u/Savings-Housing3481

Good morning, cutters.

If I was contemplating, foolishly I'm certain, a campaign centered on the Blood War, and...

1. I did NOT want the main idea to be on the futility of the War;
2. I did NOT want to run a game of evil PCs;
3. I DO WANT the players to have agency to affect the War

... what would be the main idea/theme of the game?

I like the thought of a group of fiends, possibly an alliance of them from across the Lower Planes, trying to end the War in order to allow them to focus on conquering the Upper Planes. But is that too big an idea? Unworkable?

Or are better ideas out there?

This week, I am running a 1-shot face to face game for a few folks who have played D&D, but perhaps not extensively played as many of us here.

I told them it is a nautical scenario (true), but I left out that a vortex will suck their ship into the elemental plane of water (one NPC planned for this).

I am undecided on what to do about spell effects on the plane. What suggestions do folks have, considering that 4 of the 5 players have never played Planescape and I do not want a "gotcha" game.

EDIT: I only need spell effects. The story is done, and good IMO. Survival is not an issue. I just need spell effects.

My PCs are about to, unbeknownst to them, be thrown back in time to -1250 DR. (For Reference, Campaign is set in 1373 DR.)

I know that Bhaal, Bane, Myrkul, Mystryl, Leira, & Moander still exist then. Are there deities I have left off the list that could be relevant?

Also, are there ones which ascended after this time I should be sure not to reference, other than Azuth, Cyric, Kelemvor, Mystra, the Red Knight, Savras, & Velsharoon?