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Pitiless_One
Acolyte
USA
7 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Jul 2020 : 02:44:25
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Warning: Potential Spoilers for Dreams of the Red Wizards Adventurer's League path, Red Wizards: Window to the Past, and Troy Denning's 'The Sentinel"
I am currently running a 5e game set around the Sea of Fallen Stars in 1493 DR. It combines my own ideas with some of the Dreams of the Red Wizards Adventurer's League content. I generally use a three main antagonist rule with goals slightly at odds with each other so that my players choices matter more as they interact with the world.
A few weeks ago doing research here on the forum, I discovered that the basic concepts that I have been using for seven months were already established through a 4e Living Forgotten Realms Epic adventure series, and so I started harvesting it for more content.
1. Cult of the Dragon
Aurgloroasa has taken control of the Cult of the Dragon in the Western Sea of Fallen Stars region, taking a cue from the Zhentarim and rebranding themselves as revolutionaries against the growing authoritarianism of the Purple Wizards and Cormyr in general. Main goal is to locate the Lost Temple to Chronepsis near Hilp to resurrect Sammaster into the undead dragon that guards the temple and unite as the Chosen of both aspects of Null.
2. Shade Empire
The remnants of the Shade Empire want their revenge on Cormyr. They are working with followers of Shar's allies like Talona and Cyric while they transport an army through the Shadowfell towards Suzail. Their primary goal is to use the power of some of the Chosen to pull the city into the Shadowfell, much like Elturel.
3. Red Wizards
The Red Wizards recently uncovered a Netherese laboratory in the glacier near Mulmaster while aiding in its recovery. They have been using the knowledge and power within to ramp up their magic item creation and reestablish political affiliations through trade. They are allied with both groups will probably betray them in the end, helping the Shade find and capture Chosen in exchange for the Vaults beneath the Royal Palace in Suzail, and helping the Cult of the Dragon locate the Lost Temple to try and take the power from under them. Locating the Temple is the background reason for the Assault on Myth Nantar, among other reasons. Ultimately, even if they fail, the Red Wizards are happy with any destabilization of Cormyr.
Current Situation
The 6th level party has been trying to regroup with an NPC ally named Nadim they left behind in Suzail while they went on a short side quest to the Feywild that took six weeks based on some bad time dilation rolls. Part of getting the group together initially involved Nadim. He is 15 years old and an ambassador representing the Weavepasha of Almraiven who came to Cormyr to request political assistance and lean on his heritage to do so. Through the first Tier arc dealing with Talona and Dawngleam and introducing the other factions, it was revealed that Nadim is the son of Malik el Sami yn Nasser and the lost bloodline of Myrmeen Lhal.
The assistance Nadim asked for in the Royal Court was recognition of his bloodline, establishment of wood trade to Calimshan, and assistance in locating the new Chosen of Illmater (Kieren from Dead in Thay). Shortly before their departure to the Feywild, they learned the basic story of the fate of Malik as told in Troy Denning's 'The Sentinel," told from the perspective of Kleef Kenric and Arietta Seasilver.
With the party gone for who knew how long, Nadim furthered his own agenda in Suzail and then left to find his father at Sadrach's Splinter. However, he was known to be the child of one of the Chosen through his announcement in Court and was therefore followed hoping to lead to one of the two Chosen previously mentioned.
The party returned, cleared some things up in Suzail and quickly left after him. They tracked him through allies to Alaghon, Turmish, where he had hired a ship to take him to the rebuild port town of Arrabar, near Sespech. The party used Sending spells to talk to him a few times but lost him after he reported he was being followed on his way into Ormpetarr.
Now they have arrived to investigate, met Tyrangal (alive, but an amputee) who helped them Scry for Nadim. They found him in Stasis being transported to a ruin deep in the Plaguewrought lands by members of the Order of Blue Flame, and now the party is heading out to stop them through the slowly recovering landscape.
Cyric and The Order
The way I figure, the Order wants to bring the Spellplague back and plan on using the Aasimar son of a Chosen to bring it back in a ritual given to them by followers of Cyric who have joined their ranks. The Accordant of the Blue Flame have been distraught and troubled after the Second Sundering and these Cyricists have convinced them that ultimately Cyric was responsible for the Spellplague by murdering Mystra, and that when he did, he took the portfolio of Magic from her and that's what made it so divine and special, a gift from the only true God among the pantheon. Based on some theories, parts of this could be true but regardless it is enough to convince the Blue Flame to try.
On a side note, I think there could be some interesting intrigue to the recently completed monastery to Kelemvor in the city whose only purpose now is helping to lay to rest the lost souls warped by the Spellplague which still roam the blasted regions to the South.
Ideally, he party goes to save Nadim who is being used to channel power. I intend it to foreshadow the way that the different factions plan to use the Chosen. The encounter will be on a timer with environmental effects of a Chaotic Magical Plaguewarping Storm.
Cyric's Plan
I wanted this to be very abstract and convoluted with a good payout to fit Cyric.
The only loophole that AO left to exploit regarding Cyric's 1000 year imprisonment is the ability to manifest and administer to his followers. I am using Troy Denning's novel as a guide for how this normally happens. Furthermore, the followers of Cyric want to release him from his prison which set up the situation.
The ritual is using Nadim for a reason as part of Cyric's plan. The spellwork fails in bringing back the Spellplague fails when the Cyricists turn on the members of the Blue Flame and subvert the spellwork to try and bring Cyric back, but Cyric doesn't really care if they succeed. The entire point was just to get Nadim here and suffering with enough energy for him to pull off a little theater.
Cyric manifests to Nadim and offers to help him find his most devoted servant, Malik, who loves him more than his own son. The party is there for a reason too, and after some monologues and cryptic answers Cyric transports everyone to Sadrach's Splinter where they find Malik chained to the walls, alive but in very bad shape. Cyric gives Nadim one of Malik's black blades and tortures Malik with his convincing speech to Nadim about all the reasons he should kill his father, all the reasons to kill him out of hatred for the abandonment and horrible things he has done and all the reasons to kill him out of mercy and love and pity in equal measure.
The party can try to convince Nadim one way or the other without physically interfering. Either Nadim kills Malik and becomes Cyric's new plaything or refuses and Cyric orders Malik to kill his son, torturing Malik in horrible ways yet again regardless of the outcome.
The party has lots of latitude and opportunity to change the course of events, but this is the plan.
- The next phase of the campaign is most likely going to take them back to Sea of Fallen Stars by way of the Chondalwood (one of the party is a Ghostwise Knowledge Cleric of Urogalan from the region), and hopefully begin the next arc with the Pirate Isles and the Red Wizards.
Questions
Does this fit the personality and hit the right themes? Why or why not?
What are some must haves in regard to Cyric's monologue and overall manipulation?
Is this at least mostly plausible from canon?
Other than to piss of the other deities and cause distractions, why does Shar want or need Cyric to be a little less restricted?
Where do Kelemvor's Doomguides come in to the equation?
What does Cyric want Malik or Nadim to do next?
They kill some bad guys and probably end some pitiful undead and maybe a Myrkulite at Sadrach's Splinter, but what kind of rewards or events should I consider so the story line doesn't feel so depressing?
Am I missing or overlooking anything that needs to be addressed?
Thanks for all your Wisdom.
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When an animal looks up at the night sky, what does it see? Thousands and thousands of tiny points. Then a man looks up at the same points and sees millions of stars. Galaxies, within which are billions of planets.
Do you want to know what I see? Were you there, when I created the stars?
No.
Space? Time?
No!
But still, you think you deserve understanding. |
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Help: Shar, Cyric, and the Order of Blue Flame
