Destroying the world without depressing my players?

[Paradoxish]

For those of you who read my previous campaign thread you might be aware that my new campaign is going to feature a large, apocolyptic war throughout the character's first 4 or 5 levels. The point was to not only set the campaign in a post-apocolyptic world, but to let the players see first hand the holocaust that led to the world's ruined state. Right now, my players are pretty clueless about what's going on (they're only second level). As part of their first quest they were sent to Last Forge, a ruined Dwarven citadel that was serving as the staging ground for a massive human/dwarf army.

Before setting out for Last Forge the players had only heard rumors of a giant army forming in the far north. The elf character had also learned that some kind of war was raging along the northern borders of the Thruendel forest, traditional home of the Elves in the northern region of the continent the campaign is set on. Upon arriving at Last Forge the characters saw first hand the enormous army waiting there. They were greeted with a lot of rhetoric from the commanders of this force, essentially saying that no force could possibly overtake the army assembled at Last Forge, etc. The characters were summoned to Last Forge to undertake some essentially small tasks, the kind of things that the military commanders at the citadel didn't want to bother having their own soldiers do.

One of these tasks took the players to the the tunnels below the fortress, where they were trapped for a few days due to a few unfortunate choices on their part. When they finally began making their way back to the surface they were surprised to hear the sounds of battle above them. They expected to find the citadel safe and the battle almost over, but were instead surprised to find the walls crumbling and small battles raging all across the courtyard. They didn't get much of a look at the enemy they were fighting, other than that it seemed to be comprised mostly of dark elves (a few riding dire wolverines and others riding giant spiders - enough to scare the crap out of my players... heh). They fought their way to the keep and were told that Last Forge was falling, the dwarves were retreating back to their homeland, and most of the human army was dead or in a route. The remainder of the adventure involved escaping from Last Forge amidst the chaotic battle. They finally made it out (just barely)...

...only to witness the walls of Last Forge crumble as a mysterious dark rider approached. They also saw those remaining troops who were close to the walls drop dead and a dark cloud rise up above the fortress. Needless to say, they ran. They're now heading north, back towards the city of Galidor (home of the group's Paladin) to report the defeat at Last Forge. Ultimately, this is going to be a very dark campaign and a lot of the early game will revolve around the world slowly going to hell (literally). I don't want my players to feel like they have no hope, or like I'm railroading them, so I'm not sure what to do.

Any advice to make sure my players remain hopeful even amidst what essentially amounts of an apocolypse?

 

[Esiminar]

How about having them find a prophesy about the world nearly falling but hanging on by its fingertips in a shattered shell of what it once was but with hope and rebuilding on the horizon?

 

[AngelTears]

I think a few hints that hope is still available, so I'd always keep an option open, something for them to hold on to. You could have that it falls once their final options is taken.

-Angel Tears

 

[Gundark]

it's tricky

I know your concern...I'm doing the same in my campaign....you need to have the players feel that they can still do positive things. If not they may gain the "who the hell cares" kinda thing the world is getting trashed anyway. have them divert natural diasters...save people....maybe the end of the world wouldn't be so bad because of their actions. that's my only advice. Thus they have motivation

 

[Sialia]

This actually sounds like a fabulous set up for a campaign. I think it coulds be a lot of fun to play in this world, if it's done right.

But then, I'm a player who enjoys the adrenalin rush of feeling terrified and overwhelmed, of hanging in there against all odds.

I think what makes this sort of thing redeeming for me is (a) the feeling that I'm not personally responsible for the destruction of the world--that's happening anyway. It wasn't as though we set out to save the world and failed, and the GM is punishing us for stupid decisions. (b) As long as it is clear that my mission is merely to survive the fall of the world for starters, that itself is something of an exciting challenge. The opportunity to help others survive or salvage something of the good that is being lost would enhance the experience.

Acquiring the ability to do something about the fall should be reserved for higher level characters--it would be doubly sweet to get there. Rebuilding a world--or a portion thereof-- ought to be slow, hard work. A life's work.

I'd say, if your characters don't have the idea themselves, rather than a prophecy, have them meet someone with a personal vision--not a mystical vision--but a personal desire/hope to do what's right to be done--someone like Dylan Hunt from Andromeda?

To be inspired/mentored by some higher level person who believes there is always hope--that there is worthwhile work to be done-- that would give them a little encouragement at this point, and a few metagame clues about what the GM really wants them to do with the scenario. (you DO have clearly defined goals for them, right?)

To see that person tragically fall later, when they are powerful enough to take up the burden, that would give them a responsibility, if they've bought in and are inspired by his/her fall instead of crushed by it.

Best wishes.

-Sialia

 

[Juradai]

Use 2 old DM favourites The Old Prophecy and The Big Magic Fix. Half way thru what appears as a minor mission the prophets tomb is discovered the prophets ghosts tells the story / they find temple dedicated to destruction has the prophecy and how only the BMF will be able to be used to force a peace treaty with the bad guys / destroy them.

 

[Sialia]

I kind of like the idea of a world where there isn't any Big Easy Magical Fix or even single "lynchpin" that can be dealt with to repair all that is lost and broken.

A world is a big, complicated place, and PCs are so wee in the Great Scheme of things.

Feeling that the world is moving on its own agenda can really help the PCs to get a sense of their place in it. As long as it is clear that fixing the Big Bad is not their expectation.

A couple of "ordinary" missions that wouldn't usually be all that difficult, but which become immensely more complicated because of the Fall, could be very interesting, and encouraging because of their "do-ability."

Like "go get supplies for your trip." In a war torn world, getting ahold of --and keeping-- a decent pair of boots and a warm cloak and some rations can become much, much harder. A healing potion? fugeddaboutit.

If these little things are precious, many other things stop getting taken for granted.

Ever seen a PC choose a loaf of bread over a bag of jewels?
Or take on a band of soldiers--not for glory or XP, but merely because they have warm socks and you don't? Or you do, and they don't?
Ever used a bag of gold coins as a blunt weapon, because nothing else was at hand, and you just had to defend yourself?

I once played in game where the power of a shaman who could cast "cure light wounds" was considered one of the most powerful mystical things we'd ever encountered. Not that there wasn't other magic around--just no other healing magic. We'd been hurting for a lng time, the hard way.

We were very, very grateful for the smeared mud and chanting.
The plot hook we swallowed to pay for it, was a price we couldn't even consider refusing.

 

[Elemental]

Perhaps give the PC's custody of something that holds out hope for a better world. The following spring to mind:

A weapon, sceptre, crown, etc, that is the icon of the Great and Tragically Gone Kingdom. The symbolic power of this item would be a great rallying point for any rebuilding, even if it's not magical.

A set of scrolls containing prophecies for the rest of history--and there are several thousand years described (in vague and obfuscatory language, natch) in the future. Perhaps one of them has a reference to people like the PC's being critical in the times after the fall.

The last of the royal line (could be a PC or NPC, if the latter, it probably would be better to make them a young child or baby).

Needless to say, there will be people out there who want the old ways to stay dead and will seek out the PC's. There's some plot hooks for you.