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BrokenRulz
Acolyte
USA
29 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Apr 2004 : 14:13:40
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Hi, I am currently running a campaign with some adventurers who are making their ways to Castle Perilous in the northern part of Vaasa. Can anyone tell me where I can find lore on this site, or what sort of things they can expect to find there?
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Brother Ezra
Learned Scribe
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2004 : 15:14:31
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First, be sure to check FR9 The Bloodstone Lands, which is available as an electronic download. You can also occasionally find a copy on E-Bay. This has all of the background information and history about Zhengyi the Witch-King and his 12 year war on the Kingdom of Damara.
The Castle lies in ruins now, collapsing after Gareth Dragonsbane and his companions stole the Wand of Orcus from the Abyss. However, there are still a lot of things going on in or around the ruins:
1. The remnants of Zhengyi's army scattered across Vaasa after their defeat in DR 1359. There are still many bands of orcs, goblins and giants in the bogs of Vaasa and the West Galena mountains.
2. Last report from any official source stated that there were an ever-increasing number of chromatic dragons roosting in the ruins of Castle Perilous. Their intent is unknown, but many speculate that the Dragon goddess Tiamat may be planning revenge against Gareth Dragonsbane and the kingdom of Damara for the destruction of her avatar during the conflict with Zhengyi and Orcus.
Also, there are non-canon treatments of Castle Perilous as well, the best (IMHO) is the Vintyri Project's Northern Journey series, which are available for free download at http://www.vintyri.com/vintyri/njstart.htm
Good Luck! |
"Suffering is the touchstone of all spiritual growth."
-St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred |
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radwizard
Acolyte
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2004 : 19:10:19
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Thanks Brother Ezra for that link. I love 2E FR stuff, it's just so hard to find that kind of material on the net anymore.  |
That Which does not kill us makes us stronger |
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Brother Ezra
Learned Scribe
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2004 : 19:52:37
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Try this site. You can download most 2nd edition FR products for less than $5.00 a product. Bloodstone Lands is towards the bottom of the page.
http://www.svgames.com/downloads-wotc-adndfgrlm.html
Good luck. |
"Suffering is the touchstone of all spiritual growth."
-St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2004 : 23:04:42
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Castle Perilous? Isn't that the place with 144,000 portals, one of which leads to a golf course? I didn't know one of those portals lead to Toril.
::innocent look::  |
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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stormdragon
Acolyte
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 09:39:38
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Wait a second. Dragonsbane & Co. destroyed Tiamat's avatar during the Bloodstone Wars? Where is that mentioned? In the Bloodstone Lands supplement (which I have), or in the Bloodstone modules (which I don't have)? |
Sometimes, I miss my sanity. |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 10:28:15
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quote:
Originally posted by stormdragon
Wait a second. Dragonsbane & Co. destroyed Tiamat's avatar during the Bloodstone Wars? Where is that mentioned? In the Bloodstone Lands supplement (which I have), or in the Bloodstone modules (which I don't have)?
The modules, I believe.
Also keep in mind that this did not happen during the Time of Troubles-Tiamat would have been temporarily reduced in power, not killed. |
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Sarta
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 11:52:37
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I think it is an aspect of Tiamat to have avatars destroyed from time to time. It is reminiscent of the hydra from the legends of Herakles. "Kill a head and two more grow back". So far, to my knowledge, she has had avatars slain by Marduk, Gilgeam twice (both during the time of troubles), and by mortals (which I believe was the bloodstone incident).
I know that I have played that up in my own campaign, I took the example presented of the Karanok family as one of several "heads" of Tiamat -- all of which are vulnerable, but not critical to completely eradicating her. It has been fun during the campaign to watch the party work to overcome a single head only to find a new stronger one gunning for them. The epic conclusion should be her granting spells to the Cult of Dragons through the worship of Sammaster.
Sarta |
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Brother Ezra
Learned Scribe
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 13:47:38
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IIRC, the Bloodstone modules (H1-4) were designed for first edition as a showpiece for the new Battlesystem rules for mass combat. The Realms boxed set was being released shortly thereafter, and TSR wanted the H series to be set in the new Realms campaign world.
I may be wrong on this because I haven't read the H series in a long time, but under first edition rules, Gareth Dragonsbane and company killed Tiamat on her home plane. This meant that Tiamat was dead, kaput, no more. This was an ex-chromatic dragon.
With the release of 2nd edition, the concept of killing gods was recognized as munchkin-ish, and the story was revised in FR-9 The Bloodstone Lands to say that Dragonsbane and Co. killed an avatar of Tiamat, greatly reducing her in power.
I may be wrong...I'm still waiting for the caffeine to hit my brains happy receptors. |
"Suffering is the touchstone of all spiritual growth."
