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Hawkins
Great Reader
USA
2131 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Oct 2007 : 00:51:04
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The only real deviation I have made from "canon" is:
quote:
Originally Scribed in Questions for Steven Schend:
For fun, I took a party back in time, gave one of them the title Fflar, had him die in the epic battle and get raised as a demigod (sort of like Uthgar) by Tempus. The players had a lot of fun, and Fflar (based on the PC) is now a commonly chosen deity, even in some of our non-Realms games (by other DMs in our RP group). Even though it was against the guidelines presented in The Fall of Myth Drannor, I gifted each of the surviving PCs a baneblade and let them take it back to the future. That explained in part why they had not been found for so many years.
But I have not run that many Realms games. I do not like DMing all that often, and the other DMs in my RP group do not run Realms games. |
Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back. --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass
"Mmm, not the darkness," Myrin murmured. "Don't cast it there." --Erik Scott de Bie, Shadowbane
* My character sheets (PFRPG, 3.5, and AE versions; not viewable in Internet Explorer)
* Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document (PFRPG OGL Rules)
* The Hypertext d20 SRD (3.5 OGL Rules)
* 3.5 D&D Archives
My game design work:
* Heroes of the Jade Oath (PFRPG, conversion; Rite Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 1: Cantrips & Orisons (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 2: 1st-Level Spells (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Martial Arts Guidebook (forthcoming) (PFRPG, designer; Rite Publishing)
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Chosen of Moradin
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1120 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2007 : 02:10:42
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In my first Realms campaign (1993, more or less), the players clean Myth Drannor. To said the truth, they do their best, but there was to much trouble, yet. In my Realms, both the feyīri and the elven crusade have to consider a very powerful group of elves in the local.
In my old Waterdeep campaign (pre-Cloak & Shadows), the players became field agents of the Blackstaff. When I read Cloak & Shadows, I put them as the first moonstars.
And all the old pcs of my players became "cannon" in my Realms, and the same goes with their deeds.
So, in my Realms:
- there is a new Magister, an ex-red wizard and new pupil of the Blackstaff;
- a noble samurai in Suzail court - the son of a shou adventurer, that save the life of old Azoun IV in the past;
- Tchazzar return, not as a puppet of Tiamat, but a real power. Heīs now in open war with the Qween of the Dragons and his followers;
- there is dozens of Manshoons, in all places, making some nasty plans - this put in my hands a powerful and cunning wizard to throw in my players in all the campaigns that I DM!
- Halaster donīt die. Donīt believe in everything that you read in the broadcyers... ;) |
Dwarf, DM, husband, and proud of this! :P
twitter: @yuripeixoto
Facebook: yuri.peixoto |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2007 : 04:35:27
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Granted, a lot of this is a bit more recently inspired, and this doesn't list all of those "unanswered" things that have been hanging that I've answered, which technically aren't "changes" per se, at least until some kind of official lore comes down the pipeline.
Also, several of these depend on the "altered" scenario that I posted here at the keep as well, so if you haven't read that, some of these may not make any sense:
Eiliestraee and the Drow Pantheon: I don't have this 100% worked out yet, but given that mortals don't know for sure what's going on with the gods, it can remain a bit vague . . . Corellon knows from Labelas and his follower what will happen if Eilistraee directly confronts and provokes Lolth, and he fears for his daughter, and he also fears that she even can be successful, she may become so tainted as to trade one drow tyrant for another, and thus he begs her to oppose Lolth slowly, and convert her followers carefully, over time, no matter how difficult this may be. Eilistraee slows things down of the sake of her father and what he has seen in the future, and thus most of the drow pantheon stays intact.
The Crescent Blade might figure into this story, depending on the outcome of the Lady Penitent trilogy. Even though I'm "breaking canon," I still like to use the original official form as the jumping off point.
The Underdark: Even without Eilistraee's quickening against Lolth, Kiaraunsalee's followers in the Acropolis of Thanatos under Vaasa were still working on their plan to free the Minotaur Vampire and his legions from Death Heart in the Negative Energy Plane. When they do so, he honors his part of the agreement by setting out to smash Lolth worshiping cities of drow in the Underdark.
The Minotaur's army will cause a great deal of destruction, but it will split into two factions, as the ghouls of the legion, under the command of a cleric of Doresain, spit from the army to form their own legion, hoping to create the White Kingdom in the Underdark of Faerun.
