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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Sep 2003 : 15:50:57
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Nice  .
Before I make any more comments I would like to know a little more about Aralar Naradeth, if it is possible. He seems to fit a nice like gap in one of my own stages for this adventure. I need a little more information about him first though, just to be sure.
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2003 : 04:04:46
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Here's Aralar's background.
Aralar Naradeth was born in DR 1311, to a pair of merchants, Ilsar Naradeth and his wife, Nilomue Derial. They traveled across the face of Faerun, living in their wagon. On a disastrous day in 1327, Aralar and his parents were traveling along the road between Shaarmid and Kholtar(does anyone know what the name of this road is?) when Shaaran bandits destroyed most of the caravan they were with, and forced the survivors to flee into the Rathgaunt Hills. They fled, and ended up in a narrow valley. As dusk descended, landslides began, trapping them in the valley. One of the landslides revealed a long-forgotten cavern, and with no place to go, the three descended into the cavern. About ten minutes into their underground sojourn, the activity began again, and this is when Aralar was left an orphan. A partial collapse of the tunnel they were in claimed both of his parents, and Aralar ran off into the darkness, scared out of his mind, and eventually stopped to rest. He tried to sleep, but couldn't, due to the movement of earth. Eventually, he just began to organize his thoughts, and reflected on what had happened over the last day. He realized that he liked being underground, and that the destructive power of the earth had captured his heart. He resolved to worship the earth, and its caverns. He found his way back to sunlight, and struggled across the Shaar to Kholtar. There, a group of Ilmatari took him in. When he had recovered from wounds accumulated, they asked him where he would like to go. He told them "Take me to someone who knows the most about caverns and the earth in this city." They brought him to the temple of Ibrandul, where he quickly apprenticed himself as an acolyte. Over time, he became a full-fledged priest of Ibrandul, and then rose to temple leader. He felt uncomfortable aboveground, and felt that a deity of caverns should have a temple worthy of his portfolio. He began to take long trips under the Shaar, looking for the perfect location. Eventually, he found the waterfall. He wouldn't have found the hollow behind the waterfall if it wasn't for the avatar of Ibrandul that guided him to the difficult climb. The avatar showed him a rough sketch of the temple, and Aralar added the moving doors of his own volition. The clergy moved into the waterfall chamber, alternatingly taking turns shaping the temple, resting, and guarding. The temple was completed in 1351, and the clergy moved into the temple. In 1358, once the Time of Troubles had begun, Ibrandul's avatar lead the clergy to the hallowed caverns that they wished to recover. The ibrandlins were left behind as guards, but no one ever returned to reclaim the temple...
Aralar Naradeth(LN male human Clr13/Hie2 of Ibrandul). |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2003 : 06:28:24
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2nd Site: Green Chasm Cavern
At first glance, this cavern seems unremarkable. A long, curving cavern, split in twain by a large chasm, with only the odd outcropping or ledge to provide a way across. However, when looking over the side of the chasm, the uniqueness of the chasm is revealed. The sides of the chasm are deeply encrusted with green, uncut, gemstones, stretching from ten feet below the edge of the chasm to ten feet above where the River Shaar crashes along below. In three places along the chasm, a gemstone bridge has formed, stretching from chasm-anchored gem formation to gem formation. In places, these bridges may be very thin(Balance DC 19), but they provide the most reliable ways to cross the chasm. One creature makes its home within the chasm. Vureemaghasaryn(LN male wyrm emerald dragon) has a lair about halfway down the chasm. He considers the chasm, and a small area for a mile around it, his territory and will defend it against ursurpers. He long ago acknowledged that creatures would travel through his territory. He doesn't consider them threats, but will enact a simple toll: a single useful(to the dragon) magic item. If a traveler refuses to give the toll to him, he will look over the travelers in question and ask for an alternate payment, whether it be other items or tasks. If they refuse this alternate payment, Vureem attacks. In attacking, Vureem does not try to cause actual harm, he just seeks to drive intruders out of his territory. Vureem keeps a small pen of deep rothe for him to eat. The most common alternate payment is a day to a week of taking care of the rothe. Vureem will provide a small ledge for travelers to rest on while with him. Vureem is very talkative, and often asks travelers about current events in the Realms. Vureem has a deadly rivalry with the deep dragons of the Sliced Spiral(Site 3).
