Inspiration for a plot device - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Inspiration for a plot device

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
dakroell
Jun 21, 2011 23:18:47 I'm running a homebrew 4e D&D game in which the major empire of the world has "sealed" the material world, feywild, and shadowfell from the touch of the other planes. The sealing was done to protect humanoids from a far-realm invasion happening and to defy the gods who caused the war to begin. Sealing the material plane was done through the use of ancient magical devices that have been dubbed Sisafas stones, whose origins are a mystery. For my own story purposes the gods at this time were all present in either the astra sea or the elemental chaos.

I like the idea of adding a twist to the story by having the players discover the true intentions behind the stones power, but have it not be what the players expected. The stones have seemingly done their job in preventing the gods and far realm creatures, but perhaps this is merely a side effect of their true purpose. Any thoughts on what the purpose could be and make it an issue the players will have to deal with in time?
#2
khorne37
Jun 22, 2011 10:43:57 Well if your world is sealed from the astral plane then maybe these stone collect souls that would otherwise move to the astral sea. Maybe once the stone has enough souls a tarrasque is born and the dawn war begins a new.

I would definatly make it some sort of power collection device that would allow the primordials enough power to over throw the gods.
#3
pruano
Jun 22, 2011 10:53:20 A devil (or a cabal) could have masterminded the plot to remove the oposition and gain great and unique influence in the material world.

He would subtly influence NPCs of good nature and in positions of great power, making them believe it was their own decision and for the greater benefit of the races of the material world to create the sealing stones (which could even be of his own creation, but he would tell heroes how to find them).

The plan worked, and the influence of the devil/cabal has increased, although still remaining a secret; any leaks are swiftly eliminated and attributed to raiding parties from the planes than eventually come through, to sow distrust and keep the fear.
#4
dakroell
Jun 22, 2011 15:29:41 Thanks for the replies. I'm going to do a mix of the ideas and use the BBEG who I had thought about using for the game as the creator of the stones. The stones being devices that create the barrier in order to prevent souls from finding there way to the afterlife and instead abosorbing them. The idea works well with the heavy undead theme of the game in general.
#5
Castlemaster
Jun 27, 2011 11:40:38 Just remember, sometimes a fortress can also be a prison.
#6
ubbersheep
Jun 28, 2011 9:26:16 I'm digging what Castlemaster said. You could make the items devour or absorb planes of existence into themselves, this would cause an unbalance in the multiverse that has unsettling effects even on the 'sealed planes'. You could also do something that's the opposite of that, where the core planes are absorbed...
#7
khorne37
Jun 28, 2011 11:13:12 Perhaps the Other planes are encased in the stones or the material plane feywild and shadowfell are in the stones and they manifest in themselves if that makes sense.
#8
ToeSama
Jun 28, 2011 11:15:34 Conversly, the stones could not be malign at all. They could be true to their purpose and the PCs are being misled in an effort to destroy the stones for whatever purpose (Far Realm invasion or what-have-you), Would certainly throw them for a loop when they find out they were the bad guys all along.
#9
theapokalypseshovel
Jun 28, 2011 12:19:39 The stones are god eggs, developed both as a means to protect the material realm but also as a weapon to win the Far Realm war for the humanoids and defeat the gods. They sit storing up the energy of souls of the deceased to empower a man-made god. Unfortunately, like most that man has touched, it is tainted by ambition and if the new being arises it will bring chaos to all of reality.
#10
khorne37
Jun 28, 2011 13:32:08 The stones are a fake and don't really seal off the planes from one another. Some other power does...
#11
ubbersheep
Jun 28, 2011 13:57:45
What if they do the reverse, and are actually portals that will open, at a designated moment, and unleash an apocolypse!

