RPGaDay 2020 prompt 15 – Frame

OK, I’m going to take a moment to give you a quick rundown of my current Saurial/Planescape idea. It’s only been a short while, but it’s changed some.

I may have added in some Spelljamming… Whoops!

So, the current framing idea/elevator pitch looks like this:

The PCs are wandering the Great Bazaar in Sigil. They come across a strange lizardman who appears to be arguing with a stallholder with angry sign language, though the stallholder doesn’t understand him.
The PCs have encountered a Saurial warrior – he has found himself in Sigil after escaping a great slaving fleet descending on his homeworld, and the portal he fled through was destroyed.
Not only does he need help, he needs some daring cutters to help him, since the slavers- neogi – are being led by the Saurial’s ancient foe – Spellweavers. And the Spellweavers have designs on reopening millions of closed/destroyed portals and taking over the multiverse. The Saurial really really believes this to be possible.

After that, I have a general outline for what comes next, as well as adventure title ideas (every good adventure needs a cool title).

In order to help him, the group will need to investigate the cult of Fallen Moander, to work out how he managed to enslave Saurials and bring them offworld – there’s a bit of a Dead Gods vibe to this bit, as they need to stop his potential resurrection too.
They also need to find a way to get to the Saurial world too – which means a visit to Tvashtri’s Realm (or possibly the Library of Timaresh) for a portal map, then finding an ancient spelljamming vessel hidden deep in the Rock of Bral.

It’s complicated, but I think I can build it into three connected adventures instead of just one.
The Cult of Fallen Moander – that’s some adventuring in the Realms and the Abyss – specifically the 223rd layer Rarandreth, where Moander’s plant-based undead followers are slowly rotting away.
The Secrets of Tvashtri’s Ancient Vaults – that’s some Outlands fun, followed by trap-filled dungeon and puzzles, and maybe a few clockwork monsters. Here the players are searching for a long-held lockbox and the treasure within.
Finally we have Between a Rock and a Wildspace (the title needs some work) – the adventure moves to the Rock of Bral, and deep into its Underdark in search of an ancient Saurial Spelljammer – which can take the party back to the Saurial Sphere as well and re-establish portal travel once it arrives (I’ve also no idea how it can do that either, but that’s part three! Plenty of time to work that out!)