Campaign Ideas

[Okey-Dokey]

Currently my campaign is based on the hook line sinker If Bones Could Talk from the Baalgor Wastelands book. Started pcs at level 3 in the city of Troker. They had all been hired to perform a simple job, retrieve a map that had been stolen. They performed the task and upon completion, the scholar they recovered it for, offered a new opportunity, travel with him into the desert to find a site of archaeological and historical importance, to him at least.

The map they have is a simple one: 3 checkpoints to point the way. They are only nearing the first of these, so I have a lot of time left for planning and plotting.

I am still not 100% sure what exactly I want them to find when the reach their goal. The scholar is looking for a mass minotaur graveyard. The site is protected by a Minotaur Necromancer and his clan..

My original idea for the mass graveyard: thousands of minotaurs sacrificed themselves (they drank the kool-aid) to offer up their PPE either to strengthen their master during one of the final battles between the Old Ones and the Gods, or to awaken their master. So I would like there to be a temple where at its heart an Old One slumbers. Im also fairly certain I want to include a Minotaur Mummy Immortal who was the very first disciple of the Old Ones, or the First Minotaur King.

My dilemma: I have no idea what kind of things to include in the impending dungeon crawl. I dont want it to seem like just another dungeon. I want world changing secrets and threats. I want the players to realize that their actions in this dungeon can shape the future of the world. Do they find the answers to the questions about the minotaurs origins?

Note: Ive read through the complex of the Old Ones in the Old Ones book. And some sex changing circles with serpent men isnt nearly the kind of excitement and danger im looking for!

[MT_Juicer]

I like the idea of giving them new information about a lost chapter of history. Perhaps, evidence and a record of the role Changelings played in entrapping the Old Ones, making them forgotten heroes of history. As for puzzles/traps, Grimtooth is a great source of inspiration and can be found on DriveThruRPG, if I'm not mistaken.

[Hotrod]

My dilemma: I have no idea what kind of things to include in the impending dungeon crawl. I dont want it to seem like just another dungeon. I want world changing secrets and threats. I want the players to realize that their actions in this dungeon can shape the future of the world. Do they find the answers to the questions about the minotaurs origins?

Note: Ive read through the complex of the Old Ones in the Old Ones book. And some sex changing circles with serpent men isnt nearly the kind of excitement and danger im looking for!

Some ideas for you:
+The Baalgor Wastelands are one of two places where the Circle of Elemental Power has been unleashed upon the world. Look up that circle (it's in the final section of the Island at the Edge of the World book) and consider including the actual circle that destroyed Baalgor in your dungeon. Maybe someone's trying to reactivate it?
+What if Baalgor wasn't destroyed, but rather ripped away from the Palladium Fantasy world and dumped somewhere else? Perhaps it's on the far side of the world, beyond the Edge. Perhaps it's in another dimension. Perhaps the entire city is in suspended animation in a pocket dimension. The dungeon could hold the key to this knowledge, and might even allow the player characters to access the true ruins of Baalgor or maybe even bring it back! Imagine the shock to the balance of power if the ancient center of Elven power in the world suddenly came back with much of its people, structures, culture, and knowledge intact?
+Similar to above, perhaps some Elves got buried alive and managed to preserve themselves in suspended animation, similar to what Lizard Mages do, waking up millennia later. The result would be similar to the previous idea, but on a smaller scale.
+The secrets to forgotten schools of magic that were purged in the Millennium of Purification might be in the dungeon.
+Catastrophically powerful weapons like Necrom (see Wolfen Empire, Jason's treasure adventure) were created during the Elf/Dwarf war, and could be entombed there.
+Seeds of special trees native to Baalgor in its paradise heyday might be preserved down there, along with the necessary steps for creating new airboats.
+Evidence that elves created the canine species specifically to be cannon fodder in their wars with the dwarves could be there. Perhaps this is the place where elves created them? Perhaps the elves created them with some kind of failsafe, a weapon that is so potent against them that it could exterminate or effectively enslave the population, even today?
+Perhaps the Elves had their own weapon of mass destruction: the enchantment that lies on the Eternal Torment region of the Land of the Damned. They planned to use it against the dwarves, raising all the war dead from both sides and enslaving them to fight against the Dwarf kingdom. The Circle of Elemental Power in this case was a desperate act to try to stop the elves from turning the entire Old Kingdom into a new Eternal Torment, and some of the secrets of the Eternal Torment lie within this dungeon! They're not enough to enact the whole ritual, but they might be enough to alter the existing enchantment on The Eternal Torment. Perhaps someone might be able to use this knowledge to enslave that entire region and break their boundaries, unleashing a massive undead horde upon the world!

Anyway, there are some ideas for you. Hope your adventure goes well.

[Father Goose]

My dilemma: I have no idea what kind of things to include in the impending dungeon crawl. I dont want it to seem like just another dungeon. I want world changing secrets and threats. I want the players to realize that their actions in this dungeon can shape the future of the world. Do they find the answers to the questions about the minotaurs origins?

Note: Ive read through the complex of the Old Ones in the Old Ones book. And some sex changing circles with serpent men isnt nearly the kind of excitement and danger im looking for!

