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<blockquote data-quote="Khur" data-source="post: 4811580" data-attributes="member: 5583">One thing that worked in a campaign I ran is this: Play against normal player/PC expectations and responses. I had a similar situation where the bad guys were using a ritual bringing back an epic villain from death and a planar prison for his soul. I made the ritualist's death by external forces integral to the ritual. The ritualist's didn't mind dying, because they knew their lord could and would bring them back if he returned. The PCs burst into the ritual chamber and proceeded to bust heads. The wizard and cleric, who could sense the gathering eldritch energy, began to get the idea that all the killing was a bad idea, but they vocalized their reservations a little too late. When the sorceress running the show finally died, the gate opened and the epic bad guy came through in a weakened state. Rather than destroy the PCs, he mocked them in a fashion by offering each one a boon for helping to release him. Then he retreated to his distant, ruined fortress to gather strength and prepare his forces.I had all I wanted: the epic villain in the world again, creeped-out players, and a fine bit of foreshadowing. The players didn't feel robbed; they felt like they should have seen it coming and like they could have stopped it had they been more careful. The PCs will eventually face the ritualists they killed again, this time as mighty servants of the evil one.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Khur, post: 4811580, member: 5583"] One thing that worked in a campaign I ran is this: Play against normal player/PC expectations and responses. I had a similar situation where the bad guys were using a ritual bringing back an epic villain from death and a planar prison for his soul. I made the ritualist's death by external forces integral to the ritual. The ritualist's didn't mind dying, because they knew their lord could and would bring them back if he returned. The PCs burst into the ritual chamber and proceeded to bust heads. The wizard and cleric, who could sense the gathering eldritch energy, began to get the idea that all the killing was a bad idea, but they vocalized their reservations a little too late. When the sorceress running the show finally died, the gate opened and the epic bad guy came through in a weakened state. Rather than destroy the PCs, he mocked them in a fashion by offering each one a boon for helping to release him. Then he retreated to his distant, ruined fortress to gather strength and prepare his forces. I had all I wanted: the epic villain in the world again, creeped-out players, and a fine bit of foreshadowing. The players didn't feel robbed; they felt like they should have seen it coming and like they could have stopped it had they been more careful. The PCs will eventually face the ritualists they killed again, this time as mighty servants of the evil one. [/QUOTE]

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