>>32620360
That's not a mistake. They're engaged.

Its always best to let the players choose the focus of a campaign if something entices them, imo.

>>32620360
>I wrote something good that hooked my players and they're interested in
>This is a bad thing

The only mistake you made is thinking you fucked up.

This is your campaign, let them research his notes or some shit, send them to find some evil lich who was his friend, now they have to convince a lich not to kill them and to help the lich's friend move on with his live

>>32620360
Jesus Christ that is adorable and heart wrenching.

You didn't make a mistake GM-anon, you made a genuinely endearing character and engaging situation for your players. I wish my current GM could make me care half as much about his world as I do about this wizard.

>>32620360
That's not a mistake at all. I even readied my spells this morning with protection from feels, and that still got me.

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It's not right to let great heroes slip away slowly like that. They deserve far more.

Accommodate them. Wouldn't be hard to have one of the wizard's ancient enemies finally break free of their prison or other plot device and return to finish what they started now that the only one who knows how to defeat them is crazy.

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>>32620677
Better yet; have the only way to end the wizards suffering be the group killing him themselves.

Make him too powerful and stubborn to take on by normal means so they have to get some sort of artifact that strips him of his magic or something so he dies naturally or prehaps the Climax ends with them having a huge battle to finally end his misery

>>32620891
>Evil villain from ages past returns, going to take the world by storm
>The only one with the power to stop it was the wizard
>No matter what the party does, the wizard's too far gone to snap out of it and help them fight
>They figure out the only way to beat the villain is by sacrificing the wizard in ritual that defeats/seals/whatevers the villain away
>The party finally gets everything and place and goes through with it
>As the wizard's life drains away, he puts on a big smile and says "Oh? Am I finally useful again? That's good."
>Even though he doesn't know it, he helps the players defeat one of his old enemies and save the world one last time

Make it COUNT, Anon.

>>32621085

No, it would be more heart wrenching if it DIDN'T count.

Because sometimes good people die for the wrong reasons.

>>32621085
>big bad evil dude is actually old wizard man who went completely senile/crazy centuries later
>went back in time because fuck you he's crazy
>party defeats him only by killing his "younger" self

>>32620891
>His old nemesis from 5,000 years ago escapes
>Ruffling through his notes, they find a rite that can give him his mind back, in exchange for permenantly sealing away his magic
>Party does it, Geezer is lucid again, and advises them on how to kill the BigBad
>Geezer has incurable SuperCancer from being millenia old, dies in a month/year/soon

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>>32620576
>Protection from Feels
Can I copy that spell from you?

I think you should gave your players a happy ending, OP. It's truly rare in this era of darkness and gray characters a story of good people being the end of good deeds and tales of hope and light on humanity.

You have the perfect stage for that, please don't blow it away.

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>>32621920
>>32621687
>>32621319
>>32621085
>>32620891
>>32620677

>In before one of the villager girls/boys walks up to the wizards room to bring him breakfast and a change of clothes and find out he died in his fucking sleep.

>No climactic ending.
>No final destiny.

>The last anyone saw of him was the one of the villagers who helped him into bed.

>The Wizards final words were, "Thank you, I love you. See you in the morning."
>Before never waking up again.


The last villager to see him blames the entire thing on their own actions and spend years in guilt: What could I have done differently, what could I have said, I should have made something better for him than fucking oatmeal- maybe pudding, maybe his bed wasn't warm enough, etc.. etc..

>>32622345

And it's not enough, so he goes out into the world to try and do something to fix this egregious failure of his. Good BBEG motivation if you want to play it like that.

you guys aren't there yet.
his old nemesis shows up except he is also senile and old. Mostly ignored by everyone because his evil plans really aren't bothering anyone. Old man climatic fight where they kill each other.

>>32622345
While it would be different, it would also not be a good story.

I don't think your audience--the players--would be entertained in the least.

>>32622345
That's... rough.

>>32622808
What if they're both too senile to remember their enmity? They just tell rude jokes and whack each other with their canes once every few weeks.

>>32620360
Dude. Your players have latched onto something. They care about it.

Fucking take it and RUN.

Incorporate the Old guy into your overall grand scheme now.

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>>32620360
Damn Anon.

>>32620360
Your PCs caring about something is not a mistake.

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No mistakes, but you know this can only have a fitting end once he has a dignified death. I'm frankly at a loss for how to accomplish that without some sort of massive contrivance, given the quiet life and senility thing.

>>32620360
Sounds awesome, now tie this to the main quest you had in mind.

>>32623291
See >>32621085

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>>32623291
Let him die peacefully, in his bed, but conscious, surrounded by his descendants. He's as lucid as he ever is anymore, and not in any particular pain, just...so tired.
OR you could let your players go on a quest to heal him and succeed, which I think they would enjoy more.

>>32620360
That sounds great!

It's a cool plot hook/story, and your players seem to think so as well

>>32620360
Have the lord of this town be in cahoots with some dark sorcerer that's keeping him from dying or communicating in any way he wishes for a peaceful death. Drop a small amount of really subtle hints from the wizard attempting to show he wants out of this mortal coil.

>>32623641
>Have the lord of this town

Everyone in the Town is related to the Wizard though in some way or another.

>The villagers are all his descendants: grandchildren, great grand children and children.
>Some adopted, some naturally sired, some created- by all of them connected to him and all of them staying out of respect and love.

Hell, he MADE some of the people.

>>32624509
Ok the duke who by glory of location owns all the land the town is on.

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>>32622345
>Thank you, I love you. See you in the morning.

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>>32624651
>>32622345

>The wizard doesn't recognize most of his children, but he understands and remembers enough that all of the Villagers ARE his children.
>Old, Young, Human, Construct, etc.. He tells them all the same thing to whom ever helps him into bed.

>"Thank you, I love you. See you in the morning."

>>32623291
The party puts on an elborate act to portray themselves as villains, and the wizard 'defeats' them

What if the whole thing is hallucination?

What if the wizard was the bbeg mind controlling the heroes?

What if the wizard is trying to recruit an army and all that see in reality is a large group of thugs and thieves preparing to invade the kingdom/dukedom whatever that had originally hired them?


THE WHOLE THING IS NOT REAL! MAKE IT MORE UNREAL BY TWEEEST!

>>32624867
>The party puts on an elborate act to portray themselves as villains, and the wizard 'defeats' them

>Old man is actually an ancient lich
>He must defeat a group of heroes to complete some ritual
>He does this to complete the ritual
>PCs have an undying hatred for the BBEG now

>>32622345
no, whoever he spoke to last BLAMES THE PLAYERS, BAM NEXT BBEG

>>32624943
easy way out 2/10

>>32625271
But think of the box office earnings! Think of all those boxes of popcorns and asses on seats!

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>>32624964
Oh, shit, the Old Man could do some crazy Behelit-Griffith shit to that village to ascend.

