Need assistance with segue session... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Need assistance with segue session... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TheOneRonin
04-05-06, 08:45 AM Greetings everyone. I'm looking to tap the creative collective of all you Eberron fans out there. I have a last minute session that I have to run tonight (7pm Central, 4/5/2006), and I need to put something together quickly.

Here is the setup for the campaign (which hasn't begun yet):

The 5 characters (all 8th level) fought for Breland during the Last War, but went their separate ways after the Treaty of Thronehold was signed. They are going to come together again to seek out and destroy a powerful, ancient Dhakaani artifact that is capable of producing another "Day of Mourning". Along the way, the will learn that their primary sponsor, the Brelish Minister of Arcane Affairs (BMAA) is looking to claim the orb for himself. There is going to be plenty of exploration and combat, along with lots of intrigue and betrayal (on of the PCs is actually working directly for the BMAA). It should make for lots of fun.

The campaign itself is mostly finished. My delimma is this: 2 of the 4 players are unable to show up for the game tonight, and the other two still really want to play. So I have to throw together what I'm calling a "segue" adventure.

What I need is something relatively quick (3-4 hours) and fun, with some combat (at least two encounters), and a small helping of intrigue.

What I'd like to happen is for two of the players to finish the session with hints and gut feelings that the BMAA is behind some sort of plot, but with no solid proof.

I've got a couple of ideas, but nothing solid right now. If anyone can brainstorm this stuff, it's you guys and girls. :D

So please, storm away!
TheOneRonin
04-05-06, 08:56 AM So you all will need to know a little bit details before you can make suggestions, right? Okay, here's what we have:

[Character 1]
8th Level Dwarf Fighter. Pretty conventional/iconic. Melee expert. Lawful Good, extremely loyal to the King, and to Breland.

[Character 2]
8th Level Elven Artificer. Again, pretty standard...nothing wild or outrageous. This guy is Neutral Good, and has been acting as a freelance agent for the Dark Lanterns (not an official member). Also very loyal to the Crown.

Setting Specifics:

I'm playing a relatively low magic campaign. I only allow the players to spend a small percentage of character wealth on magic items. The Artificer has fewer restrictions, but none of the characters are loaded out in magical gear. I do, however, allow the players to spend a portion of character wealth to purchase skills and feats. While these 8th level characters are a bit behind in "power", they make up for it in flexibility.

I would like the adventure to take place in Breland, but the specific location doesn't really matter. The only thing I ask is no encounters on the Lightning Rail/Airships/Flying Mounts. All of those are in the campaign proper, so I don't want to duplicate them in this session.

If anyone would like to know anything else about this campaign, please don't hesitate to ask. I will be monitoring this thread for most of the day.
okaynowa
04-05-06, 10:52 AM A segue session for a fighter and an artificer, about two combats, and suggestion of intrigue...

Allow me to toss suggestions at random:

--The duo could be on the way to meet the other party members, taking the scenic route through smaller towns. Along the way they are beset by a couple shady characters working at cross-purposes to the BMAA's plot. A couple PC-classed agents, or a lone invisible stalker or phasm would be a decent challenge. Who's working against them, and why?

--The duo could visit a troll or green hag or similar nasty to negotiate some arrangements that will be critical later on (passage through Droaam, info on a dungeon, etc). While discussing details, a bralani or paladin or other noble critter that has been on the trail shows up to take out the troll/hag/nasty. The duo is in the odd position of having to defend the monster from the other good guy. Further complication--convince the monster the duo wasn't in on the ambush!

--Some other monster (a mummy? specter? lamia? manticore?) is reportedly a witness to the Day of Mourning. The BMAA already got the info he needs from it, and wants the duo to silence it. Will the monster let slip the fact that they're already connected, or will the characters silence it?

I'd keep the duo's opponent(s) slightly lower in relative power (since there's only two PCs) but play it with extremely clever tactics (since there's only one of it). A CR 5 or 6 critter played right could keep them on their toes-- boost it with a level of sorceror (for magical assistance) or fighter (for useful feats) to give it a leg up.
TheOneRonin
04-05-06, 12:24 PM Okay...I'm going to make a few clarifications here.

When the adventure starts tonight, the players will have no real knowledge of the BMAA, and will not YET be working for him. That won't happen until the campaign proper begins. Also, the two players won't know anything about the artifact...that doesn't happen until the next session.

