| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Divina |
Posted - 01 Apr 2018 : 12:47:48
Hello everyone,
I am a fanfic writer and currently working on my first original work (i.e., not based on a game setting, but simply based on d&d and FR lore). A lot of research has gone into this work already, what with describing locales, different churches, getting a feel for the different party members etc... I have come up with an annoying idea for the main 'campaign', and I say annoying because the 'write what you know' adage certainly does not apply here. I am out of my depth.
I am thinking of an Undead or Necromancy related disaster sweeping across the Coast, raising an army of undead of various types via what I think is a rather interesting and subtle method that will take our heroes some time to fully understand/uncover. The main villain would either be a Necromancer or perhaps a Lich/Demilich (though Demilich would make things *really* annoying for the party).
Now, I am not asking for anyone to write my plot for me (LOL) but I would be SO appreciative if you could point me to some resources either here on Candlekeep or externally that might get the creative juices flowing as to _why_ a necromancer might be motivated to wreak havoc in such a manner, or why a powerful lich might do so. Yes, clearly, power is an easy solution. But that also reeks to me of uni-dimensional characterization that lacks finesse. "I'm evil cause I'm evil" doesn't really do it for me. So far I have thought a deity-related reason for a necromancer (or perhaps evil-aligned cleric) may solve the problem and I am getting ready to delve into such a research-hook, but thought I'd ask your opinions as this place has been invaluable for me so far in getting some details right for my story.
Thank you very much for any help you may be willing to provide :) |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Archmage of Nowhere |
Posted - 21 Jun 2018 : 19:07:09
I guess its a bit late at this point but I have always been rather partial to the good aligned necromancer. At least in 2E healing spells were considered to be necromancy, not sure if they are typed that way still but I have always been fascinated by the idea that the school is just a mastery of the forces of life and fundamentally reversible such as other schools in the edition.
If it was a self sufficient epidemic, one that did not need the necromancer to propagate it you could have a high level good necromancer who tried to develop a spell that spread and continually healed people. Taking his knowledge of viruses and diseases and applying that it to some form of regeneration spell.
The unintended effects of which, are undeath or even life in agonizing circumstance. Being forced to constantly regenerate while in the throes of a painful, debilitating disease is perhaps worse then the defilement of the dead.
The final encounter of this massive epidemic is someone who already had a obsessive empathy for his fellow mortals, crushed by guilt and desperate to find a cure to his own creation. |
| LordofBones |
Posted - 21 Jun 2018 : 14:47:17
quote:
Originally posted by Corruption
@ Lord of Bones, Jergal is not apathetic towrds undead. He is against any undead he does not sanction.
Looking through his entry in Powers and Pantheons, Jergal doesn't really seem to care either way. His priests don't go out of their way to kill undead, they're attended by nonsentient undead, and his seniormost priests are LE mummies. Even his dogma's pretty lenient on the undead; they simply exist to continue their jobs to him.
He doesn't even bother mentioning the times he uses undead to Kelemvor, either, so he's pretty pragmatic. Everyone's going to die, anyway. |
| Corruption |
Posted - 21 Jun 2018 : 09:05:14
@ Lord of Bones, Jergal is not apathetic towrds undead. He is against any undead he does not sanction.
Here is an idea: The necromancer/lich is raising an army to send fighting the forces of the Abyss. However some of his undead occasionally slip out from his control for a little bit.
He is also focusing on areas other Necromancers (with lessnoble reasons) are interested, thus hindering their efforts.
The adventurers were sent after him by evil groups, whome he is hindering. In fact, some of his undead could have been killing followers of the powers of the Abyss, and those are the slaughters your people are asked to investigate. |
| Fineva |
Posted - 21 Jun 2018 : 05:42:11
quote:
Originally posted by Divina
Hilariously I just decided to Google walking dead and just saw that it is not an fr novel which I originally assumed you may be referring to. Well, I feel like an idiot. Are you referring to the show? It may help at this point to mention that I am not from the USA and hardly watch TV. -_-
Neverwinter had a lich trying to destroy it, plus take a circle nearby for use in un death, dragon raising, etc. It's actually on the Internet as a game.