You could have his existence draw baddies both monstrous and human to the area seeking his power.
Most are easily dispatched by the town's inhabitants especially those who were born of the wizard.

It isn't the most common occurrence hence why the pcs might not have heard about it yet. And it gives you the opportunity to either have the players find a way to stop the constant threat to the town, or to have a much more active and dangerous threat finally appear.

>>32623641
too dark, needs to be simpler, more feels-based:

>wizard has a moment of lucidity
>confesses life has become a burden, wants to die so that the villagers can move on without being burdened by him
>he can't bring himself to ask his own children to kill him, he asks the PCs to please do it
>lapses back into senility, and the PCs must choose to fulfill his wish, and anger and shatter the entire village, or leave him in secret suffering for the 'good' of the village

>>32620360
Simple:
>The wizard has a Mcguffin the BBEG wants and sends an army to steal it.
>Players are outnumbered and forced to escape with the Mcguffin as the army burns the village and kills the people.
>Players swear revenge.

What if only one person there aside from the wizard was real and the whole thing is some elaborate magic to teach him/her how to be a good person since it's the kid of like his old arch nemesis or something?

Wizard dies and girl/boy realizes entire life has been a lie and all her family and friends have actually just been the wizard she knew as Grandpa

And then she leaves with the party

>>32625479
Even better, have everyone including the wizard be the illusions of one of people in the town.

>>32620360
Have the BBEG kill them. It will not undermine the player's investment but transfer it to the actual plot.

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>Party uses Wizard against BBEG.
>Wizard dies.
>He was the only person who kept everyone together.
>Suddenly town falls apart from his children infighting for leadership.
>Claims of which children truly loved him.
>Blood spilled.
>Eventually anger aimed at party.
>Bad End.

End it like Harvey Birdman.

>>32625788
Harvey Birdman had an ending?

>>32622345
Compared to most suggestions in this thread, i think this is probable the sort of direction i would pursue. I dont think it would be right to present his character and somehow twist it into a bbeg or force the players to kill him. I told my daughter a bedtime story once about how a heroic young girl's father was slowly turning to ice from the feet up because of a magic illness. She quested for a magic mcguffin to heal him and got home in time to see the last of his body become consumed with ice. Mcguffin still in hand she threw her arms around her father crying and apologizing. The mcguffin activates and the ice melts and everyone lives happiky ever after. She seemed to like it.

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I think if I were to pull this on my party I would do a mixture of >>32620677
>>32621687
and >>32622345
Knowing my party they would seriously stay until he was gone and I'd have at least one of them bawling by the end of it.

>mfw I feel like my GM style is more like a proud dom. I hurt them to let them know they are good people, even the one who insists he isn't.

>Wizard's ancient enemy, some Lich Sorcerer, breaks free from their imprisonment
>Village asks Players to defend their Wizard
>Big battle
>Nothingstopsit.webm
>Sorcerer finally sees Wizard, just sitting in his chair, not comprehending who exactly the Lich is
>Lich sits with him
>Lich now visits once a week

Feels. So...so many feels.

>>32622808
Can't we just have Grumpy Old Men, but with enough magic to crack a planet?

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>>32623074
So one of those "Old foes who are really the deepest of friends" deals, where their constant battling ingrained a respect and understanding for each other, but that still does not stop them from playing pranks on each other?

>>32625937
>Tuesdays With Morrie: The Campaign
>dem feels

Fuck you right in the neck.

>>32626022
I...I'm sorry? What did I do?

>>32626049
Tuesdays With Morrie was very sad. Both the book and the movie.

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>>32624776

>>32625937
dem feels doe

>>32620360
Has no-one figured it out?
He's the God Emperor Of Mankind

>>32626200
Sorry, but that's a vegetable.

>>32625518
Even better, have everyone in the town be an illusion created by the wizard. He lost everyone he knew and when his mind just broke he put up a semi permanent illusion of all his children

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>old wizard sadly mentions a love he lost possibly centuries ago as a young apprentice in The Dungeon of Horrible Shit, a comely elven ranger who adventured with him
>nothing would make him happier than to have the locket she wore as a reminder
>players are hooked into finding the locket
>they bring it back to old wizard man
>he takes the locket, and for the next few days he seems to be troubled by something
>they finally get it out of him that the locket contains a hidden power, but he cannot remember how to activate it
>he refuses to accept any aid, and does not even allow them to see the locket again
>a few days pass
>while speaking to him, he reminisces about the good old days and eventually says that he has great news: he remembered how to activate it
>says a few words of magical mumbo jumbo, right before the locket activates he says, "you've done so much for me, there is no way i can apologize, but i must thank you"
>the activated locket emits an anti-magic field that specifically counters the magic that keeps him alive
>he had stayed alive all this time in hopes of seeing something of her one last time, and now he can die peacefully

maybe a bit too sappy but meh, might work if you want to end this line of adventuring with a satisfactory ending

>>32621127
Too edgy, and if this is something done near the end of the campaign, you want everything you worked for to mean something.

If it doesn't it really just makes everything feel useless which works fine in novels because the writer keeps the characters going on but most players will just feel too removed at that point.

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I HEREBY CHRISTEN THIS THREAD:
"I wish I were a bad GM" General.

When's the last time you were a GM and something went horribly right?

>>32626513
2feels2furious

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>>32626513
>>32625937

>The Lich eventually starts coming with one additional visitor.

>A quiet, sentient, pale, undead elven minion. She's a little stitched up and missing a piece of her ear tip- but otherwise still in one piece and well preserved.

>Every visit it's the same thing:

>The Lich arrives and the Undead maiden cooks them a fantastic meal.

>The Lich brings a bottle of STRONG undead alcohol he hides in his rib cage (since the wizards children don't want him drinking at that age) and gives the Wizard a small glass.

>After their meal the Undead maiden and the Wizard go for a walk through his garden- Their arms locked as he tells her casually of arcane secrets, parlor tricks, fantastic adventures, while occasionally conjuring her sweets.

>They end the visit with the Lich and the Wizard both enjoying a smoke while the undead maiden takes her time combing the old, tired, wizards loooong beard and hair before settling him in for bed.

>The Undead Maiden IS the elven ranger.
>She begs the Lich every time to let her visit.
>Just so she can be held.
>Just so she can laugh.
>Just so every night she can hear him say, "Thank you, I love you. See you in the morning."

>>32626761
I want off the ride.

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>>32626811

>>32626200

I tought it was very similiar to the Doctor in the christmas special, except for the senility part

>>32622808
Or his evil plans are just mildly bothersome.

"Mwahahaha, I've locked the door, now you'll never get out!"
>click
"I'm going to work grandad, stay out of trouble. Ginny'll stop by in about half an hour to take you to bingo."
"Ahhh, I like Ginny. She reminds me of a thrall I had once..."

