- Find something more engaging for Robert; set piece battles are taking too long to be enjoyable
- Maybe do the set-up as "A attacks for B damage, C saves vs D effects, and use E percentage of your per-day abilities" rather than play it all out?
- Need to add other parts to this final battle somehow
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Let Villains know how their plays worked out here
- Yarik sends offer of mercenary army, elite assassins, and dark knight to "commanders of the army"
- Viktor reveals existence of golem army and offers its part as vanguard troops
- Raag has sent best sneaky folks to protect Seryy's back, but stays behind to protect homeland / retreat
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Berko
- Aiming to capture eastern grasslands as breadbasket, has sent Moscu north after treasure
- Akichi just pulled Athamberingia into the war on the Tsarina's side, and she'll make hay of that
- Blockade cuts off Yutch support while she recaptures northern Bereria and Yutesh
- Forcing you into a rough choice: save lowlands and risk uplands, or fight for uplands and risk lowlands
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Yarik
- Aiming to take over criminal orgs between Daydah and Prolichica to consolidate
- The Black might have some sort of response to that?
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Ways to prevent The Queen from Plane Shifting or Teleporting away when the tide turns https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/conjuration-foil Wizard 4, immediate https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/d/dimensional-anchor/ Cleric/Wizard 4 https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/f/forbiddance/ Cleric 6, 6 rounds https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/d/dimensional-lock/ Cleric/Wizard 8 https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/c-d/dimensional-shackles/ need to be put on her Most of these allow SR. Dimensional Shackles says "no save", but anchor already has no save, so read as "no SR"?
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Every PC should have a moment in the limelight
- Jerry gets a better rematch against undead trio
- Nikita gets to lead an important military attack (final battle against The Queen)
- Gahdri confirmed as Ipsissimus by Royal Wizards (maybe posthumously)
- Yutch secure their conquests, either with hobgoblin or drow help, but can advance no further unless they pot-commit
- Raag protects Hinntown, achieves success in business
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Lord Hob and his control of the goblin gates
- The rebels can help The Queen discover the flower language insult now that it'd be a problem
- The Queen's treatment of Lord Hob and his subsequent hiding of things from her has helped rebels tremendously
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Who has all the soul gems? Some tithed to Kostchtchie, some in The Queen's coffers, some in The Prince's coffers
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Where are all the soul-stitched books?
- Probably in The Prince's true castle (in the Abyss)
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What other plot beats are essential?
- Mezovy surrenders the Uhlinberg lands to the hobgoblins, in exchange for aid against the Queen
- TTPCs encounter Lord Hob and their loyalist goblins?
- TTPCs learn The Traitor is being rushed into marriage to Prince of Crows, no time to think on consequences
- Raag was looking to prevent this, maybe he gets word in time?
- This likely puts the PCs up against the Prince, which is CR 19+
- Ergo this shouldn't get to them until closer to the end
- TTPCs learn that the Queen plans to make another Tower
- This time with unbreakable CL and core which can be reopened from inside (w/ a no-magic one as an "airlock")
- PCs need to know this is coming, so they can try to prevent it and so the drumbeat can be started
- TTPCs chase the Queen through her castle and defeat her
- Climactic battle needs chaotic setting (larger battle, interesting terrain, etc): the many realms of the Queen's Castle
- Could involve digs about ghoul Illuminati from her?
- Blow something up at the end
- The Queen's Palace?
- the Empire?
- the Spellweb?
- all of the above?
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Bring back or reference memorable NPCs / plots
- Absolom is keeping ???'s court free, making her ironically a decent succession choice
- Lurko is leading a flying squad that has done ???
- Heleward is doing ??? in religious diplomacy
- Shiny is still punchin things good w/ their Cossack boytoy
- Pai is still weird and ladder wielding
- Sylus, monk who showed up in Hinnton, stayed there
- (001) The aristocrats, back finally seeking favor of these lords who are now in favor
- (002) The Minister is back after the library?
