A Back Door in the Prophecy [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Back Door in the Prophecy [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Aishar
02-22-06, 03:06 AM I recently got stuck with a difficult problem which threatens to bring down the campaign I'm DMing.
I gave a prophecy to the PCs, of which most are partial-outsiders (they are actually normal humans, elves, etc. with a few outsider powers, but that's beside the point) that should one of their partial-outsider numbers ever kill another, they will all die. I meant it as a warning and as a way to add tension to my campaign, since one of the BBEG's chief minions is a partial-outsider.
However, without thinking about it too much at the time, I made the BBEG persuade another non-evil partial-outsider who doesn't know the prophecy to try an assassination attempt on the PCs, which succeeded on the last gaming session we had: two of the PCs, one of them a partial-outsider, died.
The deaths are not so much of a problem themselves - the dead PCs can be Raised - but it doesn't solve the prophecy problem, since I've told the PCs many times in the past that if a partial-outsider kills another partial-outsider, all the partial-outsiders of their type will die, even if the killed one is later Raised. (The Deities who created these partial-outsiders meant them to all be good-aligned, and created this prophecy as a backup, should they become evil, so that they won't be able to do any damage before they self-destruct).

So what am I to do now? I don't want to kill my whole group because of this prophecy which got out of hand, but I can't simply say it doesn't exist.

If anyone can think of a back door in this prophecy, something good enough so it doesn't seem like I'm cheating or something, I'll be grateful.

Thanks a lot,
Aishar.
Aelryk
02-22-06, 03:14 AM Did you make an actual worded prophecy or just state that there is one?
If you've got the words, they might be helpful in creating a twist or backdoor around this problem... if you don't mind posting it :)
Strythium
02-22-06, 03:17 AM Look at Nostradamus. He made prophecies and predictions, most (or all, depending on who you ask) of which did not even happen. You could simply dismiss the prophecy as false. Another option could be the deaths are not quite so literal. Maybe the race dies with them. You could always make it so that any children that have will not be partial outsiders like them, but normal humans, thus the end of the race.

I'm not in your game and I don't know your DMing style, but the sole purpose of the game is fun. If this is going to put a damper on the fun, spin it. Let the prophecy stick, but don't let the effects be so literal. Be creative and you could potentially spin a pretty interesting tale around the prophecy that has now been fulfilled.

Good luck with your game.
WCH
02-22-06, 03:31 AM "Will die" doesn't mean "will die immediately." Maybe the prophesy is that it will put in place a chain of events, where unless somebody does X, they all die. Now come up with X -- the PCs must do it before the next full moon (or something), or else the prophesy will come to pass.
Aishar
02-22-06, 04:48 AM I don't think you've quite understood my problem. I don't want to make the prophesy false - I want to create a back door that the PCs can use, not a way for me as a DM to back out of it without admitting I'm wrong.

I want something such as, I don't know, like making the partial-outsider killer turn to goodness or something, only this is too stupid, cliche, and narrow-minded for me...I need something more interesting (I mean, I can always use a dumb solution for the problem, since I don't intend to start a new campaign).

All in all, I want to use my "failure" with the prophecy into something positive for my campaign, making it more interesting and such.

P.S. I'm sorry, but the prophecy isn't written...it has been told to the PCs by other NPCs, books, etc.

Aishar.
MarkB
02-22-06, 05:24 AM Have a highly contagious, debilitating blight begin spreading through the partial-Outsiders, threatening to kill them within days. Possibly have some or all of the party become infected at the outset, possibly just have them hear about it.

When they consult those who know about the prophecy, have them be told that the only way to reverse this doom is for the assassin partial-Outsider to genuinely repent his actions (which might be easier if he is infected, and it would be logical for him to be 'patient zero'), and undergo an Atonement spell administered by a cleric of an appropriate faith.

