PDA

View Full Version : DM Help I need a calamity (Fantasy worldbuilding)



Magic Myrmidon
2015-02-27, 02:12 AM
I've been trying to do some worldbuilding recently. The setting is one I came up with back in high school, so needless to say, it was a little shallow and its ideas weren't all fleshed out.

So, trying to keep things short and simple, there is a deep forest on the western side of the continent. It cuts the known part of the world completely off from whatever is on the other side of that forest, and people who have tried to explore the forest never come back.

Secret setting stuff: The ruler of the largest country actually fled across that forest to escape some calamity that has not claimed this part of the world, and has been attempting to keep the forces of that calamity at bay for the last 600 years. They have encroached closer and closer, and now reside in the woods that are right on the edge of the currently civilized world.

The woods currently have a whole bunch of various monsters and such, like werewolves, mind flayers, and other dark creepy crawlies. In my head, at least. Players haven't been there yet, so the denizens might change a bit depending on the calamity. There should be dangerous things there, though, monsters or magic forces or whatever.

I've had a few ideas for what it might have been. I've considered some sort of Far Realm invasion of Mind Flayers (maybe others) that the ruler couldn't beat back in its initial force, but can hold out against in attrition. I've also considered natural disasters, such as the land falling into the sea, or the cycle of mana going crazy and putting evil mana out excessively in that part of the world.

But I can't really decide. So I come to the Playground to maybe bounce ideas back and forth about all this. I've already stolen used an awesome idea about mana that I saw on the boards a few weeks back (wish I knew the topic, it was about how mana is everpresent, explained XP, magic items, differences in wizard/fighter stats, etc), so I have high hopes.

Hazrond
2015-02-27, 02:52 AM
Why not Shadows and creatures with the Shadow Template? Could be very interesting and also give a great element of fear to the darkness

Nalak
2015-02-27, 02:59 AM
In one campaign I did I had this major threat in the backstory of an undead horde that basically converted the dead. Essentially when someone died these things would just reanimate the deceased as one of theirs, with the added problem that the new zombie had almost complete access to the abilities they had when alive. So like clerics and paladins lost their powers because their gods would stop supplying them, but fighters, mages, druids, everything else kept full use of their skills and knowledge of things before they died. Think Black Lanterns only without the desire to push people's emotional buttons before killing them and no need for rings.

Hazrond
2015-02-27, 09:25 AM
In one campaign I did I had this major threat in the backstory of an undead horde that basically converted the dead. Essentially when someone died these things would just reanimate the deceased as one of theirs, with the added problem that the new zombie had almost complete access to the abilities they had when alive. So like clerics and paladins lost their powers because their gods would stop supplying them, but fighters, mages, druids, everything else kept full use of their skills and knowledge of things before they died. Think Black Lanterns only without the desire to push people's emotional buttons before killing them and no need for rings.

umm, wouldnt the druid have fallen as well? They would have become an unnatural abomination, undead are practically antithetical to nature

goto124
2015-02-27, 09:35 AM
Is Druid Falling even a thing? Could differ from system to system. I wonder if there are settings where powers can't be take away from a paladin once give, not even if she goes Evil.

Kaveman26
2015-02-27, 09:42 AM
The kythons (not to be confused with kytons, which are chain devils Baatezu) are distinct from the other fiends in that they did not originate on any of the lower planes. When a group of fiends (the Galchutt, from Monte Cook's Chaositech and Ptolus) were trapped on the Material Plane, they tried creating more of their own kind through magical means. The results were eyeless reptilian creatures with insectoid traits and neutral evil traits. As the kythons matured, they took on varied forms. None of them were loyal to the fiends that created them. Because kythons originated on the Material Plane instead of the Abyss (or another lower plane), they are also called earth-bound demons. Kythons are only interested in eating and breeding. They have spread rapidly across the Material Plane. The current hierarchy of kythons, from the weakest to the strongest is: broodlings, juveniles, adults, impalers, slaymasters, and slaughterkings. Eventually, with more time, kythons will grow into newer and more powerful forms. Kythons closely resemble xenomorphs. They were originally created for Monte Cook's Ptolus campaign, based on some gaming miniatures he had bought, and were added by him to the Book of Vile Darkness.

The above is pulled from Wikipedia. If you want a calamity that is spreading from the forest and is something far from usual these foot the bill. Either they have bred beyond capacity for your ruler to contain or someone is steering them to more malicious purposes. Stats for them should be locate-able.

