Epic quest ideas

[montoya]

Hey everyone, I am putting together an epic campaign for my D&D group. None of us including me have played epic characters before and think it would be fun for a little while. What are some good plot hooks for epic campaigns? We are playing in Forgotten Realms 3.5 edition. I had planned on basically borrowing heavily from NWN2 MoTB and having the PCs start with a choice to assist in bringing down the injustice of the wall of the faithless or defending it. Or hell even ignoring it and doing their own thing. Any ideas where this could lead?

[Mildly Inept]

I suppose you're not a real epic-level God Wizard until you kill God, so make them fight Ao, I guess.

Alternatively, no adventuring party, no matter how high-level and optimized, is a match for a suitably determined and innovative tribe of kobolds.

[Krobar]

I was just going to suggest some smart, motivated Kobolds.

Lol.

[the_david]

This is something that wouldn't fit with the Forgotten Realms setting, but it's a pretty good idea anyway. Someone once posted an onion cosmology setting on the world building forum. The idea is that the planes of existence have layers, like an ogre. (Or an onion I guess.) For the campaign you'll need to have a plane of positive energy and magic in the middle. Then comes the material plane, followed by the afterlife, and then the home of the gods on the outer layer. Beyond that is the far realm/abyss. The chaotic evil realm that is far far bigger than the other planes.
After the initial adventure to get the players settled the gods die. (This actually starts to happen before the first adventure. It's why those epic kobolds are so hostile all of a sudden. Their god was the first to die.) The heroes start to investigate, they'll deal with a false god, and then the next catastrophe happens. The dead start to rise from their graves. Up until this point, undead never existed in this realm.

Now what's really happening is that a hekatonkheires (The Pathfinder version.) killed all the gods and used his Planar Leap ability to head into the afterlife, and then into the material plane. The undead are the result of spirits traveling back to the material plane through the hole that was made by the hekatonkheires.
Now his next move will be to move to the next plane. This will take a year, but once he leaps again he will finally be able to destroy all the planes of existence, except for the one beyond the onion. To do this, the hekatonkheires has to destroy the seed of life in the center of the onion. When the heroes finally confront the Hekatonkheires it might already be too late. The universe is dying. If they can save the Seed of Life they can still create a new universe and become the gods of that universe.

So it's pretty epic. Now obviously, the reason the hekatonkheires does this is because the onion is the anomaly in this story. It's a little lawful hydrophobic drop of fat in a sea of chaotic water. As such, the story doesn't focus so much on good vs. Evil, but more on law vs. Chaos. The players might not realize this however, and that's fine.

[Falontani]

Check out elder evils. I personally am a fan I'd Atropus. Buff them up and swap some feats and they are good to go

[Bronk]

I like ramping up whatever was going on pre-epic by increasing the scope of the campaign to include planescape and spelljammer, then peppering encounters with more powerful opponents using the epic groups from the ELH as justification.

For example, pre-epic the PCs could be dealing with a country's famine by discovering ankheg infestations and a cabal of blighters.

But post-epic, they learn that it's worse than they thought... a member of the Godkissed is messing with Chauntea's planar decrees by mind controlling her divine messengers. Now you're sleuthing after an epic adversary, overcoming epic obstacles, and so on. Epic level monsters can be working for them, and if they're discovered? Now they're being attacked by an epic Garrote assassination squad.

How would they cope? Taming some of the monsters? Allying themselves with other members of the Godkissed or figuring out ways to become members themselves? Making a daring raid to determine if the enemy has broken any planar laws and siccing Inevitables after them?

And why isn't Chauntea dealing with this herself?

That sort of thing.

[montoya]

Some definite good ideas. Characters have no been made. A mixed party of good and evil so this should be interesting.

[Braininthejar2]

Beyond the plot hooks listed in the epic level handbook...

It's not an epic campaign until someone tries to become a god.

The party could be seeking for a way to gain divinity, or try to thwart a villain who's plan of attaining godhood would bring untold ruin.

Or perhaps a god in danger of being replaced doesn't really mind finally dying, but manipulates the events to ensure a worthy successor?

