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Gary Dallison
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United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 06 Mar 2015 :  12:55:51  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hadnt thought much about the elves up to this point. Although i will have to have a look.

My initial thoughts are that Synnorria becomes an unintentional refuge for elves from mainland Faerun that are engaging in the Retreat. The magic of the place is such that those arriving on their way to Evermeet are often unwilling to leave and so what may have started as a gold elf realm is now a mix of many elven sub races.

Of course for me Synnorria is in massive decline due to the magic influencing them (Kamerynn) and that is why they have ignored the Retreat and their population has declined to the point that there are less than a few hundred elves living there.





As for Unkoldivvern. There is nothing innately magical or special about the fungi or oozes, it is merely a byproduct of the Rockfire disaster.

The heat from the magma and steam would have obliterated all multicellular organisms in the cavern system and then the sulphur and other fumes would have finished off anything the magma didnt kill.

That leaves single celled organisms to thrive in a hot, humid, sulphur rich environment filled with dead bodies. What i remember of biology that is pretty good conditions for moulds. I figure in DnD world the oozes and moulds would do pretty well digesting the dead and anything else that happens to wander into the caverns later.

So there are lots of oozy dangers in that one particular cavern being tended by the drow and maybe a few have achieved a form of sentience and motility thanks to the efforts of the drow or the favour of a deity or through magical evolution (perhaps leakage of energy from the earthmother).

I'm picturing lakes of green slime that is resistant to fire. patches of mould that creep slowly towards anything living. Oozes that squelch along the ceiling and walls waiting for organic material to pass nearby (so they can clean up), and patches of mould or fungus growing on the floor and buildings that sends up clouds of flesh eating spores whenever something passes nearby or disturbs it. And then in the middle of it all a building filled with drow, worshipping ghaunadaur, and shepherding the gooey things to do their bidding.




At the moment i'm working on finishing the lineages of Corwell, Snowdown, Moray, and Oman's Isle for Issue 8. Really makes you appreciate the hard work the realms guru's put in when they come up with a lineage dating back 1000 years.

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BenN
Senior Scribe

Japan
382 Posts

Posted - 06 Mar 2015 :  22:59:34  Show Profile Send BenN a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I am using the Llewyrr elves as a central feature of a story line that I'm developing, building on the lore of the Moonshae novels and Brian R James' Realmslore: Sarifal, (although emphatically excluding the most recent novel Rose of Sarifal). So I have quite a bit to add on the subject. More soon.

Edited by - BenN on 06 Mar 2015 23:00:12
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Gary Dallison
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United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 07 Mar 2015 :  09:24:57  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
well please share your ideas. Im always looking for new ideas to steal, er I mean weave into the lore of the area.

I have to admit I tend to sideline the demihuman races in favour of the humans but thankfully that is supposed to happen in the moonshaes

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Gary Dallison
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United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 08 Mar 2015 :  18:59:19  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Decided on using the Banshrae to reintroduce one of the old kings of the ffolk (i.e. one that is dead but of course gets brought back to unlife).

I'm thinking this could be a sort of tragic "organisation", although really they are just a group of people brought together by common circumstance (them all being formerly dead and cursed with unlife).

The king can of course be the holder of an important artefact for the campaign.

Best of all I can use these guys as good guys at the start and gradually turn them towards bad guys as they come more and more under kazgoroths control.

So the smart ones know they are doomed to be evil and so organise the others to try and do as much good as they can

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BenN
Senior Scribe

Japan
382 Posts

Posted - 09 Mar 2015 :  08:57:03  Show Profile Send BenN a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal

well please share your ideas.

My campaign/storyline is set in the 5e present, and pretty much adheres to canon (although basically pretending that The Rose of Sarifal doesn't exist). For clarity's sake 'Eladrin' refers to the pre-4e beings.

I'll fill in some more soon, but here are some of my notes so far:

1) Current locations
- Primarily Chrysalis and the valley of Synnoria, but more than 1,500 of the Llewyrr live and work in Karador, mostly servants or guards in the service of the LeShay and eladrin nobility.

2) Current population
- Just over 5,000 Llewyrr elves, and 400 Thy-Tach wood elves. The latter are the survivors & descendants of the wood elf tribe stranded in Gwynneth following the Elfeater's attack on Synnoria, which destroyed the Fey-Alamtine gate that they'd been planning to use to migrate to Evermeet.

3) Society
- Organized into clan groups of 100-200 individuals. Communal living, shared tasks, some activities emphasized in particular clans (according to traditional specialization). Think: elven version of Israeli kibbutz.

- Limited intermingling with Thy-Tach clan. Many Llewyrr think themselves superior to the relatively primitive wood elves. For their part, the Thy-Tach do not appreciate the patronising tone of some of their Llewyrr 'benefactors'.

- Pregnancy is rare; male babies are especially rare (females make up more than 70% of the population). The long-term population decline is becoming an existential crisis for the Llewyrr, given their losses in the war against the Unseelie. Much to the horror of the more traditional elders amongst the Llewyrr, some of the younger female elves have taken to sharing the more fertile of the male clan members, as a response to the fertility problem.

- Many Llewyrr are vegetarian, but not all. Some Llewyrr eat fish, and some even embrace the meat-eating ways of their Thy-Tach cousins.

- Many Llewyrr work as servants or guards in Karador, in service to the noble eladrin of the LeShay court. They are treated very much as a servant class by the nobility.

- Contact with the outside world (for both diplomacy and trade) is maintained via a small halfling fishing village on the eastern coast of Gwynneth, set in a sheltered bay with a small island in the middle. The halfling merchants provide goods and materials from Callidyrr and the mainland of Faerun. The Llewyrr provide security in return. Visiting (human) ships are not permitted to berth at the village; they must use the anchorage adjacent to the small island in the bay (think: foreigners restricted to Dejima Island in Nagasaki Bay, in 17th century Japan). The island is managed primarily by halflings, along with semi-permanent human staff, as well as a very few enterprising (and broad-minded) Llewyrr elves.

4) Government & military
- When the LeShay and noble eladrin returned from the Feywild and took over Gwynneth, Serene Matriarch Ate'Niah looked on with dismay at the conflict with the Ffolk. However, she felt that her people had no choice but to swear allegiance and offer fealty to the LeShay and their noble eladrin courtiers.

- The eldest of Ate'Niah's two daughters has thrown in her lot with the noble eladrin, wedding a lord of Karador. Her younger sister, however, chafes at the LeShay/eladrin domination of the Llewyrr, and leads a quiet passive resistance to their rule, all the while serving as a leader in the Sisters of Synnoria.

- The military forces of Synnoria have been pressed into the service of the LeShay, in the war against the Unseelie Court, in patrolling the lands of Sarifal, and in providing security as guards in Karador itself. Many feel that they are being used as 'spear-fodder' in the battle of attrition against the Dark Fey and their allies.

