Help! I have no idea where to go with my campaign plot or how to turn the details into gameplay . - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 panosl Nov 16, 2011 10:11:11	I'm currently running a Dark Sun campaign. So far the players are helping key people in Tyr get elected into the council, these are members of powerful noble houses as well as the likes of the trade guilds the players are allied to. So far it seems as though their candidates are going to get in power and go to them for advice and help when needed. My next stage of the plot is to have a town owned by Uric revolt against their rule, free their slaves and turn to Tyr for help. Urician diplomats as well as diplomats from this town will come to see the council. The Uricians want the Tyrians to get the town to submit while the town wants the Tyrians help in defending itself. This however would be an act of war on the part of the the Tyrians. To complicate matters an important Urician noble family has been taken hostage by the town who revolted as they used to run the place. So the group will have to help with the decision as to what to do and then go to the town and decide to free the hostages/kill them or whatever else. Freeing them will buy time but eventually the Uricians will attack the town and if the Tyrians help will declare war and attack Tyr herself. But if the Tyrians do nothing they'll look weak, which will also eventually open them to attack but Uric who aready believes them weak as they have no sorcerer king anymore. So eventually Uric will attack Tyr, party will have to help in her defence. Then my idea is that one of the council members who the party got help electing will actually turn out to be a powerful deiler mage who've they've met in their questing before. She whas been raising an army and has orchestrated the events to get Uric to attack. She will arrive when Uric is attacking with her army and destroy them just as all hope is lost and then place herself as sorcerer queen with initially good intentions that eventually has her go mad with power? The party can ally with her or not, she'll have her opponents murdered and exiled so either the party will be her bitches or will be fighting against her having escaped. I just don't know where I'm going with it I guess, how to implement a lot of the details, if it makes any sense, if its too railroaded or if it's too much or if it will take too long to play out. What are peoples thoughts?
#2 Krusk Nov 16, 2011 11:28:13	Then my idea is that one of the council members who the party got help electing will actually turn out to be a powerful deiler mage who've they've met in their questing before. She whas been raising an army and has orchestrated the events to get Uric to attack. She will arrive when Uric is attacking with her army and destroy them just as all hope is lost Sort of railroad-ie . The PC won't actually be super grateful if she shows up at the last second and saves them. They will feel like "Well we didn't do anything, we are sort of useless." Have something where the PCs are vital for her to get her army there in time. Maybe they are too far, but if they gather ritual components she can teleport them in, or somehow rework it so it is the PCs army who shows up, and they appoint their best friend (sorcerer woman) as new sorcerer-king because they are too busy to rule the kingdom. They go off for awesome adventures, and end adventure. and then place herself as sorcerer queen with initially good intentions that eventually has her go mad with power? This is something that will take way too long to play out in game, or it will feel forced and rushed. Fast forward 20 years, maybe the same PCs but leveled some, or maybe the original PCs children, maybe totally new heroes who know the stories of the old PCs. They then have a new adventure where they take down the evil queen. The party can ally with her or not, she'll have her opponents murdered and exiled so either the party will be her bitches or will be fighting against her having escaped. If the party allies with her, and their reward is being her bitch, they won't do it. Have them join/found some form of resistance, and be exiled. Some thoughts.
#3 panosl Nov 16, 2011 11:39:25	Yeah I 100% agree about that being railroaded. My idea is to change it. The party will aid in the defence of Tyr through various missions and so on aided by Metis. Equally it will be suggested to allow sorcery to be used again in Tyr. This is because the Templars currently have no powers due to their being no sorcerer king and hence the town has no way to defend itself against magic. Metis will then reveal herself to be a preserver mage but will slowly get corrupted with power and turn to defiling and attempt to take over the council of Tyr ( if the city doesn't get captured of course) The party will have to try and stop her and or aid her in doing this. I think that's better and also allows the characters rise and fall and her personality to come out more for the party. Then as you say a long time down the line she becomes 'sorcerer queen.' I suppose 'her bitch' came off as somewhat wrong. They'd be hired to do jobs for her, just like any quest giver makes the party their bitch right? Indeed they could form a resistance and or be exiled to one of the other city states. Thanks for the advice, its helping mew brew up better and better ideas.
#4 yellowdingo Nov 17, 2011 3:11:35	In the lead up to the siege on the city, I suggest that they be hired to bring in the enemy - without their knowledge. Korlen the Physician: "I need some herbs from Arkon of Junwater a few miles outside the city, I will pay you a few gold coin to stop by and pick it up on your next courier mission for the Guild." DM: Korlen plans to introduce the herbs to the water supply to make the populace paranoid.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

panosl

Nov 16, 2011 10:11:11

I'm currently running a Dark Sun campaign. So far the players are helping key people in Tyr get elected into the council, these are members of powerful noble houses as well as the likes of the trade guilds the players are allied to. So far it seems as though their candidates are going to get in power and go to them for advice and help when needed.

