D Pad GM's page

I ran the opening as written as well. Told them when creating characters that they would need a reason for being at the Celebration if their character wasn't from Kenabres since it was going to be the focus of the first bit of the adventure. Had everyone describe their characters, reasons for being there, and any existing relationships within the party. Then simply stated "You awake in darkness". Everyone looked confused and one of my players even said "Wait, weren't we at a festival?" It was pretty great and everyone enjoyed it from what I can tell.

So I had an idea for something to come into play for the end of the campaign. I have not yet had a chance to personally read the fifth adventure and obviously the sixth has not been released. However, my idea is...

It is established lore that the Worldwound opened in 4606 AR, corresponding with the death of Aroden, which the cause of has remained a mystery. Now beginning with that I started to brainstorm a possible link between the two. Then I read about Aroden's death, with the week long storms raging and the Eye of Abendego persisting. Then I recall something in the player's guide, that Khorramzadeh the Storm King did not officially arrive in the Worldwound(publicly) until the Third Crusade when he attack Kenabres.

Now connecting all that information with Deskari and Baphomet's love of corruption and Areelu's plan to allow the crusaders to corrupt themselves, alongside the theme of Redemption for the players, I had the idea to reveal when/if the players inevitably confront Khorramzadeh, that either once they fatally wound him or somehow defeat him without killing him, that the corruption that overtook him in 4606 AR was finally lifted and Aroden would return to his original mortal form. The reveal would entail that Aroden traveled to Sarkoris to try and finish what he started against Deskari before. But Deskari was in the Abyss, working across the plane with Areelu to open the Worldwound. Aroden tracked the dark magic to Areelu's location and when he stepped in to stop the ritual, the timing was perfect for Deskari. Aroden's body was overtaken by the Abyssal energies, tainting him against his will. He was severely weakened and it took time for him to gain any form of strength, but once he did he emerged as the Storm King. The attachment to storms surrounding his death and the Storm King being the only balor lord wreathed in lightning seem too perfect.

Anyways, I'm looking for some feedback on the concept. Ideally the Storm Lord fight would take place close to the closing of the Worldwound so that could be the catalyst for his transformation. But what do you all think?