This is my first post in this forum. I occasionaly browse Canonfire as there are plenty of resources that i like to confer for use in my campaign. The goal of this topic is related to the main theme of the Campaign: Iuz and his death. Yes, thats it, call me nuts or overambitious but the Old One is marked to die. . Please i want to stress that i am definitely NOT using the Cambion as a fool, as a super monster or the like. The Pcs are around level 10 and only now they know that The Terrible One's agents (boneshadow specially) are behind all their troubles, but dont know why. And the reason why they are key to His downfall and why they still manage to escape is painstakingly taken to account.
In very general terms, the Background Plot is based around Bucknard, the missing member of the Circle of Eight, who is currently imprisoned in Grazz't Argent Palace while Iuz and his father's agents try to recover Iuz Soulgem, who was stolen from Zuggtmoy's Plane after she was imprisoned in the fall of the Temple of elemental Evil (i am not considering Return to the Temple of elemental Evil). Bucknard managed to steal the gem with the help of Zagyg and mainly Keoghtom, but he hadnt the time or the resources to organize its destruction (and even before that, the destruction of the physical form of Iuz) because the Old One discovered and launched a massive demonic raid in Keoghtom's Demiplane where Bucknard installed his base. The wizard knew what was coming and took three steps to ensure his plan would continue: 1) he hid the gem where no magic could trace, even from a gods attention, 2) he sent his son (one of the Pc's) to Oerth with a briefly introductory and encrypted note to his friend Rary (basically the only one who knew how to translate the alchemical code in the message) to carry on his plans with some instructions herein and 3) he wiped out his and his son's mind to anything related to the mission (and each other). Bucknard knew his friend would help when his now amnesic son ,bearing a book with the Archmage of Ket's sigil . The only flaw in Bucknard's plan was that nobody would imagine that Rary would turn to evil and become a traitor (this event happened after Bucknard was considered missing). So, the only mortal who knew some of Bucknard's plans now was considered innacessible and out of question for the Pcs (even though they had no idea who was the amnesic pc carrying a book with Rary's sigil).
While all this was happening, this plot were not unnoticed by the gods. Istus (and then Boccob) knew in the time Cuthbert asked permission to battle Iuz in Oerth that the Old One's possible Doom would happen only
decades after, so they consented. Cuthbert failed and he is most frustrated by the non intervention decree, and even Keoghtom, has to step a little back because the debt Cuthbert had to Nerull and Incabulos (for their consent in allowing the Cudgel descend to Oerth as an Avatar) is beggining to be repaid, in the form of allowance for their evil forces having more direct prevalence (but still, they and their foul planar agents cannot interfer on Onerth directly) over the pcs. According to Istus, supported by Boccob, now is the time to Iuz stand between his life as a demigod or total destruction. Along with St. Cuthbert, no one wants more than Nerull and Incabulos to destroy the Cambion upstart who almost crushed the Horned Society (and now are reforming through an alliance with the clery of the Black Rider) . So, Incabulos trusted his most powerful agent , the Great Night Hag Despair (the second among the six hags) who watched over Oerth events to take a close look over the Pc and make sure he would not be captured by Iuz forces while she would conduct a research on where Bucknard hid the soulgem (Only Keoghtom and Zagyg knows but they are not telling). So, over the torment of a powerful night hag watching and seducing them with her guile, the pcs are carrying on to find what interest Iuz have on the amnesiac pc, not knowing what the future reserves.
I hope the description was not too confusing, but it was the tip of the iceberg. I intend to take the party to Grazz't Plane, in a stealth mission to rescue Bucknard, while an epic battle will be conducted between the demon lord's forces and Despair, Keoghtom, Iggwilv (yes, she betrayed Iuz in my campaign, because of events related to the adventure Return to the Circle of Eight) . Even far in the future, the pcs will know about the soulgem but wont know its location. The Circle of Eight will be contacted by Bucknard, as Belvor, Canon Hazen, Highfolk forces will eventually go to another war against Iuz. While the war is raging they will find the way of reaching the Soulgem, guided by a double agent (i prefer to discuss him later). This is the final phase of the campaign, much like when the forces of Gondor clashes Sauron's forces while Frodo and Sam tries to destroy the Ring. In this stage howver, i inted the player characters to be epic level, and they will confront Iuz (and he will be weakened by the destruction of his Soul Husks) whose majority of troops are battling the forces of Good. Even then, they will need help from Tenser, Bucknard and bigby (and their allies), Iggwilv and the same double agent. My goal is not only Iuz die, but provide, according to the actions of the character if the Empire will be thrown in total anarchy without an evil overlord (the good ending), be in anarchy but with the return of the Horned Society (average ending), or with the possible reconstruction of Iuz empire through the hand of the returned Iggwilv or the souble Agent (the Bad ending).
