Greenfield
Adventurer
We rotate the DM duties in our game, which means that even as I gripe about our DM, I have to give the others a chance to gripe about me.
I have at least two months to plan this, since our game is on hiatus for that long, but when it comes to scheming, there's no time like the present. So...
World overview: Our game world is loosely based on the real world circa the year 500 ad. It's a world where Christianity never took hold (which means that we don't count the year from the birth of Christ, but that's a detail). The world is under a curse, a heavy overcast of dark smoke and/or clouds that blocks the sun 365 days a year. Crops are failing, cities are going to war with each other over food and arable land. Empires are tearing themselves apart. The fall of Rome and the Dark Ages are imminent. The PCs are trying to turn the tide on this.
Oh, and the gods appear to be missing. Clerics get their spells, but divine interventions, divine advice etc simply aren't happening. No Divination spells that call upon the knowledge of a deity work. The biggest/best available is Augry.
This mess was precipitated by an Illumian cabal that's having a sort of contest to see who can create or take over an empire, and then rule the world. PCs did manage to make contact with the Egyptian goddess of truth, Ma'at, who gave them the down low on all of this. She said that as men serve their gods, so are the gods motivated by the prayers and needs of their people, so before anyone can bring down an empire, they must bring down their gods.
The darkness set empires against each other, and thus their gods against each other.
And this is where I come in. I've decided that there is one of this cabal working for a regional governor. Perhaps he is the governor, I haven't decided.
The governor is known by the PCs, and specifically known to be fat, corrupt, lazy and generally useless. The last time they visited his area many of the farmers were in desperate straits. The rich ones could afford to pay the local Druids for the "Blessing of the fields" (i.e. Plant Growth) to insure a decent harvest. With food prices so high, this made enough to justify the cost. (See the "Spellcasting Services" table in the PHB). The poorer farmers couldn't afford the high prices, so they pretty much stayed poor.
And now I begin to plot.
Plot 1:
When the party arrives this time things will be worse. The people will be at the edge of starvation as food reserves are depleted (it's been two years since their last visit), and the governor is still collecting the Imperial Tribute as if there were no famine. They're ready to revolt. The Governor has some troops, but mostly peace keepers, not real combat troops.
Do the PCs support the Governor, support his overthrow, try to find some relief that quenches the need for conflict?
And what will the Governor do?
Plot 2:
When the party arrives this time, there are rumors of war. Some reports say a Vandal horde is heading this way (Orcs, Bugbears, etc. Some Ogres and Giants.) Other reports suggest that the Persians are set to invade. In either case, this region is in no shape to mount any real defense.
Do the PCs try to oppose an army or two? Raise an army from the local populace? Get word to Rome and somehow arrange for troops to arrive before the enemy does? (Closest Legion is near the ruins of Troy, when last seen, several months away by land, and it's condition is unknown.)
Note that Teleport doesn't exist in the game world.
Is there in fact an enemy? Were the rumors planted to provoke a response? To draw the legion away from its current post?
Plot 3:
Supplies are available from Egypt, where the crop yield was better, but to import the quantities needed to feed a city they'd need an entire fleet of ships, and they'd need to find a way past the Barbary pirates that have been plaguing the seas for the last few seasons.
Do I want to run a seafaring adventure? (Break out Storwrack) What would be needed to make the Pirates a challenge for a 14th/15th level party? (They're just hitting 13th now, but I'm anticipating.) Would this be an example of empires in conflict, and thus inviting the peripheral attention of the mostly-absent gods?
Plan 4: ???
Open to suggestions.
Note that the cabal is aware of the PCs activities opposing their plan. Some members may even know that the PCs are aware of the Illumian conspiracy itself. (For a long time it was just suspected that someone was behind all the madness in the world.) At the same time, while they're trying to take over the world, they're also in a competition with each other for the top spot, and manipulating the PCs to stall or thwart their competition is certainly a possibility.
So, come scheme with me. Toss in ideas, plot twists or story hooks.
I have at least two months to plan this, since our game is on hiatus for that long, but when it comes to scheming, there's no time like the present. So...
