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pukunui
Seeker
63 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 03:30:06
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Hi all,
I'm currently running the Sword of the Scourge Coast adventure for one of my D&D 5e groups. The party is about to journey through the Ardeep Forest from the ruins of Harpshield Castle to Phylund Lodge.
I've been doing some research on the forest and its denizens and ruins. I think it would be fun for them to encounter the Green Glade and the Dancing Dell. Most especially, though, I'd love to creep them out with an encounter with Reluraun!
What I'm not sure about is the baelnorns. There are said to be three guarding the tomb. I understand that baelnorns are essentially good liches. Lost Empires of Faerūn states that they are 13th level wizards. However, according to Volo in Dragon 270, it says that "More than once an insistent band of adventurers has seen the hero's blade burst through the chest of a baelnorn who's sadly remonstrating with them to be gone."
Lost Empires describes Reluraun as a 12th level ghost fighter. It seems a bit of a stretch to think that he'd be able to kill one of his guards that easily, but Volo unfortunately doesn't say what happens next. Would the baelnorn disappear? Would it stand there and watch as Relaraun attacks the PCs? Would it try to stop him (Monsters of Faerūn states that baelnorns can turn undead)?
I'm just not entirely sure how an encounter at Reluraun's tomb would play out. Or rather, I'm not sure how to use the baelnorns.
Anyone got any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jonathan
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Edited by - pukunui on 27 Apr 2015 03:46:17
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 04:57:33
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I wish I had a copy of the adventure so I could gauge the tempo and decide wether a diversion like you describe would slow things down or help things along.
At the point where the PCs move from Harpshield to Phylund, what are they supposed to accomplish? |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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pukunui
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 05:02:06
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Oh, it'll slow things down a little for sure. I just want to breathe a little more life into the Realms and give them a taste of what makes the Ardeep Forest unique. And the image of Reluraun in Dragon 270 is too good to pass up. I have to be able to show it to my players!
Anyway, the PCs were clearing out orcs at Harpshield, and now they plan to head to Phylund Lodge to clear out the gnolls. They're still trying to figure out what's going on. They have gained a few clues but have not been able to piece them together yet. They should get one of the final pieces of the puzzle at Phylund Lodge. |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 05:10:10
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| I say go for maximum creep out factor. Give them a reason to breathe a sigh of relief when they arrive at Phylund and have only gnomes to deal with. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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pukunui
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 05:25:54
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Yes. Gnolls (and a Red Wizard) will seem like child's play in comparison to Reluraun (hopefully).
My question still stands, though: What do I do about the baelnorns? They're not evil, but being liches, they are quite powerful. Would they fight with Reluraun in order to drive the PCs away (for their own sake), or would they fight with the PCs against the ghost? Or should I just leave them out and let them battle Reluraun alone?
I like the image of Reluraun stabbing a baelnorn through the back and it crumbling into dust with a sigh (like an "Here we go again" type of sigh), and then watching as "the sword darts about flashing and stabbing at empty air, forest birds, and leaping bunnies while its insane wielder screams wildly, wordlessly, and endlessly (a faint, faroff sound that one warrior described as a 'mournfully despairing whistle, like a kettle gone mad')." |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 05:39:52
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Given that the baelnorn are so powerful, would an encounter where the PCs get a brush with death at the undead's cold hands, only to be saved at the last by mad Reluraun be in order?
Once the path is cleared so to speak then maybe the PCs can explore a tomb or ruin exposed in the tumult of battling undead or Reluraun's crazed exit? |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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pukunui
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 05:50:52
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| It seems to me like it would be the other way around - Reluraun (who is chaotic evil) would be the one to kill them, while the baelnorn (who are lawful good) might be the ones to bring them back to life. Though I'm not sure they'd do that. |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 06:02:22
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| Maybe a timed adventure, where the baelnorn drive off Reluraun and then implore the PCs to rush into his tomb and do something that either imprisons the mad ghost or otherwise makes life easier on the baelnorn, before Reluraun can reform and attack again. In exchange, they will teleport the PCs to their next destination. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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pukunui
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 06:11:21
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| That's an interesting idea. |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 06:55:36
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| Maybe as simple a task as retrieving an object important to the mad ghost, so the baelnorn can cast a ward that's keyed to Reluraun and can keep him out? |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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pukunui
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 07:29:02
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I'm wondering if I should introduce the House of Long Silences as well. The adventure talks about it quite a bit, but not in a way that the players can learn anything about it. The adventure doesn't have the PCs go there either.
I could have them meet Shalendra Floshin there and gain some insight into what she's doing before they confront her later in the adventure. It being a portal network, I could also make it so some of the eladrin bard PC's relatives come through it and try to take her away (she's run away from an arranged marriage). |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6643 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 12:02:12
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The following monsters are most commonly found in the Ardeep: assassin vines, kobold tribes, nyths, tendriculouses, and thirsts of stirges.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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pukunui
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2015 : 12:12:21
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
The following monsters are most commonly found in the Ardeep: assassin vines, kobold tribes, nyths, tendriculouses, and thirsts of stirges.
-- George Krashos
Thanks!
I also read somewhere that rangers keep most beasts larger than wolves and the occasional owlbear out of the forest. |
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pukunui
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2015 : 10:02:50
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OK, I found this little tidbit in Dragon 128: "After deleting encounters with evil creatures, lycanthropes, and bandits, the 'cold, civilized forest' encounter table on page 141 in Monster Manual II may be used."
I'll have to look that up now. Was thinking I might just use the example sylvan random encounter table in the 5e DMG, though. |
Edited by - pukunui on 28 Apr 2015 10:03:15 |
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Reluraun's Tomb
