Idea for a campaign against a god. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Idea for a campaign against a god. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mindolin
09-20-07, 10:52 AM Okay, I was planning on running a game for some friends, and had the idea of using Vecna as a villain for a part of the campaign. We know that Vecna gained a lot of arcane knowledge from "The Serpent", but no knowledge of what that is, apart from a theory that The Serpent is Asmodeus. I had a different idea, though. Instead of The Serpent being Asmodeus, how about it is, instead, Tharizdun, and bringing Vecna to being a god was a plan to free him, with the idea that the gods imprisoned him, so the only being that can actually free him is a god of the pantheon that imprisoned him?
Kihon
09-20-07, 04:53 PM Actually the way it is written "the serpent" is 'magic' incarnate. Vecna is written a bit like Mystra, with an understanding of the weave or in his case magic itself, that no one else has. It allowed him to do some things that were not supposed to be able to be done... like breaking out of the Plane of Dread, Entering & Living as a power in Sigil, and becoming an intermediate power of Magic & Secrets - (and it's that second ability that makes him a poor choice to try and fight against). Just my 2 cents worth.
Mindolin
09-21-07, 06:35 PM Actually it is that knowledge of secrets that makes him the ideal power to free Tharizdun, as he would know the secrets of the gods themselves, including how to free Tharizdun. I was hoping to have the secrets come into play, giving the Vecna worshippers knowledge of the PCs secrets, and other secrets, so that they can function sort of as terrorists against the PCs and the villages they frequent.
Altar_Boy
09-21-07, 06:41 PM Okay, I was planning on running a game for some friends, and had the idea of using Vecna as a villain for a part of the campaign. We know that Vecna gained a lot of arcane knowledge from "The Serpent", but no knowledge of what that is, apart from a theory that The Serpent is Asmodeus. I had a different idea, though. Instead of The Serpent being Asmodeus, how about it is, instead, Tharizdun, and bringing Vecna to being a god was a plan to free him, with the idea that the gods imprisoned him, so the only being that can actually free him is a god of the pantheon that imprisoned him?

Here's a little something I picked up from Gleemax:

Overemphasis on the Big Picture
This is an important lesson. Good DMs run good campaigns. Great DMs run great adventures. When a DM focuses his abilities on executing a good adventure the campaign will fall into place. A common mistake for many DMs, beginning and experienced, is to focus on the cool idea for the campaign. The problem with this is that when a new idea comes along then the whole foundation for the campaign is thrown. Focus on crafting good adventures and a strong setting, don't get hung up on the big picture. When you realize that a well-run adventure is the mark of a good DM everything else will fall into place. Seriously, campaigns arise from adventures not the other way around unless you are railroading your players and forcing an idea upon them.
AlanBruce
09-23-07, 12:05 PM I like your idea, but it got me thinking:

Why would Vecna, who wants to destroy all other Gods so as to be the only one left in the multiverse to reign, want to free a being like Tharizdun, who wishes to absorb and annihilate EVERYTHING in existence (even himself and, most probably, it's liberator)

Unless crafty Vecna knows of a secret to control the Dread God of Entropy, of course...
Gemstone
09-23-07, 12:30 PM I like your idea, but it got me thinking:

Why would Vecna, who wants to destroy all other Gods so as to be the only one left in the multiverse to reign, want to free a being like Tharizdun, who wishes to absorb and annihilate EVERYTHING in existence (even himself and, most probably, it's liberator)

Unless crafty Vecna knows of a secret to control the Dread God of Entropy, of course...
Or Vecna has no idea who is actually pulling his strings? The elder god could possible try to put him towards freeing him by replacing himself with Vecna. That way it would appear as if the prison was full for another few years.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mindolin 09-20-07, 10:52 AM	Okay, I was planning on running a game for some friends, and had the idea of using Vecna as a villain for a part of the campaign. We know that Vecna gained a lot of arcane knowledge from "The Serpent", but no knowledge of what that is, apart from a theory that The Serpent is Asmodeus. I had a different idea, though. Instead of The Serpent being Asmodeus, how about it is, instead, Tharizdun, and bringing Vecna to being a god was a plan to free him, with the idea that the gods imprisoned him, so the only being that can actually free him is a god of the pantheon that imprisoned him?
Kihon 09-20-07, 04:53 PM	Actually the way it is written "the serpent" is 'magic' incarnate. Vecna is written a bit like Mystra, with an understanding of the weave or in his case magic itself, that no one else has. It allowed him to do some things that were not supposed to be able to be done... like breaking out of the Plane of Dread, Entering & Living as a power in Sigil, and becoming an intermediate power of Magic & Secrets - (and it's that second ability that makes him a poor choice to try and fight against). Just my 2 cents worth.
Mindolin 09-21-07, 06:35 PM	Actually it is that knowledge of secrets that makes him the ideal power to free Tharizdun, as he would know the secrets of the gods themselves, including how to free Tharizdun. I was hoping to have the secrets come into play, giving the Vecna worshippers knowledge of the PCs secrets, and other secrets, so that they can function sort of as terrorists against the PCs and the villages they frequent.
Altar_Boy 09-21-07, 06:41 PM	Okay, I was planning on running a game for some friends, and had the idea of using Vecna as a villain for a part of the campaign. We know that Vecna gained a lot of arcane knowledge from "The Serpent", but no knowledge of what that is, apart from a theory that The Serpent is Asmodeus. I had a different idea, though. Instead of The Serpent being Asmodeus, how about it is, instead, Tharizdun, and bringing Vecna to being a god was a plan to free him, with the idea that the gods imprisoned him, so the only being that can actually free him is a god of the pantheon that imprisoned him? Here's a little something I picked up from Gleemax: Overemphasis on the Big Picture This is an important lesson. Good DMs run good campaigns. Great DMs run great adventures. When a DM focuses his abilities on executing a good adventure the campaign will fall into place. A common mistake for many DMs, beginning and experienced, is to focus on the cool idea for the campaign. The problem with this is that when a new idea comes along then the whole foundation for the campaign is thrown. Focus on crafting good adventures and a strong setting, don't get hung up on the big picture. When you realize that a well-run adventure is the mark of a good DM everything else will fall into place. Seriously, campaigns arise from adventures not the other way around unless you are railroading your players and forcing an idea upon them.
AlanBruce 09-23-07, 12:05 PM	I like your idea, but it got me thinking: Why would Vecna, who wants to destroy all other Gods so as to be the only one left in the multiverse to reign, want to free a being like Tharizdun, who wishes to absorb and annihilate EVERYTHING in existence (even himself and, most probably, it's liberator) Unless crafty Vecna knows of a secret to control the Dread God of Entropy, of course...
Gemstone 09-23-07, 12:30 PM	I like your idea, but it got me thinking: Why would Vecna, who wants to destroy all other Gods so as to be the only one left in the multiverse to reign, want to free a being like Tharizdun, who wishes to absorb and annihilate EVERYTHING in existence (even himself and, most probably, it's liberator) Unless crafty Vecna knows of a secret to control the Dread God of Entropy, of course... Or Vecna has no idea who is actually pulling his strings? The elder god could possible try to put him towards freeing him by replacing himself with Vecna. That way it would appear as if the prison was full for another few years.