Ok op, this is important. No matter how they screw up, no matter what else the plot of the game is, you HAVE to let your PCs do something to help him.

If your PCs fall in love with an NPC, and show actual caring toward them, then you reward them for it.

If they want to make the life of a little old man who is suffering better, even if he is a powerful wizard, you fucking let them.

Why? Because you should always, ALWAYS reward your PCs when they fall in love with an NPC. Don't make him hugely important to the plot, and don't have him following the group around. But those players should leave that village knowing they either have a way to help him, or they already HAVE.

Why? Because the game isn't your story, it's the PCs story about how they became heroes.

Unless it's something Warhammer related, or Paranoia, then it's funny stories about how they died.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/32620360/#p32626761

Good news fa/tg/uys, I got this archived for future generations.

>>32627031
Just think. Years from now, Anons not even born yet will be able to weep bitter tears over a senile old wizard and his incredible family

>>32624776
>>32622345

>goddamn.. right in the.. nngh..

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let them help him. if his brain is broken, the solution is obviously to build him a new brain. make a massive crystal matrix at the heart of the city and then use it to offload his thought processing from the damaged pathways.

i don't know anything about your campaign, but i'd also use the city. it could make a really good place for a showdown with the BBEG. i'm sure a wizard of such legendary powers left a few defenses lying around somewhere. maybe a titanic golem army and autonomously activating cloudkill cells, some plantshunts and the ability to cast gateway spells?

might be an interesting setpiece.

bonus points if the wizard remembers how to activate it just in time, then sits back in his rocking chair while outside becomes distilled chaos. mite b kewl

>>32626958
HAHAHA! I've hidden the remote, and I have no idea where! Now you'll be forced to watch the Wheel of Fortune marathon!

I'm crying. Honestly, guys, I'm crying

>>32622345


Imagine the old wizard's funeral. All his descendent still alive coming, even the ones who spread far away. All the people he knew, his friends, the allies he made, deities he saw the rise and fall, BBEGs to which he taught the meaning of greatness, people he inspired. See that Emperor, who conquered half his plane? The wizard was the one who taught him to believe in himself. This guardian ghost, who protect the Cathedral of Light for centuries? He taught him to never give up. This Archmage, who revolutioned magic? He sponsored him when no one else took him seriously.

And, all of them, together, they unite to create the best tomb ever. A simple block of ivory-white stone, with, engraved on it, these words: "Thank you, I love you."

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>>32627477

>Thank you, I love you

Anon, what did you do?
There's a cloud in my living room and now it's pouring, my stuff is getting wet

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>>32627477
Damn. I suddenly feel things.

How about the evil being the wizard sealed away finally breaks free and tries to get vengeance, but instead of seeing the hero who defeated him, he sees the wizard as he is now.

Untold centuries of planning revenge goes down the drain when the BBEG realizes that he won't be satisfied with killing him, and actually kind of feels sorry for his state.

>>32627582
Have the BBEG want the help of the players to help him restore the wizard to have a final fight, no longer fueled by revenge, but now to give both him and the wizard a fitting end.

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>>32620360
You can't seem to catch a break. You came here because you accidentally derailed your own campaign and instead of helping you put it back on tracks we too got sucked into the wizard's sad predicament.

>mfw you accidentally engagement
>mfw this thread made me cry for the first time in years
Fuck you, but thank you.

>>32627582
That's basically >>32625937

>>32620360
Damn this is your idea of messing up i hate to see what happends when you have a excellent plot hook

I hope this thread is archived, its full of such great ideas.

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>This thread
I didn't want to feel this feel today

>>32626761
I need that anti-feel potion now.

My eyes are hurting, my withered old tear-ducts are like leaky, clogged old pipes and someone just cranked them up to maximum capacity.

Fucking hell OP

That's what you want the players to do; invest into the world without you having to railroad them into it.

DnD is about the stories the players create, not about their stats at the end of it.

Not just the undead elven maiden.
>friends and adventurers visit him nightly, as pale ghosts.
>whisper into his ear every night.
>"you're doing it. You're the greatest of all of us, John. You've saved everyone, and we'll never forget you."
>one night
>"it's just a little longer, John. We got them to you. The PCs are here to help, and soon you'll be with us all again. Lidia isn't strong enough to visit you, but soon enough you'll be able to see her again. We miss you, John."
>Wizard smiles, "tell me about Lidia again... I can't quite seem to recall her."

I thought up an idea. Maybe the wizard's senility is self imposed by magic, since he has something in his past that he doesn't want to remember. Something that would cause him so much grief that he would kill himself if he could.

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>This thread

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>>32628336

>>32628336
That could actually work in well with my thing here >>32628381

>>32628424
Even the ants are crying

>>32620360
>My PC's have abandoned everything and refuse to do anything else beyond trying to "fix" the wizard.

Well, I guess the wizard should die of old age then. Maybe they can cure him of his senility before, or they fail. The important bit is of course that people grow old and die, and that we have to deal with that. I guess the villagers will be grateful for the attempt regardless of what happens. And while those who remain will grieve, well, he was old, and that is the way of things. Life goes on. Feel free to have them drafted as assisting midwives just afterwards.

>Every day he forgets the face of another one of his children
Faces seem to be the one thing senile people don't forget. My grandfather still recognised my face and had some idea that I was someone he was acquainted to, even though he was back in the late thirties mentally, having forgotten that he had kids at all to begin with.

>>32628500
You should probably read the rest of the post before posting.

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>>32622345
That's certainly better than turning it into an epic adventure for the sake of epic adventure.

>>32625999
goddamnit !
this one right after the wizard's tale...
>being a cheese-eating surrending monkey
> reading this...
>howcanIholdallthisfeels.jpeg

>>32628500
>Faces seem to be the one thing senile people don't forget. My grandfather still recognised my face and had some idea that I was someone he was acquainted to, even though he was back in the late thirties mentally, having forgotten that he had kids at all to begin with

Fascinating. My dad doesn't usually seem to know who me or my brother or my mom are or our relation to him but he does know that, as you said well, we're 'acquainted' and that we live with him and take care of him. Always wonders where the ones of us who aren't there are and what we're doing. And he's always happy to have us around so there's that.

There is one heartbreaking thing you can do OP.
Make the wizard tower a recurring stop for the players, the wizard randomly coming up sometimes with clever advice or just that pesky scroll they need.
When they are off to fight the BBEG, make the old wizard, in a moment of clear-mindness, give them a powerful item which will greatly benefit them, along with something like "hey, just return it to me eh? I'd like to hear how the battle went".

They defeat the BBEG, come back triumphantly, and arrive at the wizard tower just in time to assist to his funeral.

His last words were "Such a shame that I didn't get to hear the end of their tale".

>>32620677
Have the ancient enemy be a senile decrepit man too, and have them fight eachother in a fistfight atop a Terrasque, each slowly getting back their memory as they fight eachother to the death.

