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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
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Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe
Ireland
705 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Aug 2015 : 23:39:49
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The first encounter is with a large two headed goat.
The adventure just seems a bit too silly. Did Chris Perkins write this? |
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien
*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*. |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1152 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2015 : 23:56:36
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| Cheers. I was looking for a place to download this without having to use a tablet. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
Head admin of the FR wiki:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/ |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2015 : 06:46:16
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I quite like it. The adevneture has a Time of Trouble feel to it (although admitedly with Demon lords instead of gods)
It will be interesting to see whether the Demonlords are full blown demon lords or Aspects/avatars |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2015 : 12:56:17
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| Read it last night, I thought it was entertaining and I could really see before me the various...goats, in particular. What I didn't understand was how to get the PCs to go from "cryptic prophecy #1" to "location related to cryptic prophecy #1"? |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2015 : 14:51:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Caladan Brood
Read it last night, I thought it was entertaining and I could really see before me the various...goats, in particular. What I didn't understand was how to get the PCs to go from "cryptic prophecy #1" to "location related to cryptic prophecy #1"?
From my reading of it he gives away most of the sites on page 8
Ie He says Farbough farms which is the surname name of the farm owners
The module seems to take the liberty that the players know the local area |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1271 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2015 : 15:20:46
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by Caladan Brood
Read it last night, I thought it was entertaining and I could really see before me the various...goats, in particular. What I didn't understand was how to get the PCs to go from "cryptic prophecy #1" to "location related to cryptic prophecy #1"?
From my reading of it he gives away most of the sites on page 8
Ie He says Farbough farms which is the surname name of the farm owners
The module seems to take the liberty that the players know the local area
Yeah, that was my impression. Most of the riddle / clue solving is handed to the players on a platter. For organized play, I get it. But I might tweak that for home play.
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- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
Edited by - Delwa on 17 Aug 2015 15:21:28 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2015 : 15:32:54
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Any DM 'worth their salt' always reads through the adventure first, sees the weak spots (and fixes them), and then makes changes to it according to their players and characters. Most need some canoodling, truly great ones need very little, and others (*cough* Swords of the Iron Legion *cough) need a LOT of hand-holding. I haven't read through it yet, but it does sound like something I'd be putting tons of 'notes in the margins' with.
quote:
Originally posted by Shadowsoul
The adventure just seems a bit too silly. Did Chris Perkins write this?
Dude - spit-take worthy. 
I don't see his name on it, and the only name I even recognize is Matt Sernett, but he is only one of the leads in the Adventure League, not listed as a designer on this one. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2015 : 16:00:15
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Yeah it feels more like a Silly Sidetrek (I'm trademarking it) than a start to a campaign that will see the heroes fight against great evils.
The use of the number six as somehow related to infernal beings is a bit too blunt as well (Really? The Realms and our western society both equate six (six six) to devils? Not that 666 actually IS the number of the beast.
And now I just have to play that gem of an eighties heavy metal classic. |
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Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe
Ireland
705 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2015 : 19:11:19
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I am a huge fan of Hillsfar, for some reason, and I feel like this adventure is a slap to the face.
I mean basically we are stuck with "Well Maalthiir leaves, then comes back only to die in trying to become a lich." This is one of my biggest problems with the 100 year jump. It caused a lot of damage and all we are getting is basically really lame explanations as to what happened. It's like someone wrote it really quick on a napkin in like five minutes.
The current FR stories are getting really cliched and silly. |
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien
*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*. |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2015 : 20:10:51
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I agree it's iffy.
I believe a better option would have been to have Forgotten Realms 5th edition simply being set in, say, DR 1375 or something. Or, DR 1350 for that matter. |
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Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe
Ireland
705 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2015 : 22:55:11
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| I still feel there is a lot of the Realms that never got a conclusion. |
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien
*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*. |
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Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 05:11:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Caladan Brood
[I just can't read that title and not think Harry in Hillsfar for some reason..]
http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/DDEX31_HarriedHillsfar.pdf
What do the scribes of Candlekeep think of this here adventure?
Anything you noticed lore-wise that could be of interest?
(Still reading myself)
Ugh, this adventure. I mean, it has demon goats and zombie rothé.
Painfully derpy. 
Other than a sprinkling of names, it just doesn't have any Realms feel to it at all, IMO. It's incredibly generic, and really ho-hum lackluster as well.
That said, I think the idea and plan going forward is to intentionally make everything generic - it's Encounters-like, for people who prefer minimal lore. And I suppose they think Realms enthusiasts will take it upon themselves to flesh out the actual feel of Hillsfar or Cormanthyr, or whatever else. Disappointing if you're hungry for interesting Realmslore, but they're not really writing for Realmslore aficionados (and likely won't).
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"The very best possible post-fourteenth-century Realms lets down those who love the specific, detailed social, political and magical situation, with its thousands of characters, developed over forty years, and want to learn more about it; and those who'd be open to a new one with equal depth, which there just isn't time to re-produce; and those repelled, some past the point of no return, by the bad-taste-and-plausibility gap of things done to the world when its guardianship was less careful."
