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Here goes,
The Campaign:
Against the Giants
"Descent into the Depths of the Earth"
"Hidden Shrine of the Kuo-Toa"
"Vault of the Drow",
almost as-written Except That
Eclevdra is doing all this for VECNA, not Lolth at all.
Eclevdra still has to be a Priestess of Lolth. It's just that, for this campaign, Vecna's the Power behind Eclevdra's plans.
I'll gladly read any possible fluffy ideas.
-W. E. Ray
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Oh yes, the point is that the Players have to come away from the campaign with a healthy fear, respect and hatred of Vecna. So I can set 'em up later for a Planescape campaign.
We're going to do G Series/ D Series (mutual agreement) and the grognard in me wants to be as true as possible to the original. I'm already gonna make D2 more like Bhal Hamatugn and the Vampire & Succubus lair outside of Erelhei-Cinlu has to become a "something else" & Succubus lair. But these aren't too much.
Somehow, Eclevdra the Cleric of Lolth has to make a Deal or Pact or something with Vecna. Vecna has to become a visible and active player at the end. I don't mind the idea of Eclevdra betraying Vecna at the end -- the same way Krystarn Felhammer betrays Shallowsoul at the end -- but for the first 95% of the campaign, they're together.
Here goes,
The Campaign:
Against the Giants
"Descent into the Depths of the Earth"
"Hidden Shrine of the Kuo-Toa"
"Vault of the Drow",almost as-written Except That
Eclevdra is doing all this for VECNA, not Lolth at all.
Eclevdra still has to be a Priestess of Lolth. It's just that, for this campaign, Vecna's the Power behind Eclevdra's plans.I'll gladly read any possible fluffy ideas.
-W. E. Ray
I could see Lolth allying with Vecna, putting him out in the front and letting him take the risks while she sits back waiting to see if it works. If it does, fine, she moves in to take her part of the power. If it fails, she cuts Vecna loose, and calls it his fault.
Maybe she has a piece of Vecna?
Oh yes, the point is that the Players have to come away from the campaign with a healthy fear, respect and hatred of Vecna. So I can set 'em up later for a Planescape campaign.
We're going to do G Series/ D Series (mutual agreement) and the grognard in me wants to be as true as possible to the original. I'm already gonna make D2 more like Bhal Hamatugn and the Vampire & Succubus lair outside of Erelhei-Cinlu has to become a "something else" & Succubus lair. But these aren't too much.
Somehow, Eclevdra the Cleric of Lolth has to make a Deal or Pact or something with Vecna. Vecna has to become a visible and active player at the end. I don't mind the idea of Eclevdra betraying Vecna at the end -- the same way Krystarn Felhammer betrays Shallowsoul at the end -- but for the first 95% of the campaign, they're together.
The Vampire/Succubus encounter I've changed in the one I'm adapting as well. The PCs have already dealt with Strahd in I6 (which I set in the Bandit Kingdoms) so I thought another vampire would be redundant. Instead, I've got Belgos being a half-demon Drow fighter, the succubus is a sorceress with silent and still spell feats, and they have a few drider servants. Basically, they're running a small stronghold for exiles from the Vault, which means they could be approached as allies...
I like the idea of Eclavdra having a piece of Vecna. It gives her a real connection to him.
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Ah, SmiloDan, that's a good idea and one I should have thought of myself. I can give Eclevdra the Eye and have her begin a dialog with Vecna, thus beginning their relationship or uneasy alliance.
I'm still left with defining the nature of their relationship, temporary though it may be, and more importantly to the campaign, how that relationship "creates" the campaign. I sorta need Vecna to take the Lolth's place in Queen of the Spiders. That kind of thing.
Lolth has to be completely or nearly silent in the campaign for other reasons. I can use her to add flavor to Erelhei-Cinlu and give Eclevdra Cleric spells from her but that's it.
-W. E. Ray
Vecna has sufficiently bound or otherwise reduced Lolth's power. The void leaves Vecna in control thus he becomes a central villain for you. Eclevdra approaches Vecna and declares her allegience to him. Secretly she is plotting to regain Lolth's position either for herself or you can have her be loyal to Lolth and try and return her to power. Vecna would highly distrust Eclevdra and possibly suspect some sort of treachery which he could dispense upon her towards the end of the adventure once she reveals her true motives. The PCs could become involved on either side of this conflict, most likely they side with Eclevdra or attempt to find a way to do without both entities. You could also inlclude the idea of the Vecna body part as follows:
Eclevdra received a body part of Vecna's while on a quest for Lolth
Lolth had magically affected the body part so that if it was returned to Vecna it would greatly harm him
Vecna eventually muscles in and gains control of Lolths territory
Vecna wants the body part from Eclevdra but doesn't know it will be a Lolth doublecross when he receives it
Eclevdra secretly wants to release Lolth or take her place
Eclevdra approaches Vecna pretending to turn to him for power
Vecna distrusts Eclevdra and suspects she will betray him but accepts her and adopts the philosophy that it is better to keep your enemies next to you so you can keep a better eye on them
After a distrustful relationship between the two, Eclevdra gives up the body part to Vecna once she accepts him as her new master. She betrays Lolth at this point, but Lolth expected that, thus she actually had led her to the body part to eventaully give to Vecna.
The PCs get caught up in the middle of the struggle and need to side with Eclevdra (sort of the lesser of two evils).
The PCs defeat Vecna and Lolth moves back in having regained her power.
Lolth has one more secret put into Vecna's hand which you develop and it spurns on a new campaign far down the road after this one is over.
As for how the relationship “creates” the campaign, what if Vecna has discovered a hidden secret or prophecy that can be fulfilled if Eclavdra unites the giants? As one possible example, “The Eye will deliver [Big benefit X, e.g. an item, power, event, etc. that Vecna wants] unto the patron of the ebon conqueror, who will unite the sundered kinfolk of giantkind into a terrible fist.” (Or something less over-the-top if it fits your campaign style better.)
Then Vecna wouldn’t want to just kill Eclavdra outright when she comes to him, but use her until the prophecy’s fulfilled, and he would of course tell Eclavdra to unite the giants. And maybe Lolth’s found out about the prophecy too and wants to fulfill it herself, as Eclavdra’s true patron?
The benefit Vecna hoped to get for fulfilling the prophecy might be tied into whatever you plan to do in your subsequent campaign.
It sounds like fun, regardless!
Doug
Maybe Llolth seduced Vecna to do HER bidding?
Maybe a weaponmaster has the Sword of Kaz?
Maybe the Ulna of Vecna is a really powerful wand?