Stuck Campaign!

[leiela]

Currently run a long running campaign (12 years) which has in recent years gotten abit stuck and i need some help unsticking it.

Essentially we always had several groups running around the same world.

The main group following the "heavy campaign" trying to save the world, while we had other groups, who followed less dramatic / stressful plot lines which provided light relief not to mention spare charecters when a main charecter was out of action for any period of time.

The main party came unstuck when one of the main players left, we'd always had trouble with players coming and going but this was one of the true core players and afterwards it was decided, by the players that the party where going to retire from the "world saving malarky" because it wouldn't be the same without him.

The world saving mantle then fell to a lower level party which i don't have a problem with persay.

However while all this has gone on the world has turned it's a big pile of hell... think forgotten realm's "times of troubles" crossed with zombie apocalpes and "30 days of night" Essentially the gods are at war with each other, something killed the titan at the core of the earth which stopped the earth spinning and just to top it off, someone quenched the sun.. plunging the earth into darkness. (it's dark but there is still just about enough "heat" to keep the planet from freezing short term)

Meanwhile we have a Evil Knight, charging around the world, killing all goodly folk of any power who might prove a threat to his "god" who is currently trying to seaze power in the planes ie is causing the god war.

Fun hu?!

Right so we have one party on a mission to bring back the sun... fine!

Another party trying to stop the god war!.. fine

Another party (low level) just trying to survive because it's "crazy out there" undead rule the earth and it's just a bad bad bad place!!

Ok i have no problems with any of these.

But my final party, found themselves a ring which could turn one of them into a "titan" the idea being, one of them choose's to sacrifice himself/herself to become the titan, essentially retiring the charecter but going out in a huge blaze of glory as the party journey to the center of the earth, kill the fat dragon that ate the last titan and get the world turning again hopefully before the light comes on and burn's the world to a crisp on one side.

Blah!

On small hicup... this was a great idea when the party consisted of 6 players, since then most of that group have left leaving me with just two. I just sort of feel at this point to have 1 retire while the other plays sidekick for a good chunk of adventuring time to him isn't feasiable.

1) the time playing sidekick to a supreme being won't be fun for the weaker player.

2) having 50% of the party retire, essentially end's the group it will be very hard to keep any sort of party dynamic's going when one charecter is totally replaced. (Besides the pair have been adventuring together for 12 years!!!)

Phew ... any idea's??

 

[Blackbrrd]

Get an NPC to use the ring. No way you can let one of the two players use it. They need to find a worthy NPC. Not an easy task if you ask me.

Cudos to you running a 12-year campaign. Mine has either run out in the sand or ended in a TPK...

 

[Gilladian]

I agree with blackbrrd. An NPC needs to use the ring. How about the bad guy knight? If he were tricked into wearing the ring, he'd be trapped in the center of the earth, unable to do anything about his God's return. His fury at this could be the force that spins the earth up again.

Or if the sacrifice of choosing to enter the center of the earth is voluntary rather than automatic after donning the ring, how about the highest level priest left in the world? Or a youth of pure heart and honor? An ancient ruler who has fought the good fight, needs to step down from power, but would willingly take on this task to protect his people?

 

[lkjopajdowma]

With one character sacrificing themself, was this supposed to be "the end" of the campaign for that group?

If so, depending on what info they already know about the ring, since you only have two players, you could explore the option of having them BOTH sacrifice themselves. Maybe to form 1 titan (I mean, this Titan kept the earth rotating, it would make sense that it would take a LOT of power to replace it), or to form 2, so they can't get eaten by a dragon again.

The "find an NPC" option is probably your best bet, depending on what seeds you've already planted regarding the use of the ring...just wanted to throw out another option.

 

[leiela]

Wow great idea's thanks guys.

Ok Good new's.. ish i think.

This campaign always centred around 3 main players (the two i currently have and the one who left) other players came and went as the years went on but these three where always the core.

The group that Retired when one charecter left, where the main group and it was deemed that it just wouldn't be the same for that group without him as The origional 3 where together from 1st - 16th level.

The other 'main group' is comprised of a fighter and a paladin who didn't meet till they where both 15th as they both level'ed up in seperate party's. so when they lost thier cleric (the player who left) after just 2 level's together it wasn't a major disaster.

Heyhoo .. anyway.

I have managed to convince the player who left to come back for a single session to "provide his charecter closure" and the other part members for that matter.

Anyway this is my loose "plan" for now..

Ok the spare party (current main party) is a fighter and Paladin who have the ring, they are going to take the ring to the core of the planet with the intention of one of them putting it on. (the paladin has volenteered)

So i need so really major epic journey type adventure idea's as i think it would be kinda lame to do the "taddar you arrive"

Getting there they will find the "big fat red dragon who ate the last titan"
and Alistair who has become a major nemisis of both parties to be fair. (If anyones done monte cookes prolus adventures he's the half demon mage from that i turned into a major recuring bad guy (incidently the "knight" is also from that adventure, he's one of the party's origional's companions who was possessed by the sprit of the evil cleric) Anyway Alistair is now fighting for the bad guys so it makes sence he's been watching the party, after all they can't stop him, and i can easily see him, teleporting himself to the core to scupper their plans.

Anyway, knowning damn well they can't take on a 25th mage and a ancient Red dragon alone, they will summon (by use of magic item they have) the "other party" (the origional 3 including the retired player)

Alistair has a gripe against my fighter at the best of times but vowed not to kill him long ago so he's going to summon a portal to suck him into another plane. To "get him out of the way, because he's been a thorn in his side for too long"

As he and the Paladin are being sucked "slow motion style" into the portal, the fighter knowing that he can't avoid it will throw the "titan ring" towards the other group. At least i hope he'll have the sence to do that, if not the ring will mysterously get dropped as the portal closed, perhaps it simple can't cross the planes.

Leaving, My 3 origional charecters.. with a ring, a dragon and Alistair to fight.

Having "prompted my returnee" i'll hope he'll get/catch the ring and pop it on. It will instantly turn him into the titan.

This party consist's of a 20th monk (my returnee), A 20th Mage and a 12th Fighter/8th Cleric. While the monk is getting super sized, hopefully the fighter cleric can keep the dragon busy, and i KNOW the mage will go straight for Alistair (they have a hate/hate relationship)

Alistair will see the monk get super sized and he isn't an idiot so he'll make use of an spell he's got prepared to teleport away. (if the mage prevents him somehow so be it, but i don't fancy thier chances taking on both, but i won't be too upset if Alistair dies to the mage at this point)

Super sized monk and party with then whoop the dragon's butt.

The monk then stay's to keep the cog's of the world turning bringing daylight back to the world and incidently freeing up so many stuck plotlines it's unfunny.

Ok how's that sound??? any idea's to make it better change??

I figure as this party is retired anyway it's not so much a problem if they die here, i'm not planning it but i want this to be an epic fight really pushing them and making them feel like this is their contribution to saving the world. worthy sacrifice an all that marlaky.