| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Zeromaru X |
Posted - 02 Jun 2018 : 02:54:16
The new adventure has been unveiled. Is going to be in Waterdeep (because we sure love the Sword Coast)
http://m.ign.com/articles/2018/06/01/dungeons-and-dragons-newest-storyline-waterdeep-dragon-heist-revealed
Mod edit: Renaming this scroll.  |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| PattPlays |
Posted - 18 Feb 2021 : 10:40:36
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Scarlet_Marpenoth
Crimson is the year name, but it's likely unrelated. They are colors after all.
"Probably unrelated, there is the Year of Crimson Marpenoth, #8722;411 DR, as envisioned by Augathra the Mad. "
|
| George Krashos |
Posted - 18 Feb 2021 : 02:55:07
Oops. Edited. Yes. Crimson.
-- George Krashos |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Feb 2021 : 22:22:11
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Well, for fun I put this into my personal timeline at home, years ago:
-411 DR Year of Scarlet Marpenoth
The Silent Maw of Sashelas, a coral artifact of great power is stolen by the sea elf rogue priest Shorun Konry from the temple of Ussralumaar, in the present-day Dragonmere.
 
Thank you, thank you. I'm here till Thursday. Try the rothe.
-- George Krashos
-411 is the Year of Crimson Marpenoth, not Scarlet.
And that's a personal thing you did, not something in published Realmslore. Even if you had snuck it into Realmslore somewhere, it's still not an anachronistic object on another anachronistic object you included for the sake of a joke. The Silent Maw of Sashelas sounds like it could be a real thing, in the setting; it doesn't call attention to itself the way a submarine does.
Your joke here is what I would consider a proper Easter egg: it doesn't call attention to itself, and people who hadn't read the novel would skip right over that reference.
You hid your Easter egg, instead of slapping people in the face with it. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 17 Feb 2021 : 20:46:38
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
It's not really. We do it all the time. You just miss most of them.
-- George Krashos
I don't mind when a joke or an Easter egg gets worked in, provided it's not something like this. Easter eggs are generally hidden, and that's fine. Putting a big sign with flashing lights and arrows pointing to it is not.
The combination calls attention to itself, because combination locks are not a thing we've seen in the Realms before.
The submarine calls attention to itself for the same reason. It was distracting enough for me that the name didn't click until later, for me. I couldn't get past the inclusion of a submarine to pay attention to the odd name of it.
Both things, in fact, are elements generally not seen in fantasy. I can only think of one other fantasy book I read that had submarines, and in that book, they were necessary -- it was a water world, and the submersibles were the only way to travel.
And neither element was necessary. There was no need for a combination lock. There was no need for a submarine.
Like I'd mentioned earlier, if the combination had been written down as a date, something you had to work through, then that would have been another thing. It wouldn't have been obvious.
The Zardoz Zord thing -- that's just a bad name. But if it was only that name, and nothing else, I'd've not made the connection. It was looking at the other jokes that made this one stand out.
So they included an anachronistic element for the sake of a joke, another for the sake of an obvious Easter egg, and then threw in another Easter egg on top of all that.
A friend of mine has become a published author. One day I cracked a joke referencing an inside joke that went back to an online community we'd both been a part of, years ago. She was at work on another book, at the time, and immediately decided to work in a reference to that inside joke.
It was a minor detail. She wasn't sure her editor wouldn't cut it. The editor let the line pass, so it made it to print. And it's just a single line, a reference that no one would notice unless they were aware of the joke. That's the kind of Easter egg that works.
Well, for fun I put this into my personal timeline at home, years ago:
-411 DR Year of Crimson Marpenoth
The Silent Maw of Sashelas, a coral artifact of great power is stolen by the sea elf rogue priest Shorun Konry from the temple of Ussralumaar, in the present-day Dragonmere.
Thank you, thank you. I'm here till Thursday. Try the rothe.
-- George Krashos |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Feb 2021 : 13:43:00
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
It's not really. We do it all the time. You just miss most of them.
-- George Krashos
I don't mind when a joke or an Easter egg gets worked in, provided it's not something like this. Easter eggs are generally hidden, and that's fine. Putting a big sign with flashing lights and arrows pointing to it is not.
The combination calls attention to itself, because combination locks are not a thing we've seen in the Realms before.
