Inspired by Cthulhu being in the Pathfinder Bestiary 4 (it’s out this week!) I came up with this short campaign idea while selling it to my customers. I’ll probably run it either after I have Played Everything I own or else run each adventure in a different system and use it to tick 6 RPG’s off my list. This would also work as a one level per adventure Campaign for 13th Age by adding an adventure about each of your characters into the mix. The plan would be as follows:
1st adventure
3rd ish level in Pathfinder, (1st level in 13th age). Cultists kidnap PC (maybe a player who can’t make the first session)/ loved one/contact/person about to reveal the plot etc. Players go on to investigate in a city and fight in short dungeon under/above/as part of a less well known part of a city. This could be catacombs, dungeons, rooftop thieves area, the Shades style dubious quarter, a maze etc. Players man up and gain contacts, allies and a better understanding of their local home.
2nd adventure
6th ish level. Clues or cut scenes lead to one of the many towns full of fish men on the sea shore type adventures. Fish man leader/human contact is one PC’s Father. This could be obvious from a PC’s heritage or maybe explain any foreshadowing I’ve put in from previously in the adventure e.g. PC falls in a well but is able to survive longer, not great with sunshine etc. Players adventure and gain allies.
3rd adventure
9th ish level. From an end of last/beginning of this adventure reveal, it turns out cultists are in charge of something important. A PC’s contact (from the first adventure?) tells them that some massive authority figure (leader of the city from the first adventure) is actually a cultist and the PCs will go and fight that person/creature etc. At end of session one PC is put in charge of the thing. Players kit up and go and save the city.
4th Adventure
12th ish level. From interrogating the baddie in the last session or his minions and clues the PCs find, it turns out cult also has backing of rival nation! This means War! What is it good for? A DnD adventure! Go recruit monstrous allies, perform devils bargains then pull out the square bases for a big battle! Players ally up and go and save the country.
This could be alluded to in previous adventures where people in foreign colours are wandering around or maybe a treaty is being worked on, or all the treasure turn up in foreign minted coins.
5th adventure
15th ish level. Turns out while there was a big distracting war the leaders of the other country /cult sacrificed loads of people in a big ritual to summon a giant monster (like Cthulhu). Bad giant things base turns up (Moon gets closer, Island rises from beneath the sea, Volcano erupts. Destroying players home base for maximum emotional involvement). Players deal with this problem and have to go back into first dungeon from campaign where secret chamber has opened revealing Zords/magic weapons/powerful dead guys etc. Players gain awesome special moves and go and save the world.
6th adventure
18th -20th level (add mythic or epic levels from the cool toys they got last time)
Go to Giant Monster’s secret lair and fight them. Players gain enlightenment, death and maybe go to create their own city, kingdom, world or cult!
Profit!
