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kahonen
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
358 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Nov 2003 : 12:38:13
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Looking for an adventure hook?
Imagine the situation:
Your party have been around for a few years. They've made a name for themselves. They are recognised in most places (if not by sight, at least by name). And then suddenly, it all changes.
My party are The Freemen of Dagger Falls*. They were given the name by Randall Morn after rescuing him from the Zhents (in the Sword of the Dales Trilogy). The bard in the party immortalised their acts in the song "The Freemen of Dagger Falls". It is a song which is known as far away as Waterdeep and is often heard sung on an evening in an Inn. And then they arrived at an Inn and someone was singing it with different words. The heros had different names and the villains had the names of my party. To make matters worse, the locals in the Inn were singing along and knew all of the "wrong words".
Why the words have changed they don't know. When the words changed, they don't know. Who is responsible, again they don't know. What they do know is that in the area in which they are currently travelling, they are the villains. Not only has the song changed but they are all wanted for other crimes since the events of the song.
The hook worked like a charm. It took no effort at all. All I needed to do was mention that someone in the Inn was singing The Freemen .." and the party bard immediately jumped on stage to join in. Imagine his embarassment when it became apparent that he didn't know the words to his own song.
Isn't pride a wonderful thing 
*The Freemen of Dagger Falls
Herold Boulderbottom Male Dwarf 10/9 Fighter/Cleric (Clangeddin)
Hallorun Tann Male Human 13 Cleric (Tyr)
Taethor Adiemus Male Elf 13 Fighter
Crystal Starbrite Female Elf 14 Rogue
Hector Male H/Elf 14 Bard
Dinnen Male Elf 13 Mage
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Edited by - kahonen on 25 Nov 2003 12:39:43
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 05:55:10
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Excellent! I assume this isn't a magical memory-change, though -- that sounds too much like Elfsong. But either way, absolutely wonderful hook. I tip my hat to you. Er, hood.
Two questions about the party. How'd the dwarf get to be a level-nineteen character when everyone else is five to six levels below that? And why three and a half elves?  |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 07:01:55
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A thoroughly intriguing adventure hook kahonen...I may just have to 'steal' it... .
The Sword of the Dales trilogy is one of my favorite FR adventure sets. I always try to run the series at least once a year, radically altering different portions of the modules to conduct the adventures differently.
Aside form the questions about the Dwarf's class levels, and the three and a half elves (nice Bookwyrm  ), would it be possible to hear a little about each of the PC's backgrounds?. Maybe, where each of them came from, and the like.
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The Cardinal
Senior Scribe
Canada
647 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 07:56:55
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It's quite obvious why three and a half elves. the Dwarf gained those extra levels by cutting the fourth elf in half. Duh. |
It has to be Certain, the Gods Hate Me. For whatever irrevokable Fate, I have been made the walking Joke. Either that, or Beshaba is overlyfond Of Me.
-Unknown |
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kahonen
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
358 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 12:39:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Bookwyrm
Excellent! I assume this isn't a magical memory-change, though -- that sounds too much like Elfsong. But either way, absolutely wonderful hook. I tip my hat to you. Er, hood.
Two questions about the party. How'd the dwarf get to be a level-nineteen character when everyone else is five to six levels below that? And why three and a half elves?
Ah, the dwarf. he isn't actually level 19. In 2nd edition, if a player chooses to follow a different path his level in his current "trade" freezes until his new "trade" catches up. hence, Herold was a 9th level fighter when he got the call to follow Clangeddin Silverbeard. He reverted to Level 1 cleric and progressed as a cleric to level 9 at which point he could restart earning experience as a fighter (being now effectively dual-classed). Because of the different experience points required for different levels of different classes, the total EXP that Herold has is pretty even with that of the rest of the party.
The Dwarf is a strange chap anyway. In 2nd edition, demi-humans are only supposed to dual-class when they are first created. With Herold, I decided to break from the normal rules and allow him to dual-class because he is the most natural follower of any god I've ever seen. I couldn't justify any decision other than that he would be noticed personally by Clangeddin.
The effect of the hook isn't a magical memory change although the effect is obviosuly magical. In simple terms, the effect is being caused by the activation of a magical artifact within Myth Drannor. This has been activated by the demi-lich (Gothil) defeated by the party at the end of "The Sword of the Dales". Gothil can't cope with the fact that the Freemen got their names as a result of defeating her. Hence she has hatched a plot to undo the good they have done since defeating her by activating the artifact in the area concerned. She doesn't actually realise that the artifact, once activated, is self sustaining and undoes ALL good not just the good it's specifically targetted at. The effect of the artifact spreads outward from the source and the party happen to be travelling in an area recently affected and their previous good acts are now being undone. The effect has already passed Cormyr where King Azoun is now despised. Since the effect started around the Dales, this is the worst affected area. Given that this area is where the party formed, they normally receive a warm welcome there but not anymore. They are in for quite a shock when they get there as they are all wanted with a price on their heads. This introduces quite a moral dilemna as they are going to be followed and regularly attacked by much lower level bounty-hunters. Do they kill them all and actually become what they are being accused of being?
I've got loads of things planned before the effect can be countered. There's a clearly defined path to be followed to find out what's causing the effect and than a longer chain to correct it. It's definitely going to involve travel on the Infinite Staircase, The Astral Plane and a trip to the Well of Worlds and there'll certainly be a trip to Ravenloft for the final battle with Gothil.
Adventure on the big scale, don't you just love it. |
Edited by - kahonen on 26 Nov 2003 12:57:42 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 22:02:45
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| Pretty impressive. I rather like this. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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kahonen
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
358 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2003 : 12:39:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Sage of Perth
Indeed.
Tell me kahonen, is there any chance of you one day detailing this entire adventure here at Candlekeep?. It would make a fine addition.
A little difficult, perhaps, since some party members are know to lurk around these hallowed halls (Yes, I know you're there!).
I'll certainly supply updates when I can. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Topic |
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An Adventure Hook