--Faraer |
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Rils
Learned Scribe
USA
108 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 16:39:56
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| @Eltheron - To be fair, it IS for Encounters... Or rather, Adventurer's League, which is what Encounters turned into. It's a collection of 1-hour public play scenarios, you're just not going to get the depth it seems you're looking for. |
Dugmaren Brightmantle is my homey. |
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Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 19:03:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Rils
@Eltheron - To be fair, it IS for Encounters... Or rather, Adventurer's League, which is what Encounters turned into. It's a collection of 1-hour public play scenarios, you're just not going to get the depth it seems you're looking for.
That's why I said it was "Encounters-like" in my post.
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"The very best possible post-fourteenth-century Realms lets down those who love the specific, detailed social, political and magical situation, with its thousands of characters, developed over forty years, and want to learn more about it; and those who'd be open to a new one with equal depth, which there just isn't time to re-produce; and those repelled, some past the point of no return, by the bad-taste-and-plausibility gap of things done to the world when its guardianship was less careful."
--Faraer |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 20:31:26
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| I do like the goats, though..Evil Goats are too rarely used in fiction. |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1271 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 20:48:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Caladan Brood
I do like the goats, though..Evil Goats are too rarely used in fiction.
They were evil. A crit from one of them gave my bard a near-death experience. 
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- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4688 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 20:55:07
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All goats are Evil they eat tin cans and butt anyone they see. Those are the domestic goat. The mountain goats are even worst. *wink* They beat up trolls.
One thing though I noticed that stuck me as odd is that many of the maps appeared hand drawn, indicating the producers really did not desire to use any real degree of care for maps offered. A low budget effort. It does not take much time to follow grid paper in the old days and even Paint-shop can draw straight lines if computer generated. *shrugs* |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 22:21:37
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My biggest question is how you'd actually be able to tell an abyssal baby goat from an ordinary baby goat. Regular, normal goats can scream like humans or make raspy bloodcurdling horrific noises. They also are naturally aggressive and chase people down to head-butt attack, jump around like crazed cats on meth, and can give a pretty convincing evil eye. They also stink like wet death and urine.
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"The very best possible post-fourteenth-century Realms lets down those who love the specific, detailed social, political and magical situation, with its thousands of characters, developed over forty years, and want to learn more about it; and those who'd be open to a new one with equal depth, which there just isn't time to re-produce; and those repelled, some past the point of no return, by the bad-taste-and-plausibility gap of things done to the world when its guardianship was less careful."
--Faraer |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4688 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 22:26:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Eltheron
My biggest question is how you'd actually be able to tell an abyssal baby goat from an ordinary baby goat. Regular, normal goats can scream like humans or make raspy bloodcurdling horrific noises. They also are naturally aggressive and chase people down to head-butt attack, jump around like crazed cats on meth, and can give a pretty convincing evil eye. They also stink like wet death and urine.
Maybe red eyes? *shrugs*
Edit: Maybe the red coats. Also it appears 7 are born, one two headed and 6 one headed. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
Edited by - Kentinal on 18 Aug 2015 22:57:26 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 22:29:10
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Maybe its part of a 3-part series, including..
Molested in Melvaunt, and
Throttled in Thentia
Given the escalation, it could even end with Murdered in Mulmaster.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 22:42:36
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Lol!
And why not Eviscerated in Evereska, Disemboweled in Darkhold, and Herpes-smitten in Harrowdale... |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1271 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2015 : 23:48:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Eltheron
My biggest question is how you'd actually be able to tell an abyssal baby goat from an ordinary baby goat. Regular, normal goats can scream like humans or make raspy bloodcurdling horrific noises. They also are naturally aggressive and chase people down to head-butt attack, jump around like crazed cats on meth, and can give a pretty convincing evil eye. They also stink like wet death and urine.
Good question. I wondered that myself. The DM basically told us "they look odd, you're supposed to fight them."
Oh, and in keeping with the current line: Trounced in Teshwave? |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2015 : 00:35:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Eltheron
My biggest question is how you'd actually be able to tell an abyssal baby goat from an ordinary baby goat. Regular, normal goats can scream like humans or make raspy bloodcurdling horrific noises. They also are naturally aggressive and chase people down to head-butt attack, jump around like crazed cats on meth, and can give a pretty convincing evil eye. They also stink like wet death and urine.
From the module
"A DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check reveals that the goats definitely are imbued some sort of unholy essence. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check shows the lingering effect of possible infernal magic on the goats. Abilities such as detect magic or divine sense reveal this without the need of a check." |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1271 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2015 : 00:43:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by Eltheron
My biggest question is how you'd actually be able to tell an abyssal baby goat from an ordinary baby goat. Regular, normal goats can scream like humans or make raspy bloodcurdling horrific noises. They also are naturally aggressive and chase people down to head-butt attack, jump around like crazed cats on meth, and can give a pretty convincing evil eye. They also stink like wet death and urine.
From the module
"A DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check reveals that the goats definitely are imbued some sort of unholy essence. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check shows the lingering effect of possible infernal magic on the goats. Abilities such as detect magic or divine sense reveal this without the need of a check."
