I am starting a new game with a mix of experienced players and new players. I would like the game to take place on some kind of demiplane. I am going for kind of a "lost" (from the TV show) experience.
The demiplane will be an island that the players wake up on, stranded. They might think it is just a normal island at first. They are ship wrecked, but the ship actually went into a maelstrom which was the portal to this demiplane.
I am a bit torn for the denizens of the island. I want some humanoids that can be allies, maybe a few different tribes. I was thinking about either anthropomorphic creatures (catfolk, ratfolk, that kind of thing) or various fey (satyrs etc.). A big thing would be that there are no humans (or other core races) native to the island.
I also would like a group of invaders to the island. The race for this group I'm not sure about though. I think they should be extraplanar (not demons though, overrused them in pretty much all my last games). I was thinking about maybe githzeri/githyanki, even though they are not supported by pathfinder.
Lastly I might want to have there be a creator of the demiplane. Maybe a wizard or powerful extraplaner being. There would be forbidden ruins or wizard towers on the island left by the creators.
The players would begin by surviving and exploring the island, discovering its inhabitants, and the threat of the invaders. The end goal might be to return to their homeland (back to my established homebrew campaign I have used before). The players may work to defeat the invaders, maybe allying with the natives, or even summoning help from the players homeland.
If anyone has any suggestions it would be much appreciated. Or if you want to steal these ideas for your own game go ahead.
You could have the invaders be Inevitables, and the demiplane is actually a sanctuary originally created long ago as a demigod's attempt to outdo the material plane. While it was not successful, a large number of creatures have fled here over the years attempting to escape wars, famine, and the like and found the land very fertile and welcoming to settlement. Due to the construction of the plane, nothing ages past adulthood and only dies when it is either violently killed or starves, gets a disease, etc.
This demiplane has recently become unstable and is threatening to spill over into the material plane as evidence by the maelstrom the PC's were originally stranded by. If it manages to spill over too much, it could tear apart the planar boundaries and destroy much of the other planes. The Inevitables are attempting to destroy the demiplane as a whole to prevent it from damaging the other planes, but they must destroy a number of "creation foci" that keep the demiplane in existence before they destroy it utterly, which will of course strand/kill massive populations of innocent creatures. The foci would be relics that the various tribes have discovered, powerful ancient creatures that have roamed the plane since it was created, and possibly powerful mages who have attempted to tap into the raw energy of the place and found themselves enslaved by it.
It would be up to the players to hold off the inevitables while they discover what is causing the plane to become unstable and try to fix it so it is no longer a threat to them. Alternatively, they could side with the inevitables and could show compassion where the inevitables don't by evacuating innocent tribes. As for what is causing the plane to go crazy, I am going to say maybe the demigod went crazy or, if you prefer, was going to have a child with another god, and the child god was deformed essentially for some reason (I got nothing right now) which just prevented its maturity. This raging godchild couldn't wield its massive power properly and began thrashing wildly, destroying everything nearby and threatening the stability of the plane.
This could make a good, long running campaign that could run from level 1 to 20+ easily if you wanted.
For invaders: Slaad? Also not covered by PF but pretty freaking cool.
And have the allies be gnomes. NO ONE uses gnomes.
No one expects the gnomish inquisition!
Sounds like a pretty fun campaign. You may want to check out the Mist games for ideas; the whole waking up on a seemingly deserted island is a common theme throughout that series and the way their universe works is pretty cool.
For the hostile race, how about the Xill? They're organized, highly intelligent, and above all, scary! Depending on what level you start at, even a single xill could be a major challenge. Having them only see the results of the "thing's" encounters with natives could be terrifying, and could hold them in terror awhile until the "final" encounter where they finally see the thing. It could die, or just mysteriously disappear after falling or being bullrushed off a cliff (turning ethereal and going back to inform its fellows that there are intruders that are a serious threat). The later they can run into more as they're exploring the ruins of the place.
Dominigo, you have awesome ideas, I can only imagine you are a great DM. I like the idea of using inevitables. I just wish they had some creatures between the Arbiters (CR 2) and Zelekhuts (CR 9), as my players are starting at level 1 it will be a while before they can take on any serious inveitables.
Yeah Githyanki are what I always think when I hear, "extra-planar raiders," but like you said, they're problematic.
