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Lost my foothold

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
kalanth
Sep 30, 2003 17:22:42 Ok, here goes. I had a campaign that was based around the Devils in the Abyss fighting for supremacy and the eventual replacement of Takhisis in the Abyss. This was mostly tied around a specific dark mage whom was in possesion of four artifacts (a Longsword, a Dagger, a Dragon Orb, and an Amulet) that all would aid him in a specific way to open the portals of the Abyss that allow the devils onto the world of Krynn and their battle would spread out into the world. Before this could be accomplished, the players managed to recover and destroy two of the artifacts (Dragon Orb and Amulet). Well, this all happened about 20 game sessions before I expected it to happen, because the characters went where I never figured they would go down to Icereach. They never found clues to where the items where, aside from the Orb being under the bloodsea, and the Mage that owned the other items being in Icereach. They also had info that the mage stored the items in places that were hard to reach, but he could get to. When they got there, the battled the mage, whos last action was to teleport to the location of the amulet, where a player managed to lock onto him and was teleported with him. The other players then scryed for his location, found it, arrived as the player that traveled with the mage was just finding the way to destroy the object.

So now I am lost as to what to do next. I am at a point where I am at a complete standstill, I had nothing else planned, they killed the BBEG and destroyed two of the objects that would have continued the plot, and there was no real leftovers available. Anyone have any good suggestions?
#2
zombiegleemax
Sep 30, 2003 17:33:17 Well.....hmmm....a capaign gone awry....I might be able to help you....First and foremost....an obscure death for your BBEG, or bring him back as some sort of horrible undead version of himself.....whatever it takes....but bring him back......Next...let the BBEG plant a mole in the party....someone who wil help him get his revenge on the group....Then have the players discover a way that the BBEG could have achieved his goal without the artifacts...The mole of course will relay the info to the BBEG.....Then you simply have the mole attempt to assassinate the party in their sleep, let the mole fail, but not die until he has informed the party that their worst enemy is back and is currently utilizing the information that they have so thoughtfully provided him with. That should set your campaign back on track.
#3
baron_the_curse
Sep 30, 2003 18:19:06 Here’s my suggestion. Don’t bring back your mage, your players might feel cheated, and rightfully so, they worked hard to take him down. However, the devils your dark mage worked so hard to unleash probably won’t seat back and accept defeat.

Have the soul of your evil mage fall into the clutches of a powerful devil overlord. This fiend promises your black mage that he will restore him to life once they open the gates of the Abyss to Krynn. Of course, the demon will not honor his word. The devil continues the schemes of your dark mage, using all the information he can get from his entrapped soul.

As for the artifacts, a major set back, but they can always be replaced with other powerful items. Huma’s Dragonlance, Kith-Kanan’s sword, etc, might have enough significance and power to take the place of the lost artifacts. This could lead to new adventures as your players rush to safeguard these items.

Also, remember that demons and devils can possess mortals. The players can face this fiend without realizing what it is, and where he’s getting his information from.
#4
kalanth
Sep 30, 2003 20:44:15 Hey thanks, these ideas are great. I guess the shock of such a well laid plan going ary just threw me off, thanks guys.
#5
rosisha
Sep 30, 2003 22:17:57 If it makes you feel any better, my group managed to assassinate the big bad guy. We had two thieves in our party, and they managed to find a window looking in on the main hall of the bad guy. We then took two heavy crossbows and back attacks to kill him in one hit! It was great. MUHAHAHAHAHA

Rosisha
#6
zombiegleemax
Oct 01, 2003 8:22:57 Those pesky players always seem to foil the best laid DM plans. As a DM you can't really let them succeed so easily - Don't admit defeat yet! See, You've got them just where you want them. They feel smug and think they have managed to foil the overall devil plot. If it was me, this is the point in the campaign where I would shake things up, and introduce a major plot twist.