Phew! that's it. I apologize for the excessive lenght. The reason i posted here its because i was interested in some feedback, as there are so many powerful npcs involved that i may well be overlooking someone or something.
As for the aftermath of Iuz' death, he was defeated and snuffed in my campaign some time back, and the first, biggest ramification was all the clerics of the old one loosing their spell casting. Created quite the power vacuum in the empire, one that resulted in Furyondy making gains into the old horned society lands.
The loss of spells by Iuz's Clerics will be great indeed, and one of the reasons why the Bandit Kingdoms will regain his freedom as the Horned Society. Well used to lower plane backstabbing, the High priest Halga will betray and leave the Old One when he will need her the most (in the battle of Dorakaa). She will be elevated as a Hierarch of Nerull and when the war is over, she will be the Horned Society's Embassador to Greyhawk to sign their part, a fact that will cause most disconfort
Regarding geopolitical changes in the map, Furyondy will regain all his territory (IIRC Belvor has not regained 100% , right?) as the Shield Lands qwill be restored. Furyondy wont advance further because of internal divisions (the landed lords who never wanted to enter another war), and the prospect of fighting threee different forces at once: Iuz, Horned Society AND some special divisions from North Great Kingdom, whom the Horned Society will bargain for this moment, cutting the forces of good advances by the appearance led by the Fists of Hextor
I'm currently using a similar theme in my campaign, though it's more a background story, than direct PC intervention.
Iuz was defeated by internal strife, with the wizards forming an alliance to eliminate him and thus his clerics too. However, with Iuz not exactly trusting Wizards with all the troubles he's had with them in the past, he had worked a major, slow building, curse upon himself that if he died Wizard magic would slowly corrupt into a more unstable (semi-wild magic) state. The time frame for the full curse to take hold is a year and a day.
Eventually the PCs will have to make the choice of letting Wizard's arcane magic (I treat Sorcery as so completely different that they are unaffected by the curse, and also have them as a very minor percentage of the overall arcane population) be permanent or finding a way to recover Iuz's gem and bringing him back to life.
There is a lot more to it than that, but without my notes in front of me that's the short version.
I am so happy to hear that other DM'S have developed their camps around the death or at least the removal of Iuz. In my camp. The removal of Iuz occuared at the end of the five shall be one/Howl form the north. The players were able to combine the five swords and call the great God of the north who disposed of the false god.
In regards to the rest of The Greyhawk War I subsitited other Demon Lords as Iuz. This would allow these Lords a cover when the Horned socitiey is attacked. Now Nerull/Devils are using their resourse toward the final disatruction of Iuz's soul gem.
With the end of Iuz, the demon hoards have no direct leader.Therefore after all the carnage they enjoyed during the Greyhawk wars the party was over. Some demons took off for greener pastures and the stupid few out in the open were banished by the Crook of Rao a few years later. The humanoid never received leadership from the chaotic demon lords,which then led them mostly to disband into smaller clans or tribes.
All this now allows a balance for some excellent game play. Furoundy is a great enviorment for adventures into the Iuz's former lands where enough temples, caves, and hidden Baddies lay in wait. Castle Hart is now a staging poinit for brave heros to go into the ravaged lands of the sheild lands and horned lands.
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. Please i want to stress that i am definitely NOT using the Cambion as a fool, as a super monster or the like. The Pcs are around level 10 and only now they know that The Terrible One's agents (boneshadow specially) are behind all their troubles, but dont know why. And the reason why they are key to His downfall and why they still manage to escape is painstakingly taken to account.