The submarine calls attention to itself for the same reason. It was distracting enough for me that the name didn't click until later, for me. I couldn't get past the inclusion of a submarine to pay attention to the odd name of it.
Both things, in fact, are elements generally not seen in fantasy. I can only think of one other fantasy book I read that had submarines, and in that book, they were necessary -- it was a water world, and the submersibles were the only way to travel.
And neither element was necessary. There was no need for a combination lock. There was no need for a submarine.
Like I'd mentioned earlier, if the combination had been written down as a date, something you had to work through, then that would have been another thing. It wouldn't have been obvious.
The Zardoz Zord thing -- that's just a bad name. But if it was only that name, and nothing else, I'd've not made the connection. It was looking at the other jokes that made this one stand out.
So they included an anachronistic element for the sake of a joke, another for the sake of an obvious Easter egg, and then threw in another Easter egg on top of all that.
A friend of mine has become a published author. One day I cracked a joke referencing an inside joke that went back to an online community we'd both been a part of, years ago. She was at work on another book, at the time, and immediately decided to work in a reference to that inside joke.
It was a minor detail. She wasn't sure her editor wouldn't cut it. The editor let the line pass, so it made it to print. And it's just a single line, a reference that no one would notice unless they were aware of the joke. That's the kind of Easter egg that works. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 17 Feb 2021 : 07:35:43
It's not really. We do it all the time. You just miss most of them.
-- George Krashos |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 15 Feb 2021 : 22:25:38
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I found another two quibbles... There are some great NPC names in there, but a halfling named Mookie Plush? I'm sorry, that sounds like someone looked at their kid's favorite stuffed animal for inspiration.
Also, Jarlaxle has a safe, with a combination lock on it. They could have gone with a standard keyed lock, but they decided to go with a combination lock. And rather than make it something random, they decided to be cute with it and make it an Easter egg.
To me, just the fact that they made it a combination lock and provided the combination draws attention to it -- and I'm not a fan of Easter eggs that have big neon arrows pointing to them that say "Look! An Easter egg!"
Me, if I'd've wanted to include that particular Easter egg, I would have been more subtle about it... Maybe Jarlaxle had some papers that needed to be rifled thru, and an important one was dated "20 Hammer, Year of the Forged Sigil." That's an Easter egg you have to look for. It's the same reference, without the "Hey, look at this!" flags and banners.
I just found a hidden reference that I really, really should have caught earlier (especially since it was mentioned earlier in this thread)... It bugs me that I missed it, and it also bugs me that it was used in a Realms source.
Jarlaxle's ship is the Scarlet Marpenoth.
The ship is submersible. Scarlet is a shade of red. Marpenoth is the tenth month of the Calendar of Harptos, which is more-or-less analogous to the Gregorian calendar.
So it's a submarine named Red October.
I can't believe I missed that... And I also can't believe that someone decided to drop that reference into the Realms.   
It gets worse, though...
Jarlaxle disguises himself as Zardoz Zord. Zardoz is the name of a sci-fi movie that puts Sean Connery in an outfit that even his fans find questionable.
And of course, Sean Connery played Marko Ramius, the captain of the Red October, in the movie adaptation of the book. (The book is awesome, by the way, a personal fave)
So we have a Sean Connery reference, a submarine in a fantasy setting that's named after a submarine in a novel series (in the novel, the sub was named after the October Revolution), and a combination lock unlocked by an author's birthday.
That just hurts, it's so bad. And it shows a particular disrespect for the setting to throw in anachronistic elements for the sake of jokes and Easter eggs. |
| CorellonsDevout |
Posted - 22 May 2020 : 02:27:56
quote:
Originally posted by rodrigoalcanza
Hello! I acquire these books only now. I liked the look, and the text looks very good. I haven't read everything yet, I just leafed through it. I don't know if there an explanation in the book that I haven't read yet, but I've been looking at the stats for Laeral and Halaster. I was again disappointed. It seems to me that the 5th is always creating justifications for NPCs above the 20th level to be reduced in power to the limit of 20th levels. Spellcasters are limited to the spell slots list of a maximum of 20 levels, which is much more limited in the 5th edition than in previous editions (1-3 editions).
