Druid's Oath [Archive] - Wizards Community

Druid's Oath [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Fithero
12-29-05, 08:12 AM Ok, i have a game where the Big bad guy is a gestalt druid/monk whom is trying to rid the entire world of all creatures apart from animals. Basically the way he sees it is that the world is in an uber bad way and needs time to heal.

He starts this by killing off as many humans, elves, dwarves, haflings, orcs, goblins, dragons... etc etc etc as possible utill there are extremely few left. The theory behind this is that only the strongest can survive (by evading him and his forces) and thus are allowed to live in the new world.

He is going to go about it by trying to raise these ancient guardians made up of the 4 elements (earth, fire, wind and water... they were in some dragon mag... although im amping them up... to epic monsters) So basically when these things are awoken, its pretty much all over for the characters... very little chance of beating them.

Anyway, what i need help with is background/motivation for the leader druid and his higher ups (the main foes that the party will face).

I havent got any specifics yet, but the druids organisation will consist of people from any race and class, with the only restriction being that they all must follow the druids oath (limited weapons and armor).

So, to make it easy, this is the groups goal
-wipe out anything they find that is not an animal (includes towns, cities, constructs, undead, you name it... they want it dead) until they have awoken the guardians... they they will let the big guys handle it.

So, anybody have a solid motivation for these guys for wanting to push the big "reset" button on the planet?

Any help would be great.

Chiers guys.

Later
The_Grand_Druid
12-29-05, 04:41 PM Hey there. This is my first post. Anyway. I thought you could have the leader to have been raised by some sort of animal, only to have a hunting party to kill not only the animal that raised him, but also accedently destory the whole forrest/grove or whatever.

If you can't use this for the leader it still should be enough for one of the followers.

semper fi
Fithero
12-29-05, 08:13 PM Thats a pretty cool idea, chiers mate.

Later
Harrow Blade
12-29-05, 09:01 PM For some one to go medevil on an entire planet you have to have more than one screw loose. I would imagine that at some point either the druid of some one close to him has been tainted by a disease/curse/parasite that he belives was caused directly or indirectly by the races other than animals. Possibly as the result of a war between alot of nations and races.

As such the BBEG has been dwelling on the 'plauge of Unnaturals' getting more and more convinced that the only thing left to do is kill them all. he then raises as many like-minded/ weak-minded minions and followers to aid him and then begins the clensing. But keep in mind that to pull something like this off he needs to be smart, crafty and until the uber elementals are awoken he needs to be careful. I would suggest that he make attacks look like the work of natural enemies or even push them into battle, eg elves/dwarves vs orcs etc.

any way that is my take on it.

Harrow Blade
Fithero
12-29-05, 09:31 PM Yeah, he is going to be smart and not draw alot of attention to himself. For instance the game starts off with him kidnapping the mayors daughter and taking her west, which draws out the characters (the toughest people in town) of the town, leaving it weakened. He leaves some bogus proffecy in her room that her blood will destory the yadda yadda yadda... the usual gloom and doom outcome. (Just to make sure the characters are really interested in going after her)

The druid attacks the town while they are away trying to rescue the girl (who is already dead, most likely) and retrieves a component that he needs to raise the guardians. Then he sneaks off north and sends the remaining hostages east.

While he is going north to continue his work, the hostages are most likely dragged half way accross the continent and eventually killed when the characters get to close.

Its all about miss-direction... everybody will think its just another bandit attack.

Later
Ouranos Harpy
12-30-05, 12:53 AM Why don't you make your planet a lot like ours, perhaps a few centuries from today. Make pollution rampant, Huge cities, wastelands, creeping urban. Let the arboreal giants be slowly killed off by the concrete jungles popping everywhere. High magic on the planet, means a whole host of Conjurers and Magic users constantly summoning extra-planar creatures is having drastic effects upon the planet. This can be either due to the many wars and conflicts, of which the summoned creatures are part of. Or, something even worse. Everytime an extraplanar creature is summoned, it saps away or distorts (pending on the nature of the creature and its duration on the planet) the flora and fauna around it. If Magic is too highly charged it can weaken the other aspects of nature. This can also explain the huge predominance of Abberations in your campaign. A lot of Undead, due to the wars between the fractured nations bring forth rivers of negative energy.

Many factors come together and cry out for a hero. How far will this messiah of nature go to protect his flock?
SoulGamit
12-30-05, 01:53 AM Planetary destruction through powerful artifacts? Your BBEG is probably going to need some protection from Gods and other such things... maybe even from another God. It would make for a nice plot-hook and secondary way to defeat him (remove his protection and let the Gods to the smiting).
Tainted Mage
12-30-05, 03:24 AM On Eberron, this works great.

Age of Dragons, they screw it up somehow. Followed by the next Age, and the next. Every Age is run by one or another sentient race. Yet the animals still live through each devastation at the end of each Age. Clearly they're the only ones fit to live on Eberron.

But then that's a bit bland if you like exciting things. Would work great if on Eberron, give him a head hauncho who's a Catacylsm Mage- possibly using the druid/monk fanatic to rid the Mage of any threats.
Fithero
12-30-05, 04:59 AM Working against arcane magic seems like a good idea aswell, considering the destructive effects it has on the world. This would mean that any arcane caster would be banned from joining the organisation.... which hampers them a fair bit. If that were to happen, then i think ill allow non druids to be free of the oath. Just for the sheer fact that it evens things out, and makes things seem less suspect.

Although, perhaps ill make the druid oath somewhat like the vow of poverty or some such thing. Anybody who takes it gains benifits for their restricted equipment.... dunno yet.

