meto30
2013-04-16, 09:11 PM
Hello Playground, I've a session coming up this weekend to which I've run out of ideas. The ones I already have don't seem to live up to my quality standards, so I'd like some help in forming some side quests that can intrigue and interest the party for their long walking journey across the continent.
The setting is 3.5e Forgotten Realms. They are making their way towards the Chessentan capital of Cimbar (or the Imperial City as we are referring to it IC) and are currently in the High Forest.
First, the party composition.
The Tank, level 13 straight fighter focused on bashing things with a big maul
The Conjurer, who uses more divination than any other school but still primarily combats through her summoned minions
The Gunmage, who is not the PF class but rather a sorcerer with a unique spell that summons rifles,
The Nuker, whose epithet "dragonslayer" comes from her impressive record of having killed at least 40 true dragons, of which 14 were young adults or older
The Cleric, who took a 2 level dip in monk and has a gishy build.
Second, the main quest (MQ hereafter).
Basically, they are escorting a gold dragon wyrmling thousands of miles to the Chessentan capital city, Cimbar.
Lareth, Lord of Justice (sovereign lord of all gold dragons), has succommed to the Unending Dracorage of the Year of Rogue Dragons and had to be put down by his lieutenant Tamarand, who assumed his mentor's office as First Servant of Bahamut. Now, just before losing all vestiges of his sanity, Lareth entrusted the safekeeping of his close kin to the redeemed devil Zeloth. Among those entrusted were his first mate Illos and their hatchling daughter, Eirepessas. Zeloth, being a devil (albeit redeemed), must carry out the promise, but Tamarand got hold of Illos before Zeloth could evacuate the queen, and Zeloth escaped the Golden Halls with just Eirepessas. Zeloth and some members of the party are old acquaintances, and knowing the party to be fearsome adventurers with few equals, Zeloth came to them and asked for their aid in escorting Eirepessas to one of the few beings in the world able to fend off the forces of Tamarand who would gladly host and protect the dragon-princess : Tchazzar, Dragon-Emperor of Chessenta. The party accepts the quest and sets out for the Chessentan capital while Zeloth plays decoy to throw the gold dragons off Eirepessas' tail.
The catch is, the party is being duped by Zeloth due to their ignorance of draconic society and the circumstances of Lareth's death. They trust Zeloth because as a Baatezu Zeloth cannot lie - they are missing the fact that Zeloth can choose to withhold information that does not work in his favor. The devil simply told them that Lareth was killed by his right-hand man and that before being slain he entrusted his daughter to Zeloth. The party assumed that this event is somehow connected to the series of events that has happened in the past two years and that Tamarand is working in tandem with the Church of Night (the suspected Big Bads of the campaign). They also took Zeloth's argument on going to Tchazzar of all persons at face value. They are of course wondering about what Tchazzar will do once he takes custody of the heiress of one of the most prestigious and powerful of draconic lineages; what they are not questioning is the assumption that Tchazzar will protect Eirepessas once they do reach the Empire. One member of the party is a fanatic supporter of the Emperor and will do her utmost to keep the companions on the track to the Imperial City.
Gold dragon pursuers will follow the party (once they realize Zeloth was playing decoty) and will try to take(kidnap) Eirepessas so that she can be brought to the Golden Halls where she will be properly protected. Zeloth, working on an agenda of his own, will manipulate the party into believing these pursuers are assassins sent by Tamarand to eradicate Lareth's bloodline, a very human concept. The party is ignorant of the fact that draconic politics doesn't work that way, and Zeloth will use that ignorance to his advantage.
Third, the circumstances.
Because of the political shape of the continent at the moment combined with homebrew rules that make magic a lot more difficult to use, the party is not in position to just teleport to their destination, at least not until they are a LOT closer. They expect to find a trustable teleporter once they get past Westgate.
The party can be divided into two smaller groups, who don't trust each other group very much. The Tank is wanted for murder of law enforcement officers and the other group is unaware of this; even now the Knights of Silver are looking for the party.
The Nuker is known to most adult dragons in the world as one of the most heartless and trigger-happy dragonslayers out there; and as she cares little about hiding her identity from any dragon she encounters, the dragon pursuers will be very unfriendly once they find the party and see her.
What I'm trying to come up with are side quests to occupy the party on the first half of their journey. Once the gold dragons find out that Eirepessas is not with Zeloth, they will search far and wide for their princess, and it won't be long before the party will be fending off dragon attacks. I can't think of much interesting things happening to the party other than things that can derail the whole quest, and I'd rather not do that.
