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 Spoiler: "Anauroch: The Empire of Shade"

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T O P I C    R E V I E W
Gelcur Posted - 05 Nov 2007 : 23:02:19
So the Excerpts for "Anauroch: The Empire of Shade" were posted today. Going through the intro on page 5 there is something crazy!

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ex/20071105a

*Spoiler*



"Intrigued by what the Sharrans have proposed, the Princes of Shade decided to let them create their most ambitious dead magic zone yet-right atop Anauroch, covering all but the fringes of the great desert. Fascinated by the zone and interested in expanding it, the shades decided to seek out more information on their own. In the course of doing so, they stumbled upon an intact set of the Nether Scrolls (just as Shar had intended all along)."

Wow! Apparently this full set of scrolls was just lying around, just wow.

Edit: Oh its just the beech tree, Quess Ar Teranthvar, under Windsong Tower.



Mod Edit: Add the URL.

Mod Edit 2: Moved to a more appropriate shelf.
30   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
Diffan Posted - 29 Nov 2016 : 05:50:57
quote:
Originally posted by Copper Elven Vampire

What year does this Module take place in? 1376?



I believe so. Our group is currently in the adventure and it's a few months after the Shadowdale: Scouring of the Land adventure. It should also be listed in the Grand History of the Realms book.
Copper Elven Vampire Posted - 26 Nov 2016 : 01:43:53
What year does this Module take place in? 1376?
Dalor Darden Posted - 29 Nov 2007 : 03:35:58
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha

Uhh, I didn't read a whole lot of that part. You don't fight the Wiz 35 demi-lich, that's for certain. You beat up on a unique undead, a bunch of thaluud, and flee very quickly after getting the chalice artifact.

Now that I think about it, that section is probably the place with the greatest chance of players going off the deep end. That Tomb is an adventuring Holy Grail... I'm not sure how you keep your players from looting EVERYTHING. Other than unleashing the thaluud hordes, of course.



I agree...I understand the entrance shifts quite often...but the door itself stays the same if I read that correctly. What is to prevent a wizard from scrying the location of the door, and then simply going there with his party of looters?!

Talk about the mother of all treasure troves!
The Hooded One Posted - 29 Nov 2007 : 03:16:44
"Nip all this stupidity in the bud."

Oh, Hoondatha, my praises! You have given my character a new motto (and myself a new motto for game designers to follow, especially CERTAIN game designers [no, no names]).
love,
THO
Dalor Darden Posted - 28 Nov 2007 : 14:56:42
After reading the book fully, I see that the concern I had over the artifacts is balanced out in the adventure so that all but the Chalice really have no long lasting influence in a campaign.

As for that item...there is this fella that wants to bring back Amaunator (sp?) that I'm sure would get wind of the party having the chalice...so he would probably be after it.

Nuff said...
Hoondatha Posted - 14 Nov 2007 : 07:27:53
Uhh, I didn't read a whole lot of that part. You don't fight the Wiz 35 demi-lich, that's for certain. You beat up on a unique undead, a bunch of thaluud, and flee very quickly after getting the chalice artifact.

Now that I think about it, that section is probably the place with the greatest chance of players going off the deep end. That Tomb is an adventuring Holy Grail... I'm not sure how you keep your players from looting EVERYTHING. Other than unleashing the thaluud hordes, of course.
Skeptic Posted - 14 Nov 2007 : 06:50:45
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
The Teraseer demands it as payment for taking you to the Tomb Tapper's Tomb. So that's gone.


What happens in there ?

Hoondatha Posted - 14 Nov 2007 : 06:45:16
I haven't actually bought it, but I did skim it heavily at Borders today, and can speak a little about the problem of the artifacts.

First, I don't think Book of the Black is that great. The effects don't last very long, and if your DM doesn't drive you insane after reading it a lot, he's not doing his job properly. Also, there's a chance you give it away to Candlekeep to find out how to find the Teraseer.

