By Jason Campbell
I’ve been running a weekly 5e campaign in Monte Cook’s Ptolus setting since January 2022, the player characters are currently 17th level. It can be difficult to run a 5e game with higher level characters while keeping the game challenging and the players engaged. This campaign diary series features notes from my players and I about the challenges of playing high level 5e.
Using The Campaign Story as Fate
In our city of Ptolus it’s a common belief by many religions, governement officials and people in general that any necromancy is evil. One of the player characters, Bright the druid, has learned many necromantic spells, animating skeletons at times to aid the characters.
Recently I looked back at events in the past of the campaign. The PCs at early level fought a druid named Reggred who had turned to necromancy under the teaching of a fiendish warlock. They defeated the druid, almost three years ago in real time, so the players likely barely remember that encounter. Looking back at older notes I realized that this minor villain’s story could be seen as similar to the PC druid’s story.
Twisting The Story
The PCs now have come into conflict with a demi god of death. When the demi god appeared, she immediately referred to the druid Bight as her protege. Bright was confused, so the demi god explained;
Bright, you have done well to follow the path I’ve laid out.
As Reggred failed, you have succeeded.
You have followed Reggred ‘s path from Druid to necromancy. Just as I have instructed.
Have you chosen your own path? Did Reggred follow his? Was there no outside influence?
Conclusion
The demi god of death is of course not being entirely truthful – Bright (and the player) made her own choices, but the demi god is using the parallel story to manipulate the character. This twist does a few things; it is interesting and a bit creepy for the players, and it clearly established the demi god as a villain, as the character will likely resent this assumption.
Have you ever had a NPC claim fate interfered in the story of a tTRPG? Let us know what you think!