My initial thoughts after reading over your plot synapsis, was that the players weren't acting with all the information. I was thinking it might be really nasty, now, if they suddenly began to realize they were actually moving toward opening the gate. If they suddenly became privy to more information and found that the items actually needed to be destroyed to open the gates... and since they have destroyed two... hehe. Maybe one of your good NPC's is actually very evil and manipulated the players into destroying the first two? You could really go all out here. They could race to find the remaining artifacts, to keep them safe - Or they might be forced to find a way of closing a now open gate....

Have fun with them! Twist it up and make the campaign hard on them!
#7
zombiegleemax
Oct 01, 2003 8:29:02 edit: seems widleyedjester posted the same thing as me. Anyhow, it's a great idea. Play with it. Have devils start randomly appearing, and possibly the mage as a bound spirit or a ghost or something (maybe even a wraith like Draco was in Kaz the Minotaur), and don't have the players know what they did until later on when they destroy the last two pieces and the gate rips open. whatcha think?
#8
zombiegleemax
Oct 01, 2003 9:09:57 Your BBEG had minions and henchmen, right? If the players killed him early, they probably didn't encounter all of his more powerful and maybe most loyal minions, so one of them could take up where he left off in researching possibilities for opening the gate. Maybe even to the point of locating and digging up the Orb of Galan Dracos, and giving that BBEG another shot at fomenting havok, chaos, and stryfe.
#9
zombiegleemax
Oct 01, 2003 9:59:10 Flexibility is the key, really, and all of these ideas could be used wonderfully...

Here's another...

Resurrect the BBEG (happens all the time to players, why not villians?) or use a henchman, hireling, or even family member. With the big plans foiled, he will be mightily PO'ed. Now, all of his diabolic powers and contacts can be concentrated on gaining revenge on the PC's, personally. (Attacking their home towns, harrassing them during adventures, kidnapping family and friends, etc.)

