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Spoilers ahead!
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I started my players out in Xandrar. They were hired by the city guard after most of the regular guards were sent out to deal with a recent increase in activity from the Swords of Freedom.
My main idea with this campaign is to focus on the secret organizations, intricate plots and general backstabbing that is such a large (and enjoyable) part of the setting. I'm hoping to turn their heads around a couple of times until they don't know who they can trust.
They will run across a connection to the Swords of Freedom and subsequently be asked to investigate by the Guard. I plan to make the SoF seem very idealistic and hopefully get my players to consider their loyalties. They will be introduced to the spiritual adviser of the leader of SoF who will be their main contact (and sympathetic ear) inside the SoF. Of course he is a rakshasa trying to instigate conflict in Breland. They will witness him commit som atrocity. After they (hopefully) tell the Guard the Mayor of Xandrar will insist that they launch an assault on the SoF headquarters. However, when they arrive, they discover that the entire base has been killed and most of the bodies burned. When they return to the city, they will be arrested for the murder of the mayor (the person they talked to earlier being a changeling). While in jail they will be contacted by the second in command of the Guard (a dwarf sergeant, that has a very nasty disposition and whom they have grown to hate and fear) who will reveal herself to be an agent of the Dark Lanterns. She tells them she is very aware that they didn't commit the murder, but that the people of the city needed scapegoats (both for the murder of the mayor and the massacre of the SoF leaders). She will let them out of jail (replacing them with illusions) and order them to investigate the case and send them on the trail of the changeling to Sharn.
In Sharn they will discover (with the help of some sympathetic people from House Deneith), that the SoF were killed by agents of the Silver Flame. They were trying to strengthen the cause of the SoF while at the same time making room for puppet leaders of their own. However they will then be contacted by yet another party (not sure who.. Chamber? Mosaic Committee?) who leads them towards discovering the Rakshasa infiltration of the Sharn Church of the Silver Flame. When their friends in House Deneith finds out they are mysteriously disinclined to follow this avenue. Which of course in turns leads to the reveal of the infiltration of the local enclave (and the council.. and the Blackened Book.. and Aureon knows who else) by the Dreaming Dark. I'm hoping for a major conspiracy clusterf*** towards the end, where all the secret organizations in Sharn suddenly find the ground shfting under them and having to find new strategies and allies. I would also like to end in a huge solo fight (preferably a dragon), but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it. Maybe a rogue dragon has been cooperating with the Dreaming Dark or they have mindseeded a dragon (is that even possible?) or maybe simply manipulated the dragon into attacking the city (a scorched earth failsafe tactic like that would be right up their alley).
After this minor elaboration of the classic "tripple-cross with a flourish" I hope to end as the players reach lvl 11. It's a lot to squeeze into eleven levels but I believe I can do it.
The problems begin when the story continues. I plan to let some time pass before moving on with the campaign. Now the Five Nations are uncovering Dreaming Dark agents all over and there is a real suspicion, that all this activity is the precursor to an invasion. If Khorvaire is to stand against the Riedrans they will have to cooperate. The players will be a major influence in this. There will of course still be a focus on the secret organizations and the likes. The national intelligence organization will try to manipulate everything in their nations' favour. The Aurum will curiously become an ally (war is good for business), but the players will have to deal with their less-than-respectable-but-very-enthusiastic attempts to "help". The Chamber will certainly get involved as will the Mosaic Committee. The Lords of Dust will carry a grudge against the players and of course the Dreaming Dark wants them dead, sooner preferably than later. At the moment I'm planning to let the players tag along with a diplomatic mission (probably from Breland) trying to convince the other nations to cooperate. I expect there will be a lot of "favours" and "missions", that they will have to undertake to achieve their goal. Seeing as the players have so far been fairly "lawful good" in their behaviour I may toss in a few moral choices: Use information on Queen Aurala affair to blackmail her or try to convince her through other means? Deal peacefully with Kaius even after they find out about him being a vampire? Other suggestions are very welcome.
