Need a way out [3.5 DM advice]

[Nich_Critic]

This question has two parts, but first, some background.

I'm running a mid level pirate campaign. We started at 12, and have since progressed to level 13. The first few sessions involved intercepting a delivery, and were generally well received.

The problem was, I had intended for that mission to be a segway into an overarching plot involving the planes of limbo vs mechanus. Since we'd just ended the first mission, I figured it was a good time to send them to limbo, and build what was, in my mind, the real plot.

My players pointed out that it wasn't a very pirate-y plot and... they're right. Almost nothing I have planned involves piracy at all. I didn't notice until they pointed it out.

Now I'm kind of screwed, since I have them on track to enter limbo next session, and now I'm having second thoughts about sending them at all. They pretty well need to go, since I spent last session raising the stakes (If they don't, Slaad will break through into the mortal plane killing everyone).

I figure I either need a way of getting them in and out of limbo quickly (in a session or two) without it feeling like a cop out, so that they can get back to normal pirate stuff, or find a way to import pirate-y themes to a longer term plot arc in limbo. I'm pretty much stuck on how to accomplish either of these things, so I request the playground's help.

My other request is for general advice on things to do in a mid-level pirate campaign. Most of my ideas would be better suited for a low level campaign. Just as an example, one of my players decided to jump into the water, swim over to the other boat, and punch holes in the hull. I (and thus, my NPC captain) wasn't really prepared to deal with that. Magic makes most of the pirate tropes that I'm familiar with obsolete. Even just general things, like there being a shipping trade at all when people have access to teleportation magic, give me trouble. What are suitable things for level 13, superhuman pirates to be doing? How do I raise the stakes without losing the flavour?

[Morbis Meh]

You could always make them into interdemensional pirates, traveling vast and different planes and dimensions, plundering people of different worlds, start it off with them finding an ancient ship that enables them to travel to different planes. Let them find out there is a vast network of pirating that is going on outside of their small world. Pirates don't have to be limited to the sea's per se, there have plenty of instances in modern culture where the setting has been space for a pirate theme. Make them stumble into a rift that turns out to be a connecting highway between planes and have them encroach on another planar pirate's territory.

[Flame of Anor]

Yeah...interplanar piracy is pretty much your only way out of this mess. Tell them it's like Treasure Planet.

[Nich_Critic]

I like the idea, but it feels like the planes all have their own themes that would be hard to reconcile with piracy without some serious changes. Particularily limbo, I'm having trouble coming up with things for pirates to do there. I feel like other planes would have similar problems.

That does seem to be a good bet, though.

[Morbis Meh]

A little homebrew never hurt anyone. You can change the planes to suit your needs, you are GOD after all, make the limbo be a safe haven for pirates have a giant interplanar pirate port, don't let a book stop you if you are using one, make different planes to suit you and your players needs

[Eldariel]

Astral Plane is ripe with astral pirates. Also, if you sent them back to Material, the deep seas (Krakens, anyone?) provide quite the convenient environment for epic plots, but I don't think Limbo vs. Mechanus on the actual planes really does that much. Unless the PCs are mercenaries doing some plunder. That's always pirate-y. :smallwink:

[kharmakazy]

Came to post planar pirates.. but e;fb

On your second question on magic making pirates obsolete...
Magic pirates are clearly the answer.

Quick answer to boat punching is first mate with a lyre of building. (or lots of crewmen with lyres ;) )

Pirate captains with druid levels might have giant kraken animal companions. I would not want to swim towards his boat.

Spell turrets replace cannons. Damn.

Animated pirate ships might punch you right back.

[kharmakazy]

I like the idea, but it feels like the planes all have their own themes that would be hard to reconcile with piracy without some serious changes. Particularily limbo, I'm having trouble coming up with things for pirates to do there. I feel like other planes would have similar problems.

That does seem to be a good bet, though.

The plane is everchanging... the party could have it on good authority that a certain section of the landscape at a certain time on a certain day will be made entirely of GOLD... and now they are tasked with retrieving the booty before it manages to shift again.

[Nich_Critic]

Yeah, I think I'm scrapping the limbo vs mechanus thing in any case. Possibly some fun for another campaign, but in the interests of preserving the pirate theme it'll have to be put on hold.

The problem I have with homebrew, is that the more that I do, the more that I feel like I have to do. Oh well, I'll make it work.

Edit: I very likely will be going with planar pirates, just for the interesting possibilities that allows. Magic pirates suddenly appearing in the material plane where they weren't before would invalidate what I've already told the PC's about the world. Magical astral pirates in other planes, not so much.

[kharmakazy]

Yeah, I think I'm scrapping the limbo vs mechanus thing in any case. Possibly some fun for another campaign, but in the interests of preserving the pirate theme it'll have to be put on hold.

The problem I have with homebrew, is that the more that I do, the more that I feel like I have to do. Oh well, I'll make it work.

I would make the conflict of mechanus and limbo a background event that the players can opt to interfere with if they want, but in no way mandatory. Since mechanus and limbo are likely to be warring most of the time anyhow... it can serve as a distraction to allow the PCs to accomplish whatever mission they are on in limbo to begin with

[Ursus the Grim]

Planar pirates sounds awesome, actually. Limbo would be a great place for a pirate hideout. They'd be nearly impossible to track down when they jump back after a theft. The planes could provide an ever-changing scenery so the players don't get bored. One week they steal a gith dragon from the Astral Plane and the next they slip into the Elemental Plane of Fire to nab the Salamander Emperor's legendary spear.

Eventually they steal something from Mechanus, sparking the conflict between the two planes. I think Inevitables would be great enemies to send at a roving band of interplanar pirates.

[kharmakazy]

Planar pirates sounds awesome, actually. Limbo would be a great place for a pirate hideout. They'd be nearly impossible to track down when they jump back after a theft. The planes could provide an ever-changing scenery so the players don't get bored. One week they steal a gith dragon from the Astral Plane and the next they slip into the Elemental Plane of Fire to nab the Salamander Emperor's legendary spear.

Eventually they steal something from Mechanus, sparking the conflict between the two planes. I think Inevitables would be great enemies to send at a roving band of interplanar pirates.

But then one of your players is bound to say "Looks like their defeat :smallcool: is inevitable."

[McSmack]

perhaps have them dropped into Limbo somehow. They're picked up by a planar pirate ship and offered work.

Or perhaps they've already stolen something that the planar pirates want. Something even the original owner didn't know about the item. Surrounded and outgunned they're offered terms for surrender, they join the crew for a year and a day and they hand over the item (which turns out to be a tresure map (or part of a treasure map (or it's a magical gem that when placed in a special lantern glows with an eerie eldritch light. When the light is shone on a map it reveals the location of an infamous treasure (a treasure that is pivotal in stopping the Slaad invasion)))).

Word.