Help with ideas for a campaign set in a totalitarian state

[Domigorgon]

I'm browsing for ideas for a campaign.

My players are currently at levels 7 through 9, and I'm hoping to finalise the campaign by about level 15-16. We have played through the Red Hand of Doom, met loads of goblin-folk and dragons, so I'd steer away from that angle for a bit. Maybe focus on baatezu and aberration type of enemies. Something that is more D&D than LotR.

I let my players 'vote' on what they would like to see next. I gave them a map of my setting and let them point their finger at a place of interest. They picked the "North Korea" of my setting, an isolationist totalitarian state rumored to be ruled by a dark power.

They have to get there across a small ocean. Their mission is to be of a diplomatic nature, but it is likely to be just a ruse for a different goal. They know not what to expect (since even I don't).

Please, feel free to throw out ideas for adventures they may have on their way. I would like to take some cliches and turn them around. They'll be on a boat - so, a kraken is a must? But I don't want it just to be a random encounter with a kraken. I need a twist. Is it a good kraken? Is it controlled by someone? Or maybe it is just an illusion?

Also, how would a totalitarian regime (Big Brother type of state) work in D&D? There's clairvoyance spells, okay. Maybe there's magical spies everywhere (in the form of humunculi or constructs). The commoners live in a doublethink state of mind - fear of and love for Big Brother combined. And the BB maybe presents himself (herself? itself?) as the savior, but is in fact a soul-sucking parasite from the Gray Waste of Hades. :D

Help, please! :)

[xyz]

I'm browsing for ideas for a campaign.
Please, feel free to throw out ideas for adventures they may have on their way. I would like to take some cliches and turn them around. They'll be on a boat - so, a kraken is a must? But I don't want it just to be a random encounter with a kraken. I need a twist. Is it a good kraken? Is it controlled by someone? Or maybe it is just an illusion?
Help, please! :)

He pops up out of the water and bellows, "WHAT'S KRAKEN FELLAS?"

party has a bit of a small talk with him before he laughs and says, "Hah, yeah, you guys are alright. It was nice talking to you, but I gotta sink your ship now. Let's get kraken."

[rolls initiative]

---

after players defeat it:

"Oh, h-h-hells, I'm starting to see a kracken my plans here."

and then he sinks to the bottom of the ocean. Of course, you could always have it come back every now and then with other terrible puns, not as an enemy but maybe just to talk crap on occasion.

[Gildedragon]

Kraken is the first line of defense for the nation. The ship is wrecked and the survivors captured, and the quest is trying to secure passage back to their homeland or complete the diplomatic mission

[Gallowglass]

He pops up out of the water and bellows, "WHAT'S KRAKEN FELLAS?"

party has a bit of a small talk with him before he laughs and says, "Hah, yeah, you guys are alright. It was nice talking to you, but I gotta sink your ship now. Let's get kraken."

[rolls initiative]


That's awesome.


Well you want it to tie to the overall plot, yeah? On the voyage to North Korea, the ship is beset by a storm then attacked by a sea beast. Is it a Kraken? But during the battle they notice some weirdness. The tentacles are metal, the hide is armor. The Kraken is really a super-secret North Korean attack sub sinking merchants and diplomatic craft that stray into the Korean waters so that the Elves^h^h^h^h^hUnited Nations can't blame the Koreans for the loss of goods or diplomats.

If they "win", the sub disappears but not before they get some sample plating or such. The sub leaks oil^h^h^h magic alchemy juice that lets them follow it back to the secret underwater base.

If they "lose", their ship is sunk but they are taken prisoner or better yet, smuggle themselves on board with the goods that the koreans liberate from their sinking ship.

The koreans, btw, are horrible racist caricature goblins. Make up your own horribly racist "korean" voice for them.

[Flickerdart]

The ship encounters a flock of singing mermaids, and steers the ship closer...but it turns out that the mermaids aren't half-woman half-fish, but half-woman half-kraken. Encounter ensues.

