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View Full Version : Best way to end a long running campaign?



Godna
2009-01-20, 07:44 AM
I bring an end to a campaign that i have been running for a number of years. I also plan on using it as a sort of farewell to my players who i may not see after this is all over and i would like a few ideas as to how you guys have ended long running campaigns? I'll give a general write up on the way its going to be done but one of my players knows of this so there wont be too many specifics.

Grail
2009-01-20, 07:47 AM
In case any of my players are reading this

The Apocalypse Stone

AslanCross
2009-01-20, 08:12 AM
Giant sphere of annihilation. :D As in the size of several city blocks.
Under the city.

Grail
2009-01-20, 08:15 AM
Giant sphere of annihilation. :D As in the size of several city blocks.
Under the city.

Ooh ooh, what about an Umbral Blot that grows as it disintegrates things. To make it funnier, let the mage find a Talisman of the Sphere first. :smallcool:

hamishspence
2009-01-20, 08:31 AM
Elder Evils?

Godna
2009-01-20, 08:32 AM
Well where they are at the moment the dimension they are actively in is tearing its self apart and characters from long ago are returning the **** is hitting the fans. The gods had long grown bored with this world and left and it was already falling apart when campaign started. The BBEG of the campaign is a former player character that their characters have recently regain memory of and they arent looking forward to that showdown because the last time they fought him was a crossover campaign they nearly destroyed thetwo dimensions they were in.

shadowfox
2009-01-20, 08:38 AM
Generally, some sort of uber-special quest where the fate of the world (known world or actual world) rests in their hands, and leads to an uper-epic battle with the BBEG.

I only know theory; my campaigns have been limited in time (both time in each session and span of sessions), since I've mostly played at school. It doesn't mean that it's stopped me from an epic ending (mostly my lack of focus does that).

If these are people that you've been playing with for a long time, they've probably see you as a friend (hopefully), and you may see them as friends as well. If possible, I'd suggest a marathon session (or series of daily sessions, if possible), so that their focus is in the campaign, and everything is still fresh in their minds. Have the epic quest, the epic battle, save the world, etc. And, afterwords, hang out with them (I'm assuming you're friends with them). If these are people you don't think you'll see afterwords, than they won't get to see you (well, that's a given). Leave them with the memories of a good DM, a great campaign, and a friend.

Again, that's only in theory for me. I haven't had to do such a thing before...

In a current campaign that I just started yesterday, 2 of the 3 PCs graduated in the same high school class as me; 1 goes to the same college as I (also my girlfriend, so I better be able to see her after the campaign ends), and the other is working and planning on going to college next semester. The third PC will graduate from the same high school at the end of this school year, and go on to college. They are all good friends of mine. I learned D&D with all of them, along with them. So, I'm going to give them a campaign that they'll remember. And when it boils down to it, it's not much different from any other campaign. It's just that, at the end, all you have left is stories and memories, not only of the campaign, but the PCs too.

Simply put, since I think I've used a lot of words to say very little, give good memories and stories. Not just for them, but for you.

Edit:
If you're looking for an idea, you can try picking up the Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (assuming you're playing D&D version 3.5); . It's what I'm using for my current campaign. In the end, they'll need to stop Asmodeous (#1 ruler of Hell) from making a pact with the demons (which would allow him to wage war on the other planes), or help Mephistopheles overthrow Asmodeous (who will have no interest in taking over the multi-verse). Other options might open up, depending on what opens up from their own decisions. If it suited their tastes, they could even try to battle for control of Hell... or the multi-verse.

But that's just my idea.

Tempest Fennac
2009-01-20, 08:53 AM
I agree with the idea of having the party trying to foil a villian which would be a threat to the whole world. If they survive, having a "where are they now"-type thing where the players decide what their characters would be doing afterwards would be a nice farewell.

Edwin
2009-01-20, 08:58 AM
Cinematic effects, friend. And I'll say it again: Cinematic effects.