A segue session for a fighter and an artificer, about two combats, and suggestion of intrigue...

Allow me to toss suggestions at random:

--The duo could be on the way to meet the other party members, taking the scenic route through smaller towns. Along the way they are beset by a couple shady characters working at cross-purposes to the BMAA's plot. A couple PC-classed agents, or a lone invisible stalker or phasm would be a decent challenge. Who's working against them, and why?

That could work, but what would the bad guys be doing that is against the BMAA's plot? And how would the PCs be able to tie the bad guys to the BMAA?

--The duo could visit a troll or green hag or similar nasty to negotiate some arrangements that will be critical later on (passage through Droaam, info on a dungeon, etc). While discussing details, a bralani or paladin or other noble critter that has been on the trail shows up to take out the troll/hag/nasty. The duo is in the odd position of having to defend the monster from the other good guy. Further complication--convince the monster the duo wasn't in on the ambush!

I like this one, but how could I work in details about the BMAA's plot?

--Some other monster (a mummy? specter? lamia? manticore?) is reportedly a witness to the Day of Mourning. The BMAA already got the info he needs from it, and wants the duo to silence it. Will the monster let slip the fact that they're already connected, or will the characters silence it?

There are a couple of problems with this one. 1st off, the PCs aren't assassins, and a "silence this creature" isn't really a sort of job they would undertake. 2nd, the PCs aren't working for the BMAA yet...in fact, if anything they will be working for the Brelish crown in general, and possibly the Dark Lanterns in specific.

I'd keep the duo's opponent(s) slightly lower in relative power (since there's only two PCs) but play it with extremely clever tactics (since there's only one of it). A CR 5 or 6 critter played right could keep them on their toes-- boost it with a level of sorceror (for magical assistance) or fighter (for useful feats) to give it a leg up.

Good advice. It's what I was planning on (sort of). What I'm thinking about is maybe several opponents in each encounter, but have each of them be much lower CR (2 or 3). I've always found that "mook" fights when the players are greatly outnumbered make for a more heroic scene than a fight against one or two very skilled opponents.
okaynowa
04-05-06, 01:11 PM Where are the duo going to be located, geographically? Do they know that they're on the way to meet the BMAA, even if they don't know what the job is going to be?

Even if the characters don't yet know that they're going to be working for the BMAA, a rival might know that he has his eye on them. Someone could be sending the message of, "Stay out of the ZZZ mission, or else." Certainly if one powerful individual knows about and desires a potent doodad, someone else might have the same info and want the same thing for a different purpose. A competing faction within Breland (the parliamentarians?), or an agent from another nation...

Remember the creep who spoke to Charlie about the everlasting gobstopper before he went on the tour at Willy Wonka's factory? Charlie had no idea what was going on-- didn't even know what the guy was talking about. But it was ominous, spooky. Picture that encounter... only with melee.

Maybe a mook fight followed by a two-on-one? Rather Batman and Robin, come to think of it. Some memorable mooks could be kenku gangsters (MMIII), a mixed pack of worgs and goblins, sahuagin (coastal locales only), or gargoyles (great for hit-and-run battles on the wing, especially in Sharn).

Ultimately, what do you want the pair to be thinking when they come out of this encounter/session? "Whoa, something's going on. Why were those guys concerned about us?" Or something else?
TheOneRonin
04-05-06, 03:25 PM Where are the duo going to be located, geographically?

Breland specifically. Anywhere inside the country's borders. I haven't decided on the specifics yet.

Do they know that they're on the way to meet the BMAA, even if they don't know what the job is going to be?

Actually, they aren't on their way to meet anyone yet. When I kick off the main campaign, they will be summoned by an old friend (another pc, cleric of the Host). When they meet up with her, they will learn of the artifact and the need for them to find/destroy it. A bit later, they will learn of her connection (thus the group's connection) with the BMAA. At that point, these two players will go (Holy Crap...HE is sponsoring this? We have to figure out what is going on).

Even if the characters don't yet know that they're going to be working for the BMAA, a rival might know that he has his eye on them. Someone could be sending the message of, "Stay out of the ZZZ mission, or else." Certainly if one powerful individual knows about and desires a potent doodad, someone else might have the same info and want the same thing for a different purpose. A competing faction within Breland (the parliamentarians?), or an agent from another nation...

