Campaign/Scenario/General RPG Sounding Board and Brainstorming

[Mckma]

So I don't know if others would find this useful as well, so I made the title a bit general.  If not, I figure no harm no foul.  Basically I am working on my next campaign for D&D and have some ideas of plot/story arcs, but am looking for suggestions to flesh them out a bit.

Setting:  Typical D&D fantasy with the generic mix of races, however the land is dominated by dragons.  There are a lot of dragons and they kind of stomp around a bit heedless of "lesser beings."  The PCs have a copper dragon as their patron and are essentially going to be sucked into the conflicts of the dragons (something that would, in this world, usually be considered worse than getting flat out killed by the dragons).

Main Plot/Conflict:  The dragons are losing power/control over the world.  This is due to two factors, first the "lesser races" (essentially all of the standard humanoid types) are growing in numbers because of greater reproduction, and they are growing in power as they learn greater magic and technology.  The other factor is that the dragons themselves are losing strength, fewer numbers, subsequent generations growing weaker, etc.  Ultimately this will result in a number of factions of dragons emerging trying to deal with this "threat" to their power.  I'm thinking for sure I will have two factions that have accepted this fate, but have different reactions, one wishes to empower the "lesser races" to expand and rule themselves, the other wishes to take the world with them.  There will probably one or two others that seek to empower the dragons again through whatever means.

What I'm Looking For:  Essentially the way I plan campaigns is get an idea of the big picture and a few sub-story arcs, then be flexible with the rest.  As a result, I don't feel I need to detail the factions too much at this point as the PCs won't have much interaction with them.  What I am looking for is some reason that the dragons are getting weaker.  My mind keeps sticking on a disease of some sort, but it just doesn't feel right (the genetic Krogan disease from Mass Effect keeps popping into my head).  I'm not sure what else might work, but I would really like something that allows for some sort of MacGuffin or other machine that could in some sense theoretically restore their strength (though potentially at the high cost of something else).  Similarly I'm also trying to come up with some general idea of the MacGuffin.

EDIT: I suppose if you care so much, some brief sketching out of the PCs surroundings are here (Obsidian Portal).

So, any ideas?  Or does my campaign sound like utter crap and should I scrap it?  Any input would be most appreciated.

[Setherick]

I wonder if a humanoid world without the dragons would degenerate into a post-heroic period similar to the "last man" in Thus Spake Zarathustra:

It is time for man to fix his goal. It is time for man to plant
the germ of his highest hope.
  Still is his soil rich enough for it. But that soil will one day
be poor and exhausted, and no lofty tree will any longer be able to
grow thereon.
  Alas! there cometh the time when man will no longer launch the arrow
of his longing beyond man- and the string of his bow will have
unlearned to whizz!
  I tell you: one must still have chaos in one, to give birth to a
dancing star. I tell you: ye have still chaos in you.
  Alas! There cometh the time when man will no longer give birth to
any star. Alas! There cometh the time of the most despicable man,
who can no longer despise himself.
  Lo! I show you the last man.
  "What is love? What is creation? What is longing? What is a
star?"- so asketh the last man and blinketh.
  The earth hath then become small, and on it there hoppeth the last
man who maketh everything small. His species is ineradicable like that
of the ground-flea; the last man liveth longest.
  "We have discovered happiness"- say the last men, and blink thereby.
  They have left the regions where it is hard to live; for they need
warmth. One still loveth one's neighbour and rubbeth against him;
for one needeth warmth.
  Turning ill and being distrustful, they consider sinful: they walk
warily. He is a fool who still stumbleth over stones or men!
  A little poison now and then: that maketh pleasant dreams. And
much poison at last for a pleasant death.
  One still worketh, for work is a pastime. But one is careful lest
the pastime should hurt one.
  One no longer becometh poor or rich; both are too burdensome. Who
still wanteth to rule? Who still wanteth to obey? Both are too
burdensome.
  No shepherd, and one herd! Everyone wanteth the same; everyone is
equal: he who hath other sentiments goeth voluntarily into the
madhouse.
  "Formerly all the world was insane,"- say the subtlest of them,
and blink thereby.
  They are clever and know all that hath happened: so there is no
end to their raillery. People still fall out, but are soon reconciled-
otherwise it spoileth their stomachs.
  They have their little pleasures for the day, and their little
pleasures for the night, but they have a regard for health.
  "We have discovered happiness,"- say the last men, and blink
thereby.

[clockworkjoe]

idea: dragons are doing too well and their population has exploded resulting in food and territory shortages.

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/3246/201102stmatthewisland.png

[Dom]

You can get a few ideas from a similar setting in a D&D game run by Chris Perkins, one of the lead developers of the game, as well as the DM for most of the Penny Arcade D&D podcasts. The setting is basically that of small islands spread around a large ocean, and each island being ruled by dragons. Dragonborn are common, as well as swash-buckling adventurers.

http://community.wizards.com/wiki/dnd:Iomandra_and_the_Dragon_Sea

[Shallazar]

Answer: Emperor Pilaf is stealing power from the lord of all dragons, the Eternal Dragon.
There are 7 parts and once all the parts are assembled Emperor Pilaf will be use the object to command the Eternal Dragon.

If for some reason they eternal dragon is killed then the PCs can travel to Namek (either in another plane or something) and use their dragon, WHICH IS FAR LARGER.

And unknownst to all there is a third set of items which lead all across the planes.


Or something.

EDIT: I hope you're planning to post this game, I'll leave comments. Dragons are awesome.

[Vega Baby]

Just an idea, but maybe the dragons aren't natural creatures, and new generations are born from some kind of grand ancient magical device that is slowly losing power and deteriorating, and no one currently is alive who can repair/recharge it.  The MacGuffin is essentially either a mana battery or the original schematics for the machine, which can be either used to repair or permanently destroy the machine depending on what the PCs want to do.