- The Llewyrr military consist of two main units: the Sisters of Synnoria and the Militia.

- The Sisters of Synnoria are primarily mounted knights, armored with platemail or elven chain hauberks, and armed with lances, longswords an composite short bows. They include a number of clerics and fighter-mages in their ranks, to provide healing and both offensive and defensive magic.

- Augmenting the Sisters of Synnoria are a number of small teams of female Llewyrr fighter/mages or ranger/mages, and male & female Thy-Tach rangers and ranger/druids, in the role of skirmishers, long-range scouts & information gatherers, and snipers.

- A typical Synnorian patrol will consist of 14-16 Sister Knights, 1-2 clerics, 1-2 fighter/mages, and 2-4 scout-rangers, for a total combined strength of up to 24 troops.

- Total strength of Synnorian forces is approximately 250. Militia is just over 1,000.

- The Llewyrr Militia are part-time reserve troops, drawn from the general population, primarily consisting of the older elves, and youngsters still in training. Their main role is in providing guard duty in Synnoria and Karador. Increasingly, with the mounting losses amongst the Sisters, the more capable individuals of the Militia have been drafted in as battle-casualty replacements, much to the dismay of the veterans. The Militia consists of both male and female Llewyrr, but only females have been drafted to front-line units (so far).

5) Conflicts
- War vs. the Unseelie Court & Shadovar allies.
- LeShay/noble eladrin loyalists vs. nascent rebels opposed to the established order.
- Conflict vs. human raiders (Northmen and pirates)
- Isolationists vs. those who are curious about the outside world (including those who see the outside world as the only salvation of the Llewyrr from subjugation & extinction).
- Earthmother-worshipping traditionalists vs. followers of the Seldarine.
- Traditional, insular & highly-cultured superior Llewyrr vs. the simple, wild & free feral wood elves of the Thy-Tach.
- Traditionalists vs. the communal system.
- Vegetarians vs. fish/meat-eaters.


More coming soon!

Edited by - BenN on 09 Mar 2015 08:58:47
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 10 Mar 2015 :  15:07:17  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well issue 8 of forgotten realms alternate dimensions is out featuring a number of articles based on the reinvention of the Moonshaes i have begun in this thread.

In a few months time i will finish the sourcebook i'm rewriting for the Moonshaes and that will be issue 9.


I like some of the ideas for the llewyrr. I even mentioned the low numbers of males born. Although i wont be including anything novel related as it stands so the Alamtine Triangle is out, as is Ityak Ortheel.

I hope to hear more ideas soon, and i'll be adding some more of my own. I'm working on the lineages of Snowdown and Moray at the moment (Corwell, Norland, Oman's Isle, and Korinn Archipelago are done already).


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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2015 :  20:44:45  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Starting to flesh out Issue 9, doing each realm in its own article like a mix of the 3e campaign setting details of a nation crossed with the 2e write-ups of a city (so it includes Life and Society, Government, Military, Important Sites, Important History, Timeline, Religion, Plots and Rumours, Important NPCs, Important Organisations, Important Items).

Callidyrr is finished.

Moray is almost entirely done with a nearly full lineage. Come up with a druidic artefact, a nasty near invincible fomorian bad guy, a near civil war, and a few other things that I hope make Moray the rugged war like celtic area I'm trying to make it.


The Splintered Sword of Aidyn: This unassuming magical item appears as a mock wooden longsword not unlike those used by novices practicing swordplay, although this one looks like it was made by a child with no idea of balance or how a real sword is constructed.
It was made long ago by the druids of the Ring of Moray at the bequest of Queen Adayr for her husband King Caylean in 262 DR who’s family was plagued by near annual visits from a monstrous giant that later came to be known as the Scaerandaga and who was famed for killing the kings of the Kimball Dynasty. Hoping for a weapon of power, King Caylean was more than disappointed at the child’s toy he was gifted and he discarded it out of the window of Caer Moray.
Years later in 283 DR it was picked up by King Tormyd Kimball; who had grown tired of he and his kin being stalked by the Scaerandaga, he drew it against the Scaerandaga and became the first person on Moray to deal any damage against the monster when a splinter from the sword pricked its thick hide and drew a single drop of blood which was instantly absorbed into the wooden blade.
Two years later during the worst snow storms in Moray’s history, the Scaerandaga appeared once more and dragged the sickly King Aidyn out of his halls and off into the blizzard. The thin and weak king managed to wriggle free of the monster’s grip and armed only with the wooden sword he stood ready to fight the monster.
To his surprise the ice hardened blade cut the Scaerandaga deep, its blood flowed freely as the king leapt into battle with a flurry of blows only possible with such a light sword. Within moments the monster lay in a bloody and dismembered heap on the banks of Lac Moray and King Aidyn was victorious.
Years later the Splintered Sword of Aidyn was presumed to have been used in bringing about the death of Shannyth the River Queen, although none were able to witness or verify it because the only survivor of that encounter; King Tadhg Kimball, fled into the wilderness immediately afterwards never to be seen again.
The sword is a surprisingly effective weapon, deceptively so for its appearance. When first touched by a creature it draws a single drop of blood with a freshly formed splinter that can prick the thickest hide. The next time the blade is drawn against that foe it becomes the deadliest weapon against that singular enemy no matter its resistances or immunities.
Once the sword becomes attuned to a foe it becomes a +5 bane weapon against that individual but only after a period of 1d100 days after its initial encounter (and splintering).
It draws the blood into itself and as a result contains blood from the Kimball Dynasty as well as the Scaerandaga and Shannyth the River Queen. As such it is highly prized by those rare practitioners of Bloodline Magic.


The Scaerandaga: Down the centuries there have been repeated sightings of a lone twisted fomorian like creature of immense size in the wild places of Moray. Sages recall the name Scaerandaga as a monstrous fomorian creature that plagued the people of Moray in ages past and that either he survived the battle with King Aidyn or his descendants live to wreak havoc.
The most learned of sages surmise that this monstrous fomorian was actually a firbolg before it was twisted by the Touch of Kazgoroth and succumbed to the body morphing rage it induced. Furthermore this firbolg must have been related to the Titan Grond Peaksmasher who once ruled a firbolg empire in the Moonshaes and like the other Titans of legend may have sired children that would become the nobility of the empire. The death of its kin likely spurred this creature to pursue a vendetta against the Kimball Dynasty.
However there have never been any reports of the Scaerandaga attacking ffolk which lead to some to postulate that this being may be something else entirely.
Nymphomaniacs: The sprites and nymphs that flit up and down the Shannyth river valley have in recent decades become more and more malevolent, and instead of playing random pranks on unsuspecting ffolk they have turned to outright aggression when encountered.
Worse still the Ring of Moray has suspicions that these fey creatures are behind a rise in the frequency and targeting of humanoid attacks (particularly orcs) against ffolk living along the Breasal Marsh.
Could it be that Shannyth has returned to incite her children to battle against the ffolk that caused her insanity and death.


