[Updated 7/5] Latest update on my FR game: as ever, opinions wanted

[SurfMonkey01]

Hmm... seeing how this could work... so let's try this:

The followers of Elistraee have seen a portent of dark things to come. Things are too far into motion to be stopped, but contingencies can still be arranged. To this end, they disguise themselves as Cormanthor drow and attempt to kidnap the infant Azoun, "killing" him in the process (amulets of nondetection ARE handy).

The PCs, being great heroes and all, are called in to help quell the sudden rise of unrest in Cormyr. They are approached by a mysterious cloaked man (Vanderghast, but they dunno it yet) who drafts them to track down "Cormyr's last hope." Hopefully the guys agree to this and don't try to make me miserable -- anyways, they end up finding Alec, who of course is an "heir to the throne." And if anyone doubts him, Vanderghast makes himself known and gives him the thumbs up. And all's well in Cormyr again -- well, sorta...

Ya know, that actually sounds pretty good...

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Okay... now the old creative juices are really flowing!

What if the Elistraee Drow arranged for Azoun to be taken to Evereska to be hidden there under the protection of the Moon Elves and the power of Evereska's Mythal? Then at some point Elaith Craulnabor (I know I butchered the spelling) finds out about young Azoun and then betrays his location to Cormyr for a tidy sum. Maybe one of the PC's overhears a meeting between Elaith and Vanderghast and that is how they first hear of Azoun's survival. Obviously if they confront Vanderghast or his puppet king the PC's will be slaughtered so their only course of action is to flee to Evereska to warn them of the impending invasion. Can you imagine a war between Cormyr and Evereska? I get chills just thinking about it.

 

[SurfMonkey01]

Okay... now the old creative juices are really flowing!

What if the Elistraee Drow arranged for Azoun to be taken to Evereska to be hidden there under the protection of the Moon Elves and the power of Evereska's Mythal? Then at some point Elaith Craulnabor (I know I butchered the spelling) finds out about young Azoun and then betrays his location to Cormyr for a tidy sum. Maybe one of the PC's overhears a meeting between Elaith and Vanderghast and that is how they first hear of Azoun's survival. Obviously if they confront Vanderghast or his puppet king the PC's will be slaughtered so their only course of action is to flee to Evereska to warn them of the impending invasion. Can you imagine a war between Cormyr and Evereska? I get chills just thinking about it.

That's frelling amazing... and it adds a GREAT twist to the "raising of an army to battle Cormyr" that I wanted to do in the first place...

Heh -- This is fun.

 

[dreaded_beast]

I like the plot that you have laid out for your campaign!

It sounds familiar.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

After I made that last post yesterday I got to thinking... Elaith Craulnober (got the spelling right this time pg 182 of FRCS) is all about creating chaos for his own profit. What if when the PC's get to the stables to prepare to flee to Evereska he is there waiting for them. He tells them that he has discovered that Vanderghast is not Vanderghast at all but is in fact a Lich who has stolen the real Vanderghast's soul. He doesn't know where Vanderghast's soul is being kept but his network of informants has discovered where the lair of the Lich is located and he will be happy to provide them that information in exchange for a "Favor" at a later time. This kind of provides a very LOTR setup for your players. While the war between Evereska and Cormyr is being waged (have Evereska slowly losing as the Lich is unleashing wicked magics to weaken and destroy the Mythal) the party must travel to the Lich's lair to find and destroy his phylactery which will then release the soul of Vanderghast back to his own body and destroy the Lich. If you've got a copy of Tomb of Horrors you could use it as the Lich's lair. You did say that the party was pretty high level didn't you?

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Wouldn't it be cool if somewhere far back in history one of the Kings of Cormyr took for his bride an Elven noble of Evereska. What if there were a Moon Blade that had sat unclaimed for centuries and it turns out that it had been waiting all that time for Azoun V. There is a little King Arthur flair for you too.

By the way... considering that I've made a few contributions here I think I'm going to run this for my group too.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

For the ultimate final battle have Alec and some of his henchmen confront the party in the last room of the Lich's lair. Dish out some of the usual witty villain dialogue and then get to the fighting. When Alec is reduced to 0 or less hitpoints a reddish mist seems to rise from his body and coalesce into... tada... your favorite high CR demon or devil. He was possessed all along! Let the Fiend become a recurring villan by having him Gate away should he start to be beaten saying something suitable to scare the crap out of your players, letting them know that whenever they look into a darkened alley or there are shadows in their room, he'll be right there with them.

MUA-HA-HA-HA!!!!

 

[SurfMonkey01]

By the way... considering that I've made a few contributions here I think I'm going to run this for my group too.

Oh sure... I do all the hard preliminary work, and then you throw in a few ideas and claim it as your own...

But seriously, glad you liked my base ideas enough to give me input, let alone want to claim it for your own. It means a lot to me. We'll have to compare notes and see how our games go.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Oh sure... I do all the hard preliminary work, and then you throw in a few ideas and claim it as your own...

But seriously, glad you liked my base ideas enough to give me input, let alone want to claim it for your own. It means a lot to me. We'll have to compare notes and see how our games go.

My group is only 2nd level on average. They are just now finishing up Sunless Citadel. I placed Oakhurst between Scornubel and Baldurs Gate near the Fields of the Dead. It'll be a little while before I spring it on them. They've taken so long that the caravan they were with has pressed on to Baldur's Gate without them. Once there they have a mission they'll go to on the peninsula just south of the Cloak Wood. After that they'll hop on a ship and head to Waterdeep for some R&R. I'll let them take on Undermountain a bit to get some more XP and then spring something else on them.

I've copied and pasted all of this stuff though. I'll post their progress here when I spring the main plot on them.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Oh sure... I do all the hard preliminary work, and then you throw in a few ideas and claim it as your own...

But seriously, glad you liked my base ideas enough to give me input, let alone want to claim it for your own. It means a lot to me. We'll have to compare notes and see how our games go.

Heck, this stuff is so good that if I ever see WOTC publish an adventure based on it I'm going to sue them BIG TIME!!!! I've got the proof that this idea predated anythign that they come out with. Every post here is time stamped!

 

[Qualir]

Have you thought about throwing in a final twist to the plot? What would happen if the players learn that the poor puppet king that they just destroyed actually was a true heir to the throne? After all, the best lie is built on some amount of truth. This would explain why PC and NPC divinition magic failed to uncover the imposter.

Now, the PCs are faced with the knowledge that an innocent soul is facing eternity in damnation for his part in the ruse. The regent feels some amount of responsibility and asks for PC help. The party is now all set to start an epic campaign fighting through the planes for the salvation of a soul they inadvertantly helped to damn.

Just an idea.