Shadow Engine is great, just one problem (well, two actually): 1: it's got a sharn trapped inside, and the sharn's made up of Aglaura, some random Myth Drannan wizard, and a phaerimm. Hang onto it too long and they wake up again. 2: The Teraseer demands it as payment for taking you to the Tomb Tapper's Tomb. So that's gone.

The chalice is great, no doubt, but don't forget that its deadliest ability can only be used once a month, and is required to finish the adventure. So fun as it might be to play at baptising Lord Shadow in it, or whatever, you're going to have to resist.

Personally, I'm glad the party I'm DM'ing (just after Shade reappears) includes a spellfire wielder with a bone to pick with Shar. You should have seen the player's face light up when his character found out how spellfire interacts with shadow magic (including, let's say, a certain shadow mythal).

Nip all this stupidity in the bud.
Asgetrion Posted - 14 Nov 2007 : 00:22:24
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin

quote:
Originally posted by khorne
Am I the only one who thinks that Shar has been far too succesful of late?


Certainly not!



I, too, would like to see her stepping off the "spotlight" for a change. To me it seems that there are no other scheming evil deities in Faerūn anymore, because Shar and her followers are involved in every novel and adventure.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 23:36:55
quote:
Originally posted by khorne
Am I the only one who thinks that Shar has been far too succesful of late?


Certainly not!
Mace Hammerhand Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 21:50:03
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Moradin

quote:
Originally posted by khorne

Am I the only one who thinks that Shar has been far too succesful of late? Time for her to get knocked down a peg or two, in my opinion.



Shar... and Lolth (War of the Spider Queen)... and Bane (the return)...

Holy gods! Faerūn really need of heroes...




Or a bunch of deities not afraid to be a little "bad" for a change...
Chosen of Moradin Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 20:57:25
quote:
Originally posted by khorne

Am I the only one who thinks that Shar has been far too succesful of late? Time for her to get knocked down a peg or two, in my opinion.



Shar... and Lolth (War of the Spider Queen)... and Bane (the return)...

Holy gods! Faerūn really need of heroes...
Dalor Darden Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 20:17:53
Here is an example artifact from the module:

Book of the Black
Price: Major Artifact
Body Slot: n/a
Caster Level: 20th
Aura: Strong; (DC 21) divination
Activation: See Text
Weight: 1 lb.

The secret work of The Lost Sage, Augathra the Mad, this book holds the legendary Black Chronology, written while she originally composed the Roll of the Years.

This large tome is rather nondescript. The pages are a sturdy vellum stained and weathered by long years. The writing on them, however, is completely unintelligible, thwarting all attempts at translation.

Like the Leaves of One Night, Shar cursed the Book of the Black to be illegible to anyone of her choosing. it cannot be freely translated by any magical means, even wish. A successful DC 45 Decipher Script check (translation magic provides a +1 competence bonus per spell level up to +9 for a wish or miracle) enables the reader to translate a single quatrain of the work. A spell can only be used to assist in the translation of one quatrain at a time.

Each time a quatrain is translated, the reader gains disturbing insights into the mutiverse. These cannot be copied down or articulated to another. Each time this occurs, the reader gains a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, skill checks, ability rolls, and saving throws for 24 hours, after which the knowledge fades. The bonus increases to +5 for Knowledge and Gather Information checks and bardic knowledge checks. Also during this time, the reader gains a +5 insight bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls, and a +2 to his caster level against shadow adepts and followers of Shar. Such individuals automatically recognize and attack the reader on sight during this time period.

The effects from multiple quatrains do not stack, but the effect can be renewed each time another quatrain is translated.

Lore: Characters who have ranks in Gather Information, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history) or Knowledge (religion) can research the Book of the Black to learn more about it. When a character makes a successful check, the following lore is revealed, including information from lower DCs.

Arcana or History DC 25: While Augathra the Mad received her visions and penned the Roll of the Years - the written standard for prophecy and the naming of the years for an age to come - at night she received visions of a Black Chronology woven between the years and recorded them in her sleep in a tome called the Book of the Black.