What I mean by that is simple. Describe visual, awesome effects for the players during the ending battle (Which is essential), and have the effects do game-related stuff too. Walls crashing down on the PC's heads, doing damage to friend and foe alike. Have the floor be ripped apart from under the feet of the players. Stuff like that.

Just make sure to describe what happens thoughroughly.

AslanCross
2009-01-20, 09:02 AM
Well, here's the epic ending I'm planning for my campaign. The PCs are going to be at only Lv 12 by the end, so I can't throw anything on the level of Elder Evils at them. Still, I'd like the campaign to go out in style.

The campaign has been about the PCs hunting down the Zhentarim (Forgotten Realms evil organization that thrives on mercantilism and trade, but has strong ties to the church of Bane, the god of tyranny) cell that has been trying to establish a foothold in the kingdom of Cormyr. Turns out that the cell was a lot stronger than it looked, and had ties not only to a hobgoblin tribe that badly wanted a slice of the Cormyr pie, but also to some nobles of Cormyr who didn't like the current monarchy.

Anyway, the end arc is going to go like this:
After the end of the current arc, where the PCs meet the BBEG (a half-fiend ogre mage warlock/crusader who believes himself to be Bane's next Chosen One), he dangles an open invitation for them to try to stop him in a month's time as he flies his ship (a flying ship I conveniently imported from Eberron, since a zeppelin wouldn't be too cool for a final battle with its 10'x40' deck. :P) over Suzail, the capital of Cormyr.

The PCs will discover that the BBEG's plan is to use the city as some kind of mass sacrifice to honor Bane and allow him to ascend to Chosen status, at which point he can actually overthrow the current leader of the Zhentarim. What they don't know is that he's luring them into the final battle, so that he can sacrifice them---since they are currently the most powerful heroes in the land---so that he can either summon or become Bane's avatar.

The airship will fly over the city center, and as the city guard rushes to fight off the hobgoblin onslaught, the PCs strike out directly at the BBEG's ship to either foil his plans---or if they fail, fulfill them.

Encounters I have planned:
-The Principles of Pleasure and Pain: The PCs find themselves inside the BBEG's stateroom inside the airship, and end up fighting his two Erinyes concubines, his two Excruciarch torturers, and his pet Bezekira.

-The Sky Library: The BBEG has amassed a rather impressive collection of lore, mundane and arcane. These are stored in a cube-shaped vault around 60'x60'x'60 in the center of the ship. A single catwalk cuts across the vault, while the bookshelves are mounted on rails that allow them to be moved around the room. A single beholder---the BBEG's archivist---is here, and he can use the rail shelves to deadly effect. What's worse is that immediately below the library is a large glass viewport that opens up to the air beneath the ship.

-The Madder Sky: This is the penultimate battle against the ship's commanding officers. The captain of the ship is actually a former party member---a female Swashbuckler who had been killed by the BBEG's right hand lady and had been raised as a vampire. She works with the first mate, a bugbear swordsage specializing in Shadow Hand spiked chain fighting, as well their sharpshooter---a skullcrusher ogre who wields a cannon fired by Gnome smokepowder.

-The Quality of Tyranny: The finale against the BBEG, his right hand lady Caella (Warblade/Blackguard; see my sig), a Vhaeraunian Drow Wizard who is working with the Zhentarim, and a hobgoblin Gunmage. (Ripped from Iron Kingdoms. I really wanted a memorable encounter, and the PCs had been fighting mundane hobgoblins since day 1.)

The BBEG Hannibal-Lectures the PCs on how they aren't really fighting for principle, but only for strength, and how they are exactly like him---crushing those who oppose them. Since they live by the law of Bane, they would be worthy sacrifices indeed.

If the PCs win, the Zhentarim cell collapses and the remnants are likely slaughtered. If they lose, Cormyr says hello to Bane's new avatar, and a new world of hurt.