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Phantom_Lord
Seeker
Pakistan
92 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Apr 2004 : 14:46:56
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Hi all.
If you haven't read this product, or are not privy to its devastating secrets: read no more for there be spoilers aplenty.
Scepter of the Sorcerer Kings:
Firstly does anybody have any more info on this item? Any product or book? Secondly, what are Khelben's motives when he takes this magical item away from its rightful place? Also if Khelben was privy to Alaundo's Prophecy of the Harper Shcism, then why did he instigate the splitting of the harpers by taking the Scepter from in the first place?
Good book though, really awesome.
Thanks and Kudos.
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Ponka! Kaddu! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2004 : 17:50:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Phantom_Lord
Hi all.
If you haven't read this product, or are not privy to its devastating secrets: read no more for there be spoilers aplenty.
Scepter of the Sorcerer Kings:
Firstly does anybody have any more info on this item? Any product or book? Secondly, what are Khelben's motives when he takes this magical item away from its rightful place? Also if Khelben was privy to Alaundo's Prophecy of the Harper Shcism, then why did he instigate the splitting of the harpers by taking the Scepter from in the first place?
Good book though, really awesome.
Thanks and Kudos.
The Scepter of the Sorcerer Kings is fully described in the 2nd edition source Book of Artifacts. It was created by a group of Netherese mages, and its intended use was to slay gods. However, it was lost before they completed it.
It reflects back all magic, and when it's used, a random deity has no influence at all in the Realms for 10 days -- it's totally blocked (that deity would still be able to affect things in the rest of Realmspace, just on on Toril).
As I recall, Khelben's motives for taking the Scepter aren't really discussed, though it's known he's working against some threat he's been able to divine in Aluando's prophecies. I don't recall the Prophecies mentioning the Harper Schism, though...
As for his forming of the Tel'Teukiira, he wanted an organization that answered to him, one that was under his control. The Harpers are wide-spread but not well organized, which is a weakness that Khelben didn't want. Also, the aims of the Tel'Teukiira, while similar to that of the current Harpers, are more in line with the aims and intents of the Harpers at Twilight, the Harpers' first incarnation.
If you have more questions, Steven Schend often pops in to provide lore, and he's one of the authors of that book. I'd recommend asking on the Questions for Forgotten Realms Designers thread. |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2004 : 19:45:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Phantom_Lord
Hi all.
If you haven't read this product, or are not privy to its devastating secrets: read no more for there be spoilers aplenty.
Scepter of the Sorcerer Kings:
Firstly does anybody have any more info on this item? Any product or book? Secondly, what are Khelben's motives when he takes this magical item away from its rightful place? Also if Khelben was privy to Alaundo's Prophecy of the Harper Shcism, then why did he instigate the splitting of the harpers by taking the Scepter from in the first place?
Good book though, really awesome.
Thanks and Kudos.
The Scepter of the Sorcerer Kings is fully described in the 2nd edition source Book of Artifacts. It was created by a group of Netherese mages, and its intended use was to slay gods. However, it was lost before they completed it.
It reflects back all magic, and when it's used, a random deity has no influence at all in the Realms for 10 days -- it's totally blocked (that deity would still be able to affect things in the rest of Realmspace, just on on Toril).
As I recall, Khelben's motives for taking the Scepter aren't really discussed, though it's known he's working against some threat he's been able to divine in Aluando's prophecies. I don't recall the Prophecies mentioning the Harper Schism, though...
As for his forming of the Tel'Teukiira, he wanted an organization that answered to him, one that was under his control. The Harpers are wide-spread but not well organized, which is a weakness that Khelben didn't want. Also, the aims of the Tel'Teukiira, while similar to that of the current Harpers, are more in line with the aims and intents of the Harpers at Twilight, the Harpers' first incarnation.
If you have more questions, Steven Schend often pops in to provide lore, and he's one of the authors of that book. I'd recommend asking on the Questions for Forgotten Realms Designers thread.
Or you could hope that he's paying attention to active threads on which he might be able to help. 
As to what Khelben's up to, bear in mind this is my opinion, not any attempt at influencing or suggesting this is what WotC plans to do with him. This is all my opinion based on where I was going at the time with C&D, 'kay?  Disclaimer in place, check. <cracks knuckles and stretches, then laughs melodramatically with lightning crashing out of a clear sky>
Due to numerous complaints and comments around that time (1999-2000), I decided to work with Khelben to show how a Chosen operates and why he/she rarely steps on the toes of regular PC heroes because of the scale on which (s)he operates. Everything that Khelben does in C&D is for a reason, though each act may or may not have to do with the others.