[Gildedragon]

The ship encounters a flock of singing mermaids, and steers the ship closer...but it turns out that the mermaids aren't half-woman half-fish, but half-woman half-kraken. Encounter ensues.

During the encounter make sure to point out to the players how they are Poor Unfortunate Souls...

[Domigorgon]

... Is it a Kraken? But during the battle they notice some weirdness. The tentacles are metal, the hide is armor. The Kraken is really a super-secret North Korean attack sub sinking merchants and diplomatic craft ...

Hah, this puts me in the mind of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". :D
I actually did have an idea of a gnome-built submersible earlier in the campaign. But I thought the PCs might have to use it to travel to an underwater city... but heyy, maybe they are *kidnapped* to an underwater city... Sooo... Kuo Toa?

[DarkSoul]

Since the pop culture references are already flying...

If they're On A Boat, make sure you have them encounter a Lonely Island at some point on the trip.

Once they arrive, having a faction working against the government would be a solid reason for the totalitarianism. It could be that the government is actually generally good but they have a horrible problem with evil influences spreading through the kingdom, so they take drastic measures to root out and eliminate the evil before it can spread too far.

[Gildedragon]

Since the pop culture references are already flying...

If they're On A Boat, make sure you have them encounter a Lonely Island at some point on the trip.

Once they arrive, having a faction working against the government would be a solid reason for the totalitarianism. It could be that the government is actually generally good but they have a horrible problem with evil influences spreading through the kingdom, so they take drastic measures to root out and eliminate the evil before it can spread too far.

Well (even nobly) intentioned government, but a total lack of scrupules or consideration for the impact of their policies at an individual level, and a LOT of paranoia from constantly battling issurectionists, destabilizing plots, fiendish possessions, and Taint creeping on a border

[Kelvarius]

What if the kraken isn't controlled by "North Korea" at all and that the kingdom isn't really isolationist?

What if there is a third party that attacks and kills anyone trying to go to this island?

Rumor and superstition starts to spread about this place full of extremist isolationists that won't let anyone on their magical land of awesome. Then more rumors spread, explaining how this utopian land is incredibly rich. Everything is made from gold. Molten Gold flows from its fountains. On a sunny day, it is said you can see the Shining Isle many miles away. But it is ruled by an evil despot.

And that is why the party is sent to the place. The people they work for wants to open a diplomatic relationship for the good of all (Read: GOLD!).

When the party does finally get to the island, that is when they learn the horrible truth. The island kingdom is a run down beleaguered place. Half the buildings are rubble, the other half barely standing. The people cling to their leader, for he is the only thing holding them together and giving them hope to carry on.

The party then meets the leader, and he truly does seem to be as benevolent as his people say. He reveals that the island's inhabitants are all prisoners, kept there because of the kraken. Any sense motive checks or spells to detect lies reveal this to be true. All he asks of the party is to help defeat the kraken so that his people may once more flourish.

And so the party sets out to destroy this kraken.

And upon doing so, they meet the third party who is not too pleased to learn that the warden has been slain.

And that is when they learn that the island is the prison of a great and powerful evil. One that is now free to exact revenge on the rest of the world.

Only thing I can't think of offhand is what's keeping the BBEG on the island (Besides the kraken, of course). I mean, there are all kinds of other forms of transportation. Perhaps there's a giant impervious dome that surrounds the island? Anti magic?

As for the other inhabitants, they were other prisoners at one point, or perhaps the BBEG's henchmen or something. Either way, they have now become his mindless thralls, acting however he deems fit.

And that's all for my two cents.

[Florian]

Ok, a bit less "pop reference":

The thing with D&D and "totalitarian states" is simply not overdoing it. Yes, magic exists and all that. but no one in their right mind would thing about installing the equivalent of a magic CCTV network in every loo.