Or mayne they do exactly as they're supposed to, but they have been damaged, or are weakened, and are about to die, the forces in the Far Realms are preparing for a massive invasion, and the PCs now need to find a way to fix the stones, discover/build more, or something like that, maybe they have to travel into a different plane to find the beings that created the old one, and have them build more...
#12
sciborg3
Jun 28, 2011 23:23:12 The stones are poisoning the Far Realms, even the innocent (albeit insane) beings there. As a result the Far Realms are trying to find a cure in the Astral Sea, and this conflux of energy is creating daelkyr from the angels.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dakroell Jun 21, 2011 23:18:47	I'm running a homebrew 4e D&D game in which the major empire of the world has "sealed" the material world, feywild, and shadowfell from the touch of the other planes. The sealing was done to protect humanoids from a far-realm invasion happening and to defy the gods who caused the war to begin. Sealing the material plane was done through the use of ancient magical devices that have been dubbed Sisafas stones, whose origins are a mystery. For my own story purposes the gods at this time were all present in either the astra sea or the elemental chaos. I like the idea of adding a twist to the story by having the players discover the true intentions behind the stones power, but have it not be what the players expected. The stones have seemingly done their job in preventing the gods and far realm creatures, but perhaps this is merely a side effect of their true purpose. Any thoughts on what the purpose could be and make it an issue the players will have to deal with in time?
#2 khorne37 Jun 22, 2011 10:43:57	Well if your world is sealed from the astral plane then maybe these stone collect souls that would otherwise move to the astral sea. Maybe once the stone has enough souls a tarrasque is born and the dawn war begins a new. I would definatly make it some sort of power collection device that would allow the primordials enough power to over throw the gods.
#3 pruano Jun 22, 2011 10:53:20	A devil (or a cabal) could have masterminded the plot to remove the oposition and gain great and unique influence in the material world. He would subtly influence NPCs of good nature and in positions of great power, making them believe it was their own decision and for the greater benefit of the races of the material world to create the sealing stones (which could even be of his own creation, but he would tell heroes how to find them). The plan worked, and the influence of the devil/cabal has increased, although still remaining a secret; any leaks are swiftly eliminated and attributed to raiding parties from the planes than eventually come through, to sow distrust and keep the fear.
#4 dakroell Jun 22, 2011 15:29:41	Thanks for the replies. I'm going to do a mix of the ideas and use the BBEG who I had thought about using for the game as the creator of the stones. The stones being devices that create the barrier in order to prevent souls from finding there way to the afterlife and instead abosorbing them. The idea works well with the heavy undead theme of the game in general.
#5 Castlemaster Jun 27, 2011 11:40:38	Just remember, sometimes a fortress can also be a prison.
#6 ubbersheep Jun 28, 2011 9:26:16	I'm digging what Castlemaster said. You could make the items devour or absorb planes of existence into themselves, this would cause an unbalance in the multiverse that has unsettling effects even on the 'sealed planes'. You could also do something that's the opposite of that, where the core planes are absorbed...
#7 khorne37 Jun 28, 2011 11:13:12	Perhaps the Other planes are encased in the stones or the material plane feywild and shadowfell are in the stones and they manifest in themselves if that makes sense.
#8 ToeSama Jun 28, 2011 11:15:34	Conversly, the stones could not be malign at all. They could be true to their purpose and the PCs are being misled in an effort to destroy the stones for whatever purpose (Far Realm invasion or what-have-you), Would certainly throw them for a loop when they find out they were the bad guys all along.
#9 theapokalypseshovel Jun 28, 2011 12:19:39	The stones are god eggs, developed both as a means to protect the material realm but also as a weapon to win the Far Realm war for the humanoids and defeat the gods. They sit storing up the energy of souls of the deceased to empower a man-made god. Unfortunately, like most that man has touched, it is tainted by ambition and if the new being arises it will bring chaos to all of reality.
#10 khorne37 Jun 28, 2011 13:32:08	The stones are a fake and don't really seal off the planes from one another. Some other power does...
#11 ubbersheep Jun 28, 2011 13:57:45	What if they do the reverse, and are actually portals that will open, at a designated moment, and unleash an apocolypse! Or mayne they do exactly as they're supposed to, but they have been damaged, or are weakened, and are about to die, the forces in the Far Realms are preparing for a massive invasion, and the PCs now need to find a way to fix the stones, discover/build more, or something like that, maybe they have to travel into a different plane to find the beings that created the old one, and have them build more...
#12 sciborg3 Jun 28, 2011 23:23:12	The stones are poisoning the Far Realms, even the innocent (albeit insane) beings there. As a result the Far Realms are trying to find a cure in the Astral Sea, and this conflux of energy is creating daelkyr from the angels.