They are fast, intelligent, highly dangerous and to an extent incapable of reason or diplomacy.

Hazrond
2015-02-27, 10:02 AM
Is Druid Falling even a thing? Could differ from system to system. I wonder if there are settings where powers can't be take away from a paladin once give, not even if she goes Evil.

Well there is this...
A druid who ceases to revere nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a nondruid loses all spells and druid abilities (including her animal companion, but not including weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a druid until she atones (see the atonement spell description). but that is 3.5, i am unsure of what system the OP is playing

JeenLeen
2015-02-27, 10:09 AM
Read up on the Vord from the Codex Alera books (or, if you have time, read the books first.) I won't go into details because it would be major spoilers for the books, but you can find some details on the Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Alera.

If some abomination-type thing like the Vord were sealed behind the forest, but now are showing up, that could explain things.
As for monsters in the woods (spoiler from books):

I forget the exact details as it's been a while since I read them, but in the books, the Vord can either assimilate or, after killing foes, take on the form and powers of them, at least to a degree. They look wrong, or have Vord-parts in them, but, in D&D terms, if there had been mindflayers on the Vord-infested side of the forest, then the Vord can now make 'mind-flayers'. For your campaign, you could decide whether they can now breed mindflayer-shaped/powered Vord or if the Vord just infect mindflayers and thus have a finite supply. (In the books at least, they don't keep prisoners as breeding stock, at least usually.)

hifidelity2
2015-02-27, 10:29 AM
In one campaign I did I had this major threat in the backstory of an undead horde that basically converted the dead. Essentially when someone died these things would just reanimate the deceased as one of theirs, with the added problem that the new zombie had almost complete access to the abilities they had when alive. So like clerics and paladins lost their powers because their gods would stop supplying them, but fighters, mages, druids, everything else kept full use of their skills and knowledge of things before they died. Think Black Lanterns only without the desire to push people's emotional buttons before killing them and no need for rings.
That sounds so similar to an idea I used - one of us is guilty of plagiarism :smallwink:

I have that the zombies in bigger groups retained more of their abilities and increased their stats. So when the party were low level (an missed the chance to stop the zombie plague in its tracks) then they encounters only a few. By later levels they would encounter lots in a band so I could have Zombie MU's, Clerics etc. I allowed Clerics and Other "gods" were supplying them with power

Frozen_Feet
2015-02-27, 10:37 AM
Once upon a time, the world was just one huge forest. People lived happily there, unconstrained by civilization, and the forest provided them with what they needed to live. But people decided that wasn't enough, so they cut trees to make room for buildings and fields and towns. And so, the forest shrank. But it knew it would get its vengeance one day. Because people were dumb about their farming, the soil eroded. Food became scarce and diseases spread. Those who did not flee to more bountiful lands died of starvation, plague and in-fighting.

For the past 600 years, the forest has been spreading over the ruins, obscuring the grim remains of a once-proud civilization. The trees have grown twisted and evil, nurtured by the blood and flesh of the people who suffered miserable deaths. The monsters result from lingering spirits of the dead, who either envy the living and want to drag them to their level, or have come to believe their undead existence in the shadows is the true way man was meant to be, existing in harmony with the forest once more. Ordinary people still live at the edges of the forest, but they're very much aware things are off. Each year, more people get depressed and wander into the woods to hang themselves. Even the bravest hunter doesn't dare to go deep into the woods, certainly not during dark. Rumours abound that should you stray off the known paths, you will never find your back, being forever condemned to wander under the branches.

But the forest is not satisfied with reclaiming just one portion of the world, oh no. It was there before mankind, and it sure as Hell will be there after it. Trees are hardly what you could call impatient, and civilization of man will eventually fall to its own stupidity. One day, the land will be covered by limitless sea of trees once more... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll25tsrhU4Q)

Magic Myrmidon
2015-02-27, 12:39 PM
I knew I came to the right place for ideas. I'm liking a lot of these.

Actually, while reading this, I came up with the idea of maybe making it like Schrodinger's Forest (or an approximation). Until someone is in the forest, the denizens and layout can be anything, any one of these ideas. But as soon as they leave the forest (or just immediate part of the forest), things change, and the dangers are different. What do you think? I'd relish the players faces as they slowly realize the map they've been making is useless.


Why not Shadows and creatures with the Shadow Template? Could be very interesting and also give a great element of fear to the darkness

Well, maybe I could use the fluff, but I'm not playing 3.5. I'm playing Legend. That being said, I plan to use the setting whenever I'm running a fantasy game, so I will likely use it in other systems someday.


