Magic, Boccob, and Campaign Fun

[Singhilarity]

Don't know if this oughtta go in homebrew or what, but I've decided to post it here.

And Jack or Noah, if you have read this far, seriously, read no further. Don't spoil things for yourself.

So, I started up a campaign, just fiddling around, but I want a decent adventure, not just some hack 'n slash.

The plan goes that some scummy sect of Vecna has taken to creating a fake currency forged of two rather exceptional minerals.

One, Ghiprescium, has a tremendously amplifying conductivity, not just for electricity, but also for magic, and special properties.

The other, Mnucatium has rather profound anti-magical effects, but we can compare it to mercury in that, while long term effects can prove disastrous, no immediate symptoms will present themselves - Long term, it causes a dampering of magical ability, "drys up the well" as it were.

When combined with Ghiprescium its effects, somewhat amplified, take place far more rapidly and in a field - dumbing down magic and weakening its strength.

The Vecna chumps plan on weakening the force of magic in world so that, instead of maintaining a very ingrained, ample, and widespread presence, it has a more focused concentration (before this simply becomes weakened and wilts). Using the intense concentrated power, they would then summon Boccob and kill him, "forever" locking the secrets of magic under their control, and establishing a ruling Magocracy.

Through eroding the Mnucatium into planetary oceanic currents, they will keep all but themselves (who handle the 'old' currency, rather hard to distinguish from the 'new', and use their little remaining magic to create water and sustinance, etc.) feeding off the poison supply, circulating the virus between themselves.

My question is this - I have decided the effects of the Mnucatium's emitted field disrupts the frequencies and currents of Natural magic, seriously impeding with the Druids magic, but what of other, Divinely granted magics?

If a god themself lays as the source of the magical power, then blighting the general presence of magic on the planet should cause little effect, correct?

Granted, that as DM, I can call it as I see it, but as quite a rookie, I'd like some more opinions.

If Boccob dies, what of the magic granted by Wee Jas, of Pelor?

Anyone?

[Bassetking]

You also might want to worry about non-human magic users. I doubt the Beholders and Dragons are really going to be groovy with the utter destruction of their power-base.

[ZeroNumerous]

Theres a monster in Libris Mortis called a Quell which essentually 'turns' Clerics. A 'turned' Cleric is unable to cast any spells because his connection with his deity was severed. You could adapt this to your world.

[Singhilarity]

Aye, I've taken it to thought with Dragons for sure, and I suppose, indeed, hundreds of critters live within the planet and on the planes surrounding it.

Not all of them will *know*, and as the effects take place over an extended span of time, but certainly some will involve themselves with the resistance.

The currency is more a manner of getting amidst the "civilized" humanoids to begin with - as control of the continent will certainly preface control of the planet.

.me wonders if perhaps killing Boccob might be a bit extreme, and if I oughtta simply start with "We will control your homeland", for a simpler adventure.

I've not, before, DMed.

Man it takes a lot of figuring.

--- MM Zero, the Quell makes for an interesting addition. My only wonder is that if the gods suddenly start losing ties in mass scale, would not *they* too, get up 'n bothered? It may well play into it, though I don't have the book, but the concept sits.

[Inyssius Tor]

Well, Boccob probably plays some major role in the shaping and regulation of arcane magic. Your Vecnites intend to alter the flow of magic, making it "spray out" like a hose from whatever system creates arcane magic. Until Boccob's death, he would have acted as a sort of "nozzle" on this metaphorical hose; when he dies, twisted wild-magic could just spew out everywhere.
Jade Empire (the videogame) deals with the possible long-term consequences of an act like that, and Princess Mononoke deals with some possible short-term consequences. ZeroNumerous is right in saying that deicide could spawn hordes of Quells...

[ZeroNumerous]

--- MM Zero, the Quell makes for an interesting addition. My only wonder is that if the gods suddenly start losing ties in mass scale, would not *they* too, get up 'n bothered? It may well play into it, though I don't have the book, but the concept sits.

Quells are basically deity-hating death-ghosts. If gods died, Quells would cream themselves. The more dead gods the more quells come out of the woodwork to celebrate. I could send you the information over a PM.

[Inyssius Tor]

Ooh, OP ninj'd me. Vecnians are a secretive bunch; you could always set them up as pulling the strings of any smaller-scale problems you want to start with...

Maybe have your party just find a heavily-stylized hand-and-eye symbol on the first (seemingly unrelated) BBEG they find. Heavily stylized, so your players won't instantly think, "Hey, this guy's a Vecnate!"

[Laudandus]

Well, Boccob probably plays some major role in the shaping and regulation of arcane magic. Your Vecnites intend to alter the flow of magic, making it "spray out" like a hose from whatever system creates arcane magic. Until Boccob's death, he would have acted as a sort of "nozzle" on this metaphorical hose; when he dies, twisted wild-magic could just spew out everywhere.

This becomes cooler if the cult didn't know it would happen, and it causes a disaster which then has to be averted by resurrecting Boccob somehow.

[Sornjss Lichdom]

heres an idea. What about shadow adepts. They are effected by magic differently, you could make your guys somthing like tampering with shadow magic, because it focuses on a different weave of magic. I'd get some dragons and tell them this, maybe they'll give your ppl some magical stuff.

[Singhilarity]

Re:



Originally Posted by Inyssius Tor View Post
Well, Boccob probably plays some major role in the shaping and regulation of arcane magic. Your Vecnites intend to alter the flow of magic, making it "spray out" like a hose from whatever system creates arcane magic. Until Boccob's death, he would have acted as a sort of "nozzle" on this metaphorical hose; when he dies, twisted wild-magic could just spew out everywhere.

This becomes cooler if the cult didn't know it would happen, and it causes a disaster which then has to be averted by resurrecting Boccob somehow.

The way I see it is as follows:

Magic currents in the world are directly proportionate to Boccob's keeping them in the flow. He may not have originally done so, perhaps they had a primal origin, but at this point, after so many eons, he has become synonymous with them.

Magic, presently, is so prevalent that everything from slightly above average commoners to tribal goblin shamans, to beholders, dragons, and arch-liches all make use of it. Magic simply is, powerful in the world. So present and consistent that this large web exists, at least somewhat, across the planet.

By muting its worldly presence, it will make it more focused in an area. With this focus (less spells continuously attempted, many without spectacular results - making the only magic practiced that of a very high form - undiluting it, if you will) they can preform an elaborate binding ritual (because all of the existing magic gets focused on a single spot, as opposed to loose ends 'round the globe) and decapitate the bugger. (The Head-off seems a delightfully Vecnian approach)

Yet all that seems rather grandiose. Before I get the gods involved, I think I'm gonna have it transpire on a continental scale. Certainly attempts to expand will take place from there - but first they want to establish an empire.

/me scampers back to work - just wanted to clarify that it wasn't so much like a hose - I see it as omnipresent-slightly defined-clearly focused-weakening-nonexistant. as far as strength variance gets concerned