Not a bad idea, but it doesn't quite fit. Let me give you some more details about the main campaign. I'm gonna "spoiler" tag it in case anyone posting on this thread doesn't want to read the whole deal.

First off, please forgive the blatant plagiarism of names from DND novels. I'm horrible with names, so I rip them off from every source I can find. Plus my players haven't read said novel, so it won't be cheesy to them.

Cast of Characters:

Ellery Thrace: Female Human Cleric of the Sovereign Host (PC)
Thorin Boulderbender: Male Dwarven Fighter, 3rd Scion of the Boulderbender Clan (PC)
Telas Everwind: Male Elven Artificer, freelance agent for the Dark Lanterns (PC)
Minharath: Male Kalashtar Psion[Telepath] (PC)
Duran Ebinor: Male Half-Elf Ranger (NPC)
Erix Devir (deceased): Male Paladin of the Sovereign Host (NPC)

Character Briefing:

Six years before the end of the Last War, you and thousands of other Brelish citizens were fighting desperately to hold the eastern border against the Goblinoid hordes of Darguun. During a large siege, the goblinoids used an artifact called the Orb of Xoriat to release a swath of arcane energy that enveloped all of the Brelish forces. All but a handful of you were instantly killed. Less than 3 score survived out of the over 5000 Brelanders involved in that battle. Those who survived were disoriented, practically blinded, and unable to do anything but watch as the Darguun horde rushed in to bind and capture survivors.

After 2 weeks in a goblin POW camp, you and the rest of the Brelish prisoners were rallied by a young Paladin of the Sovereign Host named Erix Devir. Erix organized a breakout of the POW camp, and with the help of some exceptional prisoners (including you) managed to get a majority of the prisoners back to the Brelish border. Immediately after that, you were summoned to Wroat, the capital, at the behest of King Borenal. The king personally congratulated you (and the rest of the rescuers), and rewarded you handsomely. A few days later, you and 5 others were summoned again before the king. Erix the Paladin had agreed to take a small group of heroes back across enemy lines to seek out the Orb of Xoriat and destroy it before it could be used again. Erix personally requested you, and 5 others who had assisted him with the rescue, to be part of this team. Anxious to prevent another cataclysm like what happened on the boarder, you agreed.

For 5 years, you and the rest of Erix’s band hunted down the Goblinoids who possessed the Orb. During that time, the 6 of you grew close, practically becoming family. In a final cataclysmic clash with a Darguun warlord and his retinue, you and your team managed to defeat them and destroy the Orb, but at the cost of Erix’s life. It was a terrible tragedy, but one that was necessary for the protection of Breland and its people. Not long after you returned home, the Treaty of Thronehold was signed, bringing the Last War to an end. You all went your separate ways, but vowed to be there if anyone of you needed help.

This campaign is going to begin approximately 5 years after the end of the war. This means that your characters were likely in their late teens or early 20’s when the Orb wiped out the Brelish forces, and are now in their late 20’s, early 30’s. It is unlikely that you’ve seen much action since the end of the war, which is why you are starting at 8th level.

The text above has been made available for the players to read before the game actually starts.

Here is what is going on behind the scenes: (DM only)

Prelate Anatoly Quardov is the Brelish Minister of Arcane affairs. He had taken interest in the research of professor Jorn Willtus. Prof Willtus is the head of the Dhaakani Historical Studies and Antiquities department at Morgrave University. Willtus has recently uncovered some info that suggests there may be more than one Orb of Xoriat in existance. Once he figured all of this out, he sent a message to the only person he knew he could trust...Ellery Thrace, the daughter of Varian Thrace, a good friend of his. His message to Ellery was as follows "Ellery, it's Jorn Willtus from Morgrave University. I have some urgent news about another possible Orb.. Please contact me as soon as you can. Ellery, who has been learning magic under Prelate Quardov's tutelage, gets the message and tries to rally the former heroes that she adventured with during the Last War. She calls for them to meet her at Fountain Square in Sharn by 4th bell in 3 days. Then she arranges a meeting with Quardov, telling him what she has heard and asking for help. Quardov knows that with the Orb in his possession, he can use it's power to prevent any other nation from ever going to war against Breland again. Once he finds out that Ellery is involved, he begins telling her lies about how he thinks it will be able to resurrect Erix (the deceased Paladin, and Ellery's former love interest). This is to guarantee that Ellery delivers the Orb to him instead of destroying it on the spot. Quardov is Lawful Evil, but he considers the defense of his nation to be paramount over all other concerns. He will lie, cheat, steal, torture, and even kill babies if he believes it is for the good of his nation.