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You could just have the players track down a wish granting genie or something to fix the old mans senility. If they consider spending their wish on something else then the players will create their own drama.

No need to turn this into something convoluted for the sake of epic plot. That's how you tarnish these special moments.

>>32628671
Why....WHHHHYYYYYYYY!?!?

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>this thread

>>32628672
>BROTHER
>LIQUID

>>32628678
I suppose if it was that simple someone would have done it by now.

The old man is an incredibly long-lived chosen one. Maybe he's immune to all magical effects?

>>32622728
Downloaded it, this tale shall not be forgotten, OP
>>32624964
Nah, it just doesn't feels right.
>>32625328
The fuck is that ? It's terrifying

>>32628678
>You could just have the players track down a wish granting genie or something to fix the old mans senility.

And once again the staples of DnD do their best to destroy any emotional impact, dragging you back from roleplaying to dungeoncrawl.

What if he can't remember anything because he cursed himself in order to forget a great failure?

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>>32628671

>He's absolutely 100% old and sweet to the last moment.

>The PC's tell them they're going on a really dangerous quest.

>He simply thinks they're going out of town to pick up some things in the cities market, so, being the over protective Grandfather he is he gives them one of his most powerful and ancient Maguffins. to protect them.

>Fast forward to just before they fight the BBEG

>The Parties crystal balls starts glowing: It's the old Wizard on the other end and he's using it exactly like a telephone.

>He's appears in bed with his own Crystal ball. "Ah, good it worked. Damn Elven Magic. Listen, my children, it's become quite cold around your Grandpa's tower and I know you're off at the market, so do you think you could pick me up a Blanket? One of those good, thick, hand-quilted Centaur blankets.. none of that shit the Wood Elves try to pass off. Yess... that will do quite nicely."
>"Thank you, I love you."


>The PC group comes back to return the Wizards things.
>He died weeks ago.
>He died shortly after sending that last message.
>He was so cold.

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>>32628852
DON'T YOU FUCKING DO THIS TO ME

I WAS FINE UNTIL YOU FUCKING POSTED

>>32627031
Vote, people. Please vote.

> The Evil Lich arises as the players have fucked something up and he comes to the village to chase them or something
> breaks into the wizard's home, incapacitates everyone, only the players can stop him
> then the wizard speaks from his bedroom
> "Hello? Who is there? I need help... who is there?"
> The wizard is trying to get out of bed to help with the fight
> The Lich stops completely in his tracks and ignores the party
> Wizard goes: "Oh, it's just you, help me with this."
> The Lich puts the wizard back to bed, tucks him in, completely and utterly silent.
> "Thank you, I love you. See you in the morning..." wizard mutters as he goes back to sleep.
> Lich leaves, never to be heard of again.

>>32626761
Fuck you. Up until now I've been fine, but now I'm crying because of you... Ass.

>>32628921
How, exactly?

>>32628766
>>32628795
You could also just have the genie not granting any wishes that would benefit the old man because he has already used too many favours in his life and that includes the genie. False hope can have just as many feels to them.

>This thread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp02ubGuTIU&feature=kp

>>32629048
You press the "vote" buton.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html

>>32629061

I love it when comedy shows have sad endings.

I didn't know you had a such a hard-on for old people, /tg/

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>>32629114
/tg/ always liked old men because a lot of authors and artists they look up to are old men who will be dead soon.

>>32629051
>PCs bring Genie to the old wizard
>Genie recognizes him
>Begins to cry
>Wizard was the one to liberate the Genie from an evil overlord
>Genie says it's better if the old man stays senile, he doesn't want him to be conscious of his state
>Genie refuses to leave the Wizard's side
>He can't even touch/do anything to the wizard since his magic his too powerful
>He just stays there, watching the old man, and discussing with him
>Says whenever Wizard is ready, they will go to the afterlife together, so the wizard will never be alone again
>Eventually, wizard says he is tired of life
>The 2 of them go to the after life, and their departure, due to magic, looks like a reverse falling star, going back into the sky
>"Make a wish" note, left by the genie

>>32624943
Stop being a faggot.

>>32628779
>The fuck is that ? It's terrifying
That is a behelit from Berserk (a manga and anime).

It is basically a token that comes into the possession of chosen ones that in their darket hour drags them and those they love most in front of a a bunch of demons and the "Idea of Evil" (basically god) where they can sarifice said loved ones to become a demon themselves.

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>>32629097
Black Adder, anyone?

>>32629155

That does without saying.

>>32629149
>>32628779
http://berserk.wikia.com/wiki/Behelit

>>32629061
That escalated quickly.

>>32629149
>That is a behelit from Berserk (a manga and anime).
Yeah, I had a feeling it came from here
Oh well, seems horrible, just like everything in the berserk universe

>>32629155
>We lived through it, the Great War from 1914 to 1917!
;_;

>>32628672

Although I know where you got the idea, I still like it. Minus the Terrasque bit.

>>32629114

We have an hard-on for everything

>>32629186
Berserk is horrible on purpose, though, because the author wanted to tell a dark story. This is more of a problem with people wanting to turn a genuinly nice moment in a campaign into something horrible because they think dark = depth.

>>32625316
Go home, Mr Shame-along

>>32624776
>>"Thank you, I love you. See you in the morning."
>said to one of the adventurers who escorted him to bed
>the adventurer dabbling in darker magics
>necromancer-to-be binds a fragment of the wizard to a containment stone
>plans to use this to bypass wizard's enchantments, offering a gentle ending since wizard's magics have run away from him, casting and re-casting endlessly
>when wizard's mortal shell loses its spark, a great wrongness jars the plane
>wizard was the lord or even CREATOR of this plane of existence
>only bit of him left is residing in that stone
>he must be restored to ground this plane properly
>this is gonna take a lot of magic

>quest for true good lich ascension begins, to become powerful enough not to resurrect but restore the wizard not by revivification but by reversing his own spell

>>32629343
Hey so you wanna be my DM or something just asking.

I mean, with ideas like yours...

>>32620360
An evil force invades, the PCs need the help of the wizard. The track down an ancient lich who was an old friend of the wizard, convince him to help them, and heal the wizard. The two help the PCs form a plan to stop the invading evil army, but they need an army of their own.
So they use the village. Everyone who is fit goes along with the PCs, blessed by the old wizard and lichbro, who stay at the tower to do rituals and stuff.
It's hard, but the PCs prevail, and they return with the villagers turned soldiers.
Then, you have the wizard pull a Zhuge Liang :
After sending the last message/thing they needed (like a spell breaking the BBEG's protection), the old man simply died of old age.
As the PCs return to him, they find him resting on his chair, a faint smile on his lips. Lichbro stands by him, says that he offered to turn him into a lich, but the wizard said all was as it should be.
Much feels are had, and your players should never forget the wizard.

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Op here, I'm headin' off to bed.