Well, considering we never rolled above a 20 that I recall... that makes sense now. Teach me to skip that Episode and read the rest. 
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- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2015 : 01:14:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by Eltheron
My biggest question is how you'd actually be able to tell an abyssal baby goat from an ordinary baby goat. Regular, normal goats can scream like humans or make raspy bloodcurdling horrific noises. They also are naturally aggressive and chase people down to head-butt attack, jump around like crazed cats on meth, and can give a pretty convincing evil eye. They also stink like wet death and urine.
From the module
"A DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check reveals that the goats definitely are imbued some sort of unholy essence. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check shows the lingering effect of possible infernal magic on the goats. Abilities such as detect magic or divine sense reveal this without the need of a check."
I did see that, but what rubs me the wrong way about it is that these are low level characters. The DC is correspondingly high (after all, how is a low level going to recognize infernal or abyssal energy?), so it's practically built in that you're most likely not going to know until they grow to their big, dangerous sizes.
And then on top of everything, there's really nothing that builds in terms of story. As I mentioned previously, I do get that it's intentionally a series of Encounters so it's going to be pretty generic, but at the same time any really good adventure path will have a little meat (aka developing story) even if it is rather generic.
The only thing really tying these together is the dead crazy person who has a "prophecy" (of sorts). It's just so completely MEH.
Then again, I never really liked the underlying style of Encounters or RPGA, so everyone else's mileage may vary. Strings of random encounters I can get from any MMORPG, pretty dull either way.
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"The very best possible post-fourteenth-century Realms lets down those who love the specific, detailed social, political and magical situation, with its thousands of characters, developed over forty years, and want to learn more about it; and those who'd be open to a new one with equal depth, which there just isn't time to re-produce; and those repelled, some past the point of no return, by the bad-taste-and-plausibility gap of things done to the world when its guardianship was less careful."
--Faraer |
Edited by - Eltheron on 19 Aug 2015 01:19:30 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2015 : 01:19:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Caladan Brood
Lol!
And why not Eviscerated in Evereska, Disemboweled in Darkhold, and Herpes-smitten in Harrowdale...
Well... I was going for a bit of a 'Moonsea' theme. ;) |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2015 : 02:12:00
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Just reread the module
WARNING THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILS FROM HARRIED IN HILLSFAR
Muwahahahaahahah
This module is quite clever if you read between the lines
This module is drip feeding various elements of the campaign
Mission 1
The Fiendish two headed goat is a joke on multiple levels and its also an insult to one and possibly two other demon lords
The obvious insulted demonlord is Demogorgon who has 2 heads but in real world mythology Baphomet is represented as having the head of a Goat not a Bull (Incidently the Baphomet on the rage of demons page is a Demonlord of Beasts, not specficly of minotaurs like in previous editions)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baphomet
Grazzt slept with Bea Farbough (the infants have 6 fingers Grazzt symbol is a 6 fingered hand)the 6 infants are Grazztspawn
Now the real kicker might be that Grazzt may actually appear in this module as........... Pynroth who maynot be just a Tiefling child
Mission 2
The Key story pieces are the drow Arrizz and the Fungal infection hes carrying
Arrizz introduces the Underdark although he doesnt have much to say and doesnt mention demonlords he does come from the Underdark where the Demonlords have appeared. The Fungal infection maybe a sign that he has come into contact with Zuggtmoy
Missions 3 and 4
Dont scream anything for a specific Demonlord (Do Jackalwere worship demonlords? maybe its Baphomet Demonlord of Beasts)Theres the Gorlisto
demon which I also always asscoiated with Baphomet due to them both looking like bulls)
Mission 5
This is blatently Grazzt the location also draws on old 2ed Realmslore (Specficly For duty and Deity where the Players rescue Waukeen from Grazzt palace)
I think Grazzt is going to be the bigbad in the Rage of Demons campaign in the Moonsea area with possible appearences by Baphoment and Zuggomey
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“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2015 : 04:48:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Oh, and in keeping with the current line: Trounced in Teshwave?
I wanna play!
Seduced in Suzail
Bothered in Berdusk
Irritated in Iriaebor
Groped in Gulthmere
Wooed in Waterdeep
Fondled in Fireshear
Zinged in Zhentil Keep
Glazed in Glister |
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! |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1271 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2015 : 04:55:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Oh, and in keeping with the current line: Trounced in Teshwave?
Zinged in Zhentil Keep
Now I've got that end song from Hotel Transylvania stuck in my head.
Dargoth
Mission 3&4 with the Jacklewere's could be a reference to Yeenoghu? Maybe? Might be a bit of a stretch. |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2015 : 05:04:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Oh, and in keeping with the current line: Trounced in Teshwave?
I wanna play!
Seduced in Suzail
Groped in Gulthmere
Wooed in Waterdeep
Fondled in Fireshear
You just know one of the Authors is pitching those for a new Forgotten Realms Romance novel line |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Topic |
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Harried in Hillsfar