The vampire minotaur will eventually challenge the minotaurs of the Labyrinth. Surprisingly, the minotaur is defeated and pressed into service by the Gorgotaur, using the power of Baphomet to compel him into service, and thus the Gorgotaur add undead to his army of raiders attacking Gracklstugh and Menzoberranzan.
So essentially the minotaur will travel through portals to the Northdark and become part of the threat from the Labyrinth, but I'm still figuring out where the ghouls will be setting up shop, although I will likely have them creating something like the ghoul dragon that appeared in the last issue of Kobold Quarterly as the means by which the ghouls subvert a city or two to "ghoul hood."
(Still waiting to see what I want to do with the Scoured Legion and Ammarindar's ruins, based on a little more information from the Gossamer Plain trilogy.)
Silver Marches: While most of my changes involved following the official storyline until I can find an excuse in my alternate timeline to split it off, the Silver Marches diverge sooner than the rest, and with no real excuse except that I already had plans for this from back before things changed in the first place.
The Silver Marches are still founded in 1369 DR, and in 1370 DR they extend an invitation to Blingdenstone to join as their first Underdark ally. Before Blingdenstone can accept, Menzoberranzan attacks them, wiping them out. The Silver Marches is torn at this point as to whether they can actually wage an effective war on Menzoberranzan, or if they should, or if they should simply set up a defensible outpost to known routes to the Underdark city.
Wulgar and his family settle in Settlestone, but Obould's orcs attack the settlement and kill all of them, as well as Catti-brie, and Wulfgar sets out to wander the north as a lone adventurer.
Obould consolidates his forces in Dark Arrow Keep, and begins to establish trade relations with several Underdark resources. While this is going on, trolls wipe out Nesme as well, as they have been pressed into organized service by the Fog Giants moving into their lands. With trouble on three fronts, the Silver Marches bolsters its patrols near Obould's territory, try to seal off passages to the Underdark and hire adventurers to scout said passages, and send troops to Nesme to retake it from the trolls and giants.
Drizzt acts as a scout and special agent of Alustriel during this time, after gathering information for her on the Underdark in its present state (before the info I detailed above, this forms the basis of Drizzt DoUrden's Guide to the Underdark).
By 1372 DR, Menzoberranzan calms down considerably due to the Silence of Lolth, at least as far as being a threat to the surface Realms. Obould's forces become strangely quiet, and the fog giants are consolidating their hold to the south, but not actively trying to retake Nesme, which is largely rebuilt.
Obould has been hiring less scrupulous adventurers, and seeking advisers to run the Kingdom of Dark Arrows as a true nation. He has many half orc spies in various cities at this point, and the clerics of Grummsh are concerned because he has been giving a great deal of deference to Ilneval's clergy in recent months. Black Lorog remains his close adviser, but she is growing worried.
During the Rage of Dragons, Obould's orcs manage to slay a dragon that attacks Dark Arrow Keep, and Black Lorog manages to use her divinations to find its horde. The orcs bring back this wealth to Dark Arrow Keep, and Obould uses it to increase his trade with the Duergar that he has been working with, gaining better arms and armor for his warriors, as well as better crafted goods as well. He also begins to recruit orog craftsmen and sorcerers from the Underdark as well.
Thay: Larloch saw the dark future the Kaeldarra came from, and even though she changed the timeline, Larloch had been keeping tabs on the Chronomancer for some time. After seeing what was to happen with Thay, Larloch realized that he still had interests that were served by keeping Thay intact and growing a bit more healthy. He decides to do two things at once, and recalls Szass Tam to perform a difficult service for him before he can begin his plans to consolidate Thay.
There is a great deal of political maneuvering when Tam disappears (leaving subordinates in charge that are assured he will return to Thay soon). Odesseiron and Kren go ahead with their invasion plans, but when they cross the border, Druxus Rhym learns of the unauthorized attack, cuts off their troops, and as an offer of peace, turns over the two "trators" to the Iron Lord of Rashemen.
Druxus takes the lead among the Zulkirs, with Szass' proxy Zulkir siding with Druxus as well as Lallara, with Lauzoril and Nevron particularly unhappy with Druxus' newfound power. Druxus, for his part, is pushing to make Thay an economic powerhouse, and doesn't want any kind of overt power grab ruining Thay's new "image."
