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#1 the_devourer Aug 03, 2009 15:33:34

I haven't DM'd in a while, after being the exclusive DM for my regular group for almost 5 years (not normally a big deal, but when I've only been gaming for 6, it's a pain). I've had the last 6 monthes off, since i just finished my last campaign for a while, and have subsequently been able to play characters I have been aching to play (a charismatic Karrnathi corpse collector with a certain panache for blowing stuff up, a massive frenzied berserker known as Whirlwind [almost identical to Jade Empires Black Whirlwind] who had the honor of one-shot killing a balor, and a Paladin of the Silver Flame/Order of the Bow Initiate/Kensai who was deadly proficient with his bow). Now, there has been talk of me dm'ing again and I have an idea. It started out as a simple one night adventure concept (escape from Dreadhold), then a story emerged from it. As the initiation for the adventure, their cells are visited by an old woman, who makes them an offer. Serve her for a year, and have their freedom, or rot here in prison. They would accept, then instead of copping out and geasing them or something to make them adhere to the agreement, she would give each of them a small, gray beetle. Once they hold it, the beetle blends seemlessly into their flesh. The woman has another, larger beetler that works as a queen for the others. Kill the queen, and the others die as well. When they die, they emit a toxin more akin to a spell that results in the immediate death of the host (slay living cast continually for 10 rounds on the host, DC 20 to resist). The beetles are a custom thing, a beetle native to Mabar. Thought it'd be a cool way to get cohersion. Either way, the old woman would release the party without their gear (she's a lich in disguise, and that paralyzing touch goes a long way) to escape and meet her at an inn in Regalport (or some other city in the Principalities) where they can acquire their gear and get their missions. Which means they would still have to escape, find a way to shore, and then sneak all the way to the inn. The Lich I initially thought of Vol, but that would be too obvious and I really didn't want to use her, none of her goals would flow like I would want them to. So I thought about it for a bit, since I wanted someone new, and came up with an idea. In the Campaign Setting, it is explained that Kaius I was sent into a bloodlust by Vol and killed his family, wife included, then fled. My idea was that his wife at the time had just completed her phylactery (I can find no info on her aside from that one mention) and Kaius would be able to drain her blood. My group believes that lichdom doesn't automatically turn you into a skeletal person, so if you just finished your phylactery, then you would look normal. So in a moment of panic, she could just play dead as Kaius "drained" her. Now appearing as an old woman (having no blood in your body would cause that), she increased her power, then started hatching a plan to get her revenge upon Vol, Kaius, and any others she feels may have wronged her. So as a part of her plan, using the prisoners (the party), she would eliminate key members of various groups to slowly either acquire something, or simply strike at Vol. Also, Regent Moranna, Kaius' current wife, would be a target, since the lich (need a name for her), would feasibly be really ****** and jealous. Practically speaking, it is better for her to use her pawns, which she has logically dozens of, instead of striking herself in order to maintain her secrecy. So that explains why she isn't doing everything the party is out doing. The party might have reason to suspect she is a lich, but she will cover it (various spells to take care of it). The party would work as envoys, potentially assassin like characters (no paladins), and other various jobs like that. Also, word of their breakout would spread, leading to various groups hunting them (House Tharashk, Deneith, Phiarlan and Thuranni, in addition to any groups who wanted to see the individual characters in prison). What I need is critiques, ideas, and potential targets and missions.