Need a "go fetch X and I will help you" quest for 16th level

[CronoDekar]

Warforged, eh? Maybe the Lord of Blades could ask for their help in retrieving a Xen'drik artifact for him, having to steal it from a well-guarded exhibit at Morgrave University. Or Mordain Fleshweaver can ask them to retrieve the flesh of various obscure and dangerous aberrations scattered around Khorivare in use for an experiment. Or for something they'd have less of a moral quanadry with, a dragon could ask them to retrieve an artifact important to the Draconic Prophecy, but left for since the Age of Demons in the Demon Wastes, or lost into the plane of ______ which just recently is about to become coterminous with Eberron.

 

[Nightfall]

They have to find a Khyber dragonshard at least the size of a dragon's heart. Said heart is actually Khyber's TRUE heart. Too bad no one told them that.

 

[Gulla]

What about getting something from an evil entity (not knowing Eberron I will not guess at appropriate entities) without harming the entity. The traditional 'get a part of the Dragon's treasure' but with a twist. The entity should preferably be one weak enough that the party normally could 'remove the problem'.

Håkon

 

[Mark Hope]

There was an old Shadowrun (or was it Cyberpunk?... can't remember) adventure where the PCs are asked to go and retrieve some valuable "genetic material". After much running about the place, the PCs finally track the genetic material down. Expecting some kind of esoteric goo in a metal flask or somesuch, they are a little alarmed to discover that it is a horse - the last horse in existence, no less.

You could easily transpose this into the Eberron setting. Tell the PCs that they need to retrieve the Flameheart of Cyre from the Mournlands, for example - which then turns out to be the last of a breed of cow (named for the splash of crimson colour on its breast) that the patron in question wishes to clone. Or eat.

 

[humble minion]

Who are they doing the quest for? That's the key. There's more than one type of quest, and someone who can name their price to a group of 16th level PCs could have all sorts of favours, desires or chores in mind, and most of them would be within the power of the PCs (16th level is powerful, especially in Eberron). From the point of view of the other party, look on it as something akin to a wish - anything's potentially possible. Don't necessarily make it combat oriented - think outside the box, or give your PCs a truly ludicrous task and see how they respond to it.

I'm in something of a similar situation in my Star Wars game. A xenophobic, foul-mouthed, filthy, leprous hillbilly Gungan has some information the PCs (Jedi and their allies) need. What did he ask for in exchange?

"Meesa want something. Meesa want something ... nice, and luscious, and *unclean shudder* innocent. Yousa bringsa her to meesa, and sheesa stay here. Meesa have ... needs, yousa know..."

 

[The Edge]

...Tell the PCs that they need to retrieve the Flameheart of Cyre from the Mournlands, for example - which then turns out to be the last of a breed of cow (named for the splash of crimson colour on its breast) that the patron in question wishes to clone. Or eat.

I've got to use that. And of course this rare breed is rare for a reason, the cows have a certain wanderlust and a taste for putting themselves (and their protectors) into pointless danger.

Also as well as retriveing stuff, which any player has done countless times, trying to get rid of something can be good too. Say this wizard or whoever recently aquired an annoying cursed item, a small black cat figure that always returns with its jinx unless willingly acepted. He hasn't been able to get rid of it and is desperate for some brave/foolish adventurers to take it from him. If they take it they'll need to find a way to get rid of it unless they are willing to endure non stop 'bad luck' and strange happenings. Perhaps leading to a get this/go there quest anyway. The bad luck is good for provideing reasons for encounters when it wouldn't normally make sence, and depending on the campain and whats happening at the time the bad luck could be simply statistical (dull option), lead to hilarious situations, or be rather deep and unsettleing (such as an old axe hung for display on the tavern wall comes loose and harms a bystander) .

 

[Faradon]

Personally, I guess I'm just a little more insidious...

I would take this opportunity to "test" the character(s). Now I don't know a lot about your campaign/characters' backgrounds... but at 16th level I'm sure they have made some powerful enemies. If one of these powerful enemies finds out about this character's predicament they might summon a devil capable of granting a twisted wish... Or perhaps one of their enemies feeds information to one of the PC's contacts about a Noble Djinni (who is actually said demon in disguise) trapped in a ring/bottle, an ancient archaic luckblade said to still hold a wish, or even... depending just how desperate the character is, access to a deck of many things.

 

[Sanackranib]

They have to find a Khyber dragonshard at least the size of a dragon's heart. Said heart is actually Khyber's TRUE heart. Too bad no one told them that.

I always knew you were twisted . . . now Im really sure. Too bad you are not in the scarred lands. the jack of tears is always looking for step and fetch errond boys . . .

 

[demiurge1138]

Who are they doing the quest for? That's the key. There's more than one type of quest, and someone who can name their price to a group of 16th level PCs could have all sorts of favours, desires or chores in mind, and most of them would be within the power of the PCs (16th level is powerful, especially in Eberron). From the point of view of the other party, look on it as something akin to a wish - anything's potentially possible. Don't necessarily make it combat oriented - think outside the box, or give your PCs a truly ludicrous task and see how they respond to it.

I'm in something of a similar situation in my Star Wars game. A xenophobic, foul-mouthed, filthy, leprous hillbilly Gungan has some information the PCs (Jedi and their allies) need. What did he ask for in exchange?

"Meesa want something. Meesa want something ... nice, and luscious, and *unclean shudder* innocent. Yousa bringsa her to meesa, and sheesa stay here. Meesa have ... needs, yousa know..."

Thank you. Now I'll never be clean enough ever again.

Demiurge out.

 

[Nightfall]

I always knew you were twisted . . . now Im really sure. Too bad you are not in the scarred lands. the jack of tears is always looking for step and fetch errond boys . . .

San,

Yeah well I figure I can do better but this was indeed off the cuff.


Jack's always looking for a nice patsy for what ever scheme he might be brewing.