Nevron is trafficking with powerful demonic powers bolster his power base, and may be recruiting demonic cults to aid him (still working on whose at this point, likely more "political" cults like Graz'zt's and Malconthet's). Mythrellaa might be selling out Thay slowly to the Shadovar (working out details pending the resolution of the Twilight War trilogy.
War in the Dales: Most of the story of the recent history of the Dales is still going to unfold the same way, but when the Zhentarim/Vhearaunite alliance falls apart, the Masked Brigades don't loose their god. In fact, the drow are now more organized, with House Jaelre and House Auzkovyn working together, despite their losses, and brining in more of Vhearaun's servants to the region, and their focus is on disrupting the elves of Myth Drannor.
Myth Drannor is going to be less of a power player and more of an isolated city trying to rebuild, but having lots of problems between the Masked Brigade, a newly active cult of Moander, Eldreth Veluuthra agents that were already starting to move back into the area, and fairly frequent reawakened horrors from the city's depths itself.
Further, while the elves are friendly and allied to the Dales, the Eldreth Veluuthra has infiltrated some of Myth Drannor's diplomatic corps, and is sabotaging the relations between the returned elves and the dalesmen, making it difficult to reach accords or agree on important matters.
More Nebulous Plans: I have some ideas about consolidating Damara into the Kingdom of Bloodstone, and how this (and its allegiance with the Church of Bahamut and his metallic dragons) will bring Tiamat's forces into play.
I'm also working with an idea I had to have a Dracolich/Dragon Ascendant begin to consolidate the Cult of the Dragon again, which would bring it into conflict with Tiamat's cult and Bahamut's as well.
I've been moving toward having Manshoon's UnderMountain clone take over as Halaster's Heir, but I'm still thinking about this angle as well.
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2007 : 22:57:06
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| KEJR, I like what you've done there, especially the parts involving the Silver Marches. I see you've chosen not to have a "friendly" orc realm there, and I like that. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2007 : 23:15:15
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Thanks RF. I appreciate the comments. The Silver Marches have always been one of my favorite places, even before it was the Silver Marches. And I've wanted an orc realm for a while that was organized, but to have it go from zero to "neutral" or "friendly" (for me) just skips a lot of play potential.
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2007 : 23:21:19
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Thanks RF. I appreciate the comments. The Silver Marches have always been one of my favorite places, even before it was the Silver Marches. And I've wanted an orc realm for a while that was organized, but to have it go from zero to "neutral" or "friendly" (for me) just skips a lot of play potential.
Indeed. And you're welcome! |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2007 : 22:59:20
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Here's some MAJOR changes that are upcomming from a new plot in my campaign....
This is mostly because it's a Campaign Arc.
Gargauth: Gargauth is the son of "The King of Hell" (Asmodeus) and Shar the Lady of Loss. This is how he gained his divinity. Gargauth is explicitly far more powerful than all the other Lords of the Nine and could destroy his father to claim rulership of the Nine Hells were he interested (he's not).
Gargauth is the Realmsversion of Damien Thorne and our equivalent of the Anti-Christ as well as Cthulhu. Gargauth schemes ever more to open up Buffy style gates to the Nine Hells and proceed to dominate all of creation under the literal flames of Hell. As the only Fiend-God in existence with Orcus' destruction, he's pretty much a single minded embodiment of evil in a manner different from other evil gods (though Cyric and Shar are both so evil that it's difficult to say they're any better).
Gargauth's Lovecraftian points are that he's currently trapped in his attempt to be summoned physically into the world of mankind both divine essence as well as earthly. If he does so then pretty much the Prime Material Plane may well be completely effed over as it goes against all the rules of the gods to interfere.
Despite this all, Gargauth is relatively weak by comparison to the other gods and he's suitably resented/feared by everyone up to and including his own father. Nevertheless, he allows a nice focus for Demon worship in the Realms.
Fey'ri: In this game, it traces all the way back to Gargauth again as they're explicitly the result of his manipulation to be created. Their ties to both Taan'ari and Baatezu is part of his attempt to breed more powerful and horrific servants that combine the strengths of both. The Fey'ri consider themselves divine but almost all of them bow towards the will of Gargauth.
Fire Knives: In addition to being the exiled Cormaeril Family's Dark Side, the Fire Knives are also Demon Worshippers. Quite a few Cormaerils are tainted with demon blood and mixing with Fey'ri. The namesake of the Fire Knives are objects formed of "Demonic Steel" that entrap the souls of their victims so that they can be fed upon by Gargauth in part of his need to gain strength enough to pull Toril into the Nine Hells.
