Help with a campaign idea [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help with a campaign idea [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
13x13
11-04-05, 02:37 PM So the PC's are going to Xen'Drik as guards for an expedition. When they get to Stormreach the expedition leader needs one remaining schema to complete his compass to find the ruins they are looking for. His contact has it and he sends the PC's to get it. The PC's find him and his has been stung to death by hundreds of scorpions.

Now by asking around or knowledge skills this should send the PC's to the Drow Slums of the city. However, while there I have to give them clues to find the murderer, and this is where I am stuck. I plan for the Drow in the slum to be unhelpful, so very little information as to the villian can be gained from them. So I need more clues for them to find the murderer. They need to find this schema for the compass and to continue on the campaign. Any ideas how they can track down this villian?
Jagermeister
11-04-05, 03:00 PM So the PC's are going to Xen'Drik as guards for an expedition. When they get to Stormreach the expedition leader needs one remaining schema to complete his compass to find the ruins they are looking for. His contact has it and he sends the PC's to get it. The PC's find him and his has been stung to death by hundreds of scorpions.

Now by asking around or knowledge skills this should send the PC's to the Drow Slums of the city. However, while there I have to give them clues to find the murderer, and this is where I am stuck. I plan for the Drow in the slum to be unhelpful, so very little information as to the villian can be gained from them. So I need more clues for them to find the murderer. They need to find this schema for the compass and to continue on the campaign. Any ideas how they can track down this villian?

I'd first of all make the PCs work for the first clue; that the contact with the final schema has been stung to death by scorpions. It might provide a PC with the chance to shine by figuring it out on his/her own.

Next, I'd establish why the Drow has stolen the final schema, and what he or she intends to do with it. Perhaps this Drow is trying to protect the hidden ruins. Perhaps he wants to gain entrance to the ruins himself. The Drow could try to destroy the schema, hide it, or if he wants to use it, he might actually try to rob the other schemas from the guy with the rest of them.
Depending on which approach you take, the Drow might even come to the PCs.

Also, coming up with a third party who is after the schemas could help and/or hinder the PCs in interesting ways, and provide future adventures.

As for specific clues, I think I need to know more about what I've asked about above before I could come up with something truly useful.
13x13
11-04-05, 04:02 PM Well I'm sort of playing it like the Mummy movie. The Drow Group is specifically trying to prevent anyone from going to the ruins. So the whole trip, as far back as in Sharn has experienced "Accidents." Accidents or problems have been escalating in severity. First the paperwork for the journey gets lost, when it is resubmitted the three individuals who can approve the paperwork fall ill one after the other, when paperwork is finally approved, the one approved the paperwork dies from the illness, the supplies for the trip from Sharn to Stormreach are messed up and sent to the wrong location and take 3 times to get straight, 3 porters fall off gangplanks while loading the airship and die. Food and water go bad on the 3rd day of the flight to Stormreach. After they leave Stormreach the airship has problems with Elementals nearly escaping 2 times, and on the third time the pilot is killed, and the airship crashes.

The cause of all the strife are the Xexlu Epikhir Serku (Three Scorpion Lords) who want to protect what is hidden in the Giant ruins, an Eldritch Machine that can create new races, by changing those who are placed inside(Similar to the Daelkyr thing in MOE)
nfras
11-06-05, 09:45 PM OK, why are they protecting the Eldritch Machine? Do they know of its awesome power and want to stop anyone from using it, or are they using it themselves and want to prevent anyone from stopping them? If it is the former (and it sounds like it is) then they need to get all of the parts of the compass back and destroy them, that would bring the Drow into contact with the PCs. If they want to prevent anyone interfering with them they will probably just try to kill the PCs, but will again get into contact with them.
Perhaps another Drow group covet the power of the Eldritch Machine and will use the PCs to get them into the ruins and kill the 3 Lords. That would give the PCs some help in tracking down the last schema piece.
Dex
11-07-05, 02:57 AM What level PC's are we talking about? If they are high enough level to cast Scrying or locate person/creature/object, then you could have the guy they're looking for come back to complete something. here's some suggestions:

Perhaps a porter witnessed it and has run off, and the drow has come back to find him/her. (and encounters the PC's)

The drow needs to destroy the contact's body to stop them speaking with dead. (and encounters the PC's)

the drow drops the part as he flees the scene, so both parties are on the hunt for it again (a urchin picked it up?) in the town/city/wherever.

In any case, have the drow whip out some pain for a round and then (circumstances allowing) have him beat a hasty retreat. Alternatively, the pcs could track him (or his scorpion pets) back to his lair.
13x13
11-07-05, 09:14 AM Players are essentially level 3. The Drow are trying to prevent anyone from using the eldritch machine.

I may have the killer confront he PC's after they have been asking around after the murder. Have him ask them to help by reclaiming the rest of the compass and killing the Professor who hired them.