All this intrigue of course concluding in a climactic battle where the forces of righteousness and goodberry pie prevail.
As for the epic tier I am much more in doubt. I might make it about the restoration of Cyre (one of the player characters is from Cyre). This could involve travel on other planes trying to find mysterious knowledge, artifacts or materials that will help them accomplish this. Dal Quor could also be an option. Taking the fight to their home ground, so to speak. The Gith are always a conflict waiting to happen. The Dragon Below and excursions into Khyber (and later the Elemental Chaos) could also achieve this. Basically I need to think creatively to find challenges after paragon tier seeing as there are fewer high level encounters in this setting compared to others. I also need to emphasize the conspiracy angle, that I've been trying to run through the whole thing.
There you have it. A bit longer than I intended but I got caught up in my own head. :D
Ideas or input of any kind would be very welcome.
They will run across a connection to the Swords of Freedom and subsequently be asked to investigate by the Guard. I plan to make the SoF seem very idealistic and hopefully get my players to consider their loyalties. They will be introduced to the spiritual adviser of the leader of SoF who will be their main contact (and sympathetic ear) inside the SoF.
So far, excellent. Nothing says noir like making the villain bloodthirsty, yet likable.
Of course he is a rakshasa trying to instigate conflict in Breland. They will witness him commit som atrocity. After they (hopefully) tell the Guard the Mayor of Xandrar will insist that they launch an assault on the SoF headquarters. However, when they arrive, they discover that the entire base has been killed and most of the bodies burned.
A cliché, though I'm tempted to say that it's well-used.
When they return to the city, they will be arrested for the murder of the mayor (the person they talked to earlier being a changeling). While in jail they will be contacted by the second in command of the Guard (a dwarf sergeant, that has a very nasty disposition and whom they have grown to hate and fear) who will reveal herself to be an agent of the Dark Lanterns.
Whew, that's Swords of Freedom, Lords of Dust and Dark Lanterns in one to three sessions? Be careful how you handle it or the players can quickly become disillusioned.
She tells them she is very aware that they didn't commit the murder, but that the people of the city needed scapegoats (both for the murder of the mayor and the massacre of the SoF leaders). She will let them out of jail (replacing them with illusions) and order them to investigate the case and send them on the trail of the changeling to Sharn.
I would suggest thinking very carefully about how this changeling can be tracked over such a distance. He'll likely be blending in... with ease.
In Sharn they will discover (with the help of some sympathetic people from House Deneith), that the SoF were killed by agents of the Silver Flame. They were trying to strengthen the cause of the SoF while at the same time making room for puppet leaders of their own.
Why?
The CotSF is known for being a force for good? Is this a Thranish plot or a SF plot?
However they will then be contacted by yet another party (not sure who.. Chamber? Mosaic Committee?) who leads them towards discovering the Rakshasa infiltration of the Sharn Church of the Silver Flame.
Ah, more Lords of Dust... carry on.
When their friends in House Deneith finds out they are mysteriously disinclined to follow this avenue. Which of course in turns leads to the reveal of the infiltration of the local enclave (and the council.. and the Blackened Book.. and Aureon knows who else) by the Dreaming Dark. I'm hoping for a major conspiracy clusterf*** towards the end, where all the secret organizations in Sharn suddenly find the ground shfting under them and having to find new strategies and allies. I would also like to end in a huge solo fight (preferably a dragon), but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it.
If you want to make the clusterf**k be felt by the players they'll need to be on the inside of at least one of these organisations (secret organisations typically know how to keep their panic from showing).
Maybe a rogue dragon has been cooperating with the Dreaming Dark or they have mindseeded a dragon (is that even possible?) or maybe simply manipulated the dragon into attacking the city (a scorched earth failsafe tactic like that would be right up their alley).
The Dreaming Dark tactic would typically be to just uproot and start again in another location. After all, they can't be caught.
Looks good.
Keep me updated!
