[Dark Sun, any edition] Campaign mini-plots

[Wraith Form]

Anyone interested in suggesting some DS mini-plots? For example:

The heroes are hired by Arisphistaneles in the village of Altaruk to explore rumors of a small, ruined outpost from an earlier age that might contain a cache of weapons or even a fresh water oasis.

The ruins are supposedly five days southwest of Altaruk (and west of Grak's Pool), but the area is populated by an aggressive tribe of thri-kreen, surrounded by "dry quicksand" patches--and raiders have been attacking travellers on the road leading south more frequently.

The heroes must find the outpost and recover it's treasures (if any), find a diplomatic (or lethal!) resolution to the thri-kreen tribe, survive the hostile environment and dispatch the raiders.

(That's pretty ho-hum, but I don't design adventures very often. Any suggestions to "spice up" my mini-plot?)

Care to contribute a plot of your own?

 

[Wraith Form]

It's quiet.

Too quiet.

 

[Crothian]

The characters find the law of the city has turned on them and must escape into the desert.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

If the PCs have heard about it...so have others. Make it a race with other competing groups. Nothing spells excitement like good old direct competition.

 

[Pbartender]

One sorcerer-king has apparently found a way to siphon arcane energy off the remnants of the feywild, hastening its decline. The other sorcerer-kings rush to steel the secret from him, before he gains too much power over them.

In retaliation, the eladrin begin methodically, mercilessly and indiscriminately hunting down and assassinating any and all (what few there are) arcane spellcasters.

The PCs are caught in the middle.

 

[Wraith Form]

The heroes buy (or get covertly slipped) something while browsing one of the city-states' grey markets: a McGuffin that elves plundered from a caravan they raided. This McGuffin--and, really, the caravan as well--belonged to a distant city's powerful trade house. The item's brought nothing but misery to the elves, who now wish to sell the thing to avoid detection (and likely retaliation) from the trade house.

Additionally, the McGuffin is a psionic artifact that subtly changes the hero that's carrying the item...can the heroes identify why their comrade is changing and return him to 'normal' before the comrade goes insane/transforms into something else/grows a third eye in the middle of his forehead? Why does this trade house wish to possess such a dangerous item? And will the heroes be able to convince the trade house that it was all a big misunderstanding?

(Here is another bland and vague idea that could use some fleshing out--care to add anything?)

 

[Wraith Form]

........The PCs are caught in the middle.

Nice!

 

[UniversalMonster]

The corpse of a mega-gargantuan Sand-turtle surfaces partially from a windswept dune. Inside the dessicated and hollowed-out body, a group of thieves have established a sort of lair.

Amongst their plunder is the encased psionic brain (like a Brain in a Jar, but bigger, and more crazier, and with a personality) of an ancient eldritch giant (Dark Sunatized somehow?) who starts manipulating the thieves into stealing more and more items in order to assemble an invincible colossus body.

So the adventure starts with some encounters with thieves, might move onto clues that eventually lead to the gargantuan sand-turtle dungeon.. and then eventually a battle with a psionic brain encased in a golem-body.

 

[Pbartender]

The heroes buy (or get covertly slipped) something while browsing one of the city-states' grey markets: a McGuffin that elves plundered from a caravan they raided. This McGuffin--and, really, the caravan as well--belonged to a distant city's powerful trade house. The item's brought nothing but misery to the elves, who now wish to sell the thing to avoid detection (and likely retaliation) from the trade house.

Th McGuffin is a bottle of what appears to look and smell like perfume. In reality, it is a potent psionic monster lure. The scent naturally activates parts of the brain that create psionically resonating thoughts. These thoughts automatically draw in psionic creatures from miles around and trigger a predatory response in them.

It was originally developed by the trade house to give as a "gift" to a rival in order to covertly assassinate her, and have it look like an accident.

 

[weem]

The corpse of a mega-gargantuan Sand-turtle surfaces partially from a windswept dune. Inside the dessicated and hollowed-out body, a group of thieves have established a sort of lair.

Amongst their plunder is the encased psionic brain (like a Brain in a Jar, but bigger, and more crazier, and with a personality) of an ancient eldritch giant (Dark Sunatized somehow?) who starts manipulating the thieves into stealing more and more items in order to assemble an invincible colossus body.

So the adventure starts with some encounters with thieves, might move onto clues that eventually lead to the gargantuan sand-turtle dungeon.. and then eventually a battle with a psionic brain encased in a golem-body.

Very interesting, I like it - it's inspired a number of ideas for ME, and I'm not even the OP!