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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lord Zardoz" data-source="post: 1854155" data-attributes="member: 704">Artifacts are funBut the best way to use them, I think, is not to let the players know that the powerful item in their possession is a coveted artifact.  Discovering such by experiment is always more fun.Now regarding your back story.  There is nothing wrong with your basic back story.  However, there really is nothing remarkable or intresting about it either.  If it is not about a lich and undead, it is about a great demon and hordes of minor demons.  But since you seem to just be using that as a jumping off point or example, I think I can suggest something more intresting for you.  Of course, my ideas may end up not fitting your campaign at all.So lets see what I can come up with, without using any of the following:Powerful WizardLiches and UndeadDemonsExtraplanar travelI have it.The Glorious Banner of Rourk the MagnificentRourk was the one time ruler of the known world.  He was the greatest military leader that the world had known.  He was never defeated on the field of battle.  He was never bested in personal combat.  He quite simply was incapable of losing a fight.  He sought the favor of a queen, and offered her his love.  She refused him.  He offered her any treasure she desired.  She demanded the world.His loyalty to his master was absolute, and he did as he was bidden.  Such was his skill in battle that no man under his command ever fell.  Armies that met him on the field were smashed beneath his might.  Opposing soldiers would cross the field and serve him rather then fight him.  Every king and emporer and warlord surrendered to him rather then face inevitible defeat.  And Rourk took his armies to every corner of his world.When Rourk returend to his queen, he presented her with the crowns of a thousand kings, and gave unto her the world.  The queen was not satisfied.  "Those armies follow you, not I.  Those kings knelt to you, not I.  History shall remember your greatness, not mine.  You have given me nothing."  The ambitious queen turned her back to Rourk, and took her own life.Rourk demanded of the gods to give him back the woman he loved.  And the gods refused, saying that they would not force her to choose what she did not want.  Rourk was furious.  "I am greater then you, and you too shall fall before me.  Give me what I demand, or I shall seize it from you.  The gods told Rourk no.  Death came to claim Rourk, and Rourk defeated even death, and death became Rourks servant.  And he declared war on the gods them selves.And the gods gave battle.Armies of demons and angles came to the world, and the world burned.  But Rourks armies knew only victory.  Not even the gods could stand before Rourk.  The armies of the gods were driven fleeing before him.  And Rourk then stormed the gates of heaven and hell, and made the gods kneel before him.  He found his queen, and offered her the world, and heaven, and hell.And still she refused him.  "You have destroyed the world I wanted with your battles.  And even the gods acknoledge your greatness, not mine."So Rourk responded "I have slain men and women, demons and angles.  None stand before me.  I have known only victory.  I surrender then, to you.  You have defeated me, where not even the gods have.And the queen accepted his surrender.And with Rourk no longer leading his armies, Rourks armies were destroyed utterly by the gods, and cast down from being men to being goblins, Orcs, an Ogres.  Always seekeing battle, but never knowing victory, unless they were following Rourks banner.Description:  Rourks banner is an ancient tapestrry, bearing a red dragon on a white sun on a red field.  No army following this standard has ever been defeated.  It will follow its owner magically, so that the leader need not hold it himself in battle.Game definition:The banner grants +20 Str, +20 Con, Regeneration +20, Damage Reduction 50 / +5, a +20 deflection bonus to AC, and +30 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy and intimidation checks.  The bearer also gains the benefits of Power Attack, Cleave, Sunder, and Great Cleave.  The user may create a Daerns instant fortress, and can create food and water for anyone who follows him.  He may also cast an anti magic shell with a 100 yard radius (the banners effects are unaffected by this).  Alternatively, the banner weilder may cast dispell magic at 20th level as a free action once per round.Soldiers who are led by this banner gain 15 /+3 damage reduction and +6 Fast healing, and are under the effects of a Prayer spell.Humanoid / Demhuman, and Goblinoid Soldiers who are opposing a force led by this banner must make a Will save at DC 20 every round that they can see the banner or join the weilder as though Dominated.Clerics and Paladins are immune to this, and will not follow the weilder of the banner.  Instead, they will oppose the weilder.The gods will damn any man who follows the banner leader, and for each day the follow Rourks banner, they must make a Fort save or become an Orc.  There is a 50% chance that a force of outsiders will attack the weilder, consisting of either Demons or Devils, with the force consisting of at least twice the HD of the army they are attacking.  If the outsiders exceed 100 HD, they are led by an avatar of any one of the gods.END COMMUNICATION</blockquote>

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