Lord Orgauth: Is a direct servant of Gargauth and was an attempt to transform the Zhentariam into another faction of the forces of evil. In this game, Fzoul never allied with Orgauth (knowing better than to ally with hellspawn) and outright succeeded in destroying him once Khelben revealed his nature.
Rogue Demons: Gargauth employs demons as well as Devils in a shocking breach of etiquette.
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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MerrikCale
Senior Scribe
USA
947 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2008 : 16:08:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
What changes have you made from canon in your games and why?
How about ignoring everything that is canon from this point forward |
When hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2008 : 18:09:04
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quote:
Originally posted by MerrikCale
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
What changes have you made from canon in your games and why?
How about ignoring everything that is canon from this point forward
That's pretty much what I'm doing. And I'm selective about including lore even before this point. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36906 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2008 : 18:31:51
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quote:
Originally posted by MerrikCale
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
What changes have you made from canon in your games and why?
How about ignoring everything that is canon from this point forward
Yeah, I'm thinking that that's going to be the case with a lot of people. Myself, I'm thinking it may be best to ignore just about everything that's happened in 3E -- because for me, very little of it was exciting or even interesting. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
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Morentis
Acolyte
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2008 : 18:34:49
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The biggest customization in my campaign world, and the addition that's nearest and dearest to my heart, is that my paladin and wizard have a big 'ol castle smack in the middle of the Thunder Peaks, constructed during the reign of the late, lamented King Azoun IV. In RL terms, the castle has been around for about 15 years. I can't remember offhand how long it has existed in my Realms timeline. When they're not gallavanting around the world or other planes, they're charged with the task of keeping safe the Thunder Peaks, far eastern Cormyr and (unofficially) bits of the Dalelands.
Needless to say, I was startled to find that the Realms conversion for the 4E "Keep on the Shadowfell" adventure overlapped so heavily with my particular customization. It was almost too perfect. |
Edited by - Morentis on 11 Jun 2008 18:38:57 |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 20:19:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Yeah, I'm thinking that that's going to be the case with a lot of people. Myself, I'm thinking it may be best to ignore just about everything that's happened in 3E -- because for me, very little of it was exciting or even interesting.
I'm not ignoring FR canon for 4th edition, I'm just going to run a couple of campaigns at earlier spots in the FR timeline.
My next campaign is goint to be set in the early 1340's and deals with the discovery/reaction to the elven migration west. It's set in Harrowdale and will involve the leadership of the dale discovering that their elven neighbors/trading partners have disapeared. How they react to this discovery and what they do to protect themselves against agression from the Moonsea are they main themes of the campaign.
I figure by staying well away from the leading edge of the FR timeline, I can have time to see if I like the new 4E Realms or not. |
"Over the Mountains
Of the Moon
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied,
"If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Allen Poe - 1849 |
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2008 : 09:08:28
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Out campaign now involves Time of Troubles and Faction War, it's good to have some general ideas of what will happen in the next 100 years, tough probably most of them like the Spellplague will be ignored
We changed a lot in FR (2 other DMs and I), mostly areas that are too similar to Earth's history, they just don't fit in for us, like Calimshan (parts), Chondath (different race), Chessenta, Unther, Mulhorand, Utter East, Kara-Tur, Maztica plus Dambrath. I changed the cosmology too, merged cool stuff from the Tree and Great Wheel, and I changed the names like Elysium, Ysgard/Acheron (now incorporated into Blood Rift), Arborea, Limbo, Niflheim, Pluton etc. I'll post some details later. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
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Khaelieth
Learned Scribe
103 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2008 : 10:07:21
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Well, my changes have been that Shade doesn't return, Lolth doesn't fall silent, the Fey'ri are content not to rashfully attack everyone and everything, Phaerimms don't attack Everaska etc.
I've generally just disregarded all changes since 1372. I might introduce the Shades.
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Also known on other forums as ChazSexington, Kusghuul, and Claudius.
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Hawkins
Great Reader
USA
2131 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2008 : 16:19:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Khaelieth
Well, my changes have been that Shade doesn't return, Lolth doesn't fall silent, the Fey'ri are content not to rashfully attack everyone and everything, Phaerimms don't attack Everaska etc.
I've generally just disregarded all changes since 1372. I might introduce the Shades.