Chult was an entire continent threatened by un death as the machine hidden in it stole souls from the dying to make a god. It was destroyed.
Ras Nsi is a pretty low level (as villains go) from there, maybe he escaped to take revenge on the sword coast. |
| Divina |
Posted - 03 Apr 2018 : 19:18:29
Hilariously I just decided to Google walking dead and just saw that it is not an fr novel which I originally assumed you may be referring to. Well, I feel like an idiot. Are you referring to the show? It may help at this point to mention that I am not from the USA and hardly watch TV. -_- |
| Divina |
Posted - 03 Apr 2018 : 15:40:49
@LordofBones this is *very* insightful and definitely shapes my path away from an undead force and towards a human villain.
@Kentinal I doubt I will go the divinity/Godhood way though - I am quite taken with Icelander's ideas that have an underlying theme of fall from grace. The corruption/tragedy undertone appeals to me and will ensure that the villain is relate-able to an extent rather than one-dimensional. As for Walking Dead - I have not read any of the FR novels (a philistine, I know...) so any similarity is accidental. The inspiration behind this 'campaign' the heroes set on is loosely inspired by some events in NWN 1 - that's the only place I can so far attribute influence on my story and how it unfolds. But I can understand how things may appear like they've been done a million times before. To add insult to injury one of the party members is an Eilistraeean drow, which I am sure will make all the people that hate what they perceive to be Drizzt copies to groan in horror. Nevertheless, it is the story that I want to write and since I am not doing it for money, then I feel it is ok. It is my hobby, not my work.
@Sleyvas That is very useful indeed, thank you so much, I'll look into those! |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 03 Apr 2018 : 12:51:19
quote:
Originally posted by Wrigley
Gods with undead agenda: Jergal, Bane, Kelemvor, (Myrkul), Orcus, Kieransalee, Velsharoon
Organizations: Twisted Rune, Cult of Dragon, Orcus's cults in Vaasa/Narfell, Szass Tam (Thay)
Personaly I would be most interested in new take on Cult of Dragon true believer or deep look into depraved and twisted mind of old lich (demilich) to see his originaly good intentions corrupted into evil ones. Or both :)
Lesser known groups with undead focus: Eminence of Araunt (state of which after the second sundering unknown). There is also the Glacier of the Lost Kings/Hollow Crown Mountains in the hordelands which includes a bunch of necromancers. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 03 Apr 2018 : 03:18:41
Divina I have been considering your request for motivations to cause havoc.
A mortal chooses undead because they do not want to "die" go to the plane of their deity, or the lost souls plane.
A reason to cause havoc might be to become a hero and a deity hero that rescues from the havoc. A path to divinity. Become a god you get your own plane (or section of existing one).
It also might be an distraction while the undead seeks a better quality of life, an artifact that confers immortality on mortals or some other such item of power.
It might be boring being a lich/undead. The havoc allowing raids on places normally well guarded not having as many if any. Just to collect more knowledge.
It could be just boredom and wondering what powers are out there that might be interesting. The havoc certainly could reveal the more powerful. The ones that are interesting. These might become friends or worthy foes.
Just a few thoughts, though over all it strikes me you are just reprising walking dead that has appeared to be common these days. The difference only might be the cause of them. |
| LordofBones |
Posted - 03 Apr 2018 : 02:28:11
Jergal is apathetic towards undead. The Twisted Rune, despite being ruled by a conclave of liches, doesn't care one way or another about an undead apocalypse; they're off being the Illuminati in the Lands of Intrigue.
EDIT: As far as undead apocalypses go, it honestly depends on how you'd look at it. It seems to be the sort of thing a mortal or a lesser undead would aim for, not the kind of event you'd associate with greater undead. Liches aren't likely to care, there's nothing that's detrimental or beneficial for them as far as undead apocalypses go (though I'd lean towards them being against it); Vampires definitely would not enjoy a culling of the cattle; Death Knights don't care either way. |
| Divina |
Posted - 01 Apr 2018 : 22:12:34
Wow! Thank you SO MUCH for the amazing responses. @Storyteller Hero, you have great resources, thank you for pointing me towards them. @Icelander, all I can say is: wow. Thank you so much for your _very_ thoughtful and detailed response and thank you for your creativity, it really helps spark mine! @Lord Karsus & @Wrigley, thank you very much, the Cult of the Dragon/org-based twist sounds interesting.
