So In the game I’m running (homebrew) I set the max level for PC/NPCs on the material plane at 15. When asked by players I explained in game the gods domain to keep mortals in check. Out of character it’s due to writing a 3 chapter game each game taking 5 levels for season 1. In season 2 I want the cap to be 20 but I haven’t decided how to fix it in game.
Some exception are undead npcs (lichs, graveknights, vampires, etc) they are not effected by the decree.
Did you explain it as the GM, or did you explain it through the voice of an NPC? If an NPC, it can be wrong.
Otherwise, a McGuffin or Cosmic Event can break the rules. Maybe a deity (evil, natch) is cheating?
I told the players Season one of this game will only be 1-15 without getting into why at session zero. When in game I’ll give them a chance to research it.
One option I’m considering is for the first portion of Season 2; a silence of the gods. No no divine magic works. All the clerics will get there spells back later and rewarded if even in a powerless state keep true to faith. They can cast via wands and scrolls in the mean time.
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Level numbers is metagming.
Don't explain anything in game terms unless the players have direct connection to the gods at level one or the heavnly mandate was given.
no mortal know why spells higher then, say resurrection, cant be cast anymore etc ('there are legends of miracles and metror shower spells but only children belive in them').
As far as anyone knows no1 ever showed powers beyond that of a 15th level character. They can treat anything higher on the level of epic and mythology.
(Beside undead and such but at this level that would be just part of that undead powers. Like how Efrit can grant wishs).
As for when and if this restriction is lifted for the players?
- this adventure just got EPIC.
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Introduce an NPC who died while researching how to surpass the deity enforced power limit. Leave some vague experiments in their lab, and cryptic notes. Then just listen to what your players come up with and go with that.
I mean, let your players get to the point where they should level up to 16, let it happen, and then let the players be really confused. Hopefully they'll want to investigate why.
They may find out that previously all the deities bribed such powerful mortals into joining their ranks. Now that the PCs have reach that point all the deities are going to try to recruit them. Or kill them if they can't have them. Why doesn't anyone recall this happening before? Well, the deities usually get them before they reach the point of people being able to see such power arise publicly.
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It'd be easier to offer suggestions with some idea of season 2. There's a lot of potential ideas . . .
1) The great comet #HIOKJILKHJ approaches the planet before it a wave of power unfelt for many generations spreads out breaking bonds and raising many unnatural creatures. Meanwhile the dieties turn their eyes on their champions hoping they will be strong enough to resist the great threat drawing near (Dominion of the black).
2) The might god HN#@JQ# has been slain and the gods rush to find their killer as mortal power rises unchecked by his ancient decree.
3) Dark whisper's spread through the most secret levels of the underground of a source of power, a drink that can slay even the strongest but can also shatter the divine edict keeping from true greatness. Most dismiss this as rumours, claims of charlatans as the gods would never allow to exist, claims you yourself dismissed until this day as the party gazes on a box containing several vials of this mysterious liquid.
4) Long ago there were no gods, no demons simply one race of great power. However as is often the case with such races a change began with their children. Children born stronger than their parents, children who rose up to overthrow their forebears and then squabbled over the realm they now claimed. Many know of these beings as the true gods of light and dark, what none know is that the gods foresaw what they did to the titans happening to them. All entered a pact that bound their children and kept them mortal, vulnerable and never to be a threat. Now that pact is broken and their children begin to realize their true power.
5) Mankind has always known that the gods decreed their shall be a limit on mortal strength, a limit that no mortal shall step beyond. What mankind did not know is that this was not a limit on what they could become but a select group of divine assasins that killed any who might threaten that limit. Now, you threaten that limit and are they're next target.
For a few examples, however while the general concept remains the same some are suitable for different types of games. So to have a reasonable suggestion it'd be necessary to know more about your game world and what you have planned for the PC's. I mean number 1 can be a build up to a fight against Cthulu mythos creatures, a threat for future generations as it'll the comet ages to arrive or adapt an RPG I saw long ago and have never been able to find again after I had the money to buy it where a side effect of an alien races invasion makes humans into superheroes (A ranks who are like superman/wonderwoman, B ranks who are like the X-men and C ranks who are like the mystery men) then the portal opens and mankind stands ready to face them. Only all the A ranks complete their transforamtion into the alien ranks shock troops and slaughter the B ranks leaving the player as a C-rank to try and fight back.
True a plot point would help.
