Planescape Enhancing Turn of Fortune's Wheel

[Zaukrie]

I'm going to update Umbra to 5e and use that. But, I'm going to update it a bit, so that my PCs are enemies of the antagonist from the start in Sigil. Like dajr, my PCs will spend a lot more time in Sigil itself, that's the whole point of Sigil and Beyond, after all (well, not the WHOLE point). Also, there will be a lot more effects of the glitch, and they won't be the only one trying to figure it out (and there may be other factions, maybe even Gods who think this will break Sigil) trying to keep the glitch going. My first campaign where the stake really are the world(s).

I'm OK with the story. I think it's fine.

What I will do is at the end of chapter 1 I'm going to work in a lot of shenanigans inside of Sigil. When I ran Dragon Heist I regretted not hanging out more in Waterdeep. I won't make that mistake again. There are a few things I'll nab to help me. Encounters Enhanced from dmsguild for one for a bunch of little encounters and hooks. I'll use Forge of Foes to create any potential combat antagonists. Also Shops Ins and Taverns on the DMSGuild.

Also I might extend chapter one with the mortuary.

I'm looking at Guildmasters Guide Ravnica too, see if I can steal some stuff from there.

Oh and the Train heist. In fact after chapter 13 the Train Heist will be the way they get back to fortunes wheeel. A particular fiends name is a portal key into Fortunes Wheel.

they might also stumble upon someones homestead within the outlands and have a chance at a game of cards.

 

[Dried]

I'm OK with the story. I think it's fine.

What I will do is at the end of chapter 1 I'm going to work in a lot of shenanigans inside of Sigil. When I ran Dragon Heist I regretted not hanging out more in Waterdeep. I won't make that mistake again. There are a few things I'll nab to help me. Encounters Enhanced from dmsguild for one for a bunch of little encounters and hooks. I'll use Forge of Foes to create any potential combat antagonists. Also Shops Ins and Taverns on the DMSGuild.

Also I might extend chapter one with the mortuary.

I'm looking at Guildmasters Guide Ravnica too, see if I can steal some stuff from there.

Oh and the Train heist. In fact after chapter 13 the Train Heist will be the way they get back to fortunes wheeel. A particular fiends name is a portal key into Fortunes Wheel.

they might also stumble upon someones homestead within the outlands and have a chance at a game of cards.

Don't hesitate to share your work.
I intend to add a few encounters in Sigil which will foreshadow the rest of the adventures in the outlands but I need some ideas.

The idea to add the train heist is cool before getting back to fortune's wheel is cool. I'll see what I can do with it. Maybe to learn to Shemeshka true name to force her to release informations about the characters. I'll think about it.

 

[Remathilis]

My idea for Shemeska was that a powerful force is paying her the PCs distracted with the little Multiverse game. She isn't personally concerned with the glitch, nor did she cause it. She is just profiting off the one who did.

My thought on who is really the BBEG is Orcus, since he was the cause of the first GMM that was in error. That way, this becomes a pseudo -sequel to GMM/Dead Gods.

The plan is to run Fortunes Wheel mostly as is, but bookend it with the Orcus reveal.

 

[Space Cat]

My idea for Shemeska was that a powerful force is paying her the PCs distracted with the little Multiverse game. She isn't personally concerned with the glitch, nor did she cause it. She is just profiting off the one who did.

My thought on who is really the BBEG is Orcus, since he was the cause of the first GMM that was in error. That way, this becomes a pseudo -sequel to GMM/Dead Gods.

The plan is to run Fortunes Wheel mostly as is, but bookend it with the Orcus reveal.

Me as well, as Tenebrous. I'm thinking R04M will know where the wand of Orcus is (or something GMM related) and Tenebrous will be inhabiting X01 and when they beat it, it will be a planar incarnate. Not sure all the details but I think I want to use Colcook more as a surprise ally to the PCs

 

[pukunui]

The Shameshka reveal seems like it’s supposed to be a shocking twist, but it’s completely unearned. Like, the players only actually interact with the character once before the reveal, so they really have no reason to care when it turns out the Arcanaloth was a bad guy.

Aside from just interacting with Shemeshka more, what would make the twist more earned?

Other than knowing that she used to be called Shemeshka the Marauder, I’m not that familiar with her as a character so I don’t really know what more could be done to make the twist feel earned.

 

[Charlaquin]

Aside from just interacting with Shemeshka more, what would make the twist more earned?

