North_Ranger
2012-10-07, 01:14 PM
Hello, folks. Being both a new GM and a person of somewhat limited time and/or imagination, I thought I'd ask for some ideas and feedback from you folks.
I am currently running a short, introductory PF campaign for some friends, and at the moment they seem interested in continuing their adventures further. For that, I've considered introducing them to Mengkare, the golden dragon of Hermea, and the Pathfinder Society. In essence, I'm looking if the characters - motivated by lust for gold, lore and XP - would be willing to work for Mengkare, in collecting various magical items throughout the campaign setting, that is the Inner Sea region of Golarion.
What the characters don't know is that Mengkare is actually sending them to collect pieces of an ancient doomsday device (simply dubbed the Machine for the time being), a massive engine that will, if operational, wipe out sentient life off the face of Golarion so that Mengkare's pet project - the "superior" humans of Hermea - can take over the world without interference. There's nothing more tragic than a golden dragon gone bad...
Currently the thought is that the Machine is of alien, Cthulhuesque origin, something that the ancient civilizations of the serpentfolk, the Azlanti and the aboleths all put aside their differences long enough to destroy and disperse this threat. The idea is that each piece of the Machine is the "magic item" or "artifact" that the characters need to retrieve. Some may be guarded by ancient wardens. Others may be used by warlords and spellcasters who do not know what they're really dealing with.
Essentially what I'm looking for is ideas what these pieces could be, and what kind of dungeons/environments they might be found in. Current ideas include:
1. The Core: the power source for the Machine, or a containment unit for the power source if it is separate (originally I intended the power source to be a fragment of Aroden's divinity).
2. The Eye: essentially the Machine's targeting system, but could be used as a kind of scrying device. I'm thinking of giving this to a couatl using it to observe a population under its protection.
3. The Gun: some manner of destructive device, essentially the "barrel" of the Machine. Maybe throw this in as an unused siege weapon in the Cairnlands around Absalom.
4. The Shield: the part of the Machine that shields a particular geographic area from the Machine's devastating effect.
Any tips, hints, idea or feedback are welcome, especially ways in which these or other parts of the Machine could be tied to Golarion's history. I have a fair number of Pathfinder books as well, but any recommendations will be appreciated.
I am currently running a short, introductory PF campaign for some friends, and at the moment they seem interested in continuing their adventures further. For that, I've considered introducing them to Mengkare, the golden dragon of Hermea, and the Pathfinder Society. In essence, I'm looking if the characters - motivated by lust for gold, lore and XP - would be willing to work for Mengkare, in collecting various magical items throughout the campaign setting, that is the Inner Sea region of Golarion.
What the characters don't know is that Mengkare is actually sending them to collect pieces of an ancient doomsday device (simply dubbed the Machine for the time being), a massive engine that will, if operational, wipe out sentient life off the face of Golarion so that Mengkare's pet project - the "superior" humans of Hermea - can take over the world without interference. There's nothing more tragic than a golden dragon gone bad...
Currently the thought is that the Machine is of alien, Cthulhuesque origin, something that the ancient civilizations of the serpentfolk, the Azlanti and the aboleths all put aside their differences long enough to destroy and disperse this threat. The idea is that each piece of the Machine is the "magic item" or "artifact" that the characters need to retrieve. Some may be guarded by ancient wardens. Others may be used by warlords and spellcasters who do not know what they're really dealing with.
Essentially what I'm looking for is ideas what these pieces could be, and what kind of dungeons/environments they might be found in. Current ideas include:
1. The Core: the power source for the Machine, or a containment unit for the power source if it is separate (originally I intended the power source to be a fragment of Aroden's divinity).
2. The Eye: essentially the Machine's targeting system, but could be used as a kind of scrying device. I'm thinking of giving this to a couatl using it to observe a population under its protection.
3. The Gun: some manner of destructive device, essentially the "barrel" of the Machine. Maybe throw this in as an unused siege weapon in the Cairnlands around Absalom.
4. The Shield: the part of the Machine that shields a particular geographic area from the Machine's devastating effect.
Any tips, hints, idea or feedback are welcome, especially ways in which these or other parts of the Machine could be tied to Golarion's history. I have a fair number of Pathfinder books as well, but any recommendations will be appreciated.