He formed the Tel'Teukiira for the reasons Wooly reiterated above (thanks). Khelben's definitely a "need to know basis" kinda guy and he needed/wanted agents that worked for him, even if they didn't always know exactly what it is they're up to on the larger scale. After all, being told to be a street beggar in Luskan and record everyone who goes into or out of a particular church after sundown is a mission, but not one that the agent can figure out....
That aside, what Khelben's up to is working on something secret, something big, and obviously something more threatening than whatever Fzoul could get up to with the Scepter. Khelben did this because, for all his craftiness and guile, Fzoul was a predictable villain and he did exactly what Khelben expected.
Did the Blackstaff know that Bane was going to return after the influx of power set by the events of C&D? Maybe....
Still, giving all this power to known evil, what's Khelben's game? Perhaps there's some lurking evil (which he knows about due to prophecies of Alaundo or specific portents from Mystra herself) that's even worse than Fzoul or the return of Bane.
Perhaps his breaking from the Harpers (and taking a lot of agents with him) was more to protect the Harpers from something that could destroy them, and he's split off from them to preserve that organization?
Khelben has 900-odd years worth of secrets in his head, and he's loathe to share them at all. Elminster knows a few, Laeral knows most (but not all), but he parcels out his secrets in miserly fashion. What's he up to? Perhaps he doesn't even know entirely, and he's operating as an agent of Mystra for reasons only she knows....
All we do know for certain is that what Khelben does now
Does NOT reflect on the Lords of Waterdeep;
Does NOT reflect on the Harpers;
Will NOT be interfered with by Manshoon (given his weakened position after the Manshoon Wars, and the fact that if he comes to Waterdeep to deal with Khelben, that should make him crazy to go fight his clone in Undermountain, which makes one wonder if that's not the reason why Khelben and Halaster like having the clone around....);
Is free of Banite/Xvimlar influences west of the Storm Horns for the next 30 years (yes, NOT Zhentish, but the religious influences).
What could this mean? Beats me! I never got the chance to continue the story, but I meant simply to show that the Chosens' role in the Realms is to watch the forest, not the trees; where regular heroes clear out dungeons and stop villains from destroying towns, the Chosen make sure that the Weave stays intact, forests stay whole, and the sun comes up. The hints of C&D point that Khelben knows SOMETHING and it's big and bad enough that he's cutting deals with Fzoul in order to set things in motion....
How long might it take for this plan to come to fruition? WHo knows? Who's involved? Unknown, but the fact that Sememmon and Ashemmi are now rogue powers might (or might not) have something to do with Khelben's larger plan as well.....
That's what I loved most about what we set in motion with C&D: The effects are both short-term and scary, but they leave so many balls in the air that DMs can literally go in a hundred different directions from that one product and make the Realms as scary and dark or unified and good as they wish.
Just remember that when I think of the Chosen, they're the Justice League/Magnificent Seven (er, Nine) of the Realms and Khelben's most definitely Batman--ruthless, scheming, paranoid, and plotting at all times.
That answer your questions? Or leave you with more? Then my work here is done. 
Steven |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Sarta
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2004 : 23:08:41
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I have to really thank you for the way you handled the Tel'Teukiira. I was never that satisfied with the way the Harpers operated. It seemed far to haphazard. Too many open agents, proudly waving their little pins around, and far too little information flowing in a cohesive manner. Often times several agents would be working at cross-purposes, unaware that another agent was even involved. Also, just as often, agents were dispatched without assistance to "handle" something far too big for them to accomplish. I realize that this reflects the chaotic nature of the organization, but can also imagine how frustrating these inadequacies would be for the Lawful Neutral Khelben.
In my campaign, I've had the party working for the Tel'Teukiira without being aware of it. The wizard's mentor is a local agent. The wizard has been provided with a blank journal that is tied to another within the possession of his mentor. What is written in one shows up in the other (a third copy exists in Khelben's library as well). In this way, the character can continue to get advice and occasional "suggestions" from his mentor, while gathering information for the Tel'Teukiira.
The party serves a purpose as disposable agents who can get things done without drawing attention back to the organization itself. I know that Cloak and Dagger provided opportunities for the party to become actual agents of the Moonstars, but decided that they simply don't merit this yet, if ever.
Sarta |
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2004 : 23:50:19
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| Steve, that little part about Khelban leaving the Harpers to protect them, I quite agree with you. It's because during that time, the leader of the Harpers (forgot her name, it's a level 26 bard) was severly ill and couldn't run the operations of the organization. The only people left in charge was like Bran Skorlsun and a bunch of other Master Harpers who aren't exactly the "sharpest swords in the armoury". The Harpers were already kinda split down the middle with many taking sides on whether to help Khelban or believe the Master Harpers that the Blackstaff was helping the Zhentarim. Khelban leaving was a way to resolve the problem so there wouldn't be an internal war within the Harpers. |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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Cloak & Dagger--------Spoilers