In one campaign I did I had this major threat in the backstory of an undead horde that basically converted the dead. Essentially when someone died these things would just reanimate the deceased as one of theirs, with the added problem that the new zombie had almost complete access to the abilities they had when alive. So like clerics and paladins lost their powers because their gods would stop supplying them, but fighters, mages, druids, everything else kept full use of their skills and knowledge of things before they died. Think Black Lanterns only without the desire to push people's emotional buttons before killing them and no need for rings.

This could work pretty well. 3 of my players are undead (werewolf sort of counts, right?) so having a source for sentient undead could be useful.


The kythons

Oooohh, I love this. Especially since I loved the Silver Claw Shift archives. This is super flavorful, and could work really well.


Read up on the Vord

Just did, and I actually already have a background villain who seeks to make everyone like himself. He was devised in 3.5, and used mind seed liberally. Not quite the same flavor, but I like the idea enough that I'm already using it. :p


Once upon a time, the world was just one huge forest.

Aaw, I thought that youtube link was gonna be Rush's "The Trees". Still, this idea is a really good one, and I will almost certainly include man-eating trees.

kaoskonfety
2015-02-27, 01:16 PM
Ragnarok.

Frost giants, tides of ice, the sun goes black.
The gods rise to fight them and die, one by one...


It came from the darkness...

Any flavour of dominance monster with no physical form, takes hosts (humanoids only? some sort of limiter, and something that makes them detectable on examination but not casual glance - bleed black, eyes reflect grey, they cannot speak), lives in the host for a while and after some time they die, spawning dozens of their kin... and they have fel purpose


Spectre Kraken....The slain become spectres... those they kill become spectres... ya...
cue the end times music...

The vengeful dead of some ages dead empire rizen up to recover some culture treasure stole by tomb robbers

A modern army has discovered a portal to another, primative yet dangerous, world (or its just a high tech D&D setting with gate seeking out and crushing other pime matierial planes that happen to be behind on the tech curve). See how long it takes the party to figure out its drone strikes wrecking the kings armies...


maybe my favourite:
We, The courts of the True Fae, have come with the twin gifts of excitement and purpose - run for your lives! yes! just like that! The fastest mortal gets to die LAST! Hurrah for the winner! Their name will be remembered forever in song - should we actually bother to get it when we kill them! Tally HO!

Kol Korran
2015-02-27, 01:35 PM
The depths...
Aboleths are patient, cunning creatures. They have slumbered for a long time, but when someone (Perhaps the fleeting hero) has awakened them, they began to make the world into their own. They work through intermediates, but their power is subtle- they work on corrupting, sinking, swallowing the land (Making it sink slowly, water bodies growing), people (They make them more corrupt, more cunning, more subservient, and predatory), the flesh (They mutate creatures into others, more "useful" forms, be they individuals, or entire species), or even societies, kingdoms, and more.

What depths have the former kingdoms gone to? The earth? the people? What depths will the party need to go to, in order to face the lords of the deep?

(You can easily play on various stages of "sinking", in all that is mentioned above. A play on corruption, water and darkness themes. I really like the idea of an Aboleth society as a master mind. They are bloody terrifying! I suggest using "Heroes of Madness" for inspiration, and having some of the monsters the party meet actually be "sunk" creatures the Aboleths are using.)

kaoskonfety
2015-02-27, 01:39 PM
The depths...
Aboleths are patient, cunning creatures. They have slumbered for a long time, but when someone (Perhaps the fleeting hero) has awakened them, they began to make the world into their own. They work through intermediates, but their power is subtle- they work on corrupting, sinking, swallowing the land (Making it sink slowly, water bodies growing), people (They make them more corrupt, more cunning, more subservient, and predatory), the flesh (They mutate creatures into others, more "useful" forms, be they individuals, or entire species), or even societies, kingdoms, and more.

What depths have the former kingdoms gone to? The earth? the people? What depths will the party need to go to, in order to face the lords of the deep?

(You can easily play on various stages of "sinking", in all that is mentioned above. A play on corruption, water and darkness themes. I really like the idea of an Aboleth society as a master mind. They are bloody terrifying! I suggest using "Heroes of Madness" for inspiration, and having some of the monsters the party meet actually be "sunk" creatures the Aboleths are using.)

man I love aboeths...