Note:These site locations are meant to be used as a basis for us to use in the adventure. They are not set in stone, and we can change them to fit the adventure. Depending upon what sites we use in the adventure, I'll provide more information, including stat blocks, maps, descriptive text, and most anything else we can see being needed. I'm willing to provide more details on any of these sites, just ask. |
Edited by - Arivia on 22 Sep 2003 14:08:50 |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2003 : 07:32:06
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3rd Site: The Sliced Spiral
The easiest way to descibe the Sliced Spiral is...nothing. A long twisting, upward sloping spiral corridor forms the core of the site. The spiral encloses long, circular caverns. What gives the Sliced Spiral its name, however, is that the spiral is adjoined by a very tall, column-like cavern. When the spiral reaches a level with one of the circular caverns, the right side of the spiral is open to the column cavern. A family of deep dragons makes their home here. Each dragon takes one of the circular caverns for its own, making its lair there. From the bottom to the top, here are the dragons:
-Larathorytaust(CE female wyrmling deep dragon) has the lowest cavern. She hasn't accumulated much treasure in her lair. The distinctive feature of this cavern is the hot springs that dominate half the cavern. Lara spends much of her time lazing around in the springs.
-Aradonolar(CE male juvenile deep dragon) has the second cavern. He has a significant amount of treasure in his cavern.
-Illaretena(CE female mature adult deep dragon) has begun to accumulate piles of gold coins, but the distinctive feature of her lair is the small crawlspace leading to a small cavern containing a portal to the Astral Plane.
-Eliararnkylar(CE male ancient deep dragon) is the leader of the family, and a terror to the local wildlife. Piles upon piles of coins fill his lair.
At the top of the spiral, a boulder is thoroughly jammed into the corridor. Beyond this obstacle lies a very small cavern with a single item in it, on a stand. The item is the Blade of Shards(see Sage of Perth's Magic Shop for stats).
Eliararnkylar & Vureem: These two dragons have had a rivalry for about five hundred years now. When Eliararnkylar and his family moved into the area around the Great Rift, the first good spot for a lair they came across was the Green Chasm Cavern. Vureem sprang out to defend his territory, and a battle ensued. In the battle, Vureem gained a nasty scar down his underside, while Eliararn nearly lost an eye. A regeneration scroll healed the eye damage, but the dragons have a bitter rivalry that continues to this day.
The Dragons and the Dwarves: Eliararn's family isn't stupid enough to incur the gold dwarves' wrath. They've learned to leave the dwarves alone, and settle with fighting with Vureem, Llurth Dreier(Site 4) drow, and various Underdark denizens that are stupid enough to travel within a very busy area... |
Edited by - Arivia on 23 Sep 2003 08:41:34 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2003 : 12:59:49
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This is great material Arivia. The only problem I have with it, is finding a way to use most of what has been presented. Nothing has been typed up yet, but I am combining a number of your ideas and some of my own, as well as some thoughts some other contributors have sent me (via ethereal mail), into a basic outline which I will eventually post here for comment and improvement.
Oh, and thanks for the background on Aralar, it helps.
Arivia said -
quote:
Illaretena(CE female mature adult deep dragon) has begun to accumulate piles of gold coins, but the distinctive feature of her lair is the small crawlspace leading to a small cavern containing a portal to the Astral Plane.
I particularly like this idea, but I am not sure about the portal to the Astral Plane being so 'easy' to access. Maybe something a little less conventional like a partially concealed shaft running just off the cavern which leads to a specific colour pool connected to the Astral Plane. What I am thinking about though, is not an actual portal, but rather a 'astral window' like the type presented in MotP 2e.