The second thing to keep in mind is, that by their very nature, the ruling caste always has huge frictions and actually tend to use more resources to check on their peers than on the common people. You know, a case of expecting the other to do to against you what you would be ready to do unto them.

A fun campaign could arise from that nation having lost its ruler and having very elaborate succession rituals in place, that might be a bit rigged, as no-one wants the other peers to succeed at them.
There´s friction with the official state religion and the actual ruling caste as both sides mistrust each other and spies and inquisitors are abound.

So there´s an overall mexican standoff and no side wins. The weakest party involved thinks that by bringing in outsiders that are not part of the peerage, they could manipulate events so their side ascends because those outsider where not watched and pull off a surprise move.

The characters should have a chance to gain some knowledge on how to evade the system, but ultimately should have the chance to decide for themselves how they want to effect the upcoming succession.

I think it could be fun that the party that calls them in is either a lone Red Dragon or some extended line of sorcerous Ghouls.

[ahenobarbi]

Make the nation seem like an utopia: everyone is young, healthy, happy, wealthy and loves the state. Try to make players think that the place is maybe actually a nice one.

Only for some suspiciously sounding reason (security, need to protect people from corrupting influence from outside, ...) don't allow PCs to travel to anywhere except to official events.


If they investigate (see there clue rule (http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule)) let them discover that this was just a display to fool them (illusions/actors/constructs/...) and people are actually opressed there?

[kingtiger13123]

This idea really only works if you want some gray and gray morality, but I think it could work pretty well.
So, like others suggested a rebellion campaign could be a good idea. But I have some thoughts on the rebels.
Don't make them the pure-white heroic resistance we see so often in YA Novels, but more like the Scoia'tael from The Witcher; they claim to be fighting for a noble cause, but their actual members can range from a kind soul who wants a good place for all, to people no better than their oppressors.
Maybe also make the government soldiers similar, ranging from people just trying to protect their families from the reach of the regime, to bloodthirsty psychos.
Just some thoughts on the topic.

[Elder_Basilisk]

The first thing to note is that a "totalitarian" state need not be a surveillance state and that there are degrees of surveillance state possible without being totalitarian. For example, Sparta was clearly totalitarian in the "everything within the state, nothing without the state" mold but as far as I know was not a surveillance state (though they did keep a close eye on the helots). On the other hand, there were a lot of states with extensive surveillance apparatus as depicted in Conrad's _The Anarchist_ which were not really totalitarian in the modern sense.

I think the second thing you have to decide with regard to your "totalitarian" state is what flavor you want it to have. Off the top of my head, there are five primary flavors:

1. Militarist: Ancient Sparta would be the defining example for this
2. Philosophical: If Plato's perfect state in _The Republic_ were an actual state rather than a metaphor for the well-ordered soul.
3. Religious: This kind of state might have secular rulers but would be dominated by priesthood, probably in league with devils, which holds the reins of oppression. Paizo's Cheliax or Paradigm Concepts' Nishampur might be good examples.
4. Arcane: This kind of state might have ordinary rulers or it might be a magical or mundane dictatorship but would be dominated by individuals or an organization using arcane magic to fuel the oppression. This could be summoned devils but divination spells, constructs, extensive use of geas spells, periodic encounters with dominated (or magic jarred) agents, and spells like Pathfinder's enter image or view image are also possible and are much more distinct and interesting.
5. Undead: This kind of state might have any kind of ruler, but the reins of oppression would be held by undead servitors--probably vampires since their ability to command their spawn would enable a master vampire, a cabal of master vampires, or a cleric or necromancy controlling a master vampire to exercise reliable control over a kind of secret police force.

Now, there are lots of possible models in real life, but the fantasy world offers some more potential for both resistance and oppression that should be considered.
A. In real life, any oppression mechanism has to depend upon subordinates whose reliability may be questioned. In a D&D or pathfinder modeled world, more direct personal control is possible. Reliance upon bound devils, dominated lieutenants, geas, mark of justice, and subordinate vampires are all mechanisms that could be used to ensure the loyalty of the oppression mechanism.

