The Dark One
First Post
I'm currently working on a campaign for 8th level characters based in Damara. It starts with them escorting a merchant caravan through a pass. En route they discover that the local militia outpost has been razed to the ground in its remains they find a letter from a local village (Waysend) begging for urgent help in defending their town from increasing numbers of incursions.
In the local area there is a cave formation in the nearby hills containing a Malar worshipping cult, an orc encampment in the hills on the other side of the pass, and a dragon's lair near this encampment. There is also a large city (Malkoran) a couple of days' ride away.
The basic plot line is that a cabal of Cyric worshipping vampires based in Damara (with their leader as the head of the Malkoran thieves guild) aim to unite all the churches of Cyric in the area and otherthrow the current governing bodies. The cult in the cave formation to the east of the pass has been given weapons and equipment by the vampires in order for them to increase their harassing of the local villages, farms and thorps (in order to detract attention from the increased activity of the thieves guild and the Church of Cyric). The vampires intend to either destroy them or convert them to Cyric once they have fulfilled their usefulness.
The orcs have nothing to do with this main plotline, but are merely taking advantage of the dilapidated state of the military in the area to increase their raiding and fulfil their obligation to the black dragon (they need to placate her with treasures in order for her to let them mine in the hills and use "her" forests).
Once the Malar worshippers have been dealt with, the group can proceed to Malkoran (after having had a sequence of visions involving the city falling into decay, being beset by evil powers, etc.).
There are a number of side quests that can be completed around Waysend, such as killing a Hag Queen living in a nearby forest (using the suggested plot idea from the latest issue of Dragon).
One of the ruling families of Malkoran is also likely to contain a vampire within its members. Upon reaching Malkoran a Divine Agent approaches the party and asks them to investigate the disappearance of his master (his god is probably going to be the reason behind the group's visions). His master was investigating the disappearance of an artifact from a church in the area but vanished without a trace.
I've still got quite a bit of work left in order to flesh out the main protagonists and link my plot a bit better (as well as provide all the details of the areas which they'll be visiting). However, my players want to play a planes campaign (or one at least featuring the planes) and I'm not sure how to effectively include this. The cave formation includes two portals in its lowest layer (in a finely carved stone chamber), and there is a small tower in the forests surrounding Malkoran that houses a Psion and contains a portal.
Could someone please give me some ideas on how to incorporate the planes into this campaign and can I please have some criticism/comments, etc. on how to improve the main plotline (any side quests, twists, etc.)
Thanks in advance.
In the local area there is a cave formation in the nearby hills containing a Malar worshipping cult, an orc encampment in the hills on the other side of the pass, and a dragon's lair near this encampment. There is also a large city (Malkoran) a couple of days' ride away.
The basic plot line is that a cabal of Cyric worshipping vampires based in Damara (with their leader as the head of the Malkoran thieves guild) aim to unite all the churches of Cyric in the area and otherthrow the current governing bodies. The cult in the cave formation to the east of the pass has been given weapons and equipment by the vampires in order for them to increase their harassing of the local villages, farms and thorps (in order to detract attention from the increased activity of the thieves guild and the Church of Cyric). The vampires intend to either destroy them or convert them to Cyric once they have fulfilled their usefulness.
The orcs have nothing to do with this main plotline, but are merely taking advantage of the dilapidated state of the military in the area to increase their raiding and fulfil their obligation to the black dragon (they need to placate her with treasures in order for her to let them mine in the hills and use "her" forests).
Once the Malar worshippers have been dealt with, the group can proceed to Malkoran (after having had a sequence of visions involving the city falling into decay, being beset by evil powers, etc.).
There are a number of side quests that can be completed around Waysend, such as killing a Hag Queen living in a nearby forest (using the suggested plot idea from the latest issue of Dragon).
One of the ruling families of Malkoran is also likely to contain a vampire within its members. Upon reaching Malkoran a Divine Agent approaches the party and asks them to investigate the disappearance of his master (his god is probably going to be the reason behind the group's visions). His master was investigating the disappearance of an artifact from a church in the area but vanished without a trace.
I've still got quite a bit of work left in order to flesh out the main protagonists and link my plot a bit better (as well as provide all the details of the areas which they'll be visiting). However, my players want to play a planes campaign (or one at least featuring the planes) and I'm not sure how to effectively include this. The cave formation includes two portals in its lowest layer (in a finely carved stone chamber), and there is a small tower in the forests surrounding Malkoran that houses a Psion and contains a portal.
Could someone please give me some ideas on how to incorporate the planes into this campaign and can I please have some criticism/comments, etc. on how to improve the main plotline (any side quests, twists, etc.)
Thanks in advance.
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