A Plot Most Sinister...

[Dol]

I'm looking for a writing partner for a 2 or possibly 3 man quest.

It's going to focus on treachery, lies and deception, although in a way I haven't quite decided. I plan on making a very fleshed out story arc, and possibly continuing with whoever decides to join for a few subsequent quests and eventually creating a powergroup.

The requisites are: Evil character. Willing to post pretty regularly. Don't mind the action being mostly political and dialogue as opposed to fighting. Willingness to explore Althanas Lore (or preferably a knowledge of it already) and willingness to discuss the quest beforehand.

Post in this thread if you are interested, rookie or veteran.

What I'm ultimately hoping to do with this quest, this arc and this character is create a villain in Althanas to truly be feared. Someone who (eventually) could shake the roots of the world unless he is stopped.

Should be fun.

[lord endowith]

I agree with you that there are few villians on Althanas now so when i'm aproved i wish to join you.

[Isylle]

I believe that I qualify as a villain. The character is new to Althanas and quite wishing to explore it.

[Dol]

So, I believe you both are approved. Awesome.

I'm thinking about a rough outline for the quest. Maybe something about a powerful artifact (or part of one) or something like that. Sort of cliche, but a good stepping stone on my way to ruling Althanas under tyrannical fist. Maybe a very powerful and diabolical power wants it, and, seeing as Dol can't beat him alone, he forges a sort of alliance with you two. Or something. Feel free to post ideas here, and be sure to check out each others profiles!

Should be fun.

[Isylle]

It is setting up for a suitably dramatic clash that we have both someone who causes flowers to grow where she walks and someone who causes flowers to wilt wherever he walks. Here's a thought for plot, just a quick, 30-second think:

Node 1: There has been a theft from a museum's collections. The section broken into was not on public display and, suspiciously, no investigations are taking place pursuant to whatever was stolen. Each player investigates the discrepancy. Heightened museum security opposes this effort.
Node 2: A self-portrayal bust of an old sculptor had been broken and his face had been stolen. The interior of the hollow bust is discovered to be densely populated with markings and writings whose meaning is not immediately apparent. However, the readable portions often make reference to "See Map In Face".
Branch 2a: A running battle occurs as the authorities and the players each attempt to gain possession of and escape with the remaining, faceless bust. To Node 3
Branch 2b: The bust is broken again and each player gets hold of a piece of it. There is a struggle to gain all pieces. To Node 3
Branch 2c: Per Branch 2b, but the authorities retain one or more pieces. To Node 4
Node 3: The players come to uneasy terms with each other and agree to work together long enough to at least recover the face and decipher the secret of the merchant's bust. The pieces come together and, after deciphering, reveal that the map leads to a secret vault which is the true burial place of a major warlord. The sculptor had apparently done the detailing on this vault. To Node 6
Node 4: The players come to uneasy terms with each other and agree to work together long enough to at least recover the face and decipher the secret of the merchant's bust. They discover that the authority-held piece of the bust, part of the skullcap, is being held in the evidence lockers at a major guardhouse of the city watch.
Branch 4a: Infiltrate the guardhouse through disguise or subterfuge to recover the piece. Go to Node 5
Branch 4b: Assault the guardhouse through overwhelming power to recover the piece. Flag authorities aware. Go to Node 5
Branch 4c: Taking advantage of the racial tensions in a particular quarter of the city, the players incite a riot and thereby draw off the population of the guardhouse. They go in and steal the piece either by force or by stealth. To Node 5
Node 5: The pieces come together and, after deciphering, reveal that the map leads to a secret vault which is the true burial place of a major warlord. The sculptor had apparently done the detailing on this vault. The text also contains several broken passages about the defenses.
Node 6: They are briefly attacked by the face-holder in a bid to recover their pieces, which the face-holder had just realized contains the key to deciphering the map.
Branch 6a: The face-holder is repulsed. He wasn't carrying the face with him. The party pursues his trail as he attempts to escape and vanish into the city. Branch 7a and 7b
Branch 6b: The face-holder gets away with the rest of the bust. The party pursues his trail as he makes best speed into the wilderness. Branch 7c and 7d
Branch 7a: The party pursues the face-holder into his den, where they confront him and obtain the face. He lets slip that there is a larger organization backing him. Go to 8a
Branch 7b: The party loses the face-holder's trail in the city. Several weeks of searching pass fruitlessly until, one day, a member of the party spots the same person on a fast horse leaving the city gates by dusk. Go to 8b
Branch 7c: The party catches the face-holder and seize the completed bust from him. He lets slip that there is a larger organization backing him. Go to 8a
Branch 7d: The party follows the face-holder enter a crack in the side of a hill, presumably the site of the tomb. Go to 8c
Branch 8a: The party follows the deciphered map and arrives at a crack in the side of the hill, stated to be the site of the tomb. They bypass all but one of the traps using instructions from inside of the bust. Go to 9
Branch 8b: The party enters and sees the face-holder viciously injured by the first trap. He pleads for help and drops the face fragment. Go to 9
Branch 8c: The party enters and sees traps after traps disabled. When they arrive in the actual burial chamber, the opposition target had been slain by the awakened spirit of the warlord. Go to 9
Node 9: The awakened spirit of the warlord is angered by the intrusion and had been driven mad by an amulet on his corpse's neck, which invincibly anchored his life to this world and now in death anchored his spirit to this world and did not allow release. It wantonly attacks, clad in its old armor and weapons and blasting all with magic born of mad hatred. He is invincible unless the amulet is removed... and the amulet is worn _inside_ the armor.
Branch 9a: The party chooses to free the warlord before taking the amulet, which grants defenses and strength. The warlord's ghost dissipates. Go to 10
Branch 9b: The party chooses to subdue the warlord and take the amulet, which allows them to command the vengeful, hateful spirit. Go to 10
Branch 10: Possibly the party attacks each other for the prize.

[Dol]

That sounds like an awesome outline!
And I chuckled to myself about the bloom and decay dichotomy we'll have working for us.
Although Dol is more of a conniver than a thug, He'd be perfectly happy in your collective shadow. Waiting. Watching. Letting you two do the footwork and swooping in to pick up the scraps.
Also, perhaps he has interest in something that neither of you are. A scrap of parchment with a few scrawled symbols. The amulet wouldn't necessarily appeal to him, so he would *sarcasm* begrudgingly allow one of you to claim the amulet.

[Godric]

Oh hem hm.. So Dolly is going to finally bring treachery to this land.. My sword is for you, my lord. My allegiance, as its been for a century.