Hi, long time GM, first post on the forum so I hope this is agood place/topic. I'm currently running a game that takes place in Kaer Maga and am looking for advice or help in constructing the overall meta plot. I'll give a brief overview on my party and what's occurred so far, then I'll give my plans on my buildup to a finale which honestly isn't planned yet. I'm hoping for any feedback, tips, advice or anything else you would care to provide, and thanks in advance for your help.
My party consists of a Drow/ rogue (CN)suffering fron amnesia when he encounters the party; he has scars and incisions all across his body and remembers only his escapefrom a bluepit of hell. His goal is to find out what happened (derro).
My second PC is an Orc/fighter (CN) who was drawn to the city of strangers over a legend of the weapon of General Greaves, one of Karzoug's top generals; he wants his legendary axe.
My third PC is a Goblin/alchemist (LE) who's really a pragmatist, he wants power in a general sense. He uses zombie meat-shields and bombs to get around.
Last PC is an Elf/ranger (CG) who has dedicated herself to the Duskwardens, whatever her reasons for coming, her focus nowis the protection of the city from what lurks below.
As a group, they've established themselves a bar/heroes guild in the bottoms district, and have become a major player in the political intrigues therein. Upon arriving at the halflight path, they befriended the collgardy family(I ran the city of strangers, pfs) and they made their way up, the ambush killed the father of the family, leaving the daughter in their care.
-They completed the city of strangers pfs both one and two, making friends/allies with Dakar and the Ardocs.
-They helped the church of Pharasma problem below the Godsmouth Ossuary,much to my alchemists chagrin because he wanted to help poor Svillenius Tripe.
-They've found clues of a slaving ring that is working with evil derros to wipe slaves minds bfore their sale (the derro have also been implanting their subjects with something I've so far left vague).
-They've also been sort of patroned by a teifling money lender named Angston who is far more than what he seems, recently a trip to the temple of Asmodeus found him as their high priest.
-My fighter obtained an axe that is said to be the key to Greaves vault.
Ok, that sort of leaves us at present, I currently have an epic finale with the derro planned that will give my Drow/rogue PC his old drow gear and some info as to why he was coming to the surface in the first place. I also have a vague plan to involve the PC's in the Brothers of The Seal, where either they'll team up with the scions to launch an assault on the faithful in an attempt to gain access to the seal, or join the faithful to stop the scions once and for all. I want whatever is behind the seal to be vital information to the coming confrontation. Other than that though, it'll be a side adventure.
My main focus of adventure I have in the works is as follows:
The PC's find someone (either Angston or even some creature behind the seal) to seek out the Godpool, an ancient creation of Karzoug's, to find out about an impending disaster. The only known way to find the godpool is hidden within the Therrassic Spire, (which is closed due to me and another GM running in the same continuity, her adventure is shattered star) with no means of reaching inside they're told about the ancient machine within the forever bore that could allow them to infiltrate the library by possessing those within.
The forever bore I want to run as kind of like an Ocean's eleven hiest type adventure except with possession magic. Infiltrating as people within the spire to get to restricted areas that have the needed info about the Godpool.
After obtaining the needed info, they find out that the Godpool is hidden under the city's lake in a place called the sunken levels. I'm having this as a water level dungeon reminiscent of Zelda, with the water levels opening access to different layers of the dungeon and water themed with submerged rooms/halls and populated by Lacedons and oozes and tons of killer rooms.
After raising the water levels to the opening of the Godpool (and almost fully draing the lake), they can move into the Godpool itself. The godpool dungeon proper will be short and more roleplay oriented due to the long nature of the Drowned levels, but I really want to put an old Aboleth in there to explain the ancient history of the vault keepers from an aboleths pespective. The vaults of Orv is where I want it to go, I do know that much, so the Aboleth gives good foreshadowing.
I'm kind of vague on what the nature of the prophesy will be because I don't know the major boss of the campaign yet, and am hoping for ideas.
I know that I want the campaign to enter the Darklands after the prophesy, something in a vault below a drow city has been whispering to them, offering them power and preeminence in the new order. The leadership has been overthrown by this old cult and they've launched an offensive on their neighbors to reach Xavorax, subsequently pushing older Darkland dwellers into lower Kaer Maga as refugees to the onslaught. I want the PC's to reach Xavorax as the drow are seiging it.
I'm pretty open-ended after that, they could reach an agreement with neighboring Deurgar or others to launch a counter offensive, or reach the Drow city to kill the cults leadership, or be in a race to end this evil before it's released. I do want to give the PC's alot of options on what to do before my finale, they're on the slow level track so I can do alot of extra stuff.
My real big questions are what the big baddie is going to be for the final encounter; the nature of the danger to the world/whatever for the prophesy and for foreshadowing; ideas to help flesh this all out; and and any good ideas for what you've just read. So thank you for listening and tell me what you think of my ideas thus far and any help you could provide for my campaign. Any/all responses are welcomed and really appreciated.