Ashrem Bayle
Explorer
This time, I decided to go ahead an lay out the most likely course of events for my upcoming campaign. Of course, this is all subject to change according to what the PCs do, but here it goes.
Background
1. The great wyrm Red dragon Craesis has awakened and wants to claims his ancient kingdom, now known as Cormyr.
2. The dragon, remembering an ancient temple devoted to Bane under Willowbrook, decides to use it to his advantage.
3. He contacts Bannin Lyle, a cleric of Bane and reveals to him the existence of the fallen temple.
4. Lyle, in turn, sends Salivax, the mind flayer to Craesis in exchange for the information.
5. Craesis replaces Garis Marliir, the ambassador of the Marliir family in Suzail.
6. Craesis sends word to Raynaar Marliir in Arabel that he is sending a messenger with an important message.
7. The “messanger” is Salivax. Once Salivax contacts Raynaar Marliir, the head of the family, he charms him.
8. Raynaar, under the control of Salivax, gathers a small group of mercenaries.
9. The mercenaries, called Vulture Company, are all secretly cultists of Bane. They become the elite guard of Raynaar.
10. The Vulturs seek out a clan of particulalry violant orcs under orders from their master.
11. The orcs of Clan Ironclaw, led by a cleric of Groomsh, are given orders to attack Willowbrook.
12. The villagers of Willowbrook discover thet they have been isolated from aid and supplies.
13. The mayor of Willowbrook, Roman Porter, sends a message to Arabel for aid. He is told aid is coming.
Campaign Begins
14. Enter the PCs. Characters start in Arabel, Cormyr. (7th level PCs)
15. They are contacted and sent to Willowbrook.
16. Clan Ironclaw attacks the village.
17. People where captured, and the PCs track the orcs to their lair.
18. In the lair, the PCs find a note from Captain Drail of Vulture company.
Level Up
19. The PCs go to the city to Arabel to confront the Vultures.
20. They are arrested at the city gates for plotting to kill Lord Marliir and are sentenced to death.
21. The PCs must escape and find proof that Marliir is corrupt.
22. The Vultures, led by Drail, infiltrate the weakened town of Willowbrook. They discover the temple.
23. Raynaar Marliir is arrested and later found massacred in his cell. (Killed by Craesis.)
24. The PCs must go to the village and save the people, but the Vultures are already there.
Level Up
25. When they reach Willowbrook, all seems fine. A group of six cultists are secretly staying in the inn.
26. Members of the cult attack the PCs.
27. One of the cult members has a book with details about the temple in it.
28. In the center of the temple, a circle acts as a conduit to the negative material plane.
29. A group of Ironclaw orcs attack the village in hopes of getting the temple for themselves.
30. The orcs give the cult the time they need to get into the temple and activate the conduit.
31. The temple rises and the cult leader is transformed. The village is destroyed.
32. Inside the temple, the PCs learn of the cult’s plans to create an army using an artifact.
33. The artifact is a set of sarcophagi that uses the conduit to turn bodies placed into them into undead.
34. The PCs head to Suzail to inform the authorities.
Level Up
35. The sarcophagi are hidden within a long dead city buried in a dense swamp.
36. Craesis learns of this as well and dispatches the PCs as envoys from the capital to recover it.
37. A spy on the inside tells the Vultures of the PCs plans to go to the city.
38. Craesis knows that a black dragon called Vosal’Necrim used to guard the artifact.
39. Almost in control of the city, Craesis doesn’t want the cult to get the artifact.
40. He gives the PCs a weapon to destroy Vosal’Necrim and tells them to bring the sarcophagi back.
41. The Vultures set out to get the artifact. The dragon slaughters the men.
42. The PCs enter the forgotten city and eventually fight Vosal’Necrim and destroy him.
Level Up
43. The PCs send for wagons to come get the sarcophagi.
44. Craesis mobilizes a group of Vultures and sends them to get the artifacts.
45. Lyle, the head of the Vultures, is told how to become a lich by Craesis.
46. The artifacts are taken back to Arabel. They are then secured in Marliir’s manor. There, Salivax guards them.
47. The PCs learn of Salivax’s true nature and that he is controlling Vincent Marliir, the new head of the House.
48. They confront Salivax in a demiplane he created.
49. The PCs must chase down and recover the sarcophagi.
Level Up
50. Surviving PCs make there way back to Suzail unmolested.
51. The PCs are given a celebration, land, and honors. The Purple Dragons hunt down the remaining Vultures.
52. Drail is lost and on the run. Lyle remains in hiding and only Craesis and Drail knows he exists.
???????????????????
Know what?
Factions
The Orcs of the Iron Claw
1. The orcs are contacted by the Vultures and attack the village of Willowbrook.
2. They later learn about the temple and attack the Vultures in hopes of getting it for themselves.
The Wyrm
1. Craesis takes the form of Garis Marliir.
2. He gets a cult of Bane to create the Vultures and recover the location of the sarcophagi.
3. With the artifacts, he plans to create an army of the dead and retake Cormyr.
The Cult
1. The cult hopes to find the artifacts and serve under Craesis.
2. This temple will be used as a base of operations to build an undead army.
3. The cult leader, Drail will tap the conduit to be transformed. (Turned to a half-demon blackguard.)
4. An undead army is created to attack the nearby city.
5. Lyle is rewarded with the means to become a lich.
6. The city is to become the center of power for a legion of worshippers of the evil god.
This is all I have. Now what. I don't want to reveal Craesis' identity until the PCs are at about 17th level or so.
