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Orcus Vs Strahd plot help
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<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 7460353" data-attributes="member: 177"><p>Note that setting him up as a vampire is not itself that big a deal. There's lots of vampires around.</p><p></p><p>Not all vampires become rulers of demi-planes, though. This is the part that needs explanation, and is the cross-plane-politically interesting bit.</p><p></p><p>I see two basic options with similar results:</p><p></p><p>1) Orcus made Stradh a vampire. No big deal. He probably does that kind of things three times a week and twice on Sundays. Stradh somehow managed the demi-plane on his own somehow, or it happened by accident. But, since Orcus made him, Orcus has some power of him, and Orcus has plans for the demi-plane. Stradh, having tasted something like *real* power, wants to keep Barovia for himself, and no longer wants to be Orcus' monkey - thus the conflict. Stradh is ow set up to try to plan Orcus and the Raven Queen against each other, hoping to come out of it in some way where he's in control of his own destiny and demi-plane.</p><p></p><p>2) Orcus set Stradh up as master of the demi-plane. The vampire thing is merely a way to make Stradh nigh-immortal, so that this setup isn't just a flash in the pan, cosmically speaking. After a couple of millennia, being Orcus' monkey would wear on anyone, 'cuz he's got all the manners of a kaiju otyugh. Stradh wants out, and settign Orcus and the Raven Queen to fight may be his best option.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>"I don't wanna be Orcus' monkey anymore" is pretty rational position. He doesn't need to want to be a god. But, having been ruler of a demi-plane, is he going to be satisfied with being a plain-old garden variety vampire again? Or *shudder* mortal again? Probably not.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The typical way would be for minons of each of these powers to engage the PCs to accomplish goals that the PCs don't realize have another purpose. "Go fetch the Gizmo of The Great Wizard McGuffin!" without saying that the Gizmo is part of a major working that can reunite the demi-plane with the Shadowfell. "Go escort this woman to Point X, and assist her in unseatign theoppressive mayor of the town" without saying that Point X is just outside the mists, and the woman is a succubus in disguise, and the whole overthrowign the Mayor is just a way to get Stradh's attention on her - the plan is for Stradh to fall for her and be distracted while Orcus does something nefarious.... And so on.</p><p></p><p>Eventually, the PCs figure out who they are actually working for, and why, and have to pick sides... or die. Dying is always an option. When caught between death gods, how hard is it going to be to die, and how unpleasant could the experience possibly be?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 7460353, member: 177"] Note that setting him up as a vampire is not itself that big a deal. There's lots of vampires around. Not all vampires become rulers of demi-planes, though. This is the part that needs explanation, and is the cross-plane-politically interesting bit. I see two basic options with similar results: 1) Orcus made Stradh a vampire. No big deal. He probably does that kind of things three times a week and twice on Sundays. Stradh somehow managed the demi-plane on his own somehow, or it happened by accident. But, since Orcus made him, Orcus has some power of him, and Orcus has plans for the demi-plane. Stradh, having tasted something like *real* power, wants to keep Barovia for himself, and no longer wants to be Orcus' monkey - thus the conflict. Stradh is ow set up to try to plan Orcus and the Raven Queen against each other, hoping to come out of it in some way where he's in control of his own destiny and demi-plane. 2) Orcus set Stradh up as master of the demi-plane. The vampire thing is merely a way to make Stradh nigh-immortal, so that this setup isn't just a flash in the pan, cosmically speaking. After a couple of millennia, being Orcus' monkey would wear on anyone, 'cuz he's got all the manners of a kaiju otyugh. Stradh wants out, and settign Orcus and the Raven Queen to fight may be his best option. "I don't wanna be Orcus' monkey anymore" is pretty rational position. He doesn't need to want to be a god. But, having been ruler of a demi-plane, is he going to be satisfied with being a plain-old garden variety vampire again? Or *shudder* mortal again? Probably not. The typical way would be for minons of each of these powers to engage the PCs to accomplish goals that the PCs don't realize have another purpose. "Go fetch the Gizmo of The Great Wizard McGuffin!" without saying that the Gizmo is part of a major working that can reunite the demi-plane with the Shadowfell. "Go escort this woman to Point X, and assist her in unseatign theoppressive mayor of the town" without saying that Point X is just outside the mists, and the woman is a succubus in disguise, and the whole overthrowign the Mayor is just a way to get Stradh's attention on her - the plan is for Stradh to fall for her and be distracted while Orcus does something nefarious.... And so on. Eventually, the PCs figure out who they are actually working for, and why, and have to pick sides... or die. Dying is always an option. When caught between death gods, how hard is it going to be to die, and how unpleasant could the experience possibly be? [/QUOTE]
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