Grek
2015-02-27, 02:54 PM
How about a Xill Invasion? The prevailing theory among the King's Army is that Dread Ethereal Implanters have come to annex the kingdom into the ever growing Xill Empire, to be used as slaves and implanted with the parasitic larvae of the Xill. The presence of the various other species enslaved or created by the Xill only seem to support this theory. The King's forces, though able to hold the enemy back where they intrude upon our world, are yet unable to mount any sizable counter-invasion into the Ethereal Plane, resulting in a perpetual stalemate. He knows that somewhere within the forest lies a permanent portal, but not where. The enemy patrols are thickest toward the forest's heart, however, as if they are protecting something there. If a team could be sent to secure this portal and clear a path for the King's army to march through it, the war might be won at long last.

And yet, some of the actions of the enemy seem strange and perplexing, and point at a more sinister truth: By weaving an ever growing ethereal web, the Phase Spiders have distorted the natural order, making a vast forest of darkness and fog spread well beyond its natural bounds. But why would they grow a forest of all things? In repeated hit and run raids, the Ethereal Marauders have brazenly attacked bars, theatres and gambling houses all across the land. Yet why only places of entertainment, rather than strategic targets? And the Ethereal Filchers, last of the Xill's servitors, have launched into a campaign of sacrilege against every church, graveyard and shrine within the land, making off with all manner of holy symbols and relics. But for what purpose?

The answer is more horrifying than even the predations of the Xill: The Ethergaunts, foes of all faith and emotion are the secret masterminds behind the invasion. Using the Xill as pawns, they hope to enact a great ritual that will sever the connection between this region of Prime and the Outer Planes. By stranding the souls of all within their realm and cutting off the connection to divine magic, the Ethergaunts hope to establish a beachhead on Prime for their ultimate invasion in which the very souls of this kingdom's fallen, raised up as ethereal undead, will overthrow the Gods and bind all things with the cold, emotionless logic of the dead and the damned.

Nalak
2015-02-27, 03:20 PM
That sounds so similar to an idea I used - one of us is guilty of plagiarism :smallwink:

I have that the zombies in bigger groups retained more of their abilities and increased their stats. So when the party were low level (an missed the chance to stop the zombie plague in its tracks) then they encounters only a few. By later levels they would encounter lots in a band so I could have Zombie MU's, Clerics etc. I allowed Clerics and Other "gods" were supplying them with power

Oh I like that group idea. The zombies had just been a background event, so I hadn't planned out a lot of details just that centuries after the incident the world is still kind of paranoid about the undead due to how bad situations got. War efforts and security are hard to maintain when your enemy can get most of your tactical by having your generals assassinated in their sleep or convert the archmages to fight for them. That group bit is kind of cool.

DireSickFish
2015-02-27, 04:07 PM
The forest is really home to a lay-line that runs across a bunch of parallel dimensions. The reason no one comes out of the forest that goes in is because they are coming out in a different but very similar plane to the one they went in on. The King on the other side of the forest is really just the king of whatever land you are presently in and only he-they know the truth. He met his alternates when fate made it so they would all stumble up on each other. They then divided up the world and they don't want any of the other realms to start taking over the homes.

Except for one king how has been on a rampage and has multiple world under his thumb already. He is using those large amounts of resources to overwhelm the other realms. Perhaps the players find the original way that the Kings used to get back home after being stranded with a world under attack by the Waring King. Seeing the PC's as a threat because they can spread warning and control there travel the PC's home is next on the chopping block.

Jacob.Tyr
2015-02-27, 04:50 PM
Seconding Kythons. God damned do I hate kythons. I've only had one DM use them, but that experience has stuck with me for years.

Kaveman has a log that includes a kython invasion into a dwarven city, http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?247997-The-Big-One-Campagin-Log, the first page includes Kython shenanigans. That log is what lead to me reading Silver Claw.

Small groups of broodlings and young kythons fill the forest, which turns out isn't that wide. On the other side, ruins of former cities. Running through the alleys and buildings is just a massive swarm of Kythons, larger and larger ones the further you go past the forest and into the cities on the other side. Some crazy survivalist groups living among the ruins, intelligent monsters capable of surviving the kythons. Things even the kythons flee.

Magic Myrmidon
2015-02-27, 11:10 PM
The vengeful dead of some ages dead empire rizen up to recover some culture treasure stole by tomb robbers


I like the empire thing, but I already have that going with the main part of the setting. The lands weren't completely empty before people came there, after all. The other ideas are cool, but aren't quite the tone I'm going for.


The depths...
Aboleths are patient, cunning creatures.

I like this one a lot. It's pretty much on par with Kythons for me. Has a lot of things that fit well in my setting, too.


