CotSQ gone wrong - DM Help!

[Eccles]

I posted this in another forum, and was told I ought to come back here...

Anyway - this is a talk about the City of the Spider Queen module, and I'd like to give anybody who is playing in it, or who is hoping to play in it, the opportunity to push off. My players? This applies to you!

If you never intend to play it, have played it, or are DMing it, then welcome.

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Right. The campaign has a timer on it. After 78 days or so, the BBEG casts a spell which raises a large army of intelligent undead to lay waste to the Dalelands.

I gave my group a bit of 'grace', but they've now hit day 90, without even reaching Vournoth's Mire (about 10 days' travel from Maermydra).

I'm in the middle of preparing an army of Revenants, who'll do the actual crushing, but still have a few problems.

1. What to do about all the high powered heroes in the Realms.

2. Which of the Giants in Maermydra would've survived, and what they'd be doing now.

3. What happens on the surface world? (I've got lots of evil spellcasters swarming to the Dales to make the most of the negative energy there, which is what Elminster's been occupied with).

4. What would the other big evil powers (Shadovar, Thayans & Zhents in the main) be doing or planning? Especially considering the Shadovar ambassador; there must've been some planning in the works!

5. How I can make this mess even more complicated with an angry red dragon with barbarian levels flying around the place looking for my heroes to kill 'em!

 

[Piratecat]

Right. The campaign has a timer on it. After 78 days or so, the BBEG casts a spell which raises a large army of intelligent undead to lay waste to the Dalelands.

I gave my group a bit of 'grace', but they've now hit day 90, without even reaching Vournoth's Mire (about 10 days' travel from Maermydra).

I'm in the middle of preparing an army of Revenants, who'll do the actual crushing, but still have a few problems.

Yay! Good for you. Too many DMs let adventures slip without consequences. This is going to make for an incredibly fun game, if you do it right.

> 1. What to do about all the high powered heroes in the Realms.

Some will run. Some will fight, and die. Some will fight at the side of the PCs. Some might be bribed to throw in with the enemy. You decide which ones.

> 2. Which of the Giants in Maermydra would've survived, and what they'd be doing now.

My guess is that they'd fortify their defenses and dig in, hoping that the undead plague the humans instead. If not, it might inspire a unique human-giant alliance.

> 3. What happens on the surface world?

This is a great opportunity to raze anything you didn't like previously. Such a threat will inspire lots of sneaky plots and intrigue. Make the most of it.

> 5. How I can make this mess even more complicated with an angry red dragon with barbarian levels flying around the place looking for my heroes to kill 'em!

He finds them at the worst possible time.

 

[orangefruitbat]

1. Depending on what you want to do, they can 'hold the line', keeping the revenants bottled in the Underdark (assuming they have limited access to the surface), or they can be overrun. Or something in between. Perhaps some of the Dales are safety zones filled with refugees and protected by the Chozen of Mystra.

2. Fall back and try to hold more defensible territories. (Note, in my game, I dramatically expanded the Underdark section and created new caves and tunnels).

3. See # 1. But generally, the Dales and Cormanthor become a lot more dangerous. Plus through in some Wild Magic - you can never have enough wild magic.

4. The Thayans would probably not be a major factor - they have no army present and they shoudl feel safe so far away. However, a few independent mages might try to pluck the spoils of war (ie, magic items) from both sides. No idea about the Shadovars - I'm still trying to figure what to do with them. The Zhents, however, might be fairly helpful to the Dales-folk. Just because they're evil, doesn't mean they want the Dales overrun by undead. It's bad for business, and their own future conquests. They would probably send in troops to 'help'. Of course, they may not want to leave once the trouble has subsided.

And there is also the Vhaerunian Drow. They're close by and clearly wouldn't want Kiariansalee's influence to spread. I imagine they would strike from the safety of the woods. But they wouldn't bother to help the humans either.

5. Dragons always show up at the worst possible time

Anyway, sounds like fun. I hope my players screw up as badly as yours!

1. What to do about all the high powered heroes in the Realms.

2. Which of the Giants in Maermydra would've survived, and what they'd be doing now.

3. What happens on the surface world? (I've got lots of evil spellcasters swarming to the Dales to make the most of the negative energy there, which is what Elminster's been occupied with).

4. What would the other big evil powers (Shadovar, Thayans & Zhents in the main) be doing or planning? Especially considering the Shadovar ambassador; there must've been some planning in the works!

5. How I can make this mess even more complicated with an angry red dragon with barbarian levels flying around the place looking for my heroes to kill 'em!

 

[Eccles]

The worrying thing is that once the armies of 3 Dales (and most of the Harpers) have been killed off in a titanic battle, the boss drow woman raises them all as Revenants, and the whole thing starts again. Only worse.

So what entertaining things can I do to Elminster & company?

I'm toying with the idea of there being one or two entertaining cinematic 'cut scenes' which I'll email around in which something horrific happens to take out certain influential Realms persons.

(The ninja-attack scene from Last Samurai might get a quick pastiche!)

