CrosshairCollie Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 I had an idea for a plotline ... I can think of a lot of places for it to go, but I can't think of any way that it could really resolve. The basic idea is that a chunk of (for lack of a better term) 'Dream' gets loose in the real world and starts infecting people, effectively granting them wishes in a way. For example, if it infected Bulldozer, he'd actually be the massive stud he thinks he is, and women would be falling all over him. After the present host is defeated or awakened (or both), the 'dream' flies off and (a game or two later) finds a new host. I'm not sure exactly how to resolve the issue, though ... any idea how to actually wrap that up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comic Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Find someone deserving to permanently bestow the dream on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution It finds someone who's already living their dream life? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Give it a personality either directly by making it a character that you can talk into going home or indirectly by it being a kind of tool belonging to a character who wants it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korvar Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Have a Bad Guy try and get the Dream fragment, and thus bring their own mad dreams to life. Imagine what Doctor Destroyer thinks of... Perhaps they need to get it to something that doesn't dream? I believe there's a medical condition where people don't dream; as an alternative, something like an AI or computer. Perhaps they need to try and get the Dream fragment to infect Mechanon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Mhoram Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Go all mystic and talk to the master of the Dream realms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven Walkur Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution This is the bright, creative side of the HERO Board...a plot posted in need of a solution, and in less than two hours -- FOUR valid resolutions offered, all inventive, all different! Rep for the first four responders, just because they made my day (or evening, anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekkidcarpenter Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Obviously, it's evil. Not benign or neutral, but malignant over-the-top irredeemably evil. And it (or the being that actually controls it) has some sort of elaborate, far reaching, malevolent plot. It might be cool if the world discovers the 'dream' and loves it. Absolutely loves it. It seems to have absolutely no drawbacks and comes unbidden to those that need it and it's just generally helpful and awesome. I'd make it stick around for shorter periods if you do that though. And then the bad side. Did you see 'Death takes a Holiday?' Death goes on vacation and no one can die. Great, right? Unless you're crippled in mindnumbing pain with all your limbs chopped off and burning AND drowning in a vat of diesel fuel and you CAN'T die. So that would be my take. Make it cool and fun for a couple sessions. Good pc's will play along even though they know it's going to turn out to be evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Negative Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Well, I don't exactly know how the Dream-fragment got 'loose' into our reality, but you might look at some of the old H.P. Lovecraft Dreamlands stuff. Perhaps the heroes have to journey into the land of Dreams to find out exactly what happened, so they can fix it. Possibly, they even have to achieve a symmetry to be able to undo the Dream, by bringing a 'chunk' of reality into the land of Dream. Alternatively, they might have to bring someone anchored to the Dream (perhaps someone whose wishes have been granted by the Dream) into the Dreamlands, so they can use that person's psyche as an anchor to the Dream-fragment, and pull it back into the Dreamlands. Alternatively, you might find some hyper-rational scientist whose fondest dreams are that magic and mysticism would go away, so we could actually get some research done, and toss them into the Dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted June 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Well' date=' I don't exactly know how the Dream-fragment got 'loose' into our reality, [/quote'] I was thinking as a basic magical mishap ... breaking an artifact that linked to the dreamworld, or someone casting a spell he can't control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wylodmayer Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Hehhe. Get "meta" on it. The dream fragment finds a young boy (or girl), a fan of the heroes, who would love to get caught up in one of their adventures. And thus does kidnap the boy, in a loud and noisy way sure to draw the attention of the heroes... ...because the Dream Fragment he has! The villain, who doesn't need to be mystical - a mad science type will do - has been struck by the inspiration that he can use this dream fragment to manipulate reality, to build a device that will let him do anything! The thing is, he knows the boy has it because he must - it's part of the dream! The dream fragment alerted him, effectively, and he realizes, more or less what is going on (and is thus in a position to do neat exposition at the climax of the adventure). Of course, he also realizes that he is supposed to have a role in this, to get beaten by the heroes. But, in his enormous arrogance, he believes he can sidestep that aspect of the "dream scenario" - he can't pass up a chance to get ahold of something that will let him directly manipulate reality, and he only needs to hold the heroes off long enough to let his machines (where the boy is strapped down, into some appropriately villainous apparatus) isolate the "dream fragment" for him. After that, it becomes his dream - a nightmare for the rest of the world!! Obviously, the heroes hear about the kidnapping (called in by the authorities, if necessary, baffled as to why Dr. Destroyer would take a young boy of no special background), track the villain (who has, necessarily due to the dream, left a trail to follow a mile wide, even if it's out of character), and engage him in battle. Maybe the dream is elaborate, and there are traps and tricks and even lesser baddies to fight along the way. Maybe not. Doesn't matter. What matters is a grand fight, in grand style, with much soliquizing on both sides. Give extra kudos for roleplaying during this fight the way the kid would imagine the heroes to be - over the top battle cries and heroic poses and quips. Distort reality slightly, the results of the dream - kick up all the KB and really play up the cinematic fight style. Natch, they beat the baddie, whoever he is, but in order to do so, they must use his apparatus to send the dream fragment "back" (whereever that is). Come up with some lame excuse for why they can't just destroy it - it'll kill the kid or something, or even just (plausibly) it'll send the fragment away and then the bad guy (or someone else) can keep looking for it. Work it so that some of the team has to keep the bad guy busy while the others change the machine around to send the thing back. The dream fragment becomes the MacGuffin in the kid's own "dream scenario," and resolving his fantasy means getting rid of it. Neat and self referential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
input.jack Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Wow. I dont know about you, but IM now thinking about doing what Wylodmayer said! Repped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilkmanDan Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Dream never actually sleeps; he's a mystical being who provides dreams for others, but he needs no rest. Some obnoxious Loki-esque figure (a brother, a cousin, whatever) uses some arcane magic on him, and Dream sleeps. Dream himself is now dreaming, and his dreams are powerful enough to cause changes in the physical world. The heroes' mission? Find Dream, and wake him up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkwleisemann Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution Here's another thought... albeit an insanely cheap, cheesy one. One of the heroes gets Dream... and then wakes up. None of it actually happened (or did it, and he just undid it when the Dream found him?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution After a few "possessions" have the Dream-Fragment occupy a PC. Since he/she knows what's happening, they can direct the power. You get A) an opportunity for some really great roleplay, a chance to explore the whole "power corrupts/Absolute power corrupts absolutely" meme and C) an opportunity for the possessed PC to prove themselves a True Hero by giving up the power and returning the Dream-Fragment to it's appropriate place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakboy6117 Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution bind the dream essence with a mundane object so it can be kept safe a vial of sand perhaps or a dream catcher then ho it in the trophy room till someone steals it or your short of a plot hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilkmanDan Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution If you have any desire to bring a new character (PC or NPC) into the campaign, this is a perfect hook for it. It's an easy in for a newbie hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rage Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution it ends when the dream gets stuck in the Dalai Lama or somesuch by the PC's. Ofcourse, that means that a second dream war is around the corner when ever you don't have a good idea for a game... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkwleisemann Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Re: A Plot Idea ... With No Good Resolution As an aside... if you're looking to use DEMON in your game at some point, Black's visions tell him that there *is* supposed to be a non-super who marshals the forces of good for a war in the dreamlands. Maybe this fragment is something he loosed, with the idea that destiny would lead it to the proper person? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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