That will reward them for their ingenuity in stopping the plot, but will keep the game going. Now the BBEG's beef is personal, rather than "I'm taking over the world, bwaaahaahaaa!!!" It will be even more rewarding when the PCs find a way to destroy this guy and his organization once and for all.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 kalanth Sep 30, 2003 17:22:42	Ok, here goes. I had a campaign that was based around the Devils in the Abyss fighting for supremacy and the eventual replacement of Takhisis in the Abyss. This was mostly tied around a specific dark mage whom was in possesion of four artifacts (a Longsword, a Dagger, a Dragon Orb, and an Amulet) that all would aid him in a specific way to open the portals of the Abyss that allow the devils onto the world of Krynn and their battle would spread out into the world. Before this could be accomplished, the players managed to recover and destroy two of the artifacts (Dragon Orb and Amulet). Well, this all happened about 20 game sessions before I expected it to happen, because the characters went where I never figured they would go down to Icereach. They never found clues to where the items where, aside from the Orb being under the bloodsea, and the Mage that owned the other items being in Icereach. They also had info that the mage stored the items in places that were hard to reach, but he could get to. When they got there, the battled the mage, whos last action was to teleport to the location of the amulet, where a player managed to lock onto him and was teleported with him. The other players then scryed for his location, found it, arrived as the player that traveled with the mage was just finding the way to destroy the object. So now I am lost as to what to do next. I am at a point where I am at a complete standstill, I had nothing else planned, they killed the BBEG and destroyed two of the objects that would have continued the plot, and there was no real leftovers available. Anyone have any good suggestions?
#2 zombiegleemax Sep 30, 2003 17:33:17	Well.....hmmm....a capaign gone awry....I might be able to help you....First and foremost....an obscure death for your BBEG, or bring him back as some sort of horrible undead version of himself.....whatever it takes....but bring him back......Next...let the BBEG plant a mole in the party....someone who wil help him get his revenge on the group....Then have the players discover a way that the BBEG could have achieved his goal without the artifacts...The mole of course will relay the info to the BBEG.....Then you simply have the mole attempt to assassinate the party in their sleep, let the mole fail, but not die until he has informed the party that their worst enemy is back and is currently utilizing the information that they have so thoughtfully provided him with. That should set your campaign back on track.
#3 baron_the_curse Sep 30, 2003 18:19:06	Here’s my suggestion. Don’t bring back your mage, your players might feel cheated, and rightfully so, they worked hard to take him down. However, the devils your dark mage worked so hard to unleash probably won’t seat back and accept defeat. Have the soul of your evil mage fall into the clutches of a powerful devil overlord. This fiend promises your black mage that he will restore him to life once they open the gates of the Abyss to Krynn. Of course, the demon will not honor his word. The devil continues the schemes of your dark mage, using all the information he can get from his entrapped soul. As for the artifacts, a major set back, but they can always be replaced with other powerful items. Huma’s Dragonlance, Kith-Kanan’s sword, etc, might have enough significance and power to take the place of the lost artifacts. This could lead to new adventures as your players rush to safeguard these items. Also, remember that demons and devils can possess mortals. The players can face this fiend without realizing what it is, and where he’s getting his information from.
#4 kalanth Sep 30, 2003 20:44:15	Hey thanks, these ideas are great. I guess the shock of such a well laid plan going ary just threw me off, thanks guys.
#5 rosisha Sep 30, 2003 22:17:57	If it makes you feel any better, my group managed to assassinate the big bad guy. We had two thieves in our party, and they managed to find a window looking in on the main hall of the bad guy. We then took two heavy crossbows and back attacks to kill him in one hit! It was great. MUHAHAHAHAHA Rosisha
#6 zombiegleemax Oct 01, 2003 8:22:57	Those pesky players always seem to foil the best laid DM plans. As a DM you can't really let them succeed so easily - Don't admit defeat yet! See, You've got them just where you want them. They feel smug and think they have managed to foil the overall devil plot. If it was me, this is the point in the campaign where I would shake things up, and introduce a major plot twist. My initial thoughts after reading over your plot synapsis, was that the players weren't acting with all the information. I was thinking it might be really nasty, now, if they suddenly began to realize they were actually moving toward opening the gate. If they suddenly became privy to more information and found that the items actually needed to be destroyed to open the gates... and since they have destroyed two... hehe. Maybe one of your good NPC's is actually very evil and manipulated the players into destroying the first two? You could really go all out here. They could race to find the remaining artifacts, to keep them safe - Or they might be forced to find a way of closing a now open gate.... Have fun with them! Twist it up and make the campaign hard on them!
#7 zombiegleemax Oct 01, 2003 8:29:02	edit: seems widleyedjester posted the same thing as me. Anyhow, it's a great idea. Play with it. Have devils start randomly appearing, and possibly the mage as a bound spirit or a ghost or something (maybe even a wraith like Draco was in Kaz the Minotaur), and don't have the players know what they did until later on when they destroy the last two pieces and the gate rips open. whatcha think?
#8 zombiegleemax Oct 01, 2003 9:09:57	Your BBEG had minions and henchmen, right? If the players killed him early, they probably didn't encounter all of his more powerful and maybe most loyal minions, so one of them could take up where he left off in researching possibilities for opening the gate. Maybe even to the point of locating and digging up the Orb of Galan Dracos, and giving that BBEG another shot at fomenting havok, chaos, and stryfe.
#9 zombiegleemax Oct 01, 2003 9:59:10	Flexibility is the key, really, and all of these ideas could be used wonderfully... Here's another... Resurrect the BBEG (happens all the time to players, why not villians?) or use a henchman, hireling, or even family member. With the big plans foiled, he will be mightily PO'ed. Now, all of his diabolic powers and contacts can be concentrated on gaining revenge on the PC's, personally. (Attacking their home towns, harrassing them during adventures, kidnapping family and friends, etc.) That will reward them for their ingenuity in stopping the plot, but will keep the game going. Now the BBEG's beef is personal, rather than "I'm taking over the world, bwaaahaahaaa!!!" It will be even more rewarding when the PCs find a way to destroy this guy and his organization once and for all.