B. On the other hand, while magical mechanisms allow for more direct control of subordinates, they can also introduce failure points that don't exist in more mundane surveillance states. For example, the death of a high ranking vampire might set a significant portion of the vampiric secret police free, wide-scale chaos that would not happen in response to a single non-ruler death in a less tightly controlled system. Or a system that relies upon all regional lieutenants and above entering the wizard-king's palace every so often to refresh their domination spells could be upset by something as simple as a lieutenant wandering into an ancient ruin containing a shrine with a still-active hallow spell. The domination becomes ineffective for as long as the lieutenant stays there and a resistance movement is born or at least a portion of the network falls off the grid. A small island in the middle of running water might be an effective base for a resistance movement against the vampires.

C. Also, the very possibility of exerting tight, personal control not based on individual loyalty makes the whole thing more fragile at the point of leadership. A vampire relying on his spawn or a wizard relying on domination etc can consolidate all power directly in their person but because they don't have to develop an ideology or a cadre of loyalists to maintain their reign, it becomes much less heritable in the event of their untimely demise. If adventurers stake the vampire king, no minion will be able to rule over all his fellow spawn in the same way as the original vampire did. If the wizard king dies of old age, nothing binds his dominated lieutenants together.

[Yahzi]

tight, personal control not based on individual loyalty
To the medieval mind, the idea of loyalty to the state instead of to a person would seem quite totalitarian. Maybe the other countries think it's a horrible place because you can't beat peasants and have personal duels whenever you want.

So I would make it a wonderful (modern) utopia, where everyone is equal and no one can lie because the whole country is covered in Zone of Truth; but then, in the very center of it I would put a mind-flayer who is secretly profiting from it all. Because of course, that's why.

[Kol Korran]

One of the best designs and flavor I've seen for a totalitarian fantasy country is Riedra from Sarlona, from Eberron. Basically, beings from the far away realm of dreams (The Quori, coming from Dal Quor), slowly started to influence the dreams, and "merge" with willing subjects, (Called The Inspired) and slowly united a war torn nation, and through inspiration, philosophy, religion, tradition, and an organization that provided a happy existence for it's citizens, united the country.

Much of the feel is ruined for people who've read the Eberron Campaign Setting, because the secrets are known to the players. But if the players DO NOT know the true nature of the inspired, and the spirits behind them? That discovery can make for a VERY memorable campaign! I'm putting in a few links to start from, but there's a LOT of material about it (Including a specific book- Secrets of Sarlona)

About Riedra from the Eberron wiki (http://eberron.wikia.com/wiki/Riedra)
Dragon shards article part 1 (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050808a)
Dragon shards articles part 2 (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050822a)
More on how to use these elements, from the creator of Eberron (http://www.bossythecow.com/askthedreamingdark71806.htm)

As to the Kraken, what if the nation uses construct krakens as a nautical defense system? Check the steel krakens:
A bit of flavor (http://eberron.wikia.com/wiki/Steel_Kraken)
And some mechanics, though in Path Finder (https://sites.google.com/site/eberronpathfinder/conversion-info/bestiary/monsters/s-u/steel-kraken)

[Treblain]

Have the party get to the totalitarian state and find a society of terrified working-class people loudly proclaiming their love of the Leader and the ruling class who watch their every move, except no police, military, or upper class are ever seen. Just as the players suspect that all the citizens have gone crazy and there is no ruling class, or that there's some dark magic at work, they learn the truth: the entire ruling class is literally invisible, and they're stuck that way. First there was one alchemist who invented an invisibility (Ex) formula and used his power to kill his rivals and become rich, then others became invisible so they couldn't be targeted, and over time they've gone mad with power and formed a hierarchy, terrorizing their visible subjects into submission from paranoia that they could be watched at any time. Trying to detect an invisible person is a potentially treasonous offense, so everyone treads carefully—studying the ground for strange footprints, or listening intently for movement, or dumping out a bag of flour could get you executed.