What do you think?.
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2003 : 13:57:26
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| Sounds good. I didn't finish the sites completely, I still have some more work to do on them, including more on the rivalry between both groups of dragons, and some descriptive text that I left out of the Sliced Spiral site. I'll post the changes tonight. The astral window is fine, I just wanted some sort of planar connection within the Spiral. |
Edited by - Arivia on 23 Sep 2003 08:36:08 |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2003 : 14:07:34
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| We don't need to use all of this. I'm providing rough outlines of the sites around the Great Rift. If we don't use it in the main adventure, we can still include it, for those that want to build their own adventures using ours as a springboard, or for those that want to use the adventure as a supplement for the Great Rift in their campaigns(as I imagine it'll have enough background information to be used in that way). Either way, I'm willing to do the work on these sites. |
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Cult_Leader
Learned Scribe
USA
337 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2003 : 14:59:19
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Yeah sounds nice. I myself have been thinking up a chron that involves more of a supernatural battle. Before Is ay my idea no its not because I watched Underworld. Infact I have yet to see it.
Anyway my Idea; I was wanting to take some parts of WOD, From White Wolf and turn it into a more D&D type game. Not sure if they would want to sue me for this which is why I tried getting ahold of Conrad ( one of their workers in the higher ups). Like normal he is busy. So perhaps I shall try again in a few days. Anyway, The idea is to have the whole, Werewolf on werewolf, Mage on mage, vampire on vampire, Mummy on Mummy, etc etc, and slap them all together in a supernatural twist of events and such. Much like WOD, but with a bunch of D&D twists like feats and such. Still would have some of the WOD powers but I myself would also add in some D&D ones. Makes a good game when yout hinka bout it. |
"Madness you say! Do you fear me? Are you afraid of what I might do, of what I might say? What a fascinating reaction. Don't you find it somewhat encumbering?"
Piddles assumes a deep and resonant voice. "Space...the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship...Garou. It's mission: to slay Wyrm creatures where they live and breed. To accumulate more Garou than the world's entire population. To produce metis like no one has before." - Piddles
"Aren't you people supposed to be doing something? Like, entertaining me, the fascist wizard?" - InleRah
I have the passwords to the minds of everyone and the cheat codes to the universe - Me |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 23 Sep 2003 : 10:03:51
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4th Site:Llurth Dreier
Lolth's silence completely destroyed any semblance of order in Llurth Dreier. Now, mages and warriors, priestesses and slaves, all fight for their lives in a devastated city-cavern. When the city still existed, it was built around a large, conical hill in the center of the cavern. The Temple of Lolth was at the apex of the hill, with satellite noble houses, merchant's shops and the like radiating outwards from it. About a half-mile outwards from the hill, the slave pens began, holding the various slaves for usage as sacrifices, cannon fodder(so to speak), and servants. When Lolth went silent, the mages of the city realized so almost immediately, and immediately attacked the priestesses. The clergy of Kiaransalee joined the battle, fighting for their own domination of the area. The battle grew, eventually moving close to the edge of the slave pens. An accidental spell broke open the pens, and the chaos and slaughter began. As of now, there are nominally allied factions gathered around the hill, each having its own hastily constructed defenses. |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2003 : 11:36:55
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| This last site obviously needs some help. I know the idea's to do something based around the Great Rift and dwarves, but to stay true to canon, this had to go up as it was listed as a site underneath the Shaar(specifically in the Deepwild entry for the Great Rift). The event is very repetitive, but I've been seeing drow this and drow that for so long that I just want them to go away...Can anyone help make this more interesting? |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2003 : 05:28:00
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5th Site: The Shadow Spire
In a large cavern, a tall, thin spire of blackish rock protrudes from the ground. The cavern in question is about a hundred feet long, with the opposite end from the spire open to the chasm that holds the River Shaar. As travelers approach the spire, its features become more noticeable. A very narrow archway is cut into the spire, allowing access to the interior. Inside the Spire, a spiral staircase extends up and down from the entrance, coiling down and up into darkness. As it's name suggests, the Spire is completely black inside, offering practically no vision. Areas of magical darkness cover most of the Spire, eliminating the effect of most torches. About every ten feet along the staircase is a landing, offering a door that leads to nowhere. At the top of the upwards climb is a blackish orb on a pedestal. If used properly, the doors will change into portals linked to a vast dungeon complex on the Plane of Shadow. The descending staircase seemingly has no end...Strange, shadowy, yugoloths inhabit the Spire, trying to prevent intruders from descending into the depths or activating the orb. The dwarves have no idea that the Spire exists, but it is surely responsible for some of the missing dwarves... |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2003 : 07:55:37
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Very nice  .
