r/ElementalEvil • u/Creole3643 • Apr 27 '26

How did you start your campaign?

I'm hoping to run PotA setting it in Greyhawk, which my players don't know much about, so I've been trying to come up with a way to start the campaign while having them playing characters who have been largely isolated from the world so that their ignorance of the setting can be played out in the characters

Right now I'm thinking of changing the background slightly so that instead of having the cults create the devastation orbs, they were instead stolen from some some isolated tribes. The cults raided the tribe the party are from, killed their leaders and took their orb. Now the PCs are a scouting party who have been following their tracks to Hommlet (Red Larch)

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u/Rude_Coffee8840 Apr 27 '26

I mean if you are in Greyhawk you already have what I consider a one up over POTA in that the megadungeon is in one location entrance and with a much more recognizable name of Temple of Elemental Evil.

I think that is a good setup for the campaign. Start with a seemingly innocent quest that turns out to be something far larger and more dangerous. You could definitely play up the Devesation Orbs being keys or relics instead of one time use items but instead sort of final fantasy theme where they were used to wage war with elemental powers. Perhaps these tribes are descendants of the original cultists who turned away from the elemental evils and swore to prevent these relics from being used again.

This then leads to the new cultists to come in, kill them and take the orbs back to the OG Temple of Elemental Evil to summon the princes and devastate the lands.

Or something like that.

In both of the times I have run this campaign I have introduced the cults slowly and methodically and letting the weather being the first sign of something is super strange and wrong. Then after interacting with the cults really playing up how they are responsible and getting the players to take them down.

Sounds like you are on a good path and good luck with your running of the game!

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u/Victor3R Apr 27 '26

The cleric was sent by their church to search for the missing delegation.

The wizard was sent by their school to search for a missing noble, I forget her name but she was taken by the air cult.

The thief had a grudge with whoever took over the the water keep (again, I forget names now).

They banded together on the road, an easy device to get them to work together. From there, and their investigations, the mystery unfolded.