So here is the general idea; at level 20/21 i plan to make it quite obvius that this is the final goal, and that the rest of the way is mostly preparations for this. The reason I would like to do this is because, well i have this idea about making all of them the take the demi god paragon path. This is to make the trek around the world powering up make sense to everyone. And second of all, it makes it much easier to lay out clues about what's to come in the 20 levels or so before they get the "hey you need to kick this guy in the nuts!"
I have yet to decide what overlord its going to be, though I'm leaning towards Orcus (because he's in the MM).
Random useful info:
The party consists of the following:
Human Cleric of silver flame
Dragonborn fighter (history less, the player is happy as long as he can drink ale and hit things over the head with a sword).
Shifter Ranger dual wield
Changeling/doppelganger wizard.
Any ideas, questions etc?
What other religion the rest of the party fallows?
Here's a thought.
The Silver Flame isn't unique. However, the one in Flamekeep is the only one human civilisation know about. Silver Flames manifest when a hero channeling the powers of godhood and mythical creatures (read couatl for the one in Flamekeep) decides to bind the rajah to himself.
The PCs through their adventuring could learn that they have to mimic the deeds of Tira Miron adjusted to this new rajah. But this time, they need to find out the new place, the ew weapons, the new allies required to defeat the new rajah.
Rekko
It already made one pass around the shores of Khorvaire not long ago, but now after one hundred and two years in the open seas its back. The ice lost some of its volume and the Overlord influence on his surrounding is even stronger then before and getting stronger with each passing month.
Now, you just need to plot a course for the Iceberg based on where the PCs start and where do you want them to go (clock wise, anti-clock wise - nor sure about the ocean currents) ... murderer, destruction and war will lead their way. as time pass his influence go deeper into the main land, some of his powerful loyal minions in the ice get released as well.
I think it will be interesting to have this influenced hot spots abruptly end when the Iceberg moves on. for example: a crime wave in Sharn ends just as some skirmish on the Zilargo-Darguun border starts which ends just as the Valenar raid on Karrnathi outposts - as to establish the pattern of influence clearly.
They are started in the Eldeen reaches with the starting quest from the DMG 4th.
After that they saved a Karrnathi princess from a bunch of shifters who abducted her. Then the Emerald Claw came took her necklace and rode of (its part of an eldritch machine). And she is an agent for the Dreaming dark herself (fully aware of it too, a bit like a Cylon from BSG).
The dragons have taken an interest in them after finding the dead one they slayed, but this has happened of camera.
And now a dwarf of the Arnum has paid them to recover an artifact from a castle in the demon wastes. (also a part of said eldritch machine).
This they do as hired blades from house Dennith (their main contact is a member of the emerald claw).
And thats about as far as i have come. I was thinking of mixing in the "dark side" speaker of the flame and maybe the great Lobster... but I don't know where I would put them quite yet... Besides one main super villain is enough for one quest chain I think. Have to have something for them too beat into a bloody pulp later on as well...
Hope this helps.
PS: Intruiging idea about the iceberg Gilo.
And I was thinking something along the lines of final binding flame etc as well Rekko. Sort of a fitting way for a silver flame cleric to end his career don't you think :D Hmm floating iceberg with a gargantuan silver flame on top of it floating around Khorvaire...
While the party is somewhere east of the Mournland, the cleric PC receives a magical message from Keeper of the Flame, Jaela Daran (in the form of her image and voice projected in the campfire). she urge him to divert to Stillwater Station following an augury received from the flame.
In the station they should look for a Warforged named Retsbol. But when the PCs arrive to the station they can't find him or anyone remembering a Warforged by that name ever visiting the station.
Later that night a near death Warforged named Retsbol walks out of the Mournland and into the station, he carries the crest of Cyre ached to his metal torso.
Retsbol claims to be a traveler from the future (1028YK), but the future he details is based on different events then the present Khorvaire:
In Retsbol timeline the Last War didn't end at 996YK it raged on for 30 years more (The day of Mourning never happened - But Retsbol is not aware of it) . Aundair is losings the war and King Adal (Aurala is in exile in Cyre) utilize a secret Arcanix project ("Manhattan project") in which they believe they can release and control the Raja Sul Khatesh (The Keeper of Secrets) from his prison below towers of Arcanix and use him to win the war (I wonder who gave him that idea).
The Chamber agents learn of this attempt and a flight of Dragons depart Argonnessen and destroys Arcanix - but they where too late - the Overlord Raja is free.
The nations of Khorvaire divert all their armies to help the Dragons defeat the Raja, but even the combined forces of the Dragons and the five nations armies can't defeat him.
one by one the lands of Khorvaire fall.
From their keep (now floating above Cyre) the Twelve use a time travel ritual to create a time-rift and send Retsbol back in time to 996YK so he can warn the nations, stop the war and prevent Sul Khatesh release. But unfortunately the time rift opening on the 996YK side of the timeline causes the day of Mourning.
Wounded and confused Retsbol wondered the Mournland for two years. On the other side of the timeline Cyre falls to the Overlord's minions which follow Retsbol through the time rift bent on insuring the Raja release.
Retsbol.... what an original name :P
Also I must admit that the idea about an ice prison struck a cord in my DM heart... would make a cool finishing battle...
The Aurum could serve as a cover for either group (Emerald Claw and Dreaming Dark). Note that the Sharn section of House Deneith has been
spoilers S:CoT
infiltrated by the Dreaming Dark