That's all the relevant background info for the campaign.

Remember the creep who spoke to Charlie about the everlasting gobstopper before he went on the tour at Willy Wonka's factory? Charlie had no idea what was going on-- didn't even know what the guy was talking about. But it was ominous, spooky. Picture that encounter... only with melee.

Maybe a mook fight followed by a two-on-one? Rather Batman and Robin, come to think of it. Some memorable mooks could be kenku gangsters (MMIII), a mixed pack of worgs and goblins, sahuagin (coastal locales only), or gargoyles (great for hit-and-run battles on the wing, especially in Sharn).

Ultimately, what do you want the pair to be thinking when they come out of this encounter/session? "Whoa, something's going on. Why were those guys concerned about us?" Or something else?

That's all good suggestions. Maybe after you read the campaign spoilers we can refine your thoughts.
okaynowa
04-05-06, 04:24 PM So the fighter and artificer, old war buddies, are sort of "reuniting" after several years apart? Anywhere in Breland?

How about...

The two are already in Sharn. They've met up early, decided to see a few sights, catch up on old times. On the street/at a show/wherever, lo and behold, they spot one of the crueler guards from the very Darguuni camp they were POWs at. Possibly up to something shady, possibly just buying oranges. Recalling his crimes against them, the duo decide to confront this bad guy a la "Death and the Maiden."

The former jailer is not alone, however. Perhaps he's got a contingent of former guards (now mercs) with him, perhaps he's killing time with a new buddy who just happens to be with Daask (the monstrous, Droaam-supported gang). Either way, what starts as a tense verbal confrontation escalates into settling old scores.

