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Silus
2013-06-26, 01:31 PM
Ok, I know I have a thread regarding a similar topic, but this one is specifically tailored to figuring out either A) how to tailor an existing campaign to this set of characters, or B) if it's even possible to do so.

The Players:
Lawful Neutral Half-Elf Magus. The current "moral compass" of the group. Often is told to shut up by the two LE players.

Lawful Evil Human Fighter. Motivated by, I assume, power (wants to become a Graveknight).

Lawful Evil Cleric. Also motivated by power. Wants to set himself up as a living God.

Chaotic Neutral Drow Sorcerer/Rogue. Motivated by greed (simple enough to work with).

Lawful Neutral Drow Ranger/Fighter. Not sure of motivation at this time.

Plot exposition in full (Warning, Wall'o Text):
Firstly, the world the campaign takes place on has no magical creatures. No dragons, no Displacer beasts, no Griffons, Harpies, etc. The reason is that because of the lack of such overly magical and hostile creatures, society, magic and technology levels have ben allowed to grow to an almost Industrial age level. In addition, the world is planarly locked (more on this later), disallowing divine contact and any interaction with planar beings/creatures (angels, demons, etc.). Since there is limited "proper" divine power (barring Druids which make up the majority of the Divine casters), there is a disproportionate amount of Arcane magic to Divine magic. Magi (That being the PF class of Magus) take the social role of Paladins as keepers of the peace and Clerics are rare but not unheard of. (more elaboration will be provided upon request)

So, plot/backstory time.
Over 1000 years ago, the world existed without the planar barrier. The inhabitants enjoyed relatively constant contact with dieties and planar beings. For all intents and purposes, it was the typical fantasy setting, save for the lack of the aforementioned magical creatures. However, a change began to occur. The Gods wanted more of a hand in the lives of mortals. Divine judgements were passed on people on a daily basis. Holy wars began to serve the God's wills and whims. It was clear that the world would devolve into senseless religious infighting unless something was done.

Sick of all the fighting, a scientist named Ju'Leia (A Fey-Creature Elf who immigrated to the world) conferred with three other powerful entities--The Oracle (An impossibly large Giant Owl with the ability to read the future), the Librarian (A sphinx named Lily who guards a pocket dimension that contains a massive library) and the Warlord (The only remaining dragon on the world). Ju'Leia proposed cutting off the Deities from the world, along with their messengers in the hopes that in doing so the senseless fighting would cease and that the mortals would not have to deal with the fickle whims of the Gods.

Needless to say, they succeeded after several years. But in doing so, they brought about the worst fighting the world had known. Without the Gods and their guidance, things devolved into anarchy. When Ju'Leia questioned the Oracle, he simply responded with "This is the way it has to be".

The four eventually went their own ways. The Oracle found a home atop the World-Tree Calastiss in the north and had a hand in the creation of the druid city-state that grew at the base and interior of the tree. He has also achieved Lich status and routinely advises the druids regarding future events. The Librarian secluded herself amongst her books, slipping into legend among the people of the Kasari Desert. The Warlord, having witnessed the extermination of what few dragons remained after the mass exodus prior to the barrier being erected, withdrew from the world and sought an existence of undeath. Not even myths of him remain. As for Ju'Leia, she carved out a nation of her own, offering asylum from the fighting. She eventually took the position of Queen at the behest of her people, who considered her to be a wise and benevolent ruler. She has ruled ever since, advising the younger rulers should they come calling.

Act 1:
So this is how things were planned to go:

The players arrive in Tamaria, the capital city of the Queen's territory. Over 1000 years has passed since the barrier was erected and people are under the impression that it's always been there. The PCs get wind of a money making opportunity regarding retrieving a runaway construct (Constructs and golems being a rather popular business the that day and age). The PCs eventually track down the construct only to find that it has a mind of its own and is terrified of going back, lest it be dismantled. The PCs must choose between destroying the construct for a hefty cash reward, returning it to the engineering guild that posted the want ad in the first place, or help the construct escape. Helping the construct escape takes the PCs to the Queen's palace, located outside of the city in a vast Black Forest type wood. The Queen (using illusions to hide her Fey nature) grants the construct asylum and requests that the PCs go investigate a recently started SETI like program in Tamaria. The Queen is concerned that those involved in the SETI program (Divine Casters) will try to breech the barrier. If the PCs opted to return or destroy the construct, they cut in here (though slightly differently).

Upon investigation (walking to the building) fo the SETI complex, the whole thing erupts in a massive explosion/implosion, resulting in a massive planar rift. Out of the rift steps the Herald (A Denizen of Leng with levels in Summoner charged with cracking open the world for slaving). Before a fight breaks out, the Herald teleports away, content that he at least made it to the world in one piece. The PCs either go back to or get contacted by the Queen regarding the explosion. Since she knows what this means, she sends the PCs off to Calastiss to speak with the Oracle about the Herald's plan and how to stop it, lest the barrier fall and the world be open for invasion and divine subjugation once more.