- (003) Ice Troll plus Cossacks unit
- (005) Puryev thieves guild
- (013) Count Orlov Rozakrest, might be Seryy's daddy
- (013) Kostchtchie cultists (full orcs!?)
- (014) King Cold might hate PCs for Kid Cold's death?
- (018) the undead tools found in the infestation: Cresset, Stasis Crucible
- (019) Uncle Ivan
- (024) Grand Duke Kohut
- (025) the Blue Bird of Happiness
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_jay is a corvid
- (027) the Good goblins
- (033) the Lamia matriarch
- (035) Samvanzu
- Familiar plot needs further reference: how do witch Patrons react to the Black's behavior?
- (040) Utrik Goblinbane
- (041) Longbeard
- (044) the Trio
- (044) the mimis
- (046) Oilester Bolech
- (047) Gahdri's other duelists - Brantov (Bestial), ??? (Subtle), Taushev (Delver)
- (050) Utrem Fulgur
- (052) Tactical inquisitor from Axe of Perun
- (053a) Efrosin (Wizard),
Grigoriyand Ieronim (Warlock Vigilante) - (054) Friar Columbo from Axe of Perun
- (056) Oskari Leskinen, gnome trod trader
- (058) Kat's evil mother-in-law
- (059) the fighter who survived the escape
- (060) Diego of the Yutch
- (065) dock mistress from Hinnton
- (066) Low King Thror
- (068) Vieno Wirtanen (Quark)
- (070) Ter Khrekaan
- (072) Mr. Bones
- (077) Bopeep (scroll wizard)
- (079) Tarasque
- (082) Mayhem Corps
- (083) Akichi
- (085) Death's Own Coven
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Tokra-expies are a circle of changeling witches which refuse to turn hag, and who fight the hags secretly
- A source of hag lore, plot hooks, and maybe some magic
- PCs are introduced by Uncle Ivan the witch
- This needs to happen in a separate game from the one with the goblin negotiations
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Alter Ego subplot for Dylan
- The trigger is Prince of Crows releasing the retconned wizards, including Abstemious
- Reveal that his cohort and cohort's cohort were assigned to him by RWInt due to his false identification with old school mates
- Abstemious does what to who in the Arcanists guild?
- End-game option: merge with Abstemious (becoming human true neutral Arcanist w/ bad rep) or kill him (remain construct Sorcerer)
- Use the quick-swap ability from Arcanist to maximum effect?
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Plane of air
- https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Plane_of_Air
- Required beating the Djinn
- https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/genie/djinni/
- https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/binding/
- https://www.aonprd.com/MagicGenieSeals.aspx
- Can't actually grant Wish spells, just willing to work their way to freedom
- Also silver/white/cloud dragons
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Plane of Shadow
- Thematically more aligned with evil outer planes? Dislike
- Both order and chaos could use Shadow travel (ala Amber)?
- Cosmologically this is the borderlands between negative material plane and Material
- Underdark is the heavy overlap between this and the plane of earth / the Material?
-
The Queen has also collected several other types of portal magic
- Magic mirror portals which can be moved, linking back to the Hall of Mirrors: expensive, harder to make
- Elf doors ala that one animated Netflix TV show (also used in Athamberingia
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You put https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Kladenets over the mantle in the first act, you have to use it in the third
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(old PC) Goblin pikey merchant, selling (goblin) dog meat: "d'ya like dags?"
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Jon's Campaign
- Group of thieves & a holy vigilante, falsely accused of complicity in the Blitz
- A beholderesque-thing as leader of a thieves guild
- Opposed PC-level and equipment team, including a hag
-
(old PC) Tarnek ut Baltor needs put a hurt on some spellcasters tribal champion wildheart warrior wild stalker
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This is fantasy Russia, there should be at least one badass bear
- Gnomes revere bears (from Finnish)
- (Sir Bearington) Fae-touched bear masquerading as a knight, philosopher
- Hobgoblins riding grizzlies
- Giants with tame polars as dogs
- Bruin-hilde - female were-bear
- old D&D joke DC10: Cave bears live in caves. DC15: Dire bears like to attack with their natural weapons. DC20: Bear society has no visibly ordained clerics. DC25: SHIT, NEVERMIND, THEY DO HAVE THOSE. RUN!