Whether the jailer's presence in Sharn is orb-related or not, it's certainly an odd coincidence that someone associated with the earlier incident, however tangentially, should be here at the same time...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheOneRonin 04-05-06, 08:45 AM	Greetings everyone. I'm looking to tap the creative collective of all you Eberron fans out there. I have a last minute session that I have to run tonight (7pm Central, 4/5/2006), and I need to put something together quickly. Here is the setup for the campaign (which hasn't begun yet): The 5 characters (all 8th level) fought for Breland during the Last War, but went their separate ways after the Treaty of Thronehold was signed. They are going to come together again to seek out and destroy a powerful, ancient Dhakaani artifact that is capable of producing another "Day of Mourning". Along the way, the will learn that their primary sponsor, the Brelish Minister of Arcane Affairs (BMAA) is looking to claim the orb for himself. There is going to be plenty of exploration and combat, along with lots of intrigue and betrayal (on of the PCs is actually working directly for the BMAA). It should make for lots of fun. The campaign itself is mostly finished. My delimma is this: 2 of the 4 players are unable to show up for the game tonight, and the other two still really want to play. So I have to throw together what I'm calling a "segue" adventure. What I need is something relatively quick (3-4 hours) and fun, with some combat (at least two encounters), and a small helping of intrigue. What I'd like to happen is for two of the players to finish the session with hints and gut feelings that the BMAA is behind some sort of plot, but with no solid proof. I've got a couple of ideas, but nothing solid right now. If anyone can brainstorm this stuff, it's you guys and girls. :D So please, storm away!
TheOneRonin 04-05-06, 08:56 AM	So you all will need to know a little bit details before you can make suggestions, right? Okay, here's what we have: [Character 1] 8th Level Dwarf Fighter. Pretty conventional/iconic. Melee expert. Lawful Good, extremely loyal to the King, and to Breland. [Character 2] 8th Level Elven Artificer. Again, pretty standard...nothing wild or outrageous. This guy is Neutral Good, and has been acting as a freelance agent for the Dark Lanterns (not an official member). Also very loyal to the Crown. Setting Specifics: I'm playing a relatively low magic campaign. I only allow the players to spend a small percentage of character wealth on magic items. The Artificer has fewer restrictions, but none of the characters are loaded out in magical gear. I do, however, allow the players to spend a portion of character wealth to purchase skills and feats. While these 8th level characters are a bit behind in "power", they make up for it in flexibility. I would like the adventure to take place in Breland, but the specific location doesn't really matter. The only thing I ask is no encounters on the Lightning Rail/Airships/Flying Mounts. All of those are in the campaign proper, so I don't want to duplicate them in this session. If anyone would like to know anything else about this campaign, please don't hesitate to ask. I will be monitoring this thread for most of the day.
okaynowa 04-05-06, 10:52 AM	A segue session for a fighter and an artificer, about two combats, and suggestion of intrigue... Allow me to toss suggestions at random: --The duo could be on the way to meet the other party members, taking the scenic route through smaller towns. Along the way they are beset by a couple shady characters working at cross-purposes to the BMAA's plot. A couple PC-classed agents, or a lone invisible stalker or phasm would be a decent challenge. Who's working against them, and why? --The duo could visit a troll or green hag or similar nasty to negotiate some arrangements that will be critical later on (passage through Droaam, info on a dungeon, etc). While discussing details, a bralani or paladin or other noble critter that has been on the trail shows up to take out the troll/hag/nasty. The duo is in the odd position of having to defend the monster from the other good guy. Further complication--convince the monster the duo wasn't in on the ambush! --Some other monster (a mummy? specter? lamia? manticore?) is reportedly a witness to the Day of Mourning. The BMAA already got the info he needs from it, and wants the duo to silence it. Will the monster let slip the fact that they're already connected, or will the characters silence it? I'd keep the duo's opponent(s) slightly lower in relative power (since there's only two PCs) but play it with extremely clever tactics (since there's only one of it). A CR 5 or 6 critter played right could keep them on their toes-- boost it with a level of sorceror (for magical assistance) or fighter (for useful feats) to give it a leg up.
TheOneRonin 04-05-06, 12:24 PM	Okay...I'm going to make a few clarifications here. When the adventure starts tonight, the players will have no real knowledge of the BMAA, and will not YET be working for him. That won't happen until the campaign proper begins. Also, the two players won't know anything about the artifact...that doesn't happen until the next session. A segue session for a fighter and an artificer, about two combats, and suggestion of intrigue... Allow me to toss suggestions at random: --The duo could be on the way to meet the other party members, taking the scenic route through smaller towns. Along the way they are beset by a couple shady characters working at cross-purposes to the BMAA's plot. A couple PC-classed agents, or a lone invisible stalker or phasm would be a decent challenge. Who's working against them, and why? That could work, but what would the bad guys be doing that is against the BMAA's plot? And how would the PCs be able to tie the