The next campaign...

[DM_Kev]

As development on the current in-the-works campaign for Forochel draws to a close, I thought it would be a good idea to get the ball rolling on what the next camapign will be about. I want it to address the well-known level-gulf, primarily affecting mid level evil characters from level 10 and above.

To make an efficient and reasonably speedy response, i'd be looking to make a short campaign or short story covering about three quests. These could be set in any existing evil area, though I think Isengard or Mordor would be the most prudent choice.

I do not have any plans shelved for this small project, so it would be a scratch built thing. This is where you all can help. Im looking for a focus for the short campaign - a plot or theme to follow. I am interested in involving the ents with a view to re-doing fangorn forest and relaunching the ent npcs, making them more interesting and giving them more influence, rather then the current fodder they serve as in one of the quests.

Please give all your suggestions for a campaign story and I will try and thread something together which we can work with and eventually, play.

[Alandris]

Mordor could be expanded a little, to incorproate portion of Nurn, and things that go on there. Possible slave uprisals that need weeding out, or escaped experiments of Sauron's sorcerers... or escaped experiments that feed on slaves far too often.

Or... for more subtle evil, meetings with Harad military representatives in Umbar, and bribing them for allegiance with slave women, taken from South Gondor.

[int19h]

Around Mordor - something involving Ithilien rangers raiding parties getting too close, perhaps (as any Mordor-frequenting evil PC knows, they damn sure do... would feel good to show 'em for once). And hey, how about some traditional orcish fun, feeding Shelob? Offer POWs (bring your own), purchase slaves, or go yourself and walk out alive - your choice ;)

Isengard at this time period should be heavily backing Dunlendings in their advancement on Rohan lands, so it would make sense to have some quest associated with that. Perhaps something about sabotaging a remote Rohirrim fortress in preparation for a siege and an assault - sneak in and burn the food store or sabotage the war machines (for the sneaky), poison the water source (need some tracker type to follow the underground pipes to it), infiltrate and spread demoralizing rumours (for charismatic liars / Bluff), bribe someone to open the gates (for the very rich and/or having high Persuade/Intimidate combo), loot the surrounding villages (for orcs...) - that sort of thing. Or just forgo all of that and lead the party to the assault straight away if you're really confident in yourself :)

Something could be cooked up in Umbar, as well; possibly related to the frequent border disputes between it and Gondor about Harondor ("At the time of the War of the Ring ... a debatable and desert land")?

Regarding Entish NPCs, I'm not sure how would that work out for evils (and particularly orcs).

[DM_Kev]

Some good ideas here, particularly in Umbar which could use some additional activity.

Quests for the master orators of middle earth would be a good addition and soemthing different to the usual format of quests. Perhaps a blend of speech and combat - how you deal with a diplomatic situation affects the amount/difficulty of combat to follow?

Any regions where diplomacy and conflict can be combined?

[MilouOpo]

First area that comes to my mind is Dunland.

Others might be along the coast of Eriador. Perhaps near Long Daer's ruins? (More things to hoard for that greedy Tharbadean mayor)

[Mentat]

I can throw in two ideas if you like, though the ones above seem already very good to me.

I would also go for Umbar. The city is so nice, but quests there are quite limited. And since it is the city of the Corsairs, heck, it needs to be a quest at sea, or at least an island (maybe combined). What about a few fierce battles at sea with some ships from Dol Amroth(I think Elenuial brought up a nice story about the swanships of Dol Amroth in game lately), to bring in some good loot, and get a share of the spoils.

On a second thought, Minas Morgul comes to my mind. That place as such should be so creepy, even for the most corrupted of evil men, orc and olog alike. A mission given to a character or group by the witchking should be such a burden and so important, that even the slightest error in fullfilling that task should mean death or even worse. Killing a certain representative from one of the free races could be such a task. That could be performed in various ways(decission in the dialog maybe?) poisoning, assasination, or setting up a trap/ambush on the road. Important though leaving behind traces, thus framing a rival for the cruel act (Gondor/Rohan, Elf/Dwarf, Dunadain/Tharbad/Esgaroth). Murder and Deceit, a perfect joice for the forsaken. The sucess of that sheme could be also dependent on sperading lies about the incident, here diplomacy skills should be most important. Failing here, should still allow completion of the mission, but less reward. And if its possible by any means, all attending characters should be able to spread the lie. But anyhow if the chosen fails, the ruse is discovered.