- https://cohost.org/chrisb/post/5319118-i-recently-had-a-con 1d6 Encounter 1-3 2d6 goblins hunting bears. 4-5 An injured bear. 6 Roland, King of the Bears, with 1d6 armoured bear retainers, hunting goblins.
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Goblins and PCs could force a drow revolt against The Queen
- She's a thousand-plus years old and hasn't leveled appreciably? She started out nearly this strong in backstory?
- She's obligated to punish failure, and also doomed if she punishes too much (20%)
- She's can punish a few times before killing, and kill sparingly, but it still adds up
- 20% of 9368 is 1874, x3 is 5622 total failures and punishments, if she last leveled 500 years ago that's 1/month or less, 1 death/quarter
- Current situation may have increased that base rate considerably ... and she doesn't have a meter to watch
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Elf blood makes goblins into hobgoblins
- If Ter Khrekaan learns the full relationship between drow and hags, he will have an "only really need elf blood" realization
- This is the final part of the puzzle that he needs: hobgoblins could then farm from any elven population, not just the hags & changelings
- This tips the balance solidly toward hobgoblin victory, as they can finally massively overpopulate from goblin ranks
-
Who freed the wayang from the book? It takes a Miracle / another 9th level splash
- They bought a scroll from The Shepherd? Means scrolls of Wish are on the table.
- Many of Jerry's NPC friends helped in a ceremonial casting? Means a ritual of debinding / Wish is on the table.
- The Wayang is a devotee of anti-Lolth, she got him out? Means praying for a Miracle is on the table.
- A weak bit of all of the above managed to crack him, maybe in stages?
- A deity (Veles? anti-Lolth?) broke him out of their own accord for their own purposes?
-
The Towers are an infighting mess over Towersfall
- Half are well aligned with the Tsarina, half sneering at them through prejudice or misinformation
- All are occupied with dispelling the Curse Land
- Royal Wizards - Cannon Fodder - for, firmly aligned with Tsarina and PCs on this
- Uhlinberg - Ditchdiggers - for, but reduced to beggars with rich purses, which they wish to protect from other guilds
- Topolh - Snowballs - for, Rovenk is in their territory
- Maskar - Dusky Snobs - for, loves Royal Family
- Prolichica - Shopkeeps - for, dislikes Royal Wizards, but royals just repudiated The Queen
- Daydah - Mummers - against, hate Royal Family and Royal Wizards
- Sioraneq - Brouhahas - against, secretly sympathizers with The Queen
- Oreskoere - Gravediggers - against, loves Daydah and agrees with them
- Polyn - Sheepsquints - against, dislikes the Church
- Auseq - Vagrants - against, dislikes Daydah but hates the Church
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Ducal council rumblings
- 10 total (9 currently), current ruler breaks ties, meaning she had thin lock (5v5) before and now doesn't
- State of war and country is not great, at all
- Seryy and Tsarina are against alliance with the Exilarchy of Air thanks to PCs / Royal Wizards
- Tsarina
- Tsesarevich Seryy Anton Kuznetsov the Longshot of Rovenk Margrave
- Grand Duke Markus Venceslav Pasternak of Orarfutaqia Margrave is Caine: not for Tsarina, but against Queen
- Grand Duke Grisha Gusev of Amjarsuaq Margrave loves Royal Wizards, dislikes Amjarsuaq elves
Grand Duke Stanislav Fedorov of Bereria Margraveis newly deceased thanks to curse, appointing new one will take time
- others (who?) are calling for an alliance with Exilarchy
- Grand Duke Žarko Yuriy Kuznetsov of Drutk Margrave is influenced by wife and mother-in-law, hates own family
- Grand Duchess Zvezdana Diana Kuznetsov of Bebia Margrave dislikes Seryy, has established ties
- Grand Duke Afonasei Sergeev of Musdarbat Margrave dislikes / hates Royal Wizards, dislikes The Church
- On the fence but tempted toward anti-Tsarina side
- Grand Duke Modest Sokolov of Khujunfu Margrave dislikes Royal Wizards
- Grand Duke Esfir Vyacheslav Kohut of Inech County wants to give up and join before its too late
- Someone is gonna leak Seryy's wife's infertility, causing vote to force him out of his Margrave and thus off council (who/when?)