World overview: Our game world is loosely based on the real world circa the year 500 ad. It's a world where Christianity never took hold (which means that we don't count the year from the birth of Christ, but that's a detail). The world is under a curse, a heavy overcast of dark smoke and/or clouds that blocks the sun 365 days a year. Crops are failing, cities are going to war with each other over food and arable land. Empires are tearing themselves apart. The fall of Rome and the Dark Ages are imminent. The PCs are trying to turn the tide on this.
Oh, and the gods appear to be missing. Clerics get their spells, but divine interventions, divine advice etc simply aren't happening. No Divination spells that call upon the knowledge of a deity work. The biggest/best available is Augry.
This mess was precipitated by an Illumian cabal that's having a sort of contest to see who can create or take over an empire, and then rule the world. PCs did manage to make contact with the Egyptian goddess of truth, Ma'at, who gave them the down low on all of this. She said that as men serve their gods, so are the gods motivated by the prayers and needs of their people, so before anyone can bring down an empire, they must bring down their gods.
The darkness set empires against each other, and thus their gods against each other.
And this is where I come in. I've decided that there is one of this cabal working for a regional governor. Perhaps he is the governor, I haven't decided.
The governor is known by the PCs, and specifically known to be fat, corrupt, lazy and generally useless. The last time they visited his area many of the farmers were in desperate straits. The rich ones could afford to pay the local Druids for the "Blessing of the fields" (i.e. Plant Growth) to insure a decent harvest. With food prices so high, this made enough to justify the cost. (See the "Spellcasting Services" table in the PHB). The poorer farmers couldn't afford the high prices, so they pretty much stayed poor.
And now I begin to plot.
Plot 1:
When the party arrives this time things will be worse. The people will be at the edge of starvation as food reserves are depleted (it's been two years since their last visit), and the governor is still collecting the Imperial Tribute as if there were no famine. They're ready to revolt. The Governor has some troops, but mostly peace keepers, not real combat troops.
Do the PCs support the Governor, support his overthrow, try to find some relief that quenches the need for conflict?
And what will the Governor do?
Plot 2:
When the party arrives this time, there are rumors of war. Some reports say a Vandal horde is heading this way (Orcs, Bugbears, etc. Some Ogres and Giants.) Other reports suggest that the Persians are set to invade. In either case, this region is in no shape to mount any real defense.
Do the PCs try to oppose an army or two? Raise an army from the local populace? Get word to Rome and somehow arrange for troops to arrive before the enemy does? (Closest Legion is near the ruins of Troy, when last seen, several months away by land, and it's condition is unknown.)
Note that Teleport doesn't exist in the game world.
Is there in fact an enemy? Were the rumors planted to provoke a response? To draw the legion away from its current post?
Plot 3:
Supplies are available from Egypt, where the crop yield was better, but to import the quantities needed to feed a city they'd need an entire fleet of ships, and they'd need to find a way past the Barbary pirates that have been plaguing the seas for the last few seasons.
Do I want to run a seafaring adventure? (Break out Storwrack) What would be needed to make the Pirates a challenge for a 14th/15th level party? (They're just hitting 13th now, but I'm anticipating.) Would this be an example of empires in conflict, and thus inviting the peripheral attention of the mostly-absent gods?
Plan 4: ???
Open to suggestions.
Note that the cabal is aware of the PCs activities opposing their plan. Some members may even know that the PCs are aware of the Illumian conspiracy itself. (For a long time it was just suspected that someone was behind all the madness in the world.) At the same time, while they're trying to take over the world, they're also in a competition with each other for the top spot, and manipulating the PCs to stall or thwart their competition is certainly a possibility.
So, come scheme with me. Toss in ideas, plot twists or story hooks.
. This would also explain why the soldiers are loyal to him (the succubus gives him advice). Maybe they are dominated (hard), or payed too good (easy)? Or maybe they are disguised demons, and the devils are marching to kill them? 
Or maybe the military commanders have sold their souls to the demons, and are controlled by them (however everyone knows that devils buy souls. Maybe if you play 4e and succubus is a devil? lol)
