So my group is starting a new campaign with 5E in a new setting (actually my old setting with the timeline advanced a good while and taking place on a separate hemisphere) and I'm taking the opportunity for a fresh start to avoid making some of the mistakes I made in our last campaign, namely getting into the big epic world-saving arc far too early, thus putting a damper on exploration/downtime/open world sandboxiness (since there was so much time pressure/clearly defined goals bordering on railroading).
My goal is to let things develop naturally and keep the overarching somewhat fluid and reactive so that I can tie things in with the stories/side quests/open-world stuff the party gets themselves into and finds interesting.
What I need some help/inspiration for is a vague/loose direction for an overarching narrative. I am pretty sure I want to incorporate Mind Flayers as the Big Bads, with some sort of insidious large-scale plot that involves the manipulation of several human nations.
A little background on the world so far (super early in development still):
Medium level of magic, diverse array of cultures (human and nonhuman), with the following being the major human nations (the first three of which are allies in a century-old Concord:
A few long-term campaign seeds I've come up with so far that involve the Illithid thing are:
so Im trying to go the opposite this time around.
P.S. you can peep my old campaign wiki at http://ancientechoes.obsidianportal.com
My goal is to let things develop naturally and keep the overarching somewhat fluid and reactive so that I can tie things in with the stories/side quests/open-world stuff the party gets themselves into and finds interesting.
What I need some help/inspiration for is a vague/loose direction for an overarching narrative. I am pretty sure I want to incorporate Mind Flayers as the Big Bads, with some sort of insidious large-scale plot that involves the manipulation of several human nations.
A little background on the world so far (super early in development still):
Medium level of magic, diverse array of cultures (human and nonhuman), with the following being the major human nations (the first three of which are allies in a century-old Concord:
- The Anointed Kingdom of Avathar: somewhat feudalistic Teutonic-ish monarchy with a super strong and influential church and zealous firebrand Arch-Lector/high priest figure. Large standing army, bountiful breadbasket-type nation with large population, pious, fearful of magic. Also there is an Inquisition
- The Free Republic of Sibaelia: Seafaring mediterranean-ish trader culture with a sort of Corsica-meets-Phoenicia with a strong libertine bent, lots of riots and revolutions and a fiery population with strong opinions. Major naval power, used to be a bigass empire many centuries before so holds lots of islands/archipelago/coastal settlements scattered around.
- The Unified Principalities of Trimoria: Oligarchic land of mercantile houses/guilds ruled by Princes, very cosmopolitan and diverse culture due to people from all over the world traveling to attend The Spire, the worlds only magical university-ish place of study. Also home to the largest and most influential bank in the world. Trimoria usually adopts a mediator/neutral stance when dealing with Avathar and Sibaelia.
- The Eternal Caliphate of Ursh: Lush coastal oases bordering a vast desert on a landmass directly to the south of the Concord's lands, ruled by mysterious figures said to be powerful wizards or warlocks. Sort of arabian-nights-esque vibes but I will develop that further and more uniquely as I get into it. Possible history of conflict with other nations?
- The Enlightened Dominion of Olybria: An atheistic nation sharing a border with the fanatical Avathar, vaguely Turkish/Indian in some cultural aspects. Strict caste system, values science/philosophy/alchemy/meditation...ruled by a Supreme Didact who is an unassuming gentle grandfatherly Gandhi-like old teacher in simple robes who sits under a tree and teaches people. Dude is actually a super shrewd leader with a strong military mind. The people of Olybria follow a philosophical practice kinda like some Eightfold-Path type , with branches for astronomy/astrology, physics, chemistry, the body, the mind, oratory, etc etc etc. Kind of like an Eldar Aspect Warrior vibe from Warhammer 40k.
A few long-term campaign seeds I've come up with so far that involve the Illithid thing are:
- the Arch-Lector (or whatever high priest) of Avathar is secretly a Mind Flayer, replacing upper church hierarchy with Mind Flayers and using the Inquisition as a means to capture thralls to feed upon. Also using religious sermons/zealotry to whip people into a frenzy then feed on their psychic essences.
- Illithids plot to kill the Sun God and blanket Valgard in darkness so they can walk upon the surface and dominate all lesser humanoids.
- A comet appears in the skies, various discussions/debates about its nature arise; it eventually crashes into a major city and devastates it, then beings transforming the surviving citizens into aberrations. Its a Star Spawn (possibly summoned by Illithid?)
so Im trying to go the opposite this time around. P.S. you can peep my old campaign wiki at http://ancientechoes.obsidianportal.com