I played the 5th edition a little, but it seems to me that this edition can be great for campaigns from 1st to 16th approximately, but it is not cool above that. Maybe in a setting like Dragonlance and Eberron, the NPCs are more in the range from the 1st to the 20th level, that's fine. But in a world like Forogotten Realms, where there are an infinite number of NPCs above the 20th level, the 5th Edition seems to me very, very deficient.
Much as I like that 5e restored FR to what it was before the Spellplague (for the most part), with the sparser details and things, I kind of feel like it's trying to be "less epic". Maybe they think that will lure in new players (and new players have certainly come to 5e), but it takes away some of the flavor. |
| rodrigoalcanza |
Posted - 22 May 2020 : 02:00:28
Hello! I acquire these books only now. I liked the look, and the text looks very good. I haven't read everything yet, I just leafed through it. I don't know if there an explanation in the book that I haven't read yet, but I've been looking at the stats for Laeral and Halaster. I was again disappointed. It seems to me that the 5th is always creating justifications for NPCs above the 20th level to be reduced in power to the limit of 20th levels. Spellcasters are limited to the spell slots list of a maximum of 20 levels, which is much more limited in the 5th edition than in previous editions (1-3 editions).
I played the 5th edition a little, but it seems to me that this edition can be great for campaigns from 1st to 16th approximately, but it is not cool above that. Maybe in a setting like Dragonlance and Eberron, the NPCs are more in the range from the 1st to the 20th level, that's fine. But in a world like Forogotten Realms, where there are an infinite number of NPCs above the 20th level, the 5th Edition seems to me very, very deficient.
Laeral and Halaster are very limited in their stats. It seems to me that the same would happen with any other epic NPCs that were published. In those rules, I think that even a Mystra avatar would have 20th-level spellcaster, with 4/3/3/3/3/1/1/1/1 spell slots. New players may never know these NPCs to the full if they do not research previous editions.
But the truth is that I like to be wrong. Help me please! |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 27 May 2019 : 03:25:06
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Now, from what I recall, we never had details on all of Halaster's apprentices. There was Jhesiyra Kestellharp, Arcturia, Trobriand, Muiral, and one that I just learned of: Maerlyn. That's 5 out of 7 -- so either of the unnamed 2 would have been a better choice for the role of "recaptured escaped apprentice."
This book actually lists all of the Seven, and Maerlyn is not on that list. I was about to take issue with that, but then I did some more research.
Jhesiyra Kestellharp, Arcturia, Trobriand, Muiral, and Nester are all mentioned in the original Ruins of Undermountain boxed set. Nester doesn't get much air time in that one; he died and didn't accomplish as much as the others.
Two others are mentioned in The Grand History of the Realms: Marambra Nyghtsteel and Rantantar. I'm not familiar with these two; so far as I know, their only mentions in published Realmslore are in The Grand History's list of The Seven, and in Dungeon of the Mad Mage's list of The Seven.
Maerlyn was either a later apprentice, or there were originally 8, and she was rather thoroughly removed from history.
|
| sleyvas |
Posted - 17 Mar 2019 : 21:24:26
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Not surprised they struggled to work out what in the planes could have motivated the Emerald Enclave in the context of the adventure.
— George Krashos
LOL... I'm so glad I'm not the only on who just shakes his head every time I see the emerald enclave active in the north or anywhere else that they don't have any power. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Mar 2019 : 15:27:02
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by Zeromaru X
That's because someone at WtoC is super obsessed with Xanathar and Jarlaxe, and wanted to give them a huge role in the adventure, that's why.
So, yes. It felt forced.
Actually I dont think theres any mention of Jarlaxe in DoTMM
Im actually a little disappointed they didnt include MORE links with the factions in Dragon heist in DoTMM, theres a couple but I would have liked the writers to factor in the choices the players might have made in DH and who the DM may have chosen as the DH villian.
Im kind of hoping we get another RP heavy module set in Waterdeep that would more naturally follow on to Dragon Heist. (Something revolving around dealing with Neverember wouldnt be a bad idea... hmmm thats an idea, a module where you travel to Neverwinter with goal of deposing Neverember and you have multiple paths depending on which faction you sided with in Dragon Heist.....)
I think that would work a lot better for Neverwinter than it did for Dragon Heist. That was one where the use of factions felt really forced.
