I have a group of players that are interesting in playing in a world where the Age of Worms actually happens. Obviously this means that some heroes failed and that certain individuals (Kyuss among them) are still alive, and some pretty terrifying events unfold.
Let's assume that Dragotha was never killed... and a few other important NPCs. What type of events would characters expect to see? What should the world be like? More importantly how can the Age of Worms be stopped from continuing?
How would you do it if you were setting up this campaign? Assume the characters will be low level (5 or lower).
In my mind, I imagine their would be roaming armies of undead, led by powerful cleric's of Kyuss. We know that the sky rains worms in certain parts of the world (most likely over populated area's). Would Dragotha return to his role as a general on the battlefield? I plan to use the various "Kyuss" undead that Dungeon supplied us. I don't have much experience with epic play - obviously this would turn epic near the end.
Some other questions that need answered, what nameless power helped Kyuss grow in strength, and how can "it" be stopped?
What are the other deities doing? What other catostrophic events take place? In a nutshell what would this nightmare of a world be like?
That's a really fun idea! Perhaps the arrival of the Age of Worms allows for the weakening of dimensional barriers on many levels, and you could have the rise of a new "cult" of alienists. Their ultimate goal might be to pull a bloated, Cthulhu-like alien (something clearly associated with the worms, perhaps their... "mother") into the world the PCs know.
Very quickly, humans might be considered only as "harvest" for this dread being, and would fight for their lives in isolated camps of refugees. Cultures that are in the process of dying make for wonderfully rich campaign material. You could quickly whip up an entire world that is along the lines of Ravenloft but more fitting of Cthulhu's final designs.
The campaign for the PCs could involve tracking down the scattered items and tormented spirits of the original heroes who failed. With those items, and perhaps with a little help from all the churches that have fallen, these new PCs could rise to become heroes and not only prevent the alien's arrival but also purify their world of the worms. Sounds like immense fun! :D
Sick, demented, and depressing... I like it!
The key to this apocolyptic world (not "post" apocolyptic) is creating a genuine sense of gloom. The scarriest times will be the beginning, right after the heroes fail to defeat Kyuss. Think of it from the commoner's perspective.
One day everything was cool, then there are way too many nightcrawlers after every rain, and suddenly the rumors start drifting in... the Free City overrun with undead, massive battles with dragons and undead in the distant north.
Then really bad things start happening--rumor has it that many of the goodly churches have fallen, or the archcleric of Veluna committed suicide and recomended that the faithful do the same. Powerful leaders in distant lands muster their armies to march on a tiny principality in the Bandit Kingdoms, but their forces are decimated, and each death strengthens the enemy. The leaders who submit doom their citizens to become cattle for undead horrors, some becoming liches themselves, the ones who continue to resist are defeated by the undead hordes.
The world is in chaos. Every community has to fend for themselves as they are cut off from their neighbors, and unfortunatley such times breed mistrust, so villages war with one another for cattle and crops. Nature herslef seems to turn on the people and crops fail--starvation claims more lives.
Most folk are forced to submit to unscrupolous adventurers and necromancers for protection, who extort the people for some minor protection against the undead. In time, nearly all towns have errected walls and deny entrance of those they don't know. Only to learn that such protections are meaningless when the legions of Kyuss arrive.
The rumors slow to a trickle, and the few that reach the ears of most spell doom. the lands north of the Nyr Dyv are infested with worm-ridden undead, and the southern jungles are even worse. In desperation Furyondy tried to recreate the Baklunish Rain of Colorless Fire as a weapon against the undead horde, but wound up destrying themselves. Mordenkainen is said to be a vampire and Tenser has fled for other worlds. Clerics at the temple of Pelor recieves a vision of their god with worms spewing from his mouth, ears, nose and eyes.
Whether or not this things are true is unknown to the common man, all he knows is that his crops were meager, his daughter has been chanting somgs in praise of the worm god and looking at him with predatory eyes, and that the sun hasn't shone in months.
Sort of like Gamma World, except with worms and undead instead of radiation and mutants!
Good idea's guys. Some of them are pretty twisted! :) Please keep them coming!
As for my players... I will be starting them off in the Crystal Mountains in an a small unknown village (I basically made it up). Allustan lived, and fled there. Here Allustan plans to create a group of heroes who will help him undo what his Last Apprentice could not stop.
The characters have never even seen a spawn of Kyuss, or the other worm-filled undead creations. Their little walled village has kept them unawares of what is going on in the world. If it weren't for Allustan arriving and sharing what he knows, this village would not have a clue as to what is happening.
Ultimately they will have to face what is going on. I am thinking of bringing worm filled snow or rain to this village, while the players our out on an errand. When they return they will have no home, and the people they once knew will now be spawn of Kyuss. This will force them to flee, and will help create an atmosphere of chaos and doom.
I am not sure ultimately how they could stop the Age of Worms. One thing for sure is they have a daunting task before them. I would like for them to do this without too much help from the gods - however some help in the form of visions may happen.
How do I undo the Age of Worms is my big question... are the players required to gather powerful artifacts spaning multiple planes? Are there other machines like the Unlife Vortex (found in issue 135) that need to be destroyed? With many lives being lost, and some priest most likely taking their own lives (and even instructing their fellow worshipers to do the same) I imagine it would take quite a toll on the other deities.
I like this idea: probably more than I should. :)
If you haven't yet, try looking at the "Midnight" setting from Fantasy Flight for inspiration.
TPK Jay: You've nailed it!
Great setting to adventure in ... not so great place to actually live.
Saving the world, one vilage at a time.