And the invisible people can't see each other, so disembodied voices are constantly issuing contradictory orders to the people in the name of the Invisible Leader. But the rulers can never admit that some of them are corrupt or incompetent, so they blame it on foreign saboteurs while continuing to execute anyone who disobeys an invisible person's order, and hold kangaroo courts for other invisibles suspected of being foreign agents. The defendants always claim it was someone else pretending to be them and name names of other foreign agents to spare themselves, so everyone, visible or invisible, is constantly under suspicion. At which point it's safer for invisible people to impersonate one another to avoid accountability, and the cycle continues. Meanwhile the Invisible Leader hasn't been heard from in months... but the few who know this don't dare usurp him because he might still be watching them...

The players have to deal with being suspected foreign agents, are given orders by multiple factions of invisible officials at odds with one another (who all deny there is any disunity in the leadership), and may have to track down the Invisible Leader for various reasons. It gets even more fun if the players have access to Invisibility and infiltrate the hierarchy themselves. The best part is that it's very hard for the party to break the campaign and overthrow the system just by storming the palace, because the system is completely decentralized and can't be rooted out.

[Domigorgon]

Interesting ideas all round, but not exactly the direction I had in mind.

Giving it some thought, and starting with the idea of a country protected by construct krakens... what if the whole country is ruled by constructs? Perhaps warforged types once long ago created to help, but who have since overtaken the country.

Let's say they're even benevolent, but their 'programming' leaves much to be desired. They have replaced the government and are also lawkeepers - law and order trump all. But laws do not change, and the country is isolated and stagnated without economic growth or enthusiasm for a better tomorrow. The inhabitants are resigned to their fate. There is no art, no literature, no progress. No interest in the outside world either. Etc.

Now, there probably is a growing resistance, some few people have gathered to fight against the regime. But the Government's agents are numerous, and everywhere. The PCs arrive, and present an opportunity to shake up the status quo.

[Puke]

Bruh !

That sounds more steampunk wiblby thing than med fan. I don't like constructs much personnaly. And I don't think player does in general. They cannot really "feel" for them. It's too easy to decide to destroy them.

The idea of a nation kept in permanent siege, not able to leave without facing a kraken or any other legendary creature is quite interesting tho.

You can have constructs that walks freely because their masters died a long time ago. They may just try to survive, and be a threat, but I don't see them able to rule a land.

[FocusWolf413]

Totalitarian regime? That seems lawful evil to me.
*snaps fingers*
I know just the thing. :smallbiggrin:


*bangs on a gong*
(https://youtu.be/xQAONhIOfcg)

YO RED FEL, COME ON, YOU GOTTA GO DO THE LAWFUL EVIL THING. COME ON, RED FEL, COME HERE, GO ON. Hello? Red Fel? HellooOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[Red Fel]

Totalitarian regime? That seems lawful evil to me.
*snaps fingers*
I know just the thing. :smallbiggrin:

http://i.imgur.com/gXETi.gif

Shh! He's going to say the words!


YO RED FEL, COME ON, YOU GOTTA GO DO THE LAWFUL EVIL THING. COME ON, RED FEL, COME HERE, GO ON. Hello? Red Fel? HellooOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

http://ericsmithrocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/turn-chair.gif

I've been expecting you.


I'm browsing for ideas for a campaign.

You should have called. I'd have been here that much sooner.


I let my players 'vote' on what they would like to see next. I gave them a map of my setting and let them point their finger at a place of interest. They picked the "North Korea" of my setting, an isolationist totalitarian state rumored to be ruled by a dark power.

My favorite kind of totalitarian state!


They have to get there across a small ocean. Their mission is to be of a diplomatic nature, but it is likely to be just a ruse for a different goal. They know not what to expect (since even I don't).