I have something to add which might make this last site all the more interesting. Why not have the portal at the top of the staircase connect to the Shining Citadel on the Plane of Shadow. You could say that any who use the portal are instantly transported to the Shining Citadel, taken by the Order that venerates the creator of the Shadow Plane, then they are drained of their life energies in order to continue to power the citadel.
The fact that the Spire is shadowed and dark could also suggest that the draining effects of the Order, have penetrated the portal and have taken all the life and colour from the area surrounding the Spire and staircase.
It could also be used to explain the absence of the missing dwarves.
Just a thought...
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Edited by - The Sage on 25 Sep 2003 07:57:11 |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2003 : 06:36:09
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| Good idea, Sage. However, there's no portal at the top of the staircase, just the orb. The door just before the top of the staircase would do it, however. Next site today. By the way, I've got aplenty more ideas for sites, and I think there's more running around in my head then we'll use. Tell me when we have enough of good quality, and then I'll move on to another task... |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2003 : 07:51:12
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6th Site: The Sculpture Hall
The Sculpture Hall is a long, flat cavern. A narrow stream winds its way down the center of the cavern, leaving two flat banks to either side of it. These banks are crowded with statuary. Everything from flowers to elven archers are depicted here, in various woods, stones, and metals. The most unique statues, however, are the ones made of ice. These are abstract shapes, following no set pattern, but all having a discernable style behind them. The ice statues are resistant to heat, not even melting when a torch is pressed up against them. The most terrifying aspect of the icy statues is their seemingly erratic animation. Once in a while, the statues come to life, and move around the chamber, moving other, normal statues here and there. Once they are apparently done their tasks, they simply freeze into some new position. |
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William of Waterdeep
Senior Scribe
USA
829 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 16:50:40
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This is good Arivia! I would like to cut and paste this when you are finished and show it to someone else just for ideas.If you don't mind
of course.Keep it up. |
Courage isn't the lack of fear but rather believing in and doing what you know is right even though fear is present.
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 19:23:47
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| Absolutely fine. If you're interested, I can send you the statistics for the statues(it's a 3e template). Sorry about the wait for the deity list, by the way, it's been a busy week. |
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William of Waterdeep
Senior Scribe
USA
829 Posts |
Posted - 28 Sep 2003 : 16:49:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Arivia
Absolutely fine. If you're interested, I can send you the statistics for the statues(it's a 3e template). Sorry about the wait for the deity list, by the way, it's been a busy week.
Sure that would be great!!! Don't fret about the deity list,no hurry,
just send it when you get it.I know how it is.
willtim@catt.com |
Courage isn't the lack of fear but rather believing in and doing what you know is right even though fear is present.