The question was a bit too long-winded, my apologies. Anyways, any ideas?
The setting is 3.5e Forgotten Realms. They are making their way towards the Chessentan capital of Cimbar (or the Imperial City as we are referring to it IC) and are currently in the High Forest.
First, the party composition.
The Tank, level 13 straight fighter focused on bashing things with a big maul
The Conjurer, who uses more divination than any other school but still primarily combats through her summoned minions
The Gunmage, who is not the PF class but rather a sorcerer with a unique spell that summons rifles,
The Nuker, whose epithet "dragonslayer" comes from her impressive record of having killed at least 40 true dragons, of which 14 were young adults or older
The Cleric, who took a 2 level dip in monk and has a gishy build.
Second, the main quest (MQ hereafter).
Basically, they are escorting a gold dragon wyrmling thousands of miles to the Chessentan capital city, Cimbar.
Lareth, Lord of Justice (sovereign lord of all gold dragons), has succommed to the Unending Dracorage of the Year of Rogue Dragons and had to be put down by his lieutenant Tamarand, who assumed his mentor's office as First Servant of Bahamut. Now, just before losing all vestiges of his sanity, Lareth entrusted the safekeeping of his close kin to the redeemed devil Zeloth. Among those entrusted were his first mate Illos and their hatchling daughter, Eirepessas. Zeloth, being a devil (albeit redeemed), must carry out the promise, but Tamarand got hold of Illos before Zeloth could evacuate the queen, and Zeloth escaped the Golden Halls with just Eirepessas. Zeloth and some members of the party are old acquaintances, and knowing the party to be fearsome adventurers with few equals, Zeloth came to them and asked for their aid in escorting Eirepessas to one of the few beings in the world able to fend off the forces of Tamarand who would gladly host and protect the dragon-princess : Tchazzar, Dragon-Emperor of Chessenta. The party accepts the quest and sets out for the Chessentan capital while Zeloth plays decoy to throw the gold dragons off Eirepessas' tail.
The catch is, the party is being duped by Zeloth due to their ignorance of draconic society and the circumstances of Lareth's death. They trust Zeloth because as a Baatezu Zeloth cannot lie - they are missing the fact that Zeloth can choose to withhold information that does not work in his favor. The devil simply told them that Lareth was killed by his right-hand man and that before being slain he entrusted his daughter to Zeloth. The party assumed that this event is somehow connected to the series of events that has happened in the past two years and that Tamarand is working in tandem with the Church of Night (the suspected Big Bads of the campaign). They also took Zeloth's argument on going to Tchazzar of all persons at face value. They are of course wondering about what Tchazzar will do once he takes custody of the heiress of one of the most prestigious and powerful of draconic lineages; what they are not questioning is the assumption that Tchazzar will protect Eirepessas once they do reach the Empire. One member of the party is a fanatic supporter of the Emperor and will do her utmost to keep the companions on the track to the Imperial City.
Gold dragon pursuers will follow the party (once they realize Zeloth was playing decoty) and will try to take(kidnap) Eirepessas so that she can be brought to the Golden Halls where she will be properly protected. Zeloth, working on an agenda of his own, will manipulate the party into believing these pursuers are assassins sent by Tamarand to eradicate Lareth's bloodline, a very human concept. The party is ignorant of the fact that draconic politics doesn't work that way, and Zeloth will use that ignorance to his advantage.
Third, the circumstances.
Because of the political shape of the continent at the moment combined with homebrew rules that make magic a lot more difficult to use, the party is not in position to just teleport to their destination, at least not until they are a LOT closer. They expect to find a trustable teleporter once they get past Westgate.
The party can be divided into two smaller groups, who don't trust each other group very much. The Tank is wanted for murder of law enforcement officers and the other group is unaware of this; even now the Knights of Silver are looking for the party.
The Nuker is known to most adult dragons in the world as one of the most heartless and trigger-happy dragonslayers out there; and as she cares little about hiding her identity from any dragon she encounters, the dragon pursuers will be very unfriendly once they find the party and see her.
What I'm trying to come up with are side quests to occupy the party on the first half of their journey. Once the gold dragons find out that Eirepessas is not with Zeloth, they will search far and wide for their princess, and it won't be long before the party will be fending off dragon attacks. I can't think of much interesting things happening to the party other than things that can derail the whole quest, and I'd rather not do that.
The question was a bit too long-winded, my apologies. Anyways, any ideas?