623 DR to 659 DR: The Usurper Wars: King Manays Kimball was taken captive by northmen in 582 DR. He spent many years with them and his strength of arms and skill in battle earned him a place among their society. When High King Embro II of Callidyrr arranged an alliance with the Konungr of Norland, he recognised King Manays among the honour guard and innocently asked that he be released from service to return home.
King Manays was welcomed home and the current King Corran Kimball (descended from Manays’ uncle) stepped aside to allow Manays to continue his reign.
However none of the Lairds of Moray recognised the northmen children of Manays as heirs to the throne and so were shocked when Manays named his son king on his deathbed. The usurper kings; as the northmen descendants of Manays were known, fled south to Cantrev Horst and occupied it with northmen mercenaries provided at cheap rates.
Gradually the usurper kings occupied more and more of Moray until the usurper King Beldred was at the gates of Caer Moray in 659 DR. It was then that the northmen of Norland played their hand and led their own invasion hoping to easily conquer the divided ffolk.
The two kings of Moray joined forces and beat back the northmen but at great cost in life to the ffolk and the royal family. Beldred was made the Laird of Horst and the descendants of House Beldred have ruled there ever since.

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Baltas
Senior Scribe

Poland
955 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2015 :  12:35:53  Show Profile Send Baltas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Also, I'm bit late to the party with this, but I discussed with sleyvas in [2e] Monster Mythology Update Project, that maybe the Stormstar, is part/shard of the Black Gem, that Talos used to get power over Auril/The Queen of Air and Darkness.
Getting to the point, I think that possibly the mirror that Talos used to fully corrupt, and take control of Deirdre Kendrick, could be designed by Talos as a sort of lesser version of Tharizdun's black gem. The mirror and black gem, worked pretty similary, when you think about it.
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Gary Dallison
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United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2015 :  12:50:03  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Having not read the novels i didnt even know there was a mirror used to corrupt people.

I've removed the deific involvement from the Moonshaes almost completely and it is now entirely in the hands of cultists. I can use the idea of a corrupting mirror, but such a thing seems entirely against Talos' modus operandi which to me is all about chaos and destruction, not subterfuge and manipulation.

I like the idea of something being used to bring people under fey influence though (subtly so) and it might be useful in Snowdown which i am working on next. I'm thinking of linking it to Mal Sul and Landdrain in a particular way that results in angry fey.

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Baltas
Senior Scribe

Poland
955 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2015 :  12:58:16  Show Profile Send Baltas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, Talos has shown the ability to plan to plan in advance. And after all, a terrorist that sneaks a bomb, or a psychopath who became an important military or political leader, by hiding his destructive, homicidal urges, will cause the greatest amount of destruction.

Also, Talos' avatar, that seduced, and corrupted Deirdre, Coss-Axell-Siniot, can be made into into just the cult leader for Talos. The mirror could be somehow made from another shard of the black gem, that was hidden on Moonshae isles, maybe by Leshay, so that it wouldn't corrupt anything more. The Talos cultist, could unearth it, and melt it down into the glass in the mirror.

Also, much info about Deirdre, is in the Villains Lorebook.

Edited by - Baltas on 30 Mar 2015 13:01:17
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2015 :  13:46:10  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ooh, i like Coss-Axell-Siniot as a name, he can be a cultist of Talos. Havent got any of the Kendricks beyond Tristan though so that storyline can stay with the novels.

I'm definitely going to have the "mirror" in Snowdown, but its going to be more fey in origin (and not an actual mirror). I doubt it will have anything to do with Talos, but i might link it to a few extended slumbers in Callidyrr.

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Gary Dallison
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United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2015 :  19:49:11  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
So I'm thinking that in the distant past of Snowdown we have Lac Sule, Harleoch's Ridge and Mallandroven's Ridge (they correspond to Mal Sul, the mountain ridge near Harloch, and Andover Heights).

Each of these three landmarks are ruled by powerful fey that form a triumvirate of three rulers that own the island.

The King of Snowdown builds a road through the middle and slowly causes the draining of Lac Sul which flows down the valley into Harloch.

Cue the slow death of Sule (some kind of powerful water nymph/witch with the power to beguile). Then begins a war between the twin courts of Harleoch and Mallandroven and the people of Snowdown resulting in the death of Mallandroven at Maloren Sods.

I think the waters of Lac/Mal Sul can possess beguiling/far sight powers and perhaps I might have it stolen and put into a mirror of sorts for later.

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Gary Dallison
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United Kingdom
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Posted - 31 Mar 2015 :  16:39:04  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
A few ideas for the early history of Snowdown.