Of course, if it's the case that someone wanted to make the dragons in the first place, you'd need to establish why someone would want extremely powerful magical beings running around.  Maybe they secretly, or unknowingly, keep some greater evil at bay just by existing, and the players have to decide between maintaining a corrupt Totalitarian Dragonocracy, or to risk unleashing a greater evil by ending the dragons' reign.

[Joven]

Answer: Emperor Pilaf is stealing power from the lord of all dragons, the Eternal Dragon.
There are 7 parts and once all the parts are assembled Emperor Pilaf will be use the object to command the Eternal Dragon.

If for some reason they eternal dragon is killed then the PCs can travel to Namek (either in another plane or something) and use their dragon, WHICH IS FAR LARGER.

And unknownst to all there is a third set of items which lead all across the planes.


Or something.

EDIT: I hope you're planning to post this game, I'll leave comments. Dragons are awesome.

Or a wealthy human industrialist, from America, who has been secretly building up power behind the dragons back, screws the rules as he has money, and develops a restraint to take control of the leaders of all dragons, the blue eyes white dragons, In America.
He promptly takes control of a large portion of the world, including America, and the PC's have to team with a small rebel force of dragons, who have learned the Power of Friendship with humans, to restore peace to the world...IN AMERICA!

[Seejo Crux]

Your synopsis made me immediately think of the new incarnation of Clash of the Titans. Now I can't unsee a bunch of dragonborn avatars in shiny glowy armors standing around arguing about how to keep The Man (er, Humans) down.

You could probably research fiction and non-fiction reports related to bombing runs, air force pilots, etc. to create the personalities and encounters related to your freedom-fighting dragons.

[beej]

First off, good choice with the copper dragon.  I had a copper dragon running the New World's Tortuga and the players loved him. 

Secondly, maybe I can offer an idea?   You could take the tack that the Dragons are the big reason the Gods don't take more active roles in the Mortal Plane as dragons are the only things that can send Gods and their uber powerful celestial minions packing.  As the dragon bloodline diminish, the Gods' shananagans spill more and more into the mortal plane. 

IE Bane and Kord are more likely to appear on the mortal plane and fight along side their worshipers, Pelor grants access to his angelic hosts to cities that make him their primary god, the undead Venca like evil god is more likely to help arrange undead armies for tyrants who will serve him, Bahamet/Tamet gain more mental sway over the lesser dragons/drakes and bend them to aid those who worship them.    Basically make the fading of the dragons more than just 'Hooray little people power!'   The new change brings a bunch of pluses and negatives. 

Gods can actively back the growing mortal armies, giving them access to all sorts of new technology and magic to hasten the fall of the dragons.   

Also maybe include some why the change can be averted?  The Orium dragons could ask the players to help them re-empower the draconic blood lines stave off the petty games of the Gods.  And if the players say no, they'll have to watch their backs.

I also recommend throwing a friendly Silver Dragon NPC at some point.   They love to mix it up but don't usually consider mortals to be in the food category.     

[Mckma]

Thanks for the suggestions.  After some mulling, I'm kind of thinking something along these lines:

Dragons, by their nature, were not actually meant to reside on the material plane, instead needing to reside on the elemental planes as they are fueled by the elemental chaos itself.  As a result, they have gradually been growing weaker each generation because of their loss of connection to true elemental might (they get some from the material plane, but not enough).  At the same time, the lesser mortal races are growing stronger in their weakening state, so it is clear to many dragons looking long range that their time is limited.  This results in a number of courses taken.  Some are seeking ways to establish a link to the elemental chaos to fuel the dragons but keep the integrity of the material plane (after all it's much more pleasant than the chaos), others are pissed and want to just destroy the plane (if they can't have it, no one can), some leave for the elemental chaos (it's better than slowly withering away), another group is preparing the other races to care for themselves (they've lived under the rule of dragons for so long, they may not be prepared), and most are doing some combination of the above.

At the same time, Tiamat is getting interested and is beginning to do more, attempting to essentially establish a chromatic dragon stronghold (to work out of to overthrow Bahamut).  She doesn't do much at first because she doesn't want to get thrashed by the other gods for interfering too much.  Likewise, Bahamut is trying to subtly counter her actions as well as encourage the dragons to accept their situation and either leave, or grow weaker.  Because of this, the other gods are at the same time kind of "pulling up stakes" and moving away from the plane (recognizing the impending clash and not wanting to get involved).  Thus as the campaign progresses, the other deities will eventually have no influence on the land, but the dragon deities will have much more.  The only other deities who might stick around would probably Tharizdun or Gruumsh who would probably try to screw things up linking the planes to obliterate the material plane (in fact, I'm somewhat considering that there is no way to safely link them and the dragons who think they can are just being manipulated by this faction).

The ultimate culmination would probably involve fighting one of the deities (depending on who things play out), potentially with the aid of another.  Other possible endings would be bailing to a different material plane (in my mind I'm modifying the cosmology slightly so there are other material planes kind of like parallel universes, but only supremely powerful beings like the gods can move between them), or a different "standard" plane, whether or not they helped destroy the first.

Obviously I'm going to cater more towards my players and see what they like and don't once we get started, but any thought?  Sound like something that would be fun to play in (of course uncovering what is actually happening slowly and not all at once)?

Also, the reason I ultimately settled on the copper dragon was kind of funny.  I was reading through, trying to pick which one and eventually realized that the copper was essentially the "PC" of dragons.  Largely good, but does what it wants and tends to screw around and make wisecracks.  If it likes something, it will protect it, but it will also savagely attack and mess up anything that looks at it sideways...