Mikeavelli
2010-01-11, 11:26 PM
Hello! I've started up a game inspired by an off-handed comment from one member of my meatspace D&D group. He wondered, "So, The lawful good and the chaotic good outsiders are supposed to be at each other's throats just as much as good and evil, right? What do they DO to conflict?"
Normally they just argue and talk a lot, and there's a time and a place for that to occur. But I've got a more direct conflict in mind. I'm also looking for ideas to make this even more awesome.
The situation:
The players are currently antagonizing an order of Tippylike wizards called the Order of the Inner Eye. The eye is a fraternity of the most powerful wizards on the Prime, both good and evil, whose actual goal is the protection of humanity from outer planar influences, both good and evil, and the elimination of monstrous threats to the 'Mundanes.'
The players have come in conflict with the Eye because,
1. They're a bunch of arrogant pricks.
2. They're not too picky about the methods individual members employee to accomplish their goals.
Their continuing conflict with the Eye is the overarching storyline of the campaign, but this city is where the law\chaos dispute will occur.
Several months before the PC's arrival, a powerful Daemon (Arcanaloth, specifically) was summoned for reasons I haven't quite worked out yet. It quickly schemed its way into running wild, acquired some protection from divination magic, and went about causing havoc behind the scenes politically.
The heavens, being far more proactive in this campaign world than most, have actually sent down minions to stop the 'Loth from the culmination of its schemes. In its method of acquiring freedom, the 'Loth broke one of the many obscure rules that keep Celestia and the lower planes from interfering int he mortal world - allowing Mt. Celestia to send an Agent (Archon of some sort, I haven't decided which kind) - to directly oppose him.
On the chaotic side, we have an Eladrin (Ghale? sure.) who... Just happened to be passing through, caught the scent of a powerful fiend, and set up shop trying to find it.
Both Celestials are using human guises. The Archon has set itself up as a Nobleman, using mortals as intelligence gathering services to try and figure out where the 'Loth is hiding, and what its plan is. The Eladrin has set itself up as a criminal mastermind, organizing the criminal elements in society to accomplish much the same tasks.
Both are paragons of goodness, so you've got the bizarre situations where the criminal elements of the city have begun to achieve their full potential, help out the poor, etc. Since they have wildly different methods of promoting good, and cannot see past the Lawful\Chaotic divide, AND they both have access to the same divination-blocking magic that the 'Loth is using (and so cannot confirm they're both on the side of good) - Both of them believe the other is, in fact, the fiend they're looking for.
The Archon thinks the Eladrin is a Tanar'Ri, while the Eladrin thinks the Archon is a Baatezu. Both believe the apparent good being done is nothing more than an elaborate plot of misdirection.
The Arcanaloth has a B-plan it doesn't even intend to work (I haven't even decided what it is yet) - but its real plan is to keep pushing at the edges to bring the Archon and Eladrin into open conflict, and make them fall out of pride and paranoia.
The Party will be approached by all three sides over the course of the adventure in this city, and asked to help. Mostly information-gathering missions, and to foil whatever B-plot the 'Loth is running in the background.
If the players don't figure it out, the planned Climax is to have both the upper-planars go to open war, visibly fall, and make every depressed.
If the players DO figure it out, the 'Loth gets killed in the climax.
What I need are ideas? What's a good plot a Yugoloth would use to attract attention without attracting attention? How can I work the Inner Eye into this? They certainly wouldn't summon the fiend because their entire purpose is contrary to it. Unlikely allies situation most likely.
What's a good backstory for a powerful Daemon running free in a mortal city, with the plot point that it broke some important rule to do so?
Brainstorm for me, Internets!
Normally they just argue and talk a lot, and there's a time and a place for that to occur. But I've got a more direct conflict in mind. I'm also looking for ideas to make this even more awesome.
The situation:
The players are currently antagonizing an order of Tippylike wizards called the Order of the Inner Eye. The eye is a fraternity of the most powerful wizards on the Prime, both good and evil, whose actual goal is the protection of humanity from outer planar influences, both good and evil, and the elimination of monstrous threats to the 'Mundanes.'
The players have come in conflict with the Eye because,
1. They're a bunch of arrogant pricks.
2. They're not too picky about the methods individual members employee to accomplish their goals.
Their continuing conflict with the Eye is the overarching storyline of the campaign, but this city is where the law\chaos dispute will occur.
Several months before the PC's arrival, a powerful Daemon (Arcanaloth, specifically) was summoned for reasons I haven't quite worked out yet. It quickly schemed its way into running wild, acquired some protection from divination magic, and went about causing havoc behind the scenes politically.
The heavens, being far more proactive in this campaign world than most, have actually sent down minions to stop the 'Loth from the culmination of its schemes. In its method of acquiring freedom, the 'Loth broke one of the many obscure rules that keep Celestia and the lower planes from interfering int he mortal world - allowing Mt. Celestia to send an Agent (Archon of some sort, I haven't decided which kind) - to directly oppose him.
On the chaotic side, we have an Eladrin (Ghale? sure.) who... Just happened to be passing through, caught the scent of a powerful fiend, and set up shop trying to find it.
Both Celestials are using human guises. The Archon has set itself up as a Nobleman, using mortals as intelligence gathering services to try and figure out where the 'Loth is hiding, and what its plan is. The Eladrin has set itself up as a criminal mastermind, organizing the criminal elements in society to accomplish much the same tasks.
Both are paragons of goodness, so you've got the bizarre situations where the criminal elements of the city have begun to achieve their full potential, help out the poor, etc. Since they have wildly different methods of promoting good, and cannot see past the Lawful\Chaotic divide, AND they both have access to the same divination-blocking magic that the 'Loth is using (and so cannot confirm they're both on the side of good) - Both of them believe the other is, in fact, the fiend they're looking for.
The Archon thinks the Eladrin is a Tanar'Ri, while the Eladrin thinks the Archon is a Baatezu. Both believe the apparent good being done is nothing more than an elaborate plot of misdirection.
The Arcanaloth has a B-plan it doesn't even intend to work (I haven't even decided what it is yet) - but its real plan is to keep pushing at the edges to bring the Archon and Eladrin into open conflict, and make them fall out of pride and paranoia.
The Party will be approached by all three sides over the course of the adventure in this city, and asked to help. Mostly information-gathering missions, and to foil whatever B-plot the 'Loth is running in the background.
If the players don't figure it out, the planned Climax is to have both the upper-planars go to open war, visibly fall, and make every depressed.
If the players DO figure it out, the 'Loth gets killed in the climax.
What I need are ideas? What's a good plot a Yugoloth would use to attract attention without attracting attention? How can I work the Inner Eye into this? They certainly wouldn't summon the fiend because their entire purpose is contrary to it. Unlikely allies situation most likely.
What's a good backstory for a powerful Daemon running free in a mortal city, with the plot point that it broke some important rule to do so?
Brainstorm for me, Internets!