...And I still don't understand the seasonal aspect of it.
|
| George Krashos |
Posted - 17 Mar 2019 : 09:30:19
Not surprised they struggled to work out what in the planes could have motivated the Emerald Enclave in the context of the adventure.
— George Krashos |
| Dargoth |
Posted - 17 Mar 2019 : 07:47:41
quote:
Originally posted by Zeromaru X
That's because someone at WtoC is super obsessed with Xanathar and Jarlaxe, and wanted to give them a huge role in the adventure, that's why.
So, yes. It felt forced.
Actually I dont think theres any mention of Jarlaxe in DoTMM
Im actually a little disappointed they didnt include MORE links with the factions in Dragon heist in DoTMM, theres a couple but I would have liked the writers to factor in the choices the players might have made in DH and who the DM may have chosen as the DH villian.
Im kind of hoping we get another RP heavy module set in Waterdeep that would more naturally follow on to Dragon Heist. (Something revolving around dealing with Neverember wouldnt be a bad idea... hmmm thats an idea, a module where you travel to Neverwinter with goal of deposing Neverember and you have multiple paths depending on which faction you sided with in Dragon Heist.....) |
| Zeromaru X |
Posted - 17 Mar 2019 : 03:11:27
That's because someone at WtoC is super obsessed with Xanathar and Jarlaxe, and wanted to give them a huge role in the adventure, that's why.
So, yes. It felt forced. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Mar 2019 : 02:35:23
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Something else bugging me as I slowly read thru this Undermountain book... Why would the Xanathar Guild have that much interest in Undermountain? Sure, I can get the idea of keeping an eye on what the locals are doing, and maybe having a couple of kinda-sorta safe places in the Underhalls. But not much more than that -- there's no need for an organization built on controlling crime to be active in an area where there isn't crime. Yes, there are fools and magic and money to be found in Undermountain -- but also death and monsters and traps and adventurers and more death. For every ten people that go into Undermountain, maybe 2 or 3 make it back out -- and for every 10 of those survivors, maybe 2 or 3 come out ahead.
For a criminal organization, there is far more risk than reward, in Undermountain, and I just can't see it being worth the resources to be very active, there.
If you read further there are various Groups trying to invade Skullport and take it over(One of the Drow house for one) so Xanthars has militerised to counter that. Also Xanthars thing is having business between Skullport and Waterdeep and to travel between those you need to traverse the top 3 levels of Undermountain
Needing to traverse the top three levels is one thing. Needing to control those levels is another... And since there are other ways into Skullport, there's even less need for controlling large areas of Undermountain.
And needing to counter groups trying to take over Skullport is another good reason not to waste your manpower elsewhere. |
| Dargoth |
Posted - 17 Mar 2019 : 02:04:36
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Something else bugging me as I slowly read thru this Undermountain book... Why would the Xanathar Guild have that much interest in Undermountain? Sure, I can get the idea of keeping an eye on what the locals are doing, and maybe having a couple of kinda-sorta safe places in the Underhalls. But not much more than that -- there's no need for an organization built on controlling crime to be active in an area where there isn't crime. Yes, there are fools and magic and money to be found in Undermountain -- but also death and monsters and traps and adventurers and more death. For every ten people that go into Undermountain, maybe 2 or 3 make it back out -- and for every 10 of those survivors, maybe 2 or 3 come out ahead.
For a criminal organization, there is far more risk than reward, in Undermountain, and I just can't see it being worth the resources to be very active, there.
If you read further there are various Groups trying to invade Skullport and take it over(One of the Drow house for one) so Xanthars has militerised to counter that. Also Xanthars thing is having business between Skullport and Waterdeep and to travel between those you need to traverse the top 3 levels of Undermountain |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Mar 2019 : 01:40:39
Something else bugging me as I slowly read thru this Undermountain book... Why would the Xanathar Guild have that much interest in Undermountain? Sure, I can get the idea of keeping an eye on what the locals are doing, and maybe having a couple of kinda-sorta safe places in the Underhalls. But not much more than that -- there's no need for an organization built on controlling crime to be active in an area where there isn't crime. Yes, there are fools and magic and money to be found in Undermountain -- but also death and monsters and traps and adventurers and more death. For every ten people that go into Undermountain, maybe 2 or 3 make it back out -- and for every 10 of those survivors, maybe 2 or 3 come out ahead.
