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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
 Posted - 31 May 2010 : 00:48:36
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So the game I run in Seros (under the Sea of Fallen Stars) is looking like it might expand northward into the Moonsea. Since most of the party are either sea elves or dukars, the fresh water isn't a barrier. Which means I'm now scrambling to fill in a whole lot of blanks where the Moonsea is concerned.
I've read the Moonsea sourcebook (2e, TSR #9474), and it had some good ideas for monsters and locations. A couple of ruined cities, koalinth, scrags, evil albino sea elves, and a dragon turtle. That gives me a base to start from, but I wanted to check in with all the lorelords of the Keep to see if there's anything else in canon lore about what's under the Moonsea.
Currently, I'm thinking of setting up a sort of detente between the three major powers: the city of sea elves, the assorted scrag tribes, and a nation of koalinth. There's warring, but nothing much beyond raids. They all compete for the same resources and depth levels, though so it would be fairly easy to push them over into full-scale war. Can anyone think of other villains/monsters I can throw into the mix? Since it's fresh water, many of the old favorites (ie: sahuagin) won't be found. Can eyes of the deep deal with fresh water?
Also, I'm thinking of putting a mysterious city/complex underneath the plateau that the koalinth have built their main city on. In modern terms, it would be a magical R&D facility long abandoned by some ancient race, but filled with traps, magical wards long decayed, and all sorts of other strange things. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what the race might be? Since most of the group are sea elves, I don't want it to have been them.
Finally, has anyone else run anything under the Moonsea, either with aquatic characters or surfacers diving down to investigate? If so, what have you put there? It's a big lake, and I'm looking forward to stocking it with all sorts of surprises. Many thanks, as always.
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Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 01:35:46
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| I'd say the race that ran the R+D facility could have been either the Batrachi or (and I love the visual of this) Storm Giants from Ostoria. It's even possible that either one could have been fleeing the destruction of the Tearfall. |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Snowblood
Senior Scribe
Australia
388 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 03:42:49
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| the lost moon elf city of Braceldaur is in the Tesh River Valley downstream from Zhentil Keep....under much muck, sediment and water..a small wall city state flooded when the great glacier receded..... |
Aryvandaar, Ilythiir, Arnothoi, Orva, Sarphil, Anauria/Asram/Hlondath, Uvaeren, Braceldaur, Ilodhar, Lisenaar, Imaskar, Miyeritar, Orishaar, Shantel Othrieir, Keltormir, Eaerlann, Ammarindar, Siluvanede, Sharrven, Illefarn, Ardeep, Rystal Wood, Evereska are all available here for download:http://phasai.deviantart.com/gallery/
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 04:05:51
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I'm not really a fan of the batrachi, and besides I think they're more amphibians than full sub-sea people. But that storm giant idea... now that's something I never would have thought of. I'd need to rather radically change my idea of the place's layout, since I was thinking at first of sort of close, confined, and claustrophobic, which obviously wouldn't be the case for a giant dwelling. But that's a really good idea, I need to think a bit more on it. So you'd say that they were researching anti-dragon magics to try and keep Ostoria from being overwhelmed?
Snowblood, I know I've seen you mentioning Braceldaur here or there on the Keep, but I confess I haven't been paying attention. Can you give me some sources (or replies from Ed) so I can do some reading on it? I think that could be an interesting area to develop for this. Thanks. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 04:57:18
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I'm glad you like it, Hoondatha: And actually, I'd say that they were working on anti-batrachi magics (namely stuff to counter conjurations and summonings)since Ostoria's war was with the Batrachi, and IIRC, by the time the dragons showed up, it was really too late to do much of anything.
What *I* would do, though, is make it the stronghold of an outcast (and long-dead) group of Storm Giant demonologists and necromancers. You could populate the ruins with all sorts of Lovecraftian monstrosities, and depending on the level of your group, maybe a Storm Giant Lich. Aas far as the structure itself, think a lot on non-euclidian geometry, and maybe the architechture itself forces a will save to avoid being shaken or nauseated. I'd make it really hard to map or tell direction once inside, with the layout being super confusing. I'd have the place be a high-level Evil Node, due to millennia of contact with the Outer Darkness, and have the effect of forcing every player to make a daily Will save when sleeping in the ruins. One failure induces horrible nightmares that reduce their effectiveness the next day (say -2 to attacks, saves, and checks) and further failed saves could lead to alignment changes moving toward evil. I'd have the lich (or if that's too tough for your PCs, you could make it some other evil creature) be the puppetmaster pitting the 3 societies against each other or brings them to detente as it suits him, and allow the PCs to gain info leading them to this conclusion, and believe that this puppetmaster is going to begin an all-out war between the groups (who all steadfastly refuse to believe that they're being manipulated). I think you could have A LOT of fun with this. Let us know what you decide to do, and how it goes.
EDIT: Sorry: I just noticed that you're playing 2E- obviously the saves would be vs. death magic or rods/staves/wands. |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
Edited by - Knight of the Gate on 31 May 2010 04:59:13 |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 05:15:33
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Heh. Actually, since one of the things the PC's might be doing is scouting the Moonsea for future expansion by Selu'Maraar, starting an all-out war between the existing power groups would be rather high on their list of things to do. Better to get the scrags, koalinth, and evil sea elves to kill each other than have to bring in the army to kill them, after all.
I'm starting to realize that there's a lot more I could do with this complex than I had thought. I'd really like it to be huge, big enough to hold thousands of people if it's reclaimed, and I'm a big fan of MC Escher's stuff, but I'm having enough trouble thinking in 3d for underwater stuff, that adding non-Euclidian geometry is making my brain make high-pitched squeaking noises. I think it could be good if I get myself wrapped around it, but that's a bit of a mental leap.