Interacting with her more would go a long way. As-is, the players don’t even know her, let alone care about her as a character. Now, can never control whether the players like an NPC, but if you make them relatable, the players will almost certainly feel something towards them, which is what’s needed to give weight to the revelation of a hidden truth about them. So, I’d suggest making her a group patron for the party over the course of several small adventures, and during that time, give the players the opportunity to learn about her - her motivations, her hopes, her fears, her strengths, her foibles… anything to flesh her out, make her feel like a complex individual instead of just a tool to move the plot forward.

Other than knowing that she used to be called Shemeshka the Marauder, I’m not that familiar with her as a character so I don’t really know what more could be done to make the twist feel earned.

That’s the thing, nobody does. As far as I know, she was created for this adventure, so her turning out to be the villain has all the impact of the ghost turning out to be Old Man Winters at the end of an episode of Scooby Doo. Nobody will care if they aren’t invested in the character.

 

[pukunui]

Interacting with her more would go a long way. As-is, the players don’t even know her, let alone care about her as a character. Now, can never control whether the players like an NPC, but if you make them relatable, the players will almost certainly feel something towards them, which is what’s needed to give weight to the revelation of a hidden truth about them. So, I’d suggest making her a group patron for the party over the course of several small adventures, and during that time, give the players the opportunity to learn about her - her motivations, her hopes, her fears, her strengths, her foibles… anything to flesh her out, make her feel like a complex individual instead of just a tool to move the plot forward.

That’s the thing, nobody does. As far as I know, she was created for this adventure, so her turning out to be the villain has all the impact of the ghost turning out to be Old Man Winters at the end of an episode of Scooby Doo. Nobody will care if they aren’t invested in the character.

OK, so I did some digging, and it looks like in previous editions, Shemeshka was just treated like 'a tool to move the plot forward' in the same way as other big NPCs like the Lady of Pain and such were.

Apparently she first appeared in Chris Perkins' 1995 PS adventure, 'Umbra', from Dungeon #55, although I can't find the reference in that adventure myself.

So there's bound to be some stuff in past editions one can mine for more details.

Here's a Paizo forum thread from 2007 with some background info on her (see the posts by Todd Stewart): paizo.com - Forums / Dungeon Magazine: General Discussion: Who is Shemeska the Marauder? (issue 144)

 

[Zaukrie]

Shemeska is very detailed in Faces of Sigil....

 

[Remathilis]

That’s the thing, nobody does. As far as I know, she was created for this adventure, so her turning out to be the villain has all the impact of the ghost turning out to be Old Man Winters at the end of an episode of Scooby Doo. Nobody will care if they aren’t invested in the character.

Shemeska is pretty important to Planescape. A long time poster here and at Paizo (who was very knowledgeable on the planes) used the name in her honor.

That said, she's never been "big bad" evil, but more "mafia boss" evil. She doesn't usually have plans of domination or destruction, but more of profit and manipulation. Her means are very in line with classic PS, her goals are not. Which is why making her opportunistic (profiting off something she didn't create) is far more her MO than "start a war to sell weapons" is.

My biggest problem is that the glitch is such a cool idea, but its origins seem so... banal? A bunch of modrons on the march are being gaslit into thinking the Outlands are evil, so the PCs end up with "no death" curse? It feels a little anti-climactic. If you're going to turn these characters into 17th level legends, let them do something utterly legendary!

 

[Charlaquin]

OK, so I did some digging, and it looks like in previous editions, Shemeshka was just treated like 'a tool to move the plot forward' in the same way as other big NPCs like the Lady of Pain and such were.

Apparently she first appeared in Chris Perkins' 1995 PS adventure, 'Umbra', from Dungeon #55, although I can't find the reference in that adventure myself.

So there's bound to be some stuff in past editions one can mine for more details.

Here's a Paizo forum thread from 2007 with some background info on her (see the posts by Todd Stewart): paizo.com - Forums / Dungeon Magazine: General Discussion: Who is Shemeska the Marauder? (issue 144)

Shemeska is pretty important to Planescape. A long time poster here and at Paizo (who was very knowledgeable on the planes) used the name in her honor.

That said, she's never been "big bad" evil, but more "mafia boss" evil. She doesn't usually have plans of domination or destruction, but more of profit and manipulation. Her means are very in line with classic PS, her goals are not. Which is why making her opportunistic (profiting off something she didn't create) is far more her MO than "start a war to sell weapons" is.

My biggest problem is that the glitch is such a cool idea, but its origins seem so... banal? A bunch of modrons on the march are being gaslit into thinking the Outlands are evil, so the PCs end up with "no death" curse? It feels a little anti-climactic. If you're going to turn these characters into 17th level legends, let them do something utterly legendary!

Oops! Guess “as far as I know” wasn’t all that far