As for Szass Tam, in fact I was originally thinking to make him be the villain behind the undead army phenomenon currently plaguing the Sword Coast in my story, but decided against it. I think Szass Tam is too powerful to be dealt with by the heroes and it would involve an all-out war to take him down. Based on the story (Lords' Alliance is behind them) this would not be too far fetched, but I do not think it is within my capabilities at the moment to write a war-epic and to not let the heroes be completely overshadowed by it. An added complication is that the party seriously lacks paladin & cleric powers and only has one (powerful) mage. As such, I foresee they will have trouble with the undead as it is. They will eventually have to source some help like this but the organization they are part of does not make things easier for them on that front. But my decision to scrap Szass Tam is what lead to the current problem.
Any more ideas from creative minds that want to think along are always very very welcome :) I am truly grateful. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 01 Apr 2018 : 19:55:11
Its sounds a lot like what Szass Tam did. |
| Wrigley |
Posted - 01 Apr 2018 : 19:32:50
Gods with undead agenda: Jergal, Bane, Kelemvor, (Myrkul), Orcus, Kieransalee, Velsharoon
Organizations: Twisted Rune, Cult of Dragon, Orcus's cults in Vaasa/Narfell, Szass Tam (Thay)
Personaly I would be most interested in new take on Cult of Dragon true believer or deep look into depraved and twisted mind of old lich (demilich) to see his originaly good intentions corrupted into evil ones. Or both :) |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 01 Apr 2018 : 15:56:19
-The Cult of the Dragon believes that, according to prophecy, dead dragons will rule the world and they want to help bring upon that. A similar situation can exist where, for whatever reason, the magician believes in a similar prophecy. |
| Icelander |
Posted - 01 Apr 2018 : 14:39:08
An interesting motivation for exploring the utmost boundaries between life and death can be a personal loss and the desire to bring someone back to life. If that somehow went wrong, either because what came back wasn't the same person or the person they loved did not wish to be brought back to a shadow of mortal life, that could lead to bitterness and even a desire to see the world suffer as they do.
Vengeance is another. A necromancer might have been a wise scholar, a physician and a student of anatomy, a complete pacifist, until he was wronged in some way. For best results, let the wrong be something he can blame an entire society for, say that no one stood up to defend his ethnic group or faith when they were persecuted, and now he holds them all responsible for the injustices they endured.
Alternatively, a philosopher might conclude that the source of all misery is found in human frailty. Because Man is slave to his passions, his emotions and his base physical desires, all attempts at a just society based on rational principles are doomed. Clearly, the answer lies in bringing the gift of cool rationality to selected deep thinkers, through the perfect state of intelligent undeath, and bringing order to the ignorant masses by removing their volition entirely, making them content and useful for ever, as mindless undead. |
| Storyteller Hero |
Posted - 01 Apr 2018 : 14:09:29
I'd recommend looking up the deities Velsharoon, Kiaransalee, and Myrkul.
Here's a link to my Kelemvor deity lore pamphlet on DMsGuild. It's a mix of researched canon and non-canon gap fillers, bringing up lore to the current published era after the Second Sundering. I've included some detail about Myrkul in it, as a member of a recently established Court of Souls (my addition to the lore).
http://www.dmsguild.com/product/176483/KELEMVOR-Lord-of-the-Dead--Forgotten-Realms-5e
There's also the possibility of bringing back Moander, which I've alluded to in other pamphlets in the series.
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| Divina |
Posted - 01 Apr 2018 : 12:50:38
I forgot to say, and this may be important, that this is post spellplague, post second-sundering. We are somewhere in the first half of 16th century DR. |
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