Why should the characters go on this adventure? The usual answers: knowledge and/or power. Or they might be tracking someone down who is using the doors for unfair advantage in the worlds, or to escape the characters.
In many ways this adventure is more a guideline that a full series of rooms and events. It was designed specifically for characters looking for the crossroads. It may still be fun for characters that aren’t looking for the crossroads (or the silver city), but there won’t be the urgent need to choose the right doors in the right order.
- Red Jack’s Riddle
- Before they can go on either of the adventures, they need to enter Red Jack’s. Some sage or oracle may give them the gambling house riddle, telling them that if anyone knows the answer (or can put them on the road to finding it), it will be Red Jack.
- Crossroads symbolism
- The door to San Francisco is marked with a crude crossroads. Introduce crossroads symbolism (perhaps in the Celtic lands, or using ankhs in some abandoned castle). You may also use the same oracle that brought them to Red Jack’s:
- The Cherry Blossom murders
- A serial killer in Fork can bring them to Red Jack’s. Brutal murders, and strange words written in blood on the walls: “Ebeorie” at first, and then strange symbols. The first word doesn’t translate magically (as is common with place names or personal names) but the second two mean “master of unrest” or “master of chaos” or “lord of discord” or “conflagration king”. Something like that.
- Chasing Joe Lakono
- If the player characters would chase Joe Lakono or his alter ego Orlando Fontaine, he’s a great way to get them through the doors. If they’ve come to really hate Joe, he might summon a waxen assassin to take his form, and send it against one of them, so that they end up chasing his twin through the doors.
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