- 214 DR: King Erwan Kincaid begins construction of the Snowdown Ride from Cantrev Eastphal to Cantrev Westphal.
- 224 DR Year of the Flaming Forests: Construction of the Snowdown Ride is completed, following the borders of Lac Sule and the Aition Forest (Modern: Andover Wood, the forested region east of Andover Heights).
- 229 DR Year of the Black Flame: Weaknesses in the valley wall containing Lac Sule (weaknesses caused by the building of the Snowdown Ride) rupture and cause the waters of the lake to trickle down the road causing the formation of a small body of water near modern day Harloch. The eastern half of Aition Forest begins flooding as its low land depression forms the body of water that becomes known as Harleogh’s Loch.
- 279 DR: The draining of Lac Sule is complete and in its place lies the much smaller bodies of water now known as Mal Sul and Mal Fearghal. Cantrev Eastphal begins to experience droughts of increasing severity now that Lac Sule is diminished and its streams flowing down past the settlement begin to dry
- 284 DR Year of Fallen Flagons: The King of Snowdown abandons Cantrev Eastphal as the streams feeding the settlement dry up and moves his capital to Cantrev Westphal. Cantrev Eastphal gradually becomes known as Cantrev Llandrain.
- 290 DR Year of the Full Cribs: Cantrev Andover and Cantrev Westphal suffer increasing disappearances.
- 309 DR Year of the Cascade: Cantrev Westphal finds increasing difficulty in gathering wood from the remains of Aition Forest as its loggers come under attack from vicious wildlife and murderous dryads in every tree. The loggers report the middle eastern half of the forest appears to be tearing itself apart as boar, cattle, and other wildlife; many of them escaped from ffolk farmers, are stripping the foliage bare while the trees appear to be strangling the animals with branches and roots and pulling them down into the sodden and rotting ground. The Ring of Snowdown is perplexed by the disturbance and all emissaries sent to the courts of Mallandowyr and Harleogh return battered and bloodied.
- 316 DR Year of the Vibrant Land: The ffolk of Snowdown outside the safety of the walls of its various cantrevs find themselves under siege by roaming bands of boar, cattle, sheep, and even rodents that attack all humans on sight in a murderous frenzy.
- The rotting trees of the eastern half of Aition Forest animate themselves and the rotting, half dead flora move closer day by day to human settlements. Those venturing beneath their boughs at night are found hanging from the branches in the morning.
- The King of Snowdown after consulting the Ring of Snowdown without success travels to Callidyrr seeking an audience with the wizard Flamsterd.
- 317 DR Year of the Riven Shield: Flamsterd divines the nature of the conflict spreading across Snowdown. The fey creature known as Sule has been driven mad by her displacement into Harleogh’s Loch, the absence of her guidance has caused the conflict between Mallandowyr and Harleogh to escalate wildly.
- 318 DR: Upon his return to Snowdown, the king calls for a man of valour to brave the dangers of Harleogh’s Loch, capture the Pixie Queen known as Sule and return her to her home in Mal Sul.
- 319 DR Year of the Unforgotten Fire: The Pixie Queen Sule is returned to Mal Sul and order is restored in Snowdown. In his honour the twin body of water north of Mal Sul is named Mal Fearghal. The
- 320 DR: Ffolk begin to settle in the recently cleared lands around modern day Cantrev Brannoch and Cantrev Pengram. The lands where cleared by large numbers of trees uprooting themselves and moving, as well as wildlife killing standing trees by stripping the bark bare, and finally by opportunistic ffolk that used the madness to increase logging activity while the fey were unable to coordinate a defence of the forest.
- 343 DR Year of the Fraying Binds: A number of bedraggled and sodden humanoid creatures emerge from the sea onto the coast around Brannoch, the monsters set about attacking anyone nearby and slay 13 people before the Laird and his men arrive to slay them. The remains are identified as belonging to the drathak; minions of Kazgoroth, and the bodies are dragged into the Aition Forest where they are dumped rather unceremoniously in a shallow grave.
- 344 DR Year of the Loom: One of the soldiers that attacked the drathak around Brannoch a few months earlier dies suddenly before reanimating as a drathak and slaying his Laird. His body is burned to ensure it does not reanimate or infect anyone else.
- 345 DR: The trees around Brannoch begin to turn black and diseased.
- 422 DR Year of the Murderous Mire: The decayed forest around Brannoch disgorges a number of rotting beasts that swarm the ffolk of Cantrev Brannoch spreading disease and death.
- 427 DR Year of the Violet Fungi: The being known as Harleogh is seen (and heard) wandering beneath the rotten boughs near Cantrev Brannoch. All venturing near the trees disappear never to be seen again.
- 435 DR Year of the Willing Sacrifice: Almost half of the remaining trees of Aition Forest (which by that time extended only as far south as Cantrev Westphal) uproot themselves and move across the plains of southern Snowdown; suspended on their roots acting as tiny feet, before surrounding the blackened forest near Cantrev Brannoch. Onlookers swear sighting the rotund Mallandowyr marching amid the trees.
- After only a few short weeks the newly planted trees blacken and rot before collapsing into the ground and forming a large peat bog.
- 440 DR Year of the Festering Heart: Zombified people, animals, even trees, being unearthing themselves from Mallandowyr Sods (Modern: Maloren Sods) and attacking Cantrev Westphal and Brannoch. These creatures are covered with a black fungi that infests all living creatures it comes in contact with, slaying and reanimating them within months.
- 443 DR Year of the Thousand Enemies: Seeking an end to the troubles the King of Snowdown and the Ring of Snowdown travel to Mal Sul to see if the Pixie Queen; Sule, can help end the troubles. Sule demands the lives of 214 children of the ffolk, 1 for each year of pain they have visited upon her.
- 451 DR Year of Unleashed Fears: With the number of reanimated dead increasing each year and the Black Cancor from Mallandowyr Sods now spreading to the walls of Cantrev Westphal, the King of Snowdown demands a ballot of children to be sacrificed. To increase compliance he enters the names of his own children into the ballot first.
- 452 DR Year of Rolling Heads: The chosen sacrifices march to the waters of Mal Sul where the Pixie Queen embraces each of them before walking with them into the depths of the lake. The King of Snowdown drowns in the open air as Sule curses him and his blood for fixing the ballot so that his own children would not be chosen and then takes his daughter into the waters with her.
- The waters of Mal Sul rise and pour down the hillside washing away the zombified creatures and the black mould that coats the land. Sule the Pixie Queen dies and is reborn.

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Roseweave
Learned Scribe

Ireland
212 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2015 :  19:21:14  Show Profile  Visit Roseweave's Homepage Send Roseweave a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'm looking for more info on the Moonshae too.

Particularly I'm looking for info stuff that happened in 295, that mentions a Queen named Morgan. I was wondering if she was inspired by Morgan La Fey, who was mentioned in a dungeon magazine a while back.
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2015 :  19:38:17  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well these are the only entries I could find relating to the Queen Morgan from GHoTR (I think).


289 DR Year of the Walking Dreams: High King Gwylloch has the skulls of his enemies fashioned into the Castle of Skulls. The High King then moves his court to the mighty palace hidden in the depths of Llyrath Forest. Gwylloch leads expeditions against the lands of the Northmen over the next several years. Captives were taken to High King's palace where they were slain in a grim arena called the Circus Bizarre.
295 DR Year of the Wrathful Revenant: Prince Ketheryll, son of High King Gwylloch, captures King Durnhal and Queen Morgan of Corwell and puts them to death for treason against the High King.
299 DR Year of the Vaasan Knot: High King Gwylloch, Prince Ketheryll, and all of their retainers slowly go mad. On the evening of the summer solstice, the inhabitants of the Castle of Skulls slaughter each other in a suicidal orgy of combat within the castle's gruesome walls. It is suspected that the mage Flamsterd was somehow involved in the High King's downfall.


They are all to do with a mad High King of the Ffolk called Gwylloch who I guess set his son on King Durnhal and Queen Morgan of Corwell and executed them for treason.

Other than that and the location of the Cauldron of Doom (made by Kazgoroth) located in the Castle of Skulls (see the Moonshae sourcebook) and then I found something in the realms L archive about Prince Ketheryll's ghost stalking the halls of the castle of skulls which is trapped in Ravenloft and only returns a few nights a year to Faerun.


I expanded on it a bit after reading the dynasties of Corwell and Callidyrr in GHoTR and deciding that the early ffolk peoples were really more of a tribal people and so the title of "king" was probably honorary and elective and therefore not hereditary which always leads to arguments.

I also linked the Cauldron of Doom to Gwylloch's madness and a dynastic dispute allowed him to declare himself king of Corwell while the clans of Corwell declared their own king. Gwylloch then sent his son after the usurper (in his eyes) king and queen of Corwell and had them killed.

Going by the picture in GHoTR and the history entries I didn't get the feeling of Morgan Le Fey. I suppose it could be a reverse role for Morgan since she is chased and executed by mad evil kings instead of Morgan Le Fey being mad and evil and trying to kill the king.