- Ideal for Queen result is that the succession be given to Agnessa, which tips the council heavily in her favor (5v3)
- If that works, eventually the Exilarchy folks will call for a forced succession
- How do the ghouls tie into this?
- They are Illuminati behind the Mezovian throne
- They idly supported the current Tsarina because she is bidable, has ensured succession, and the war was producing a feast
- They didn't really care much beforehand, because it didn't threaten the realm until more recently
- The Ghastly Ecclesiarch is trying to decide whether it's better to let to let The Queen win
-
Minotaurs made from eating the flying aurochs
-
So where is The Queen's father? He lies dead asleep and dreaming in his underwater house. She's merely the Princess Regent there.
- Could have a Nanny Ogg wakes C'thulu subplot if the PCs want
-
Female drow witches can become hags without hagbinding, if they want
- Drow witches are the ultimate progenitors of hags, via this process
- Drow blood might substitute for changeling blood, which can substitute (at some penalty) for hag blood
- Regular elf blood also works, at even greater penalty (e.g. takes more of it, or ritual is at minuses)
- Ritual which allows it shares elements with the ritual to make hobgoblins
- This replaces Lolth with hags and witch Patrons, which implies she is one (on Shadow?)
- Damhan: CG spidery goddess of destiny and artistry, kinda like Arachne + Athena
- Oh hey is this the spider deity that wove the spellweb? Makes magic and trickery her domains as well.
-
What's with all the birds and bird names
- The Birds references: Nephelokokkygia aka Cloud-Cookoo-Land
- Maybe one of the more prevalent planes creators is a bird fae
- Maybe birds and elves/fae/drow are connected somehow
- The Sea Tsar is a very "turn into birds" story
- Language of the birds
- The Queen is ruler of the planes of Air and Shadow, birds would be prevalent in the former
-
Fae folk piloting warforged-like mech-suits against humans
-
(Downton Abbey) Violet Crawley Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham
- Lawful evil, wields a mean cane, very important and can't be killed lawfully
- Powerful estate, important leaders during the war footing, but generally behind the times
- Servants a snooping, secrets and intrigues a plenty
- Do about half a generation earlier (e.g. she's less decrepit, her son is younger and less self-assured)
-
Doctor Who
- Powerful wizards fighting interdimensional wars that impinge on humanity
- "Anchoring of the thread" throwing out irrational forces, establishing history
- It's bigger on the inside and all that
- Might come up with Abstemious
-
(Mac the Knife) MacHeath the Drow Assassin
- Target CR is currently 19/18/17 (ACL+5 if 6+ PCs, ACL+4 if 4-5, ACL+3 if 3 PCs)
- Target is 4.5 levels per year for next two years
- PCs confront Queen at 17th or 18th level
- Meta: Prep one scene or one round of big combat for every 30 to 45 minutes of gameplay
- B-plot progress
- Rolobo's library
- Followers
- Dylan
- High level spy in Tsarina's court
- Two first levels on each sibling (the ones at Puryev have been blown)
- One first level at each tower
- Twenty first level scouts on river and road from Velerolobo to Prolichica
- 10ish exploring looking for artifact in the fae lands
- Kat
- Most protecting the trod forts (Faceplant, Redcap L3)
- Some watching the 4th tower
- Some watching the Painted Glen portals
- Gallows
- Goblins and others, scouting the trods, preparing to infiltrate hobgoblins
- Dylan
- Allies
- Royal Wizard Intelligence: looking in the library, or provide +2 for aid another
- Raaginald
- Hinnton
- Whisper network
- High-level rogue in Tsarina's Court
- Ending the third act: https://gnomestew.com/how-to-have-an-epic-campaign-in-three-acts-part-3-of-3/