Adivce: Dragon/greed themed campaign - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Adivce: Dragon/greed themed campaign

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
shiftingsubtype
Jun 24, 2008 11:58:04 So I'm doing a heroic teir campaign based on a cult devoted to Tiamat. I figured what's D&D without the second D? I'd played for 10 years and never fought a dragon, so I decided to play with a few as a DM. I've doing slightly episodic modules where the PCs encounter various facets of greed and tyranny. In the first case, a merchant lord plans to sacrifice his daughter if she doesn't obey him. It's a bit more complicated, with the daughter's lover being turned into a Wight, but that's the greed facet. He desires a limited scope of power over his town and family. The dragon aspect comes into play because Tiamat will send a young white dragon to be the final boss for this arc of the campaign.

IF YOU'RE IN MY CAMPAIGN STOP READING.

Next, though, is where it gets weird. The PCs will travel to a city where there's a black dragon living in the city sewers. He has a minor artifact (or maybe a ritual) that allows him to steal the dreams of the citydwellers above, replacing them with nightmares. The greed here is that he's taking something thought to be untakeable. But that's the BBEG. What this results in, however, is that up on the surface the city has turned sort of Gotham-esque. Dark, creepy psychos are roaming the streets. People in power are slowly losing it. The city just looks strained on the outside, but close examination reveals something bad's going on. The PCs will see and hear a phrase repeated over and over until the finally figure it out (Stolen from The Spirit: "My City Screams!"). The final leg of this arc will be a delve into the expansive sewer system to fight the black dragon and return the dreams to the city.

So i have a couple questions. I need examples of how losing your dreams and having them replaced with nightmares would work. My initial idea was do a sort of Sweeny Todd things, workmen gone dark. I am thinking some dark things are also starting to creep up into the streets (sinister goblins, not the funny kinds) and what not. Secondly, would the dream stealing work better as an artifact or ritual? I doubt my players will want to keep it. Also, the players will be levels 2-4. somewhere in that range. likely 3. Also, any critique on how to make this effectively convincing is welcome. The repeated phrase idea was admittedly stolen from Dr.Who (bad wolf), because i like the idea of a collective unconcious crying for help.
#2
jerichoalar
Jun 24, 2008 12:56:34 highly recommend making it a ritual - in my experience players are less likely to try to abuse a spell[ritual] than an artifact because one is a tangible object and easily sold/used in a plot and the other is 'just a spell' and players are used to these sorts of things being routine.
#3
rentauri
Jun 24, 2008 13:26:42
So i have a couple questions. I need examples of how losing your dreams and having them replaced with nightmares would work.

Well, opinion here, some of the people will become insensitive to the Nightmares (depending on the length of the exposure) and sort of expect the world to reflect there nightmares, going so far as to re-create them. Still others would be reduced to near uselessness.

Secondly, would the dream stealing work better as an artifact or ritual? I doubt my players will want to keep it.

Well if the PC's are hired by say an Cult/Order of Bahamut to strike one against Tiamat then IF the 'dream catcher' is an item a condition of payment could be the returning of the item to the Order.

Also, any critique on how to make this effectively convincing is welcome. The repeated phrase idea was admittedly stolen from Dr.Who (bad wolf), because i like the idea of a collective unconcious crying for help.

If the PC's are staying in the village/city then they themselves should be starting to feel the effects. Tweaking the PC's is fun with things like this.

Don't tell them about the 'nightmares' at first as that would be a tip off to them. Instead as the days go by have tell the players about the 'uneasy' as they always feel watched but no rolling can find the target watching. Murmurs start randomly happening to, whispers in the dark and voices talking about various horrors plague a couple of the PC's. Also they seem to be seeing things, people attack them and they fight and 'kill' them the attackers seem to disappear with no trace. It should mess with the Players enough that by looking around they notice normal villagers also affected.
#4
shiftingsubtype
Jun 24, 2008 15:38:35 ooooooooooooh. I love the spectral fight idea. Fight them off and then they vanish? sounds fun. I think that'll be part 3. Part 1 is an intro to the town, maybe stop a crime syndicate, business as usual, but there's something darker than usual going on. Part two is a decidedly twisted mission, like stopping a serial killer while they see some citizenry freaking out. Part 3's a race against time to find the cause of the visions before the phantasms kill them. Part 4's the dragon.