So, basically everything 3.x you mean? Since the Return of the Archwizards (the return of Shade and the Phaerimm attack on Evereksa) herald the 3.x Realms and everything else you mention takes place after that.  |
Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back. --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass
"Mmm, not the darkness," Myrin murmured. "Don't cast it there." --Erik Scott de Bie, Shadowbane
* My character sheets (PFRPG, 3.5, and AE versions; not viewable in Internet Explorer)
* Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document (PFRPG OGL Rules)
* The Hypertext d20 SRD (3.5 OGL Rules)
* 3.5 D&D Archives
My game design work:
* Heroes of the Jade Oath (PFRPG, conversion; Rite Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 1: Cantrips & Orisons (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 2: 1st-Level Spells (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Martial Arts Guidebook (forthcoming) (PFRPG, designer; Rite Publishing)
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Dracons
Learned Scribe
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2008 : 17:26:09
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Hmm. Not much from me.
Obould has 9 sons. His eldest being a half-elf/half-orc that was stolen. That son was made out of love when Obould was younger. However the elf's family and villagers didnt' like the idea of her /corrpution/. So they killed her and they thought him. Now Obould wants revenge against the /high/ and mighty elves. His son is a major PC in my game.
Silverymoon was completly destroyed when someone sabotagued the Mythal and reversed the energies.
.... All I can really think of at the top of my head. |
I love PMs! Please send me a message. Even if its Hi. |
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Hawkins
Great Reader
USA
2131 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2008 : 18:49:30
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quote:
Originally posted by dracons
Hmm. Not much from me.
Obould has 9 sons. His eldest being a half-elf/half-orc that was stolen. That son was made out of love when Obould was younger. However the elf's family and villagers didnt' like the idea of her /corrpution/. So they killed her and they thought him. Now Obould wants revenge against the /high/ and mighty elves. His son is a major PC in my game.
Silverymoon was completly destroyed when someone sabotagued the Mythal and reversed the energies.
.... All I can really think of at the top of my head.
I created stats for using an half-elf/half orc in this scroll if you are interested. |
Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back. --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass
"Mmm, not the darkness," Myrin murmured. "Don't cast it there." --Erik Scott de Bie, Shadowbane
* My character sheets (PFRPG, 3.5, and AE versions; not viewable in Internet Explorer)
* Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document (PFRPG OGL Rules)
* The Hypertext d20 SRD (3.5 OGL Rules)
* 3.5 D&D Archives
My game design work:
* Heroes of the Jade Oath (PFRPG, conversion; Rite Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 1: Cantrips & Orisons (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 2: 1st-Level Spells (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Martial Arts Guidebook (forthcoming) (PFRPG, designer; Rite Publishing)
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2008 : 16:06:04
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
I'm curious. How did you incorporate the Faction War adventure module into the Realms?
I don't know the full background, and we don't play the adventure module, but I noticed that our DM uses some events from it. So I'll post what I know, cause I initially changed the area, the current DM just continued to use it. Some customizations of Unther are included.
Unthalass is an important center of interplanar trade. The history of Old Empires is alternate. In short. The Imaskari empire spread to many planes, particulary to the Outlands. The god barrier that they raised wasn't something that blocked deites, but philosophically it diminished their influence. As planewalkers they learned that the belief matters more than the actual personifications of it. They changed the area of their empire, its traits on matters of belief were now planar. Imaskar became an important player in interplanar schemes of power. Yugoloths, tanar'ri and fey had their interests with them. Imaskari influence in the Outlands was particularly annoying to the rilmani, who subly plotted their downfall. The Imaskari found about that and eventually the conflict erupted into an open war. They used various weapons and tactics, from summoning primordial monsters to getting kamerel on their side. The kamerel managed to create a mirror copy of Mirrored Library and place it in Unthalass to use its lore for the war. Those who did ally with the Imaskari abandoned their xenophobic belief and embrace the philosophy that arose in the eastern provinces of the empire. Later that philosophy has spread and became known as the Transcendent Order. Religious worship fell on the margins of the society, tough it was tolerated. Many factions arose, some did spread elsewhere like the Ciphers, some became local versions of big planar philosophies. Influence of Sigil was great, and many portals were maintained despite the war. The Athar were popular among the upper class, or the Oppressors (a sect of slavemasters). Slaves were brought from all over the universe, and initially they had their own beliefs, but they were quickly forgotten, usually in the next generation. They were assimilated like in the Roman empire. So the efforts of rilmani agents to provoke revolts were based more on their material rather than spiritual status. Traces of their ancient beliefs could be found in some sects. For example one popular slave sect combined the Babylonian philosophy that life is hard and cruel with the Dustmen etc. Out of planar factions the Revolutionary League was especially engaged in aiding the rilmani against the tyranny of Imaskar. Eventually the Imaskari lost, their empire crumbled into many distinct countries. One of the crucial moments was when the kamerel and Ciphers switched sides and disabled the Imaskari weapons of war by trapping them into mirrors. Why? They just acted on instincts and felt it was the right thing to do. After the war, the Rilmani left some of their own in Mulhorand. Today that's a nation populated by rilmanarr (planetouched), and they have secret organizations trying to preserve Balance on the planet. Unther is a nation of kamerel planetouched, cause rilmani allowed them to stay there after the war. It is just formally under Mulhorand, ruled by the Revolutionary Council consisted of Ciphers, Anarchists, Eternalists (Dustmen variation) and few other influential groups.