A problem I see with using Inevitables is that they are excessively focused, and their end goal is, well, too easy. Blowing up a plane by tag'n'bagging a few (or even a thousand) macguffins is the kind of thing a single adventuring party does in a single arc of a larger campaign. Raiding though, for profit or as part of an eventual invade-and-conquer campaign is the kind of thing which can have lots of different levels of attacker, style of attack, and target.
Maybe not, just my opinion. And if you really want them but need more, y'know, RANGE there is nothing stopping an Inevitable (who *is* intelligent) from subcontracting with Formians, Name-brand Clockwork, Other Brand Clockwork, or the delightful, the favorite, THE MODRONS! (3.0 stats, need updating)
A quick alternative idea would be a proxy war, The Island is a third-world nation in a 2+ way struggle between planar groups that don't necessarily have any bigger plans than, "it is prime real estate and we'uns be movin' in. Currently striking my fancy: Genies, you can have the classic air vs. fire (djinni vs. efreet) or even have a 4-way elemental tugfest, they use all kinds of planar mercenaries and pawns as well as try to cut deals with the locals, but the portals always open at the hands and behest Genies.
Races: I'm not sure how big this thing is, a "normal" island caps around 3 tribes but this is also a demiplane and "normal" was a pretty loose term. I'd start with Tengu and Grippli squabbling for canopy-space in the jungle. Then along one river/bay a mixed tribe of catfolk and ratfolk managing to live together in relative harmony (catfolk hunt, ratfolk gather). In the dark places and the undergrounds Shadow-fey lurk and work. They particularly don't get along with the Kitsune, though whether that is because of legitimate disagreements or because the tricky foxes are the fun-loving pranksters that they can't be is uncertain. Further up the river it turns to bog and marsh filled with lizardfolk. Elsewhere jungle and forest abrputly give way to a large walled-in plain, at the center squats a ziggurat surrounded by a lovely city that seems completely empty in the daylight but for peaceful herds of farm animals. But at night the former servants of the maker of this plane come out to work and play. You see the creator had a clan of vampires in its thrall, and though they were eventually sent away the clan patriarch learned a great deal of magic, so much o that he was able, in time, to discover magic that would return his "children" to a semblance of life. The patriarch and his fellows are long dead, having finally been able to live and die as mortals again. They are entombed in the ziggurat, and their grave-touched children, the Dhampir, live in the city surrounding it. They know secrets, but not ALL the secrets. Rounding out the different clans are Goblins, but unlike most these goblins are relatively civilized and live under the benevolent oligarchy of the Council of Blues (psychic goblins, though they DO like the music) and are the only natives that were not dragged here involuntarily and the only group which regularly trades with just about everybody. The Council ALSO knows secrets, pried from minds and thoughts and the astral winds themselves, but they also have experience *keeping* secrets.
The Creator: Shrouded in mystery, wrapped in an enigma, and deep-fried in a paranoid conspiracy, the creator USED to be a mortal. Gathering unto itself a great deal of power and wealth and minions it did things that might be considered evil, but it also did good (for example, a big secret the Blues are keeping is they were offered a rescue from a dying world, just out of charity). After the centuries it had conquered regular mortality and created its toy world and surmounted any "normal" challenge it could come up with. Not interested in godhood with its associated portfolio limitations and troublesome inevitables the Creator sought ascendance to something else; less than god, but more than mortal. It may have succeeded, but no one is really sure what it became. One certainty is that fragments, or perhaps simply echoes of its self are doing things, often at odds with each other. Perhaps at the center of the island is a black-smoke devil monster that is trying to be released, perhaps it's a demigod ready to work goodness and right across the cosmos. Perhaps it died and all that remains are shadows and dust. Perhaps all of this is a lie, a legend planted by a wizard who wanted to keep potential enemies guessing.
One thing is certain, the Creator is not directly involving itself with its creations, and unknown powers are afoot.
I have other ideas (okay, rip-offs) but this post is too long already and biology is bothering me.
It was just something I came up with real quick to fit what he had, and you do have a point about Inevitables being very focused. As far as enemy range is concerned, I could absolutely see Inevitables bringing in hired help, not to mention sending the party on the ever popular side quest. If there are established societies within the demiplane, then there is certainly going to be something else to do other than 100% invaders all the time.