Some ideas for you:
+The Baalgor Wastelands are one of two places where the Circle of Elemental Power has been unleashed upon the world. Look up that circle (it's in the final section of the Island at the Edge of the World book) and consider including the actual circle that destroyed Baalgor in your dungeon. Maybe someone's trying to reactivate it?
+What if Baalgor wasn't destroyed, but rather ripped away from the Palladium Fantasy world and dumped somewhere else? Perhaps it's on the far side of the world, beyond the Edge. Perhaps it's in another dimension. Perhaps the entire city is in suspended animation in a pocket dimension. The dungeon could hold the key to this knowledge, and might even allow the player characters to access the true ruins of Baalgor or maybe even bring it back! Imagine the shock to the balance of power if the ancient center of Elven power in the world suddenly came back with much of its people, structures, culture, and knowledge intact?
+Similar to above, perhaps some Elves got buried alive and managed to preserve themselves in suspended animation, similar to what Lizard Mages do, waking up millennia later. The result would be similar to the previous idea, but on a smaller scale.
+The secrets to forgotten schools of magic that were purged in the Millennium of Purification might be in the dungeon.
+Catastrophically powerful weapons like Necrom (see Wolfen Empire, Jason's treasure adventure) were created during the Elf/Dwarf war, and could be entombed there.
+Seeds of special trees native to Baalgor in its paradise heyday might be preserved down there, along with the necessary steps for creating new airboats.
+Evidence that elves created the canine species specifically to be cannon fodder in their wars with the dwarves could be there. Perhaps this is the place where elves created them? Perhaps the elves created them with some kind of failsafe, a weapon that is so potent against them that it could exterminate or effectively enslave the population, even today?
+Perhaps the Elves had their own weapon of mass destruction: the enchantment that lies on the Eternal Torment region of the Land of the Damned. They planned to use it against the dwarves, raising all the war dead from both sides and enslaving them to fight against the Dwarf kingdom. The Circle of Elemental Power in this case was a desperate act to try to stop the elves from turning the entire Old Kingdom into a new Eternal Torment, and some of the secrets of the Eternal Torment lie within this dungeon! They're not enough to enact the whole ritual, but they might be enough to alter the existing enchantment on The Eternal Torment. Perhaps someone might be able to use this knowledge to enslave that entire region and break their boundaries, unleashing a massive undead horde upon the world!

Anyway, there are some ideas for you. Hope your adventure goes well.

Now I want Hotrod to run a game for me!

[Okey-Dokey]

My dilemma: I have no idea what kind of things to include in the impending dungeon crawl. I dont want it to seem like just another dungeon. I want world changing secrets and threats. I want the players to realize that their actions in this dungeon can shape the future of the world. Do they find the answers to the questions about the minotaurs origins?

Note: Ive read through the complex of the Old Ones in the Old Ones book. And some sex changing circles with serpent men isnt nearly the kind of excitement and danger im looking for!

Some ideas for you:
+The Baalgor Wastelands are one of two places where the Circle of Elemental Power has been unleashed upon the world. Look up that circle (it's in the final section of the Island at the Edge of the World book) and consider including the actual circle that destroyed Baalgor in your dungeon. Maybe someone's trying to reactivate it?
+What if Baalgor wasn't destroyed, but rather ripped away from the Palladium Fantasy world and dumped somewhere else? Perhaps it's on the far side of the world, beyond the Edge. Perhaps it's in another dimension. Perhaps the entire city is in suspended animation in a pocket dimension. The dungeon could hold the key to this knowledge, and might even allow the player characters to access the true ruins of Baalgor or maybe even bring it back! Imagine the shock to the balance of power if the ancient center of Elven power in the world suddenly came back with much of its people, structures, culture, and knowledge intact?
+Similar to above, perhaps some Elves got buried alive and managed to preserve themselves in suspended animation, similar to what Lizard Mages do, waking up millennia later. The result would be similar to the previous idea, but on a smaller scale.
+The secrets to forgotten schools of magic that were purged in the Millennium of Purification might be in the dungeon.
+Catastrophically powerful weapons like Necrom (see Wolfen Empire, Jason's treasure adventure) were created during the Elf/Dwarf war, and could be entombed there.
+Seeds of special trees native to Baalgor in its paradise heyday might be preserved down there, along with the necessary steps for creating new airboats.
+Evidence that elves created the canine species specifically to be cannon fodder in their wars with the dwarves could be there. Perhaps this is the place where elves created them? Perhaps the elves created them with some kind of failsafe, a weapon that is so potent against them that it could exterminate or effectively enslave the population, even today?
+Perhaps the Elves had their own weapon of mass destruction: the enchantment that lies on the Eternal Torment region of the Land of the Damned. They planned to use it against the dwarves, raising all the war dead from both sides and enslaving them to fight against the Dwarf kingdom. The Circle of Elemental Power in this case was a desperate act to try to stop the elves from turning the entire Old Kingdom into a new Eternal Torment, and some of the secrets of the Eternal Torment lie within this dungeon! They're not enough to enact the whole ritual, but they might be enough to alter the existing enchantment on The Eternal Torment. Perhaps someone might be able to use this knowledge to enslave that entire region and break their boundaries, unleashing a massive undead horde upon the world!