I love it! Thanks

Any suggestions for a green dragon or a blue dragon with a different kind of greed?
#5
jerichoalar
Jun 24, 2008 16:28:13 blue dragon could have greed for natural resources (since it's traditionally arid climate associated this could be water or food supplies, etc) something desert, either sahara style or american west style would probably work, emphasis on the relative lack of water - exploring the surrounding land (fighting 'exotic' creatures to your campaign) to eventually find where the old stream was diverted into this amazing lush valley - an expansive jungle lair for your blue dragon in the middle of a desert, complete with treacherous terrain (water falls, rapids, dense foliage that you can run out across until something cuts the trees out from under you; etc)

defeating or driving off the dragon and breaking up the dam to get the water flowing back into town, or convincing the populous to relocate to the oasis could be the resolution of the plot arc.
#6
shiftingsubtype
Jun 24, 2008 17:12:33 Natural resources is good, i like that. Thanks. It actually ties in nicely with one of my PCs.
#7
rentauri
Jun 24, 2008 17:39:09 The Green Dragon are listed as being masters of negotiation and deceit. The dragon takes on the typical 'devil' persona using deceit and negotiation to from contracts that seem to give the person everything they want, until the contract kicks in and the person now has to fulfills the terms (that fills two purposes). Further as devils are listed as lusting for souls the Green Dragon may have a couple on retainer giving them the collected people filling their greed, while keeping whatever else was in the contract (land, jewelry, whatever). The Devils want the Green Dragon happy and healthy because it is very good at its job while the Green Dragon wants the Devils happy because it is an aspect of greed toward its god. This could also have larger ramifications if the PC's defeat the dragon as the Devils lose a nice cushy contract which may offer aspects of revenge.
#8
aaror
Jun 26, 2008 0:53:19 Also keep in mind that a green dragon's favorite food is elves...
Could you imagine a slaver caravan which attacks elven outposts and kidnaps the occupants to feed to the dragon?
#9
jerichoalar
Jun 26, 2008 12:59:27 aaror. now that sounds like a good plan!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 shiftingsubtype Jun 24, 2008 11:58:04	So I'm doing a heroic teir campaign based on a cult devoted to Tiamat. I figured what's D&D without the second D? I'd played for 10 years and never fought a dragon, so I decided to play with a few as a DM. I've doing slightly episodic modules where the PCs encounter various facets of greed and tyranny. In the first case, a merchant lord plans to sacrifice his daughter if she doesn't obey him. It's a bit more complicated, with the daughter's lover being turned into a Wight, but that's the greed facet. He desires a limited scope of power over his town and family. The dragon aspect comes into play because Tiamat will send a young white dragon to be the final boss for this arc of the campaign. IF YOU'RE IN MY CAMPAIGN STOP READING. Next, though, is where it gets weird. The PCs will travel to a city where there's a black dragon living in the city sewers. He has a minor artifact (or maybe a ritual) that allows him to steal the dreams of the citydwellers above, replacing them with nightmares. The greed here is that he's taking something thought to be untakeable. But that's the BBEG. What this results in, however, is that up on the surface the city has turned sort of Gotham-esque. Dark, creepy psychos are roaming the streets. People in power are slowly losing it. The city just looks strained on the outside, but close examination reveals something bad's going on. The PCs will see and hear a phrase repeated over and over until the finally figure it out (Stolen from The Spirit: "My City Screams!"). The final leg of this arc will be a delve into the expansive sewer system to fight the black dragon and return the dreams to the city. So i have a couple questions. I need examples of how losing your dreams and having them replaced with nightmares would work. My initial idea was do a sort of Sweeny Todd things, workmen gone dark. I am thinking some dark things are also starting to creep up into the streets (sinister goblins, not the funny kinds) and what not. Secondly, would the dream stealing work better as an artifact or ritual? I doubt my players will want to keep it. Also, the players will be levels 2-4. somewhere in that range. likely 3. Also, any critique on how to make this effectively convincing is welcome. The repeated phrase idea was admittedly stolen from Dr.Who (bad wolf), because i like the idea of a collective unconcious crying for help.
