simmo
First Post
Morbidity - I like the idea of hostile locals. It's sure to annoy the PCs no end. Bring on the Shambling Mounds! But how about making the Shambling Mound a lonely creature who follows the adventurers for miles and miles through the dreary swamp - all the time complaining about how futile existance is. He's a green version of Marvin the Paranoind Android 
OK and now to combine all of the ideas in to a (mini-campaign) mega-plot.....
- The PCs are on the way to the ruins
- On the way they meet another adventuring party fighting to save some pilgrims
- In town the locals treat both groups with disdain and make it clear that they want them gone as soon as possible (this should hopefully bring the 2 adventuring groups closer)
- The PCs are waylaid by gnomes and strongly encouraged to take the TESTs, this puts them behind the other group who cheat and leave the TESTs early
- The PCs travel through a swamp and meet a crazy old woman who mutters some dire warnings
- They are followed by a paranoid and depressed Shambling Mound who tries his best to make the rest of the group depressed (this should make the PCs forget about the crazy woman for awhile)
- The PCs come across the battle scene in which the other party was wiped out
- The Shambling Mound in a completely unexpected display of self-scrifice saves the group from another swamp monster
Did the other group receive the same warnings, but refused to heed them?
Is the old woman more than she appears?
How did the kobolds know of the approaching adventurers?
Was the TESTs a way for the gnomes to guage the strengths and weaknesses of the adventuring parties?
Were they really gnomes, or kobolds in disguise?
Why won't the Shambling Mound go away?
Why did the Shambling Mound sacrifice itself to save the group?
OK and now to combine all of the ideas in to a (mini-campaign) mega-plot.....
- The PCs are on the way to the ruins
- On the way they meet another adventuring party fighting to save some pilgrims
- In town the locals treat both groups with disdain and make it clear that they want them gone as soon as possible (this should hopefully bring the 2 adventuring groups closer)
- The PCs are waylaid by gnomes and strongly encouraged to take the TESTs, this puts them behind the other group who cheat and leave the TESTs early
- The PCs travel through a swamp and meet a crazy old woman who mutters some dire warnings
- They are followed by a paranoid and depressed Shambling Mound who tries his best to make the rest of the group depressed (this should make the PCs forget about the crazy woman for awhile)
- The PCs come across the battle scene in which the other party was wiped out
- The Shambling Mound in a completely unexpected display of self-scrifice saves the group from another swamp monster
Did the other group receive the same warnings, but refused to heed them?
Is the old woman more than she appears?
How did the kobolds know of the approaching adventurers?
Was the TESTs a way for the gnomes to guage the strengths and weaknesses of the adventuring parties?
Were they really gnomes, or kobolds in disguise?
Why won't the Shambling Mound go away?
Why did the Shambling Mound sacrifice itself to save the group?
DM's Dark: The Shambling Mound is a polymorphed paladin who failed to wipe out the kobolds. His lover now too lives in the swamp, but instead of becoming depressed, she has slowly gone insane. The gnomes and humans in the village are both affected by an atrifact the the kobolds worship. It promotes paranoia distrusts which helps to ensure that no one can get organised enough to destroy them. The kobolds are immune to the effects, but the townspeople are held in thrall. The gnomes have become very paranoid and have created the TESTs as a way to prevent adventurers from reaching the kobolds. They fear that the kobolds will turn the adventurers and use them to wipe out the gnomes.
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