[JoshuaZ]

Hey everyone, I am putting together an epic campaign for my D&D group. None of us including me have played epic characters before and think it would be fun for a little while. What are some good plot hooks for epic campaigns? We are playing in Forgotten Realms 3.5 edition. I had planned on basically borrowing heavily from NWN2 MoTB and having the PCs start with a choice to assist in bringing down the injustice of the wall of the faithless or defending it. Or hell even ignoring it and doing their own thing. Any ideas where this could lead?

I really like this campaign idea, especially because the entire Wall of the Faithless (and a large fraction of how FR handles the afterlife in general) seem like things completely counter to any reasonable notion of what good deities would put up with.

So here are a few other FR specific ideas:

Well, specific epic FR ideas: Random mages and psions are apparently waking up with increased power and strange new knowledge, and occasionally a small amount of insanity. It turns that Ioulaum is doing it, either as an experiment, boredom, or the already mad elder brain is even more insane than previously. Get Ioulaum to stop somehow.


Larloch is finally making a bid for godhood. Will the PC be able to stop it/him?


Ao is missing. The gods don't know where he/she/it has gone, but without Ao's attention, the chance that they engage in their usual petty squabbling will only get worse. The PCs need to find what has happened to Ao.

[montoya]

I really like this campaign idea, especially because the entire Wall of the Faithless (and a large fraction of how FR handles the afterlife in general) seem like things completely counter to any reasonable notion of what good deities would put up with.

So here are a few other FR specific ideas:

Well, specific epic FR ideas: Random mages and psions are apparently waking up with increased power and strange new knowledge, and occasionally a small amount of insanity. It turns that Ioulaum is doing it, either as an experiment, boredom, or the already mad elder brain is even more insane than previously. Get Ioulaum to stop somehow.


Larloch is finally making a bid for godhood. Will the PC be able to stop it/him?


Ao is missing. The gods don't know where he/she/it has gone, but without Ao's attention, the chance that they engage in their usual petty squabbling will only get worse. The PCs need to find what has happened to Ao.

I was actually also considering having an NPC begin his journey for godhood and the PCs are in his way.

[Kelb_Panthera]

In the vein of Tucker's Kobolds: face off against Kurtulmak himself. Bonus points if one of you plays a Gnome.

Oh, and throw out epic spellcasting. It's more work than its worth to make it functional.

[Bullet06320]

I really like this campaign idea, especially because the entire Wall of the Faithless (and a large fraction of how FR handles the afterlife in general) seem like things completely counter to any reasonable notion of what good deities would put up with.

Its FR Canon that Ao made Kelemvor rebuild the wall, I don't recall why off the top of my head, but its in one of the novels I think


Well, specific epic FR ideas: Random mages and psions are apparently waking up with increased power and strange new knowledge, and occasionally a small amount of insanity. It turns that Ioulaum is doing it, either as an experiment, boredom, or the already mad elder brain is even more insane than previously. Get Ioulaum to stop somehow.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?445202-psionic-powers-as-divine-spells-more-fun-for-an-archivist
theres potential to abuse this


Larloch is finally making a bid for godhood. Will the PC be able to stop it/him?

considering the chosen of mystra are forbidden to interfere with larloch, they could run up against them or rub them the wrong way, while trying to help or stop larloch



Ao is missing. The gods don't know where he/she/it has gone, but without Ao's attention, the chance that they engage in their usual petty squabbling will only get worse. The PCs need to find what has happened to Ao.

while the cat is away, the mouse will play, that's how the time of troubles started, lol

Stopping the spell plague is another idea
step 1. putting halastar back together after his soul explodes into a 1000 pieces
that sounds like an epic challenge
we did that in a campaign once, it involved several custom spells we had to create
an advanced specialized version of locate creature, to locate all the pieces(then we had to go find them all)
another one based on majic jar to hold the pieces
then we had to fuse all them back together, involving a wish and a tru rez

[Segev]

The campaign module "Return to the Tomb of Horrors" would ramp up VERY well into an Epic campaign, if you can find it.

Acererak has been working since the last time people plundered his tomb. He's now enacting a multi-planar strategy to merge his consciousness with the Negative Energy Plane; if he does so, EVERY undead in the multiverse will become a DIRECT extension of his will.

Other ideas...