Please, feel free to throw out ideas for adventures they may have on their way. I would like to take some cliches and turn them around. They'll be on a boat - so, a kraken is a must? But I don't want it just to be a random encounter with a kraken. I need a twist. Is it a good kraken? Is it controlled by someone? Or maybe it is just an illusion?

Others have chipped in on the encounters. I'll leave it to them.


Also, how would a totalitarian regime (Big Brother type of state) work in D&D? There's clairvoyance spells, okay. Maybe there's magical spies everywhere (in the form of humunculi or constructs). The commoners live in a doublethink state of mind - fear of and love for Big Brother combined. And the BB maybe presents himself (herself? itself?) as the savior, but is in fact a soul-sucking parasite from the Gray Waste of Hades. :D

Help, please! :)

Help is here, new friend.

Let's discuss a few entertaining totalitarian options.
The Necessary Evil. The Church of Hextor is one of my favorite LE organizations in D&D. Know why? It's because they're generally the only one that can operate with complete openness and transparency. Know why? Because they're good for the country. When the Hextorians come to town, crime packs up and goes home. Citizens enjoy a physical fitness regimen, competent law enforcement, ample public services through the Church, and a surge in military readiness. The nation becomes strong, healthy, and unified. Make this the basis of your totalitarian state - a nation of laws, where everyone has a role, everything has a use, and every infraction has a punishment. The people are oppressed and live in fear of their lords, but are also protected and provided for, for as long as they remain useful and obedient.
The Necessary Evil 2: Darker and More Disturbing. Consider the following scenario. Centuries ago, a planar bleed occurred in this area, causing aspects of Limbo to leak over. Although the rift was mostly sealed, the result contaminated the people - everyone born in this region has the (Chaotic) subtype, despite being otherwise ordinary. As a result, they wrestle constantly with a desire for personal expression and freedom that far exceeds what most mortal races face. It became virtually impossible for an orderly society to form, given how naturally anarchic the people were. They begged and pleaded for someone to come and help them. The current tyrant is the most recent in a line of benevolent but severe dictators. It is only through harsh and punitive laws and claustrophobically restrictive structure that the people are able to curb their chaotic tendencies - if offered any leniency or flexibility, any mercy, their natural instincts would tear the nation apart. So the tyrant, not necessarily a cruel man, shoulders the burden of forcing order on a people desperate for stability.
Oceania Has Always Been at War with Eastasia. The tyrant is never seen publicly. He is a military hero, who saved the people from conflict; a diplomat who made peace with belligerent neighbors; a master tradesman and merchant who has made the nation wealthy. He is a perfect figure, and in truth, a figurehead, for the tyrant does not truly exist - he is an invention of the ruling party, who conjured this image of a dictator for the purpose of pacifying and deluding the people into obedience. Any attempt to confront or overthrow the tyrant will reveal the terrible truth - that he does not exist, and cannot be stopped. The heroes may try to fight, but they will never be able to produce a body of the Hero of the People, and once they're gone, the people will go on believing the lie that their beloved tyrant survived, and was victorious.
Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain. The tyrant is an invention, but there is a man behind the mask - a simple, humble man behind a desk, whose invention has exploded violently beyond his control. He created the image that became known as the ruler in order to create order, and secure a comfortable life for himself, but now imposing increasingly severe and harsh laws is the only way he can maintain his rapidly eroding house of cards. He may even beg the heroes for help if they discover his secret.
How are these for a few options?

[Domigorgon]

I like the last one. I think I might go for a kind of "Wizard of Oz" master Artificer who created (or re-purposed) the warforged of my setting to impose a police state. A Thomas Hobbes sort of fella, philosopher, "Leviathan" (it kind of clicks with the mechanical kraken, too). A 'perfect society' that has gotten out of control. He is now as much a prisoner as he is the ruler behind the screen.