.

If it's doom and tentacles that you're after, you could have an outsider speaking through the heads? It would sound like prophecy but it's actually a cunning plan to manipulate the serial killer, sending him on missions to create or prevent a particular future when actually it's just opening a gateway for the outsider (plus friends) to pour through. That way the serial killer could be someone they'd never suspect, like a nun (on a secret holy mission to decapitate key minions of the anti-christ or whatever); a family man (protecting his children from the horrid future in the prophecy) or whatever. Fun

It's always fun to have the person they would least suspect. . .especially if it's someone doing evil for good reasons. Seems to be the bread and butter of the Dresdenverse. Have at it!

[Redwulf25_ci]

Well they'll be motivated if they knew one of the decapitated victims, or if someone they knew only just escaped with their lives.

They'll be motivated to look into the decapitations because as I mentioned they're working in Special Investigations and thus working the case (unless some of them want to play other roles like a consultant or reporter working with the department). I was asking if people thought the Whitecourt crime reporter was a lead that would get followed.

Got the first line of the prophesy.

When next the chalice of the Lord is held aloft by bloody wing . . .

Given that I intend to set the game in Detroit I think at least one of my players will be able to parse that line. Hint if you can't it helps to be a sports fan.

(click to show/hide)

Next time the Red Wings win the Stanley cup (aka LORD Stanley's cup) . . .