So the party must find the assassin, persuade him to mend his ways, find a cleric of a particular faith who's high enough level to cast Atonement, and maybe find a way to slow down the disease sufficiently that it won't kill anyone before they finish all this.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aishar 02-22-06, 03:06 AM	I recently got stuck with a difficult problem which threatens to bring down the campaign I'm DMing. I gave a prophecy to the PCs, of which most are partial-outsiders (they are actually normal humans, elves, etc. with a few outsider powers, but that's beside the point) that should one of their partial-outsider numbers ever kill another, they will all die. I meant it as a warning and as a way to add tension to my campaign, since one of the BBEG's chief minions is a partial-outsider. However, without thinking about it too much at the time, I made the BBEG persuade another non-evil partial-outsider who doesn't know the prophecy to try an assassination attempt on the PCs, which succeeded on the last gaming session we had: two of the PCs, one of them a partial-outsider, died. The deaths are not so much of a problem themselves - the dead PCs can be Raised - but it doesn't solve the prophecy problem, since I've told the PCs many times in the past that if a partial-outsider kills another partial-outsider, all the partial-outsiders of their type will die, even if the killed one is later Raised. (The Deities who created these partial-outsiders meant them to all be good-aligned, and created this prophecy as a backup, should they become evil, so that they won't be able to do any damage before they self-destruct). So what am I to do now? I don't want to kill my whole group because of this prophecy which got out of hand, but I can't simply say it doesn't exist. If anyone can think of a back door in this prophecy, something good enough so it doesn't seem like I'm cheating or something, I'll be grateful. Thanks a lot, Aishar.
Aelryk 02-22-06, 03:14 AM	Did you make an actual worded prophecy or just state that there is one? If you've got the words, they might be helpful in creating a twist or backdoor around this problem... if you don't mind posting it :)
Strythium 02-22-06, 03:17 AM	Look at Nostradamus. He made prophecies and predictions, most (or all, depending on who you ask) of which did not even happen. You could simply dismiss the prophecy as false. Another option could be the deaths are not quite so literal. Maybe the race dies with them. You could always make it so that any children that have will not be partial outsiders like them, but normal humans, thus the end of the race. I'm not in your game and I don't know your DMing style, but the sole purpose of the game is fun. If this is going to put a damper on the fun, spin it. Let the prophecy stick, but don't let the effects be so literal. Be creative and you could potentially spin a pretty interesting tale around the prophecy that has now been fulfilled. Good luck with your game.
WCH 02-22-06, 03:31 AM	"Will die" doesn't mean "will die immediately." Maybe the prophesy is that it will put in place a chain of events, where unless somebody does X, they all die. Now come up with X -- the PCs must do it before the next full moon (or something), or else the prophesy will come to pass.
Aishar 02-22-06, 04:48 AM	I don't think you've quite understood my problem. I don't want to make the prophesy false - I want to create a back door that the PCs can use, not a way for me as a DM to back out of it without admitting I'm wrong. I want something such as, I don't know, like making the partial-outsider killer turn to goodness or something, only this is too stupid, cliche, and narrow-minded for me...I need something more interesting (I mean, I can always use a dumb solution for the problem, since I don't intend to start a new campaign). All in all, I want to use my "failure" with the prophecy into something positive for my campaign, making it more interesting and such. P.S. I'm sorry, but the prophecy isn't written...it has been told to the PCs by other NPCs, books, etc. Aishar.
MarkB 02-22-06, 05:24 AM	Have a highly contagious, debilitating blight begin spreading through the partial-Outsiders, threatening to kill them within days. Possibly have some or all of the party become infected at the outset, possibly just have them hear about it. When they consult those who know about the prophecy, have them be told that the only way to reverse this doom is for the assassin partial-Outsider to genuinely repent his actions (which might be easier if he is infected, and it would be logical for him to be 'patient zero'), and undergo an Atonement spell administered by a cleric of an appropriate faith. So the party must find the assassin, persuade him to mend his ways, find a cleric of a particular faith who's high enough level to cast Atonement, and maybe find a way to slow down the disease sufficiently that it won't kill anyone before they finish all this.