How about a Xill Invasion?

This is good, but the human takeover thing is similar to another villain I have already, while the gods and such are basically banished from the world already. So in a different setting, I'd probably use this in a heartbeat.


The forest is really home to a lay-line that runs across a bunch of parallel dimensions.

I'm a big fan of parallel dimensions. And my setting has a lay-line type thing in it, so I might use this at a portion of the woods.

Maglubiyet
2015-02-27, 11:44 PM
The Crawling Forest or the Wildrot is the name of a single, gigantic fungus whose pale, rubbery rootlets have slowly been spreading eastward. It grows underground, only surfacing every few hundred feet with spore pods. The land on top can look alive for years or even decades, but underneath, the twining fibers slowly strangle and absorb the roots of all plants. In the older areas far to the west, the landscape is barren soil dotted with whitish, veined tendrils.

In some cases the Wildrot will grow up inside a tree or wooden building, absorbing it from the inside out. This process can take many years but in the end the husk of the tree or the wall peels away leaving a pasty white fungus shell in the same shape. Tunnels underground are slowly crowded out.

The fungus can be damaged by weapons or spells, destroying individual tendrils, but it always grows back faster than before. Divinations as to the nature of this organism give no answers. Explorers seeking the epicenter, presumably far to the west, have failed to return. People sleeping atop land that has been infected report strange dreams and occasionally diseases that wither the limbs and eyes.

Cikomyr
2015-02-28, 08:11 AM
I always liked the "Invasion" be done by unusual suspect. While an Angelic invasion is probably out of the question.. How about either a Modron invasion, or a Formian?

Hell, with the Formian, you have even the opportunity to repeat the Bug War scenario.

Skaven
2015-02-28, 08:24 AM
On the other side of the forest is a gigantic ancient city, streets empty and crumbling. The echoes of its former inhabitants that did not flee continue their day to day life, not realising they are no longer alive. Monsters stalk these streets, occasionally manifesting of vanishing.

In the centre of the city is an arcane academy. In its basement a giant crystal hovers, suspended in the air. It pulsates purple and black.

It is connected to the realm of nightmares.. the headmaster, now a hopelessly mad lich tried to connect this artefact to the realm of dreams, that would enable him to manifest any desire he wished in the real world. Instead. it manifests nightmares. The further the nightmares get from the crystal, the more real they become. So the manifested evil monsters that have been summoned from the realm enough times continually try to flee further from the crystal every time they manifest, in an attempt to become real. They have now almost reached the borders of the barrier forest.

The city swarms with monsters (as if summoned by a Summon Monster spell, with the same duration of the artefact crystal (21+) appearing and vanishing at random.

Karl Aegis
2015-02-28, 09:09 AM
The Stairway to Heaven collapsed, destroying the Sacred City. This event caused a schism in the world's priesthood, separating the church into the North Court and the South Court. Now, the Asura, beings who accumulated too much karma and were consumed by hatred, rage and fear, walk the lands destroying everything in their path. Wanting nothing more than death, but too attached to the world to move on into the afterlife, the Asura undermine the authority of the priesthood. The worst part is you could become an Asura as well....

Shining Wrath
2015-02-28, 09:43 AM
The Triumph of Asmodeus.

Let's face it, once in a while the Prince of Darkness wins one and the PCs don't stop his scheme in time. And that's what happened 600 years ago on the other side of the forest. Lawful Evil has triumphed everywhere. Governments are criminal gangs treating the population as cattle. Every nation practices slavery; if you aren't an important gang member, or under the protection of one, your life is nasty, brutish, and short. Some people actually volunteer to be sacrificed in the temples as death is better than life.

The gang nations warred with each other with constantly shifting alliances. To aid themselves in their wars, they summon devils and have also bred monstrosities. HOME BREW TIME! What would the Sharks breed to fight the Jets? Given a world full of assassins, I'm thinking multi-headed creatures that are never surprised would be popular, as well as the ability to see invisibility. And of course immunity to poison. For offense, area attack spells that require a save other than Dexterity - clouds of noxious gases and the like.

And now, a tenuous peace holds between the larger gangs, and after 600 years, they are ready to spread the "benefits" of their way of life to the other side of the forest. Specially bred creatures have explored the forest, driving out normal life and slaughtering deer and rabbits and what have you. The fey and treants hold pockets (some large) of the forest and have reached the point of desperation where they (even the unseelie) are willing to ally with the mortals to drive out the monsters.