More recent background of the campaign. The events that happened in the evening before the Long Night of the Year of the Gate (1341 DR, note: my character was born that day, but we still haven't figured how's that related) brought disaster upon the nation of Unther. It was an evening of celebrations and many folks were hit unprepared. The city was swarmed with dark apparitions. Thousands died, surprisingly those who died didn't scream. Their bodies turned gray with disturbing facial expressions. Around them was found oily, radiant substance. Full lunar month has passed until the spirits were contained by mirror arcana within the former headquarters of the Transcendent order. Authoritarian investigation revealed the dark of it. In the most ancient part of the Cipher complex, deep below the street-level were located chambers built from mirrors, shaped in arhaic architectural forms. The Transcendent order keeps no historical records as they live ''in the the moment''. The Mirrored Library had some tough. In one of their last, desperate attempts to turn the tide of war the Imaskari forged an alliance with the fiendish powers and these spirits were intended to be unleashed on the Revolutionary Front. The Ciphers built their complex around and above the mirror prison. Millenia after in the moment of madness they shattered the mirror seals and released the horrors (later our party discovered that other beings were released too, like some ancient imaskari leaders). They offered no explanation other than it felt as the right thing to do. Usually that would suffice as this faction was the most respected and numerous among the kamerel people. But a lot of people became distressful, increasing number of them demanded justice for their loved ones. Among them emerged a charismatic leader that followed otherwordly philosophy of Mercykillers, a minor sect here. Hoar gained a considerable support of the masses and was invited in the Revolutionary Council. Ciphers were banished (some killed). Many fled, some to Mulhorand, some to Sigil. On the other side when Nilesia vanished, Hoar's gained new followers. News about the Avatar Crisis complicate things even more. The Athar interpret these events as the fulfillment of all their hopes. Some Anarchists join them seeing now that the gods were a part of the tyrannical system. Due to planar nature of the land, some people begin to discover that they have deific powers. And new factions arise, the leader among them is Gilgeam, his philosophy is a Godsmen variant. All who follow him, can ascend, just like he has. Meanwhile Hoar has slain Ramman, who was an ancient member of the Revolutionary Council and blamed the Mulhorandi agents. The union with Mulhorand was nullified after they granted asylum to Ciphers.
