Aftermath

One of the DMing rules of thumb I adopted a few years ago (actually as a consequence of "The Eberron Code" campaign) was that a successful campaign should change the world. Where in this context 'successful' refers to the quality of the campaign, not whether the PCs actually succeeded in their goals or not.

That is, if the PCs are busy investigating a series of mysteries that lead them to a final showdown with Bel Shalor, that conflict should have a lasting impact on the world. If the PCs triumph, they exorcise the Shadow of the Flame; if they fail, Bel Shalor is freed from his bonds and unleashes a reign of terror on the world.

Since the final conflict inevitably comes at the end of the campaign, I feel it's also important that that impact be carried forward to future campaigns in the same setting. And so, when I run Eberron I now include the cleansing of the Flame as something that has happened in the world - Bel Shalor is defeated and won't be causing anyone much strife any more.

In the context of my current campaign, then, "Storm King's Thunder" is likely to make two lasting changes to the setting. Firstly, the PCs actions are likely to thwart the schemes of some but not all of the giant lords. The ones they choose not to engage will be assumed to be at least partially successful in their designs.

The second consequence concerns the Ordning, which imposes a strict heirarchy on the various types of giants. As above, this will be directly related to the PC actions - the first giant lord defeated will be lowest in the new Ordning, then the next defeated, and so on. Any the PCs don't confront will be higher than the ones the PCs defeat, and will retain their existing positions.

(So, for instance, if the PCs defeat only the fire giant Duke, the new Ordning will be Storm > Cloud > Frost > Stone > Hill > Fire.)

Though there is something a little tricky there: it is by no means certain that I'll ever run the Forgotten Realms again, since I'm not a fan, so this may be a change that has no effect.

Incidentally, I think "Storm King's Thunder" has now reached the point where it can be considered successful. That being the case, I should give some thought to the consequences if the PCs just fail. In this case, I'm inclined to posit a new Ordning with the Cloud giants at the top, then the Storm, Frost, and Fire giants, then Stone and then Hill giants. All the giant schemes are successful, and the race remains considerably more hostile to smaller folk than has previously been the case. And much of the Sword Coast will have been devastated.

I kind of hope the PCs don't completely fail at this point!