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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ydars" data-source="post: 4588772" data-attributes="member: 62992">Hi again Stone Angel. I have been kicking a few ideas around and here is what I have come up with. Note that I have not assumed what the PCs will do, instead I have tried just to come up with some idea of NPC motivations and to think of ways for the PCs to involve themselves somehow. Since the Rake Statue and the Lich Vizier would not immediately be allies (Rake thought he was the get of an Emperor if I read your brief correctly) there is a plotline to reconcile them if the PCs get involved as Scions or if they try to oppose this union of powers. The Lich would send an envoy (the PCs if they are on his side?) to Rake and this could be quite dangerous. Alternatively, they could try to stop this "unholy union" from the point of view of the Empire. I have asked myself what the Lich Vizier wants and figured that he wants him and his descendants to RULE! Yet he could not do so openly without becoming a "dark lord". A more interesting possiility is that he wants to be the power behind the throne. So I am guessing that he will have many schemes cooking including; 1) Marriage of his Scions, to the powerful and important in society. This social dance will be intricate and full of intrigue. The Lich cannot reveal himself and so often his Scions will be finding notes, money and information left in certain places and the Lich will have an operation to underpin this. Some of the Scions will know the Lich, whereas others will not, but will be enmeshed in his power through accepting his bribes or help. Some of the Lich's power over his Scions might be through blackmail if they are reluctant to acknowledge him as their Lord. I am also seeing the Lich running brothels and other illicit activities in order to compromise rivals and son's of other houses, to further his objectives and to gather information. 2) In order to have money for dowries for the womenfolk of his "house", I think the Vizier might be running a sort of rival thieves guild, perhaps even using intelligent undead as thieves; including undead animals as spies, assassins and stealers. I beginning to see him as a kind of undead "Fagin" from Oliver (Dickens). The PCs could become involved in all kinds of plots opposing or helping the Lich. I would also suggest that this makes the Lich an enemy of the thieves guild. If you want, the Lich could have discovered some dark secret at the heart of the Empire and this may provide a moral imperative for the PCs to oppose the Empire if they so choose. Perhaps they will find that secretly the Imperial cult practises human sacrifice or that the Emperor is a representative of some dark god and his wars of conquest are designed to bathe the land in blood.  I am also thinking that perhaps, when the Vizier was a young man, his city (Kruergsvalt) was razed to the ground after refusing the Empire's agenda. This provides the motivation for the Lich to destroy the Empire; as he is the last survivor of this fallen city. Perhaps Scion's Vale is even built over thr ruins of Kreurgsvalt and the Lich lives amid the fallen stones of his beloved home, deep in the catacombs of Scion's vale. This picture of this Lich, also suggests how the PCs could first encounter him; as a source of information or a way to buy or sell certain items. His true nature would not at first be apparent but after a while then he starts to put the squeeze on the PCs, seeking to test and manipulate them. All I can think of for now; let me know if this is "on track" or not and what aspect interest you and I can develop some more.</blockquote>

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