Ideas for an Epic Ending - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Ideas for an Epic Ending

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
shinikama
Feb 13, 2009 15:55:42 First off, I'm not sure this is the perfect area for this, so feel free to ask a mod to move it if need be.

Second, If you're reading this, Kage, go away. This is information vital to the end of my campaign, and you won't have any fun if you read this. That goes for any of you who know a Kage from Phoenix, AZ.

Anyways...

(4e BTW)
I plan to end my campaign with a "flashback sequence" Ghosts of soldiers the PCs killed, phantoms of BBEGs and innocents they let die (or murdered), etc. At the end, they all get separated. Each person will face the darkness in their heart given physical form. Success grants a second chance, while failure... maybe death, but I'm not certain.

Now, on to what I need help with. I'm basing the "darkness" off of 3 traits that I'll be monitoring throughout the campaign: Depravity, Corruption, and Selfishness.

Depravity is amoral acts, lack of humanity, failure to do the right thing without any reward for being evil. Just bad. In the character's darkness, this will manifest as a greater degree of undead and necrotic traits.

Corruption is falling to temptation, dealing with evil people, and rationalizing evil acts as something not evil (one can be depraved and know it, one can deny it). This will manifest as infernal or demonic traits, as well as affecting the darkness's size.

Selfishness is "saving yourself first and screw the rest", not doing the right thing when you could, and greed. This will manifest as traits of the character that darkness belongs to, up to and including class templates.

I'd like help in thinking of general horrifying forms for these to take with different levels of each trait. A 0 in all scores would result in a child, whereas a 20 in all scores (my personal limit) would result in something like Orcus with a class template.

Any ideas?

EDIT: I'm dual-posting this in What's a DM to Do.
#2
gaaaaah
Feb 14, 2009 16:35:04 It sounds like something really interesting to try. The only issue that i can think of is that it is solo, nd your players may be used to fighting as a group. Also, it will take an extended period of time to run it for each player individually.
#3
sci_geek
Feb 14, 2009 19:58:44 A child sounds kind of strange... though I can see Stephen King turning this into a terrifying vision... :P

How about having them face not some beast, but themselves, twisted by the depravity, corruption and selfishness of their acts. If a character is particularly vain, make him horribly deformed, for instance. Especially if he was driven to any of the three sins you're keeping track of because of vanity.

Also, if you know your players well, maybe you could play with their fears, for a more visceral response. Nothing dramatic, though, since I think you'd like them to still be your friends after the game is over.

Your idea is great, but I sometimes find that players don't relate too much to their characters. I hope this is not the case with your players, though.
#4
shinikama
Feb 15, 2009 10:03:12
A child sounds kind of strange... though I can see Stephen King turning this into a terrifying vision... :P

How about having them face not some beast, but themselves, twisted by the depravity, corruption and selfishness of their acts. If a character is particularly vain, make him horribly deformed, for instance. Especially if he was driven to any of the three sins you're keeping track of because of vanity.

Also, if you know your players well, maybe you could play with their fears, for a more visceral response. Nothing dramatic, though, since I think you'd like them to still be your friends after the game is over.

Your idea is great, but I sometimes find that players don't relate too much to their characters. I hope this is not the case with your players, though.

Well, the creatures will kinda resemble themselves... I want to base abilities off of Selfishness, so I could do that.

Maybe have it start as them, then grow twisted...

I know these players VERY well. We all went to school together, and that was years ago. One is my brother, another is my girlfriend. They ALL get attached to their characters (Best friend is currently playing a Shadar-Kai ranger. Everytime he sees a deathpriest or other follower of Orcus he goes berserk. He roleplays this berserk-ness quite well.)

