Hi all,
I'm seeking some feedback from anyone willing to chime in - as I'm plotting the next step in a long running and slow moving campaign I've been DMing for about 2.5 years, PC's just at 9th level (yep, real life has really interuppted our gaming).
I've been running a Greyhawk campaign, party met as Merc's in Perrenland, each w/ an agenda. I was using your basic, loosely conceived "Iuz is big and bad" plot line, now, inspired by the very good AP's I've been reading (AOW and ST so far), I need to pick up my game.
Quick synopsis:
Started w/ Iuz seeking to influence Perrenland elections by fomenting unrest in Sepia uplands. PC's uncovered this, thwarted the plans and reclaimed ancient Dwarven stronghold of one of my PC's ancestors (major adaptation of the Forge of Fury published module, maps worked good though).
They've since liberated Schwungelstadt, free border town, but heavily Perrendish, and are currently in the Vesve, hoping to survive a siege, Alamo (or Helm's Deep) style deep in the woods.
My problem: where to go from here. We started and I was just happy to have a gaming group. They are now becoming "significant" nearing that plateau (call me 1st edition old school if you will) of 10th level.
So here are my thoughts, again inspired by the AP's I've been reading.
Iggwilv, not Iuz, is their big nemesis, they just don't know it.
Iggy is seeking to ascend, similar, but stronger, than Iuz did. One of my PC's is a half-fiend, descended from Graz'zt. Iggy is advising and manipulating Iuz to mess w/ Perrenland. Her goal is to distract, rekindle, deep in a hidden chamber in the lost caverns, a ritual, using my PC, Grazz'zt (w/ PC and plot twists as bait) and Iuz, to get there, and she will complete a Soul Husks ritual similar to what Iuz did (where do you think he learned it? He was not as smart as momma, she was just imprisoned in the Abyss at the time). This is my proposed "endgame" for the campaign.
Backing it out from here, right now, they think Iuz is the target, w/ the one PC very interested in Graz'zt as well. Grazz'zt knows something is up, and will secretly, through a minion, contacting the PC to try to monitor and thwart Iggwilv, Iuz just wantst to hold/regain the Flaenaess and is mostly a smart, tough pawn of his parents in this game, although maybe not.....
A couple interim ideas before endgame
1 - Iuz's revenge - since they've thwarted him, they must pay.
2 - Iggy's distraction - reawaken an ancient, imprisoned minion of Zuggtomoy (Ruka-whatever) in Sepia to distract Perrenders away from Lost Caverns.
3 - Experimental Soul Husk - manipulated by Iggy, PC's must find and do something w/ one of Iuz's first attempts at Soul Husks (makes sense that he would practice first!) - thus getting Iuz's and Grazz'zt's attention to bait Iggy's trap
4 - which leads all of our players to the Lost Caverns for the end game. Will PC's ally w/ Grazz'zt (one PC's daddy), Iuz, both or neither? Will Iggwilve siphon off one or both and ascend......
Sorry for length, any thoughts are appreciated.....
I like the fact that the Half-Feind PC is tied in to the plot but make sure that the others have something cool as well so that they don't feel left out at times.
I like the fact that the Half-Feind PC is tied in to the plot but make sure that the others have something cool as well so that they don't feel left out at times.
Right on, that's been the attempt, and challenge.
The Dwarven Fighter had to retake (done) and now hold (might tie in some underdark fungoid menace) his ancestral stronghold.
Elvish Bard is now in the Vesve trying to save the last of his clan.
Human Ranger just wants to kill lots and lots of orcs and demons (doing pretty good on this one). So overall, the balancing is tough, but working okay.
In retrospect, more due to player than plot, I would have liked a little less plot connection to the half-fiend, but it's working so far.
Thanks for the reply!
