Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Dec 03, 2003 17:28:21	I'm planning on starting a campaign soon. It's going to start on a homebrew world until the players (who are going to be all new) get to grips with the game. Then the fun starts. The backstory is this: Mephistopheles has discovered a way to become a True God. Orcus has also discovered this way. Both want the power and only the PC's stand in their way. Beelzebul has told his sister (who IMC is Pistis Sophia. When Beelzebul was still Triel, he was co-ruler of Pistis Sophia's layer of the Mount. When he fell he never stopped loving his sister, it's his one redeemable trait [another key feature of my campaign, Good can fall, Evil can rise. It applies to anyone and anything]) When he found out about Meph's plan he immediately told Pistis. Why? His archenemy was going to become a God, a threat to the multiverse and a threat to Good. More importantly, he was going to become a threat to Beelzebul. Pisitis is searching for the right heroes to stop her. The PCs. The PC's at low levels are going to be sent on missions to investigate evil cults by members of Pistis' own cult working closely with the good churches. The PC's are going to find two symbols, Mephistopheles's and Orcus's. Mephtistopheles is going to offer the PCs power if he succeds and he will grant it, Orcus is going to offer power too, but he won't. Pistis has nothing to offer but her gratitude and succor on Celestia if the PC's ever need it. Apart from a brief stay in Ravenloft (One of the Archfiends is going to broker a deal with the Dark Powers to ensnare the PC's) I haven't really got a start for my campaign. I know what I'm doing when they get into Ravenloft and eventually to the planes (Fires of Dis amongst other things), but the start is a bit hazy. Please help
#2 zombiegleemax Dec 04, 2003 3:11:03	I'd say spend that time earlier on relatively "normal" adventures, but drop lots of hints along the way as to what's going on with Mephistopheles and Orcus, while giving them plenty of opportunity to show their true colors to Sophitia. Use the time to both build their levels up to what is appropriate for the coming challenges, perhaps also sending them on adventures that would steer their particular talents towards fighting against fire/hellfire/undead, all while foreshadowing the themes that are to become important later on. Maybe make it personal, use one of the PC's relatives or close friends as the sacrificial victim in the initiation rites of a disciple of mephistopheles. You could get a recurring villain right there. It might also be nice to drop hints that Orcus has no problem going against his word, but that M. will most likely keep his. Personally, I wouldn't even bring in Pistis' influence until the heros show themselves to be good, upstanding people, aside from her church hiring the players for some reason or another a few places, thus eliciting a trust between them and the church.