| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Tarloc
Acolyte
USA
37 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Dec 2011 : 16:26:52
|
|
looking for info on the black circle or bc as seen in the gold box game. the pics look like the priests of orcus from bloodstone lands modules. ive been using them as the black circle of orcus in my campaign. and where is new verdigris? the well is a pool of darkness? since i killed the old guardian, time for a new one, hmm, thinking variant.....beholder
|
"hey, you just rolled two natural twenties!"
"is that a touchdown?" |
|
|
Brix
Learned Scribe
147 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2011 : 09:09:22
|
Check the map found in the Dungeon Module "Monument of the Ancient" to it's whereabouts.
It's a long time since I played this game, so here are my answers from weak memory
* Black Circle: Banites (Bloodstone/Orcus wasn't featured in any computer games at that time, but it might be a nice twist)
* Well = Pool of Darkness: As far as I remember this wasn't explicitly mentioned, but it could explain a few things
Please share your material. I'd love to see a pen&paper version of the game! |
|
 |
|
|
Tarloc
Acolyte
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2011 : 05:15:38
|
| the banites and black circle were at eachothers throats the whole game, definitely not related. not much info on bc out there. they make a good group to tangle with. my module has them in west thar after zhengyi's fall. ill check mon of ancient for sure |
"hey, you just rolled two natural twenties!"
"is that a touchdown?" |
|
|
|
Brix
Learned Scribe
147 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2011 : 07:17:10
|
| Ah! Wasn't that a cabal of mages? |
|
|
|
|
Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2011 : 22:21:27
|
| I'll dig up my notes from my PoD adventure. They were servants of the Wizard that the paladin entombed in the glacier. :) How's that for vague? |
|
|
|
Tarloc
Acolyte
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2011 : 05:49:50
|
| oh rhewtani! glad you could join us. most of the moonsea posts ive read have you in them. im an old gold boxer that just found this site. yeah, played Sosb about a hundred times 20 yrs ago that is. always thought the bc and the (orcusites, orcusinnians?lol) were the same. mostly because of the pics in game. been using them both, black circle of orcus. |
"hey, you just rolled two natural twenties!"
"is that a touchdown?" |
|
|
|
Brix
Learned Scribe
147 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2011 : 08:13:17
|
quote:
Originally posted by Tarloc
mostly because of the pics in game. been using them both, black circle of orcus.
These pictures have been used on many occassions. But since there is not much detail about the black circle you need to add some fluff |
|
|
|
|
Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2011 : 02:40:26
|
According to the old SSI computer game The Secret of the Silver Blades the Black Cicle are the "descendants of the Dread Legion of Magic". The Legion served the Dreadlord, a lich who is also the brother of Oswulf, the palidan of Torn who prayed to Torm to form the glacier over their castle in the town of Verdigris. Creating the glacier, trapped both brothers, and ensured that Oswulf wouldn't have to face and killl his brother. Unfortunatly, Oswulf made a final confession just before the ice encased the valley.
Somehow the Legion forced the confession out of one of the surviving Tormite clerics. Originally, they hoped for a quick stike at the glacier, but the surviving Legion members were mostly destroyed in some sort of conflict in Asabenford. Thus, the few remaining members changed their name to the "Black Circle" and they laid low for 300 years while they re-built thier membership and re-gained their strengh. After 300 years, they returned to the town of New Verdigris and prepared to free their master, the Dreadlich.
The Zhents opposed the Black Circle and prayed to Bane for help. Bane sent a large, old Red Dragon to guard the Well of Knowledge, an artifact from the days of ancient Verdigris. The well provides knowledge in return for sacrifices of gems. By keeping the well out of the Black Circles hands, the Zhents hope to slow down tthe Circle's plans to melt the iceberg and return the Dreadlich to un-life. When the adventurers begin playing Silver Blades, the Black Circle is just warming upfor an attack on the dragon and it's Banite allies. |
"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 |
|
|
|
Tarloc
Acolyte
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2011 : 05:57:56
|
| bingo! halidan thank you, that was the lore i was looking for. ill have to work that into my game somehow. |
"hey, you just rolled two natural twenties!"