Background
1. The great wyrm Red dragon Craesis has awakened and wants to claims his ancient kingdom, now known as Cormyr.
2. The dragon, remembering an ancient temple devoted to Bane under Willowbrook, decides to use it to his advantage.
3. He contacts Bannin Lyle, a cleric of Bane and reveals to him the existence of the fallen temple.
4. Lyle, in turn, sends Salivax, the mind flayer to Craesis in exchange for the information.
5. Craesis replaces Garis Marliir, the ambassador of the Marliir family in Suzail.
6. Craesis sends word to Raynaar Marliir in Arabel that he is sending a messenger with an important message.
7. The “messanger” is Salivax. Once Salivax contacts Raynaar Marliir, the head of the family, he charms him.
8. Raynaar, under the control of Salivax, gathers a small group of mercenaries.
9. The mercenaries, called Vulture Company, are all secretly cultists of Bane. They become the elite guard of Raynaar.
10. The Vulturs seek out a clan of particulalry violant orcs under orders from their master.
11. The orcs of Clan Ironclaw, led by a cleric of Groomsh, are given orders to attack Willowbrook.
12. The villagers of Willowbrook discover thet they have been isolated from aid and supplies.
13. The mayor of Willowbrook, Roman Porter, sends a message to Arabel for aid. He is told aid is coming.
Campaign Begins
14. Enter the PCs. Characters start in Arabel, Cormyr. (7th level PCs)
15. They are contacted and sent to Willowbrook.
16. Clan Ironclaw attacks the village.
17. People where captured, and the PCs track the orcs to their lair.
18. In the lair, the PCs find a note from Captain Drail of Vulture company.
Level Up
19. The PCs go to the city to Arabel to confront the Vultures.
20. They are arrested at the city gates for plotting to kill Lord Marliir and are sentenced to death.
21. The PCs must escape and find proof that Marliir is corrupt.
22. The Vultures, led by Drail, infiltrate the weakened town of Willowbrook. They discover the temple.
23. Raynaar Marliir is arrested and later found massacred in his cell. (Killed by Craesis.)
24. The PCs must go to the village and save the people, but the Vultures are already there.
Level Up
25. When they reach Willowbrook, all seems fine. A group of six cultists are secretly staying in the inn.
26. Members of the cult attack the PCs.
27. One of the cult members has a book with details about the temple in it.
28. In the center of the temple, a circle acts as a conduit to the negative material plane.
29. A group of Ironclaw orcs attack the village in hopes of getting the temple for themselves.
30. The orcs give the cult the time they need to get into the temple and activate the conduit.
31. The temple rises and the cult leader is transformed. The village is destroyed.
32. Inside the temple, the PCs learn of the cult’s plans to create an army using an artifact.
33. The artifact is a set of sarcophagi that uses the conduit to turn bodies placed into them into undead.
34. The PCs head to Suzail to inform the authorities.
Level Up
35. The sarcophagi are hidden within a long dead city buried in a dense swamp.
36. Craesis learns of this as well and dispatches the PCs as envoys from the capital to recover it.
37. A spy on the inside tells the Vultures of the PCs plans to go to the city.
38. Craesis knows that a black dragon called Vosal’Necrim used to guard the artifact.
39. Almost in control of the city, Craesis doesn’t want the cult to get the artifact.
40. He gives the PCs a weapon to destroy Vosal’Necrim and tells them to bring the sarcophagi back.
41. The Vultures set out to get the artifact. The dragon slaughters the men.
42. The PCs enter the forgotten city and eventually fight Vosal’Necrim and destroy him.
Level Up
43. The PCs send for wagons to come get the sarcophagi.
44. Craesis mobilizes a group of Vultures and sends them to get the artifacts.
45. Lyle, the head of the Vultures, is told how to become a lich by Craesis.
46. The artifacts are taken back to Arabel. They are then secured in Marliir’s manor. There, Salivax guards them.
47. The PCs learn of Salivax’s true nature and that he is controlling Vincent Marliir, the new head of the House.
48. They confront Salivax in a demiplane he created.
49. The PCs must chase down and recover the sarcophagi.
Level Up
50. Surviving PCs make there way back to Suzail unmolested.
51. The PCs are given a celebration, land, and honors. The Purple Dragons hunt down the remaining Vultures.
52. Drail is lost and on the run. Lyle remains in hiding and only Craesis and Drail knows he exists.
???????????????????
Know what?
Factions
The Orcs of the Iron Claw
1. The orcs are contacted by the Vultures and attack the village of Willowbrook.
2. They later learn about the temple and attack the Vultures in hopes of getting it for themselves.
The Wyrm
1. Craesis takes the form of Garis Marliir.
2. He gets a cult of Bane to create the Vultures and recover the location of the sarcophagi.
3. With the artifacts, he plans to create an army of the dead and retake Cormyr.
The Cult
1. The cult hopes to find the artifacts and serve under Craesis.
2. This temple will be used as a base of operations to build an undead army.
3. The cult leader, Drail will tap the conduit to be transformed. (Turned to a half-demon blackguard.)
4. An undead army is created to attack the nearby city.
5. Lyle is rewarded with the means to become a lich.
6. The city is to become the center of power for a legion of worshippers of the evil god.
This is all I have. Now what. I don't want to reveal Craesis' identity until the PCs are at about 17th level or so.
It is mearly framework for a campaign with many plot twists and wheels-within-wheels.
