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Daviot
Senior Scribe
USA
372 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Oct 2007 : 01:48:54
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I'm currently running a slightly modified version of the Shadowdale: Scouring of the Land campaign and after reading about the Sharran priestess holding a Shadow Shard, a fragment of the Shadow Stone of Madyroch, it occurred to me that good-aligned PCs, especially those following a deity such as Mystra or Azuth will want to destroy such an affront to the Weave. The question is, how does one go about doing it?
I don't have the benefit of having a copy of the book Shadow Stone to reference, though I do have Volo's Guide on the subject of things magical (though not all things, as El rightfully argues). There are a list of a number of highly difficult/highly improbably methods for destroying what in 3e/3.5e would be major artifacts.
So, I ask my fellow scribes for PC and/or mortal-feasible suggestions on how to destroy a Shadow Shard, a minor Shadow Weave artifact.
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One usually has far more to fear from the soft-spoken wizard with a blade and well-worn boots than from the boisterous one in the ivory tower.
My Tabletop Writing CV. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12211 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2007 : 15:52:17
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| Entrap it in a brightly lit area with no shadows that is also a ley line for the weave (such as exist in Rashemen). Next tie a spell engine to it and begin to leach weave energy into it. If its filled with weave energy, it cannot be an "absent" space of the weave, which is supposedly what the shadow weave is. Beware, this will probably cause it to explode, with some pretty nasty results (possibly actually weakening the weave in said area.... which would probably destroy the ley line, but hopefully not make the area magic dead). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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turox
Learned Scribe
USA
145 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2007 : 17:12:20
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| You could also destroy it in the way as described in one of the Elminster novels. Where he had to take it to a certain area and offer it to Mystra. I'm at work now and drawing a blank on which book it was but think it was Myth Drannor. |
Turox Antas Dragonslayer -
"People will believe anything they want to believe, or fear to believe."
Wizard's First Rule: Chapter 36, Page #397, US Hard Cover (revealed by Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander).
Explanation by Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander: "People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People’s heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."
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Daviot
Senior Scribe
USA
372 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2007 : 10:51:34
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What about the only possible solution I've managed to come up with:
Place the shard in a dead shadow weave magic zone (as created by the spell Rend Shadow Weave from CoV), and then apply moonfire salve while having the ritual overseen/blessed by both a cleric of Selűne and one of Mystra/Azuth. Sound feasible? |
One usually has far more to fear from the soft-spoken wizard with a blade and well-worn boots than from the boisterous one in the ivory tower.
My Tabletop Writing CV. |
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Iliphar1
Learned Scribe
Austria
133 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2007 : 12:03:41
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I didn't know, that Dead Shadow Weave Areas exist?
How could they come to be? |
'You see dead bones? ... I see an army!' Ezechiel 37 |
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Daviot
Senior Scribe
USA
372 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2007 : 22:03:16
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| The book Champions of Valor features the spell "Rend Shadow Weave", a third-level abjuration spell for clerics, sorcerers, and wizards that creates a permanent 10-ft. cube of dead magic that affects only the Shadow Weave. The spell also gives the caster a +2 competence bonus to dispelling Shadow Weave spells while they have the spell prepared. |
One usually has far more to fear from the soft-spoken wizard with a blade and well-worn boots than from the boisterous one in the ivory tower.
My Tabletop Writing CV. |
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The Simbul
Learned Scribe
173 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2007 : 10:36:15
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SPOILERS
I think the easiest and most immediate route--once the adventure concludes-- would be to ask one of the Chosen of Mystra who previously lived in Shadowdale to redeem the artifact, perhaps through some ritual involving silver fire or Sylune's kiss, and in turn transform it into a weapon against the Shadow Weave (which could potentially prove useful in Anauroch: the Sundering of the World).
Elminster, Storm, and Dove may likely avoid Shadowdale itself for the time being, even after the PCs have driven off the invaders and ended the Rite of Unwinding. This is probably due to the obvious threat of being ambushed by the Shades, given that Yder has been masterminding the plot and scrying on the dale throughout the adventure. But you could possibly encounter them in Myth Drannor...both because of the ongoing war for the reclaimed elven realm, but also if they or Mystra anticipate that the Shades might do what I think they are going to do...
Alternatively if your party consists of a cleric of Mystra, Azuth, or Savras, and you reached 13th level by the end of the adventure, then you could simply go back to Aumry's Tomb, gather Syluné’s ashes from her coffin, and cast a resurrection spell upon her. Nothing in the published lore, in the official timeline, or even in the adventure itself prevents her from being resurrected, and her sacrifice to save the Weave should be more than enough to make her worthy of restoration in Mystra's eyes. In fact, I am half tempted to write and post/share (possibly several) miniature side-quests that could be added onto the adventure, of which this would be one, though it would likely be a good long while before I have the extra time to do so. |
Edited by - The Simbul on 15 Oct 2007 10:43:31 |
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An Open Question: Destroying a Shadow Shard