Anyway, chiers for you help guys, its all good stuff.

Later

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Fithero 12-29-05, 08:12 AM	Ok, i have a game where the Big bad guy is a gestalt druid/monk whom is trying to rid the entire world of all creatures apart from animals. Basically the way he sees it is that the world is in an uber bad way and needs time to heal. He starts this by killing off as many humans, elves, dwarves, haflings, orcs, goblins, dragons... etc etc etc as possible utill there are extremely few left. The theory behind this is that only the strongest can survive (by evading him and his forces) and thus are allowed to live in the new world. He is going to go about it by trying to raise these ancient guardians made up of the 4 elements (earth, fire, wind and water... they were in some dragon mag... although im amping them up... to epic monsters) So basically when these things are awoken, its pretty much all over for the characters... very little chance of beating them. Anyway, what i need help with is background/motivation for the leader druid and his higher ups (the main foes that the party will face). I havent got any specifics yet, but the druids organisation will consist of people from any race and class, with the only restriction being that they all must follow the druids oath (limited weapons and armor). So, to make it easy, this is the groups goal -wipe out anything they find that is not an animal (includes towns, cities, constructs, undead, you name it... they want it dead) until they have awoken the guardians... they they will let the big guys handle it. So, anybody have a solid motivation for these guys for wanting to push the big "reset" button on the planet? Any help would be great. Chiers guys. Later
The_Grand_Druid 12-29-05, 04:41 PM	Hey there. This is my first post. Anyway. I thought you could have the leader to have been raised by some sort of animal, only to have a hunting party to kill not only the animal that raised him, but also accedently destory the whole forrest/grove or whatever. If you can't use this for the leader it still should be enough for one of the followers. semper fi
Fithero 12-29-05, 08:13 PM	Thats a pretty cool idea, chiers mate. Later
Harrow Blade 12-29-05, 09:01 PM	For some one to go medevil on an entire planet you have to have more than one screw loose. I would imagine that at some point either the druid of some one close to him has been tainted by a disease/curse/parasite that he belives was caused directly or indirectly by the races other than animals. Possibly as the result of a war between alot of nations and races. As such the BBEG has been dwelling on the 'plauge of Unnaturals' getting more and more convinced that the only thing left to do is kill them all. he then raises as many like-minded/ weak-minded minions and followers to aid him and then begins the clensing. But keep in mind that to pull something like this off he needs to be smart, crafty and until the uber elementals are awoken he needs to be careful. I would suggest that he make attacks look like the work of natural enemies or even push them into battle, eg elves/dwarves vs orcs etc. any way that is my take on it. Harrow Blade
Fithero 12-29-05, 09:31 PM	Yeah, he is going to be smart and not draw alot of attention to himself. For instance the game starts off with him kidnapping the mayors daughter and taking her west, which draws out the characters (the toughest people in town) of the town, leaving it weakened. He leaves some bogus proffecy in her room that her blood will destory the yadda yadda yadda... the usual gloom and doom outcome. (Just to make sure the characters are really interested in going after her) The druid attacks the town while they are away trying to rescue the girl (who is already dead, most likely) and retrieves a component that he needs to raise the guardians. Then he sneaks off north and sends the remaining hostages east. While he is going north to continue his work, the hostages are most likely dragged half way accross the continent and eventually killed when the characters get to close. Its all about miss-direction... everybody will think its just another bandit attack. Later
Ouranos Harpy 12-30-05, 12:53 AM	Why don't you make your planet a lot like ours, perhaps a few centuries from today. Make pollution rampant, Huge cities, wastelands, creeping urban. Let the arboreal giants be slowly killed off by the concrete jungles popping everywhere. High magic on the planet, means a whole host of Conjurers and Magic users constantly summoning extra-planar creatures is having drastic effects upon the planet. This can be either due to the many wars and conflicts, of which the summoned creatures are part of. Or, something even worse. Everytime an extraplanar creature is summoned, it saps away or distorts (pending on the nature of the creature and its duration on the planet) the flora and fauna around it. If Magic is too highly charged it can weaken the other aspects of nature. This can also explain the huge predominance of Abberations in your campaign. A lot of Undead, due to the wars between the fractured nations bring forth rivers of negative energy. Many factors come together and cry out for a hero. How far will this messiah of nature go to protect his flock?
SoulGamit 12-30-05, 01:53 AM	Planetary destruction through powerful artifacts? Your BBEG is probably going to need some protection from Gods and other such things... maybe even from another God. It would make for a nice plot-hook and secondary way to defeat him (remove his protection and let the Gods to the smiting).
Tainted Mage 12-30-05, 03:24 AM	On Eberron, this works great. Age of Dragons, they screw it up somehow. Followed by the next Age, and the next. Every Age is run by one or another sentient race. Yet the animals still live through each devastation at the end of each Age. Clearly they're the only ones fit to live on Eberron. But then that's a bit bland if you like exciting things. Would work great if on Eberron, give him a head hauncho who's a Catacylsm Mage- possibly using the druid/monk fanatic to rid the Mage of any threats.
Fithero 12-30-05, 04:59 AM	Working against arcane magic seems like a good idea aswell, considering the destructive effects it has on the world. This would mean that any arcane caster would be banned from joining the organisation.... which hampers them a fair bit. If that were to happen, then i think ill allow non druids to be free of the oath. Just for the sheer fact that it evens things out, and makes things seem less suspect. Although, perhaps ill make the druid oath somewhat like the vow of poverty or some such thing. Anybody who takes it gains benifits for their restricted equipment.... dunno yet. Anyway, chiers for you help guys, its all good stuff. Later