I plan to have the professor actually be a changeling warlock/acolyte of the skin. He wants the device to create others like him, subservient to the Lord of Dust he serves. Essentially a slave half-devil army.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
13x13 11-04-05, 02:37 PM	So the PC's are going to Xen'Drik as guards for an expedition. When they get to Stormreach the expedition leader needs one remaining schema to complete his compass to find the ruins they are looking for. His contact has it and he sends the PC's to get it. The PC's find him and his has been stung to death by hundreds of scorpions. Now by asking around or knowledge skills this should send the PC's to the Drow Slums of the city. However, while there I have to give them clues to find the murderer, and this is where I am stuck. I plan for the Drow in the slum to be unhelpful, so very little information as to the villian can be gained from them. So I need more clues for them to find the murderer. They need to find this schema for the compass and to continue on the campaign. Any ideas how they can track down this villian?
Jagermeister 11-04-05, 03:00 PM	So the PC's are going to Xen'Drik as guards for an expedition. When they get to Stormreach the expedition leader needs one remaining schema to complete his compass to find the ruins they are looking for. His contact has it and he sends the PC's to get it. The PC's find him and his has been stung to death by hundreds of scorpions. Now by asking around or knowledge skills this should send the PC's to the Drow Slums of the city. However, while there I have to give them clues to find the murderer, and this is where I am stuck. I plan for the Drow in the slum to be unhelpful, so very little information as to the villian can be gained from them. So I need more clues for them to find the murderer. They need to find this schema for the compass and to continue on the campaign. Any ideas how they can track down this villian? I'd first of all make the PCs work for the first clue; that the contact with the final schema has been stung to death by scorpions. It might provide a PC with the chance to shine by figuring it out on his/her own. Next, I'd establish why the Drow has stolen the final schema, and what he or she intends to do with it. Perhaps this Drow is trying to protect the hidden ruins. Perhaps he wants to gain entrance to the ruins himself. The Drow could try to destroy the schema, hide it, or if he wants to use it, he might actually try to rob the other schemas from the guy with the rest of them. Depending on which approach you take, the Drow might even come to the PCs. Also, coming up with a third party who is after the schemas could help and/or hinder the PCs in interesting ways, and provide future adventures. As for specific clues, I think I need to know more about what I've asked about above before I could come up with something truly useful.
13x13 11-04-05, 04:02 PM	Well I'm sort of playing it like the Mummy movie. The Drow Group is specifically trying to prevent anyone from going to the ruins. So the whole trip, as far back as in Sharn has experienced "Accidents." Accidents or problems have been escalating in severity. First the paperwork for the journey gets lost, when it is resubmitted the three individuals who can approve the paperwork fall ill one after the other, when paperwork is finally approved, the one approved the paperwork dies from the illness, the supplies for the trip from Sharn to Stormreach are messed up and sent to the wrong location and take 3 times to get straight, 3 porters fall off gangplanks while loading the airship and die. Food and water go bad on the 3rd day of the flight to Stormreach. After they leave Stormreach the airship has problems with Elementals nearly escaping 2 times, and on the third time the pilot is killed, and the airship crashes. The cause of all the strife are the Xexlu Epikhir Serku (Three Scorpion Lords) who want to protect what is hidden in the Giant ruins, an Eldritch Machine that can create new races, by changing those who are placed inside(Similar to the Daelkyr thing in MOE)
nfras 11-06-05, 09:45 PM	OK, why are they protecting the Eldritch Machine? Do they know of its awesome power and want to stop anyone from using it, or are they using it themselves and want to prevent anyone from stopping them? If it is the former (and it sounds like it is) then they need to get all of the parts of the compass back and destroy them, that would bring the Drow into contact with the PCs. If they want to prevent anyone interfering with them they will probably just try to kill the PCs, but will again get into contact with them. Perhaps another Drow group covet the power of the Eldritch Machine and will use the PCs to get them into the ruins and kill the 3 Lords. That would give the PCs some help in tracking down the last schema piece.
Dex 11-07-05, 02:57 AM	What level PC's are we talking about? If they are high enough level to cast Scrying or locate person/creature/object, then you could have the guy they're looking for come back to complete something. here's some suggestions: Perhaps a porter witnessed it and has run off, and the drow has come back to find him/her. (and encounters the PC's) The drow needs to destroy the contact's body to stop them speaking with dead. (and encounters the PC's) the drow drops the part as he flees the scene, so both parties are on the hunt for it again (a urchin picked it up?) in the town/city/wherever. In any case, have the drow whip out some pain for a round and then (circumstances allowing) have him beat a hasty retreat. Alternatively, the pcs could track him (or his scorpion pets) back to his lair.
13x13 11-07-05, 09:14 AM	Players are essentially level 3. The Drow are trying to prevent anyone from using the eldritch machine. I may have the killer confront he PC's after they have been asking around after the murder. Have him ask them to help by reclaiming the rest of the compass and killing the Professor who hired them. I plan to have the professor actually be a changeling warlock/acolyte of the skin. He wants the device to create others like him, subservient to the Lord of Dust he serves. Essentially a slave half-devil army.