TheLogman
2010-05-09, 01:01 PM
First, some campaign background. My players, if you're reading this (you shouldn't be), leave now.
Hundreds of years ago, a gnome cleric who was the head of the largest group of clerics on this island attempted to create a new kind of magical armor. It was supposed to be composed of hundreds of tiny organisms that would feed on negative energy from evil clerics and then convert it into positive energy that would protect and heal the wearer. But something went horribly wrong and the organisms became a virulent disease that fed on both positive and negative energy, making it impossible to kill by normal clerical means.
So somehow the cleric managed to suppress the disease with the help of a local group of druids and copious amounts of fire.
Now, the barbarian tribes live on the land where the final showdown occurred, and every year they start a massive bonfire on the spot of the victory. The true reason they light it is lost to time (The fire actually keeps what is left and buried of the disease suppressed), and the barbarians just know they are celebrating some great victory.
Enter the PC's. This year, Disease Mages who have discovered the secret of the buried disease are leading a orcish raid on the Barbarians. The PC's don't know any of the history, only that the ritual is going on and the orcs are coming with the disease mages to stop it.
So, in order for the campaign to really kick off, the ritual has to fail, spreading the disease to the world, and starting the PC's on an epic journey of fighting the disease and eventually eradicating it by causing a dormant volcano to explode. Or at least this is my plan.
And now we come to my question: How do I make the PC's lose, but in a way that is both fun and fair?
The PC's have already seen the disease mages use illusions and invisibility, so they will probably set up safeguards against that.
In addition, the PC's have an amulet that I have set the precedent that it warns the PC's of the presence of the Disease Mages.
Do I just downplay the importance of the ritual, and then when they ask the barbarians to not do the ritual and the disease bursts out, then it's the PC's fault?
Hundreds of years ago, a gnome cleric who was the head of the largest group of clerics on this island attempted to create a new kind of magical armor. It was supposed to be composed of hundreds of tiny organisms that would feed on negative energy from evil clerics and then convert it into positive energy that would protect and heal the wearer. But something went horribly wrong and the organisms became a virulent disease that fed on both positive and negative energy, making it impossible to kill by normal clerical means.
So somehow the cleric managed to suppress the disease with the help of a local group of druids and copious amounts of fire.
Now, the barbarian tribes live on the land where the final showdown occurred, and every year they start a massive bonfire on the spot of the victory. The true reason they light it is lost to time (The fire actually keeps what is left and buried of the disease suppressed), and the barbarians just know they are celebrating some great victory.
Enter the PC's. This year, Disease Mages who have discovered the secret of the buried disease are leading a orcish raid on the Barbarians. The PC's don't know any of the history, only that the ritual is going on and the orcs are coming with the disease mages to stop it.
So, in order for the campaign to really kick off, the ritual has to fail, spreading the disease to the world, and starting the PC's on an epic journey of fighting the disease and eventually eradicating it by causing a dormant volcano to explode. Or at least this is my plan.
And now we come to my question: How do I make the PC's lose, but in a way that is both fun and fair?
The PC's have already seen the disease mages use illusions and invisibility, so they will probably set up safeguards against that.
In addition, the PC's have an amulet that I have set the precedent that it warns the PC's of the presence of the Disease Mages.
Do I just downplay the importance of the ritual, and then when they ask the barbarians to not do the ritual and the disease bursts out, then it's the PC's fault?