Campaign Help [My players STAY OUT] [Archive] - Wizards Community

Campaign Help [My players STAY OUT] [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
sidekick
12-28-05, 03:54 AM First off my players stay the heck outa here - reading this will not only destroy your fun in the campaign, but most likely guarantee that your character wil =l meet iwth untimely, fixxxer style deaths... you have been warned!!!

----------------

Hello everyone, I've got a general campaign arc idea, however I've come down with a bad case of writer's block.

So here is the basic premise.

THE CRYSTAL ARROW

The campaign arc will centre around the ancient artifact the Crystal Arrow. This arrow was produced in ancient times by [need help]. The arrow is in essence a maximised, greater arrow of slaying. It will kill ANY creature or entity that it hits.

Now I've got some ideas for a bad guy - An Illithid who leads a cult of the dragon below in Sharn is aware of the arrow & if he could get a hold of it he'd use it to kill a guardian and release his Daelkyr master.

the other protagonist is likely to be a Lord of the Dust who wants it to kill the fiendish dragon in Q'barra to release HIS raja master.

I'm kind of thinking that the missions need to be spread out, you know, have about three exotic locations - I'm thinking mainly on Khorvaire rather that another trip to Xendrix - the PCs have been already and they'll be going for Grasp otEC soon.

so here's where I need help.

1 - who created to damn thing & what preventd them from using it? or did they make two, use one and then hide the other due to its insane power?

2 - how will the PCs find out about it - who will hire them to do something?

3 - what kind on minions would the two protagonists have/use that would clash with the PCs (most likely 6th/7th level at start of arc).

4 - where should the exotic locations be? The enworld mountains, shadow marches, the Eldeen, the Black pit? Mad wood? WHERE for the love of god WHERE!!!! (I'm a bit spoilt for choice here).

so, I'd appreciate any opinions and ideas - I need to solidify the idea before I take it further, but I'm haiving real troubles making it coherent and well, believeable.

many thanks everybody.

ben aka Sidekick
DoveArrow
12-28-05, 05:42 AM 1 - who created to damn thing & what preventd them from using it? or did they make two, use one and then hide the other due to its insane power?

A weapon of incredible power... one possibility is that it was a weapon created by the great weaponsmiths of the Dhakaani Empire. The ancient goblinoids were superior weaponsmiths and something of such incredible power sounds like it would have been right up their alley. Another possibility is that it was created by the Aerenal elves, to be used against the dragons in the Draconic Wars. What prevented them from using this weapon? Who says they didn't use it? During the daelkyr invasion, the slaying arrows may have been the deadliest weapons in the goblinoids' arsenal. The same could be said of the elves. It's possible that these arrows are the reason why a draconic invasion of Aerenal has never been successful in Aerenal. If you're asking why this particular arrow was never used, well perhaps its because this arrow is a prototype that serves as a guideline, or blueprint, for craftsmen seeking to create a version of their own. That it hasn't been replicated and distributed throughout the world is a testimony to the respect these cultures had for its power. In the wrong hands, it can be a weapon of terrible devastation and destruction.

2 - how will the PCs find out about it - who will hire them to do something?

Maybe another group that the PCs have been fighting is seeking it. Perhaps the Order of the Emerald Claw, or the Daughters of Sora Kell. The PCs uncover their plans and must somehow prevent them from recovering the artifact.

3 - what kind on minions would the two protagonists have/use that would clash with the PCs (most likely 6th/7th level at start of arc).

4 - where should the exotic locations be? The enworld mountains, shadow marches, the Eldeen, the Black pit? Mad wood? WHERE for the love of god WHERE!!!! (I'm a bit spoilt for choice here).

Well I think before you can answer these two questions, you need to decide on one or the other. If you do decide that the arrow is an ancient artifact of the Dhakaani Empire, then maybe the arrow is located in Darguun. As for antagonists (because I'm assuming you meant antagonists. The protagonists, after all, are the PCs), the Daughters of Sora Kell come to mind again, or perhaps Sheshka or Xor'chylic are looking for it so that they might use it to supplant the sister hags. If you decide, on the other hand, that the arrow is a weapon created by the elves, then it might be located in the heart of Shae Mordai, the City of the Dead. In that case, the antagonists might be the Stillborn, who seek the arrow as leverage that they can use against the Undying Court in order to be granted the status of undying (make us Deathless or else, kind of thing). My point is where you place the item changes who your antagonist will be (and vice versa). Decide on one, and the other, I guarantee, will follow very quickly after.