The child would probably be themselves at a young age. It represents their purity of heart. No encounter here, maybe a simple skill challenge to pass.
The pure ones would also gain a small, one-use item that does something cool (like gain teleport 5 for the encounter or something awesome). The redeemed would have their lives and a new outlook. The ones who failed... Maybe not dead, but punished in some way.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 shinikama Feb 13, 2009 15:55:42	First off, I'm not sure this is the perfect area for this, so feel free to ask a mod to move it if need be. Second, If you're reading this, Kage, go away. This is information vital to the end of my campaign, and you won't have any fun if you read this. That goes for any of you who know a Kage from Phoenix, AZ. Anyways... (4e BTW) I plan to end my campaign with a "flashback sequence" Ghosts of soldiers the PCs killed, phantoms of BBEGs and innocents they let die (or murdered), etc. At the end, they all get separated. Each person will face the darkness in their heart given physical form. Success grants a second chance, while failure... maybe death, but I'm not certain. Now, on to what I need help with. I'm basing the "darkness" off of 3 traits that I'll be monitoring throughout the campaign: Depravity, Corruption, and Selfishness. Depravity is amoral acts, lack of humanity, failure to do the right thing without any reward for being evil. Just bad. In the character's darkness, this will manifest as a greater degree of undead and necrotic traits. Corruption is falling to temptation, dealing with evil people, and rationalizing evil acts as something not evil (one can be depraved and know it, one can deny it). This will manifest as infernal or demonic traits, as well as affecting the darkness's size. Selfishness is "saving yourself first and screw the rest", not doing the right thing when you could, and greed. This will manifest as traits of the character that darkness belongs to, up to and including class templates. I'd like help in thinking of general horrifying forms for these to take with different levels of each trait. A 0 in all scores would result in a child, whereas a 20 in all scores (my personal limit) would result in something like Orcus with a class template. Any ideas? EDIT: I'm dual-posting this in What's a DM to Do.
#2 gaaaaah Feb 14, 2009 16:35:04	It sounds like something really interesting to try. The only issue that i can think of is that it is solo, nd your players may be used to fighting as a group. Also, it will take an extended period of time to run it for each player individually.
#3 sci_geek Feb 14, 2009 19:58:44	A child sounds kind of strange... though I can see Stephen King turning this into a terrifying vision... :P How about having them face not some beast, but themselves, twisted by the depravity, corruption and selfishness of their acts. If a character is particularly vain, make him horribly deformed, for instance. Especially if he was driven to any of the three sins you're keeping track of because of vanity. Also, if you know your players well, maybe you could play with their fears, for a more visceral response. Nothing dramatic, though, since I think you'd like them to still be your friends after the game is over. Your idea is great, but I sometimes find that players don't relate too much to their characters. I hope this is not the case with your players, though.
#4 shinikama Feb 15, 2009 10:03:12	A child sounds kind of strange... though I can see Stephen King turning this into a terrifying vision... :P How about having them face not some beast, but themselves, twisted by the depravity, corruption and selfishness of their acts. If a character is particularly vain, make him horribly deformed, for instance. Especially if he was driven to any of the three sins you're keeping track of because of vanity. Also, if you know your players well, maybe you could play with their fears, for a more visceral response. Nothing dramatic, though, since I think you'd like them to still be your friends after the game is over. Your idea is great, but I sometimes find that players don't relate too much to their characters. I hope this is not the case with your players, though. Well, the creatures will kinda resemble themselves... I want to base abilities off of Selfishness, so I could do that. Maybe have it start as them, then grow twisted... I know these players VERY well. We all went to school together, and that was years ago. One is my brother, another is my girlfriend. They ALL get attached to their characters (Best friend is currently playing a Shadar-Kai ranger. Everytime he sees a deathpriest or other follower of Orcus he goes berserk. He roleplays this berserk-ness quite well.) The child would probably be themselves at a young age. It represents their purity of heart. No encounter here, maybe a simple skill challenge to pass. The pure ones would also gain a small, one-use item that does something cool (like gain teleport 5 for the encounter or something awesome). The redeemed would have their lives and a new outlook. The ones who failed... Maybe not dead, but punished in some way.