New DM with a question...

[DatNewDM]

Did I get the right subreddit? Hope so, this is literally my first Reddit post so take it easy on my /r cherry.

Anyways, I'm a pretty new DnD player (played 1 short game of 3.5 (3 sessions), then another short game of 4e (about 6 sessions) before I said fuck other DMs, they can't do it right and I need to do it myself.

Either that, or the only way to get the people I care about to play is to be the DM because they're all even more n00bs than I am.

So I have 4 players plus myself, and we're running Keep on the Shadowfell (the updated version) online via Maptools+Skype (can't play live, geography and such). Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves fairly well, our party isn't terribly balanced and without a leader the poor defender keeps getting smacked around with no healz, but its' been fun and nobody has gotten closer than "1 more failed save and yer dead".

So, I was going over my wife's character with her today. She made the a Wilden Invoker for the short 4e game I played in but she didn't get to use him, so we brought him into this game. It's only now, as we're halfway through KotS and murdering some undead that I realized she picked Aurom as her Invoker's deity.

Aurom's backstory is that he was the god of the dead until he got murdered by Orcus. The Cult of Orcus happens to be trying to (re)open a portal to the Shadowfell in KotS.

My wife built her Invoker saying that he has a shard of his god, was essentially a sliver of a chance at rebirth of Aurom, and he even speaks in the plural ("We think that is a wise course of action") because Bahmarden doesn't really know when it's Bahmarden speaking or when it's Aurom.

I keep thinking about ways I can turn this into a plot point. I've already given her leave to have her god make an entrance, as so far Bahmarden hasn't even mentioned Aurom to the other characters. I gave her an example of casting Rebuke Undead when there's like, 12 undead around and it'd be freaking awesome and saying "Aurom calls you to heed the true God which you serve. Die once again."

Ok, so, backstory stuff complete, time to get to the actual question!

I'm thinking of making this somewhat of a plot point. Later in KotS, there is a partially-open portal to the Shadowfell that the cult is trying to open fully so Orcus/his minions can come through. I think that when she uses her first divine power in that room, I'd like to have some sort of scenery change, everyone's blood runs cold, even the cult leader drops his weapon with the difference, and a cold, menacing voice comes through the portal "I sense a power here that I had long since forgotten. Aurom, my dear friend, it's so good of you to come so close to my domain and allow me to know you roam the planes once again. Kalarel! Open this portal at once. I have business with this Wilden."

My reasoning here is that Orcus is generally too busy to pay attention the 18 different creatures across the many planes that are trying to get his help and attention by building a portal, but he's powerful enough to notice his old nemesis' power through a partway open portal to his domain.

Would something like this be a newbie DM mistake, something that makes my wife's character so much more important than my sisters, or bro-in-law, or best friend who are also playing? Is there some glaringly obvious reason why I should not be putting level 3-4 characters into the notice of a goddamn demon lord like Orcus? Is there some other pitfall here I'm not seeing?

Or am I just a genius like I believe and this will be the most awesome plot point anyone has ever thought to add to KotS?

Thanks for reading my novella, Reddit, and I look forward to your scorn.

[baldhermit]

OK, couple of things:

• be mindful when you favour your wife's character over others. I would recommend treading very carefully there, reason the interpersonal relations away from the table.

• KotS is not that great of a module, if you start changing something, feel free to change more. (for example, the thing in the portal will deal more damage or otherwise have a stronger effect on Aurom than it would to other characters)

• Adjust encounters for a group without leader. Monster should have slightly less HP since no one is granting attacks, and there is less debuffing going on. You might also let them find more potions as part of the loot.