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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Nov 2010 : 16:19:59
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So, the red dragon got away. He had time to either find a hiding place in the city or he's been left on the astral sea. If he stays in the city he'll be able to retrieve some of his horde. If he goes out into the astral sea, he can reconnect with his his fellow cabal member Gothmenes/Tanetal on Moander's corpse and seek vengeance on the party (also reclaiming several of his magical treasures from their corpses).
The party did destroy three of his spawnlings - two half-dragon dire tigers and a half-dragon half demon creature. So, thoughts? What should a red dragon value most?
The party did learn "just because she tortures people for fun doesn't mean she's always an awful person" in their encounter with the priestess of Loviatar.
Next up, I believe, is Hulburg. This was intended to be their 1st or 2nd encounter. However, with time having passed, I feel okay bumping it up being a challenge. They will be facing Kaliste, some drow, and hopefully some pirates!
Yar! |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2010 : 20:57:54
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So, in the meanwhile, the player who is out of town managed to convince a mage to retrieve Cadorna (alive but turned to mithral) and a gnoll from the collapsed ruins of the castle. She pressed the gnoll into her service and then privately confronted Cadorna. He explained away that while he did not stop him, for the most part Gensor (his house mage) was behind the attacks that took place upon her in the past. He's currently nothing more than Lucius Malfoy at the end of book 7 of Harry Potter.
Which, I guess, beats him coming back as a lich and trying to marry Shal Bal.
The earth elemental that recovered him from the rubble came back heavily damaged. She has not yet put together that there is some sort of rotting plant creature underneath Phlan.
The rotting plant creature is a spawn of Moander that was created when Tarl Desanae was turned into a vampire while in a shrine of the Old Moldy. While the group faced the creature in earlier forms, it has persistently returned and it has since captured the Hammer of Tyr, which Tyranthraxus had managed to secure within his horde.
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2010 : 20:59:26
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So, in the meanwhile, the player who is out of town managed to convince a mage to retrieve Cadorna (alive but turned to mithral) and a gnoll from the collapsed ruins of the castle. She pressed the gnoll into her service and then privately confronted Cadorna. He explained away that while he did not stop him, for the most part Gensor (his house mage) was behind the attacks that took place upon her in the past. He's currently nothing more than Lucius Malfoy at the end of book 7 of Harry Potter.
Which, I guess, beats him coming back as a lich and trying to marry Shal Bal.
The earth elemental that recovered him from the rubble came back heavily damaged. She has not yet put together that there is some sort of rotting plant creature underneath Phlan.
The rotting plant creature is a spawn of Moander that was created when Tarl Desanae was turned into a vampire while in a shrine of the Old Moldy. While the group faced the creature in earlier forms, it has persistently returned and it has since captured the Hammer of Tyr, which Tyranthraxus had managed to secure within his horde.
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7970 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2010 : 01:24:12
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Ah, Councilman Cadorna. Despicable snivelling little spineless snake. No redeeming traits at all beyond tons of money and unbridled selfish ambition; reminiscing about him brings a fond smile to my face. He had a hostile relationship with my players right from the outset, and it only degraded over time, they ended up accidentally murdering the little scumbag before he could fulfil his treacherous destiny and I was forced to fill the sudden vacancy with a Zhent doppelganger. Quite the merry chase around the Moonsea, then Sembia, before the players managed to put Tyranthraxus into a bottle.
Shal, Ren, and Tarl played no part at all in my Realms. Beyond being the presumed identities of a trio of zombies animated from the corpses of some unfortunate (and incompetent) adventurers who fell at Sokol Keep. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2010 : 15:14:44
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Yeah, I have Tarl being turned into a vampire (but in a shrine of moander, so as above ... he's basically a flood-creature from halo now). Instead, Anton (who was unconcious through the entire novel) survived, and is in actuality Anton Cormaeril (a PC).
They found Ren's dagger's on the goblin leader in Kuto's Well. I don't think they ever found his corpse.
One of the PCs was a previous apprentice of Ranthor and he knew Ranthor had an apprentice named Shal, but he never did find her. I did put together a session where they explored Denlor's Tower and found Ranthor and Denlor's remains. Presumably, Shal was killed at some point prior.
These basic little changes are the core of my campaign (which I'm hoping will just last until I die in 40-50 years). Everything outside of it is "assumed canon." So, as a result of their actions in Phlan - they end up being the heroes of Pools of Darkness and will also suffer Tyranthraxus' vengeance in several years by enduring the azure bonds. |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 13 Dec 2010 : 19:28:56
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Last game the group came into Hulburg and did manage to avoid becoming the victimes of the Lich living beneath the city. Upon seeing only two torch lit buildings in the area, they avoided both and decided to feel their way through the dark ruins towards the artifact. They stumbled upon lacedon, which, while easy to deal with caused them to reveal their position. They did not see any repercussions of this as of yet.
They came upon a ruined structure guarded by drow and were well on their way to handling them when Kalistes appeared, undisguised, and began choosing her targets. She used a mix of throwing knives and blade barriers, only facing off with slams and weapons when the fighter charged.
