Help with a new campaign idea?

[DMaster42]

This thread is one that I originally posted in the WOTC message boards, but I moved it here because the thread didn't really kick off very much, so I wanted to ask the great creators of the CBG for some help. So, in my campaign, which is set in Forgotten Realms, I plan to have an organism invade the material plane that affects all magic users and psions (there are two types, one for magic and one for psionics). At first, the organism is undetectable as it spreads to its targets through the Weave and telepathic links. Then as it begins to take hold, it starts to affect their ability to cast. It makes the magic user/psion subject to the wild magic plane attribute table (Manual of the Planes). After a period of a few months, the caster/psion starts to lose his or her sanity when they use their powers (Unearthed Arcana Sanity). My idea is this organism is the scouts of an invasion from the Far Realm. One of my questions is, does anyone have any information on the Far Realm, I don't know much about it, and maybe you can direct me to a place that has information on it? Also, does anyone have any suggestions on how I should approach this? I like the idea, but it puts casters and psions at a major disadvantage to everyone else in the party. It makes them a liability actually. Also for the stats of the organism, I might make it a swarm, but more than likely it will have to be microscopic with the ability to combine into a bigger creature. It was suggested that I should make it some kind of disease on the casters, and I'll think that one over. I envision them to be like the Borg from Star Trek to make a good comparison. Perhaps I could make a template out of them.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

The Far Realm is mentioned in the Manual of the Planes, and maybe Lords of Madness and Planar Handbook as well. I don't recall hearing what they're doing with it for the new 4e cosmology. Also, there's a pseudo-Far Realm in Eberron. The main thing to know about the FR is that its basically a place of crazy. That's all you really need to know.

A few monsters are supposed to be from the Far Realm (see Fiend Folio for their scouts).

Messing with casters will set the tone of your setting. If casters start going nuts, then they will be more hated and feared. This isn't necessarily bad, but be aware of it. Certainly, it attaches a price tag to the benefits of being a caster; on the other hand, even the designers now seem to agree casters are more powerful compared to say the fighter, so that may be a good thing in your book.

It sounds like an interesting idea, but then I like things a little dark.

[DMaster42]

Thanks for the comments, and sorry for not replying sooner. Thanks for the book references. Yeah, I've always thought casters were more powerful than fighters. That's part of the reason I'm doing this. Yes, it is rather dark. Especially if the illithids are the reason this is happening...

[Darkxarth]

Behold! The power of Wikipedia!
Google, however, has largely failed me.
 :rambo:  :google:  :axe:
Bad Google.


 :offtopic: We need a Wikipedia sign-guy.  :offtopic:

 :ontopic: As far as brain-snakes go, I think it'd be best to handle it as a disease, with a number of fortitude saves first, but then switch to will saves for things like insanity, gives the PC casters a chance if they get infected.
Maybe make them roll saves every week (or everyday, depending on how you run your campaigns) and hope they can figure out how to "cure" the brain-snakes.

[DMaster42]

I agree it will be much easier as disease. I should probably make it resistant to remove disease though, because that would make it pretty easy to cure the world.