In the campaign I currently run, I decided to designate the role of the Big Bad to Graz'zt. All throughout the Material Plane are small seeds he's planted either directly or not, often involving beguiling or seducing mortals into his service, his main motive being lust for power. Some examples (that are absolutely up for criticism if anyone deems it necessary):
Some Priestesses of Lolth have been charmed/brainwashed into doubling as his assassins.
A recurring NPC is a former adventurer bent on trying to investigate Graz'zt's motives even after all these years, but refuses to answer their line of questioning to keep them distant from the threat. He's been an assassination target at least once now. The players themselves have expressed a lot of investment in his well being, though their characters show somewhat less.
Another NPC is a variant tiefling who traces her lineage to incubi/succubi, who are some of Graz'zt's favorite consorts
A powerful druid became enamoured by a recurring vision/dream of him (with less demonic appearance) enticing her to seek immortality so she may be his lover forever. She's on a very steady warpath of blighting an expansive area of forest and capturing outsiders to keep as blood sacrifices to pay for their intrusion. She's also the leader of a druidic cult consisting of many charmed tribesmen her forest has swallowed up the homes of. One of my players is a former 'pet' of hers, as in he was kept in the dark about her motives and practices.
He has hold of at least one or two members of nobility, but I've yet to decide on the specifics of who/how/why.
My players have defeated a lamia in service to him already, and there are more throughout the world occupying ruins that they have yet to discover.
My main issue is establishing what is at stake for the player's characters on their behalf (especially since I've got a few who, in-character, prefer not to take on the title of "hero" unless there's an obvious reward involved). Would anyone happen to have recommendations for ways the Dark Prince can sink his teeth even deeper on the world, maybe in a way that creates a sense of urgency for my players of mostly neutral alignments? The perpetrators would ideally be either Graz'zt or his known minions.
As of now they're at a pretty low level (one or two sessions away from 6th), but encounters or schemes fitting for any level would be super helpful! Everything I've run so far has been based in mystery and intrigue, but I wouldn't be opposed to anything strictly combat-focused. And again, I'll happily take any feedback/criticism for what I currently have. This is my first game I'm DMing though it's been going on for a few months now, and I'll take all the help I can get.
Homebrew and Unearthed Arcana has never been off the table for my campaign, by the way. My world is about 80% homebrew with generous borrowings from Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, and others, as well as real-life influences. The non-Material Planes are basically word-for-word from the Dungeon Master's Guide.
My aim was always to throw in as much diversity and variation into the mix as what I felt could fit. I was a history major, so I've naturally considered the various governments and peoples that might inhabit or evolve across the world, so pretty much anything one might suggest will likely have some good footing somewhere in the lore!
My main issue is establishing what is at stake for the player's characters on their behalf (especially since I've got a few who, in-character, prefer not to take on the title of "hero" unless there's an obvious reward involved). Would anyone happen to have recommendations for ways the Dark Prince can sink his teeth even deeper on the world, maybe in a way that creates a sense of urgency for my players of mostly neutral alignments? The perpetrators would ideally be either Graz'zt or his known minions.
Ideally...throwing them into a cauldron of choices is pretty flavorful and a great way to give them the "race against time" feeling. There are always ways to deliver a hook outside a normal approach. Perhaps a town that the players are involved in becomes under attack and throws the player characters into the middle of warring factions. Perhaps a raid from the Priestesses of Lloth need something that a player character has and will stop at anything to get it.
Perhaps kidnapping a character's friend such as another player character or non player character seems a fitting way to force them to make a hard choice outside of paying them to adventure or giving them the task to respond to Grazzts meddling in the material realm's affairs. You could also work on a place of great history for the Tiefling heir. A ruin or keep of sorts that explains the connection between the demon prince and the infernal history.
The Cult of Druids could have their own agendas in the works as the pc's traverse the deadly machinations and plans of Graz'zt such as the local forest contains places that have been corrupted by this cult and the forest will need cleansed. You could have a noble scene where a big part of the game is visiting the royalty of the lands traveled to or at and perhaps get into some seedy motivations why the nobles are involved.
A prophecy spoke of a time when a demon prince would break it's imprisonments from hell and spread darkness and chaos among the realms. Either way...figure out how to draw out your players more than throwing a usual hook at them. I mean, if you know their backgrounds which is part of the fifth edition rules, use them to motivate your players in some way. Write down all their bonds and figure out how to motivate them through the knowledge of who they are.