The Rod of Seven Parts was assembled, but the heroes that took it to face Miska the Wolf-Spider's reincarnated form have not returned. What the PCs will eventually learn is that Lolth has gotten ahold of it and taken control of Miska, and is using both to conquer the Abyss with the goal of reinstituting the title "Queen of Chaos"...with herself as its holder. How she's wielding a rod of pure Order is a matter of curiosity and concern.


The Lords of Waterdeep have all disappeared, and Halaster has proclaimed himself ruler of the city. Undermountain is aggressively expanding, both politically and in a disturbingly literal way.


Every one of Khelben Blackstaff's magic items and scholarly tomes relating to planar travel in any way has gone missing. In the course of investigating this, the PCs encounter people swearing up and down that they've seen the Lady of Pain walking the streets of Waterdeep. Well, hovering above them. Corpses flayed of all their skin - something anybody who's experienced with Sigil can tell the PCs is a sign of her shadow passing over you - are, in fact, being found. Is she really loose from the Cage, or are people merely stumbling through portals to the City of Doors and back out without realizing it?



The Red Wizards of Thay have summoned and bound Primus into their service. Not only are they wielding him as a terrible weapon against the rest of the Realms, but the Secundi are mobilizing for all-out war to get him back.



675 portals - one to each layer of Hell and to each if the first 666 layers of the Abyss - have opened across Faerun, and the demons and devils are already attempting to establish fortified beachheads around them in preparation for using the Realms as a massive battlefield against and hopeful route to invade their enemies in the Blood War.



Mystra and Shar's avatars are being systematically assassinated, and neither knows who's responsible. They approach the party of Epic-level characters for help after Elminster himself is slain, each accusing the other of being behind it.



Elminster declares a pranking contest with the party. Their acceptance is not required; he's already begun making his moves.



Tiamat herself has kidnapped 5 different princes of 5 of the most powerful kingdoms in Faerun. The party is being asked by the kingdoms to rescue the heirs to their thrones before the Queen of Evil Dragons manages to do...whatever her plan is to them.

[montoya]

The campaign module "Return to the Tomb of Horrors" would ramp up VERY well into an Epic campaign, if you can find it.

Acererak has been working since the last time people plundered his tomb. He's now enacting a multi-planar strategy to merge his consciousness with the Negative Energy Plane; if he does so, EVERY undead in the multiverse will become a DIRECT extension of his will.

Other ideas...

The Rod of Seven Parts was assembled, but the heroes that took it to face Miska the Wolf-Spider's reincarnated form have not returned. What the PCs will eventually learn is that Lolth has gotten ahold of it and taken control of Miska, and is using both to conquer the Abyss with the goal of reinstituting the title "Queen of Chaos"...with herself as its holder. How she's wielding a rod of pure Order is a matter of curiosity and concern.


The Lords of Waterdeep have all disappeared, and Halaster has proclaimed himself ruler of the city. Undermountain is aggressively expanding, both politically and in a disturbingly literal way.


Every one of Khelben Blackstaff's magic items and scholarly tomes relating to planar travel in any way has gone missing. In the course of investigating this, the PCs encounter people swearing up and down that they've seen the Lady of Pain walking the streets of Waterdeep. Well, hovering above them. Corpses flayed of all their skin - something anybody who's experienced with Sigil can tell the PCs is a sign of her shadow passing over you - are, in fact, being found. Is she really loose from the Cage, or are people merely stumbling through portals to the City of Doors and back out without realizing it?



The Red Wizards of Thay have summoned and bound Primus into their service. Not only are they wielding him as a terrible weapon against the rest of the Realms, but the Secundi are mobilizing for all-out war to get him back.



675 portals - one to each layer of Hell and to each if the first 666 layers of the Abyss - have opened across Faerun, and the demons and devils are already attempting to establish fortified beachheads around them in preparation for using the Realms as a massive battlefield against and hopeful route to invade their enemies in the Blood War.



Mystra and Shar's avatars are being systematically assassinated, and neither knows who's responsible. They approach the party of Epic-level characters for help after Elminster himself is slain, each accusing the other of being behind it.



Elminster declares a pranking contest with the party. Their acceptance is not required; he's already begun making his moves.



Tiamat herself has kidnapped 5 different princes of 5 of the most powerful kingdoms in Faerun. The party is being asked by the kingdoms to rescue the heirs to their thrones before the Queen of Evil Dragons manages to do...whatever her plan is to them.