Well it depends on the nature of your campaign but from the premise as I understand it, I might do one of four things:
1: Find an evil adversary of Iggwilv - a rival prince that backs the party (through agents - not directly - or at least provides information) however the party has to be wary of what aid is accepted, and watch their backs. I think that presents a lot of opportunity for the introduction of challenges and interesting elements.
2: Find a disgruntled minion of Iggwilv - who wants revenge, or even to usurp - and offers aid in secret - the risk being if discovered - you get a lot of direct attention from really powerful bad guys - maybe not even "allies" of Iggwilv but other demons that have an interest in maintaining the status quo.
3: A side adventure that provides the party with key information or an avenue to Iggwilv's realm.
4: An alliance with a Temple/Church bent on Iggwilv's destruction - putting the party in the position of scouts (initially) and maybe a task force later on.
Maybe a bit cliched but all avenues that add to complexity and intersting detail.
I hope that helps.
Cheers from the exotic middle east
First I would like to ask if you have the Iuz the Evil, City of Skulls, or Marklands source books? I believe they are available from Paizo and would be a huge benefit.
From these you can have your PCs meet the leaders of the forces of good in the Vesve. I would initially have them go up against one of the Boneheart controling the area closest to them. This would really get the ire of Iuz going.
Mordenkain's stronghold is in the Yatil mountains so it is very likely that he is keeping close ties on Iggwilv. As your players get closer to challenging her, they could receive some very important information from him.
Graz'zt might send one of his other children to act on his behalf and help your group. Quite likely having an agenda of his own.
Good luck, do you have a campaign journal?
There's a 15th level dungeon in Dungeon #118 called "Throne of Iuz" that takes place entirely in the Vesve that would fit into your campaign perfectly, albeit modified slightly to suit your PCs level. Check that out.
Also, maybe have Tsojcanth (he was a high level wizard apparently, maybe a lich...ur-flan?) show up. Perhaps Iggwilv double crossed him (she has a knack for this)long ago and imprisoned him in the lost caverns, then the party inadvertantly frees him. He'd have plenty o' reason to have a bone to pick with her.
Along similar lines, Zagyg may even get involved considering their history. Same with the Circle of Eight.
Then there's the Boneheart. Maybe one of 'em has a hidden agenda either for or against Iuz. Think of it: help bring the Old One down and your gonna get some serious payback, or help save his ass from his biatch mother and you'll be page one in his good books. Lotsa room for political maneuvering here.
I like your campaign a lot, reminds me of a similar one I ran years ago. I had Iuz looking to ascend to lesser god status by performing the "Soul Husk" ritual with Iggwilv on a captured planetar (the prisoner in the iron castle,From the Ashes book).
Well it depends on the nature of your campaign but from the premise as I understand it, I might do one of four things:
1: Find an evil adversary of Iggwilv - a rival prince that backs the party (through agents - not directly - or at least provides information) however the party has to be wary of what aid is accepted, and watch their backs. I think that presents a lot of opportunity for the introduction of challenges and interesting elements.
Perfect, this is the role I'm using for Graz'zt. Will start in the form of a Thrall of Graz'zt trying to recruit/seduce by half-fiend PC by tempting him and using the logic - the enemy of my enemy is my friend kind of approach to corrupt him.
2: Find a disgruntled minion of Iggwilv - who wants revenge, or even to usurp - and offers aid in secret - the risk being if discovered - you get a lot of direct attention from really powerful bad guys - maybe not even "allies" of Iggwilv but other demons that have an interest in maintaining the status quo.
Or a disgruntled or power hungry minion of Iuz, such as Halga, who has pieced it all together and wants to steal the power of the Soul Husk ritual to take over for the big guy herself....
3: A side adventure that provides the party with key information or an avenue to Iggwilv's realm.
Yep, this would be the "original" Soul Husk adventure, w/ one of the rewards being the discovery that the Soul Husk "technology" actually comes from Iggwilv, not from Iuz - confirmation of Iggwilv's role as antagonist, shift from Iuz as primary enemy.