bad guys to the BMAA? --The duo could visit a troll or green hag or similar nasty to negotiate some arrangements that will be critical later on (passage through Droaam, info on a dungeon, etc). While discussing details, a bralani or paladin or other noble critter that has been on the trail shows up to take out the troll/hag/nasty. The duo is in the odd position of having to defend the monster from the other good guy. Further complication--convince the monster the duo wasn't in on the ambush! I like this one, but how could I work in details about the BMAA's plot? --Some other monster (a mummy? specter? lamia? manticore?) is reportedly a witness to the Day of Mourning. The BMAA already got the info he needs from it, and wants the duo to silence it. Will the monster let slip the fact that they're already connected, or will the characters silence it? There are a couple of problems with this one. 1st off, the PCs aren't assassins, and a "silence this creature" isn't really a sort of job they would undertake. 2nd, the PCs aren't working for the BMAA yet...in fact, if anything they will be working for the Brelish crown in general, and possibly the Dark Lanterns in specific. I'd keep the duo's opponent(s) slightly lower in relative power (since there's only two PCs) but play it with extremely clever tactics (since there's only one of it). A CR 5 or 6 critter played right could keep them on their toes-- boost it with a level of sorceror (for magical assistance) or fighter (for useful feats) to give it a leg up. Good advice. It's what I was planning on (sort of). What I'm thinking about is maybe several opponents in each encounter, but have each of them be much lower CR (2 or 3). I've always found that "mook" fights when the players are greatly outnumbered make for a more heroic scene than a fight against one or two very skilled opponents.
okaynowa 04-05-06, 01:11 PM	Where are the duo going to be located, geographically? Do they know that they're on the way to meet the BMAA, even if they don't know what the job is going to be? Even if the characters don't yet know that they're going to be working for the BMAA, a rival might know that he has his eye on them. Someone could be sending the message of, "Stay out of the ZZZ mission, or else." Certainly if one powerful individual knows about and desires a potent doodad, someone else might have the same info and want the same thing for a different purpose. A competing faction within Breland (the parliamentarians?), or an agent from another nation... Remember the creep who spoke to Charlie about the everlasting gobstopper before he went on the tour at Willy Wonka's factory? Charlie had no idea what was going on-- didn't even know what the guy was talking about. But it was ominous, spooky. Picture that encounter... only with melee. Maybe a mook fight followed by a two-on-one? Rather Batman and Robin, come to think of it. Some memorable mooks could be kenku gangsters (MMIII), a mixed pack of worgs and goblins, sahuagin (coastal locales only), or gargoyles (great for hit-and-run battles on the wing, especially in Sharn). Ultimately, what do you want the pair to be thinking when they come out of this encounter/session? "Whoa, something's going on. Why were those guys concerned about us?" Or something else?
TheOneRonin 04-05-06, 03:25 PM	Where are the duo going to be located, geographically? Breland specifically. Anywhere inside the country's borders. I haven't decided on the specifics yet. Do they know that they're on the way to meet the BMAA, even if they don't know what the job is going to be? Actually, they aren't on their way to meet anyone yet. When I kick off the main campaign, they will be summoned by an old friend (another pc, cleric of the Host). When they meet up with her, they will learn of the artifact and the need for them to find/destroy it. A bit later, they will learn of her connection (thus the group's connection) with the BMAA. At that point, these two players will go (Holy Crap...HE is sponsoring this? We have to figure out what is going on). Even if the characters don't yet know that they're going to be working for the BMAA, a rival might know that he has his eye on them. Someone could be sending the message of, "Stay out of the ZZZ mission, or else." Certainly if one powerful individual knows about and desires a potent doodad, someone else might have the same info and want the same thing for a different purpose. A competing faction within Breland (the parliamentarians?), or an agent from another nation... Not a bad idea, but it doesn't quite fit. Let me give you some more details about the main campaign. I'm gonna "spoiler" tag it in case anyone posting on this thread doesn't want to read the whole deal. First off, please forgive the blatant plagiarism of names from DND novels. I'm horrible with names, so I rip them off from every source I can find. Plus my players haven't read said novel, so it won't be cheesy to them. Cast of Characters: Ellery Thrace: Female Human Cleric of the Sovereign Host (PC) Thorin Boulderbender: Male Dwarven Fighter, 3rd Scion of the Boulderbender Clan (PC) Telas Everwind: Male Elven Artificer, freelance agent for the Dark Lanterns (PC) Minharath: Male Kalashtar Psion[Telepath] (PC) Duran Ebinor: Male Half-Elf Ranger (NPC) Erix Devir (deceased): Male Paladin of the Sovereign Host (NPC) Character Briefing: Six years before the end of the Last War, you and thousands of other Brelish citizens were fighting desperately to hold the eastern border against the Goblinoid hordes of Darguun. During a large siege, the goblinoids used an artifact called the Orb of Xoriat to release a swath of arcane energy that enveloped all of the Brelish forces. All but a handful of you were instantly killed. Less than 3 score survived out of the over 5000 Brelanders involved in that battle. Those who survived were