Now, if given the chance, the 10th level fighter can dish out about 100 points of damage in a round. However, his AC is 19 and he has somewhere in the range of 150 hp, so he tried, but cannot face her 1 on 1.
The fight actually ended with them dealing with the drow for the most part, but having done absoutely no damage to Kalistes. She left, which gives them a breather, but will also allow her to set herself up to better reduce their numbers.
In the meantime, I did realize that a particularly good use for 4-5 of her attacks is sundering excess magic weapons the group has accumulated through various personnel changes.
I'm a little bit anxious, because I know the party is overmatched to face a CR 12 creature or even 2 CR 10s, but a CR 17 could TPK them.
This fight is supposed to be more even, as I knew a marilith was pretty silly to throw agaisnt them, but that's really what's supposed to guard the crystal ring. So, I had a 10th level fighter and a beholder that would have assisted them had they investigated one of the torch-lit structures they passed. He's the commander of a Zhent patrol sent by magic to investigate the actions of a "rogue" mage who performed the ritual causing the pools of darkness adventure. Of course, he's actually more there to eliminate evidence of Fzoul's involvement and to assist the PCs in ending the quest.
But, it's frustrating not being able to find an encounter sweet-spot. |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2011 : 15:52:20
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So we're in the wrap process on this campaign. The majority of the group is still about to face Gothmenes within some portion of Moander's chest cavity. He cast banishment on 3 of the PCs sending them back to the prime material plane, but to who knows where?
They stumbled across a crazy old hermit within the corpse that directed them to Gothmenes. It turned out to be none other than Sylune Silverhand, who was able to transposition the amulet right out of Gothmene's possession. She handed it off to Kiavon and it's up to the group to escape more than slay Gothmenes.
However, I have a player out tonight, so I'll be running a session for the 3 PCs who got banished. They've, in fact, landed in Myth Drannor - where several Rakasahs are stealing life energy from a band of Purple Dragons with the intention of using it to re-awaken the slumbering Tyranthraxus.
And you see, I didn't think I was going to end up doing that part of the video game. |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2011 : 18:15:44
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Now, I had gotten some insight into the event in the video game in a response from Ed:
quote:
Hi again, all. I bring a lore reply from Ed of the Greenwood, in response to this, from Rhewtani: “So, there's a sidequest in Pools of Darkness, where Alusair is hunting Raksahas in Myth Drannor (in 1350). This is when she was 15. In Ed's view, how plausible is that scenario...? Could she have been sent with a retinue of Purple Dragons to do this sort of thing? Since in 7 more years she almost wedded off and then kidnapped by the Fire Knives, it sort of seems like she's goes down hill before becoming the steel regent.”
Ed replies:
Hi. Well, there’s plausible and then there’s plausible. Alusair was a VERY rebellious teen; what we saw of her in my KNIGHTS OF MYTH DRANNOR trilogy (in 1348 DR, when she was 13) was just the beginning of her really “busting out” into defying Vangerdahast, her father the king, and just about everyone else short of her mother Filfaeril (whom she avoided, so as to escape being given specific orders and prohibitions she might feel the need to break). Alusair is the ultimate “tomboy.” Reckless and foolhardy, yes, but unlike her older sister Tanalasta, who was largely sheltered from the world, Alusair really LEARNED about Cormyr and surrounding lands and “the way the world really is” (just as her father Azoun had done, with Vangerdahast, as seen briefly in CORMYR: A NOVEL). Remember: Tanalasta was the heir; Alusair was the “spare,” and was allowed to develop into a different sort of asset to the kingdom: a war-leader who soon romanced the younger sons of most of the noble houses, binding them to herself in a personal loyalty that largely overcame their parents’ traditional resistance to the royal house.
I would strongly disagree with a view that she went “down hill.” That’s like looking back on your worst teenaged mistakes and judging the course of your life from them and only them. She made blunders, yes, and endangered herself (and by extension, the realm), yes - - but Azoun did worse, and the great majority of his subjects LOVED him for it.
I believe that if you read the novel CRUSADE by James Lowder, you’ll form a somewhat different view of the young Alusair than you seem to hold.
The young Alusair could definitely have gone hunting in foreign lands, particularly wilderlands not governed by a strong rulership that is a rival of Cormyr, and would have been accompanied by as many Purple Dragons as the Highknights and War Wizards assigned to protect her hide could have managed to send along.
However, she wouldn’t have been “sent” on any such foray, and no, she wouldn’t have been allowed to go anywhere as risky and as politically sensitive as Myth Drannor at the time, much less hunt rakshasas. However, she might well have twisted an “allowed” expedition to see the dales (avoiding Archendale and places under Zhent influence, like Daggerdale and Voonlar) into such a foray, yes - - but that’s more “Alusair at 17 or 19” behaviour, rather than what her 15-year-old self would have dared.
And I’d be very careful about judging any of those two generations of royals except Azoun by what relatively little we have seen of them, thus far. It’s somewhat akin to trying to judge, say, JFK by seeing footage of two of his public speeches and then his assassination, without ever learning anything else (about his childhood, family background, schooling, the private character of the man that only his friends saw, etc.).
I hope this helps. Feel free to pose more queries about these Obarskyrs. The chances to tell their tales are slipping away, and they really are fascinating people.
