Plotlines - eh?

[Stalker0]

I think the best way to go about is to make the artifact the orcs have important to the big goal.

1) Perhaps its a scrying device, allowing the players to see what happened to the academy, who destroyed it, or where they have to go to get back.

2) Maybe the artifact can teleport the party back to their land, close to it, or at least a big jump in the direction there.

3) Its a divination device, able to answer several of the party's questions about where they are, where they have to go etc.

I echo what most of the others have said, your adventure looks fine, but the hook is a problem. The golden rule of dming: "The party will never do what you expect them to do." However, if you make the hook important to their main goals, its much more likely to work.

However!! Be very prepared for the party to just denouse the hook off hand and go somewhere else. It happens. It doesn't mean your whole adventure is ruined, it just might mean you get to use it at a later time. So your going to want a backup plan, even if that plan is just a few random encounters to kill some time while you think of something else to do (this is especially true if your a new dm).

 

[Whimsical]

2) Maybe the artifact can teleport the party back to their land, close to it, or at least a big jump in the direction there.

A map of the region eched on steel tablet (or something more fantastic). One a day or once a week, you can touch a spot on the map and it will teleport you to that location. Problem is that if you select a city, it puts you outside of the city gates. And if there's a seige going on.... Second problem: the map is out of date. It shows cities that are forgotten ruins (potential adventure sites) and doesn't list newer locations. Interestingly it lists regions and locations that aren't in current historical and geographical knowledge. Perhaps evidence of a coverup? What were those locations, and why were they erased from history?

 

[Nightfall]

Eh well maybe you could also use the rebirth ideas from PHB II some how...

 

[Psychic Warrior]

In the spirit of utter randomness, just have them be attacked by demons for the rest of their lives...and then get Fiendish Codex I.

That's your answer for eveything!

I agree with those saying the players are likely to ignore the adventure 'hook' of the stolen artifact. Make it sound like the artifact has powers of transportation (the phony eldar could use this if he finds out the PCs are far from home). This should be one of a series of advenutures the PCs have trying to make it to the sister academy. The trip should be fairly long (2-4 levels worth) imo with the PCs picking up clues of who might have had it in for their school.

 

[Nightfall]

Some times the ones worth repeating are the best ones. Besides is it really that wrong?

 

[Dioltach]

If you want to reinforce the connection between the opening scene and the artifact adventure, perhaps the artifact was the reason why the party are stranded? There was nothing wrong with the teleport spell, but the artifact, which was dormant for centuries until the local nasty started messing around with it, somehow projects a field that disrupts all teleport-like spells and abilities. And if you want to make sure that your players take the hook, have it seal the surrounding area off from the outside world, so that the characters, once trapped, can't get out.

Of course, they might not be the only ones trapped ...