I like the Thay plot hook along with the demons and devils. THis is our first epic campaign so we feel it should be well epic! I assume most of the PCs goals will be the accession to godhood or some imense power. So far One PC wants to be a Vampire Lord prestiged into Vampire God. I'd rather him not play a vampire since to me it seems limiting for the player but if that what he decides on thats fine. The other wants to aspire to be a lich and wanted to use the Davati race, That I overruled mainly because it really made no sense and playing two characters as one would be ridiculous for him lol. Another just wants to be a fighter with yet known prestige levels who heads his own merc company likely human.

[Segev]

The fighter is likely to need to be very creative with his WBL to get magic items that let him keep up with the spellcasters.

Good call on the dvati. I love the race in theory, but the mechanics are a near-unplayable mess. (Possibly genuinely unplayable, but I hope to give it a benefit of a doubt.) Adding epic rules is only going to get weirder.

"Consume the blood of Primus until the Prime Modron dies" could be a good key component to a vampire lord's ascension to godhood. The mercenary band leader would be easily highly sought-after in either the "fiends are invading" or the "Thay is attacking everyone everywhere with their new superweapon" plots, let alone the "the Modrons are invading" follow-up to the second one.

The lich...well, he'll probably have his own reasons for getting involved in things. Nothing stands out as an obvious hook specific to his designs.

[Bronk]

The lich...well, he'll probably have his own reasons for getting involved in things. Nothing stands out as an obvious hook specific to his designs.

As a few possibilities, he could be:

-trying to become a demilich

-looking for a way to better hide or protect his phylactery

-attempting to become a dry lich after the fact to increase the number of his phylacteries

[lylsyly]

"Elminster declares a pranking contest with the party. Their acceptance is not required; he's already begun making his moves."

And this is exactly what I have been looking for (as an ongoing side dish in a 1-20 sandbox).

Thank you thank you.

[tstewt1921]

I don't know if it's been mentioned but traversing through hell is always an option, you have several different combat option, demon lords and princes you can have them fight.

[Segev]

As a few possibilities, he could be:

-trying to become a demilich

-looking for a way to better hide or protect his phylactery

-attempting to become a dry lich after the fact to increase the number of his phylacteriesIncreasing his number of phylacteries doesn't necessarily require becoming a dry lich. He's an epic character, after all. Making up the rules is part of his purview.

Perhaps he might be interested in the Return to the Tomb of Horrors plot, but with himself as the villain. Or go for the modrons, and find a way to turn Mechanus or all of the monodrones or something into his phylacteries. HEck, he might be a person that Thay contracted to help with the binding of Primus.


"Elminster declares a pranking contest with the party. Their acceptance is not required; he's already begun making his moves."

And this is exactly what I have been looking for (as an ongoing side dish in a 1-20 sandbox).

Thank you thank you.
You're quite welcome. Glad it was helpful. If it happens, I'd love to read about what he does and what the party does about it, sometime. :)

[montoya]

All wonderful suggestions and they will all likely be used in some fashion. Of course these characters are subject to change but the players seem pretty satisfied with their choices. I had planned on running the adventure to about level 30 or so depending on how the PCs play it out. The Fighter type character (I have since made him aware that he will be at a disadvantage in an epic campaign) will likely prestige into something and I highly recommended an item that grants 50% concealment.

As for equipment I am going with the ELHB starting guide of 975,000 gold worth of equipment for a 21st level character. With one piece of equipment allowed to be epic or a maximum of 300,000 Gold. I don't think the players realize that epic yes is powerful but the enemies tend be more powerful. And this is also our first epic game ever. We are really excited to begin, I just hope one of the PCs doesn't let the epic levels go to their head and bite off more than they could chew lol. I also wanted to insert a Tarrasque fight at some point since it would make for a great world disrupting event. No goal is out of reach in this campaign, its all about if you are able to survive to attain it or smart enough to usurp it.

And yes the Davati had to be vetoed lol. I foresaw hours and hours of headaches and unnecessary time wasted on such an awkward race. Interesting race but as the poster pointed out, the rules for it are hard to work with.

Obviously the lich and vamp lord will be evil no idea yet on the fighter type. Likely a Neutral type but possible Good. Which of course always makes for great RP!