Does Metaplot ever work? Forked Thread: Greyhawk 4e

[Kunimatyu]

It seems like even those who like metaplot don't generally put it front-and-center in their games. If material for a game setting isn't being used *in games*, I'd question how important it really is.

 

[Quickleaf]

It seems like even those who like metaplot don't generally put it front-and-center in their games. If material for a game setting isn't being used *in games*, I'd question how important it really is.

Well, I don't know if this counts as metaplot (since there was no chronological development of the idea during the product schedule), but...

I ran a Planescape campaign where the identity of the Lady of Pain started as a foreshadow, then a sub-plot, then the big reveal of the campaign. It turned out she was the scorned lover of the big bad demon prince, and there were hints that one of the PCs was her daughter/cosmological twin/metaphysical reflection. I took that one idea introduced in the PS boxed set and ran with it, providing lots of suspense and a mystery the PCs couldn't resist. Lots of fun was had.

 

[Kunimatyu]

Well, I don't know if this counts as metaplot (since there was no chronological development of the idea during the product schedule), but...

I ran a Planescape campaign where the identity of the Lady of Pain started as a foreshadow, then a sub-plot, then the big reveal of the campaign. It turned out she was the scorned lover of the big bad demon prince, and there were hints that one of the PCs was her daughter/cosmological twin/metaphysical reflection. I took that one idea introduced in the PS boxed set and ran with it, providing lots of suspense and a mystery the PCs couldn't resist. Lots of fun was had.

That's....not really metaplot so much. Metaplot would be finding out that the Lady of Pain was demonspawn in an official adventure a year after the setting was published.

 

[dead]

I run Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance - all connected through the Great Wheel and Sigil (Planescape).

I don't mind metaplots to keep things interesting but, when there is a big time line advance in one setting, all my others have to play catch up!

1479 DR = 682 CY = 87 SC

Greyhawk is currently 597 CY

Dragonlance is currently 50 SC