Hi fellow GM's.

I have a smal problem. I'm not realy sure where i should take the story next.

My players started on Malfi investegating the dissaperence of a hi ranked nobel Arbitrator, only to descover he vas part of The Masqued and plotting to use som spheric "weapon" to bring forth mankinds true chaotic natur, as they are vaiting for. And they managed to find out he had left for Orbel Quill.

Orbel Quill is a planet where no one lives beyond the age of 40, there are several un explored xeno ruins and Eldar are frequently sighted. The players found out that the Sphere was one of 3 keys to unleash The black sun on the univers as the xeno ruins somhow is linkt to it, but the Eldar buildt som contraption to weeken it, so it can only manifest short times at once. They are curently in the ruins, after winning a batle against The arbit (whom escaped) an another Masqued member (whom lost his leg to a grate weapon, and blead to death), and with 2 of 3 keys in plase, i don't realy know where to take it next..... The psyker in the groop got an amulet from som eldars to prevent her from dying being over 40 and all, so i kindof plan to use that against them (xeno tec).

Anny innput and feedback would be apritiated.

Okay, let me se if I got you

- Malfi "famous" noble-cult is truly a chaos cult.
- Orbil Quill is the prison of some doomsday thing
- two of three locks are already undone
- the eldar know, and they don´t like it
- your players defeated the bad guy and made him flee, and here it stops

So, the bad guy is on Orbil Quill, the players are, the eldar are, the doomsdaydevice is.

Where is the key for the third lock? That is where the players should be.
Where is the next Astropath?

After your players know that 2/3 of the locks are undone, they might want their =I= to send troops to secure the ruin in question. Or they might trust some eldar to do so. Anyway, this should be done. A rapport to the =I= is in order even if the Eldar Secure the ruins. At this point, you can make the =I= as angry about the pc as you like it. Or not.

If the key is with the bad guy , they have to find him, track him done and wrest the key from him. The bady guy is likely running to "safety". This might be other local followers, or some hidden base in the catacombs of some other ruins.

If the third key is still unknown to anyone the pc should have to travel to a place of vast xeno knowledge to use the examples of the ruins and the picts form the two keys the know to learn about the third. To find him before the chaos cult does.

Or can simply turn this into a "catch 13" with the acoylthes and the eldar holding the ruins while they have to hold the ruins till reinforcements arrive. In the mean while, the cult will muster all he has to storm the ruins and bring the third key into place. Wave of cultists, monsters and foul magic.

Or the eldar (having forseen possible futures) tell the pc it is best when they grab the two keys and hide them somewhere . The pc have to book flights and leave Orbel Quill and find a suitable place to get rid of the keys. Perhaps finding a system ship taking them out to edge of the system, and then throwing the blasted things into the void. Of course, the cult would have spies at the port and would try to attack the ship the pc are on with a modified luxus void yacht, trying to board the ship, kill the pc and get the keys.

I agree, focus should be on the third key. Depending on how much you like to mess with the players, you could do something devious like have it be a seemingly innocuous item in their possession already, such as the the amulet the eldar gave to the psyker. The reason the eldar did this is because they secretly belong to a renegade faction that wants the Tyrant Star to be unleashed, thinking that if mankind falls they will have the opportunity to reclaim their rightful place as masters of the galaxy.

Golmorgoth said:

But if they wanted the tyrant star unleashed, why would they give the keys to the acolites, and not just use it themselves?

Maybe the amulet incorporates a tracking device, so the eldar can follow there every move... But the =I= woudn't like them meddeling with xeno, unles he was radical, right?

Maybe the ones that unleash its power are destined to ultimately be the ones destroyed by it? Or maybe they just don't want to soil their own hands with the blood of the Mon'keigh.

Well Gregorius I was also thinking they should report to there =][=, but should i lett them figure it out themselves? I don't think the PC's in my groop would think of that actualy.

At this point i would say the last key is in an unknown location, but maby the eldar know where it is and can give away the information. I was also thinking of letting the PC's leed the bad guys to the last key, knowing the acolites are after them they may flipp the situation and start shadowing the PC's knowing this probably will pay of.

Were getting together this sunday, so i better gett to wrigting down somthing =P