"is that a touchdown?" |
|
|
|
Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2011 : 18:07:02
|
Glad there's another Moonsear out there, now. Because RoA happens in 1340 and I used a vague time jump to the get the PCs to 1350, I'm planning on taking the long way to 1357. As a result, everything takes a bunch of research.
As for the Well of Knowledge and Pools of Darkness ~ it's not one by canon. However, when I constructed my campaign I used canon where I could, tried to reconcile video game and novel contradictions if I could, and then filled the rest in with logical concetes that answered questions left over.
It's not supposed to matter overly much, because at the end of PoD only like 6 mortals remember that it even happened. I knew from the video game that Verdigris, Hulburg, Melvaunt, and Phlan get taken. It made the most sense that since a Pool of Radiance already existed in Phlan that they might be the same, just twisted. According to THO, there were supposed to be several pools of radiance out there, but that plotline got dropped from canon. However, we know there is one in Myth Drannor.
So, I had the exiled Red Wizard Marcus locate the five cities that all had pools of radiance in them. He needed one to experiment on, so this led to the Zhentarrim attack on Hulburg in 1347 (which is canon). Fzoul was behind this, so not even the Zhents actually knew this was the reason for the attack. Marcus determines that the cities can be transferred to the Astral Sea through a ritual, but only anchored there if it is "tied off" with an artifact of sufficient power. Additionally, for the ritual to work, two cities would have to be paired and they needed to be of "equal weight." Hulburg was little more than ruins and with a standing keep. Verdigris is little more than a mining camp with ruins. Melvaunt is bigger than Phlan, but Phlan has a pretty significant history of being rebuilt and has a pretty major psychic impression to it, that made for what it lacked in population density. Where the magical tethers intersect, a small extradimensional space is created while the knots get tied together, collapsing over time. Until it collapses, though, the space created a small portal network between the four cities.
Fzoul used this portal network to sneak into Old Verdigris into the crypt of the Silver Blades, where he stole a holy sword from a paladin of Lathander, which Oswulf's ghost saw happen. The holy sword is a weapon called "The Blade of Lathander," which was crafted long ago to fight off Tyranthraxus. Since Fzoul had been slightly intermingled in the affairs of Phlan back in 1340, he had been researching Tyranthraxus and his potential weaknesses. Elminster caught wind of Fzoul's movements and had followed along, unkown to Fzoul. Piecing together what had happened, he ended up having to stay in the "knot" between the four cities and hold it open with silver fire (pouring out of each limb, for a month, without sleeping).
We can reason that Pools of Radiance can act as portals, since Tyranthraxus enters the one in Phlan and ends up in Myth Drannor.
I used the Fzoul Blade of Lathander backstory to explain why Fzoul has the sword in Curse of the Azure Bonds.
Marcus attempted to summon the devil Tanetal to provide guardians for the anchors. However, he accidentally got the demon Gothmenes, instead, who masqueraded as Tanetal. That was my explanation for the discrepancy between demons and devils in the computer game versus the book. El holding limbo open was a way to explain why he was there, but not helping them do anything. He providing limited advice through gritted teeth, while maintaining his concentration.
PC actions changed a couple of things. They did not recover the Hammer of Tyr (well they did, but lost it again) in 1340, so it was not around to be stolen in 1350. Cadorna was in the cavern when the group failed to prevent Tyranthraxus from activating the pool of radiance, like the PCs, he was turned to mithral. A moander spawn was trapped under Phlan and that led to it taking ten years for the PCs to be excavated, since all the wooden supports kept decaying. Since the hammer of tyr was out of play, there was also no reason for Tyr to get involved, so no mindblank at the end.
Gosh, I am rambly.
You are definitely going to need that Monument of the Ancients adventure, since it's all linked up with your area. |
|
|
|
Brix
Learned Scribe
147 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2011 : 18:26:33
|
quote:
Originally posted by Rhewtani
Glad there's another Moonsear out there, now.
So funny. Since I do almost the same sort of PoR Campaign.
Well of Knowledge:
I think it is safe to say that each pool has it's unique powers
Phlan: control of humanoids, has sockets for Ion Stones. With more stones powering the pool, the stronger humanoids could be controlled. I'd also say that the range was influenced. At least this would explain, why the giants stayed at Valjevo Castle. The Pool could be used for teleportation, and maybe it had some other powers as well.