The PCs head for the World-Tree/Druid City (while doing a Werewolf encounter along the way involving surviving the night), meet with the Arch-Druid (and may challenge them for the position if one is a Druid) and get directions to the Oracle. They set out, battling overly large wildlife until they come to the Oracle's residence in a dying section of the World-Tree. The Oracle tells them that the Herald is attempting to break the barrier to increase his people's slaving locations and that if he succeeds, then the barrier will fall (like bulldozing through a load bearing wall) and the world will shine like a beacon to all the outer planes like a sign offering an all you can eat soul buffet. He tells the PCs that there are three locations that they must go to get information regarding how the Herald will drop the barrier: Ju'Leia's old research station on the Scarabian Penninsula (where they learn of, among other things, Ju'Leia's involvement in the barrier project), where the barrier was initially activated, The Library of the Sands, to seek information regarding existing planar based magical items and how one would even go about breaking the barrier, and a mountain monastery where the Warlord has since retired to learn of just what they are fighting.

So the PCs head off to the three locations in whatever order they deem fit. All their information points them to a lost Gate in the ruined city of Azargash, also known the City of Ghosts. The city was sunken around the time of the barrier and now resides in what would be termed as the "Underdark" or "Darklands" of the world. The PCs must travel to the Dwarven city of Bastion (a massive industrial city) and take a tram down to the Drow city of Markibyr (The Drow are more amoral scientists than spider worshippers here). From there they descend into the Depths and must pass through either the Midnight Forest (A "Lost World" type location of underground jungles and whatnot) or the Halls of Iron (A ruined and crashed spacecraft that predates the barrier by several thousand years). Either way eventually leads to Azargash, which lies out in a massive underground sea (though thankfully not 100% sunken) where they encounter the Herald properly (who up until now flitted in and out only long enough to grab things then port out). They fight the Herald at the Gate, which he manages to hold open for a few seconds. The PCs eventually slay the Herald, who, with his dying worlds, inform the PCs that they have stopped nothing.

Act 2:
The PCs return to the Queen with information of the Herald's demise and the news that nothing has really been prevented. What follows is equal parts Diplomancy and Kingdom Building, as the Queen informs them that the barrier will eventually fall and that it's only a matter of time (a few years). They are tasked with gathering an army and preparing to repel all boarders when the Barrier falls.

So regardless of how well the PCs do, rifts began opening and and the outer planes begin bleeding into the world, creating beachheads for the infernal and fiendish armies. The PCs must push these forces back and attempt to close the portals. The outsiders eventually begin marching on the World Tree when the Queen asks them PCs to either A) lead the defense of the city-state, or B) come with her to gather some last minute allies. If they take option B, the Queen reveals her Fey nature and tells them they're going to the Fey Realm and getting an army.

The final battle is the outsiders besieging the World Tree and the PCs either mounting the defenses and trying to keep the evil forces at bay, or riding in Rohan style atop a massive land-ship pulled by Bandersnatches and backed by thousands of Fey creatures. There's fighting all over and the PCs eventually come toe-to-toe with the General (Likely a Pit Fiend). Upon killing the General, the fiendish forces are routed and pushed back to their last portal. Barring stragglers, the world is safe once again.

Epilogue
The PCs are given a choice here:
A) They may ascend to Godhood as part of the new pantheon as reward for repelling a Blood War sized invasion.
B) They can lead an expedition to stabilize the last portal and set up a beachhead on the Outer Planes to take the fight to the fiends/demons/daemons

Or they could, ya know, start new characters or something.

Problems: From what I've experienced thus far, this campaign relies unusually heavily on PC cooperation, which I can't seem to get with this group. Apparently "save the world from an impending fiendish invasion" isn't on the books for evil/amoral characters. I can't think of any ways to properly change the story or hooks to help get the PCs involved.

Barsoom
2013-06-26, 01:36 PM
This group is more likely to follow the trail of gold than anything else. Just promise them there's plenty of gold to be had in stopping the fiendish invasion.

Totally Guy
2013-06-26, 02:30 PM
You have evil characters in the party? That's great! Evil tends to be proactive whereas good tends to be reactive. So you can just ask them what the plan is. They know the world is in peril, right? Ask them how they can exploit that and stay safe and make the game about the character doing that.

Silus
2013-06-26, 03:10 PM
You have evil characters in the party? That's great! Evil tends to be proactive whereas good tends to be reactive. So you can just ask them what the plan is. They know the world is in peril, right? Ask them how they can exploit that and stay safe and make the game about the character doing that.

Well not so much with the knowjng the world is in danger thing. They know a rift opened up, but it seems that they don't much care. Their reason for leaving Tamaria was 1) they pissed off the commander of the city guard, 2) are likely wanted for at least three murders, and 3) the SETI complex exploded and they don't much want to be in a city with exploding stuff. So they jumped right to the Research center and my task at the moment is getting them BACK to Tamaria to meet with the Queen so they can get the proper exposition and lowdown on what is happening.

Totally Guy
2013-06-26, 03:50 PM
Wait, I remember now. I asked if who the characters were mattered, and you said it didn't.

It looks like you were mistaken and it mattered who the main characters were after all.