If you wanted something more interesting, you could make the demiplane a massive housing for some great power or location. For example, I once played in a campaign that revolved around the villain trying to find and absorb this particular magical focus that would allow him to experience an eternal state of euphoria by literally draining all the joy from the world and funneling it to himself. While I wouldn't suggest that exact example, you could have a particular area of the plane be the Forge of the Gods, where those who have the knowledge can forge new life as a smith would a sword. Maybe there is a Red King who slumbers in his ancient tomb between life and death, and anyone who whispers their wishes into his ears can shape reality to them through his dreams. I would think a lot of groups would want either of these if they knew about them.
The proxy war is pretty good. Make it so that the plane can easily bridge the gap between planes that have trouble connecting directly. That could be good.
Nagas vs garudas vs manticores vs rakshas!
Starts taking notes, lots and lots of notes.
The Land of the Lost had aspects of a demiplane.
It could be the invading race is trying to take over the demiplane and use it to access other dimensions, thus why things like the maelstrom appear. They don't have a full understanding and so can only bring things in. This may be causing some instabilities as a result.
You could always create various native races. These might have been left by the Creator to protect the demiplane from invaders, though they might not be hostile unless attacked. If you have multiple tribes and/or species it could be the Creator gave each one a piece of the control mechanism, which they guard with their lives. The PCs are going to have a trick convincing their allies they only want to use the mechanism to return home - though it could be there's actually more than one way to control the demiplane: the mechanism is just the easiest.
As for the invading force, you could always use the Strix http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/uncommon-races/arg-strix and simply give them class levels.
To follow up on this if anyone is interested:
I started this campaign using some of your ideas, this is the plan so far.
The demiplane was created by one of the most powerful wizards in history. This wizard came from a society of summoners (this society was actually created by one of my players as a backstory for his character so I'm pretty happy it worked out this way).
This wizard found a way to make a demiplane, and summon the material from other planes to create the land, sea, and air. Originally he would summon this material from the elemental planes, as they are an infinite source. His goal was to make a more perfect world, where he and his summoners society could rule. The society found his ideas ridiculous, and cast him out.
Enraged, the wizard decided to summon material from the prime material plane where the summoner society lives. This would eventually destroy the entire planet, to create a new planet in the demiplane.
To free himself from constantly summoning pieces of his world, the wizard made a bargain with a Brine Dragon, a Magma Dragon, and a Cloud Dragon. The wizard granted the dragons each the power to summon chunks of water, earth, and air respectively, to the demiplane. In exchange the dragons would have free reign over this new land.
For insurance, the wizard keeps one dragon orb for each dragon hidden somewhere on the demiplane.
The dragons began summoning chunks from the prime material plane and formed an island with a good amount of sea around it.
The wizard populated this island with races of his own creation - ratfolk, catfolk, lizardfolk, frogfolk (grippli), monkeyfolk (vanara), birdfolk (tengu), and foxfolk (kitsune). The wizard experimented with giving the foxfolk magical powers. The foxfolk used these powers to find out the truth of the island.
The island is also populated by dire animals of all types, and plant creatures.
Hidden on the island is is an underground base that the wizard works from. Also there are several lookout towers hidden by illusions.
Somehow the wizard got killed (haven't decided yet how) but his creation is still chugging along stealing pieces of a prime material plane.
Meanwhile the god of order and creation has noticed that this demiplane is on the way to destroying one of his planets. The god directs the inevitables to take over the demiplane and stop it from destroying the prime material planet.
Some inevitables enter the plane, bringing with them some axiomites who begin construction of a clockwork army to take over the island.
The players entered the game when the brine dragon summoned a huge chunk of water. The players were in a boat that happened to be in the sea when the chunk was summoned.
The campaign has gone well so far. The players have met several tribes of natives, and have discovered one of the lookout towers. The clockwork creatures have just destroyed the monkeyfolk town, and the players are approaching the lizardfolk tribe for help in fending off the clockworks.
The players will get to meet a foxfolk who can reveal some of the secrets of the island.
In the end the players will be able to decide whether they want to let the inevitables destroy the plane, or they could fight off the inevitables. The players could also find the dragon orbs and force the dragons to start getting material from the elemental planes instead of the prime material. Then they would have to convince the inevitables that the problem has been solved.
all the invaders are Awakened dinosaurs, seeking to make their first foothold on their path to dominate all mammals.
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