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2003 : 02:27:56
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| Sage, as you're on the forums right now, about how many more sites should I do around the Great Rift? |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 : 07:46:41
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7th Site: Sealed Cavern
This cavern was sealed in DR 1232, due to the diseases it inflicted upon the dwarven population. This cave, a holy site of Talona, is a nexus for poisons and diseases. Various diseases and poisons are on everything, from the rocks to being carried along by the air. Oozes and the like live in the cavern, mysteriously gaining energy from some unseen source. The cavern is roughly spherical, with great needles of faezress at each end of the sphere. Nothing living has been allowed in here, and it is rumored that priests of Dumathoin have bound extraplanar guardians to the area... |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 : 07:50:39
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I apologise for not replying to your last post (on the 4th) earlier Arivia, but I must have 'left' Candlekeep at roughly the same time as you had posted this.
Anyway, I have rough drafts of about 6 different locations (well seven really, but two are connected). I am trying (time permitting of course) to clean them up and bring them into some sort of coherent order, so that I can post them here.
As for how many you should create, well...that is pretty much up to you...all I will say is though, that the more locations we have to choose from to place into the adventure, the better.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 : 07:54:31
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| Back to work then...I'll keep working until I run out of ideas. Is there anything else I should be designing ideas for, ie. sites in the cities in the Rift, or something else? |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 : 07:54:40
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Oh...this last site is great Arivia .
The 'two-connection location' I was talking about in my last post has been having some continuity problems in terms of content, although reading over your latest addition has just given me some ideas on how to 'fix' it.
Do you mind if I use your location 7, in my own work on the Great Rift sites?. If you don't, let me know, and I'll post the two sites up here...that way we can work on it together .
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 : 07:58:25
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Arivia said -
quote:
Is there anything else I should be designing ideas for, ie. sites in the cities in the Rift, or something else?
Actually there is. I am having a hard time putting together some backgrounds for some potential NPC's that I may use. I don't have access to my books at the moment (and will mostly likely not for the next few days either) so referencing material for NPC's is difficult at best. I may post the general outlines I have created here, that way you can see if there is anything you would like to work on.
Are you interested?.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2003 : 07:20:33
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I am sincerely sorry, Sage. I hadn't seen these.
Using Site 7 is fine. It's a group project. Contributions are greatly appreciated.
Doing the backgrounds for the NPCs is perfectly fine, exactly the sort of work I was looking for.
Again, I am sincerely sorry. |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2003 : 07:45:43
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8th Site: The Gemstone Forest
This massive cavern is football-shaped. 2 miles long by a mile wide at its largest width, the cavern is only thirty feet high. Gems of all types cover the floor of the cavern, in all the colors of the rainbow-plus shades of white, black, and grey. These gemstones have razor-sharp edges, and have been known to oddly shatter, the resulting pieces forming various animal shapes. In the center of the cavern, a large, graceful, elvish-styled castle rises from the ground. The castle is made of alabaster, and according to the few dwarves who have returned from inside the castle, various elvish undead can be found inside. In the northern half of the cavern, a large galley lies partially buried, gems having grown oven most of it. The galleon is a spelljaming ship, with a functioning helm inside it. Scattered around the cavern are large obsidian pillars, with various foretellings of an apocalyptic event(the various events vary) written on the pillar in Seldruin. There is a magical field in the cavern, which only affects creatures, doing everything from sprouting blades out of their arms to increasing their size by at least one category...most frequently while the creature in question is asleep. The field also seems to animate animals out of the oddly-shaped gem shards, creating a complete ecosystem in this cavern. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2003 : 08:24:04
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I like this site Arivia. Perhaps I should add a number of gem dragon encounters, since this would be the right site for it...now where's my copy of MM2 .
Anyway, I'll post those NPC listings up shortly, and that way you can see what you can do with them.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2003 : 08:29:01
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| Well, we already have another gem dragon location, and I really like the first one...(points Sage here.) |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2003 : 08:39:49
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| Hmm...is there any creature or something that you'd like me try and do a site around? A little bit of inspiration never hurts...in fact, the last site was inspired by the M:tG cards Tel-Jilad Chosen and Battlegrowth. |
Edited by - Arivia on 18 Oct 2003 08:41:43 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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An Epic FR Adventure
Topic Locked
...now that conjures up some memories.