First, the generic world setting.
There are four main nations in the world. Tizzet, Gelon, Chek, and Mecin. Tizzet and Mecin have been on the brink of war for several years now, and anyone who pays attention to politics much will know that it's only a matter of time before the war actually breaks out.
Tizzet is a nation of scholars and mages, who value knowledge above all else. They acknowledge that the gods exist, and most of them pay obesience to at least one god, but they believe that power can only come from within oneself, and that the gods are just to motivate individuals to strive to accomplish the most that they can.
Mecin, however, is a pious nation of priests and clerics. They believe that mortals can do nothing without the god's assistance. As such, they feel that praise should be given whenever a notable accomplishment is acheived. A warrior who triumphs on the battlefield, despite overwhelming odds, should shout praises to Heironeous and Kord. A rouge who discovers ancient abandoned ruins in his travels should sing to the glory of Farlehgan, for allowing his feet to tread that ground. The difference in viewpoint between Mecin and Tizzet is what creates all the tension, and is the believed cause behind the inevitable war.
Chek is a nation of nomads. No organized government, all the people who live there are considered savages by most of the rest of the world. Chek is a flat land, with few mountains, and only sparse forests. The people are a tribal people, who live in harmony with nature as best they can. They are typically a very civil people, who never show aggression or anger, unless provoked. No permanent settlements, they own nothing that they cannot carry with them.
Gelon is the northernmost of the nations. A nation of soldiers and warriors, they see little use for magic, though they do acknowledge it has it's place. It's been staying out of the brewing war between Tizzet and Mecin, as far as anyone can tell. What magic-users squabble over is their own business.
Anyway, the party starts off in a neutral town called Niggedo, which is a fairly small, but prosperous mining and smithing town. This town holds blacksmithing in the highest regard, to the point where being accepted as a Blacksmith's apprentice is considered the greatest honor you can receive. The reason the various group members are there I will leave to the player's backstories, suffice it to say they're there. After they have a little while to settle in, one of the people who had been at the mine that day come staggering into town, badly wounded. He explains that the main mine had been overrun by Goblins, and asks for help. They mayor is reluctant to send the town guard, concerned that this may be a diversion to get the town to let it's guard down so they can come in and slaughter the women and children. So he makes a decree that any person or group that manages to recover the mine will be given 500 gold each. The smithing guild in town also adds on that they will forge one item, which is within their capacity, for each person in said group for free. Now, within their capacity means non-enchanted, since none of them are casters, but the party may or may not know that.
Anyway, they make their way to the mine, which has a large number of Goblins, a fair number of Hobgoblins, and one or two Bugbears in it, each with HD appropriate to the average party level (which is 4). Among the loot of the creatures, the party will find several different kinds of weapons and light armor, one Clear Ioun Stone, and the boss monster (a 4th level Hobgoblin Fighter) will have a small wooden shield, a +1 Short Sword, and a suit of +1 Leather armor.
After clearing out the mine, they have one or two other tasks that are presented to them, which they can choose to do or not (not sure what they'll be). Then, they are confronted by two different individuals in rapid succession. One is a representative of Mecin, the other from Tizzet. Both present the same offer, which is to join their respective countries military forces for the war against the other nation. Both tell the group that the other side will only lie about them, and should not be trusted. The Tizzet representative refers to the Mecins as fanatic religious zealots, while the Mecin representative calls the Tizziens heretics. The group then has to decide to join either one army or the other, or neither.
Regardless of their choice, there will be clues that there is more to this war than meets the eye. Doing some digging and investigating, they will find out that both sides are being manipulated by Gelon, who plans to have the two magic-using nations fight it out amongst themselves, and then come in and sweep through, mopping up what remains with minimal losses and risk to their own forces. The group can then decide to stop Gelon, or aid them.
Aaaand that's all I've got. Can anyone help me extend this, as well as ironing out some issues and whatnot in the story?
Why all of the sudden did the goblins take over the mine? What pushed the goblins et al to take over the mine? I am seeing a fifth group interest with the mine. Who is it and what do they want? Are the Chek's really behind it all because their population needs to expand? Do the Chek's have a magic item that they know can control the Gelon's? Or are the Chek's being manipulated by someone else who wants the Gelon's defeated after the Tizzets and Mecin are defeated.
Theres a good start
And as for what ties them all in, and the other questions Drin mentioned, the mountain that the town is built on only produces mithril from one mine, which is the first mine that was established on the mountain. No one knows why, but no one's been able to find it anywhere else in the mountain. The reason for that is because an ancient creature, who's hide is made of pure mithril, was sealed beneath that mountainous cavern ages ago. When it was sealed, two ancient relics were made. One was the key to unsealing the creature, the other the key to controlling it. But neither nation knows what the relics do, simply what they are. The leader of Gelon was told about these relics, and was told that bringing the two together would give him incredible power. So he began orchistrating things to get Tizzet and Mecin to fight each other, so he can come in and mop up the remains. The leader was mislead, however, by someone who did know what both relics do, and who wants to release the creature, to use it for whatever purpose. Maybe he wants to destroy everything, maybe he wants the world to bow down at his feet, I haven't decided yet.
I know it's pretty cliche, but it works, I think. What do you all think?
I think the concept is a great one, and your ideas for war are interesting. I have worked with a campaign similar to this one and I found that Heros of Battle is a great help with big battle scenes.
I think as people have said before, the people of Chek need to be affected somehow... maybe their dry plains catch fire when a battle on the border (of which ever nation borders Chek) includes fireballs and meteor storms. Or maybe the herds catch a disease because of all the arcane pollution.
And one thing I missed, which nation is Niggedo located? I do believe that is important for the PC's and to what the general attitude of the NPC's are.
Here's an idea: :lightbulb have the surviving goblinoids retreat back deeper into the mountains. Then when the fighting between the two nations start, have the goblins be pushed out of their lands and into Chek. So becuase they are a weak nation, the goblins enslave them and make Chek their land. The new leader of Chek could then call on a horde of ogres, orcs, trolls, goblinoids, and other evil humanoids to bring to his new land.
Then you could have a three-way war between the first two nations, and then the third nation (now ruled by monsters) could raid/attack both sides when they least expect it. And maybe they even choose a side.
I am just throwin out some random ideas, you can use what you like. Just trying to be helpful. I am intrigued with this and I will keep checking in on this thread from time to time.
Anyone else have any comments or ideas for this?
Always.
I'd think about making the common folk more generic in both nations, but each ruled by a magocracy/theocracy as the case may be. Farmers are farmers, yaknow? They'd probably respect magic more in one nation and piety more in the other, but largely they wouldn't necessarily mirror their ruling classes.
I like the concepts overall; the whole thing about the creature imprisoned in the mountain is cool. Something I might use sometime. What does the nation of warrior-types have to gain from taking over? Does he know about the creature and hope to control it?
The nomadic nation would be fun to involve too. There could be a secret organization within the society that aims to just weaken the other three nations so as to take pressure off themselves, and are willing to do whatever it takes to do it. Perhaps they have an advisor to the warrior nation's leader on their side subtly manipulating things?
By the way, the question was posed where the starting town is? I thought about it, and I think I'll have it as one of the few permanent settlements in Chek. At the base of one of the few mountains of Chek. Give the players an idea that there's more to it than meets the eye.
Also, a friend suggested changing the creature from having a mithril hide to a hide of Cold Iron, since it apparently has magic-resistant qualities, and making the mine unusually cold all the time. I thought it seemed like a good idea, what about you guys?