D&D 5E New challenges of power

[AGrzes]

I'm running politics heavy, but apart of that fairly standard fantasy game (Birthright setting). As my party grow in levels I want to show them that while they leave their old challenges behind with increased power and fame comes new set of challenges.

What I came up with to date is:

• Loss of anonymity - they will be recognized even in places they did not yet visit. While this can be a good thing most of the time - it can be very inconvenient when they try to do something stealthy or shady.
• Part of the system - while previously they were outsiders, able to upset existing power structure by sole fact that nobody expected them or their actions now they become known part of the power play so their adversaries will consider them in their plans and work around them when they can.
• More to loose - this is simple - when characters have more (possession, contacts, position) they also risk more. When they enemies can not get to them directly, they may go for or at least threaten them indirectly. Here I have to be careful to not scare players to much and into focusing only on personal "firepower" eschewing any "assets" that they can not directly guard all the time.

Any other suggestions?

I want to show the players that the world no longer consider them random nobodies and react accordingly while offering them new challenges.

 

[Nagol]

Another such change can be leadership. Originally the PCs are tasked with goals. Later they make their own, and later still others look to them for guidance.

 

[tardigrade]

Whoo - Cerilia is a great setting. So you've got non-blooded characters? Or blooded non-titled?

 

[AGrzes]

Whoo - Cerilia is a great setting. So you've got non-blooded characters? Or blooded non-titled?

Blooded non-titled. Playing scions of divine bloodline was one of the selling points of the campaign, but as it is the players first visit to Cerilia they got to experience it starting from the bottom (OK - middle as bloodied scions are VIP by the birth) to not being overwhelmed.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[tardigrade]

Blooded non-titled. Playing scions of divine bloodline was one of the selling points of the campaign, but as it is the players first visit to Cerilia they got to experience it starting from the bottom (OK - middle as bloodied scions are VIP by the birth) to not being overwhelmed.

I'd say part of answer is intrinsic to your setting; blooded characters have special abilities related to leadership roles, so as awareness of their heritage spreads they may be asked to help with formal duties; they also represent an exploitable resource as a target for bloodtheft. You could also go the King Ralph route and have an accident or deliberate act suddenly put them much closer in the line of succession.