Help with a Realms campaign idea please.

dungeonstuff

First Post
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Ok, looking for some suggestions.

The campaign starts a level one in Forgotten Realms, in the Sunset Vale in the town of Asbravn. I have 3 hooks to get the ball rolling.

The local Red Cloaks are looking for volunteers to help stop the banditry that is on the rise. (encounter:A group of bandits have overwhelmed a Red Cloak patrol and are using their uniforms to set up ambushes)
Nelly Barnstorm’s cat is missing, and she needs the players help to find it. (when found it will be dead of extreme old age, the cat is only 2 years old)
A group of mysterious robed figures were seen digging in Old farmer Natter’s wheat field a few miles from town. (they are working for a dark purpose which I will get into later, but no matter what the players will be lead to this encounter.)

Whats really going on? I’m using the current situation with the Phaerimm, Sharn, Shade conflict as the main plot for this campaign.
A young (by phaerimm standards) Phaerimm named Zioutax’a has escaped from his Sharn made prison and is full of hate and bent on completing the work that his masters started so many years ago. Through his knowledge of old Netheril, he runs around Anouroch looking for lost artifacts that will aid him in his purpose. He finds an artifact that will do the job of killing off the land much like it did before but only works with limited functionality and is not very reliable. So he must find a way to get it working properly. He also comes upon another artifact that gives him access to a demiplane that has permanent mordenkainen’s mansion cast on it so he has a portable place to live.

He will make his way down to the outskirts of Asbravn where he will test his artifact.
Crops start to die and animals mysterisouly so, all at random instead of a steady pace. This would be where the players come in.

The robed figures are part of a secret rogue group of lackeys (maybe gibberlings?) led by a Demonfey sorcerer the phaerimm came across and persuaded to help him.

I plan on having the phaerim sow more chaos by having the drow raid any refugees leaving the area.

How to work the shades in as either pitted against the players, or somehow the players having to ask them for help and working with them?

How to work an artifact the phaerim needs to complete the one he currently has and the drow get wind of it and want it to blackmail the phaerimm, the shades get wind of it and want it to use against the phaerimm and then against whomever they choose, and the players need to get it before they all do?

How to work Semmemon and Darkhold in as a wildcard?

How to work the Sharn in?

Some red herrings for the PC’s: for example a “secret meeting” that turns out to be just a group of farmers discussing the latest market prices.
Any more good ones?

Any suggestions are more than welcome.
 

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dungeonstuff said:
Ok, looking for some suggestions.

The campaign starts a level one in Forgotten Realms, in the Sunset Vale in the town of Asbravn. I have 3 hooks to get the ball rolling.

The local Red Cloaks are looking for volunteers to help stop the banditry that is on the rise. (encounter:A group of bandits have overwhelmed a Red Cloak patrol and are using their uniforms to set up ambushes)
Nelly Barnstorm’s cat is missing, and she needs the players help to find it. (when found it will be dead of extreme old age, the cat is only 2 years old)
A group of mysterious robed figures were seen digging in Old farmer Natter’s wheat field a few miles from town. (they are working for a dark purpose which I will get into later, but no matter what the players will be lead to this encounter.)

With you so far, but I'd suggest caution. Players often do surprising things and forcing an eventuality on them may not work very well. :)

Whats really going on? I’m using the current situation with the Phaerimm, Sharn, Shade conflict as the main plot for this campaign.
A young (by phaerimm standards) Phaerimm named Zioutax’a has escaped from his Sharn made prison and is full of hate and bent on completing the work that his masters started so many years ago. Through his knowledge of old Netheril, he runs around Anouroch looking for lost artifacts that will aid him in his purpose. He finds an artifact that will do the job of killing off the land much like it did before but only works with limited functionality and is not very reliable. So he must find a way to get it working properly. He also comes upon another artifact that gives him access to a demiplane that has permanent mordenkainen’s mansion cast on it so he has a portable place to live.

He will make his way down to the outskirts of Asbravn where he will test his artifact.
Crops start to die and animals mysterisouly so, all at random instead of a steady pace. This would be where the players come in.

Hrm... I take it he's using the artifact on an area that isn't populated at all (except plants and animals)? Crops suggests farmland and that suggests people, so how does the artifact affect people? And is it protected such that it won't affect the user?

The robed figures are part of a secret rogue group of lackeys (maybe gibberlings?) led by a Demonfey sorcerer the phaerimm came across and persuaded to help him.

I plan on having the phaerim sow more chaos by having the drow raid any refugees leaving the area.

Again, hrm... Drow, IMO, are overrated and way too easy to spot. Mayhaps another monster is in order?

How to work the shades in as either pitted against the players, or somehow the players having to ask them for help and working with them?

Perhaps the Shade enclave has caught wind of the activities of the phaerimm in question and has dispatched their own operatives to investigate? Then it's just a matter of the two parties meeting...


How to work an artifact the phaerim needs to complete the one he currently has and the drow get wind of it and want it to blackmail the phaerimm, the shades get wind of it and want it to use against the phaerimm and then against whomever they choose, and the players need to get it before they all do?

Just make it a campaign goal to get the artifact (or for a twist get the missing piece and destroy it) before the bad guys do.

How to work Semmemon and Darkhold in as a wildcard?

Zhents are easy. They're always after power and artifacts are right up their alley. Maybe encounter them searching the area for the missing piece of the artifact and have the party have to defeat them to get it?

How to work the Sharn in?

On that one, you're on your own. :p

Some red herrings for the PC’s: for example a “secret meeting” that turns out to be just a group of farmers discussing the latest market prices.
Any more good ones?

Any suggestions are more than welcome. [/B]

Red herrings are best put in as the game progresses. Let your players have some fun with it. If they obsess on something in particular, run with it as a herring. ;)

Can't think of anything else atm. Sorry if none of this helps, but I hope you can use something out of it.

Take care and good luck!
 

Just make it a campaign goal to get the artifact (or for a twist get the missing piece and destroy it) before the bad guys do.

Your right, thats probably the best idea to start with.


Players often do surprising things and forcing an eventuality on them may not work very well.

Uhg.:)
 


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