How to kill eight gods? (seeking help towards epic campaign ending)

[Silver Moon]

Like I said when Ppaladin mentioned it, it sounds interesting. Any chance you could elaborate on what happened, and how you did it?

The short version is that the party managed to covince the followers of two lesser gods in the group that the other lesser god wanted to kill them and a civil war among the pantheon errupted. The greater god was then made aware of the fighing and disbanded the pantheon as he wanted nothing to do with the fighting children. The the lesser gods then each blamed the other and destroyed each other in the war that followed.

 

[Ydars]

Jack99; I think you need to simplify your story a little to make it digestible to the players, but otherwise it looks very solid. Why don't you make the Usurpers demons who have taken god-like form and power to heal their wounds after the titanic struggles between primordials and demons, if you like demons and want to include them. If you want to answer why they have not shown their demonic nature, perhaps they have been forced to rest to heal their wounds after the battles with the Primordials in ages past. Also have the Usurpers act directly against the PCs otherwise they will seem good or passive and the players will have no reason to confront them.

The part you still are struggling with seems to be how the PCs discover the true nature of the world and the enemy they face. Well if you give them a reason, they will look for it themselves.

Have the aspect of Yeenogu branded with some kind of mark that the PCs cannot identify. If they don't look for this symbol immediately, then have the next major foe they face have the same mark. Now they will pull out every ritual they know to find out information on the mark.

The usurpers would control all divination attempts that relate to them and hence these rituals will fail but maybe you could introduce a seer into your game much earlier (as foreshadowing) who can pierce all attempts at interferance. This seer knows of a place where visions always succeed. Getting to this place, harried by the minions of the usurpers will not be easy and should come in for some iconic battles. I would suggest that perhaps the seer can call upon the spirits of the water at a certain lake and that the PCs can ask these spirits questions, but they will receive only cryptic answers. They will be told to seek the visions of Cassandra

Cassandra is a heretic who was burned by the followers of the usurper gods a hundred years ago. She was driven mad by visions of the gods as evil monsters. Her prophecy was written down but is hidden in the fortress of some Holy Inquisition. The PCs have to get in and steal the blood stained book of her confession extracted under torture before the poor woman died. Her ravings will let the PCs know that the gods are not what they seem and the symbol from the aspect should also appear in this book as the mark of the usurpers. Now the PCs know who their foe is. The book also speaks of the Cardinal Plane and of whatever artefacts are required to reach it.

Now you have set-up for the end-game. Just an example of how to do it but hopefully if gets your mind buzzing.

 

[Jack99]

Jack99; I think you need to simplify your story a little to make it digestible to the players, but otherwise it looks very solid.

Thanks, and yes obviously I would need to make it a bit more simple. What I posted above was just a brainstorm based on the excellent feedback that I got from the thread.

Why don't you make the Usurpers demons who have taken god-like form and power to heal their wounds after the titanic struggles between primordials and demons, if you like demons and want to include them. If you want to answer why they have not shown their demonic nature, perhaps they have been forced to rest to heal their wounds after the battles with the Primordials in ages past.

Definitely a possibility. I was considering that it should be arch-devils (Lord of the Nine, minus Asmodeus, since he is currently an exarch), since I feel something like that fits the devils more. Then again, Grazzt can be a manipulative son of a bitch, so I guess the demons could pull it off as well.

Also have the Usurpers act directly against the PCs otherwise they will seem good or passive and the players will have no reason to confront them.

Good point

The part you still are struggling with seems to be how the PCs discover the true nature of the world and the enemy they face. Well if you give them a reason, they will look for it themselves.

Have the aspect of Yeenogu branded with some kind of mark that the PCs cannot identify. If they don't look for this symbol immediately, then have the next major foe they face have the same mark. Now they will pull out every ritual they know to find out information on the mark.

The usurpers would control all divination attempts that relate to them and hence these rituals will fail but maybe you could introduce a seer into your game much earlier (as foreshadowing) who can pierce all attempts at interferance. This seer knows of a place where visions always succeed. Getting to this place, harried by the minions of the usurpers will not be easy and should come in for some iconic battles. I would suggest that perhaps the seer can call upon the spirits of the water at a certain lake and that the PCs can ask these spirits questions, but they will receive only cryptic answers.

Good idea. Although the seer will probably be one of the players. The wizard in the group is as I mentioned earlier going for divine oracle, and on top of that, there is a history of visions in his family. As backstory, to explain the future multi-classing into cleric, the player himself came up with a story about his father, an artist which has strong ties to the church of Kord, because when he paints during thunderstorms, he paints visions of the future. Maybe the son has the gene as well..

They will be told to seek the visions of Cassandra

Cassandra is a heretic who was burned by the followers of the usurper gods a hundred years ago. She was driven mad by visions of the gods as evil monsters. Her prophecy was written down but is hidden in the fortress of some Holy Inquisition. The PCs have to get in and steal the blood stained book of her confession extracted under torture before the poor woman died. Her ravings will let the PCs know that the gods are not what they seem and the symbol from the aspect should also appear in this book as the mark of the usurpers. Now the PCs know who their foe is. The book also speaks of the Cardinal Plane and of whatever artefacts are required to reach it.

Also great, can't believe I didn't think about Cassandra.

Now you have set-up for the end-game. Just an example of how to do it but hopefully if gets your mind buzzing.

It is certainly looking better than it did before I posted here

Thanks

 

[Quartz]

Very Moorcockian!

If the PCs are going to be strong enough to kill one set of gods, why don't they just kill both sets and install themselves as deities? Perhaps rather, they need to destroy a number of loci to enable their gods to take on the old gods? Each one would be harder than the last, and the very last would be a really tough fight as the old gods strive to maintain their last anchor with the world. Again, how are the PCs going to feel about killing a deity of Good? Perhaps rather they need to persuade the old gods that it's time for them to move on? Of course, they need to do this from a position of strength.

 

[Ydars]

Hi Quartz,

The point is that the TRUE gods are divine whereas the Usurpers aren't and so can be killed.

The PCs aren't divine yet and hence also can't replace the TRUE gods.

 

[Ydars]

Jack99; How could you have forgotten about Cassandra (LOL)!!

Let us know if you have any other problems or concerns.

 

[Jack99]

Jack99; How could you have forgotten about Cassandra (LOL)!!

Let us know if you have any other problems or concerns.

Will do. Going to need some time to mull over things, but you can be certain this won't be the last time I post for feedback regarding this.

Cheers

 

[Ydars]

I remain, as ever, at your service Sir!

Good luck with your cogitations. This is a twisted thread to unravel and no mistake; but then the best campaign ideas often are.