My next stage of the plot is to have a town owned by Uric revolt against their rule, free their slaves and turn to Tyr for help. Urician diplomats as well as diplomats from this town will come to see the council. The Uricians want the Tyrians to get the town to submit while the town wants the Tyrians help in defending itself. This however would be an act of war on the part of the the Tyrians. To complicate matters an important Urician noble family has been taken hostage by the town who revolted as they used to run the place.

So the group will have to help with the decision as to what to do and then go to the town and decide to free the hostages/kill them or whatever else.

Freeing them will buy time but eventually the Uricians will attack the town and if the Tyrians help will declare war and attack Tyr herself. But if the Tyrians do nothing they'll look weak, which will also eventually open them to attack but Uric who aready believes them weak as they have no sorcerer king anymore.

So eventually Uric will attack Tyr, party will have to help in her defence.

Then my idea is that one of the council members who the party got help electing will actually turn out to be a powerful deiler mage who've they've met in their questing before. She whas been raising an army and has orchestrated the events to get Uric to attack. She will arrive when Uric is attacking with her army and destroy them just as all hope is lost and then place herself as sorcerer queen with initially good intentions that eventually has her go mad with power?

The party can ally with her or not, she'll have her opponents murdered and exiled so either the party will be her bitches or will be fighting against her having escaped.

I just don't know where I'm going with it I guess, how to implement a lot of the details, if it makes any sense, if its too railroaded or if it's too much or if it will take too long to play out.

What are peoples thoughts?

Krusk

Nov 16, 2011 11:28:13

Then my idea is that one of the council members who the party got help electing will actually turn out to be a powerful deiler mage who've they've met in their questing before. She whas been raising an army and has orchestrated the events to get Uric to attack. She will arrive when Uric is attacking with her army and destroy them just as all hope is lost

Sort of railroad-ie .

The PC won't actually be super grateful if she shows up at the last second and saves them. They will feel like "Well we didn't do anything, we are sort of useless." Have something where the PCs are vital for her to get her army there in time. Maybe they are too far, but if they gather ritual components she can teleport them in, or somehow rework it so it is the PCs army who shows up, and they appoint their best friend (sorcerer woman) as new sorcerer-king because they are too busy to rule the kingdom. They go off for awesome adventures, and end adventure.

and then place herself as sorcerer queen with initially good intentions that eventually has her go mad with power?

This is something that will take way too long to play out in game, or it will feel forced and rushed. Fast forward 20 years, maybe the same PCs but leveled some, or maybe the original PCs children, maybe totally new heroes who know the stories of the old PCs. They then have a new adventure where they take down the evil queen.

The party can ally with her or not, she'll have her opponents murdered and exiled so either the party will be her bitches or will be fighting against her having escaped.

If the party allies with her, and their reward is being her bitch, they won't do it. Have them join/found some form of resistance, and be exiled.

Some thoughts.

panosl

Nov 16, 2011 11:39:25

Yeah I 100% agree about that being railroaded. My idea is to change it. The party will aid in the defence of Tyr through various missions and so on aided by Metis. Equally it will be suggested to allow sorcery to be used again in Tyr. This is because the Templars currently have no powers due to their being no sorcerer king and hence the town has no way to defend itself against magic. Metis will then reveal herself to be a preserver mage but will slowly get corrupted with power and turn to defiling and attempt to take over the council of Tyr ( if the city doesn't get captured of course) The party will have to try and stop her and or aid her in doing this. I think that's better and also allows the characters rise and fall and her personality to come out more for the party. Then as you say a long time down the line she becomes 'sorcerer queen.'

I suppose 'her bitch' came off as somewhat wrong. They'd be hired to do jobs for her, just like any quest giver makes the party their bitch right? Indeed they could form a resistance and or be exiled to one of the other city states.

Thanks for the advice, its helping mew brew up better and better ideas.

yellowdingo

Nov 17, 2011 3:11:35

In the lead up to the siege on the city, I suggest that they be hired to bring in the enemy - without their knowledge.

Korlen the Physician: "I need some herbs from Arkon of Junwater a few miles outside the city, I will pay you a few gold coin to stop by and pick it up on your next courier mission for the Guild."
DM: Korlen plans to introduce the herbs to the water supply to make the populace paranoid.