I need help w/ a Carceri campaign... - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

I need help w/ a Carceri campaign...

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
saurstalk
Feb 24, 2005 17:56:10 I'm running a solo campaign for a friend and am running into a writer's roadblock and could use some ideas to help me work me way around it.

Essentially, I've taken the character from Faerun, where he died, through the Fugue Plane, into the Abyss, through the Positive Energy Plane, and now, into Carceri, where I guess it is fitting, that I am stuck.

The PC and his NPC allies landed in Carceri on the desert plane of Minethys. One of the PC's companions is a bit of a Planewalker and is confident in finding a way out. They deserted a great cliff face filled with doorway like recesses (that offer only ways in, but not out) and began venturing across the expanse of desert toward a town that another the NPCs recently left en route to trying to escape. They got hit by a horrid sandstone and located some ruins that were slowly being filled in by the storm. Through the course of their exploration, the PC found a decanter of endless water on a pedestal and took it, causing the ruins to collapse. The group escaped and made it to a rock abutment where they found some shelter from the storm .. and this is where our last session ended.

The biggest issue I'm planning to lay across the PCs path is the fact that the town to which they are traveling is governed by a half-fiend warlord whose "temple" was just raided of its most valuable artifact .. you guessed it - a Decanter of Endless Water. I foresee that the half-fiend will take his anger out on the town as he believes that one of his minion stole it. (Afterall, who else would know that he even possessed such an item .. an item that he uses to control the town.) Unfortunately, this is pretty much where I'm stumped.

I need not only flesh out this situation some, but find some endearing manner through which the PC and his allies can find an escape route out of Carceri ... something naturally no one in the town knows of .. or else Carceri wouldn't be the prison plane that it is. As such, any plot hooks, suggestions and the like would be most appreciated.
#2
zombiegleemax
Feb 24, 2005 19:10:37 The simplest way to have them escape is a portal that is easily visible to all of the people in the town. An archway or a geological feature. The town knows that it's a portal (magic has proven that) but they don't know where it leads or how to open it. Of course, not knowing where it goes won't stop them, so they're always trying as hard as possible to crack the riddle. The trick? The only way to open the portal is to perform a completely selfless act for someone who you hardly know - a concept so alien that the Carcerian townfolk would never ever conceive of it and even if they knew they could never pull it off.
#3
sildatorak
Feb 24, 2005 21:55:10 Also, those who are imprisoned in Carceri cannot escape unless they have become stronger than their imprisoner. Many towns on Carceri have well-known portals that most anyone of any note can't use. Those banished berks are pretty keen on keeping other people from using them, too. I can easily imagine a bastard son of some abyssal lord being pretty upset about his predicament and falling into this mold.
#4
ripvanwormer
Feb 25, 2005 1:17:18
Also, those who are imprisoned in Carceri cannot escape unless they have become stronger than their imprisoner.

Note, however, that just being in Carceri isn't the same as being imprisoned there.
#5
saurstalk
Feb 25, 2005 2:18:51
Note, however, that just being in Carceri isn't the same as being imprisoned there.

This is true. But Carceri is still known as the prison plane where it may be easy to enter, but the same can't be said about leaving.

If the half-fiend ruler isn't confined, which I'm not treating him as, then it's likely that he isn't in a position to control a portal. He may restrict traffic to one that he knows of, but without knowing the key, is stuck along with all the rest. I did like the idea about self-sacrifice. Of course, another option that would really fit this PCs role would be to displace the half-fiend and take control of the town for himself. Hmmmm.

Good ideas thus far. Keep them coming.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 saurstalk Feb 24, 2005 17:56:10	I'm running a solo campaign for a friend and am running into a writer's roadblock and could use some ideas to help me work me way around it. Essentially, I've taken the character from Faerun, where he died, through the Fugue Plane, into the Abyss, through the Positive Energy Plane, and now, into Carceri, where I guess it is fitting, that I am stuck. The PC and his NPC allies landed in Carceri on the desert plane of Minethys. One of the PC's companions is a bit of a Planewalker and is confident in finding a way out. They deserted a great cliff face filled with doorway like recesses (that offer only ways in, but not out) and began venturing across the expanse of desert toward a town that another the NPCs recently left en route to trying to escape. They got hit by a horrid sandstone and located some ruins that were slowly being filled in by the storm. Through the course of their exploration, the PC found a decanter of endless water on a pedestal and took it, causing the ruins to collapse. The group escaped and made it to a rock abutment where they found some shelter from the storm .. and this is where our last session ended. The biggest issue I'm planning to lay across the PCs path is the fact that the town to which they are traveling is governed by a half-fiend warlord whose "temple" was just raided of its most valuable artifact .. you guessed it - a Decanter of Endless Water. I foresee that the half-fiend will take his anger out on the town as he believes that one of his minion stole it. (Afterall, who else would know that he even possessed such an item .. an item that he uses to control the town.) Unfortunately, this is pretty much where I'm stumped. I need not only flesh out this situation some, but find some endearing manner through which the PC and his allies can find an escape route out of Carceri ... something naturally no one in the town knows of .. or else Carceri wouldn't be the prison plane that it is. As such, any plot hooks, suggestions and the like would be most appreciated.
#2 zombiegleemax Feb 24, 2005 19:10:37	The simplest way to have them escape is a portal that is easily visible to all of the people in the town. An archway or a geological feature. The town knows that it's a portal (magic has proven that) but they don't know where it leads or how to open it. Of course, not knowing where it goes won't stop them, so they're always trying as hard as possible to crack the riddle. The trick? The only way to open the portal is to perform a completely selfless act for someone who you hardly know - a concept so alien that the Carcerian townfolk would never ever conceive of it and even if they knew they could never pull it off.
#3 sildatorak Feb 24, 2005 21:55:10	Also, those who are imprisoned in Carceri cannot escape unless they have become stronger than their imprisoner. Many towns on Carceri have well-known portals that most anyone of any note can't use. Those banished berks are pretty keen on keeping other people from using them, too. I can easily imagine a bastard son of some abyssal lord being pretty upset about his predicament and falling into this mold.
#4 ripvanwormer Feb 25, 2005 1:17:18	Also, those who are imprisoned in Carceri cannot escape unless they have become stronger than their imprisoner. Note, however, that just being in Carceri isn't the same as being imprisoned there.
#5 saurstalk Feb 25, 2005 2:18:51	Note, however, that just being in Carceri isn't the same as being imprisoned there. This is true. But Carceri is still known as the prison plane where it may be easy to enter, but the same can't be said about leaving. If the half-fiend ruler isn't confined, which I'm not treating him as, then it's likely that he isn't in a position to control a portal. He may restrict traffic to one that he knows of, but without knowing the key, is stuck along with all the rest. I did like the idea about self-sacrifice. Of course, another option that would really fit this PCs role would be to displace the half-fiend and take control of the town for himself. Hmmmm. Good ideas thus far. Keep them coming.