Looking for sugegstions for a 4E "You're the monsters" game...

[Destil]

So, I'm running a one shot for my 4E group Saturday. Shared campaign world, set starting in Fellcrest. Here's the teaser e-mail I just sent out:

For years words were whispered in hushed tones in Fellcrest, of a
fearful truth of the wilds. Many ignored them, fear that speaking may
bring it to be, or ignorance, or just general human superiority and
ego.

They were wrong.

The legion of the chimera, an assembly of unified tribes of goblins,
kobolds, hobgoblin, bugbears, and other foul things the night knows no
name for. And lead by a charismatic goblin warlord claiming divine right
over all she surveys. It exists.

And among it's number, are you.

Can the representatives of the legion overcome the puny protectors of
the plague-ravaged 'forces of good' long overdue in payment for their
sins. Will they survive traps, foes and fire... and perhaps a traitor
in their midst.

Find out. This Saturday at noon.

(Hey, I had 10 min at lunch to kick this sucker out...)

So here's the rub: The players arrive to play a game of D&D, but end up playing a game of Paronia instead.

The Legion of the Chimera's (name cribbed from Icewind Dale, thank you) various alliances are tenuous at best. They are led by a john of arc type figure who sees the recent plague as divine vengeance brought by the hubris of man, and who has unified a small number of tribes to her banner. Each player will be working for a different faction, and none of them will have the well-being of the legion as their primary goal.

However, it's still 4E, which means cooperative combat. So most encounters will be against common enemies... in fact the leigon itself is one such enemy as should hopefully come out in the climax of the game. Before the fade to black where the party (presumably) destroys each other over the bodies of their crushed 'allies'.

Suggest some monstrous tribes/organizations/factions from which I can build a byzantine tapestry of infighting and intrigue. If you want to go so far as to suggest concepts/builds for any of the pregen characters I'll be handing out (level 2, standard point buy), more power too you.

This is a prelude to when I finally get the reigns of the campaign, so huge bonus points for anyone who makes groups that would make strange bedfelllows with some adventurers later on. I'm going to present the legion as too large for the PCs to really stand a chance against, unless they get smart and start playing sides against each other.

I'll be posting some of my own work for this adventure later on this week as I have time to flesh them out and type them up.

 

[Whisper72]

Well, some thoughts come to mind.

The smaller races (kobolds / goblins) have always been bullied by the larger. They do not trust them and want payback. They will suggest all manner of attack strategies with the larger races as 'shock troops' ensuring their decimation by the common enemy. During the fighting itself, archers from smaller races will accidentally fire short / too early / into combat to hit the larger folk in the back and ensure enough fall for the smaller races to take control.

At the same time, the larger races chafe under the fact that the 'leader' is a mere goblin. They undermine her decisions whenever possible.

This is one axis of chafing. The next is the magic/priest axis. The leader being 'divinely inspired' has elevated the priests and believers into a high position. so they claim. The old witchdoctors and other more magically inclined types feel being treated second rate. They try to have plans put forth by clerical types fail to point out that there is no divine guidance at all. Meanwhile, the clerics sabotage the mages whose power they fear.

Mixed in are the warrior castes. They chafe at the command by a divinely inspired 'cleric'. They want to be in control. Each race has its own warrior leaders who demand to be the overall general in command, sometimes multiple 'generals' within one race (belonging to different tribes).

Another axis is 'animal' / humanoid. Chimera, trolls and other more beastlike members of the host are treated as dumb (but powerful) beasts by the others, while they in turn form a powerful force.

Alliances shift and change depending upon who is on top / thinks is on top.

Goblin warriors scheme with kobold warriors agains goblin and kobold priests, at the same time, the kobolds in general scheme with the chimera to take the goblins down a peg. The bugbears think they are the most important ones overall and scheme against anyone thinking different. Hobgoblins scheme against the glorious leader since they feel it should have been a hobgoblin in charge, they put forth their own (fake) 'divine inspired' leader. etc. etc.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I would suggest that an enormously powerful Orc should be one of the main players. Dumb as a box of rocks, but very good at killing things - Orcs will follow him (in true Waaaaaaagh! style) but everyone else can manipulate him in various directions.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I would suggest that an enormously powerful Orc should be one of the main players. Dumb as a box of rocks, but very good at killing things - Orcs will follow him (in true Waaaaaaagh! style) but everyone else can manipulate him in various directions.

Played a human fighter like that once, but as more of a gentle giant. Very satisfying, even in- or especially because of- his eventual martyrdom.

One of the smaller PCs- like a goblin- could be a manipulator type (spellcaster or rogue based both have their merits). He could be subtle- feigning weakness while secretly cajoling the party towards achieving his goals, or patently obvious- becoming the Orc's "best buddy"/sidekick in order to enjoy the bruiser's protection while he treats the rest of the party as he feels fit.