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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 04:08:42
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Okay, for anyone that might have read my campaign journal, you know that I ended my last campaign very dramatically, but rather harshly, for my player that was running the cleric of Helm. To summarize, at the end of the campaign he had to choose between tracking down his betrothed, stolen by Malaugrym that the PCs just happened to uncover just before the cleric's wedding, and his betrothed sister, kidnapped by Xvim's mother to trade for her grandchild, Xvim's daughter. He went after the sister, leaving his betrothed to a rival (but allied and friendly) adventuring company to save.
Long story short, his lady love was killed by raging dragons while the adventurers tracked the Malaugrym, even though they managed to save the sister and defeat Xvim's Mother. The cleric went on to build his little church in the Beast Country of Mistledale, which saved the folk of Pelden's Helm when the demon hordes of the Daemonfey attacked Mistledale.
Okay, after that set up, my friend, who moved away, is coming home for a few days, so we can essentially play one fairly long, single day session. I'm thinking of trying to come up with a several hour, memorable adventure for him and our group to play through. I'm thinking of giving him back his happy ending . . . sort of.
I'm thinking of flashing forward to the Spring of 1375 DR, and having the old adventuring company called into to serve as the usual bodyguards of Haresk Malorn in an emergency Dalelands Council meeting where the Dalesmen will be discussing the return of the elves with representitives of the elves, including Luvon Greencloak, the newly reinstated ambassador of Myth Drannor's elves.
Before they leave, a friend of the party's old chronomancer friend/adversary will drop off a Nykkaran globe to Meriden, which he can use to take away memories and feelings, though they will caution him to be careful, because placing too many memories or feelings in the globe may cause him to forget years of his life.
On the way to the Dales council, the PCs and Haresk will be attacked by Nerra, and eventually by their "leader," a wizard that is actually Naurvintha (the betrothed). The Naurvintha devoured by the raging dragons was a maulagrym, and Naurvintha was taken to the plane of Shadows to be wooed by a Maulagrym that had fallen for her, and also wanted her to serve as a trained, undetectable assasin. When she apparently died, this part of the plan failed, but he still went on with the rest of his plan, training her and turning her against her father and her betrothed.
The malaugrym allied with the nerra to have Naurvintha live in a "mirror universe" where Meriden (her intended husband) had moved on with his life with another woman and hardly thought about her, and the longer she dwelled in this mirror universe, the more corrupt she became.
Long story short, if the PCs defeat her, the malaugrym that arranged for her capture arrives, frustrated that his apprentice failed, but gloating over his plan. He never could get her to accept his affection, which caused him to fixate on wanting to destroy Meriden.
In the end, Naurvintha will be repentant, but will be broken because she is too corrupted to go back to her old life. If the PCs think about it, they can store her bad experiences in the Nykkaran globe. She will have stored so much in the globe that she remembers little, and isn't ready to marry Meriden yet, but she will be healing and better able to integrate what has happened to her.
So what do you think? Can I pull it off without too much pushing? Is it too much of a turnaround? Give me some thoughts if you care too, and thanks.
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1419 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 04:16:02
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I think you might make the redemption a little less artificial and esoteric.
He is a holy man of Helm, give a miracle dude. The god owes him so favors.
Otherwise, quite good.
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Charles Phipps on 10 Jan 2007 04:18:59 |
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 10:40:25
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quote:
Before they leave, a friend of the party's old chronomancer friend/adversary will drop off a Nykkaran globe to Meriden, which he can use to take away memories and feelings, though they will caution him to be careful, because placing too many memories or feelings in the globe may cause him to forget years of his life.
Quite good, but I would try to include globe by some other means. Otherwise it seems too much a lead already to use it, IMO at least.
Good luck though and enjoy the game!  |
"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
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Kaladorm
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1176 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 13:52:31
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Wow I love this idea. Giving him the globe to store his memories etc implies it's for him to use to forget his pain at his loss. To find out that he can actually use it to save his betrothed is a really sweet twist. One I've seen used before somewhere but I can't remember, I like it!  |
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WalkerNinja
Senior Scribe
USA
573 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 16:06:36
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| I think that were I in your shoes, I would have had Meriden acquire the globe shortly after his betrothed "died," intending to use it on himself. Helm has sent him visions commanding him to neither use it, nor lose it. It is destined for another, and he is charged to guard it until that time. This has created a great deal of mental distress for Meriden seeing an opportunity to save himself his pain, but being stopped from doing so. This sort of hearken's to Hamlet "Why has the lord set his will against self-slaughter?" In the end his faith is strengthened, and his love regained. |
*** A Forgotten Realms Addict since 1990 ***
Treasures of the Past, a Second Edition Play-by-Post game for and by Candlekeep Sages--http://www.rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=52011 |
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Snotlord
Senior Scribe
Norway
476 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 16:12:22
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
I'm thinking of giving him back his happy ending . . . sort of.
Good idea, if that is what you want to do. Remember that sad endings sometimes are more memorable. I once had this tortured cleric who's wife commited suicide to keep her husband faithful to his god. Long story.
The player was upset, but in the end the players decided to not change it since the ending was appropriate in its own twisted way. That story still come up every now and again, more than 10 years after. |
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Reversing An Unhappy Ending (Advice on One Shot)