Here's a collection of everything I've wrote for the thread, so you guys can easily maneuver through the thread and read all the good stuff:

>>32628852
>>32626761
>>32624776
>>32622345

>>32628678
"I wish for the old wizards memory to come back"
"I cannot do that"
"Why?"
"I do not work with the deceased"

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>>32629459

>>32628942
Fuck it, this one got me.

The lich just wanted somebody to tell him they loved him.
By their own free will, of course. The false love he built his empire of living corpses for just wasn't enough.

>>32629533

I tried to imply he was a former companion (elf ranger + lich in one package), but that works too. Or maybe just an arch-nemesis.

The lich is devastated by the sight of the wizard, then bam, see you tomorrow.

>>32629374
In my dreams.

I've never played a pen and paper anything, as PC or DM.
The crowd doesn't exist where I live and I wouldn't have the patience for doing it online.

Besides, wouldn't that bit I wrote have to be executed by the adventurer, and just allowed/worked around by the awesome DM?

Good ideas should come from the PCs. They write the story in the DM's world.

>>32629613
True, true, but it's the DM that lays down the threads they follow. Some may call it railroading if you have a plot, but they're faggots.

No no too many people are saying that a BBEG or a lich should be involved. That's too cliche for this kind of story, here's what you should do.

>old wizard too powerful to die of natural means
>slowly forgetting everything around him, losing his identity
>group finds out he wants to be put out of his misery and the only way to do it is from ancient spell he left in some cities vault.
>city was buried and forgotten like 1000 years ago
>cue dungeon run
>come back with spell and cast it on wizard
>turns out it was familcide alas order of the stick
>you just killed the entire village

>>32629459
Or have the genie grant the wish but the wizard was dying at the time but got to smile one last time because of his refound clarity before passing away. The players would do the wizard the favour of letting him die as the man he once was even if he did not get to enjoy it for very long.

All these feels....
Damn you anons, I actually teared up a bit, and I'm a jaded bastard.

>>32630326
I didn't tear up because it's just a story about old people suffering old people problems. Dying pets or horrible unfair accidents will get my feels going, though.

That old man has lived more than a full life.

OP, fuck you.
I-i hope they c-can give him rest ;_;

I would play it where the wizard in his grasp for immortality has forgotten over time that he has upset the natural balance, magic has began to unravel around him, the whole reason behind his gaining of arcane magicks to prevent a villian from doing the same thing.

His family knows it and knows if only there great father knew he would end his life in a moment to prevent the same evil from occurring. He can only be put to rest by expending his magicks in full force, casting his immortality as a powerful spell.

To powerful to be destroyed via normal means, the players set off to find the villain he accended to defeat.

Within of the castle of the wizards old adversary, runes and wards of protection specifically against the wizard are found.

Here come the feels. Party travels back and puts on one last hoorah. Fake invasion of the wizards land as his nemesis champions.

His children faux protect him, faking injury and deaths while pcs fake attack and raise the town.

Wizard snaps out of his stupor and puts forth a malestrom of magicks the world hasn't seen for a millinium. Players protected by the villains wards, fake defeat.

The old man now drained of his powers passes away, surrounded by his loved ones, leaving a small flowered patch as his body blows away from a soft breeze.

Town celebrate his final passing with grace and love. Heros welcomed back whenever they like.

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>>32629649
>too cliché
>pulls out a stupid-ass dark tweest ending where the PCs accidentally kill a bunch of people
no

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>>32629649

>Your edge
>Everyone else

>>32620891
You know what, I really get sick of this line of thinking in stories.
It seems like everyone thinks that old people WANT to die, like its just some warm blanket they are waiting to slip into at the nearest possible convenience when no one is looking.

This reminded me of a player that wanted to Coup De Grace a gold dragon that broke its wing because "It can't fly anymore! Its obviously suffering and wants to die!"

The wizard obviously doesn't want to die, or he would have died already. You say the old man is suffering, but that isnt necessarily true. He seems quite happy being taken care of by his family, sure he isnt what he once was and this is tragic but he doesn't need to die to "end his suffering".

Restoring his memory may not be a good idea either, what if his senility is intentional? He has outlived several of his own children. What if he couldnt handle the pain anymore but knew that his magic was necessary to protect the world so he used a spell to give himself senility so he could forget his pain.
I havent read this entire thread yet so this may have already been covered.

>>32625837
Bard Dad is that you?

>>32629649
terrible. Random and unnecessary, extreme and as subtle as a brick building.

Way to take all the nuance out of a once engaging set up.

I got one possible outcome!

>Old wizard, surrounded by friends, family.
>always tells them he loved them.
>Has been in the town for unknown generations.
>Sends PCs off to find a way to help him to die.
>PCs bring it back
>Second he dies, combined love of countless generations brings him back as a minor demi-god.
>gone, but continues looking over his family from then on.

>>32620677
That sounds like the plot of Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal.

God you could go so many ways with this. Personally i would have him take a liking to one of your players where he makes them the next chosen one. Once he has passed his power on he can finally receive rest, and pass on. Town ether sees you as heroes who released their loved ones soul, or as demons who stole his life and power.

Another route would be to slowly reveal each descendent is really just acting like they love him to gain favorite status. They all want his power for evil deeds, hoping to be his heir as his favorite. The players have to kill him and burn his study to prevent his secrets from falling in to evil hands. Maybe make them not his descendents to make it less grim derp, he senile he doesn't know whose really related to him.

>>32634391
If his senility is intentional he can do it again once it's cured. But this time , make him leave instructions that say "Don't heal me: bad idea"

>>32626392
That was kinda the plot of a Star Trek episode once

>An old nemesis comes to town and finally breaks the magic keeping him alive.
>The party and the town work together to defeat him, but the damage has already been done.
>The wizard's physical health is quickly worsening.
>That night he mentions that the battle reminded of him of a time so very long ago and so very far away, and he reminisces about it.
>He mentions how that villain was once a rival for the heart of a love of his. Oh, he misses her so very much and has always regretted not being able to save her too.
>He asks the party, if it would not be much trouble and if they were going that way anyway, if they could take him to the town, where he first fell in love with her.
>A rough journey lies ahead, and the wizard seems to regain some of his senses as they go through places he once knew. However, his health is still worsening.
>The party gets to the field outside of the town when the wizard asks them to stop for a moment. Flowers seem to stretch on for miles.
>The wizard breathes in deeply and smiles. He thanks the party for their generosity and wishes he could repay their kindness more.
>He says that the journey took a lot out of him and he needs to take a nap for a while. He tells the party thank you and that he will see them in a little while.
>The wizard dies peacefully in his sleep two hours later.

