The title "The Chaos Gates" stuck in my mind. I thought I could create a campaign around the idea that someone or something is freeing the more powerful spawn of the primordials. When freed the spawn either create destruction in the area where their prison was located or for the more intelligent ones the spawn try to take over the area where their prison was located. This is going to cause the destruction or displacement of the less powerful denziens of the area. I figured I could use the Tiers to help me determine what foes the PCs will be up against and the location of the confrontation.
Heroic Tier: Initially, the PCs will have to deal with the refugees coming in to their home town. These refugees could be kobolds, goblins, orcs, gnolls, etc that are trying to escape the primordial spawn and find a new place to live. The people living in the area need to deal with the situation and the PCs are the ones that volunteer/get volunteered, etc to deal with it. Eventually the PCs will find what is causing all these "monsters" to leave their previous "homes" and encroach on the thresholds of civilization.
Paragon Tier: The PCs have determined a threat exists to the Campaign Kingdom and are either asked/threatened/or volunteer to rid the Kingdom of the BBEG causing the chaos in the kingdom. Their adventures in this tier are dealing with the minions and lieutenant's of the BBEG and eventually to take on the BBEG.
Epic Tier: After the PCs defeat the BBEG they discover there is a BBBEG that is freeing the Spawn of the Primordials for his or her own evil machinations. This Tier and the campaign should culminate with the PCs defeating the BBBEG.
I think I have enough room within each tier to have story arcs that propel the campaign forward and provide the players with side story arcs that help them achieve their character's individual goals.
I know the information I have presented is very general but it is in a rough format that I want to get down on paper then flesh it out before I start the campaign. I have a little over a month before the books come out then figure on a week or so to read the new rules.
1. I plan on starting the PCs in their home town as town guards. Every "of age" citizen is required to serve in the town guard for the period of 1-2 years. This supplements any "professional" military/police force and it helps provide training for the towns people when the militia needs to be called to help in wartime situations.
2. I have no idea who my BBEG is nor who or what my BBBEG is. I could wait until the books come out then make the decision since I have at least 10 levels before I really need to worry about it the BBEG. I have a bit longer for the BBBEG.
3. I figure the prisons are some sort of magical devices that keep the spawn of primordials in some kind of statis in their natural element. For example, a fire spawn of primordial could be trapped in a volcano in the campaign world. The BBBEG was able to figure out how to break the statis to release the spawn of the primoridials. The Spawn then either summons his minions or as a side effect of breaking the statis a permanent 1 way portal is setup and the Spawn "calls forth" his minions through the portal.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
The title "The Chaos Gates" stuck in my mind. I thought I could create a campaign around the idea that someone or something is freeing the more powerful spawn of the primordials.
That's kinda cool. Ancient prisoners and such. Held in increasingly improbably prisons so they're slowly released at increasing power as the BBBEG get's better and cracking celestial locks.
When freed the spawn either create destruction in the area where their prison was located or for the more intelligent ones the spawn try to take over the area where their prison was located. This is going to cause the destruction or displacement of the less powerful denziens of the area. I figured I could use the Tiers to help me determine what foes the PCs will be up against and the location of the confrontation.
Wouldn't they be released into the Elemental Chaos?
Well, I suppose people from there would flee into neighboring planes just as easily as elsewhere.
Heroic Tier: Initially, the PCs will have to deal with the refugees coming in to their home town. These refugees could be kobolds, goblins, orcs, gnolls, etc that are trying to escape the primordial spawn and find a new place to live. The people living in the area need to deal with the situation and the PCs are the ones that volunteer/get volunteered, etc to deal with it. Eventually the PCs will find what is causing all these "monsters" to leave their previous "homes" and encroach on the thresholds of civilization.
A nice twist on the standard "army of humanoids invade". Seems cliche at the beginning (and it might be fun to start like that, a nice simple beginning while people adjust to the new rules). Some hobgoblin is driven from his home in the hills and decides to take the human lands with his goblin and kobold force.
Then the more peaceful refugees come and it becomes and errand of mercy for evil humanoids.
It would be good to add some planar elements quickly. Perhaps the goblinoids were driven from their home by refugees from the Feywild. So when the PCs investigate they encounter gnomes (token gnome fight!), eldarin and maybe a formarian. This leads to a trip to the Feywild to deal with whatever is happening there (and encountering the first elemental beings).
Seeing a devastated and Elemental Chaos-ified Feywild might be a nice cap to the Heroic tier. They start with small adventures and missions in the refugee area and slowly travel to a blaster, destroyed area that might really set the epic tone for the first time.
Paragon Tier: The PCs have determined a threat exists to the Campaign Kingdom and are either asked/threatened/or volunteer to rid the Kingdom of the BBEG causing the chaos in the kingdom. Their adventures in this tier are dealing with the minions and lieutenant's of the BBEG and eventually to take on the BBEG.
This might need more. Or some extra side-quests. Ten levels is alot to have tied to fighting a single BBEG who isn't the main baddie of the Campaign.
The Elemental Chaos is also the planar setting of choice for the Paragon Tier, so some of the campaign could be set here.
Maybe the BBEG is the weakest of the primordial spawn, left behind because he was not needed for the BBBEG's task.
Epic Tier: After the PCs defeat the BBEG they discover there is a BBBEG that is freeing the Spawn of the Primordials for his or her own evil machinations. This Tier and the campaign should culminate with the PCs defeating the BBBEG.
This is the big blank spot. What does someone who can break Godly prisons need elemental minions for?
That's kinda cool. Ancient prisoners and such. Held in increasingly improbably prisons so they're slowly released at increasing power as the BBBEG get's better and cracking celestial locks.
--snipped other good ideas and suggestions--
This is the big blank spot. What does someone who can break Godly prisons need elemental minions for?
RESERVED