Ok, you're following someone, but you can't tell him why. Somehow, you need a good excuse for travelling with him and eventually, persuading him to go to this specific place you need him to go (without telling him the true reason). So what sorta excuse would you come up with for following him, without sounding suspicious?
I would have done some research on the guy. At the very least, i would get his profession, and anything I could use as a mutual interest to maybe draw him elsewhere. Or at worst, I could always kidnap him at gunpoint. The info you gave us is very vague. Basically you said: WE need to go with SUBJECT A to POINT B. Having a few more details on the situation would help us give you a better answer.
This is a tough question because you didn't provide any background on the character. You could 'lure' him with: A) Sports tickets to an otherwise sold-out event (if the guy likes sports), B) If traveling by air or train, you could say you have an extra ticket and it wouldn't cost him anything (or in someway lose the ticket - like in a bet or something), C) You could do a 'script-flip' and convince the guy that he's actually helping the follower, not the other way around, D) You could bribe other characters to help steer him to the remote location, E) The follower could pose as an official of some sort and 'highly-suggest' that he follow, F) And of course, if he's a guy and the follower is a girl - then you could use the promise of sex or use the 'wounded-female' concept.
If the char following him is female, and if they know each other, she might fake a family emergency or some kind of emergency and she has to go to "this" place, but she is too shock and hysterical to travel alone.
How well does the folowee (B) know the follower (A)? Is the goal something that needs to be done quickly? Is it something that can be planned around the person to a degree? If B goes to the bars and is a good person, maybe A could act drunk enough to "need a DD". Could B's car be disabled, with A being right there to give B a ride "but first, if you don't mind, I really need to run an errand". -Frank
Sorry about the vagueness of my post, and thanks for your responses! Ok, more details - essentially, this is a fantasy story set in some imaginary world typically filled with towns and woods and swords and carriages and wizards and etc. The way the story starts - 4 High Priests enter Heinrich, my MC's family shop one day and basically tries to take his life. Heinrich has no idea what the heck's going on and runs for his life. Anyway, he's injured during the attack and eventually collapses somewhere in the woods. My second MC, Eleanor, and her friend Luke, rescues him and helps him recover. Now, Heinrich wants to find out why someone wants to kill him, he also wants to run but doesn't know where, and he's currently on his way back to his family because he needs to know that they're all right (his mother and brother were present during the attack). So now, I need to give Eleanor and Luke a reason to follow him, without arousing suspicion. Basically, the High Priests want to kill Heinrich, but Eleanor and Luke have their own plans with Heinrich, and wants to lure him to this place. (In the meantime, something else is going on with regards to my story villain, who also wants to get his hands on Heinrich to use him) But since Heinrich insists on going back to his home village, they need to make a detour. But either way, they need a reason for travelling with Heinrich. Btw, Heinrich has no past - people presume he's got amnesia and his family isn't his birth family, but rather they simply took him in and treated him as part of the family, like an adopted son. He doesn't have amnesia at all - that's another part of the plot - but either way, he has no idea who he was before he woke up one day. So there it is - if you need anymore details, do ask! In general I'm struggling to make the story continue... any ideas?
If the detour is to another town, maybe once on the road they can convince him to reprovision there or see a healer to get to 100% or somesuch. If they do get to his town eventually, they could tell him "we've grown fond of you and want to help." -Frank
"Oh man, you want to travel? Without having a memory and after getting beat up? Well, ok, but I'm going with you." "No, don't! I am perfectly fine by myself." "...Yeah, that is what your scar is saying. Look, all I am going to ask is for a place to stay once we reach your detour. Until then, just let me follow you. My Karma/the gods/the spirits/plug whatever works with your world/ would have a fit if I didn't come with you. Can't leave a person all alone like that, can I?" Definitely play a concerned roll. Add in some obligation you feel and bam, insta trust.
Mallory Basically, Heinrich isn't human - this is where I was inspired by Japanese anime fantasy - he's created as a weapon. Hence he has no past and no memory. He has no idea about this however because the force inside him is suppressed ages by people fighting against the wizard who created him. Anyway, Eleanor and Luke want to take him to someplace where they can release that seal on his power so he could help them fight against the villain. (The High Priests are trying to kill him for the same reasons, for fear that the villain would get his hands on Heinrich) TricksterDizzy - you see, I don't quite buy into the sympathy thing. Who would follow a stranger just to protect him, and risk their own lives? There're murderers out to get him, and you choose to follow that guy? I'm not sure it's plausible
Perhaps Eleanor and Luke could tell him that they were sent by his family to protect him? or by the local wiseman/witch/alll round goodie goodie/.. they could hint at a higher purpose, make him feel important, hint at a prize or fantastic thing somewhere on the journey home, to collect something he will need to discover why the priests want to kill him.. erm..... could pretend to be a long lost sibling that he didnt know about (having no memory etc he wouldnt know) let us know how it goes.. willow..
The higher prize thing might work as an interesting thread to the story - I've thought about my villain secretly communicating with Heinrich... Problem is, I want Heinrich to take the detour home, so I can include a few scenes I'd already written (I've rewritten part of the plot, hence the mess). Nah long lost sibling might become awkward eventually - Heinrich would ask all sorts of questions and I don't have Heinrich's back story, mostly because he doesn't have one (I have the back story of how he's created, but that's a different kinda back story!). Also, when the revelation comes: "You're NOT my brother!?" - that might be a bit of an anti-climax... Although if it was Eleanor who's his fake sister, that might be interesting - or would it be too complicated? There's to be a love story between Eleanor and Heinrich. Is the idea of fake incest a funny idea, or just complicated and horrible? (Imagine, Heinrich finds her attractive but rebukes himself for the fact that she's his sister. In the meantime Eleanor's probably equally frustrated for the stupid story she fabricated. Funny, or just a little far-fetched?) Another thing - I can't decide if Eleanor should fall in love with Heinrich (my MC), or Luke, my secondary character. Luke and Eleanor are childhood best friends. Luke and Heinrich both love Eleanor, so she has to choose and she kinda likes both - so who do you think she should choose?
Off the top of my head, reasons for Heinrich allowing them to travel with him... - use of magic, to implant the suggestion in his head. - they are travelling to another location, which shares part of the road which the MC will follow. - they announce themselves as enemies of the High Priests sent to protect him. For the detour - his village was attacked at the same time at his shop, and his family are heading towards the other destination. Or he recieves word that it has happened from someone he trusts (perhaps a false report created by Eleanor and Luke to mislead him into following them?) - they are attacked by more of the High Priest faction and are driven towards the other place. Or Eleanor and Luke create the attacks in order to lead Heinrich from his route. Whatever, the way to his village is blocked. - Either of Eleanor and Luke is captured and led off in the direction of the other place. H feels it is his duty to help in the rescue, since they saved his life.