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Baltas
Senior Scribe

Poland
955 Posts

Posted - 10 Apr 2015 :  09:28:02  Show Profile Send Baltas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Actualy, in the earliest literature, Morgan Le Fay actualy takes the wounded King Arthur, dead, or dying after the battle with Mordred, to Avalon, to heal/revive him.
Some later stories have her still doing this, as an act of finaly recoiling with Arthur.

Morgan Le Fay was originaly a faerie, Le Fay meaning literaly Of Faeries. Only later she became Arthur's half-sister. She's even described in early literature, as the most beautiful, elfen queen.

Some modern stories have her a changeling, or half-fey, to recoile her human and fey origins.

[EDIT]

What I exacly meant, is that Morgan Le Fay was originaly not an antagonist in the original stories, but actualy purely a benefactor to Arthur. Interesting how stories change, and evolve...

Edited by - Baltas on 10 Apr 2015 20:50:48
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 04 May 2015 :  21:05:39  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Finally able to get back to this after a long break, thanks to a ridiculous work situation.


Finished off the royal dynasty of Snowdown. Added in a bit of fey blood that gave the later kings a sorcerous bent which ultimately led to their demise.

Wondering whether to link Thelgaar Ironhand to one of the behind the scenes manipulators - Lorador.

Grunnarch the Red is already one of her descendants, with a hint of fire giant blood from Jothun. Thelgaar Ironhand is a powerful person with great charisma and presence as well as skill in battle, if I were to link him to Lorador, I'm wondering what famous bloodline to link him to - perhaps Hugh, perhaps Silverhelm.

Since Lorador is a master of Bloodline magic she uses herself as kind of an incubation chamber to mix various bloodlines to try and create superbeings. I am thinking that people go to her to change their lives, she gives them a child and then at a later date takes her price.

Also added in a few bits for flavour about the northmen and ffolk. The northmen kingdoms have a council of thanes (taken from the giantish influence of Tuern and Jothun) that run the island (even when its not a kingdom) so the king can concentrate on raiding and other more kingly pursuits.

Each noble northmen lord has a unit of Skaldren that is a direct reflection of his power, riches, etc. These warriors are the elites, and it can be a double edged sword to have them because if you don't pay them enough there is every chance they will take your head.

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 05 May 2015 :  16:56:33  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Come up with a few different names for warriors and bits of land. Also blew up part of Jotunspine to form Canthrelloch.

Expanded the Korinn Archipelago a bit. Added in a Netherese herb onto the island of Jacaman that attunes consumers to the weave to heighten their spellcasting.

It is guarded by a fiend that guards the island since before human habitation of the Moonshaes and those that set foot on the island always end up as his slaves working the herb gardens until long after their death.

As to how a fiendish overseer and a netherese herb garden arrived in the Moonshae Isles, well thats down to a stray mention of a netherese enclave crashing in the korinn archipelago.

I only have it as a very small enclave, probably little more than a large tower that formed a 300 square metre island in the archipelago (probably by crashing into a very shallow bay).


All the major kingdoms/islands/regions are now mostly fleshed out with the exception of Dwarvenhome. I wonder if there is time to get some artwork from people before i release it in june

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 06 May 2015 :  19:49:34  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well I'm nearly finished with most of the hard work, just little things left like adding in more rumours and plots, removing bits with information overload and tying it into the adventure scenarios.

I don't suppose anyone fancies volunteering to proof read what I have so far (I would be ever so grateful, if so message me and I can email you the document.


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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 07 May 2015 :  20:18:21  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well I checked out deviantart to ask people if I can use their pictures and there is very little celtic art for scenes that resemble anything to do with the Moonshae Isles (most of them involve naked creatures from world of warcraft, and one was Harry Potty and Ginny Weasley quite bizarrely).

Turned Oman into a slave type nation but with a twist. After taking captives they then twist them to the northmen way of life by making them fight for food and status in the slave camps. Then after 20 years they release the captives and more than a few stay in Oman (subtly influenced by the taint on the island left by Kazgoroth).

Also made the residents of Jacaman work for the resident for eternity until a total of 66 workers are reached and then any new ones replace the old ones. Of course they can always end it themselves, in which case their souls belong to the devil who owns it (thanks to the pacts they signed with certain hags).


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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 11 May 2015 :  19:43:09  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Going to utilise Markustay's Return Gates for the connections between the dwarven cities.

That way I can explain how the dwarves used to travel between areas so easily in the past, and why they don't work anymore, or that is to say they don't work as intended anymore since the controlling gate in the centre of Dwarvenhome was buried/disrupted/damaged (haven't decided which yet).

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 12 May 2015 :  10:45:27  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I dont suppose anyone happens to know the dwarvish word for Dwarvenhome

I know Faern = Home but the only reference i can find to what dwarves call themselves is the wild dwarf name for themselves dur Authelar (The People).

So what is the dwarvish word for dwarf?

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 12 May 2015 :  10:52:24  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I dont suppose anyone happens to know the dwarvish word for Dwarvenhome

I know Faern = Home but the only reference i can find to what dwarves call themselves is the wild dwarf name for themselves dur Authelar (The People).

So what is the dwarvish word for dwarf?

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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6638 Posts

Posted - 13 May 2015 :  00:43:06  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal

I dont suppose anyone happens to know the dwarvish word for Dwarvenhome

I know Faern = Home but the only reference i can find to what dwarves call themselves is the wild dwarf name for themselves dur Authelar (The People).

So what is the dwarvish word for dwarf?



Best to ask Ed.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 14 May 2015 :  08:57:57  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
And just for reference, here is Ed's reply about the dwarvish name for Dwarvenhome.


quote:
Dwarvenhome was known to the dwarves as Ahrrune.

(from: runedar = haven, home for all and ahrraem = all-kin, meaning the race of dwarves)

. . . and it follows that dwarves referred to themselves formally (as a race) as Ahrraem.
A less formal, daily "we" or "dwarves" (meaning: a group of dwarves that wasn't all one clan or family, or a group assembled for a specific purpose like a warband or a shift in a mine) is "Ahra" (as in, "ahra always drink from the higher spring," or "ahra prefer that ale to the weak human stuff")

So saith Ed, and there you have it.
love,
THO


And here is the dwarvish word for dwarf

quote:
Dwarf, singular is "arl"



Given that i am having a dwarven empire of dwarvenhome and a dwarf city with the same name (in common), i will be making the distinction by using the dwarf name for home as the city, and haven as the empire.

So Dwarvenhome (empire) = Ahrrune
Dwarvenhome (city) = Ahrrfaern


I wonder if i can link the northmen term for Jarl to the dwarvish term for a singular person (arl), the prefixed "J" could denote authority over a person.

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 16 May 2015 :  21:12:41  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Come up with a few more chapters for the adventure path.