Now I'm not sure about other details, there are certainly many plots within plots in this campaign, and some seem tied to the war in Sigil. Our party so far discovered a few clues. We know that Hoar secretly supports the rise of Gilgeam's group, that he's connected to the Dragon Lady, mysterious being that has taken almost full control over Unthalass' underworld. We suspect they're all Imaskari, trying to get even with the aurumachs in Skuld. Other stuff we learned is that a night hag is Sigil trafficked that oily, radiant liquid found around the colorless dead. She blackmailed a cursed and fallen quesar to do various tasks for her. Quesar would wither and die without the radiant liquid. We still have to find out how and why these tasks are connected. Our group was supported by some mysterious groups, one is an Anarchist cell (we believe), the other was a rilmanarr agent. Some PCs also have hidden agendas, one PC is from Rashemen (servant of Nythra of the Seven Rivers, who's a Hathran planeswalker), tough she's a berserker warrior, and not so bright, so I doubt. The other is half nathri half vaati rogue from Undersigil, working for a jackal lord, more likely under N'ika then Shemeshka. For other PCs (half gnome-gold dwarf, oriental faerie dragon and a plant being) I'm not sure. My PC is a kamerel from Unthalass. When he was 14, a Mercykiller patrol wrongfully chased him. Nowhere to run and hide, he fled into the haunted, abandoned Cipher complex. They laughed at him now that he'll lose his soul too, instead only to be executed. But the dark spirits didn't want to come near to him, not within 100 yards. There he began to learn the forbidden teachings of the Transcendent Order. He became a warrior of the Mirror Shard school (homebrew swordsage). He secretly visited the Great Gimnasium in Sigil, and traveled to Mulhorand where were most of the exiled and even to the Shou Lung searching for the origins of the order. The kamerel decided to build the resistance movement in the abandoned Cipher complex (tough members of the cell still had to be within 100 yards from him when there). While investigating the activities of the criminal network of the Dragon Lady, deep below Unthalass, PCs found a timeless chamber containing a creature bound in a most bizzare way, rhebus undecipherable inscriptions were carved into its skin. Divinations revealed that his soul is elsewhere, probably in some gem. With the assistance of Fell and Millori, and after breaking in in now restricted Mirror Library we suspect that this creature is an arcanist that once almost killed the Lady of Pain (or didn't pose a serious threat according to other sources). She probably didn't maze him cause of his Imaskari origin, no maze could hold him. Why she didn't kill him is another mystery. Maybe she suspected he had some sort of an alternate plan, or contingency if he'd die so she left him in this state between life and death. But what if she left him here on purpose. There are several other possibilities that don't include the Lady this much. Are we just pawns?
This was too long, and I didn't post all stuff from the campaign just what's seemingly related to the Faction war. I'll post some other changes to FR some other day.
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Edited by - Quale on 03 Jul 2008 16:08:15 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2008 : 19:43:33
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I have made changes TOO numerous to name (I shifted around entire countries!), but basically, when I change anything (and everything), I try to make sure the history for the region still works, or at least add my own spin to things to make the canon stuff jibe with my own.
I love to customize things, but I also don't want to invalidate anything I may need later. Its sometimes tricky to pull-off, but thereis so much lore to choose from in canon, that you can pretty much justify anything if you dig deep enough. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 03 Jul 2008 19:43:54 |
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Shottglazz
Acolyte
Canada
49 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2008 : 18:32:38
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| We use the realms as of 1 year after the ToT (1359)...we use bits and pieces since then, but almost none of the 3x stuff (no shade, no return of Netheril, no phaerimm, etc)... |
Shottglazz
"Take my love, Take my land, Take me where I cannot stand;
I don't care, I'm still free. You can't take the sky from me." |
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Purple Dragon Knight
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1796 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2008 : 22:26:54
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We use the realms as of right after Seveiril's crusade (i.e. the retaking of Myth Drannor).
Although I hated the novels, I don't mind too much having the Shades floating above the Shoal of Thirst in Anauroc, as there was little to do there in the first place; now having the Shades there adds an element of fear beyond the usual simplicity of worrying if Endure Element is "on" or not...  |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36906 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2008 : 23:59:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Purple Dragon Knight
Although I hated the novels, I don't mind too much having the Shades floating above the Shoal of Thirst in Anauroc, as there was little to do there in the first place; now having the Shades there adds an element of fear beyond the usual simplicity of worrying if Endure Element is "on" or not...
I agree with this part, in its entirety.  |
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2008 : 00:00:28
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| I like the Shades as "yet another threat in the Realms", rather than the "all-powerful evil" that it seems to have grown into. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Neil
Learned Scribe
Canada
107 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2008 : 02:05:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I like the Shades as "yet another threat in the Realms", rather than the "all-powerful evil" that it seems to have grown into.
Personally, I don't really buy the Shades as 'all-powerful evil'. After all, they're ultimately just slightly jumped-up Netherese arcanists. Thousands of Netherese couldn't overrun the Realms at the height of Netheril. I have a hard time believing that a few hundred could manage it.
Now, I'm sure they can cause major disruption, especially in the Moonsea, the Dales, Cormyr and Sembia. Outside of that, they're more limited. It's not like they could run rampant into Mulhorand or Thay. They're more in the league of the Red Wizards than the Horde. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2008 : 18:21:03
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| Well, then let me just say I don't see the Shades in my Realms being as successful as they've been in the official Realms. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Neil
Learned Scribe
Canada
107 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2008 : 18:56:48
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| Well, wiping out Anauroch won't be happening in our Realms, that's for sure. |
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How do you customize your realms?