disoriented, practically blinded, and unable to do anything but watch as the Darguun horde rushed in to bind and capture survivors. After 2 weeks in a goblin POW camp, you and the rest of the Brelish prisoners were rallied by a young Paladin of the Sovereign Host named Erix Devir. Erix organized a breakout of the POW camp, and with the help of some exceptional prisoners (including you) managed to get a majority of the prisoners back to the Brelish border. Immediately after that, you were summoned to Wroat, the capital, at the behest of King Borenal. The king personally congratulated you (and the rest of the rescuers), and rewarded you handsomely. A few days later, you and 5 others were summoned again before the king. Erix the Paladin had agreed to take a small group of heroes back across enemy lines to seek out the Orb of Xoriat and destroy it before it could be used again. Erix personally requested you, and 5 others who had assisted him with the rescue, to be part of this team. Anxious to prevent another cataclysm like what happened on the boarder, you agreed. For 5 years, you and the rest of Erix’s band hunted down the Goblinoids who possessed the Orb. During that time, the 6 of you grew close, practically becoming family. In a final cataclysmic clash with a Darguun warlord and his retinue, you and your team managed to defeat them and destroy the Orb, but at the cost of Erix’s life. It was a terrible tragedy, but one that was necessary for the protection of Breland and its people. Not long after you returned home, the Treaty of Thronehold was signed, bringing the Last War to an end. You all went your separate ways, but vowed to be there if anyone of you needed help. This campaign is going to begin approximately 5 years after the end of the war. This means that your characters were likely in their late teens or early 20’s when the Orb wiped out the Brelish forces, and are now in their late 20’s, early 30’s. It is unlikely that you’ve seen much action since the end of the war, which is why you are starting at 8th level. The text above has been made available for the players to read before the game actually starts. Here is what is going on behind the scenes: (DM only) Prelate Anatoly Quardov is the Brelish Minister of Arcane affairs. He had taken interest in the research of professor Jorn Willtus. Prof Willtus is the head of the Dhaakani Historical Studies and Antiquities department at Morgrave University. Willtus has recently uncovered some info that suggests there may be more than one Orb of Xoriat in existance. Once he figured all of this out, he sent a message to the only person he knew he could trust...Ellery Thrace, the daughter of Varian Thrace, a good friend of his. His message to Ellery was as follows "Ellery, it's Jorn Willtus from Morgrave University. I have some urgent news about another possible Orb.. Please contact me as soon as you can. Ellery, who has been learning magic under Prelate Quardov's tutelage, gets the message and tries to rally the former heroes that she adventured with during the Last War. She calls for them to meet her at Fountain Square in Sharn by 4th bell in 3 days. Then she arranges a meeting with Quardov, telling him what she has heard and asking for help. Quardov knows that with the Orb in his possession, he can use it's power to prevent any other nation from ever going to war against Breland again. Once he finds out that Ellery is involved, he begins telling her lies about how he thinks it will be able to resurrect Erix (the deceased Paladin, and Ellery's former love interest). This is to guarantee that Ellery delivers the Orb to him instead of destroying it on the spot. Quardov is Lawful Evil, but he considers the defense of his nation to be paramount over all other concerns. He will lie, cheat, steal, torture, and even kill babies if he believes it is for the good of his nation. That's all the relevant background info for the campaign. Remember the creep who spoke to Charlie about the everlasting gobstopper before he went on the tour at Willy Wonka's factory? Charlie had no idea what was going on-- didn't even know what the guy was talking about. But it was ominous, spooky. Picture that encounter... only with melee. Maybe a mook fight followed by a two-on-one? Rather Batman and Robin, come to think of it. Some memorable mooks could be kenku gangsters (MMIII), a mixed pack of worgs and goblins, sahuagin (coastal locales only), or gargoyles (great for hit-and-run battles on the wing, especially in Sharn). Ultimately, what do you want the pair to be thinking when they come out of this encounter/session? "Whoa, something's going on. Why were those guys concerned about us?" Or something else? That's all good suggestions. Maybe after you read the campaign spoilers we can refine your thoughts.
okaynowa 04-05-06, 04:24 PM	So the fighter and artificer, old war buddies, are sort of "reuniting" after several years apart? Anywhere in Breland? How about... The two are already in Sharn. They've met up early, decided to see a few sights, catch up on old times. On the street/at a show/wherever, lo and behold, they spot one of the crueler guards from the very Darguuni camp they were POWs at. Possibly up to something shady, possibly just buying oranges. Recalling his crimes against them, the duo decide to confront this bad guy a la "Death and the Maiden." The former jailer is not alone, however. Perhaps he's got a contingent of former guards (now mercs) with him, perhaps he's killing time with a new buddy who just happens to be with Daask (the monstrous, Droaam-supported gang). Either way, what starts as a tense verbal confrontation escalates into settling old scores. Whether the jailer's presence in Sharn is orb-related or not, it's certainly an odd coincidence that someone associated with the earlier incident, however tangentially, should be here at the same time...