Pathfinder 1E Looking for some inspiration

[adembroski]

So I'm running a homebrew campaign that to this point has centered on a small island with its own problems independent of the world at large, but I like to drop tidbits here and there about what's going on elsewhere.

So, naturally, the players have decided to venture far from the main focus of the campaign I'd planned. I'm not one to railroad, so I'm not going to stop them, but I have some additional planning to do I didn't expect to have to worry about for a month or two. I'll try to stick to generic terms and stay away from campaign specific lore here, I'm looking for ideas, not trying to bore you with the details.

So... you can kind of get an idea of what's going on by thinking of the great migration of the mid-1st century AD. The "Great Empire" is receding and being overtaken by suddenly mobile tribes of barbarians (in this case, Orcs, who are moving independent of one another, often displacing each other). A few hints here and there, and the players have (correctly) assumed that something is driving the orcs out of their homelands.

So... basically, who are the "huns" of my scenario? It's a fairly grounded campaign world... magic and technology are weak compared to most (roughly 1066-level technology, with magic scaled back to match. Wizards have yet to discover 6th level spells, and some schools operate as one or two levels higher than listed [ie 1st level spells are treated as 3rd level]). Elves are native to a Tir Na N'og-like fae realm, though there is a culture that has established a kingdom on the prime. Orcs are Tamriel-ish in that they're not evil per se, but their gods push them to act like it.

So, basically, I need something to be scaring the orcs into invading the much more militarily powerful Empire. I was thinking of introducing something known from D&D campaigns with an unexpected culture concept behind them (in a horse-lord dwarves or Asian elves kinda vein as in Sovereign Stone), or using Dragonborn/Draconians, but I figured I'd see if someone else can give me something more inspired. I certainly don't want to resort to "evil empire" sort of fantasy tropes.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Quoting myself from elsewhen:

Here's something a bit outside of the box: instead of the usual suspects for a "D&D" dungeon-making race- Drow, Dwarves, Duregar, etc.- use the Seshayans from D20 Future, p218-219 (translated from Alternaty: Star*Drive). With their alien forms (bat-wings, multiple eyes) and sonar-based blind-fighting, etc., they're perfect for a race that rose up out of the Underdark, dominated the world, and whose civilization then collapsed, so that they are now a "degenerate" race.

In case you don't have those handy, here's a picture (scroll down a bit):
http://www.warrensburgweb.net/alternity/races.html

For additional fun, 90% of the Seshayans that remain may not even be aware of their race's former greatness, and may have a worldview not unlike Ratmen, Kobolds or Tinker Gnomes.

They've fallen so far that now they inhabit the caves and caverns associated with major cities, or near trade routes...

Until one of them found a statue of one of the early Seshayan emperors...then they realized how far they have fallen, and go in a rampages to get it all back.

And:

Another possibility:

The Ancients (whomever they are) created a race of living constructs (Warforged) to be their "stormtroopers" and impose their will upon the world...and then they rebelled and destroyed their makers- think of the classic Star Trek episode, "What are little girls made of" or the Stargate SG-1 Replicators.

After the annihilation of the Ancient's civilization, the Warforged systematically "forgot" what they had done, and now wander the world with a curious gap in their past.

In your situation, someone restored their memory, and turned them back on...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I have also suggested moa or velociraptor riding tribes based on Native American or Mongol cultures. Smaller versions could be used like hunting dogs.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

You could also use something as simple as a famine or plague. And in a fantasy setting, plagues can get naaaaasty.

Going back to 2Ed, there were the Yellow Musk zombies- not truly undead, they were "zombies" animated by yellow musk mold. Very creepy. Add in a bit of Day of the Triffids, and you have a contagion borne from the stars...

Add in a bit of D&D's take on Lovecraftian horror, and the starplague could have originated from one of the great elder evils of the Far Realms (whatever analogue of which exists in Pathfinder), transforming all who sicken from it into horrible aberrations.

Were I the leader of a tribe of orcs, that might convince me to go anywhere else but staying here => time to raid the neighbors!

 

[Mike Myler]

Are you restricting your world from atypical dangers?
Why not an alien of some kind that they simply cannot understand or effectively fight?
A plague is another option, and vague enough that you could go hog wild with it -it turns victims into zombies, or pod people, or what have you.

If you're trying to avoid an evil empire, don't discount a kind of 'hive' intelligence. Should anything strike fear into the hearts of numerous barbarian tribes, an intelligent collective effort would do it; if you're avoiding a military response, an unlikely sentience may be the way to go.

 

[Gfreak2x9]

If your looking for something to motivate the Orcs to do as they are doing you could always add a prophecy. Perhaps a shaman had a vision of an foreign empire coming to take their lands, and shortly thereafter a Blue Dragon came to enslave all races in the area! They wouldn't be killing the humans for fun, they would be motivated out of fear for the Dragon! Perhaps their simplistic Orc society greatly values the visions of a shaman. Instead of being "Hun-Like" perhaps they are closer to Native American Indian tribes intermixed with some Hun values. This would make for a unique, powerful, and simplistic society that focused on its own values rather than that of conquest. You may even be able to Role Play an opportunity for the players to make peace between the two races, promising that if a Dragon comes they will stand and fight on behalf of the Orcs and the Humans!

 

[Gfreak2x9]

I have also suggested moa or velociraptor riding tribes based on Native American or Mongol cultures. Smaller versions could be used like hunting dogs.

Not only is that totally practical and cool, it also happens to be AWESOME!

 

[Wycen]

I'm playing in a sandbox game focused on an island, with wilderness exploration and with background history that the previous empires did bad things and so a few powerful beings took it upon themselves to keep humanity (and elves, etc.) from ever being dangerous again.

The campaign blog has some info you might find useful here: http://fateoftara.blogspot.com/2012_03_01_archive.html

The orcs in your game. What our DM would do is have Crannog, the big bad evil guy that we've never met, but believe is as powerful as a demi-god, is using the orcs to attack settlements to make sure they can't rise up and endanger the planet again. Orcs of course are angry and quarrelsome, so even if they are successful they will end up turning on each other and fighting amongst themselves, thus Crannog wouldn't have to worry about then destroying them next. Crannog of course has powerful minions who masquerade as orc warlords, so simply use their raw power to force the orcs to do what Crannog wants.