>the party decide to lave ad search for a way to cure the old man's senility
>their fumblings however attract the attentions of the old wizards arch enemy, returned from the grave and now gathering power.
>As the ancient evil swallows the land, the party rush from desperate escapade to escapade searching for a cure, only the old wizard knows how to defeat the darkness that threatens the world.
>eventually the mcguffin secured, they rush back to the tower only to find that it doesn't work.
>the evil follows them, and the party resolve to defend the townsfolk to the last.
>at the height of the battle when things look at their most bleak, unknown and unseen to the party the discard mcguffin begins to shine, the old wizards eyes uncloud.

>as the BBEG gloats above the near beaten party, a shimmer of magic fills the air.
>A robed figured wreathed in light strides forth, the weight of ages falling away, as the Old wizard strides out one final time.
>Magic not seen since the dawn age once again fills the sky as titans of time long past duel once more.
>finally the old wizard restrains the darkness with the shimmering mcguffin, "this is your chance" he tells you "Destroy the mcguffin, destroy us both"
>with tears in your eyes you swing down your sword,

There is a flash, the darkness is slain, his minions scattered to the winds. And yet somehow against all the odds the wizard survives. Once more an old man, but his mind clear for the first time in years.

The village, his family rush around and greet him, he laughs, they celebrate. He is returned to them, he tells them all he loves them and has missed them with all his heart.

And that night at the celebration feast, watching the laughter and smiles on his children's faces, tucked into a nice warm blanket by the fire, he closes his eyes for a rest. A very long rest...

Please tell me someone is screencapping/archiving this entire thread.

>>32627356
>He's okay with this

>>32636666
yes, it's archived. Go vote

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>>32622345
This is the best option.

There's no reason to taint a genuinely heart wrenching character and story just for the sake of making it part of your main plot. You can throw in evil liches and BBEG's anyway just don't ruin this story with it.

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Damn, this hurts so much for some reason.

Honestly, I think the best thing to do in this situation is something along the lines of having this old man be the key to defeating some sort of evil power that threatens the town he is part of as well as the surrounding area. Problem is, he has to be there to preform his magic. This means that an otherwise normal, simple dungeon is made a lot more difficult since you have to guide an old man though it.

In the end, he sacrifices himself for the entire region. The party brings the evil power to his/her weakest point, in which the wizard seals him away forever in a powerful spell which drains all his power. The party is teleported to the town square by the dying wizard, who has a tear-wrenching monologue in which he regained all his memory before his death, thanks everyone in the town as well as the party, and dies peacefully with all his friends and family around him.

>>32620360
Make him die in his fucking sleep then.

>>32621085
>No matter what the party does, the wizard's too far gone to snap out of it and help them fight

Mermaid Man, you say? Because I heard you say Mermaid Man.

bamp

>>32620360

You write this beautfiul thing into existence, and all I can think of is how my players would ruin it, of how they would complain that he was some kind of Mary Sue, of how he shouldn't ever be made whole again because that makes them less special. Don't change a damn thing. Just make sure that "fixing" him means allowing him his final rest. Also, I hate my fucking players.

>>32639569
It's not beautiful it's an old man being looked after. Holy shit walking past care homes must make you misty eyed you fucking faggot.

>>32639627
>It's not beautiful it's an old man being looked after.
>an old man, beloved and surrounded and cared for by his loving family in his last years
The word 'edgy' gets thrown around a lot these days. You should take pride in knowing you're the real deal

>>32639627
It's a bit different if an entire village is his decendants and this wizard is pretty much taking care of his entire village instead of embracing the sweet rest of natural death.

ITT: The Forgotten Feels

Where nobody gets shit done because you always stumble upon some tragic heartwrenching story and stop what you're doing because you just have to bawl your eyes out. Where liches just don't know anymore.

>>32620360

I would spin it this way:

> Old man gains a moment of lucidity and asks the party why they are here
> When they explain, he tells the party that he needs them to get a few things for him that might fix the problem
> Now it won't be easy, but he can see they are young and spry
> Queue epic adventure that takes them across the world, to the shimmering seas, atop tall mountains, to the bottom of vast lakes
> They find people who know the old man, and some who don't
> Some help them, some hurt them, but they find plenty of people just living out their lives
> In the end, when they have gathered everything on his list, they return to the tower to find him at rest
> He takes a look at them as they come back, labored from their journey but brimming with pride
> They'll probably have to explain to him why they left and what they've been about, at which point the old man will laugh
> He'll regail them of his own adventures in those very spots, of the friends and enemies he made until the wee hours of the morning
> For a brief moment he'll give them that knowing look and smile
> "The world is beautiful, isn't it? Every day is filled with such infinite possibilities. Please look after it for a while for me, won't you? I'm afraid that this old man needs his rest. Call the children if you would, they'll see me to it."
> Should he die before he wakes, maybe he was just waiting for someone to take the torch
> The PCs are ready, and there's so much left in the world to explore, so many enemies and friends that they've made
> The journey will have only just begun

>old man passet away
>as he lies on his deathbed his final words are "He must win!"

>>32640185

Odd. It seems to be raining. Inside an office building. In a restroom stall.

Give them no adventure, OP. Give them absolutely nothing. Make the characters deal with the fact they are powerless to change this. That this family in this village is more important than the BBEG and any epic adventure, slaughtering and dicerolling they could get into. This is the way they live and if that confronts the world view of the PCs, it's not the PCs fault. There is nothing to be fixed in the old man nor in the village.
Or yet, an even more confrontational one, if cheaper: The arrival of the PCs slowly triggers a process of the old man's magic fading away, as they represent a new world, one that gives no space to the quiet life the village had been leaving. Confronted with the now "real" world, the old man dies and the people of the village need to acommodate to living "normally". This causes turmoil between some of the grandchildren, who begin directly blaming the PCs on the death of the old man. The village then assembles it's first-ever trial in order to judge the fate of the PCs.

The thing is, I strongly advise you not to make this into an adventure, dungeon crawl, BBEG type stuff. This has the potential to be much more than drawing swords and rolling dices, in terms of a roleplaying experience, and you should not waste it.

>>32643052
sorry for the bad english btw, not an anglophone

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>>32620360
Sounds like this is your wizard, OP.

[Spoiler];_; [/spoiler]

Why is everyone trying to ruin this?
Just keep it as it is.
No ancient evils. No "he was actually a bad guy"
Just an immortal senile old man and his family village.

>>32643289
Thank you anon!
Nothing has to be defeated. No knights or dragons or lichs or dungeons. For christ's sake, no BBEG. No dice has to be rolled. No testosterone has to be involved in this.

I think anyone that thinks otherwise should challenge their comfort zone by reading some literature, watching arthouse stuff and generally not trying to fit everything into empty fantasy genre expectations and tropes.

>>32643414

While I kind of get your point on not everything having to play out according to expectations, have you considered that it is highly probably that someone who signs up for a fantasy game might actually want to experience the staples of said genre? If they want to base their adventure around this innocuous concept, then let them. If they want to try to find a way to cure senility, then the job of the DM is not to say "NO, now get back to the plot!", it is to try to facilitate that journey, even if the conclusion is not really possible.

