Misguided

We've all heard about malignant beings convincing their followers that they are righteous until they can reach their true power. But what about a righteous and pure being who's followers think is some prophesied evil power?

What will the characters do when the cultists they've been fighting are finally able to summon their evil god only to have that god show up and profess to be good? Will the party believe him/her?

Plot points/Scenes

I. Party Discovers Evidence of Cult
II. Party Hunts Cult, finds out about Summoning of God
III. Party tries to stop summoning of God
IV. God is Summoned but is not what cultists expected. Conflict ensues
V. Ending depends...

Themes

"Only the Strong Survive" "Darwinism" "Survival of the Fittest" "The strong take from the weak" "Cull the heard to make it stronger" etc...
test where the players fall on this scale?
To what extent is someone responsible for their own wellbeing? To what extent should a person rely on society?

Structure

Exposition

How does the party come upon evidence of the cult?

• Rumors of banditry in area
• A village is being treated like cattle. Anyone who tried to stand up to the cultists was killed, but killed in solo melee. A young man, maybe 17, also tried to stand up to them but was spared because of his bravery. Maybe he's the one who went out to find the party?

Conflict

As the players investigate (or not?) they discover:

• other villages share similar stories.
• signs of the local law enforcement getting ambushed
• Come upon the prophesies
  • Independent Rogue Scholar?
  • Another Atlantian in possession of same prophesies
  • Fruits of local law enforcement spy?
  • Captured cultist?
• combat with some cultists. Opportunity for single melee combat, especially if any Atlantian is with the party.

Rising Action

Race to find Cultists in time to stop summoning. Possible running battle or chase involved, depending on how earlier combats went.

Climax

Barring any plot-defying strategies by the party, they will come upon the ceremony right when it completes. If the party is just too friggin' late, make it so the cultists could still be waiting for a response to their summoning. Maybe they are taking extreme measures to keep the summoning open until the God arrives.
The God arrives. The cultists invoke the God to smite the party and the god is revolted by the idea. What will the party do now?

Falling Action

At some point during the battle at the summoning, the summoning circle gets damaged. The God does not want to be stuck here so it will retreat.
If the Party allied itself with the God, the God will grant them gifts. The theme of the gifts should be such to stamp out ignorance and to remove weakness. The gifts should be beneficial/tailored to each party member.

Relations

Neutrals/Bystanders

The summoned God is a Neutral since its role in this plot is completely up to the player characters.

Adversaries

The Aerihman clan of Atlantians are the primary adversaries.

Backdrops

Locations

Atlantis? Maybe. If not there, where? Does ity really matter? It should be somewhere near a relatively stable population like The Colorado Baronies, Tolkeen, Lazlo, Quebec or even in the Federation of Magic. Location is not as important as what it is near, so GM can use discretion to place this in the party's path.