Challenging my high-lvl group (NPCs and monsters; my players shouldn't read this!)

[Spatzimaus]

The Empire of Iounia

That's why I called them "Iounians" in my post earlier. It just sounds neat, with all of those vowel sounds, just like "Aeosian". Unfortunately, I also think it's a bad idea for that name to stick. I think it'd REALLY help if it were (officially at least) not so Ioun-centric. Sure, he organized it and is Emperor, but that's not the same thing, especially now that he's no longer immortal (whatever magic was preventing his aging wouldn't have tranferred to the clone, right?). Although, "Iounian" isn't so bad when you realize that using his first name would give you "Congenitals" or something.

I think it'd be funny if there was no formal name at all, and everyone just referred to it as "the Empire" or "Ioun's Empire", since it's not like there are a lot of other empires nearby it could be confused with. Joining with Corsai would give a good excuse for a re-naming anyway, especially if it ceased to be an actual Empire in the process.

 

[Greybar]

I guess the big question is whether there are people who have, for generations, been subjects of Ioun's. Is there a true standing infrastructure that has power separate from Ioun's. With one persisting personallity on the throne, the empire might be more a cult of personality (on a grand sale) than a true empire.

Which also means it could collapse if Ioun was exposed as a fraud (so to speak). Which means that the Defenders would find themselves having to help buttress and repeat the lie of Ioun's strength in order to serve the greater good.

 

[Piratecat]

I guess the big question is whether there are people who have, for generations, been subjects of Ioun's.

Nope. The PCs freed him from time-trapped captivity about 4 years ago in game, maybe five. Before then the world had moved on and forgotten him. As a result, he's a relatively new player on the political chessboard.

 

[Ashardalon]

Although, "Iounian" isn't so bad when you realize that using his first name would give you "Congenitals" or something.

I'm thinking using the first name isn't that bad, actually. Just get rid of that "t", it doesn't belong there...

Congenial Empire.

 

[WizarDru]

The Ioun Compact

The Congenio Commonweal

The Constant Empire

The Inheritor Gallimaufry

The Second Stability

 

[Kugar]

Hi PC, I like the way you are splitting your story hours. Sorry for my absence for a while but I have had some recent RL joy that takes up a lot of spare time. If you are still soliciting ideas, here are some.

If I was Ioun, I would be tempted to grap a quick power-up. Maybe I would drop the location of one of the worms, ponder the ability of the seals to survive the death, and acquiesce to requests to accompany the defenders to check it out in order to gain some quick experience. Leave to the good old boys to know where all the really great monsters are.

Of course, since the death of Imbindarla, most of his higher level custom spells are a wee bit unpredictable - so he'd much rather use these wands and stuff until he has time to work out the kinks in his magic.

There also has to be some sort of Doomsday Cult out there who's membership has skyrocketed. Maybe they have a leader who is courting worship and has a plan to acsend into godhood powerful enough to take on the Dark Hunger (or plan to assasinate the Hunger somehow)

I am also surprized none of the party's patron gods did not want to get any of the profile boosting action. Aeos could have taken that power, destroyed all the undead once and for all and obliterated the profile. As time goes on and the Hunger becomes more powerful and comfortable with his powers, the involvment of the Defenders might come into more question.

Do you see the Worms as a primal source of entropy of destruction, or do you think they are intelligent enough to have a plan for revenge once they were released?

With a well developed game world and high level characters, there is one type of sub-plot I think you can pull off. Hide and seek. There are various nefarious bad guys who would love to see the defenders chasing their tail or spread too thin. One divination\detection proof baddie with teleport can make the Defenders have to make some "strategic" decisions. There are various people places and things scattered across Spira and keeping them all safe would be a job in and of itsself. The pressure builds if the situation cannot be resloved before another threat starts.

I know the Mechanus plot was March/Dead Gods inspired so you would be remiss if the antagonist of that story did not greatly benifit from the party's negligence. It could make the situation on Mechanus seem like candy-day and put the realtive weekness of the Dark Hunger center stage.

 

[Kaodi]

Huh?

If Ioun was revived only a couple of years ago, does that mean Annel was trapped along with him? How else could her family have served the wizard for generations?


The Returned Empire of Sorakh's Fjord.

Crystalpeak (that perhaps being the name of the city where Ioun founded his original kingdom, due to a nearby mountains that held the gems he used in his original research)

Doraphrim's Way (name of where his family came from?)

Wherever they Defenders found him, maybe it would be something like, the Empire of X. (hehehe, I just thought maybe you could turn that into a name itself, like the Empire of Ex, Exx, Eks or Ekz)

As a side note, of my own ideas, I think my favourite so far are Rainbowcrown and Crystalpeak. I think a good name should either relate in some way to what he is famous for, or something significant from his ancient past, or just a location, like the name of his capital.

 

[Len]

If Ioun was revived only a couple of years ago, does that mean Annel was trapped along with him? How else could her family have served the wizard for generations?

They also serve who only stand and wait.

 

[Piratecat]

If Ioun was revived only a couple of years ago, does that mean Annel was trapped along with him? How else could her family have served the wizard for generations?

I really should write that damn adventure up. Yes, Ioun's whole tower and everything in a 10 mile radius was frozen in time. Anyone entering would slowly lose time as well, becoming slower and slower until they too became stuck.

Do you see the Worms as a primal source of entropy of destruction, or do you think they are intelligent enough to have a plan for revenge once they were released?

Bwah ha ha!

Oh, never you mind. Thanks to Fajitas, I have a superb plan for what the worms are up to. Snicker.

 

[Steverooo]

Ooohhh!

Somebody eat those Fajitas, already!