As cool as the Greyhawk setting is, it's always been a little too high-magic for my tastes and the ability to spring back from near death by the consumption of a single potion seems to lessen the inherent tension in pitched battles. Sometime back, I picked up the Midnight campaign setting and really liked. So I got to thinking, how would I bring this into Oerth? And this is what I came up with:
The Twilight Generation (name stolen from a Super-Heroes game one of my players was going to run but never did)
Iuz the Old suddenly launches a crusade versus other forces of Evil, seemingly wiping them out completely. Initially, the "good guy" powers sit back and watch, hoping (and expecting) that these evil forces will wipe each other out (or at least significantly reduce their strength) but Iuz only appears to grow stronger. Too late, they realize that he is absorbing their power unto his own and growing stronger.
In desperation, a band of powerful wizards and clerics already pledged to Darkness act to prevent Iuz's total domination by bringing Vecna's various artifacts together upon a single person deemed the most likely to survive the attempt (probably an arch-wizard that the PCs already honked off in the previous DMs game).
In a battle that will rock the foundations of Oerth, the reborn Vecna faces Iuz. Fueled by their hate, they kill each other. A collective sigh of relief is felt across the lands.
But it isn't over. Somehow, the two demi-gods fused into a single entity at the point of death and were reborn as the dark god Izrador. Like Tolkien's Sauron, this dark force gathers all Evil to him and unleashes a crusade the likes of which cannot be described. The world runs red with blood and the seas are choked with bodies. Realizing the scope of the threat, the Gods themselves intervene.
And the Godswar begins.
Feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Collectively, do the gods stand a chance against Izrador? Or are they merely sacrificing themselves to delay the inevitable takeover of Izrador completely. Will Izrador reign supreme over Oerth, or will his control be contested by smaller factions at every turn?
Lots and lots of questions to answer, but all in all, its a nice step. I like my campaigns bleak as well (hence why I play more Dark Sun than anything else). Hope the experiment works out.
Using the system 'as is' (without modifying it like I have in the AUGH thread), all spell-casters can cast healing magics. If you don't like that, it's fairly easy to rectify and you can just refer to my thread if you're having any difficulties with it.
The healing, however, is much weaker than in regular D&D. The first level healing spell, for instance, makes the caster suffer subdual damage and the 'Heal' equivalent, is 9th-level.
Resurrection is also more difficult (costs 7,000gp just for base costs, is a 7th-level spell and there's no garauntees it will work) and also brings the concept of 'truenames' into focus (although, the concept isn't required if you don't want it to be a part of your game) as the spell requires that the caster know the persons 'truename' and if the character doesn't have one (is 'unbound' or an 'unnamed'), then they can't be brought back to life at all.
Mach2.5, you've brought up a number of good questions that I'll try to answer.
Which nations and kingdoms does Iuz destroy and obsorb (the remains of the splintered Great Kingdom, the Scarlet Brotherhood, Pomarj, etc.)?
Since this is still in the planning stages, I've not yet determined this information. While I've played in the Greyhawk setting, I'm not fully up on all of the secret societies and bastions of evil so I'm having to learn them as I go. Any suggestions on logical first targets for Iuz?
I doubt even Mordenkainen would sit back and just watch. Best to find some way to keep the circle occupied (or kill them all off somehow).
Initially, the Circle, like most others, are caught off-guard by the sudden attacks by Iuz against evil bad nasties and don't know what to make of it. Once they get an inkling of the danger they are in, I presume that they will act to prevent it but, by then, it will be too late and Iuz too powerful. The Circle will be broken.
When Izrador becomes a reality, what forces are there to stand up to him? If you want Midnight's utter bleakness, there shouldn't be many left (and the Free City would certainly have to go out the window, perhaps destroyed entirely at some point, if not entirely over run and controlled by the forces of evil).
This is more information that I've not yet figured out and will probably depend a lot on what the PCs do. At least two of my PCs have indicated a desire to do something epic ala the Prologue battle in the FOTR movie so a Last Alliance of Men and Elves (and Dwarves too) isn't out of the question. I have this absolutely cool scene in mind with the Armies of Light marching against the Armies of Darkness with Dragons fighting one another in the sky.
Collectively, do the gods stand a chance against Izrador? Or are they merely sacrificing themselves to delay the inevitable takeover of Izrador completely.
Well, if I stick to the Midnight stuff, the Gods will eventually be victorious and cast Izrador from the Heavens. Unfortunately, he will drag Oerth with him and cut it off from the other planes (hence no clerical abilities functioning.)
Will Izrador reign supreme over Oerth, or will his control be contested by smaller factions at every turn?
That's the question, I guess. I was thinking that the actions of the characters in the Last Battle may determine this.
Hmmm, sounds like the Arcana Unearthed stuff is doing something similar to the Wheel of Time d20 channelling system in regards to healing. I may have to incorporate that as a House Rule. Thanks for the heads up, Delglath.