S1 Plot map:
Chapter 1 (levels 1-5) (current chapter)
In a world where arcane magic is heavily policed due to the events of the Warcraft movie ( geographically takes place in Azeroth but not a true WoW game as gods are pathfinder mixed with d&d drow gods). Arcane magic is to blame for the Orc invasion; Players were all arrested for various reasons but when strange monsters started appearing. The inquisitor that captured them released them to save a town with the promise to stay out of trouble (all minor crimes). The local region of the Barrens has been plagued by unique monsters when they stumble upon a intelligent sword holding the sword of a Paladin of Apsu. The sword told them that if they deliver him to the Prince of Stromgrade they will be well rewarded. To there luck the prince was traveling to theramore islands and just had to meet him. This is where they get attacked by a cult of Tiamat. They fight off theft attempts for 5 days and deliver the sword. The prince then learns of the monster attacks and tasks the party in exchange for taking care of the source; they would have a place in his new to be founded kingdom that is magic friendly (only one besides dalaran). The party travels to felwoods and discovers the twisted archives of Haagenti. Here they will fight there way through battling abominations like mutated orcs, hive, etc until they fight off the half fiend draeni (skinned samsaran as draeni). The real master is secretly helping the party as they believed his story. Goal is they kill half fiend and leave archives as it can’t be destroyed (they tried) to return later once they realize the bigger threat is there old ally.
Chapter 2 (6-10)
Plan is to have the party meet with prince to fully hear out plan for city. That night will have a realistic dream of a future where this city never exists and its a magic free world post apocalyptic think fall out Azeroth where the humans allied with dwarfs of iron forge to purge all magic from world; while elves try to defend it. They will awaken spend the next levels helping town grow. Learning that a mind flayer lives near and has claimed the valley for his own.that has been enslaving local races. The party will have option to recruit key npcs to boister city or try to take out army so early but will definitely be a timed event (invasion in 10 days) so actions will determine how intense the battle is. While the party is doing their task the prince will be away building a clockwork dragon as the symbol of Apsu/city defender. Eventually the clockwork will take care of army leaving party to deal with mind flayer.
Chapter 3 (11-15)
In the aftermath of the battle before rest can happen a gargantuan red dragon will make his appearance known (the battle woke him up from his slumber. He quickly destroys the clockwork and holds the town ransom a small fortune routinely given or it will raze the town to the ground. During this chapter the cult of Tiamat will return and the players will have a chance to snuff it out before they are able to bring Tiamat’s attention to Azeroth. The end goal is the players either slay the dragon and save the town or die as heros to the dragon and the town never exists. Leaving only the prince as a maddened former shell of himself (level 15 blackblade magus)
Season 2 will depend on how 1 ends. If the town grows the plan is to lead towards the removal of the arcane magic heavy policing (only spells really outlawed are world changing ones). If the party dies to the dragon in Season 1, the plan is the town was destroyed and the glimpse of the future where all magic is outlawed not just arcane starts to go into action. That is all I have for season 2 as I don’t know what way it will go yet.
What about this:
In chapter 3, after PC's encounter the Red Dragon (either they slay the Red Dragon, or at least find his lair), and either way, the PC's find a decree that the Red Dragon has in his lair, and this decree is from a Demigod/AncientWyrm/PowerfulGuy named XXXXX (someone who is obviously high on the food chain in Tiamat's hierarchy), and this decree tells the Red Dragon something akin to:
"Hey dummy, you've let these PC's maraud around this plane unmolested for MONTHS. MONTHS you *&^%wad. I needn't remind you how important keeping this plane under our thumb is to our grand scheme. We need you to deal with the PC's now; Her Majestic Malevolence Tiamat has foreseen these idiots to be a threat to keeping this planar existence's spell thingy at level 15 and if they're allowed to continue, there's a 147.9% chance they'll find the Orb of the McGuffin, and if they do, I'll hold you personally responsible. Kill them immediately and gibbet their corpses for a thousand years, or your punishment will be a hundredfold. And destroy this decree as soon as you're finished reading it you imbecile. yours affectionately, XXXXX"
Now the PC's know there's an orb somewhere that magically keeps this entire plane of existence in check, and as soon as they find it and destroy it, Season 2 begins and they turn level 16. Maybe destroying the Orb is a difficult task because its an artifact and nobody on this plane has access to Mage's Disjunction, and could be it's own interplanar "Ring of Sauron"-esque quest to destroy it.
Love it! Tiamat found a way to Siphon Call all that extra mystical energy to briny her to Azeroth.