For a criminal organization, there is far more risk than reward, in Undermountain, and I just can't see it being worth the resources to be very active, there.
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 07 Feb 2019 : 04:27:57
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
I've had a look at Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Bit sad that there's no mention of Bandaerl, the archlich of the Lost Level, and peeved that they used Elder Runes (I had plans!) but it looks pretty solid. Their take on Jhesiyra Kestellharp is interesting ...
-- George Krashos
I can't stand their take on Jhesiyra Kestellharp.
Secrets of the Magister says that Halaster may have grabbed her -- but it also says she may have been gone from Myth Drannor before Halaster started snatching people from there, and notes that two elves saw her disappear into the woods in a web of her own spellcraft.
Me, I prefer to think that she somehow became one with the Weave.
I also think that tying Jhesiyra Kestellharp to Undermountain is problematic from the angle of Mystra's involvement with Halaster. You'd think that she'd have an issue with a former Magister being treated like that, and would have said something when she spoke to Hally. Or she would have done something directly, since Mystra's Magisters get special options from her when they die or retire. Halaster imprisoning Jhesiyra means he somehow used magic to keep the goddess of magic from getting someone she would be specifically interested in having.
So once again, WotC ignores prior lore and creates problems.
Now, from what I recall, we never had details on all of Halaster's apprentices. There was Jhesiyra Kestellharp, Arcturia, Trobriand, Muiral, and one that I just learned of: Maerlyn. That's 5 out of 7 -- so either of the unnamed 2 would have been a better choice for the role of "recaptured escaped apprentice."
I think the way I'd spin it would be to go with one of my recent suggestions, and have Undermountain act as a kind of phylactery for Halaster. The unnamed apprentice would also be permanently bound to Undermountain, but not to the point of being reincarnated/reformed as a living being, the way Halaster is. Instead, this apprentice would be a disembodied intelligence. The apprentice would be able to whisper a few words here and there, maybe manipulate things as per the mage hand spell, and not much else -- I don't know that I'd even go as far as a visible manifestation.
And because the apprentice has a bond to Undermountain similar to Hally's, Hally is utterly unable to detect him/her. He knows the apprentice is still around in some form, but can't do much about it without risking his own bonds to Undermountain.
I'm also not digging this "knot in the Weave" thing. I'm still pondering how to respin that to something else.
Edit: Cast banish typo
Thinking on this a bit more...
New idea: Jhesiyra Kestellharp leaves Undermountain to go do her own thing. She winds up with some apprentices of her own, ones that are very talented.
When Halaster later came for Jhesiyra, she was elsewhere. Thinking to protect her, one of the apprentices used her magic to assume Jhesiyra's form.
Back in Undermountain, Halaster used his magic to permanently bind this apprentice (whom I am dubbing Twosiyra) to Undermountain. And then his madness caused him to wander off and basically forget about her.
The apprentice didn't last long after that, but because of Halaster's workings, when she died, she was still bound to Undermountain.
The real Jhesiyra, also hiding in a different form, found out what happened and snuck into Undermountain. She found Twosiyra, but wasn't able to free her. Jhesiyra was able to strengthen Twosiyra, though, at the latter's request, giving her some more options.
Instead of the ridiculous idea of not letting PCs go thru gates into areas where they could be killed, Twosiyra is more of an occasional helper. She can, a few times a day, whisper a dozen words or so to people. And even fewer times a day, she can use a mage hand type effect.
As a way to work against Halaster, what Twosiyra does is warn adventurers when she can -- minor things, like "strong foes ahead!" or "'ware traps in the floor!" And sometimes, she'll use the mage hand to either trip a trap before someone hits it, or do something like grab a trip wire to keep it from having an effect when someone hits it.
All minor things that help adventurers, and keep Halaster's Halls from being quite as deadly as they could be. Of course, she's only one person, so she can only be in one place at a time -- and even then, she's very limited in what she can do. So there are a lot of adventurers that she's unable to help, and any group of PCs might not get any more than one or two assists every few days. She won't shadow one party as their unseen protector, because there are always a whole bunch of fools wandering the Underhalls, and she wants to help as many as she can.
