My players stay out: Opinions wanted on this plotline.

[Lord Ben]

It's a Lunar game in the West and the players are generally tinkering with societies a bit but mostly combat based.  But they do have a region they care about and shortly the legion will probably be kicked out of it.


The very basic plot outline.


1. Yozi's through servants seek out a group of artifacts.  The 5 Tabernacles, parts of the original surrender treaty after the Primordial War.  The pen of destiny, what it writes is outside of fate.


2. They use these artifacts to alter the treaty temporarily, breifly causing a spasm in creation as one of the Yozi's "He upon who all names are written" can make a few quick changes.   Most importantly granting a name to the youngest Primordial, one who is new and never had a name to be bound by.   He's freed and once named he is assigned the parts of creation that never existed during the Primordial Wars, namely those forged out of the Wyld.   Since it's a western game he'd become the lost continent forged out of the wyld to the west of the west.


3. Pelagials, demons, lintha etc flock to this new empire.


4. Lunars who can brave the wyld to reach it decide they must save creation and set about to stop things.


That's the basic outline.  Anyone have any opinions on it?  Potential problems, things to include, things to avoid?  I think the players will get wind of it while they're gathering the artifacts, peice together the why and try to stop it.  Hopefully I'll find a way for them to fail so the baby primordial gets named and then they can raise a massive army to crush this demon nation.

 

[Eldagusto]

Hey that is pretty cool.


How about Since the Primordial is a genuine Primordial it feels like it doesn't fit in with the Yozis.  This provides enough opportunity for Gaia, or hell even Autocthon, to get it on their side.  Meanwhile the Gods want to Slay it, and the Neverborn are Angry, Scared, and uhh Sleepy and Dopy like usual.


Perhaps the Fairfolk do not want it named because they see it as their Prophet.  Perhaps a Crusader like Balor.  If it gets named maybe some will seek shape over Wyld and become it's Protectors/Minions.

 

[Moonsilver]

Well if your players are not going to rescue the 5 Tabernacles as well as sinking a small demonic Continent you are not getting your monies worth out of them.


After all what did you give them all those extra dots and uber powers for at Character Creation? If they moan about having too much to do just tell them their patron god may decided to sack them

 

[Jeppe]

I think that's a pretty decent storyline. In fact, I think I may steal the basic principle of your idea in my upcoming campaign. Good work.

 

[Lord Ben]

That's a pretty decent catch, where it might be "turned" into fighting against the Yozi's.  Maybe it'll be created as their pawn for escaping like they want initially, but as it learns a few things it maybe begins to get doubts.  Perhaps even going so far as to eventually help the PC's rid it of demons, etc.  Or guide them into breaking it's bonds and stopping whatever ritual frees the Yozi's.... interesting.


Also, an Atlantis like sinking of the continent would be a cool scene for a fight.  Or even the raising of the continent would be pretty awesome.  They arrive too late to stop the ritual and then as they fight the baddies aboard some ship filled with sacrifices they ship jolts and starts rising into the air, beneath them lush green lands rising from the seas.

 

[flinx]

Also' date=' an Atlantis like sinking of the continent would be a cool scene for a fight.  Or even the raising of the continent would be pretty awesome.  They arrive too late to stop the ritual and then as they fight the baddies aboard some ship filled with sacrifices they ship jolts and starts rising into the air, beneath them lush green lands rising from the seas.[/quote']
Or let them think their job ist to stop the ritual but they come a little too late to stop it and are just able to disturb the last stage of the ritual (including the above suggested fight on the ship with the new continent rising from the below). The primordial is weakened because the ritual was not complete but starts to grow in power. Now the characters must find a way to banish/enslave/whatever the primordial before he rises to full power.  :twisted:

 

[Lord Ben]

One problem is that if they were there when the island was raised I don't know how to get them off of it so it can be populated.  They'd tend to stay there smashing things for a few years.

 

[flinx]

One problem is that if they were there when the island was raised I don't know how to get them off of it so it can be populated.  They'd tend to stay there smashing things for a few years.

Easy - while "smashing things" they find some hints that there might be a way to sink the island and if they don't, the primordial will rise to full power. The hints point to several locations/artifacts/persons spread through creation so they either ignore the bigger problem (and get smashed when the primordial wakes up) or the leave the island on their quest to solve it (thus leaving the island ungarded and to be populated).  :twisted:


I have no actual idea how to place those clues to make sure your players don't ignore them right away, but you know your players better than me.

 

[Lord Ben]

Oh, that's a good idea.  I don't know about the clues though.  I'd say a captured demonic cultist would do the trick but I don't know how to ensure one stays alive.  I suppose just make sure and describe it that way.


I was thinking of the island rising as a volcano, so it's just lava at first along with a ship full of cultists.   The PC's leave and then later find out it's a lush volcanic island like Hawaii.

 

[Sherwood]

The Eye of Autocthon has had epic level effects in the books.  Why not have a hint that this mighty object (being the conduit of another Primordial) is what they need, and there is a handful of demons (or whatever) that want the Eye for themselves to keep it from banishing them all away.  This makes it a race to the finish, and you can even add more groups going after it.  Some ancient Lunar, a handful of Fae, a talon of Dynast Dragon Bloods, Akuma, Mountain Folk, Abyssals, or other Solars.  Do they team up with someone, and if they do, can they trust them?  How will the players respond if they see some _____ working with _______?

 

[Solfi]

I like the basic premise of this.


... Just a small, small nitpick. 'Pen of Destiny'? .... *cringe*. Must a treaty reached with inhuman beings actually have anything to do with pen and paper? Metaphors time, please!

 

[Flagg]

Maybe "Pen of Destiny" is a metaphor itself, and it's not actually a pen.

 

[Jukashi]

At the very least, make it an enormous, legendary pen, which sears the hands of mere mortals and engraves its words in letters of fire across the very mountainside.

 

[Solfi]

... maybe it is a metaphor. But it better be a fucking brilliant one, since the name makes me want to gouge my eyes out with a melonballer.

 

[Jukashi]

How about The Scrivener of Unmarked Fates?

 

[Lord Ben]

Well, it's a basic out line, not the name of an actual artifact.   I was thinking it was a souvinier from a slain demon that some Twilight made.  Basically the side effect is that whatever letters it writes is outside fate.


But it could be ignored easily enough.  Or changed.  The basic premise though is that they get a few items which allow them to temporarily change the treaty in one minor way.  Briefly freeing them to name a new Primordial who's name isn't bound.


Whether they edit a few lines in a treaty or whether they smash a few tablets made of Ebon Dragon's scales either way it's the same basic effect.


Not to mention the "pen" would actually be useful to the PC's and an item they might try to aquire on their own and a way to introduce the plot.  The name is dumb, but no dumber than "Daiklaive of Conquest"

 

[Persell]

Plus you have to consider the amount of shit that would hit the fan if the Sidereals (Gold or Bronze) got wind of such an instrument. They would feed your Circle to Malfeas himself to get ahold of that.