So, I was reading the 3E Masque book ("Ewwww!") and I saw the little blurb about Calcutta having trouble with undead and cultists of Kali and decided to work with it. What I have so far is that the party will be hired to investigate the disappearances in the city, either by the local government or the East India Company. But... I can't think of a good layout for the adventure, or any motives for the Kali cultists other than "Kill! KILL! Skulls for Khorne, errrr, Kali!"
Any ideas?
Calcutta
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Spiteful Crow
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Hmmm...good questions. Here's few thoughts you might consider working with:
1. Are the disappearances really caused by Thuggee? Perhaps the alleged cult practices are a red herring. Or perhaps the work of genuine cultists is a smokescreen being used by a second villain (this would allow you to have the cultists adopt their traditional horror-fiction role of worshipping Kali through the act of murder, and yet have a deeper plot involved). Or perhaps a third-party villain (human or creature) has taken control of the cult and is targeting particular victims for personal reasons (anything from vengeance on those who wronged him to a ritual to gather magical power...).
2. Play with the economic and political tensions of the setting. The economic exploitation and cultural arrogance of the Brits, the desire of the Indians for self-rule...Has a particular British government figure or East India Company representative committed specific oppressive evil acts that revenge-minded Indians are turning to the cult of Kali because it promises direct, vengeful action to be taken? Or perhaps the shoe is on the other foot, and a British official who is trying to fill his post with respect for human dignity is creating a power-vacuum which is being filled by an Indian villain (since the players will probably be expecting either mad Indian cultists or boorish British oppressors, this might be a surprising twist, to find an educated, intelligent, upper-class Indian villain).
3. For those who enjoy Red Death conspiracy theories, the cultists might be specifically trying to bring about the Kali-Yuga, shattering human society underfoot in a turbulent wave of chaos, under the manipulation of a powerful Red Death minion. The plot might be to trigger a new Mutiny by stirring up hatreds and violence on both sides...
4. For Indiana Jones fans, think Temple of Doom and consider the possibility of mystic (and possibly cursed) artifacts at the heart of the cult plot.
1. Are the disappearances really caused by Thuggee? Perhaps the alleged cult practices are a red herring. Or perhaps the work of genuine cultists is a smokescreen being used by a second villain (this would allow you to have the cultists adopt their traditional horror-fiction role of worshipping Kali through the act of murder, and yet have a deeper plot involved). Or perhaps a third-party villain (human or creature) has taken control of the cult and is targeting particular victims for personal reasons (anything from vengeance on those who wronged him to a ritual to gather magical power...).
2. Play with the economic and political tensions of the setting. The economic exploitation and cultural arrogance of the Brits, the desire of the Indians for self-rule...Has a particular British government figure or East India Company representative committed specific oppressive evil acts that revenge-minded Indians are turning to the cult of Kali because it promises direct, vengeful action to be taken? Or perhaps the shoe is on the other foot, and a British official who is trying to fill his post with respect for human dignity is creating a power-vacuum which is being filled by an Indian villain (since the players will probably be expecting either mad Indian cultists or boorish British oppressors, this might be a surprising twist, to find an educated, intelligent, upper-class Indian villain).
3. For those who enjoy Red Death conspiracy theories, the cultists might be specifically trying to bring about the Kali-Yuga, shattering human society underfoot in a turbulent wave of chaos, under the manipulation of a powerful Red Death minion. The plot might be to trigger a new Mutiny by stirring up hatreds and violence on both sides...
4. For Indiana Jones fans, think Temple of Doom and consider the possibility of mystic (and possibly cursed) artifacts at the heart of the cult plot.