How would one design this campaign?

[The Vagabond]

Basically, I'm thinking of having a campaign where the players find a fallen god, and have to figure out how to help her reclaim her Godhood. How would I design this campaign? I don't really have any idea how I would make this campaign, but I'd love to work on it.

As it is; How would you, personally, design this type of campaign in a 3.PF setting?

[XionUnborn01]

Before I make any suggestions, what OP level do you play at and what character levels do you like to play at? That can make a huge difference.

[The Vagabond]

Before I make any suggestions, what OP level do you play at and what character levels do you like to play at? That can make a huge difference.
My prefered starting level is either 2 or three, optimization, I tend to middle level, bordering on minimal. To be frank, however, I don't have a group- I usually attempt to run PBP games on the Paizo forums, so assume that level of optimization.

Alternatively, assume Pazio forum optimization with everyone gestalted with Bard.

[Gwaednerth]

Te way I'd run that premise is this: Make it so her soul is scattered accross the plane (or planes, if you're feeling fancy) but the power of the soul bits attracts monsters, and the more the PCs collect the more monsters are attracted. Also, for kicks, add in someone with a plot to sacrifice/consume/otherwise defile the Goddess in her weakened state. Basically, lots of trekking, exploration, and occasionally a dungeon.

[Nishant]

I think there is actually a 3.5 book that details Godhood, ascension, etc. Think it's Deities and Demigods? Anyway, you could probably alter the rules a bit, since your characters won't be ascending, you're returning power to something that once had that power... That being said, I think a Mythic Adventure format would work well with this level of 'Epic Destiny'... Just seems the right flavor, and you could likely give boons out to each character as they restore the powers of their fallen God, gaining his/her favor through their works.

[Sagetim]

You'll also want the players to be invested in restoring this god, such as by having the normal gods of the setting be *****, and this one be the only decent person they've met who is a god.

[Extra Anchovies]

Take the player who you think is best at roleplaying, and ask them to play the goddess trapped in mortal form. (ETA: or just ask the whole group, if you're confident that any of them could handle the role) It would be a fun way to get the players more invested in the campaign than if it were just a quest handed out by some random hooded figure in an inn.

At first this seems like it would preclude sidequests (why would the goddess do stuff that wouldn't bring her power back), but maybe she needs to gain power, by which I mean character levels before reascending.

When the game is complete, the goddess returns to her former power and (this is something you'd ask the goddess player to do when the other players aren't around) grants the rest of the party demigod status as a reward. Then the PCs can found their own church that worships the party as a whole as a full deity.

[Hrugner]

I'd think of the gods portfolio and stage the story based around fighting some minor dieties each of whom has one portfolio piece of the fallen god. This should give you some general themes to work with, and a chance for the players to see first hand what this god is all about so they can make a decision in game if bringing this god back is really the best idea; I wouldn't make that very clear cut. A god of commerce or a god of exploration would make the value of this god less clear cut than if they were a good or evil sort of thing.

As they progress, there should be hints that previous adventurers have tried and failed to make this happen.

[Segev]

From a "motivate them with mechanics" standpoint, you could allow them to gestalt cleric or favored soul with whatever class(es) they already are, but their level in the cleric/favored soul class is plot-driven, not tied to their actual level. As they empower her, she further empowers them (because they're helping her regain her power, so of course she wants them to be as strong as possible in helping her do it).

[Crake]

I think you also need to factor in the possibility that the players may just try to steal her power for themselves

[Sagetim]

I think you also need to factor in the possibility that the players may just try to steal her power for themselves

Well, that's what a normal band of player would do. I think we're all kind of hoping these players are a cut above the back stabbing norm.

[Vrakk]

Te way I'd run that premise is this: Make it so her soul is scattered accross the plane (or planes, if you're feeling fancy) but the power of the soul bits attracts monsters, and the more the PCs collect the more monsters are attracted. Also, for kicks, add in someone with a plot to sacrifice/consume/otherwise defile the Goddess in her weakened state. Basically, lots of trekking, exploration, and occasionally a dungeon.


From a "motivate them with mechanics" standpoint, you could allow them to gestalt cleric or favored soul with whatever class(es) they already are, but their level in the cleric/favored soul class is plot-driven, not tied to their actual level. As they empower her, she further empowers them (because they're helping her regain her power, so of course she wants them to be as strong as possible in helping her do it).

These ideas combined could be fun. Part of the power has been scattered into the PCs - naturally forming them together. This could power the free Favored Soul side of the gestalt. They could find other NPCs or monsters that have the power and in Highlander fashion they need to get it - thru fighting and killing or convincing the other party to go thru a ritual to give up the power. It gives you the option to have diplomacy come into play vs only hack-a-slash.

[Brookshw]

So why did the god fall exactly? My answer would change based on that. Also I'd re-read Small Gods.

Going to places/people strongly associated with the god/portfolio as people have said is a great way of doing it. I'd probably scatter in some avatars that reflect certain facets of the god as mini-bosses, kinda watered down titans or something. Build in some Pantheon related things at higher level, probably top it off with going to the gods divine realm and reclaiming it from something. Toss in a few zany adventures along the way such as arranging festivals in the gods honor.

Who are the gods worshippers? Thinking back to festivals it might be good to mix in the followers holidays/rites and such, for example every summer solstice the villagers of whereversville go to mount doom to conduct the fire festival so the god stops the volcano from exploding. So the PCs have to climb the volcano and beat the fire elemental that lives in the volcano into submission. Things like that could be fun.

Maybe write a legend for how the god ascended in the first place, think journey to the west sorta. Once you have a collection of tales that lead to the original ascension use them to plan adventures around.