4: An alliance with a Temple/Church bent on Iggwilv's destruction - putting the party in the position of scouts (initially) and maybe a task force later on.
Slight variation - alliance w/ Perrenland NPC who is both an agent of Perrenland and also, possibly, for Mordenkainen/Circle of Eight, to guide/hire/manipulate the party!
Good suggestions all, grist for the mill and coming together, Thanks! And good luck in the exotic Middle East!
There's a 15th level dungeon in Dungeon #118 called "Throne of Iuz" that takes place entirely in the Vesve that would fit into your campaign perfectly, albeit modified slightly to suit your PCs level. Check that out.
Thanks for the feedback! I've got that one (Dungeon # 118), I like the premise, but I don't really care for the Uber-Orc bad guys. Good stuff to use in there, however.
See reply to Kyr RE: Boneheart, lots of cool ways to go with this one!
First I would like to ask if you have the Iuz the Evil, City of Skulls, or Marklands source books?
Yep, got them.
Good luck, do you have a campaign journal?
No campaign journal, haven't really looked at these yet.
Thanks for feedback!
Hmmm... sorry if this posts twice or something similar...
For such an epic campaign, I believe that you need to have the ending go out with a bang. To do this I suggest the adventurers start trying to persuade 'factions' over to their side.
You said earlier that the adventurers may fight Iggwilv with the help of Iuz and/or Grazzt, but what about the common people involved or affected by Iggwilv. People that would rather die than have their loved ones killed or enslaved by demonic hordes. This type of thing might give the dwarf and elf a chance to shine if their people or allies aid in the final battle.
Even if you don't want to end the campaign with a large battle, having these factions in the background for some enormous spell to smash them would be pretty epic.
Also, remember the Grazzt and Iuz are probably plotting something to give them the upper hand after a confrontation with Iggwilv. I wouldn't imagine them spending much more than 50% of their energy in a direct battle.
Good luck with your campaign. My current one is starting to fizzle, but we played for almost 2 years and just reached lvl 11. At the moment I am trying to find a good break point in case we want to pick it up sometime.
"You said earlier that the adventurers may fight Iggwilv with the help of Iuz and/or Grazzt, but what about the common people involved or affected by Iggwilv. People that would rather die than have their loved ones killed or enslaved by demonic hordes. This type of thing might give the dwarf and elf a chance to shine if their people or allies aid in the final battle."
OOOOOH! I like it. "The little people, what about the little people?". I don't know how to make it happen, as they would need to have an enemy to target, as opposed to a dark tomb, but clashing armies is always a nice backdrop, big LOTR feel to it! Even better, maybe this is part of the backdrop needed, maybe a nearby sacrifice of this magnitutde is required for the ritual????
"Also, remember the Grazzt and Iuz are probably plotting something to give them the upper hand after a confrontation with Iggwilv. I wouldn't imagine them spending much more than 50% of their energy in a direct battle."
Yep, I'm working on this. I think Graz'zt will have a clue, I haven't decided yet how aware Iuz will be. I sort of am picturing Graz'zt as not being interested in, or mortal enough to be able to attempt, ascension, so his goal may be to thwart and reimprison Iggwilv and to keep junior down a peg or two. Iuz, I dunno. Weird family dynamic there, to say the least.
"Good luck with your campaign."
Thanks!
Hope Blueberry and other contributors don't mind if I steal some ideas from this thread for my files. I'm fitfully working on a campaign for the same region using retooled Dungeon adventures and perhaps some stuff of my own. I've settled on using D&D's most dysfunctional family as a centerpiece for the campaign, and possibly focusing on several artifacts or powerful magic items associated with the witch queen--including the cape given to her by Graz'zt detailed in "Fiend's Embrace" and the Demonomicon of Iggwilv (Dragon 336), and possibly Baba Yaga's hut.
I have vague memories about this whole soul husk ritual thing--can anyone point me to a source to help me flesh it out?
Cheers!