What's in Your Wallet?!? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What's in Your Wallet?!? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Relic
10-28-04, 01:03 PM Well, not really your wallet but your campaign. What events in your campaign are having an influence in the realms? What plotlines and story threads are you currently using? I would like to encompass rumors and news updates in other parts of the realms for my players to make the realms seem a bit more alive. So, a general summary of my campaign, its story, and the ultimate direction I plan on taking it:

The PCs have connections in Scarsdale, either as native citizens or as hired adventurers. The Zhents, after the return of Bane, have consolidated their power and are in full scale to bring if not all the Moonsea then the majority of the Moonsea under their banner. Scarsdale, a struggling community hit by plague, crime, and foreign occupation, is the perfect place for the Zhents to secure a place in the Dalelands where they can exhibit more influence and more trade to other parts of Faerun. Thus, plans are in order for the Zhents to launch a conquesting excursion into Scarsdale.

Meanwhile, pirates from the Sea of Fallen Stars have noticed that Scarsdale does not have any government, and its deep harbors and central location in the trade routes would line their pockets with gold. Why should the only pirate havens be islands out within the sea when they could control their very own town? Plans are being made, supplies acquired, bribes and blackmailing are on the rise... all in preparation for a significant force of pirates to storm into Scarsdale and bring it under their control.

Additionally, Sembia sees Scarsdale as prime real estate... real estate in their very own backyard. Not yet willing to occupy Scarsdale for fear of the rest of the Dalelands - as well as the currently unpredictable Cormyr, Sembia is "helping" the PCs re-establish law and order in Scarsdale. Scarsdale has to, after all, remain intact for it to be of any value to Sembia.

Preparing for the eventual invasion of the Zhents, the PCs struggle to keep Scarsdale topside amongst the crashing waters of violence that its present and its future promise. Hindered by lack of resources, no official government, and the schemes of other power groups such as the drow of Cormanthor (who see that by making it look like they want Scarsdale for their own they help hide their real agenda - the mythal and ruins of Myth Drannor), a resident Red Wizard enclave, agents of the Iron Throne, and spies from other organizations both known and unknown - the PCs keep from desparing in the hopes that I have a plan that will, ultimately, keep them alive and in the end will save the day. =)

My plans are to have the Zhents attack along the route of the Halfaxe Trial right before the season of winter (so that they can secure Scarsdale and have all the winter to fortify and strengthen their position), in a couple of months. Meanwhile, pirates from the Sea of Fallen Stars are organizing to send several ships (not too sure how many just yet, probably around the numbers of 5-8) to capture Scarsdale and make it pirate-friendly town. The drow do not have any real plans for Scarsdale - that is, until they receive an offer from Sembia: help maintain the anarchy in Scarsdale and once Scarsdale is within Sembia's grasp, Sembia will help the drow claim the Cormanthor Forest for their own (with exclusive trading rights and the freedom to expand into the other dales, of course).

All the other organizations like the Iron Throne, the Red Wizards, the Cult of the Dragon, and the church of Cyric, are basically just fluff that I can use for little sidetrack adventures and to bring elements of a world that is constantly moving and revolving, with and without the PCs.

In the end, Scarsdale will probably end up nearly ruined or become a conquered land of Sembia. The pirates will ultimately fail due to a lack of any true leadership while the PCs possess the capability of stopping the Zhents through guerrilla warfare (destroying supply lines, hit and run tactics, etc). But those two groups will only be stopped with the help of Sembia, who is glad to lend troops and supplies for the struggling dalefolk... only to, in the end, use those same troops and supplies to bring Scarsdale into their own clutches.

How about your campaign and its plotline and direction?
Lashan
10-28-04, 07:08 PM My campaign deals with secret cabals that are veing for power in the Vast. The Cult of the Dragon is trying to move into Tantras and using the players as pawns to drive out the Greyclaws. There is also a manipulative "devil behind the throne" power that is trying to manipulate the politics of the region for his own gain. The old Lizard King is leaving his tomb in the Flooded Forest and needs to be stopped. Lastly, there is a nobleman's son that is a devil worshipper who will try to disband the city council and take control of Tantras. Of course, this is all a short description.