Anyway, there are some ideas for you. Hope your adventure goes well.

Very awesome ideas. Seriously like the idea of the necessary magicks to unleash hordes from lotd on the world being here. Thats exactly the kind of even i was looking for. Plus that offers a perfect way to get my players to want to head there next. I mean if Baalgor is the second most dangerous place then why woukdnt the MOST dangerous be next!

My players will hate you. But i love it. Thanks! Sometimes it takes someone from the outside looking in to offer the best advice.

[Hotrod]

Hey, glad to help! I hope your campaign goes well!

[Okey-Dokey]

Hey, glad to help! I hope your campaign goes well!

Im also thinking that the Minotaurs might be guarding a breach into the Nightlands. And deeper into the ruin/temple the more its influenced by the Nightlands.

Though if I use any of the Nightbane monsters ill probably cut their sdc in half and tone em down a little bit.

I like the idea of initiating a Dark Day on the Palladium world.

[kiralon]

And with the nightbane, you could leave them as tough as they are to normal weapons, but give them weaknesses, like a willow switch will do 4d6 damage and ignore their AR and sdc. It gives the pc's something to research, especially if certain features of the nightbane indicate certain weaknesses.

Also this
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=147124

This is really good for getting ideas

[Hotrod]

If you take things to the Land of the Damned, there are all kinds of catastrophes and world-changing events you can unleash. Consider:

Perhaps the true bad guys are the Citadel, who are trying to enslave the undead of the Eternal Torment to conquer the whole Land of the Damned. If the villains get their hands on the magic hidden in the Baalgor dungeon, gigantic wars of annihilation ensue in Darkest Heart, the Blasted Lands (nothing new for that region, really), and Broken Horn. Whoever's left standing at the end controls the whole land and gains the power to break out of the Land of the Damned conquer the world, and re-awaken the sleeping Old Ones!

Their strategy: Have the undead of the Eternal Torment hack and burn some paths through The Darkest Heart and attack the hordes of the Blasted Lands from the south. Simultaneously, they build a bridge across The Great Rift, cross in force, and crush the demons and dyvals in The Blasted Lands between The Citadel's army and the undead. Then they turn their united army south and kill or enslave the denizens of The Darkest Heart. Then they conquer Broken Horn one tribe at a time. With the Damned united under The Citadel, they can break free of their eternal prison and conquer the world!

Just take a minute to imagine the kind of war we're talking about here. On one side, there's a land already united under a literal fortress of evil and a vast horde of undead veterans from the battle that brought the Old Ones low. On the other, you have demons, dyvals, were-folk, minotaurs, faeries, and the elves of Therendil. Imagine the battlefields: an immense bridge across a canyon that makes the Grand Canyon look like a creek bed, a wasteland that's seen continuous war for 100,000 years, a forest so dark and twisted that veteran explorers go bonkers and think it's hundreds of times bigger than it really is, and the largely undefined (but probably pretty epic) landscapes of The Bleakness and Broken Horn, all contained by gigantic cliffs on the sea-side and a mountain range that makes Everest look small on the other. The scale and viciousness of this war will surpass anything seen since the Elf/Dwarf wars!

Then imagine the intrigue of trying to bring all those non-Citadel factions together into some semblance of alliance. Some of these factions have been trying to kill each other for 100,000 years! It's like the movie Red Dawn, except it starts off with the United States being the Divided States, and each state is populated exclusively with murderous sadists (demons), murderous psychopaths (dyvals), cannibals (were-folk), hyperactive ADD people (faeries), primitive tribes of roid-raging former body builders (minotaurs) and couch potato hipsters (elves). This isn't even counting some of the "oh by the way" races of creatures that appear in the Land of the Damned books like the Zaranceti. Some of these factions might just join the other side for the fun of it!

Stopping The Citadel and maintaining the eternal prison requires that the players enter the Land of the Damned and try to stop or alter the course of the war. They could do this several ways: by weakening The Citadel through sabotage/assassination, destroying The Citadel's bridge across The Great Rift, re-establishing The Eternal Torment's borders or breaking the enchantment, uniting the minotaur tribes of Broken Horn into attacking The Bleakness, and/or awakening the people of Therendil and bringing them, the faeries of Seven Sovereigns, and the were-folk of Darkest Heart into a loose alliance against the Citadel and the undead hordes.

If The Citadel wins, then they become the Big Bad in the world and will unleash their united hordes upon the world, uniting the forces of darkess under their tower of evil and enslaving or eradicating those who don't bow to their supremacy. Even then, the rest of the world could contain the Land of the Damned if they work together.

On the flipside, if the players can revitalize the Elf Kingdom, they might help that people out of that land in a great exodus migration. Then they'd help found a new Elf nation, one that doesn't care about the Elf/Dwarf wars. Where would they go? How will the other powers react to them? How will their experience in the war reshape their society? How will they look at the rest of the world?