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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Nov 2008 : 17:35:07
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I'm starting a campaign (tonight, essentially) that will hopefully take the PCs and their relatives/descendants through most of the FR modules released throughout the years.
I've got three people who I've DMed for years; One person whose DMed for me for a few years (and is amazing, and thus, I keep getting nervous); One person who has never played.
We're going to use the 4E ruleset. I know, I know. But its supposed to be a "simpler" system, right? So we're gonna pretend it is and ease into gaming again (been on break for a year or so).
The earliest module chronologically, as far as I can tell, is Ruins of Adventure which is set in Phlan in 1340.
So, I use the 1E campaign guide, right? It's basically 1356?
What books should I be using as historical/setting reference? What little quirks should I be paying attention to (I know I've asked that before, but I can't find the thread)?
I know it's after the Thunder Blessing. I know Azoun has been king for a few years and the girls are about 5 and 6.
I'm trying to work some more of the novel into the adventure (I plan on adding a Denlor's tower session). I'm also allowing for Shal, Tarl, and Ren to exist, but to have died in Phlan.
My PCs are supposed to be ...
Paladin of Ilmater, a Cormaeril, but raised in Vaasa (Tarl's replacement). He was with Anton and Tarl and witnessed their deaths at the hands of the vampire.
Wizard apprentice (Shal's replacement). Something along the lines of either being Ranthor's other apprentice, or the apprentice of a friend of Ranthor's who has been sent to investigate what happened to Ranthor and Shal and Denlor.
A rogue, probably from Shadowdale (Ren's replacement). His father, an alchemist and weaponsmith has been kidnapped by the current Lord of Shadowdale. He caused problems and had to flee for his life. He met Sylune who gave him an item of magic, but that was stolen by Zhents who he followed to Phlan.
A gold-dwarf cleric of Moradin, sent to Phlan to begin work at establishing gem trade in Thar.
A fighter.
I'm half-tempted to have Tyranthraxus escape in Shal's body at the end.
The first adventure in the series is going to be Kuto's Well. They're going to find "Right" and "Left" there (I had to tweak those up a little - all magic daggers made for throwing return in 4E, and I want them to be a little more memorable and lasting). They will find Ren's body somewhere in the adventure (graveyard? slums? pyramid?)
Any suggestions, thoughts, ideas?
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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2008 : 18:08:41
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I really enjoyed DM'ing Ruins of Adventure and Tyranthraxus is my favourite villain (who could have guessed?  ). Anyway, personally I think you should leave Tarl, Ren and Shal out of it. The characters are supposed to be the cast of the module and should replace the characters from the novel.
Also the first assignment for the characters would be to clear out the slums, as it is the first area they will enter and after that have them retake the surrounding area's.
As for big T, I think it's best for him to possess Cadorna after they killed Srossar (sp?) or some other unexpected NPC, maybe a friend of them and let him get away.
When you're done with the module you can play the sequel Curse of the Azure Bonds and have Tyranthraxus make his comeback. You could also change Dragonbait into a dragonborn paladin. Followed by the Avatar trilogy but now I'm getting ahead of myself.
Anyway, for some info on Tyranthraxus check this scroll http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11726
Ps: how can I make one of those fancy hyper links? |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2008 : 18:19:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Tyranthraxus
Ps: how can I make one of those fancy hyper links?
I learned by quoting people who had done it, and seeing how they had done it. It was only later that I learned about the Forum FAQ, which has examples of all the bits of coding used here.  |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2008 : 18:51:40
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Using Cadorna (as written), is certainly fine. I thought I might mix it up a little, but I probably won't on that.
I fully intend to run Curse of the Azure Bonds. I need to find that chronological list of adventures I had found and plan some more of this out. I think Curse is in 1357 or 58.
I do want to use the three characters, but show how they could not fulfill their original fates as part of a meta/sub plot of my campaign. The PCs will exist as sort of infinite points of divergence from fate.
My old DM used to just refer to PCs as Taveren, borrowing from Wheel of Time.
As a side effect of that concept, I'm going to have special permanent effects slip into PCs bloodlines here and there. Things like the effects from various 1E and 2E magical pools and tables. When they pick these up, they'll sort of spark up in all ancestors and descendants of the PC. If a PC comes across a +2 to strength in a pool, all of his line (the player's other characters in the campaign) will gain that. So, if I were to run How the Mighty are Fallen with the characters being ancient ancestors of the PCs, their cache of abilities gained from say ... exposure to Myth Drannor in Curse will still be available.
Just kind a of fun quirk I thought up.
I'm using Kuto's Well to kick things off, and leaving the slums as sort of a side-quest for time filler. |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2008 : 19:26:02
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Ran the first adventure last night. Created Finnan "Zolonso" as a halfling warlord who had "scored" a contract from the council after making some political contacts in the council. He gathered some of the adventurers (the PCs) who were not associated with groups and signed them on to clear out Kuto's well, providing a clean source of water to Phlan.
They navigated their way through the slums, being told by Zolonso that another party had a contract to clear that out. However, that group had not been heard from in two days.
The party encountered goblins in the slums, but routed them.
Upon reaching Kuto's Well, they were again attacked by goblins, some of which came out of the well. They defeated them, though at one point Zolonso was pretty well injured.
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We're picking up in a week. I'm planning to have Zolonso either killed in the well or assassinated by an agent of the Lord of the Ruins. From their, Zolonso's contact, Cordona will take them under his wing. To get the game rolling last night I NEEDED a railroading NPC leader, but I want to give PC freedom after that. I plan on taking the time to prepare the first 1-2 hours worth of any section of the town. That will allow the PCs to choose their own direction, but also not require that I convert everything this week. |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2009 : 18:28:47
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Wow, I never came back and updated this.
Zolonsho did die in Kuto's Well. The party was hired by Cadorna on behalf of the council to clear sokol keep. He paid them extra to plant the Cadorna flag alongside the flag of Phlan if they managed to clear the castle. They arrived on shore, made an attempt to enter the keep, but were rebuffed by the skeletal guardians there, including a flaming skeleton who could throw fire. They ran off, but making it to shore, they caught sight of orcs making landfall.
They disappeared back into the recesses of the mist covered island and came across an old cemetary. Inside the crypt there they were attacked by ghouls. The ghouls were beated down and surrendered until half the party went to check on the orcs. The ghouls took advantage and trid to attack again, but were again put down. The ghoul leader surrendered information in exchange for them leaving him alone. He told them how to enter the keep without being harmed by the guards.
They used this information to enter the keep and rebuff the orc attack. Several of the orcs (but never more than one at a time) became shrouded in flames during the fight. The spectral priest of the keep released a silver icon to the party after learning that they were seeking to rebuild Phlan and reestablish the Temple of Tyr.
Cadorna hired the group to next clear out his family estate of gnolls and reclaim heirlooms that were rightfully his. In this attempt, the party has been unsuccessful. The Paladin of Ilmater, as well as the tutor sent by his family (the cormyrean wizard of torm) were both slain. The dwarf priest of moradin was captured, but while this took place, the human fighter and Tarask, the npc human fighter, were able to escape.
Cadorna has contracted a new group, including the two survivors, to rescue Orsek and finish the task begun. This group includes a half-elf dhampyr fighter, a drow wizard, and a half-minotaur barbarian (Orsek's player will run this thing as well as Orsek if Orsek survives). To ensure success, Cadorna will be sending his assistant, Gensor as well as Tarask.
So if you've played Ruins of Adventure - what do you think of what we've been up to? |
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Phlan, 1340
