Greyhawk and Timetravel....

[Aeris Winterood]

I have an idea for my campaign to "send" the characters back in time to the epic battle between the Wind Dukes of Aaqa versus the Queen of Chaos (-4403 cy).

I am making an adventure where they end up helping the Wind Dukes and afterwards end up being 'transported' back to thier correct time period (592 cy). Therein lies my problem.

I would enjoy some feedback as to how they get popped back to that time... to make it better than having a random magical disturbance to send them back....

I am trying to figure out a "good" way of making time travel in a campaign without overdoing it. I have an extensive history of Greyhawk and want the characters to get more involved into the history of the land.

 

[Darklone]

I am making an adventure where they end up helping the Wind Dukes and afterwards end up being 'transported' back to thier correct time period (592 cy). Therein lies my problem.

I would enjoy some feedback as to how they get popped back to that time... to make it better than having a random magical disturbance to send them back....

Easy: Depending whom they shall help: The wind Dukes or the Queen created a magical gate or something else with wish spells or similar things to bring help. Or maybe an amulet? Or a few rings? And as soon as all rings are together, they will teleport back in time? Perhaps include an old oracle where the Dukes or Queen got this advice. Perhaps let a player find an old statue that looks exactly like himself before they hop back in time, describing one of the heroes that helped win that war!

Like that idea with the rings most... Perhaps let the players search for several of them with the promise that all together are even more powerful than a single one? Include nice things to those rings like permanent message spell, limited shield other, minor counterspelling or something similar. Perhaps even different things for different rings. Start with one ability for one ring. They find a second one, both rings have now two abilities. And so on!

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Salutations,

Ack, time travel!

Hmm- this can always be touchy in handling, and perhaps the best advice would be avoiding it.

There are numerous non-time travel ways to get the party involved with the history of the world.

Perhaps something has caused all the spirits involved in the battle to rise as ghosts and begin to re-enact the war. Since this obviously will cause great problems to the people living there- the pc's will need to find out everything about the war they can to find a way to minimize the ghostly damage in the short term- and find the cause in the long term.

Or.. you could have some warlord show up and claim to be the descendant of the Queen of Chaos, and wishes to take up her mantle.

But.. if you really want time travel, then I suggest you clearly write out how you believe time travel works. If you don't get a clear idea in your head, then it could lead to a lot of confusion.

Examples:

1) People can travel in time, but they can not change the true present- their mere presence just creates and alternate reality.

2) People can travel in time, but their behavior has already happened- kind of like fate. The person is their own grandfather so on.

3) People can travel in time and can change the present- paradoxes do(or do not) cause major problems.

4- and a theory I have adopted) People can travel to the past, but they can not travel to the future. Why? Because the past "exists", but the future has yet to happen. So- time travel is a one way trip. Of course, there is a way around this- if someone could put themselves into suspended animation for however many years- they could return to their "time". That is, if they have not screwed up the past.

Once you adopt a theory- then you can design a mechanic around it.

Is there a site- kind of like stone-henge that allows time travel?
Is there an organization that is involved? Divine? Arcane? Psi?
How do they feel about time travel? and allowing others to do it?

Other things to keep in mind (depending on how much of a realism nut you are)-
spells known mightbe dramatically different
languages change over time, they may have trouble communicating

Some book suggestions:
1)TSR produced a book about Chronomancers years ago.
2)The Time Machine, HG Wells
3)The Dechronization Of Sam Magruder, George Gaylord Simpson
4)The Man Who Folded Himself, David Gerrold

Good Luck,
FD