Good luck with your campaign and let us know how it turns out. :)
Quoriil
12-28-05, 10:27 AM Here are some ideas for you...
1 - who created to damn thing & what preventd them from using it? or did they make two, use one and then hide the other due to its insane power?
Maybe it isn't an arrow at all, maybe its a man sized Syberis shard wrapped with platinum bands and stamped with ancient giant glyphs. Perhaps in the right hands this artifact can throw a braided lance of magic and psionic annihilation that can erase creatures or objects from existance. In any case, I kind of like the idea that giants made it to fight the greatest of the quori but were prevented from using it by the cataclysm that brought their civilization to ruin.

2 - how will the PCs find out about it - who will hire them to do something?
At first they think that they are working for a dragonmarked house, then drop hints that their patron might, just might, be a dragon. Eventually make it a bit more clear the the person they thought they were working for is a "young" dragon and agent of The Chamber. Then in the lead in to the end game you might begin to intensify the impact that the Dreaming Dark has on the campaign setting in order to make the fact that the dragon is in fact a (unwilling?) vessel for a high order quori. The same spirit that the weapon was intended to destroy in the first place...

3 - what kind on minions would the two protagonists have/use that would clash with the PCs (most likely 6th/7th level at start of arc).
Minions might include dolgaunt monks, daelkyr halfbreeds and half-farspawn accompanied by abberations of all stripes for the illithid. For the Lord of Dust, rakshasa make great lieutenants directing groups of evil men from different factions who may or may not even know whom they serve. Of course the native fiends might pull a demon or devil from its eternal conflict on shavrath and bind it to a task.