Chapter 2 involves the party travelling to the castle of skulls as it transports to ravenloft. Cue a 24 hour pursuit by prince ketheryll and possession by one of the witches of Kimball moor. Ultimately the party escape the castle and amye takes the cauldron. Then chapter 3 can involve drathak and the other witch of Kimball moor.

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 25 Jun 2015 :  19:40:53  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
And for anyone that is interested I've finished my rewrite of the Moonshaes. Check my sig for the download, or the Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions sticky in the Chat section.

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 26 Jun 2015 :  16:09:50  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
A brief outline of the campaign i intend to write focusing on Kazgoroth's return (I've not worked out all the chapters but i'm hoping to fill them in as time goes on). Hopefully the party will get to tour all the various areas of the Moonshae Isles and i can do a bit more detail on them as well as tie up a few loose ends.

The only problem is its such a long stretch of time i need lots of things to keep it interesting. If anyone has any ideas that'd be a huge help.

I'm also trying to keep some events from the canon timeline. So the treaty is signed in 1347 DR, the northmen join the captains confederation in 1358 DR, Tristan is nearly assassinated by Xvim in 1359 DR, etc.

Chapter 1 (1345 DR)
Scenario 1 – The Strait of Oman
The Sea of Moonshae is covered with mists. A close encounter with a number of ships heading towards Callidyrr causes Tannistan to order the ships sails to be put away and the crew to coast silently through the fog.
Winds blow the fog away halfway through the strait and 2 northmen dragonships from either side are sent to intercept them.
After a ship to ship battle involving 20 northmen raiders the cog escapes into the Strait of the Leviathan and discovers an invasion fleet heading west towards Moray and another much larger fleet coming up behind the party, heading towards Corwell.
Tannistan orders the cog to turn south towards Corwell (regardless of where the party were originally headed), the wind is against the northmen and Greystone ships but gradually the northmen dragonships gain on the cog. Cue a long distance battle between northmen javelin throwers and the party.
As the first dragonship pulls up alongside the cog to board it Leviathan appears behind the cog and smashes the northmen fleet. The party can see Thelgaar Ironhand personally attempting to skewer Leviathan with a mighty javelin as the whale crushes ships with his tale.
The cog is damaged and beaches north of Fenton. The party find a survivor amongst the flotsam (Amye) and a large party of northmen spot them.
The party flee towards a tall tower (Chasreen Alabhransree of Suikh, known to the locals as “the Lady in Silver” or using her assumed name of Cymra Shanbadhe. Cue a fight between the party and northmen amongst the trap infested halls of the tower.
Ultimately the party are dumped outside the tower and the northmen are trapped inside. The party flee south with Amye and Tannistan Greystone.

Scenario 2 – Firbolg Incursion
At Fenton, Tannistan shows the party into the undead settlement. They interrupt an argument between Dwi Merrickson (leader of Fenton) and Anhaern Rhyllgallohyr (leader of the settlement of Elyssyrr) about an invasion of firbolgs that is rampaging through the Myrloch Vale heading towards the Fens of the Fallon.
Anhaern leaves in a rage as Dwi will not commit himself or his men to the fight. Conversations with Dwi prove to be largely apathetic as he cannot see the point or benefit in doing anything.
Tannistan and the party catch up with Anhaern who is happy to have help in the Vale.
Cue an attack upon the hastily erected Black Fortress, a stone “keep” of firbolg size crafted from the obsidian stone of the Black Mountains. Anhaern and her warriors charge into the fray, the party are left to clean up as the Banshrae do most of the work. Then a larger group of firbolg arrive from the north led by a “fomorian” of large size. The Banshrae are “slain” and the party left to face them when Dwi and his Banshrae arrive (led by Amye who has now recovered), and destroy the firbolg in a state of bloodlust (almost attacking the party as well).

Scenario 3 – Arrival in Corwell
The party return to Fenton and continue on to Corwell. Arriving at Caer Corwell they find the city under attack by a few northmen dragonships that made it through Leviathan’s attack unscathed.
Party fight their way to the castle and rescue King Byron, then the main invasion of northmen occurs. A desperate fight to secure Caer Corwell begins and Rydders of the Heralds of the High King arrive to help, thankfully the invasion fleet is much reduced thanks to Leviathan and reinforcements from Cantrevs Koart, Dynnett and Pontswain manage to break the siege.
King Byron is then assassinated by heralds from Callidyrr (King Dynnegall of Moray is also assassinated) who are secretly cultists of Bhaal.
Tristran Kendrick is crowned, although there is much dissension among the Council of Lairds at having such a young king on the throne in such troubled times.
The Heralds of the High King approach the party and offer to induct them into the order in return for them saving the prince during the invasion and assassination attempts. They will be contact for further missions as part of their trial.

Chapter 2 (1346 DR)
Scenario 1 – Amye’s Abduction
Amye disappears one night from her quarters in Caer Corwell, clues lead to her being abducted by some wolf like creature and witnesses spot the Grimmulf on the edges of Llyrath Forest.
Heralds of the High King warn that it is close to the Autumn Equinox and so Caer Cymrych is said to appear in the forest depths during this time.
The party travel by caravan to Cantrev Pontswain, learning the laws of the Wayfire and discussing various rumours and travellers tales. All the while an old crone listens silently refusing to speak (Niamwy).
Turning south towards Manann’s Scar the party encounter Bloodmud Lake and the mudman formerly known as Manann, with the chance to discover much treasure in the mud.

Scenario 2 – Caer Cymrych, the Castle of Skulls
The party follow the wolf tracks to an ancient castle situated atop a wooded tor overlooking the southern coast of Gwynneth. Venturing into its halls they are attacked by ghostly spirits and animated suits of armour and weapons, as well as encountering horrific traps.
In the depths of the dungeons they discover Amye’s bloodied form lying unconscious next to a large bubbling cauldron. When awoken she screams abuse at herself and the party (ungrateful bitch of a daughter are a few of the insults) as she is now possessed by Cymbre (Amye’s mother).
Prince Ketheryll then appears as an invincible juggernaut of destruction, regenerating all wounds within minutes. The party can fight him for hours but the only real way to beat the prince is to force Cymbre to possess him by knocking unconscious everyone she attempts to possess until only Ketheryll is left.
When the party leave Caer Cymrych they discover Amye has disappeared again (along with the cauldron if the party tried to retrieve that) – the logical conclusion is that she was possessed by Cymbre (although in truth she is Kazgoroth and was seeking the cauldron all along).