This keeps the idea of someone looking out for the PCs, without breaking the lore or having the ridiculous idea of keeping PC idiocy from leading to a TPK.
|
| sleyvas |
Posted - 04 Jan 2019 : 12:07:07
quote:
Originally posted by Petra_W
I liked the waterdeep adventure very much. A nice base to establish more adventures in and around waterdeep. You can just take one story path for the dragon heist, but the other 3 villains have potential for other adventures to deal with them.
Now its recommendet to progress the campaign in the mad mage book. Am I right, that it is just a dungeon crawler like "Tales of the jawning portal?". One room after another, with monsters, traps and riddles? A magic item here and there and opportunity to level up. But lore wise or history wise not much?
I think TotyP has gotten no DDAL Season, right? So Mad mage will also get no adventures at DMG? The feature just the "story adventures" like Season 8 with waterdeep?
edit and OT: Is there a chronological overview for the DDAL products on DMG? The layout there could be better.
TotyP was taking various adventures from previous editions of the game and simply updating them to 5e. There is commonality at least to Undermountain in that the various levels have links to one another, etc... They aren't absolutely disparate. |
| Petra_W |
Posted - 04 Jan 2019 : 11:15:52
I liked the waterdeep adventure very much. A nice base to establish more adventures in and around waterdeep. You can just take one story path for the dragon heist, but the other 3 villains have potential for other adventures to deal with them.
Now its recommendet to progress the campaign in the mad mage book. Am I right, that it is just a dungeon crawler like "Tales of the jawning portal?". One room after another, with monsters, traps and riddles? A magic item here and there and opportunity to level up. But lore wise or history wise not much?
I think TotyP has gotten no DDAL Season, right? So Mad mage will also get no adventures at DMG? The feature just the "story adventures" like Season 8 with waterdeep?
edit and OT: Is there a chronological overview for the DDAL products on DMG? The layout there could be better. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 Dec 2018 : 05:21:51
quote:
Originally posted by CorellonsDevout
I'm so tired of WotC just pulling things out of hats (I could have said that more bluntly) with no regards to previous lore.
Indeed. Going with one of the two unnamed apprentices would have been easier and would have avoided any lore issues... Plus, they could have done something really interesting with that apprentice -- what if, theoretically, the apprentice became undead and tried to join the Twisted Rune? Even before Halaster's Highharvestide, I would expect him to look upon such a thing with disfavor. |
| CorellonsDevout |
Posted - 28 Dec 2018 : 04:12:31
I'm so tired of WotC just pulling things out of hats (I could have said that more bluntly) with no regards to previous lore. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 Dec 2018 : 03:56:34
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
I've had a look at Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Bit sad that there's no mention of Bandaerl, the archlich of the Lost Level, and peeved that they used Elder Runes (I had plans!) but it looks pretty solid. Their take on Jhesiyra Kestellharp is interesting ...
-- George Krashos
I can't stand their take on Jhesiyra Kestellharp.
Secrets of the Magister says that Halaster may have grabbed her -- but it also says she may have been gone from Myth Drannor before Halaster started snatching people from there, and notes that two elves saw her disappear into the woods in a web of her own spellcraft.
Me, I prefer to think that she somehow became one with the Weave.
I also think that tying Jhesiyra Kestellharp to Undermountain is problematic from the angle of Mystra's involvement with Halaster. You'd think that she'd have an issue with a former Magister being treated like that, and would have said something when she spoke to Hally. Or she would have done something directly, since Mystra's Magisters get special options from her when they die or retire. Halaster imprisoning Jhesiyra means he somehow used magic to keep the goddess of magic from getting someone she would be specifically interested in having.
So once again, WotC ignores prior lore and creates problems.
Now, from what I recall, we never had details on all of Halaster's apprentices. There was Jhesiyra Kestellharp, Arcturia, Trobriand, Muiral, and one that I just learned of: Maerlyn. That's 5 out of 7 -- so either of the unnamed 2 would have been a better choice for the role of "recaptured escaped apprentice."
I think the way I'd spin it would be to go with one of my recent suggestions, and have Undermountain act as a kind of phylactery for Halaster. The unnamed apprentice would also be permanently bound to Undermountain, but not to the point of being reincarnated/reformed as a living being, the way Halaster is. Instead, this apprentice would be a disembodied intelligence. The apprentice would be able to whisper a few words here and there, maybe manipulate things as per the mage hand spell, and not much else -- I don't know that I'd even go as far as a visible manifestation.
