Return to Ysmyria, Part 2
October 19th, 2010
Hello everyone; welcome back to Grave Plots, where we bring you new adventure ideas and plot hooks for use in your games each and every week. This week, as promised, we will be looking at the second part of the Flying Island scenario (if you missed last week, you can see the first part here). In this week’s installment, we will be discussing the adventure from the position of the island’s native inhabitants, and remember, we won’t be changing any of the material facts of the scenario. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
The Flying Island Scenario, Part 2
The isle of Ysmyria has existed in peaceful isolation for thousands of years, their only visitors being mages from the land of Gharha with visions of conquering the sacred isle, visions quickly put to rest by the ancient and mighty Ra Ysmyria, the native people of Ysmyria. Over the centuries, the attitudes of Gharhan mages from the empire of Ahara have made the Ra Ysmyria even more strongly isolationist, nearly to the point of xenophobia. The ruling council of warrior monks, freely elected from the nine main Ysmyrian temples, have long guarded the secret of travel back to the surface of Gharha, though it has long been their position that interaction with the violent and barbarous peoples of the earth-bound continent would lead to nothing but ruin, and all contact with these dangerous folk should be avoided. Unfortunately for the ruling council of the Ra Ysmyria, the Gharhans simply refuse to cooperate with their isolationist wishes, and now instead of single mage, the Ra Ysmyria have to contend with a strange flying machine bearing the hated flag of the Aharan empire and carrying a small group of what appear to be their greatest warriors. And, what’s worse, the advanced guard has already been defeated and the surface dwellers are landing their craft not far from a major population center. An emergency meeting of the Grand Council has been called in order to mobilize some kind of defense against this foreign attack. With the civil defense force assigned to protect citizens in the various major population centers, a number of elite warrior priests have been dispatched in a coalition from each of the nine major temples to confront the unwelcome visitors…
The Mirror Scenario
At this stage, we are ready to start the adventure. If you are running this (or some similar variation) as a mirror adventure (see last week), the actions of the PCs from the “other side” will have a major impact on exactly what your mirror adventure looks like; if they choose to fight the whole island, for example, you might want to start your mirror adventure with the new PCs being a squadron of the civil defense forces, or a group of warrior monks desperate to put their invasion to an end. Or perhaps you have some better idea of where to start based on the exact nature of that other group’s actions. For some more ideas, you might want to see “Invasion,” below. If the PCs choose to pursue a more diplomatic path, your job should be considerably easier: set your PCs up as people who the other group will have to deal with, or as ambassadors to the surface – perhaps there is some particularly memorable group from the other side who would be especially appropriate. For more ideas see “Diplomacy,” below.
Breaking the Mirror
Perhaps the first time you ran this adventure, the PCs went off and got killed by lizard men, or in a random encounter with a wyvern, before they had any kind of chance to interact with the Ysmyrians, or perhaps they all used a deck of many things to get rich and retire before the adventure had any kind of chance to play out. Perhaps you’re just looking to do something a little different, or maybe your PCs are. Perhaps this is the first time you’re running this adventure, or you have some other reason for not wanting this to be a perfect mirror of what you did before; that’s just fine. Remember that role-playing games are about having a good time, so if you aren’t using this adventure for a mirror scenario, don’t worry about it - there is plenty of information on some ways to get started coming right up.
Divergent Paths
This adventure is likely to break down in one of two ways, based on the actions of the other group: either a violent struggle against foreign invaders, covered in “Invasion,” or as a series of tense negotiations in a rapidly expanding world. In either case I will be providing a few plot hooks and suggestions for ways to get started.
Invasion
Should you choose a violent disposition for the other group, the following adventure should be one of desperate struggle against a hostile force. Try one of the following plot hooks or create your own.
The Most of a Bad Situation
The PCs are relatively high-ranking members of the Hjalma temple, one of the nine religious sects of Ysmyria. Hjalma originally opposed the formation of the Grand Council and has long believed that Ysmyria need strong central leadership, specifically, their leadership. The foreign invasion offers Hjalma an opportunity like no other to seize power, and their leadership is secretly sending the PCs to make sure that they can capitalize. The PCs are to reach the invaders, form a secret alliance between the foreigners and Hjalma Ra Ysmyria, offering to aid them in their conquest of the isle in exchange for being granted rulership of Ysmyria in the aftermath, and are even willing to go so far as to offer a sympathetic position with the Aharan throne. When the other side accepts the deal, the PCs and the other group will together become leaders in a bloody war of conquest and rebellion that threatens to destroy Ysmyria all together.
Guerilla Tactics
The other group was routed by an elite group of warrior monks relatively early on, and, their dirigible captured and their homeland cut off, they fled to the swampland and forged an alliance with the lizardfolk tribe and many of the island’s other inhabitants against the Ra Ysmyria. The rebel alliance now strikes out against the Ra Ysmyria with deadly hit-and-run strategies, and never seems to be in the same place twice. The PCs have been selected from all the nine main temples to destroy the alliance once and for all by defeating its leaders and destroying their main strongholds. As the PCs traverse Ysmyria’s wilderness and fight the rebel alliance, they slowly become more and more aware of a hidden plan by a faction of the alliance to gain dominion over not only Ysmyria, but the whole of the world.
Total War
The other group was quickly defeated by the Ra Ysmyria, but not before sending a message back to the Aharan empire explaining not only that the isle can be reached by dirigible, but that the inhabitants are enemies of the empire. Now the Aharan war machine is turning out hundreds of ships everyday and the surface and air are locked in a full scale war, with Ysmyria being the primary battleground. Thousands are dead on both sides, and the war gets worse everyday. Heroes have the opportunity to rise through the ranks, and the PCs, who have distinguished themselves time and time again, are now preparing for a mission that could change the whole course of the war. The PCs are one of a dozen groups who are to descend to the surface and attack high priority targets. While other groups are heading out to destroy shipyards and economically valuable assets, the PCs have been given command of a group of elite warriors with one simple goal: assassinate the enemy leader and cause as much chaos as they can before extraction. Though Emperor Timmuren IV is well defended, if the PCs succeed they could turn the tide of the war in Ysmyria’s favor.
Diplomacy
Should you decide that the other group was a little more even-headed and elected a more diplomatic path, the adventure will likely be one of getting to know a whole new culture, with a lot “firsts.” You can use one of the following hooks to get started or create your own.
Building Bridges
The PCs take on the role of ambassadors, hashing out the original negotiations with the other group, or other more traditional ambassadors, for the standing of each of their nations. The PCs will even get a chance to rub shoulders with the Aharan emperor. The adventure should mostly illustrate the contrast between the Ra Ysmyria sense of disciplined honor and the Aharan silk-tongued politicking. Perhaps the PCs should have to navigate around some potential international incidents.
Escape
The PCs actually have no vested interest in Ysmyria, and in fact have been wanting to leave to see a larger world their whole lives. Thankfully, the recently opened negotiations between the Ra Ysmyria and the Aharans offer the perfect opportunity to get out and see the world.
Ok, well that’s it for this week’s Grave Plots. Until next time I wish you all the best in your gaming endeavors.