On a slightly lighter but similar note, we've got a magic-user in the group who has died 3 times and been brought back; I was thinking of having some insane clerics of Wee Jas follow him around like he is a Messiah. "I touched the Messiah's shoe!"
One thing I'm very concerned about is how to make things bleak without making them hopeless. No one wants to play in a game in which nothing they do every really matters, so any suggestions in that area would be greatly appreciated as well.
A brief aside concerning characters with an additional question concerning some Furyondian history. In the campaign run by the previous GM, I was playing a Furyondian PC who went by the name of Wulfric (Ftr4/Pal4/Warmaster4); it wasn't until later that I discovered how the name really didn't fit the region but by then it was too late. I intend on making him the Heir to King Belvor in the following manner and would appreciate any suggestions from those of you who know the history better than I do: Wulfric is, to his surprise, not the son of Sir Denewulf; the man he thought to be his father was actually Count Paulus Halpern's war captain who was entrusted with the fostering of young "Darius" (the heir to Furyondy's crown after Thrommel's disappearance) away from Iuz. Halpern was briefly wed to King Belvor's young half-sister, Alycei, who died during childbirth; the marriage was a closely guarded state secret which was to be revealed during a meeting with the Council of Lords that never happened due to Iuz's attacks. Unfortunately, both Denewulf and Count Halpern died within months of each other and young Wulfric was mostly raised by the Duke of Narwell who was unaware of his true identity. When Wulfric graduated from the College of War and knelt before King Belvor, the Furyondian King recognized his nephew immediately. Stunned at this new development, Belvor quickly dispatched Wulfric to the aid of Gyruff to prevent others from learning the truth before Belvor was ready (and to participate in Against the Giants).
Again, thanks for the help!
I've not read Midnight, but I think that Izrador comes from that product? Unless you'd really like to use that character, you may instead use Tharizdun, who is somewhat analogous to Melkor, the Morgoth Bauglir of J.R.R. Tolkien's mythos. What follows in this post are ideas how to integrate your desire for a dark themed campaign setting to established ideas (the canon?) in Greyhawk.
Here is a spoiler alert.
If you play rather than DM primarily you should read no further -- particularly if your adventures involve Vecna or the Scarlet Brotherhood. Be good. 
Gary Gygax wrote a series of novels that featured Gord the Rogue. While I have not read the series, you may find an encyclopedic resource on them at this website: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze33gpz/gordmain.html.
Evidently, the over-arching plot involved the awakening of dread Tharizdun, described at the above noted website at http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze33gpz/inner.html#tharizdun.
If Tharizdun awakes (perhaps by evil characters assembling the theorparts, perhaps as a freak after-effect of the epic battle between Iuz the Old and Vecna the Whispered One), then maybe the Good Deities are unable to entrap It again? Maybe they must leave Oerth in order to retain their own power? However, if the evil Uber-God must be dead prior to the start of the campaign, then perhaps the few Gods who abide in the Prime Material Plane, e.g. Ehlonna, Fharghlaghn, Vatun, and some of the hero-deities, succeed in imbuing champions (the PCs of course) with the power necessary to kill Tharizdun?
According to some lore, if Tharizdun awakes, then reality will cease to exist, but as DM, you must do as you will!
Alternatively, the setting you describe might be constructed using the module Vecna Lives!. Therein, an epic battle is set to occur between Iuz and Vecna just a few years prior to the start of the Greyhawk Wars. (The so-called Greyhawk Wars were detailed primarily in the boxed set From the Ashes.) If Vecna was not defeated, then Oerth became doomed, as the Whispered One ascended to become the sole Greater God of Oerth and all the other gods lost contact with Oerth.
Again, if necessary, then the few gods who abide on Oerth (or its Prime Material Plane) might combine forces (after several are contemptuously slaughtered by the Uber-Vecna) to imbue the PCs to fight the "last battle."
Finally, Rigil, I like the machinations you described about Wulfric. It sounds like your players are in for a treat.
As they say, there is nothing new under the sun.
Also Greyhawk isn't very high magic, the general 3e D&D rules are.
Tharizdun's goal in the Gord books was to destroy the universe (heavens & hells, along with the prime), and he suceeded too, though it was probably because at that time Gygax could no longer use Greyhawk, so he destroyed it in his books.
Halber
As to your comments, Halberkill, I suppose I wasn't very clear in my first post. I recognize that the concept isn't a new one but me running such a dark campaign is a different one. You did point me to the Vecna modules of which I was (mostly) ignorant of and for that I thank you.
Okay, giving this new information, the rewrite is as thus:
Iuz the Old suddenly launches a crusade versus other forces of Evil, seemingly wiping them out completely. Initially, the "good guy" powers sit back and watch, hoping (and expecting) that these evil forces will wipe each other out (or at least significantly reduce their strength) but Iuz only appears to grow stronger. Too late, they realize that he is absorbing their power unto his own and growing stronger.