4 - where should the exotic locations be? The enworld mountains, shadow marches, the Eldeen, the Black pit? Mad wood? WHERE for the love of god WHERE!!!! (I'm a bit spoilt for choice here).
Following my giant-quori history of the thing, the artifact might be in Xen'drick, a most exotic location in and of itself. Of course neither the PCs nor their enemies would know this at first and would have to commit to a wild goose chase all over Khorvair in order to gather the clues to the location of the thing. You could even tie its actual location back to a map that the players get their hands on in "The Queen with Burning Eyes".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
sidekick 12-28-05, 03:54 AM	First off my players stay the heck outa here - reading this will not only destroy your fun in the campaign, but most likely guarantee that your character wil =l meet iwth untimely, fixxxer style deaths... you have been warned!!! ---------------- Hello everyone, I've got a general campaign arc idea, however I've come down with a bad case of writer's block. So here is the basic premise. THE CRYSTAL ARROW The campaign arc will centre around the ancient artifact the Crystal Arrow. This arrow was produced in ancient times by [need help]. The arrow is in essence a maximised, greater arrow of slaying. It will kill ANY creature or entity that it hits. Now I've got some ideas for a bad guy - An Illithid who leads a cult of the dragon below in Sharn is aware of the arrow & if he could get a hold of it he'd use it to kill a guardian and release his Daelkyr master. the other protagonist is likely to be a Lord of the Dust who wants it to kill the fiendish dragon in Q'barra to release HIS raja master. I'm kind of thinking that the missions need to be spread out, you know, have about three exotic locations - I'm thinking mainly on Khorvaire rather that another trip to Xendrix - the PCs have been already and they'll be going for Grasp otEC soon. so here's where I need help. 1 - who created to damn thing & what preventd them from using it? or did they make two, use one and then hide the other due to its insane power? 2 - how will the PCs find out about it - who will hire them to do something? 3 - what kind on minions would the two protagonists have/use that would clash with the PCs (most likely 6th/7th level at start of arc). 4 - where should the exotic locations be? The enworld mountains, shadow marches, the Eldeen, the Black pit? Mad wood? WHERE for the love of god WHERE!!!! (I'm a bit spoilt for choice here). so, I'd appreciate any opinions and ideas - I need to solidify the idea before I take it further, but I'm haiving real troubles making it coherent and well, believeable. many thanks everybody. ben aka Sidekick
DoveArrow 12-28-05, 05:42 AM	1 - who created to damn thing & what preventd them from using it? or did they make two, use one and then hide the other due to its insane power? A weapon of incredible power... one possibility is that it was a weapon created by the great weaponsmiths of the Dhakaani Empire. The ancient goblinoids were superior weaponsmiths and something of such incredible power sounds like it would have been right up their alley. Another possibility is that it was created by the Aerenal elves, to be used against the dragons in the Draconic Wars. What prevented them from using this weapon? Who says they didn't use it? During the daelkyr invasion, the slaying arrows may have been the deadliest weapons in the goblinoids' arsenal. The same could be said of the elves. It's possible that these arrows are the reason why a draconic invasion of Aerenal has never been successful in Aerenal. If you're asking why this particular arrow was never used, well perhaps its because this arrow is a prototype that serves as a guideline, or blueprint, for craftsmen seeking to create a version of their own. That it hasn't been replicated and distributed throughout the world is a testimony to the respect these cultures had for its power. In the wrong hands, it can be a weapon of terrible devastation and destruction. 2 - how will the PCs find out about it - who will hire them to do something? Maybe another group that the PCs have been fighting is seeking it. Perhaps the Order of the Emerald Claw, or the Daughters of Sora Kell. The PCs uncover their plans and must somehow prevent them from recovering the artifact. 3 - what kind on minions would the two protagonists have/use that would clash with the PCs (most likely 6th/7th level at start of arc). 4 - where should the exotic locations be? The enworld mountains, shadow marches, the Eldeen, the Black pit? Mad wood? WHERE for the love of god WHERE!!!! (I'm a bit spoilt for choice here). Well I think before you can answer these two questions, you need to decide on one or the other. If you do decide that the arrow is an ancient artifact of the Dhakaani Empire, then maybe the arrow is located in Darguun. As for antagonists (because I'm assuming you meant antagonists. The protagonists, after all, are the PCs), the Daughters of Sora Kell come to mind again, or perhaps Sheshka or Xor'chylic are looking for it so that they might use it to supplant the sister hags. If you decide, on the other hand, that the arrow is a weapon created by the elves, then it might be located in the heart of Shae Mordai, the City of the Dead. In that case, the antagonists might be the Stillborn, who seek the arrow as leverage that they can use against the Undying Court in order to be granted the status of undying (make us Deathless or else, kind of thing). My point is where you place the item changes who your antagonist will be (and vice versa). Decide on one, and the other, I guarantee, will follow very quickly after. Good luck with your campaign and let us know how it turns out. :)
Quoriil 12-28-05, 10:27 AM	Here are some ideas for you... 1 - who created to damn thing & what preventd them from using it? or did they make two, use one and then hide the other due to its insane power? Maybe it isn't an arrow at all, maybe its a man sized Syberis shard wrapped with platinum bands and stamped with ancient giant glyphs. Perhaps in the right hands this artifact can throw a braided lance of magic and psionic annihilation that can erase creatures or objects from existance. In any case, I kind of like the idea that giants made it to fight the greatest of the quori but were prevented from using it by the cataclysm that brought their civilization to ruin. 2 - how will the PCs find out about it - who will hire them to do something? At first they think that they are working for a dragonmarked house, then drop hints that their patron might, just might, be a dragon. Eventually make it a bit more clear the the person they thought they were working for is a "young" dragon and agent of The Chamber. Then in the lead in to the end game you might begin to intensify the impact that the Dreaming Dark has on the campaign setting in order to make the fact that the dragon is in fact a (unwilling?) vessel for a high order quori. The same spirit that the weapon was intended to destroy in the first place... 3 - what kind on minions would the two protagonists have/use that would clash with the PCs (most likely 6th/7th level at start of arc). Minions might include dolgaunt monks, daelkyr halfbreeds and half-farspawn accompanied by abberations of all stripes for the illithid. For the Lord of Dust, rakshasa make great lieutenants directing groups of evil men from different factions who may or may not even know whom they serve. Of course the native fiends might pull a demon or devil from its eternal conflict on shavrath and bind it to a task. 4 - where should the exotic locations be? The enworld mountains, shadow marches, the Eldeen, the Black pit? Mad wood? WHERE for the love of god WHERE!!!! (I'm a bit spoilt for choice here). Following my giant-quori history of the thing, the artifact might be in Xen'drick, a most exotic location in and of itself. Of course neither the PCs nor their enemies would know this at first and would have to commit to a wild goose chase all over Khorvair in order to gather the clues to the location of the thing. You could even tie its actual location back to a map that the players get their hands on in "The Queen with Burning Eyes".