I think you've got to roll with the characters have chosen to do. I mean, it's not like you don't have a situation! There are people that are pissed off with your main characters and the world is just filled with conflict. Play to find to what'll happen next. Challenge them and let disaster find them.

Exposition? Show, don't tell.

Silus
2013-06-28, 03:32 AM
Wait, I remember now. I asked if who the characters were mattered, and you said it didn't.

It looks like you were mistaken and it mattered who the main characters were after all.

I think you've got to roll with the characters have chosen to do. I mean, it's not like you don't have a situation! There are people that are pissed off with your main characters and the world is just filled with conflict. Play to find to what'll happen next. Challenge them and let disaster find them.

Exposition? Show, don't tell.

Ok, so basically scrap the plot/run it in the background and improv the character's descent into evil and debauchery along with all the people that come after them?

Totally Guy
2013-06-28, 04:19 AM
Yes and no.

By presuming you know what they will choose to do you've missed the point.

Let them play their characters but use your opposition to ask questions about who they are and find out what they'll do. Ask the players what their plans are, as soon as they have plans they automatically have something in the game that they care about.

You have a situation in your game world. Intersect the PC's plans with your situation.

The best game I've ever run was about evil PCs. As soon as their plans became legitimate game content they were all over it and coming up with really good stuff.

It might seem like a crazy approach if you've only ever written plots out in advance but give it a go. It's opened so many avenues for me that I couldn't recommend it higher.

Kol Korran
2013-06-28, 03:18 PM
Hmmmm... an interesting situation. My "advice" (it sounds so condescending. consider it my thoughts?) Will be of two parts- How to try and deal with the situation, and how to prevent it from happening again.

The current situation
You're in a bit of a pickle, since you've planned far ahead without taking the characters and their motives into account. So now you need to. So they seek power, and becoming a good, and money, eh? I see few possibilities:
1. The Queen realize who they are, their unique potential and what not, and decide to contact them through visions or portents or such, masquerading as some sort of a powerful creature, basically trying to bluff them to do things for her in return of power and more. (Or perhaps she isn't bluffing?) She masks it as some sort of a nefarious deal, which is more likely to be expected by the party. The party is tasked to stop her "rival fiend" or so... She doesn't give much exposition, only enough to play. Let the party believe that they have a shady dangerous deal with an evil being that they could back stab later on, masquerading as "working for the good guys", instead of actually working for the good guys.

Just be aware that they WILL try to kill her afterwards.
2. Use the Herald. Have him teleport (or teleoport some essence of him) to the party's location, also looking for some stuff for his research. Have him or his minions tackle the party on several occasion, and insult, steal from, harass and what not the party, (perhaps cause some actual loss for them, though in their case it's a loss of power or a loss of face). Make them HATE him, and then you have some great motive for the first part. Make them in competition with him, where he can gain some advantages along the way in places they visits (poisoning the world's tree, stealing from the Warlord and so on). Build him as an antagonist enough, and they'll be rushing to take him down.

3. Similar to idea number 1, only have the Herald make the appearance to the PC, and ask them to gain info for him from all the places, in ways that will help him open the rift. Then, Redcloak style, have the PCs learn that they might be able to control the rift themselves through their investigations. (Whether that is true is up to you), but emphasize how much power that could bring (and a possible path to godhood). You gotta learn how something works in order to break it, no?

4. As Totally Guy suggested, you can just roll with whatever the players dish out, and try and intertwine it with your plot. I have less experience in that department though, as I usually make sure to be on board with my players. Which leads me to:

Preventing it happening again
Nearing the end of a campaign, I start asking my players what sort of a game they'd like to play next, what sort of party, what sort of theme, power level, magic abundance and more. I usually have some ideas to offer, and they sometimes have some ideas as well, and we discuss things and come to an agreement.

The main thing is we do all this before I start actually working on a campaign, so we all know what we're going into. The players also agree on what sort of social/ operational roles they will take in the party (I'm not talking race- class combo, but rather things like "party leader", "smarty pants", "dependable combat type" and so on...) So we have a vague understanding of party dynamics, so players can plan accordingly, and mesh characters better together.

Lastly, character creation is not complete till I get a good idea of what the character is about, what drives him/ her, what to expect from them. I usually give some ongoing relevant situations that the party members need to have some stake in, thus creating initial involvement.

Worked quite well so far. Good luck to you with your game! :smallsmile:

Gray Mage
2013-06-28, 05:16 PM
Can't you make it so the cleric gets a vision from his god or something implying/telling him that studing the rift would go a long way into fulfilling his plan. Getting there they learn about the BBEG, so the plan changes to hijacking the BBEG's plan or stopping him because they want to harness the barrier's power instead of just breaking it. They mostly do the first act as you planned (possibly with more fire). For the epilogue, option A should work fine (less as a reward but more as an exploit or they taking power). Act two would need a workover, though.

At the same time, tell then OOC you'd planned for the story to revolve around the rifts and that they should come with justifications for themselves (for example, maybe the fighter wants to rule his own nation or something, which would be difficult with all those fiends wrecking everything, so while stopping the big bad, he'll amass his own forces or demand lands for helping).