Religion DC 30, Gather Information DC 35, Arcana DC 35, or History DC 35: The Book of the Black was discovered by the Dark Diviners of Windsong Tower in 684 DR. They discovered secrets within that they recorded in their own derivative work called the Leaves of One Night, but both works fell under a curse of illegibility and then disappeared shortly thereafter.

Religion DC 30 or Arcana DC 45: The secrets of the Black Chronology revealed in the tome are what drove Augathra to madness, and, ultimately, what would not let her die. it is said that the secrets within came from the mind o the goddess Shar and spoke of terrible things to come. It was she who cursed the book and caused it to disappear. Those with access tot he work could learn the innermost secrets of the Dark Goddess.

Prerequisites: Major Artifact.
Cost to Create: Major Artifact.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I know that lower level characters really can't even benefit from this book...but the party in question going through Anauroch could potentially tap some seriously dangerous information with this book. Game mechanics wise it is limited and not overly dangerous...but they should NOT (in my opinion) have included that last sentence in there!

"Those with access to the work could learn the innermost secrets of the Dark Goddess."

Sounds dangerous to me!
khorne Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 19:14:10
Am I the only one who thinks that Shar has been far too succesful of late? Time for her to get knocked down a peg or two, in my opinion.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 18:26:16
My coworkers were cool enough to agree to leave the restaurant a bit early. I figured they'd go in one of their cars, but since I got the new(er) wheels, my car seems to be the default lunch vehicle.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 17:56:15
Holy crap, those are powerful items.

I agree that it might be a good idea to tweak them a bit and give them drawbacks. And, maybe give them the tendency to attract other beings who might want them...
Wooly Rupert Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 16:37:19
I just called my FLGS. The book is in. The problem: My coworkers and I always go out to lunch on Tuesdays... I may have to make one of them drive, so I can swing by and grab the book!
Wooly Rupert Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 11:08:07
quote:
Originally posted by Reefy

Vecna's Anatomy etc.



Reefy Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 10:48:10
quote:
Originally posted by dalor_darden
I'm sure it can be done...but the Shadow Engine in particular is worrisome to me. Convincing anyone in the party to use the Chalice on the Engine would be like telling them to cast Mordenkainen's Disjunction on their Staff of the Magi just because it happens to have been created by an evil wizard. There are no "evil" side effects to any of these potent items that would make a party want to be rid of them.

This is just an initial rant though...I could be proven wrong by further reading.

Over all: Great adventure...troublesome aftermath resulting from at least a half dozen artifacts floating around.



The short answer is to invent something. If these are true artifacts in the traditional D&D sense of the word, they should have some kind of drawback or risk to them. Think Heward's Mystical Organ, Deck of Many Things, Vecna's Anatomy etc.
Dalor Darden Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 03:21:35
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin

quote:
Originally posted by dalor_darden

I am a bit disappointed by it at the same time though...the sheer number of artifacts introduced in the module will make it a nightmare to have them removed from a party once they get their hands on them.




Are these artifacts that the PCs shouldn't be able to keep?



Well, one (called the Shadow Engine) allows a user of the Weave to cast spells as if they were Shadow Weave users...and at +2 to their effective caster level and +2 to the DC of those spells!

The one that I feel is most dangerous is "The Book of Black" that allows the wielder to learn the innermost secrets of Shar herself! The book is cursed by Shar and difficult to decipher; but an adequate level caster could essentially learn things they SHOULDN'T know...

Yet another artifact called the Chalice of Amaunator is both one of the most potent weapons imaginable against Shadow Weave magic (capable of using Mordenkainen's Disjunction on Shadow Magic effects and items...including artifacts) but is also capable of travel to the House of the Triad and other powerful effects.

There are other artifacts...but those are the ones I remember off the top of my head.

It is a really good adventure...but I didn't see where (so far in my reading) there is an opportunity to get these artifacts out of the hands of the players.

