Ok, while listening to Helloween's "King of a 1000 Years" earlier, I had a pretty neat idea for an adventure. It goes like this:
A thousand years ago, during an age of tyranny one king declared he would reign for a thousand years. Little did he know that his own words cursed him, and he did. He remained alive, trapped on his throne for centuries as his armies deserted, his subjects looted the castles he owned, then eventually moved on from the desolate ruins of a once great city.
The PCs either hear of this legendary king and how he supposedly still sits, unchanged and un-aging, on his throne in the ruins of his greatest castle. That, or they stumble on him purely by chance after finding the nearly buried and forest covered ruins of the ancient city. The how isn't really important.
So, where to from here? Obviously the king will ask for their help in breaking his curse, but their magic and prayers do nothing to help him. He's evil as the day is long, but something masks their detect evil or detect alignment spells, making him appear as neutral or even neutral good. Does he send them on a quest to find some item that will release him? Does he offer them wealth beyond their wildest imaginations? And what does he do after they release him? He's evil, perhaps was a powerful mage or warrior in his long ago life. The centuries have turned him quite mad, as well. Does he attack them? Try to recruit them to join him and rebuild his empire? Ask if his cloak makes his butt look big? I'm stuck here.
I wouldn't have the king attack them, or try to screw them over (too much).
The inevitable betrayel has been seen too often in movies, computer games, and rpgs to be much more than a 'I saw that one coming'-moment.
But otherwise there is plenty to play around with.
As for the characters motivation to help him, if they aren't going to help an evil king out of greed, the magic that has trapped him, might influence the surrounding areas. Thus they want to end the curse for the sake of others.
For that to work, simply killing him cannot be an option (having him reform at the throne like a grave knight or lich could work fine).
As for the quests, I'd make him crazed by his solitude and entrapment. Thus, he might lead the adventurers on a scavenger hunt for items and person that might help his affliction. Real or imagined hints, they first attempts are probably going to fail, since the information he give them is a thousand years old.
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"I shall reign for a THOUSAND years" and so it came to pass. Unfortunately, All you rule will be ruin...
Y'know how there's lamias and harpies that haunt ruins supposedly b/cause of some old curse? Well, what if the king's reign is what's destroyed the land and cursed others as well?
They seek out the villain to slay him, as so many others have before... but their weapons are useless; their powers meaningless. The king is no longer some tyrant or demon or god of fearful vengeance. He is a tired old man.
He is doomed only to exist in his throne room or the balcony outside. That way ever day he can rise, move to the edge, and survey his fallen kingdom. He has a daily reminder of the failure his life has become.
He's gone through the 5 stages of grief. He is no longer evil. He seeks to put right everything that he did in his youth.
He sends the party on quests to settle his "Earl list" and make amends for his misdeeds. Their detection spells and Zone of Truth and such don't work because he honestly wants to repent.
In doing these quests the party learns of a way to free him, using his only child to do so. The king knows this too. Early on after the curse took effect he began siring many children but they were twisted monsters. But there's something he'd forgotten; some liaison he'd committed before he'd even become king.
And so there is a hint of a bloodline. This has been kept from public record for centuries by the king's enemies. It has been watched by good outsiders to ensure his punishment is served. Perhaps inevitibles or other enforcers here.
But the point of the campaign then is to find the 7th son of a 7th son, bring him before the king, and for the king to be forgiven once and for all. Of course there'll be all kinds of kingly missions in the meantime. Sort of like modern TV shows: at the beginning and end of each adventure the PCs get a little more info on breaking the curse, finding the boy, and finally getting him to the king. In the middle of all this they're saving villages, fixing lives, destroying monsters, etc.
Finally you've got the scene of the characters w/the young man before the king. Turns out this old dude has by his own selfishness despoiled everything in these lands; he's destroyed the kid's family, he's a really evil dude. Nothing the kids can say will get him to see reason.
Turns out the good faction that is punishing the king has been behind poisoning the mind of the boy and has manipulated MANY such heroes like the PCs in the past. Sort of like the Angels in the show Supernatural, these good guys hint at a bigger picture that, if the king is released, will be ruined. The king NEEDS to suffer and serve his sentence.
Make sure there's a strong roleplayer or 2 in the group, preferably someone with a connection to Saranrae. Can you imagine a Saranite priestess, all about Redemption, going toe-to-toe with an angelic being while denouncing that entity? "This man begged for his Sentence, mortal. You have no idea what you propose." The Saranite glares at the holy creature, "He has repented, for he was once mortal as well. YOU are the one who does not understand. We are repaid for our brief lifespans by being given the greatest gift the Dawnflower bestows: choice. He made a poor choice in his youth and ALL have suffered for his folly. But now he has made amends and the Goddess has smiled upon his face once more. Now his penance is at an end; let him die in peace. Or else..." the Saranite straightens boldly, drawing her scimitar, "the Dawnflower shows no patience or mercy for those who would stand in the way of Redemption..."
OH MAN! This game sounds awesome!
The Curse of the Cerulean Throne.
Never heard of it.
Mark and Harald, thanks for some really great ideas. I'm not sure when exactly I'll be running this adventure(s) as I've got a ton of ideas to use up along with it, but rest assured your advice will be strongly featured in it!