I know this response is a little late but have you thought about maybe using Graz'zt to manipulate your players that are only motivated by gold, and then they will sort of come to a bridging point to either take a major stance against him or maybe even join him? I think that could be a cool concept, or maybe introduce an npc that is a cambion and son of Graz'zt, but instead of being evil he could seek the downfall of his father.
In the campaign I currently run, I decided to designate the role of the Big Bad to Graz'zt. All throughout the Material Plane are small seeds he's planted either directly or not, often involving beguiling or seducing mortals into his service, his main motive being lust for power. Some examples (that are absolutely up for criticism if anyone deems it necessary):
Some Priestesses of Lolth have been charmed/brainwashed into doubling as his assassins.
A recurring NPC is a former adventurer bent on trying to investigate Graz'zt's motives even after all these years, but refuses to answer their line of questioning to keep them distant from the threat. He's been an assassination target at least once now. The players themselves have expressed a lot of investment in his well being, though their characters show somewhat less.
Another NPC is a variant tiefling who traces her lineage to incubi/succubi, who are some of Graz'zt's favorite consorts
A powerful druid became enamoured by a recurring vision/dream of him (with less demonic appearance) enticing her to seek immortality so she may be his lover forever. She's on a very steady warpath of blighting an expansive area of forest and capturing outsiders to keep as blood sacrifices to pay for their intrusion. She's also the leader of a druidic cult consisting of many charmed tribesmen her forest has swallowed up the homes of. One of my players is a former 'pet' of hers, as in he was kept in the dark about her motives and practices.
He has hold of at least one or two members of nobility, but I've yet to decide on the specifics of who/how/why.
My players have defeated a lamia in service to him already, and there are more throughout the world occupying ruins that they have yet to discover.
My main issue is establishing what is at stake for the player's characters on their behalf (especially since I've got a few who, in-character, prefer not to take on the title of "hero" unless there's an obvious reward involved). Would anyone happen to have recommendations for ways the Dark Prince can sink his teeth even deeper on the world, maybe in a way that creates a sense of urgency for my players of mostly neutral alignments? The perpetrators would ideally be either Graz'zt or his known minions.
As of now they're at a pretty low level (one or two sessions away from 6th), but encounters or schemes fitting for any level would be super helpful! Everything I've run so far has been based in mystery and intrigue, but I wouldn't be opposed to anything strictly combat-focused. And again, I'll happily take any feedback/criticism for what I currently have. This is my first game I'm DMing though it's been going on for a few months now, and I'll take all the help I can get.
I am currently playing in a campaign as a cambion son of Graz'zt born from a debauched romp between him and one of Iggwilv's daughters. Needless to say, that didn't go well for Graz'zt or my character. I am not sure if you're still looking for input, but if you are, there are a few things you should consider when using Graz'zt. In many ways, Graz'zt is possibly the most dangerous demon lord when it comes to humanoids (especially humans). Some Dms look at Graz'zt sphere of influence over lust on a surface level and don't delve deep enough into the intricacies of his powers and the ripple effects that they *should* be causing. Graz'zt is the demon lord of desire and lust, that means orgies and debauchery, etc, but what is overlooked is his influence on the minds of those around him (See Graz'zt's stats and madness table in Out of the Abyss if you haven't already). Graz'zt appeals to people's hopes and dreams, he preys on the aspirations that everyone has, amplifying and twisting them.
And this is why I say that Graz'zt is potentially the most dangerous. Almost everyone has some desire that's out of their reach, whether its fame, wealth, or lust. Graz'zt speaks to the individual who wants more out of life and for whatever reason is unable to attain it. His cults should be full of politicians, entertainers, warriors and other individuals who want to better themselves. Graz'zt is like America in the fact that he sells you a dream that may or may not be unrealistic/ unattainable for you. And he makes you believe that you'll get everything you want if you just follow him.
If Graz'zt is on the rise in your campaign you could have his cults infiltrating different levels of government and influencing policy. You could also have groups of bards and other entertainers promoting membership to a secret group and marketing it to impressionable people such as the youth and people who want to find a sense of belonging or purpose. Graz'zt would be the demonlord that would be able to control what passes for media/news in a D&D campaign. Have the player characters investigate corruption allegations and make them continually surprised at just how far it goes. For this to work you have to unveil it one step at a time. It should be a little while before they start coming in conflict with Graz'zt's direct servants.