I'm sure it can be done...but the Shadow Engine in particular is worrisome to me. Convincing anyone in the party to use the Chalice on the Engine would be like telling them to cast Mordenkainen's Disjunction on their Staff of the Magi just because it happens to have been created by an evil wizard. There are no "evil" side effects to any of these potent items that would make a party want to be rid of them.

This is just an initial rant though...I could be proven wrong by further reading.

Over all: Great adventure...troublesome aftermath resulting from at least a half dozen artifacts floating around.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 13 Nov 2007 : 02:48:21
quote:
Originally posted by dalor_darden

I am a bit disappointed by it at the same time though...the sheer number of artifacts introduced in the module will make it a nightmare to have them removed from a party once they get their hands on them.




Are these artifacts that the PCs shouldn't be able to keep?
Dalor Darden Posted - 12 Nov 2007 : 22:43:22
Well, I have my copy of Anauroch: Empire of Shade.

I have briefly looked it over and I have to say that out of the three in the series, I like this one the best.

The information contained would allow adventures totally un-related to the adventure itself to be run, so it has some measure of worth beyond the adventure it is profiling.

I am a bit disappointed by it at the same time though...the sheer number of artifacts introduced in the module will make it a nightmare to have them removed from a party once they get their hands on them.

I'll go into details later...just thought I would start a conversation about it.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 07 Nov 2007 : 17:01:59
quote:
Originally posted by Brenigin

Ah - haven't got my hands on Shadowstorm yet (but have read every spoiler available!) Thanks.



You're welcome.
Brenigin Posted - 07 Nov 2007 : 05:19:24
Ah - haven't got my hands on Shadowstorm yet (but have read every spoiler available!) Thanks.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 07 Nov 2007 : 02:20:54
quote:
Originally posted by Brenigin

quote:


I see agents of the Shadovar are searching for The Leaves of One Night. Wasn't that tome accounted for in the Twilight War trilogy?



I don't think The Leaves of One Night actually makes an appearance. I read the introduction as implying that the book made it's way back to the Fane of Shadows, which is where a certain butler fom Westgate found it.



Yes and no (highlight for spoiler): Cale had half of it. Rivalen had the other half. Events in book 2 cause the book to be put back together by Elyril for the purpose of summoning the Shadowstorm.

Also, this adventure takes place after all of the current Cale novels.
Chosen of Moradin Posted - 06 Nov 2007 : 18:19:22
I find interesting that finally they developed a plot about the nether scrolls of the Windsong Tower.

I, as DM, already have created my tales about these scrolls, and I want to take a look to see what WoTC made about this.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 06 Nov 2007 : 10:08:58
quote:
Originally posted by Ergdusch

I am wondering: Is this adventure and the entire adventure trilogy actually going to be canon lore?

I thought there was going to be no official explanation for the changes in 4th Ed....



Yes, it's canon. And the point of the Spellplague is to explain the changes.
Ergdusch Posted - 06 Nov 2007 : 08:29:12
I am wondering: Is this adventure and the entire adventure trilogy actually going to be canon lore?

I thought there was going to be no official explanation for the changes in 4th Ed....
Brenigin Posted - 06 Nov 2007 : 08:11:38
quote:


I see agents of the Shadovar are searching for The Leaves of One Night. Wasn't that tome accounted for in the Twilight War trilogy?



I don't think The Leaves of One Night actually makes an appearance. I read the introduction as implying that the book made it's way back to the Fane of Shadows, which is where a certain butler fom Westgate found it.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 06 Nov 2007 : 02:25:57
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR

quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin

*bangs her head against the wall upon reading the Chapter 2 synopsis*

Is nothing sacred?

I see agents of the Shadovar are searching for The Leaves of One Night. Wasn't that tome accounted for in the Twilight War trilogy?



Oh yeah. Forgot that part.

Well (Spoiler for the Twilight War):

Maybe when Elyril unleashed the Audumbral Calyx into Toril, the Leaves of One Night were lost again. We didn't see much of an aftermath.



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