Myth Drannor: control Dragonkind, etc.
There were also pools used by the clerics of Selune to perform rituals of cleaning, what ever that means.
It is also possible, that the Well of Knowledge is a pool of radiance with sentient intelligence and powers of augery.
A Pool of Radiance is a concentration of magical energy. A physical drop of the Weave if you want. Out of that idea many things can be developed! Does a pool of darkness consists of Shadow Weave Material then? |
|
|
|
|
Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2011 : 01:51:25
|
quote:
Originally posted by Rhewtani
You are definitely going to need that Monument of the Ancients adventure, since it's all linked up with your area.
Unfortunatly, since the module is in Dungeon Magizine #170, and it requires a subscripition to D&D Insider to access said module, and I wouldn't subscribe to D&D Insider even with a howitzer pointed at my head, it is a moot point.
I admit, it is nice to see WotC still putting out the occassional Realms article or adventure, I simply can't stomach wading through all of the other dreck just to get the few snippets of Realms lore I'm missing. As it is, I highly doubt that I'll use all of the Realms lore I have now. |
"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 |
|
|
|
Tarloc
Acolyte
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2011 : 05:01:36
|
| great information. in my campaign, black circle takes control of a pool in thar that leads to the negative energy plane. using a powerful artifact to keep the "gate" anchored and open. takes place in 1385dr. phlan is under zhent control and using their pool to access the nine hells. and of course......they hate each other and the pcs are in the middle |
"hey, you just rolled two natural twenties!"
"is that a touchdown?" |
|
|
|
Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2011 : 15:10:41
|
| They certainly could have been tainted by the shadow weave. Could dabbling in the shadow weave have been what got Marcus exiled from Thay? It would also explain Bane's initial, but limited, involvement. |
|
|
|
Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8098 Posts |
Posted - 09 Dec 2011 : 00:14:13
|
I've never played this old gold box game - in fact, google tells me I've missed out on quite a few of them. 
Always on the lookout for more (old) lore involving the magical pools and the Moonsea region. Any recommendations? |
[/Ayrik] |
|
|
|
Brix
Learned Scribe
147 Posts |
Posted - 09 Dec 2011 : 06:44:38
|
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
I've never played this old gold box game - in fact, google tells me I've missed out on quite a few of them.
Always on the lookout for more (old) lore involving the magical pools and the Moonsea region. Any recommendations?
Unfortunatly there is not much
* Mysteries of the Moonsea (There is an unreleased web enhancement about Phlan)
* You'll find some stuff in Elminsters Ecology
* Monument of the Ancient (Dungeon adventure)
* Ruins of Adventure module
* Curse of the Azure Bonds module and novel
* Moonsea (2E)
* The Pools Triology Ruins of Myth Drannor
* Gold Box Games
* The different FR Campaign Settings
* Maybe other novels?
* FR Atlas
And you'll find some good stuff here at candlekeep |
|
|
|
|
Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2011 : 07:09:33
|
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Always on the lookout for more (old) lore involving the magical pools and the Moonsea region. Any recommendations?
If you can get your hands on a copy of the old, Karen Fonstad version of "The Forgotten Realms Atlas" you'll be able to find excent maps of Phlan, the important areas of the first Pool of Radiance computer game, and even the travels that the adventuring party from the PoR take during the adventure. |
"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 |
|
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
37016 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2011 : 11:16:59
|
quote:
Originally posted by Halidan
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Always on the lookout for more (old) lore involving the magical pools and the Moonsea region. Any recommendations?
If you can get your hands on a copy of the old, Karen Fonstad version of "The Forgotten Realms Atlas" you'll be able to find excent maps of Phlan, the important areas of the first Pool of Radiance computer game, and even the travels that the adventuring party from the PoR take during the adventure.
I see it on eBay pretty frequently. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
|
|
|
Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8098 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2011 : 15:13:10
|
I actually have access to everything Brix and Halidan listed, except for three of the five Pool of Radiance Series Gold Box computer games listed here.
More accurately, I actually do have them all except I no longer have an ancient Apple II+ computer to run them on, assuming the data on those ancient floppy disks remain intact. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 10 Dec 2011 15:16:00 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
secret of silver blades
