Gnaritas
2010-02-25, 07:11 AM
As a first DM i would like to see if i get some tips on nice side quests or options for my players.
What the players know:
A human empire has conquered the dwarven lands a few decades ago. Currently they are suppressing the dwarfs and are on the brink of war with the elves.
What the players do not know yet:
Centuries ago the Drow were banished by the elves to the Underdark, forbidden to rise to the surface. The Golden Tree was created in that time, which enforces that banishment upon them.
The Drow have managed to take control of the Emperor (i will not go further into telling how, but i have it worked out) before the war with the dwarfs.
The war with the dwarves was created because in the dwarven lands lies the entrance to the Underdark, a large gap in the earth. Dwarfs are forced into labour to make an entrance (under false reasons off course, the Drow are long forgotten by all but the elves).
The war with the Elfs is now started to destroy the golden tree which would allow the Drow to resurface and take control of the world.
Story so far:
The players are part of the revolution. A lot of humans are resisting the empire, they do not want these wars.
A few days ago one of the players found out that a dungeon was discovered, made by an deceased Dwarven Mage, containing valuable items.
They have stolen the "key" to the dungeon from the soldiers, followed some other soldiers to the location of the dungeon (they forgot to steal the map to the dungeon), took care of those soldiers and have went through to the end of the dungeon (the session ended, they do not know yet they have overcome the dungeon and only need to collect the treasure.)
What i have planned:
- When they collect the treasure they will suddenly notice it becomes darker, and they hear the sound of a thousand needles falling on the ground. They are attacked by tons of spiders. As they fight them off they will hear a voice warning them: (in short) "Cease your meddling, their return is inevitable, this is your last warning".
The voice comes from a Duergar Warlock (he created the darkness and spiders). Duergar is not really a race in my world by the way, he is the only one, a dwarf who long ago entered the Underdark and ended up serving the drow.
In the treasure is a journal from the Wizard which contains some hints, which mentions the Gap specifically for a reason not important to tell (it does not say anything about it being the entrance to Underdark).
The Warlock will want that Journal, or destroy it. He will retreat however, if things go bad for him, to return another time.
They will probably not go straight for the gap after this hint. But eventually i want them to go to the gap, i will give them more reasons to go to the Gap. The dwarves forced into working near the gap have gone on strike, because some workers have dissappeared. Now the soldiers have killed some of the workers who refused to work. Dwarfs in the whole empire are now more actively demonstrating against this, hopefully interesting the party to go to the gap.
Eventually they will enter the Underdark, find out what is happening and try to foil their plans by completely destroying the Drow (extremely hard), protecting the golden tree and/or undisguise the emperor.
Now what?
I am not sure on what to do now though, they will probably not go straight to the gap. They will most likely head back to the capital city, where the Leader of the Revolution is waiting for them.
I guess i could have the military raid the secret revolution headquarters (either when they are there or before they arrive back to the city), but even then i have little idea on what to do before the party eventually goes to the gap.
Preferably i would like to get ideas connected to the main storyline or perhaps containing the previously mentioned Warlock, or it can have something to do with the army preparing to march to the Elven lands.
Like a gnome town halfway between the gap and the city is in trouble because of huge spiders coming out of the ground. Which without the players knowing is caused by the activity at the gap (this makes no sense, but just an example linking towards the gap and the drow).
But also other fun sidequests are welcome (is there a list to be found somewhere?), perhaps an unrelated mission given by the Revolution Leader.
What the players know:
A human empire has conquered the dwarven lands a few decades ago. Currently they are suppressing the dwarfs and are on the brink of war with the elves.
What the players do not know yet:
Centuries ago the Drow were banished by the elves to the Underdark, forbidden to rise to the surface. The Golden Tree was created in that time, which enforces that banishment upon them.
The Drow have managed to take control of the Emperor (i will not go further into telling how, but i have it worked out) before the war with the dwarfs.
The war with the dwarves was created because in the dwarven lands lies the entrance to the Underdark, a large gap in the earth. Dwarfs are forced into labour to make an entrance (under false reasons off course, the Drow are long forgotten by all but the elves).
The war with the Elfs is now started to destroy the golden tree which would allow the Drow to resurface and take control of the world.
Story so far:
The players are part of the revolution. A lot of humans are resisting the empire, they do not want these wars.
A few days ago one of the players found out that a dungeon was discovered, made by an deceased Dwarven Mage, containing valuable items.
They have stolen the "key" to the dungeon from the soldiers, followed some other soldiers to the location of the dungeon (they forgot to steal the map to the dungeon), took care of those soldiers and have went through to the end of the dungeon (the session ended, they do not know yet they have overcome the dungeon and only need to collect the treasure.)
What i have planned:
- When they collect the treasure they will suddenly notice it becomes darker, and they hear the sound of a thousand needles falling on the ground. They are attacked by tons of spiders. As they fight them off they will hear a voice warning them: (in short) "Cease your meddling, their return is inevitable, this is your last warning".
The voice comes from a Duergar Warlock (he created the darkness and spiders). Duergar is not really a race in my world by the way, he is the only one, a dwarf who long ago entered the Underdark and ended up serving the drow.
In the treasure is a journal from the Wizard which contains some hints, which mentions the Gap specifically for a reason not important to tell (it does not say anything about it being the entrance to Underdark).
The Warlock will want that Journal, or destroy it. He will retreat however, if things go bad for him, to return another time.
They will probably not go straight for the gap after this hint. But eventually i want them to go to the gap, i will give them more reasons to go to the Gap. The dwarves forced into working near the gap have gone on strike, because some workers have dissappeared. Now the soldiers have killed some of the workers who refused to work. Dwarfs in the whole empire are now more actively demonstrating against this, hopefully interesting the party to go to the gap.
Eventually they will enter the Underdark, find out what is happening and try to foil their plans by completely destroying the Drow (extremely hard), protecting the golden tree and/or undisguise the emperor.
Now what?
I am not sure on what to do now though, they will probably not go straight to the gap. They will most likely head back to the capital city, where the Leader of the Revolution is waiting for them.
I guess i could have the military raid the secret revolution headquarters (either when they are there or before they arrive back to the city), but even then i have little idea on what to do before the party eventually goes to the gap.
Preferably i would like to get ideas connected to the main storyline or perhaps containing the previously mentioned Warlock, or it can have something to do with the army preparing to march to the Elven lands.
Like a gnome town halfway between the gap and the city is in trouble because of huge spiders coming out of the ground. Which without the players knowing is caused by the activity at the gap (this makes no sense, but just an example linking towards the gap and the drow).
But also other fun sidequests are welcome (is there a list to be found somewhere?), perhaps an unrelated mission given by the Revolution Leader.