I’ll slide in a little hint, here: you may read some more of Alusair’s utterances in print, fairly soon.
So saith Ed. Creator of the Realms, Cormyr, Azoun, Alusair, Tanalasta, Filfaeril, Vangerdahast, the War Wizards, the Highknights . . . and LOTS more, of course.
love to all,
THO
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2011 : 16:12:16
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So, I think I ran this session okay.
The three PCs appeared in midair, colliding with some trees. They took negligible damage and begun doing their best to sort out where they were. They settled on "a large forest, perhaps cormanthor or the high forest, hopefully not the high forest." They found some small ruins and set up camp.
On second watch, three knights (who obviously could not see in the dark) and one elven archer (female) stumbled into the camp. After a brief confrontation everyone settled down to talk. Apparently, this elf was a princess ... Nacacia, possibly of Evermeet. Her story wasn't quite up to snuff, but no one could trace it back correctly. Why was she using human guards? Do the Elves have a king? Why was she barefoot?
She convinced them to help her retrieve the remainder of her men, which the 3 knights with her were not keen on at all. The three agreed to help, and they followed her into the ruins of a great elven city. They found the corpses of two of the knights, both run through with javelins.
They were battleclash and discovered two cat-people attacking one knight who had holed up in a small structure. They managed to slay both of the cat-people after a prolonged battle, thanks to the elven wizard's proficiency at bypassing spell resistance and Ericon's skill with inflicting considerable damage by his bow. However, the lead knight, a "Sir Brinn" was slashing deeply across the neck and perished. One of the cat-people had tried to make a run for it with the ball during the fight, claiming that "Tyranthraxus would soon rise." He was the one carrying the balls.
They discovered that the cat-people were using small glass orbs to extricate some form of life essence out of the men they were killing. Rhystel destroyed both balls that were "full." The princess insisted that they return to the sewers, where they had been investigating and retrieve a black rod - "no more than 10 inches in length and 1 inch in diameter." They did so, but also chose to continue searching the sewers for more cat people.
They found a grate that led up into some sort of room, but discovered an illithid lurking in the shadows nearby. It levitated up and encouraged them to follow as it could lead them to the cat people. Arandir used his magic to teleport all of them up to the room above and found the illithid awkwardly perched just over the grate with his tentatcles out. It seemed obvious that he was likely to suck the brains out of the first person who would have tried to climb up.
The illithid reacted with some sort of mind blast stunning all but the princess and Rhystel. Rhystel was fighting it effectively, but backed up to use his bow as the princess came in. Once the the illithid latched a tentacle onto her head, however, she screamed - panicked, and broke the rod.
Six seconds later a rift opened in the air, even as Rhystel was finishing the creature. Within a minute the room was filled with 10 knights and four wizards, swords and wands out, the princess was behind them and orders were being barked for the group to lower their weapons. Ericon, coming out of his daze, handed his bow to Rhystel (who then put it down), picked up his spear, and began stabbing the illithid. No one objected.
Within an additional minute, a portly wizard with greased black hair and wrinkled robes came through the portal, demanding to know what was going on. He grumpily accused the party of dragging a young girl into the most dangerous ruins in all of Faerun. He was not placated by Airindir's claim that "she drug us here." He, annoyed, admitted they would probably be rewarded for all of this, nonetheless. The group maintained that they should stay here and deal with the threat of Tyranthraxus. The mage, however, convinced them to leave that to people who could adequately handle such things and that it would be taken care of. Everyone went through the portal. Once there, the wizard cast a spell and returned the elven princess to her proper appearance, a fiery haired fifteen year old girl.
The three were placed in a room, that was guarded, but in no way reminisceent of a cell. They were fed and given drink before they were taken to see the king. An attractive, dark haired man, with a distinctive nose; the king was nothing but kind to them. The mage, who by the king's references to him, was the Court Wizard Vangerdahast, also attended. The King welcomed them to rise (only Ericon had actually remembered to kneel) for "today I count all of you as friends for protecting my daughter."
The three spoke of their wish to return to the fight their friends were enduring, but Vangerdahast dismissed this notion. "In all likeliehood the battle your friends are engaged in is long past. Time moves strangely in the astral sea." As such, the king assured them they would be properly rewarded and provided with passage to the city of their choosing. Ericon, anxious to see his wife, chose Hulburg. Discussion took place as to whether or not Hulburg was really where he meant, the city having been destroyed three years ago by the Zhentarrim army.
Vangerdahast ended the discussion with, "Well, it is on the maps, so fine." Once they were dismissed from their audience with the virile king, they were given a chance to rest and wait on their reward. Vangerdahast brought them each a bag of 8,000 gold lions, a ring of brief blessing for each of them, and informed them that the vessel they would be taking would be leaving in less than three hours. He informed them that they should stow their weapons as they are without charter and should avoid looking nobles in the eye. He seemed quite hurried in his desire to be rid of them.
Rhystel hoped to find somewhere he could trade for items of magic, while Ericon decided to refill his quivers before the ship departed. From there, it was simply a matter of the sea voyage to Hulburg. |
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Pools of Darkness