Scenario 3 – The Dead Caravan
Returning to Cantrev Pontswain the party come across the remains of the caravan they left behind days earlier. Amid the scenes of slaughter there is a vivacious young woman who looks not dissimilar to Amye. The bodies are all slain by vicious claw marks or look as though they have been drained of life (they are shrivelled husks).
The woman is a creature known as Niamwy (grandmother to Amye and mother to
She is evasive about what happened to the caravan (she says they were already dead when she arrived), but she does mention that she spotted a young woman fleeing the area carrying a large cauldron (much bigger than herself) on her back.
Those able to track will note that a set of tracks entered the camp and ended where a shrivelled old ladies corpse now lies. The tracks of Amye are more recent than the scenes of destruction and so she cannot have been party to the slaughter. The tracks of Niamwy are not of someone entering the camp, she was here during the carnage.
If confronted Niamwy will flee using magic (she is an accomplished witch) but she taunts the party to seek her out once they discover the truth about their absent companion.


Chapter 3 (1347 DR)
Scenario 1 – Caer Allisynn
The Heralds of the High King approach the party for more work. There are a number of troubles affecting the Moonshae Isles and they wish to formally induct the party into the order.
Taken in secret (and blindfolded by Tannistan Greystone and the Alder of Corwell to Caer Allisynn. There they meet Queen Allisynn Hugh who approves there entry.
A chance to see pictures of the Sword of Cymrych Hugh, the Crown of the High King, and the Ring of Allisynn (which Allisynn wears). A chance to remember that Dwi wielded a sword just like the Sword of Cymrych Hugh.
The party are tasked with sailing to Norland and aiding the northmen who are besieged by undead not seen since the Witch Winters.
If they agree to join the order then they are given the title “Rydders” and can call upon the services of any Scyllae in the order.

Scenario 2 – Arrival in Norland
Party are allowed to access equipment in Caer Allisynn. Every kind of nonmagical armour and equipment is available. The party will also be able to request a single +1 magic item or the equivalent magic item (a wand or staff etc), this is a loan and must be returned should they leave.
Tannistan Greystone offers to take the party to Norland.
Arriving in Rogarsheim, the party are immediately challenged by a local berserker at the docks who demands a share of their equipment (a level 3 berserker). Whoever the party nominates to fight him must do so or the party are assailed by all northmen at the docks and taken into slavery.
The berserker is actually a member of the King’s own personal skaldren and so they must see him immediately.
Meeting with Konungr Grunnarch the Red is disrupted by an attack on the King’s Lodge. 150 Drathak marching up out of the sea attack Rogarsheim, the party, Grunnarch, and his skaldren sally forth to defeat the scourge.
The remaining drathak flee north

Scenario 3 – War in Norland
The party remain in Rogarsheim for several days, meeting with the Konungr and attempting to persuade him to cease hostilities with the ffolk and allow representatives of the Heralds to join his court. Offers of wealth and soldiers are ignored by Grunnarch who feels he can just take them from the ffolk despite the recent failed invasion.
Day 3 of negotiations sees random people begin mutating into frenzied lunatics that attack everyone nearby.
Day 5 sees choking black mist descend from the north and riders from the Land of Eagles (the plains west of Jotunhammer Gap) about a plague spreading to all of Norland and people turning into massive deranged lunatics.
Grunnarch tasks the party with solving the plague and then he will sign a treaty with the ffolk.
Lunatics no longer appear in Rogarsheim, instead they are centred around Arndthergom, and Follehu.
Travels to each area are beset by mutated northmen, and mutated firbolgs, they can be assisted by northmen and Jotennar of Sommersdal (who are immune to the Touch of Kazgoroth because of their true giant blood). Follehu (meaning hiding place) is worst hit, with over 100 of its 196 population turned into berserkers. The survivors are barricaded into a longhouse and the party need to rescue them. The speak of a young woman fitting the description of Amye, arriving from the east, her touch brought madness and mutation.
The only thing east of Follehu is the Northwood. Travel to Northwood results in an attack by drathak and at the centre is an old and untended Moonwell that is now black and polluted.

Scenario 4 – Norfen Lake
The Scyllae of the Heralds of the High King recalls Norland used to be known as Westarlun and was once a ffolk kingdom. It had a druidic circle based in the north of the island in what would be known as the Frostfens.
Trekking through the Frostfens the party are attacked by more drathak. Overhead they can see a large wyvern like creature flying back and forth making hideous noises. Constant attacks by ice weirds, icy swamp creatures, and drathak should deplete their resources.
After 3rd day trekking through the Frostfens they encounter Foradnir battling drathak in his ogre form. Rescuing and not attacking him earns them respite from the trek through the fenns as Foradnir allows them to stay at his cave and will even carry him to the Sunken Academy.
At the Sunken Academy, the party find the tree which tries to strangle them. Either the party must find a way to communicate with the tree, or gain access to the inside (speak with nature, walk through walls, find secret doors, etc) where they find the desiccated bodies of the druids wrapped in roots (which burrow through them).
They tell the party of the Moonwell that is now Norfen Lake.
At Norfen Lake the party find Amye acting strangely, she is spilling her own blood into the lake and polluting it to a murky black colour. Furthermore there is a large furrow over 2 miles long and many feet deep which Amye has ploughed to allow tar from the Dvarstoldt Tar Pits to enter the lake, the steam has produced the fog and it contains Kazgoroth’s blood which is causing some of the mutations (Amye caused the rest personally by touching people). Amye is surrounded by drathak, and guarded by an undead ice weird (the former guardian) mutated by Kazgoroth’s Touch.
After defeating the guardians Amye descends into the now black lake and disappears (travels by fey crossroads to elsewhere). The party need to collapse the trench connecting the Tar Pits and Lake Norfen for the fog to subside.

Scenario 5 – The Treaty
Grunnarch the Red is ready to sign a peace treaty with the ffolk and he convinces the other northmen kings to do the same. The party leave with Tannistan for Caer Allisynn.
Negotiations result in Callidyrr, Corwell, Gnarhelm, Moray, Norheim, Norland, Oman, and Snowdown signing a peace treaty on Oman at Lillemaren.
Yorwyn Allisynn is worried about Amye, the drathak, and these mutated monsters. She asks the party to return to Corwell and contact the Druids of Moonshae for their advice.


Chapter 14 (1358 DR)
Cyndre and the Council Sorcere have been in complete control of Callidyrr for several years. The Scarlet Guard have attacked a number of the western hommlechs (Holyhead, Aithe, Codfin) as well as Cantrev Ogden to enforce the will of the council.
Callidyrr attempts to expand its borders and hires the sahuagin of Kressilacc (Belistar can now transform into a reptilian creature that resembles the first king of Kressilacc known as “Red Back”) and attacks Oman with a force of sahuagin and the Scarlet Guard.
Party and Tristan along with the forces of Corwell travel to Oman to help against the invasion.
During the attack Thelgaar Ironhand is almost slain and Tristan loses his arm. The northmen kingdoms cancel the peace treaty before joining the Captain’s Confederation. Laird Ballon Llimbael of Cantrev Pontswain rules King Tristan is unfit to rule in these troubled times and contests his rule. The Council agree but cannot decide on who the next king should be and so the High King is left to decide.
The party are sent by the Heralds to Callidyrr with Tristan to protect him and to stop the Council Sorcere. During the court session, they party discover King Reginald is a fake and the real one is dead (his son is in prison), Tristan is imprisoned along with the party but they escape into the catacombs and tunnels beneath Callidyrr the party emerge in Dernall Forest and discover Doncastell (all helped by Gauntather).
After gaining entry into Caer Callidyrr (either by a frontal assault or by entering through the catacombs) the party confront and kill Cyndre and a number of members of the Council Sorcere (again helped by Gauntather).
Belistar is away with the sahuagin and so is not present during the fight so the party do not know of his presence on the Council Sorcere (although only as a minor member).