And don't worry about the 2e thing, I've down-converted plenty of things from 3e and even 4e. It's the ideas themselves I need, like where'd the evil node thing come from? Is that BoVD? |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 09:59:30
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| The kuo-toa, only other site outside of the Moonsea book that I can think of is the ruined city of Sorath-nu-sum, mentioned in Underdark. |
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Snowblood
Senior Scribe
Australia
388 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 10:36:39
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I asked Ed about Braceldaur & he mentioned it...its also mentioned in a song he wrote for an online article....http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rl/20040107a
The Horns of the Far Elf Realm
As I walked that grim battlefield forlorn
I heard a distant, haunting elven horn
Calling o'er high hills beyond the moon
Calling from a land I'll find soon
Braceldaur, where elves still stand proud
Blowing their horns, sounding them loud
Calling to thee, calling to me
Calling to all who burn to be free
Braceldaur, where the lost trails run
Lost in mists, in shadow, in sun
Land of beauty, land so green
Bright and far in dreams I've seen
Braceldaur, fore'er awaiting me
Reached by paths I cannot see
Soft blue mists, dark standing trees
Darker eyes watching through leaves
Find it I must
In it I trust
Braceldaur, my life I bind to thee.
Tasar treasures that yellowing parchment -- though it shows Braceldaur lay in a valley long ago drowned by the Moonsea and is gone forever
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Aryvandaar, Ilythiir, Arnothoi, Orva, Sarphil, Anauria/Asram/Hlondath, Uvaeren, Braceldaur, Ilodhar, Lisenaar, Imaskar, Miyeritar, Orishaar, Shantel Othrieir, Keltormir, Eaerlann, Ammarindar, Siluvanede, Sharrven, Illefarn, Ardeep, Rystal Wood, Evereska are all available here for download:http://phasai.deviantart.com/gallery/
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Edited by - Snowblood on 31 May 2010 10:39:06 |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 11:40:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Quale
The kuo-toa, only other site outside of the Moonsea book that I can think of is the ruined city of Sorath-nu-sum, mentioned in Underdark.
I was going to suggest them to. The ruins could give hints to other hidden temples where the Kuo-Toa still can be found. I seem to remember there being Kuo-Toa along the Sembian coast according to Elminsters Ecologies and Drizzt's Guide to the Underdark also has a city of the fishmen, although I cant remember where in the Underdark it is located. |
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The Curt Jester
Acolyte
24 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 16:46:10
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Under the Moonsea as in the water, or underneath the bed of it?
I know that the sunken city of Northkeep (also known as the Bell in the Deep) is pretty close to the southern coast. |
Co-founder of Sea of Dragons, a Persistent World for NWN2 | Visit us at www.seaofdragons.com |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 17:09:51
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Depends on how 'Lovecraftian' you want to go - in the Utter East thread we had going over on the WotC boards we had connected the Kua-Toa to an ancient civilization that worshipped a many-tentacled god of chaos (something obviously Far-Realmsish). One of the things they liked to do is mate with human females as part of their ancient , abominable rights (which is why some folks in those parts look a bit 'fishy', literally).
However, R&D doesn't seem so much a kua-Toa (Cthulhu) thing - that does sound more like Storm Giants. However, if you recall the original Alien movie, the derelict ship they found was used by 'giants', and yet was still pretty damn spooky without having to be overly confining. If you say the place was built from living matter - say carved from a living Coral reef - the the thing itself could have grown and begun to 'repair' itself, which means the corridors and rooms would be closing in, and furniture and equipment might be set half in the walls at this point.
But if you do want a confined, spooky locale, they could always find a submerged temple to some 'Elder Evil'.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 17:31:17
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Yep, under as in under water. I'm not doing the Underdark with this campaign.
Northkeep heads the list of subsea landmarks, along with the Isle of Maos and now apparently Braceldaur.
The kuo-toans are an interesting idea. SoFS says that they were driven from Seros thousands of years ago by the sea elves, it's entirely possible some of them ended up in the Moonsea, or the near Underdark (with access through connecting tunnels). They would certainly take exception to sea elves moving into the area... and I'm a big fan of Night Below, I could always reuse the kuo-toan city in that adventure if need be. That's worth thinking about. Thanks. (despite what I just said above about staying away from the Underdark... it seems you just can't escape it)
As for the Far Realms, I've never liked them. Well, actually, my reaction is much more strongly negative, but there's no need to go into my antipathy. I think Cthulu is just fine in other settings (namely, Cthulu), but not in the Realms. The same goes with Elder Evils; the Realms has plenty of villains and dangers, it doesn't need badly-thought-out Lovecraft-ports, thank you very much. [/rant]
I like the idea of a living coral structure, though. Not sure if I can fit it into the idea of something carved into a plateau, but the way this place is shaping up, you never know. Non-euclidian and alive, that could be all sorts of unnerving. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2010 : 18:40:55
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You know... the more I think about it, what if the PCs enter, looking for the BBEG, only to discover at some point that they've willingly entered its digestive tract? That is, building as bad guy?
In any case, I do want to hear what you wind up doing, and just how much pants-pooping it leads to amongst your players.
EDIT: And if the PCs *want* to cause war amongst the natives, you can make the scenario such that whatever is in the Storm-Giant lair is the force uniting them all, and by destroying it, the PCs are removing the only obstacle to an all-out 3-way slugfest. |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
Edited by - Knight of the Gate on 31 May 2010 18:47:28 |
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Under the Moonsea