As the Forces of Light rally together in a seemingly vain attempt to combat the overpowering Iuz, a lull in the war begins. In his crusade against his rivals, Iuz has discovered a method in which to ascend to Greater Godhood and all he has to do is kill his hated foe, Vecna, now trapped on the Demiplane of Ravenloft. He vanishes and the heroes are tasked to stop him at any cost while their allies gather strength for the final battle.
Cue Events of Die Vecna Die. Unless the characters really botch it up, both Iuz and Vecna are defeated. A collective sigh of relief is felt across the lands.
But it isn't over. Too late, Oerth discovers that they have all been manipulated. Even Iuz and Vecna, in their terrible glory, were played by Tharizdun. From his prison, the Sleeping God stirs. Like Tolkien's Sauron, Tharizdun gathers all Evil to him and unleashes a crusade the likes of which cannot be described. The world runs red with blood and the seas are choked with bodies.
Realizing the scope of the threat, the Gods themselves intervene.
And the Godswar begins.
Better?
Though one thing, the Gods of Greyhawk seem to have a non-intervention pact for non-Oerth native (as in they are currently living on the Oerth prime plane) deities. This pact may be waived, but at the cost of opposing forces getting to waive it at a later time of their choosing. This may explain why the Gods let Iuz get away with things for a while, because Iuz is native to Oerth and is not subject to this pact.
Halber
On a note related to the non-intervention aspect of Greyhawk, has it ever been established how Raise Dead/Resurrect/etc. could work in such a world? For example, a Paladin of Heironeous buys the farm and his friends try to get him raised; if the Invincible One allows this to happen, doesn't it mean he has to stand back and let Hextor resurrect an evil priest of his clergy at a later date? (This is one of my primary problems with coming back from the dead.)
Again, thanks for the comments and help.
Carl Sargent introduced the non-intervention pact to Greyhawk. If you review the old (1983) boxed set or the hardcover Greyhawk Adventures, Greyhawk is respresented as a setting where gods do occasionally Oerthwalk. (Props to Sander for that phrase.)
With this in mind, I find it useful to retain the non-intervention pact at the end of the 7th Common century, but IMCs the gods once walked the Oerth with greater frequency (throughout the earlier Common centuries).
From my stand point, Heironeous and Hextor do not have to "play t@t for tat" [if you replace the @ for an I, you can comprehend the colloquialism I used, which was censored] whenever their high priests attempt to Raise Dead or Resurrect. This kind of negotiation and "book-keeping" is only required where a god desires to manifest an avatar or affect Oerth in a manner beyond the granting of regular spells, e.g. the Flight of Fiends -- an event which far exceeded the power of the Crook of Rao by itself.
However, I'm planning on having the Powers gradually becoming more extreme versions of themselves; in this way, Raise Dead will become quite a bit more difficult to do as the haggling between the gods is causing a serious breakdown.
I'm planning on introducing this element fairly early on by having one of the PCs (an Elven Wizard) who has been Raised three times in the past campaign be followed by a bunch of lunatic Wee Jas priests who refer to him as the "Thrice Blessed One" and treat him like a near-Messiah figure. "I touched the Messiah's shoe!"
According to their (obviously) flawed dogma, this particular character has truly been blessed by their Goddess since he was the last such character that they are aware of who was brought back from the dead.I find it amusing that Sargent seems to have introduced most of the elements that I like the most; he wrote "Power Behind the Throne", my all-time favorite Warhammer FRPG adventure and I wasn't really familiar with his stuff until I picked up "Iuz the Evil" which is an awesome supplement.
Thanks for the assist!
Originally posted by Rigil Kent
I may have to track down the Gord books for the information concerning the theoparts (unless I choose to simply make it up.)
There's a site online that describes in great detail all the events around the Theoparts and draws certain conclusions from the books. I can't remember the URL though but I'm sure if you type in theoparts and Tharizdun that you'll find it.
Also... don't forget to d/l 'Ivid the Undying'! Use the link in my sig
To some degree, this goes to how one prefers to DM. I do not want PCs to die without notice of a significant threat. A series of extreme rolls (all in one round) should not kill a PC "out of the blue." In the case above, I actually forget how the character died... hmm, nope I can't recall it.
My point is that I believe a DM should provide PCs with notice that a significant threat exists. If the PC has notice, then it's up to the player to determine what the PC will do in the face of danger. My preference is one reason why I enjoy traps and poison in 3e. I disliked the instant deaths of 1e; thus in 2e I tended not to use traps and used poison sparingly.
Given my style as a DM, if a PC dies, and other PCs want to raise or resurrect that PC, then I'd be happy to roleplay it.
However, my points do not cover a situation where another PC has the power to raise or resurrect. I haven't DMed a game with such a character... or at least where that character used raise dead.