Chapter 15 (1359 DR)
Gauntather reforms Bane’s cult into the Risen Cult of Bane, professing to be an orthodox cult but in practice it allows wizards into senior positions of power and is allied with Manshoon operating against Fzoul Chembryl. It is not really orthodox or non orthodox, just there to curb Fzoul’s power and expansion using the Church of Bane.
Gauntather animates undead to plague the people of Callidyrr. Brynth Carrathal is crowned king of Callidyrr, and immediately begins trying to curb the power of the nobles who he believes are plotting against him and his family. Weapon imports are banned, retinues sizes are limited, taxes raised, etc.
Cultists of Bhaal travel to Snowdown to support Thya Duerduum who they revere as the Ravager.
Contacts between the Risen Cult of Bane and the Cult of the Ravager bring the Broken Ring to Callidyrr to smuggle weapons and mercenaries into the kingdom.
Assassins sent against the party and Tristan (who is still in Callidyrr recovering – too sick to travel).
After tracking the Broken Ring to Cantrevs Dorset and Kythyss they discover its connection to Snowdown.
Travel by ship to Snowdown results in an encounter with Thya Duerduum and her pirates. After driving them off the party arrive in Snowdown.
Broken Ring are involved in a civil war between the factions in the cities and the bandits outside (which swear loyalty to Thya and are supported by the Cult of the Ravager which has now expanded to include most of the bandits).
Thya’s forces attack Broken Ring headquarters while the party are meeting with its leaders. Party discover imminent attack on Tristan and Brynth in Callidyrr. Travelling to the Aition Moonwell in Andover Wood (the remains of Aition Forest), the party discover the Ring of Snowdown under attack by Thya Duerduum. Use Greater Moonwell to travel to Callidyrr. Thwart assassination attempt and fight Iyachtu Xvim. After defeating Xvim he is randomly teleported and ends up imprisoned beneath Zhentil Keep in an old binding circle created by Myrkul long ago.
After each confrontation with the party, Thya permanently increases in strength and power. If at any point a fight lasts for 10 minutes or longer then she transforms into Kazgoroth’s original form.

Chapter 22 (1364 DR)
Gotha and the Cult of the Dracolich arrive on Oman and begin converting firbolg hidden in the Grampalt Highlands into worshippers of Talos. Gotha begins to melt Icepeak in an effort to free Grond who the firbolg say is imprisoned beneath the mountain.

Chapter 23 (1365 DR)
Icepeak melts, Grond and Gotha engage in a terrific battle. Rendar the bear awakens and joins the fight. In the aftermath Gotha is destroyed and Grond disappears.

Chapter 23 (1367 DR)
Kazgoroth and his drathak hordes are finally unleashed upon Corwell and the other islands.
The drathak attack Cantrev Corwell (really targeting Corr’s Well), and the Glade of the Cat Lord, polluting both wells (the Displacer Beast Shantu is killed by Thya and rises as an undead zombie to serve her).
Amye herself attacks Dellan Huhes and splits the stone tree in two.

Chapter 24 (1368 DR)
The Druids of Moonshae, led by Brianna Moonsinger unleash the Children in an effort to combat Kazgoroth and his drathak hordes who are obviously set upon destroying the druids and the Moonwells.
Thya engages Rendar in battle and transforms into the Ravager.
Amye slays the Pack Leader and a member of the Darkmoon loyal to Kazgoroth becomes the next Pack Leader.

Chapter 25 (1369 DR)
Amye, the Ravager, and Belistar all begin moving towards the Myrloch Vale and the Darkwell.
Firbolg descend from the Black Mountains driving into the Fens of the Fallon, the Banshrae side with the firbolg. The party slay Dwi and take his sword to command the Sword Sisters of Synnoria to help them.

Chapter 26 (1370 DR)
Sarifal returns. Ffolk and northmen adolescents across the Moonshae Isles are transported to Sarifal where they become an army of fey swordmasters.
Amye and her drathak hordes arrive in the Myrloch Vale, supported by the Banshrae and the firbolg.
The party must assemble the forces of the ffolk and northmen, plus the sword of Cymrych Hugh and the Instruments of the Bards in order to face the Beast.
If Amye, the Ravager, and Belistar all reach the Moonwell in the Fens of the Fallon, then Kazgoroth is reborn in a new form (a huge reptilian, fomorian like berserker with a huge central horn – like the beast from Conan the Destroyer).
If Kazgoroth defeats Lady Ordalf then the Moonwell network is destroyed and the party lose. Kazgoroth is free to rampage across the islands and anywhere else he wants to go.
If the party use Lorador to weaken Kazgoroth and defeat him then Lorador is welcomed back to Sarifal where she poisons Lady Ordalf and destroys the Moonwell network (turning them all into Bloodwells).
If the party defeat Kazgoroth then they win.

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 30 Jun 2015 :  19:23:03  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Looking for events to link up with the Moonshae Isles in the modern era (1346 onwards).

I noticed the Ten Black Days of Eleint in Tethyr which might prompt a migration of people and nobles. I'm wondering if anyone has the names of any noble families that escaped the troubles, I noted that quite a number were mentioned heading north so I figure a few might try and flee by ship and end up marooned on the Moonshae Isles (after having been chased by Nelanther Reavers).

Any names would be great (maybe they were mentioned in novels), the more unscrupulous the better. A few escaped Aldhaneks wouldn't go amiss, but the only usable name I found in all the sourcebooks was the wizard member of the Four who jumped off a cliff to escape captivity and his body was never found.

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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 13 Jan 2019 :  12:11:21  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Back to the Moonshaes.

Going to redo a few events and places I wasn't a hundred percent happy with.

First though though is ityak ortheel and the fey alamtine.

Never ever liked that creature or the portal network never previously mentioned before that whisked people away. I'm not going to keep the event in as it's a single throwaway event with no effect on the rest of the realms but I would like to try and repurpose it.

So ityak is some huge monster thingy that appears very infrequently. I was wondering if I could make him a part of the Moonshaes, like a floating island that devours anyone who lands on him.
The fey alamtine could be the portal network that people are using for the Retreat and was originally established by the llewyrr.

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