Love letters

Box

Consider writing one or more "love letters" to go along with these questions. Each such love letter should...

... address a particular PC;
... establish some experience that the PC has had (or is still having);
... ask them to describe something about that experience;
... have them make a roll and, based on the result, give the player...
- ... insight into or influence over the starting situation, and/or...
- ... some sort of resource to use in the upcoming adventure.

Write the love letter on an index card. print it out before play, or send it to the player online. Have the player read it aloud during whatever part of the setup makes sense.

I'd like to foreshadow the swyn, but asking about it directly would be too obvious. Instead, I write this love letter to Blodwen. It establishes a few potential culprits (including the swyn) and gives her the option to learn more in play.

Love Letter

Dear Blodwen, Seven the Crone has told you countless tales of unnatural creatures in the Wood. Lately, though, she's been bringing up things that steal away children, such as:

Fae, like the white Billies (eternal revelers), Blush-of-Dawn (who seeks adoration),
The glasbren, beautiful tree spirits who've been known to entrance comely mortals and Auntie Sallow (who "protects" the innocent)
Swyn, big snakes with monkey-like faces, hypnotic eyes, and mesmerizing voices
The Fomorajj, of which she barely whispers, ancient evils hiding in the earth

Old Seven does drone on, and she ravely tells a story the same way twice, so let's see how well you've been listening. Roll +INT: on a 10+ hold 2 stories; on a 7-9, hold 1 story. when you spend I story and tell us the name of one of seven's tales, ask the GM a question about one of the creatures described above. The GM will tell you something interesting, useful, and relevant, as revealed by the tale.

On a 6, hold I story but when you spend it, the GM will tell you two versions of the story with conflicting information, only one of which is true.

xoxo - your GM

For more guidance, see Writing love letters Writing.