>>32643508
But I'm not saying the party can't attempt find a way to cure him, look for any evil involved.
I'm saying leave it as is, even if the PCs think there is something deeper to it.
Even if there isn't anything deeper to it, the PCs attempting to cure the old man of his dementia can be a campaign in itself even if what the end goal isn't all that important.

>>32643124

Why, anon?

>>32643508

I would agree if that was the main plot. But as they stopped what they were doing for this, I believe this gives the DM freedom to deviate from the main themes of an action-based rpg. Mostly because a setting like this rarely gives opportunities to explore themes like those ones.

>>32643654

I think that I may not understand your intention. What are you proposing that OP do with the game at this point? Or rather, what are you advocating could be done with the present setup?

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>"Old Wizard had a hard life"

>>32620360
BBEG confrontation.
BBEG ends the world and everyone's lives.
However Wizard is the chosen one and has lived god knows how long.
Wizard is the only one left.
All alone in the world.
>"It's cold..."

Maybe you could tie in a quest related to the children of the wizard?

One of them admits to you in private that he's worried about his 'grandfather,' and things that a certain magic artifact can possible save his mind.

Party goes on a really fun quest. Maybe this is your chance to tie in one of the original villians that you mentioned. Party gets a magic ring of sorts.

Party gives the ring to the kid, he slips it on the wizards finger, and the wizard faintly mumbles something about the ring reminding him of his wife.

The town is just suddenly...happier. The wizard had always had a faint magic effect on it he couldn't control based on his mood - everything is just better. You make the wizard happier, you keep him healthy, and the whole town benefits and wants to thank you, with a house for the party and everything.

When the wizard does die, the entire town falls into ruin over a few days. All the kids leave or disappear. It goes from a place of beauty and happiness to a place of sadness and neglect. None of his children were even stonemasons, so all the wizard got was a wooden gravestone that rotted in a few weeks.

>>32628671
>Make the wizard tower a recurring stop for the players
>BBEG notices this
>The whole village is razed to the ground next time they go
>The wizard's body is lying in his tower, hacked apart, but his children aren't there
>PCs look, they're in another town (or what was another town, long ago)
>Wizard saved them all with a last burst of magic just before he died
>His children are sad, but grateful and don't hate you for having been his friend.
>Later in the campaign, BBEG taunts you with wizard's final words.
> Something to the effect of"I have very good friends who can stop you. I can't remember their names, but they're very brave, and they can help me. They will help me - they're my friends."

Thread's got 74/76 positive votes, what's the highest vote a thread got?

>>32634846
This is possibly one of the best options I have seen so far. It allows nature to take its course, doesnt require the use of an almighty McGuffin to heal him that could be abused by the PC's, and is a happy ending.

On another note
>What if he was working on an artifact that would slowly restore his mind but lost it or it was stolen at some point right after it was done or right before
>PC's gotta go find the wizard's Staff/codpiece/amulet/slippers of Mind Mending but no one can remember what the item actually is

>>32634846
Minor demi-god of what? Family? Forgetfulness, or more ironically, memory?

>>32645049
STOP MAKING ME FEEL FEELS YOU MONSTER!!

>>32645388
>Not suggesting Demi-God of Feels
>What about Duty and Sacrifice
>Not like "Duty to my king and the Emprah!"
>More like Duty to my family and those I care about, duty to the world as a whole even to the point of sacrificing my own mind to maintain them.
Captcha: jurisdiction dedusmi

>>32645553
He becomes the demigod of duty to family and sacrifice for love.

His name is Dedusmi. Occasionally, you'll find altars to him, but as his worship was never very widespread, no one will remember what rites or objects to leave at the shrines.

>>32645604
>Fund it

>>32625937
>Lich somehow pisses off a party of NPCs
> NPCs figure out that the Lich leaves every week to go someplace.
> They think it's something bad that the lich is planning and plan to destroy it
> Lich asks you to stop the opposing party.
> Battle against the opposing party
> Even if you try to reason with them they won't believe you because you're in cahoots with a lich
> You can convince them to leave if you win
> If you lose they somehow trap you in a some sort of a trap or a spell.
> It takes half a day to get out and longer to run to town
> The party fears what happened in their absence
> When you come back to town you find the opposing NPCs helping out the old man and the town.
> They sheepishly give you their apologies

>>32643124
oh come on man
seriously
I held my own until now dude
you just made me reality sad instead of fantasyland sad
fuck
:/

>>32621920
But anon...

His player are in the Alzehimer quest. The only happy ending is the brief moments when he remembers some of his loved ones and the times when he is with his children, enjoying the end of his days. Or the time when he is happily confused, dancing to a long lost tune, and gently go into the night.

>>32643124
aww man dont make me think about that. I just finished reading The Long Earth.

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This whole flipping thread.

How did we go this long without a thread theme?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4huZYzOD8Q

>>32624867
>wizard isn't quite as senile as they thought
>slaughters half of the party before they're forced to kill him to save themselves
>party is now the BBEG
>now being hunted down by the geriatric remnants of his ancient adventuring party

Let me put my thoughts down on this.

>The old man was one of the last wizards to ever encounter the lost location known as 'The Gate of Eternity' when he was a young man and gained a flawed immortality from being exposed to it's energy.
>Said wizard could have taken over the world, but chose not too and instead settled down with his true love to start a family and lived a good life helping others.
>It's made the wizard a real power house magic user, but there was a catch with it all.
>The old man has been alive for centuries but is slowly growing older and senile as well.
>To the party's credit, they knew their trivia and realized that the 'The gate of Eternity' is the only location anyone can get access to the plane of Time and tap into the forbidden/lost/theoretical/etc. chronomancy magic.
>Before the party gets greedy over this info, the town's people talk to them about helping them, for all of them are descended or related to the old man.
>Party finds out that the old man can't die until he returns to 'The Gate of Eternity' and carry back the power he got from it in the first place.
>To jog his memory, party does quest to get items and such to learn how to get there. Along the way, the old man reveals critical intel on the original BBEG the party is after.
>The party completes the tasks and returns the old man to The Gate.
>As the old man slowly and shaky walks to the portal. He cries and reaches out to an image of his long dead wife in the portal.
>Powerful visions wash over the party of the old man's life. The good parts and the bad as well so emotionally strong, it can reduce the harden person to tears
>He dies and body crumbles to dust as he goes though, but a young version of the old man appears in the portal with his wife.
>He thanks them and saying, "Your deeds are reflected now and for forever more." The images/souls fade away into time stream beyond.

>>32648076
It's a fun idea, but the old wizard was supposed to be a former Chosen One. That's why he was so powerful.

I think the old wizard deserves more of a poignant "Big Fish" type of ending that celebrates his life and legacy rather than some climactic struggle to save him or whatever.

