I’m working on an idea for a campaign where the PCs find themselves pitted against several Demon cults who are, frighteningly enough, working together for some bigger goal (while seemingly at cross-purposes at times). I’m not one hundred percent certain on where it will start just yet, and I’m waiting for Lords of Chaos’s release in December to plan the exact nature of a lot of what is happening, but I was hoping for a little help planning the background.
So the plan is that Shelyn disappears from the Heavens and the things under her purview on Golarion (art, music, beauty and love) start to go wonky. Her clergy continue to be able to cast their spells, but they suffer from intense feelings of pain and terror when they do so. Worse, these emotions start to tumble out into the inspirations of artists and musicians, and eventually even into matters of love.
The other Gods are up in arms, to say the least. After all, who would be depraved enough to hurt Shelyn? They decide that it must be Zon-Kuthon and try to attack him, only for him to raise a defence against them using the First Shadow. His servitors are still able to collect the souls of the dead, as Pharasma isn’t about to disrupt her duties for this despite something of a backlog of Shelyn worshippers building up the longer it goes on, and he sets his followers to look into the matter as well.
What actually happened was an attempt by the demon lord Nocticula to ascend to godhood. Just as Lamashtu tore the divinity out of a god, she decided that she could take a portfolio from an easier target. While taking Lust from Calistra was a natural choice, she decided that arranging a trap for the goddess of Trickery would be dangerous and settled on taking Shelyn instead. After all, what would be sweeter for a demon of lust and darkness than to hold corruptive dominion over “Love”.
Through intermediaries, she eventually makes sure that Shelyn finds out about a place in the Abyss where, once every “uber-long time” a spring opens up that contains foul fluid that can separate/absorb any corrupting influence from a soul. Even those of the Abyss itself. It is so powerful that enough of it could reduce a Demon Lord down to the inspiring soul and their power into something that either dissipates into the Abyss, can be consumed by another, or into something akin to a Quippolth Lord.
Shelyn finds out about this fluid, even getting a drop or two to test (and lo and behold, it works), just as the spring is about to close. With no time to lose, she makes her way to the Abyss and gets caught in Nocticula’s trap.
That’s where things get difficult for Nocticula. Other demon lords have become aware she was up to something and got involved. Dagon sees an opportunity to spread his influence through art (horror in clay) and music (of Eric Zhan), while Lamashtu wants to stop Nocticula’s plan take advantage of the opportunity to transform Shelyn into a hideously warped and perverse brood mother (her very own version of the Prince of Chains). Socothbenoth works with his sister, but sees this as an opportunity to “teach” Shelyn a few things and make her his thrall.
The Demon Lords all want Shelyn (each “loving” her in their own way), but realize that the Gods will be pissed when they find out what actually happened, so they agree to work together to avoid divine notice (while trying to undermine their rivals).
I figure that Shelyn was caught inside some sort of Artifact that Nocticula had/made, and that the Artifact fell into some layer of the Abyss when the demon lords came into conflict over it. As a result, the cults are not only trying to find some way of detecting the object, but also of preparing for what they see as their Master’s triumph by claiming power in the mortal world.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Maybe where I’m missing something, or where I could add something (like more demon lords for example).
If nothing, this plot gives me a chance to introduce the Inquisitors of Shelyn. My wife loves the idea of being allowed to torture someone for being a bad artist or musician. I’m just waiting for the crack about them being the “Love Police” ;)
Besides, NO ONE EXPECTS THE SHELYNIAN INQUISITION!!!