 

[Derulbaskul]

Hey Eccles,

I'm currently running the same module, albeit with some changes toward the end such as Maerimydra has been swallowed up by the Plane of Shadow and the Undying Tower now exists silmultaneously on four planes: the Material, the Ethereal, the Plane of Shadow and the Demonweb Pits. IMC, Kiaransalee has joined Shar and together they're going to try and steal Lolth's power while she slumbers. The final part will be based largely on The Harrowing adventure by Monte Cook in Dungeon 87 with Irae performing the ritual on behalf Kiaransalee and Shar... which, of course, Shar will manipulate to her own advantage but that's largely irrelevant.

1. What to do about all the high powered heroes in the Realms.

By FR canon, Elminster is currently recovering from his "expedition" to Baator. I would simply have the Seven Sisters et al currently mounting watch on him as he comes under concerted attack by the true shadevari and malaugrym. IMC, I am using the concept of a "War of the Weaves" as the overall campaign theme. Everything is coming down to a battle between Selune and her allies and Shar and her minions and allies basically an attempt to complete what they began at creation.

2. Which of the Giants in Maermydra would've survived, and what they'd be doing now.

I've had all the giants etc... become undead. In my case, the "bleed" from the Plane of Shadow made them shadows. The party have just fought some shadow ogres which were simply Large shadows advanced to 10 HD. Later encounters will be with other ogres and giants with the umbral template from Savage Species.

3. What happens on the surface world? (I've got lots of evil spellcasters swarming to the Dales to make the most of the negative energy there, which is what Elminster's been occupied with).

Again IMC, I had the Kiaransaleen use the gauntlets of Moander to corrupt Myth Drannor's mythal so that now it is a thing of darkness and the Shadow Weave. At this stage, it is more of a distraction but could eventually serve as a giant portal.

FYI, the reason it was corrupted was a direct result of the party not following quite obvious clues and hooks and choosing to do other things instead.

4. What would the other big evil powers (Shadovar, Thayans & Zhents in the main) be doing or planning? Especially considering the Shadovar ambassador; there must've been some planning in the works!

I suppose it depends on your backstory. For me, as mentioned above, I have a War of the Weaves theme so, at the same time as the Dalelands are gripped by this dark power, other realms are also facing strife. Even in Thay there is a faction seeking to convert the Red Wizards to the Shadow Weave (and thus Shar)... but that's going to be resolved in my next campaign set in the Unapproachable East.

5. How I can make this mess even more complicated with an angry red dragon with barbarian levels flying around the place looking for my heroes to kill 'em!

A dragon that wants retribution sounds like a perfect tool for Kiaransalee. Perhaps she exchanges the knowledge of the party's whereabouts for its eternal service as a dracolich?

Anyway, as I'm still running this campaign I hope to hear more about yours.

Cheers
D

 

[gariig]

I love the idea of the Dales having to turn to the Zhents but the Zhents not wanting to give up control of the northern territories. Shadowdale under Zhent influence

The War of the Weaves sounds like a good idea if you want to throw the Realms into Chaos. Have the Shadow in Aunauroch fly into Cormyr and maybe the Orc tribes move into Silverymoon. Could be a fun time.

Gariig

 

[Endur]

1. heroes? Some of them fight the undead, some are distracted by Shades, etc..

2. Kurgoth and Badrazel would have survived (barring PC actions) since they have wings, SR, and are immensely powerful. The rest would probably have been destroyed by the spell.

3. I agree what what you mentioned.

4. Plots within plots within plots.

5. Dragons are always appropriate.

 

[gfunk]

1. What to do about all the high powered heroes in the Realms.

I suggest you read my Story Hour. It has three separate sagas, CotSQ, Bastion of Broken Souls, and the Lich Queen's Beloved. After the second, we played out a scenario which may help you resolve many of the questions you have raised.

IMC, we slew Irae T'ssaren, but one of the PCs took up her mantle and completed the Great Revenance. The PC allied with Zhentil Keep. Many of the high-powered heroes of the Relams participated (including our own epic PCs) which heavily influenced the outcome.

2. Which of the Giants in Maermydra would've survived, and what they'd be doing now.

IMC, the PC who ran the Cult of Kiaransalee made a compact with Kurgoth Hellspwan. In exchange for nominal control of Maermydra (Tilverton in our world), he led his own forces as a vanguard for the revenant army.

 

[Derulbaskul]

(snip) The War of the Weaves sounds like a good idea if you want to throw the Realms into Chaos. Have the Shadow in Aunauroch fly into Cormyr and maybe the Orc tribes move into Silverymoon. Could be a fun time.

Yep, the movement of the orc hordes in the North is taking place more or less concurrently in the other FR campaign I DM. I'm ever considering having the (survivors of the) two groups join together for the final showdown in the Demonweb Pits.

Arghhh... nine players around a table....

And, yes, I am seriously contemplating the destruction of Faerun... but I want to make sure it's the fault of the PCs....

Cheers
D

 

[the Jester]

And, yes, I am seriously contemplating the destruction of Faerun... but I want to make sure it's the fault of the PCs....

Cheers
D

That happened to my Oerth campaign some ten years back.