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO7Jc8N1LLM

>>32634620
no, but he was my inspiration to tell stories instead of just read them.

>>32648291
Maybe he finished the job he was meant to do? But I think his true task was to lead the party to The Gate of Eternity so they can become the chosen ones.

>>32648291
>>32648463
Also to add, I feel chronomancy is mind blowingly powerful in and of itself.

>>32648463
Honestly, OP never really explained what being a chosen one meant. I just assumed it was sort of like having a bunch of power and being part of a prophecy (cough couch Legend of Zelda cough cough).

Honestly, if you just took out the part where he got all his magic power from the Gate of Eternity, I'd be fine with the whole idea.

Expanding on my "old wizard becomes a demigod," idea.

I was thinking sort of like protection, family, friendship, that sort of thing.

>PCs find item that lets old man die.
>have gathered the attention of BBEG along the way.
>BBEG is sending in army to storm town, looks like all hope is lost.
>Lich says he will hold off the BBEG.
>Players manage to get the item to the old man, but have to run back to protect village and family.
>Get back just in time to see lich being killed by powerful magics, and his phylactery being broken. (Assume for the purposes of the story that it's an actual phylactery. One you wear on your forehead)
>just as he is destroyed, a bright light emanates from the wizard's tower, and all of the town's people seem to become incorporeal, vanishing so they can't be harmed.
>Hear, "Thank you, I love you all," in the back of their heads.
>Suddenly, PCs are healed to full, and have a newfound strength, and have translucent shields protecting them (protecting them, not giving them a bonus to harm.)
>PCs take down enemy army with blessing of minor god.
>Become his chosen ones.

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>PC's check up on Wizard.
>Wizard is in rocking chair, sipping tea.
>after light conversation, Wizard gains lucidity.
>He tells PC's that his last quest was to bind an ancient Demon. The binding force was his own life.
>He quit adventuring to save the world from this Monstrosity.
> Wizard never got to finish the quests of his youth, had to descend to isolation to keep the world safe.
>PC's must make a choice: Unlock the evil to give the Wizard rest, or to keep it binded to him, and the wizard slip back to senility, but keep the world safe in the process.

>>32649291
OP never said if his party was good or evil, and forcing them to make a choice to leave the wizard as is when they want to heal him is mean.

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>>32625548

Never make another suggestion again

>>32648301
You, sir, are a scholar and a gentleman.

Imagine all the people he knew, alive or in spirit, coming to say "goodbye to him"

>>32627477
I feel like a few BBEGs should be included as well.

>>32651424
> Red dragon terrorizing the countryside
> Fae Prince from the black forest
> That one sane but evil Beholder
> Blackguard that used to be in his party as a paladin
They all stop being evil for a while to honor their foe.

>>32651482
Some are even old flames and friends.

>>32651543
> Fae Prince kisses the old man in the forehead
> Everything think it's a fae thing.
> Prince used to be a princess. In order to save her from a curse the wizard had to change her gender.

>>32651610

/d/ pls

>>32651641
What it's a homage to that one chapter of Black Jack Where the good doctor had to remove his girlfriend's ovaries to save her life during med school.

>>32651660
she became a man because for some reason can't reimplant ovaries anymore

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>>32620360
You broke my hearts, OP.

>>32645237
467.

>>32645278
In fact, the wizard himself doesn't remember about the item. PCs can only find out about it if they somehow go through his research.

>>32629155
>>32629209
But all their descendants show up in the New Years special, which dampens the impact.

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>>32645049

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>>32645049

>>32645049

This is both one of the best and worst things to do the old man Wizard. The party sure as hell will remember him for the rest of their lives, but at the same time the BBEG will be killed beyond the standard "blast magics and stab until dead". I can bet they'll try to erase the BBEG's soul from existence as well.

Now excuse me now while I go to the corner and cry.

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>>32658610
Oh he will be erased from reality...

>>32645049
If nothing else, it makes for a very good reason to kill the villain.

>>32645049
that's really just shoving him in a refrigerator, though.

>>32620360
It was self imposed senility. He trapped something really powerful in his head and saved the world by doing so. To cure him is to unleash it upon the world once again.

>>32648874
I like your demi-god idea most because it allows the players to still be the heroes of THIS story. I hope you will allow me to add some context.
>An age ago, Old Wizard the Chosen worked with a party to save the world.
>Aldo in the party was his younger brother who always was overshadowed.
>Younger brother became obsessed with building his power to be greater than his older brother.
>Younger brother begins on the path toward Lichdom.
>Old Wizard constantly advises him against it.
>"Fuck you, older brother!"
>Little Brother becomes lich
>Old Wizard traps him in a dimensional bubble because he can't kill his brother and he can't let his brother kill everyone else.
>"I will teach you, Brother, that patience leads to the greatest power."

>The age passes. Children, both natural and construct, are born.
>Time and age slowly rob him of his memories.
>Seeing that he will forget all, Old Wizard arranges a "trail of bread crumbs" that will remind him of his brother.
>Sends PCs on quests for artifacts.
>When all are assembled, he performs a ritual that opens the sealed dimensional pocket and frees his brother.

>Lich Brother has become a being of hate. He no longer has his own will.
>Lich Brother kills Old Wizard in rage
>"All according to plan."
>The adoration of hundreds of children advances Old Wizard to demi-god.
>PCs fight Lich Brother to keep him from wiping out the village.
>As Lich Brothers HP reaches zero and he begins to decay, Old Wizard appears, not as the senile old man the Party knows but as an embodiment of power. As a god.

>"Must I always be in your shadow, Older Brother?"
>"In the beyond, there need not be shadows, Little Brother."
>"There will be for me. I am become darkness."
>"Brother, the love of my family has granted me immortality and power beyond death. The power of family IS forgiveness."

Demi-god Wizard casts his new divine spell: Atonement.

>>32659821
8/10
Make the younger brother know exactly what he's doing. Make him earn redemption.

>>32659821
>Demi-god Wizard casts his new divine spell: Atonement.
Look, I don't mean to be cynical, but this feels more than a little bit cribbed from pic related
>duplicate file
>>32644738

>>32659821

Wouldn't that mean that he did all of this just to prove a point and that he purposefully made a large family just so that he could absorb their affection with the hidden agenda of gaining power? That being the case, the old man starts to sound like a sociopath.

>>32660399
I answer with a shrug, "There are no original stories."
>>32660499
One may love and care for a garden and also intend to eat its fruit. It may be that he had already started quite a large family before his brother became a lich. Maybe his long dead granddaughter gave him the idea when she asked why the gods have power. Maybe there ARE good people in the world. Maybe its time to take off your fedora, son.
>>32660399
I like it.png

I did this. And when my players meddled around they got attacked and grappled by animated minecarts that sent them careening down a hallway full of symbol traps and dumped them into a 50 foot pit full of undead at the bottom.

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>>32660969
literal railroading 10/10