I've been thinking of having a amulet of the planes be loosed nearby and be the source of all these people having connections to beings on other planes. I've also thought about using a 3rd party module to have a shadow mage trying to bring the Plane of Shadow onto Faerun. I think I will let this amulet be the source of trouble in the region. The players can then find it and decide to destroy it or use for their own exploration.
Chosen of the Dark Sun
10-28-04, 09:19 PM In my campaign the Silver Marches and Sword Coast North were taken over by a powerful sorcerous with an army of millions of skeletons, and raise those she kills as undead in massive ceremonies that have begun to weaken the Weave, making spellcasting far more erratic.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Relic 10-28-04, 01:03 PM	Well, not really your wallet but your campaign. What events in your campaign are having an influence in the realms? What plotlines and story threads are you currently using? I would like to encompass rumors and news updates in other parts of the realms for my players to make the realms seem a bit more alive. So, a general summary of my campaign, its story, and the ultimate direction I plan on taking it: The PCs have connections in Scarsdale, either as native citizens or as hired adventurers. The Zhents, after the return of Bane, have consolidated their power and are in full scale to bring if not all the Moonsea then the majority of the Moonsea under their banner. Scarsdale, a struggling community hit by plague, crime, and foreign occupation, is the perfect place for the Zhents to secure a place in the Dalelands where they can exhibit more influence and more trade to other parts of Faerun. Thus, plans are in order for the Zhents to launch a conquesting excursion into Scarsdale. Meanwhile, pirates from the Sea of Fallen Stars have noticed that Scarsdale does not have any government, and its deep harbors and central location in the trade routes would line their pockets with gold. Why should the only pirate havens be islands out within the sea when they could control their very own town? Plans are being made, supplies acquired, bribes and blackmailing are on the rise... all in preparation for a significant force of pirates to storm into Scarsdale and bring it under their control. Additionally, Sembia sees Scarsdale as prime real estate... real estate in their very own backyard. Not yet willing to occupy Scarsdale for fear of the rest of the Dalelands - as well as the currently unpredictable Cormyr, Sembia is "helping" the PCs re-establish law and order in Scarsdale. Scarsdale has to, after all, remain intact for it to be of any value to Sembia. Preparing for the eventual invasion of the Zhents, the PCs struggle to keep Scarsdale topside amongst the crashing waters of violence that its present and its future promise. Hindered by lack of resources, no official government, and the schemes of other power groups such as the drow of Cormanthor (who see that by making it look like they want Scarsdale for their own they help hide their real agenda - the mythal and ruins of Myth Drannor), a resident Red Wizard enclave, agents of the Iron Throne, and spies from other organizations both known and unknown - the PCs keep from desparing in the hopes that I have a plan that will, ultimately, keep them alive and in the end will save the day. =) My plans are to have the Zhents attack along the route of the Halfaxe Trial right before the season of winter (so that they can secure Scarsdale and have all the winter to fortify and strengthen their position), in a couple of months. Meanwhile, pirates from the Sea of Fallen Stars are organizing to send several ships (not too sure how many just yet, probably around the numbers of 5-8) to capture Scarsdale and make it pirate-friendly town. The drow do not have any real plans for Scarsdale - that is, until they receive an offer from Sembia: help maintain the anarchy in Scarsdale and once Scarsdale is within Sembia's grasp, Sembia will help the drow claim the Cormanthor Forest for their own (with exclusive trading rights and the freedom to expand into the other dales, of course). All the other organizations like the Iron Throne, the Red Wizards, the Cult of the Dragon, and the church of Cyric, are basically just fluff that I can use for little sidetrack adventures and to bring elements of a world that is constantly moving and revolving, with and without the PCs. In the end, Scarsdale will probably end up nearly ruined or become a conquered land of Sembia. The pirates will ultimately fail due to a lack of any true leadership while the PCs possess the capability of stopping the Zhents through guerrilla warfare (destroying supply lines, hit and run tactics, etc). But those two groups will only be stopped with the help of Sembia, who is glad to lend troops and supplies for the struggling dalefolk... only to, in the end, use those same troops and supplies to bring Scarsdale into their own clutches. How about your campaign and its plotline and direction?
Lashan 10-28-04, 07:08 PM	My campaign deals with secret cabals that are veing for power in the Vast. The Cult of the Dragon is trying to move into Tantras and using the players as pawns to drive out the Greyclaws. There is also a manipulative "devil behind the throne" power that is trying to manipulate the politics of the region for his own gain. The old Lizard King is leaving his tomb in the Flooded Forest and needs to be stopped. Lastly, there is a nobleman's son that is a devil worshipper who will try to disband the city council and take control of Tantras. Of course, this is all a short description. I've been thinking of having a amulet of the planes be loosed nearby and be the source of all these people having connections to beings on other planes. I've also thought about using a 3rd party module to have a shadow mage trying to bring the Plane of Shadow onto Faerun. I think I will let this amulet be the source of trouble in the region. The players can then find it and decide to destroy it or use for their own exploration.
Chosen of the Dark Sun 10-28-04, 09:19 PM	In my campaign the Silver Marches and Sword Coast North were taken over by a powerful sorcerous with an army of millions of skeletons, and raise those she kills as undead in massive ceremonies that have begun to weaken the Weave, making spellcasting far more erratic.