And because the apprentice has a bond to Undermountain similar to Hally's, Hally is utterly unable to detect him/her. He knows the apprentice is still around in some form, but can't do much about it without risking his own bonds to Undermountain.
I'm also not digging this "knot in the Weave" thing. I'm still pondering how to respin that to something else.
Edit: Cast banish typo |
| Zeromaru X |
Posted - 15 Dec 2018 : 03:32:21
quote:
Originally posted by RealmProtector
...Skullport as it was originally before the “spellplague”.
Well, you don't have to worry. The Skullport of this book is way different to the one they described in 4e materials.
I've borrowed the book and my first reading was the Skullport chapter, and none of the stuff mentioned in Dungeon 200 is even referenced in this chapter. Nor the NPCs, places or the really cool ideas (such as the Fourthteen Skull or the blind beholder who claimed to be The Eye). The only feature of this version of Skullport is that is the Xanathar's hideout.
Is not bad, I guess. I can reconcile the two versions, but it was a letdown... |
| RealmProtector |
Posted - 09 Dec 2018 : 00:21:47
I’ve been reading through the book, on the 4th level now. I’ve also read some in the Skullport chapter. I’ll always be a 2nd/3rd edition diehard, completely ignoring 4th edition. that being said the book is pretty good so far. There are some things I didn’t like and some I do. Undermountain resurrecting Halaster LOVED this idea. Knot in the weave awesome though I would take it a step further and change the amount of time for the madness to take hold, say perhaps it’s different for each individual. Some folks don’t go mad (as per the book) while others my go mad in a day/week/month. Could be very useful in harassing PC’s. George mentioned the Jhesiyra thing, I don’t really like the idea, I prefer her as a living spell. I also prefer the gates and architecture in the original 2e boxed set and Skullport as it was originally before the “spellplague”. I plan to run this adventure but I plan to combine ideas/situations from this book with the original boxes sets and the three stand alone adventure to really make a mega dungeon adventure. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 06 Dec 2018 : 23:23:23
I've had a look at Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Bit sad that there's no mention of Bandaerl, the archlich of the Lost Level, and peeved that they used Elder Runes (I had plans!) but it looks pretty solid. Their take on Jhesiyra Kestellharp is interesting ...
-- George Krashos |
| farinal |
Posted - 06 Dec 2018 : 21:58:13
I like the Dragon Heist module. Especially some paths have really good storytelling opportunities. But what I really want to run is the Dungeon of the Mad Mage. I received my book last week and didn't have the chance to read it fully yet. But I really like what I see so far. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 04 Dec 2018 : 22:44:05
quote:
Originally posted by Zeromaru X
Well, may sound like dumb news, but I haven't seen it here. They have confirmed the current year as of Dragon Heist. Is the first time they acknowledge the year in a 5e adventure.
quote:
Originally posted by Chris Perkins
1492 DR, the Year of Three Ships Sailing (I kid you not). #wotcstaff #SeaMaidensFaire
https://www.sageadvice.eu/2018/12/01/any-idea-if-waterdeep-dragon-heist-takes-place-in -heist-takes-place-in-1492-dr-or-1491-dr
Ah, and I just relooked at the SCAG to get a rough idea of time passage since Sundering. So, 1487 is when lands start appearing, etc... so if this is 1492, then 5 years have passed. This does give enough time that cultures should have started seriously interacting again and be past the "honeymoon" stage where they're testing the waters.
Huh, good to know... Thanks Zero. |
| Zeromaru X |
Posted - 03 Dec 2018 : 23:14:01
Well, may sound like dumb news, but I haven't seen it here. They have confirmed the current year as of Dragon Heist. Is the first time they acknowledge the year in a 5e adventure.
quote:
Originally posted by Chris Perkins
1492 DR, the Year of Three Ships Sailing (I kid you not). #wotcstaff #SeaMaidensFaire
https://www.sageadvice.eu/2018/12/01/any-idea-if-waterdeep-dragon-heist-takes-place-in -heist-takes-place-in-1492-dr-or-1491-dr |
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