-St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred |
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Sarta
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 15:36:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Brother Ezra
With the release of 2nd edition, the concept of killing gods was recognized as munchkin-ish, and the story was revised in FR-9 The Bloodstone Lands to say that Dragonsbane and Co. killed an avatar of Tiamat, greatly reducing her in power.
That's the party line in Powers and Pantheons. Her final avatar was slain in her lair in the Outer Planes and it took over a year for her to develop a new one, preventing her from becoming the sole god of Mulhorond.
Sarta |
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Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 16:24:14
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What happens in H1-4? I know that the Bloodstone lands are under attack and that the party needs to fight Orcus to stop it all. Is this when the witch-kings castle is destroyed? I always thought that happened before the H1-4. It's been yyyyyeeeeeeeeaaarrrrrrrs since I read it.
I might just refit it for epic play (or near epic) and use Cry Havoc! or Fields of Blood instead of Battlesystem. |
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stormdragon
Acolyte
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 20:51:44
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I need to get my hands on those modules. Our group enjoys playing 3 edition, but I think they would be up for a little 1st edition with a little persuasion.
Another thought occured to me.
On Krynn, Tiamat was known as Takhisis (did I even come close to spelling that right?). Since that "manifestation", if you will, is now destroyed, is it at all possible that she is going to try to consolidate power on Faerun now? All those chromatic dragons heading towards Castle Perilous sure raise some interesting - and frightening - questions.
And if Paladine, a manifestation of Bahamut I believe, is no longer divine on Krynn, wouldn't he be doing something similar - maybe even moving to oppose Tiamat's schemes? |
Sometimes, I miss my sanity. |
Edited by - stormdragon on 16 Jun 2004 20:55:29 |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 20:55:02
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quote:
Originally posted by stormdragon
I need to get my hands on those modules.
Besides the link that Brother Ezra provided, the Bloodstone modules are available at RPG Now. |
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stormdragon
Acolyte
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 20:57:43
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Really.
*Pulls out his checkbook to check his balance* |
Sometimes, I miss my sanity. |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 20:59:52
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quote:
Originally posted by stormdragon
Really.
*Pulls out his checkbook to check his balance*
LOL! That was fast. Don't forgot to factor in the cost to print them out as some of the PDFs can quickly cause a cartridge to go dry. H4 especially is quite large. |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 21:32:03
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quote:
Originally posted by stormdragon
I need to get my hands on those modules. Our group enjoys playing 3 edition, but I think they would be up for a little 1st edition with a little persuasion.
Another thought occured to me.
On Krynn, Tiamat was known as Takhisis (did I even come close to spelling that right?). Since that "manifestation", if you will, is now destroyed, is it at all possible that she is going to try to consolidate power on Faerun now? All those chromatic dragons heading towards Castle Perilous sure raise some interesting - and frightening - questions.
And if Paladine, a manifestation of Bahamut I believe, is no longer divine on Krynn, wouldn't he be doing something similar - maybe even moving to oppose Tiamat's schemes?
Actually according to Planescape lore, Tiamat was not Takhisis. Takhisis resided on Baator/Avernus/Abthalom. Tiamat resided in Baator/Avernus/Tiamat's Lair.
From the Candlekeep FAQ.
2.6.Is Tiamat in the Realms the same as Takhisis in Dragonlance?
According to published materials for both settings (as well as Planescape), the best answer is "yes and no". Most DMs seem to think that they are separate but strangely similar deities; however, quite a few people play them as the same power in different aspects.
(The above answer also applies to Bahamut and Paladine.)
Faiths & Avatars, "The being called Takhisis on one crystal sphere may or may not be Tiamat."
And if you are using 3e's FR planes then no Takhisis is not Tiamat because each named being in each cosmology is seperate and different from the same named being in the other cosmologies. So there is a seperate Lloth in the Tree, as well as a seperate and different Lloth in the Wheel/Ring. So Takhisis doesn't exist in FR since she is specific to Kyrnn, and the Tiamat that exists in the Tree is a seperate and different one from the same named being in the Wheel/Ring. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
Edited by - Kuje on 16 Jun 2004 21:37:18 |
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stormdragon
Acolyte
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2004 : 10:10:28
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Thanks for info, Kuje.
Drat and bebother, there goes my idea for a campaign.....
On the other hand, why let facts get in the way of a good story? |
Sometimes, I miss my sanity. |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2004 : 16:27:00
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quote:
Originally posted by stormdragon
Thanks for info, Kuje.
Drat and bebother, there goes my idea for a campaign.....
On the other hand, why let facts get in the way of a good story?
:) To true! Change it if it makes a good idea for a good campaign. I know I do! |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Castle Perilous