As for what's at stake. The complete breakdown of society into debauchery and corruption. The suspension of law, where might makes right is the rule of the land and people take pleasure as they want. Graz'zts cultists should be working through different avenues of society such as politics and entertainment to overturn the rule of law or establish one of Graz'zt's chosen servants (probably one of his kids) as a dictator or absolute monarch. If you want to raise the stakes further than that, in the past Graz'zt has absorbed cities and other territories into his abyssal layer Azzagrat. Graz'zt could be trying to do this to a city in your campaign but there are a series of prerequisites he needs to accomplish before this is possible. He needs to either take control of the government or overthrow it, suspending law in the city. He needs to have a certain level of influence with the occupants of the city, having most of them participating in the revelry and debauchery or working towards his goals. Maybe after these conditions or met have his warlocks perform a big ritual over the course of a day or a couple days which will drag the city into the Abyss or turn it into a manifest zone when complete.
I ran a campaign several years ago in which Graz'zt played a central role. In my game, Graz'zt was essentially seducing/catfishing/possessing a coterie of powerful souls because (1) he's Graz'zt and that's how he gets his kicks, and (2) it helped him get revenge on some rival Demon Princes in a long-term hundred year war sort of strategy. He wasn't interested in conquering the world - he already owns his own divinely morphic plane, after all. He was interested in ruining the lives of specific, powerful individuals for fun.
Maybe you'll want to take a look at the adventure "For Duty and Deity" for inspiration. It's a Forgotten Realms based adventure in which your adventuring party must save a goddess from the grasp of Graz'zt. Some background info on Graz'zt's offspring is given and much of his Abyssal domain is detailed.
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In the campaign I currently run, I decided to designate the role of the Big Bad to Graz'zt. All throughout the Material Plane are small seeds he's planted either directly or not, often involving beguiling or seducing mortals into his service, his main motive being lust for power. Some examples (that are absolutely up for criticism if anyone deems it necessary):
My main issue is establishing what is at stake for the player's characters on their behalf (especially since I've got a few who, in-character, prefer not to take on the title of "hero" unless there's an obvious reward involved). Would anyone happen to have recommendations for ways the Dark Prince can sink his teeth even deeper on the world, maybe in a way that creates a sense of urgency for my players of mostly neutral alignments? The perpetrators would ideally be either Graz'zt or his known minions.
As of now they're at a pretty low level (one or two sessions away from 6th), but encounters or schemes fitting for any level would be super helpful! Everything I've run so far has been based in mystery and intrigue, but I wouldn't be opposed to anything strictly combat-focused. And again, I'll happily take any feedback/criticism for what I currently have. This is my first game I'm DMing though it's been going on for a few months now, and I'll take all the help I can get.
Homebrew and Unearthed Arcana has never been off the table for my campaign, by the way. My world is about 80% homebrew with generous borrowings from Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, and others, as well as real-life influences. The non-Material Planes are basically word-for-word from the Dungeon Master's Guide.
My aim was always to throw in as much diversity and variation into the mix as what I felt could fit. I was a history major, so I've naturally considered the various governments and peoples that might inhabit or evolve across the world, so pretty much anything one might suggest will likely have some good footing somewhere in the lore!
I know this response is a little late but have you thought about maybe using Graz'zt to manipulate your players that are only motivated by gold, and then they will sort of come to a bridging point to either take a major stance against him or maybe even join him? I think that could be a cool concept, or maybe introduce an npc that is a cambion and son of Graz'zt, but instead of being evil he could seek the downfall of his father.
I ran a campaign several years ago in which Graz'zt played a central role. In my game, Graz'zt was essentially seducing/catfishing/possessing a coterie of powerful souls because (1) he's Graz'zt and that's how he gets his kicks, and (2) it helped him get revenge on some rival Demon Princes in a long-term hundred year war sort of strategy. He wasn't interested in conquering the world - he already owns his own divinely morphic plane, after all. He was interested in ruining the lives of specific, powerful individuals for fun.
https://dreadweasel.blogspot.com/
Maybe you'll want to take a look at the adventure "For Duty and Deity" for inspiration. It's a Forgotten Realms based adventure in which your adventuring party must save a goddess from the grasp of Graz'zt. Some background info on Graz'zt's offspring is given and much of his Abyssal domain is detailed.