#2 jerichoalar Jun 24, 2008 12:56:34	highly recommend making it a ritual - in my experience players are less likely to try to abuse a spell[ritual] than an artifact because one is a tangible object and easily sold/used in a plot and the other is 'just a spell' and players are used to these sorts of things being routine.
#3 rentauri Jun 24, 2008 13:26:42	So i have a couple questions. I need examples of how losing your dreams and having them replaced with nightmares would work. Well, opinion here, some of the people will become insensitive to the Nightmares (depending on the length of the exposure) and sort of expect the world to reflect there nightmares, going so far as to re-create them. Still others would be reduced to near uselessness. Secondly, would the dream stealing work better as an artifact or ritual? I doubt my players will want to keep it. Well if the PC's are hired by say an Cult/Order of Bahamut to strike one against Tiamat then IF the 'dream catcher' is an item a condition of payment could be the returning of the item to the Order. Also, any critique on how to make this effectively convincing is welcome. The repeated phrase idea was admittedly stolen from Dr.Who (bad wolf), because i like the idea of a collective unconcious crying for help. If the PC's are staying in the village/city then they themselves should be starting to feel the effects. Tweaking the PC's is fun with things like this. Don't tell them about the 'nightmares' at first as that would be a tip off to them. Instead as the days go by have tell the players about the 'uneasy' as they always feel watched but no rolling can find the target watching. Murmurs start randomly happening to, whispers in the dark and voices talking about various horrors plague a couple of the PC's. Also they seem to be seeing things, people attack them and they fight and 'kill' them the attackers seem to disappear with no trace. It should mess with the Players enough that by looking around they notice normal villagers also affected.
#4 shiftingsubtype Jun 24, 2008 15:38:35	ooooooooooooh. I love the spectral fight idea. Fight them off and then they vanish? sounds fun. I think that'll be part 3. Part 1 is an intro to the town, maybe stop a crime syndicate, business as usual, but there's something darker than usual going on. Part two is a decidedly twisted mission, like stopping a serial killer while they see some citizenry freaking out. Part 3's a race against time to find the cause of the visions before the phantasms kill them. Part 4's the dragon. I love it! Thanks Any suggestions for a green dragon or a blue dragon with a different kind of greed?
#5 jerichoalar Jun 24, 2008 16:28:13	blue dragon could have greed for natural resources (since it's traditionally arid climate associated this could be water or food supplies, etc) something desert, either sahara style or american west style would probably work, emphasis on the relative lack of water - exploring the surrounding land (fighting 'exotic' creatures to your campaign) to eventually find where the old stream was diverted into this amazing lush valley - an expansive jungle lair for your blue dragon in the middle of a desert, complete with treacherous terrain (water falls, rapids, dense foliage that you can run out across until something cuts the trees out from under you; etc) defeating or driving off the dragon and breaking up the dam to get the water flowing back into town, or convincing the populous to relocate to the oasis could be the resolution of the plot arc.
#6 shiftingsubtype Jun 24, 2008 17:12:33	Natural resources is good, i like that. Thanks. It actually ties in nicely with one of my PCs.
#7 rentauri Jun 24, 2008 17:39:09	The Green Dragon are listed as being masters of negotiation and deceit. The dragon takes on the typical 'devil' persona using deceit and negotiation to from contracts that seem to give the person everything they want, until the contract kicks in and the person now has to fulfills the terms (that fills two purposes). Further as devils are listed as lusting for souls the Green Dragon may have a couple on retainer giving them the collected people filling their greed, while keeping whatever else was in the contract (land, jewelry, whatever). The Devils want the Green Dragon happy and healthy because it is very good at its job while the Green Dragon wants the Devils happy because it is an aspect of greed toward its god. This could also have larger ramifications if the PC's defeat the dragon as the Devils lose a nice cushy contract which may offer aspects of revenge.
#8 aaror Jun 26, 2008 0:53:19	Also keep in mind that a green dragon's favorite food is elves... Could you imagine a slaver caravan which attacks elven outposts and kidnaps the occupants to feed to the dragon?
#9 jerichoalar Jun 26, 2008 12:59:27	aaror. now that sounds like a good plan!