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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
 Posted - 26 May 2004 : 15:50:56
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Looking for some advice or encounter ideas for my players in the Evermoors.
I'll start with one of mine, though it's sort of rough since I'm just copying off my campaign notes so sorry if it stinks. 
PC's are currently questing in the Evermoors for Taern Hornblade searching out rumors of giants and looking for possible lawful giants as allies.
They come across Tor...
A stone giant sitting on a rock stooped over something looking intently. A scraping sound can be heard and something small is in his hands. " I hear you small ones, you may as well introduce yourselves. Don't bother trying to run, I'll just catch you..."
He is well dressed and quite the conversationalist. Often stooping down to peer closely into the eyes of the players. Beside him is a massive instrument half again the size of the tallest PC. He introduces himself and his name in giant is grating *sound of tons of stone grinding and cracking on stone* "But you little ones can just call me Tor, vanquisher of the mighty Trag-Bor fiendish general of Orcus the most foul, reciter of the great Jotunbrud Saga, and artist extrordinaire."
His story is a long one, in a nut-shell he is actually from Ysgard and woke in the material plane with he lost consciousness after fighting a demonis invasion of his homeland. He is an "orator" of the Jotunbrud saga and often breaks into verse:
I pour mead to the All-Father for
Hrjurnur, son of Hjurgen,
leveler of Ranauroch,
son of Ottar,
Jarl of the northern wind-teeth4,
son of grand Annam,
All Seeing, All Knowing, All Quelling,
All Father5.
Fireheart6,
Mighty reaver of the wyrm.s core,
He who howled at the sun,
He of the quenched heart,
He who drowned in the river of swords, . . .
Comments much on the stupidity of Hill giants, "I doubt very much you finding any ready help in these parts without somebody like me. Hill giants (the idiotic beasts that they are) are just over the rise. Stupid though they may be, they are hungry and you'd make a fine meal. Sometimes they don't even wait for elves to die. (looks pointed at the party's elf) they just...start...chompin!"
At any rate, the encounter is designed for more of a roleplaying "shock and awe". A big giant that seems dangerous as in you get the feeling that being on his bad side would not be pleasant. But getting on his good side will bring rewards etc. If the PC's ask for aid or advice he will gaurdedly accept but will demand payment in the form of deeds, such as an example of conviction. Bring me the head of a green dragon that just "happens to be west of here". Anyhow feel free to add to this, critique it to death or add one of your own.
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2004 : 15:58:27
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Forgot for those interested.
Tor
Stone giant/Bard
appears old but strong and hale for his age. For his size he is graceful and fluid, he appears to be able to handle himself well.
Unknown, Male Giant, Stone Giant14/Brd4: Large Giant (Earth); HD 14d8+56(Giant) , 4d6+16(Bard) ; hp 151; Init +2; Spd 40; AC 28(Flatfooted:26, Touch:15); Atk +19/14/9 base melee, +13/8/3 base ranged; +19 (2d8+12, Rock); +19 (1d4+8, 2 Slam); +20/15/10 (2d8+12, Iron, Cold Greatclub); SA: Rock Throwing (Ex) ; SQ: Rock Catching (Ex), Darkvision (Ex): 60 ft., Low-light Vision (Ex); AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +10; STR 27, DEX 15, CON 19, INT 10, WIS 10, CHA 11.
Skills: Appraise +5, Bluff +4, Climb +15, Diplomacy +8, Gather Information +6, Hide +6, Jump +8, Perform (Oratory) +8, Profession (Herbalist) +3, Sense Motive +10, Spot +7.
Feats: Armor Proficiency: light, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Natural Armor, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Scribe Scroll , Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency.
Spells Known (Brd 3/2): 0 -- Detect Magic, Light, Mage Hand; 1st -- Feather Fall, Ventriloquism.
Possessions:
Weapons: Iron, Cold Greatclub (310 gp).
Shields: Lion`s Shield (36,680 gp).
Goods: Brass mug with jade inlays (350 gp).
Magic: Ring: Invisibility (20,000 gp); Ring: Protection +2 (8,000 gp); Wondrous: Boots of Speed (12,000 gp); Wondrous: Bracers of Armor +2 (4,000 gp); Wondrous: Figurine of Wondrous Power, Bronze Griffon (10,000 gp).
The carving that he is working on will be finished if the players take his quest by the time they return to him he will show them what he has been working on, it is an exquisite likeness of Alustriel and states that he has been seeing this face in his dreams and was just curious if the players know who this may be. They have met her of course and will be up to them what they tell him. |
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2004 : 13:45:22
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*tap* *tap*
This thing on.....? |
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Rabilard
Acolyte
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2004 : 14:44:28
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Sorry, I wasn't that knowledgeable about the Evermoors, so I held off. Seems kinda DEAD around here, doesn't it? Any, first things first: What levels your group, I assume the alignment is mostly good? You might consider an encounter with a Black Blood Hunter, just cause they cool, though rather far afield. Bum bada bum, uhmm... How about an encounter with an evil warrior type that drops a sword that is plainly adorned but with a dark edge that promises to be REALLY sharp with just a little time spent. When the character sharpens it, he must make a will save (DC 15-19) or accidentally cut himself. At which point, the weapon increases in plus by 1 or 2, and it's "being" awakens. At this point, the weapon does detect as evil, whereas before it was merely magical. The weapon desires to be whetted at first weekly, than daily, than nightly, each time taking the life of a helpless opponent (either bound, asleep, or Held) and will drive its user to commit such actions.
I'll come back later when I can think o'some more. My own campaign is set in the North, so it should be a piece to steal something from my own and add it to yours (the only problem being, mine is an evil campaign). |
By heart and hand |
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2004 : 17:17:11
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Thanks Rabilard. I'm not so much looking for a campaign ideas or what I could do per se, as I am just tapping the creative brains of the list members here for encounter ideas. Which seem to be few and far between.  |
Edited by - Mystery_Man on 28 May 2004 17:17:57 |
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Rabilard
Acolyte
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2004 : 17:26:56
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BTW, general note and not something I think your characters will be likely to deal with, but regarding the Evermoors as described in Streams of Silver by R.A. Salvatore: he described them in such away as to insinuate the whole land was possessed by an evil spirit. From the Epic Level handbook, could it be a Genius Loci? It's a real monster of myth, so it might be fitting for your heroes to scrape against it and come to the conclusion some fights are simply beyond them.
And if there is such an epic menace there, it might be something the Shades would try to tap.
Regarding the Black Blood Hunter: you might have them encounter a single, very challenging member, that spends his time stalking, and hunting the party, or with a real melee with a band of them, perhaps as many as the party. |
By heart and hand |
Edited by - Rabilard on 28 May 2004 17:32:36 |
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2004 : 19:05:15
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 At their current level the ranger would have to get a survival at a natural 20 to even get a sense that something was wrong with the area but I like that idea for a couple levels from now. Against an evil party that would be a good thing to use if they decided to harm the earth in that erea in some way.
But that did remind me of something I was bouncing around for a "things aren't what they seem, freak the guys out" type of encounter.
This is inspired (taken) from the Lost Caverns of Tjothanc, and again rough....
Some time at dusk or just after sunset as the PC's are looking for a good place to set up camp or even if they continue to trek on (wherever they may be heading) three globes of varrying colors of light will float up from the bog (they're in a bog, so some quicksand may come in handy here) and attack, each firing a magic missle (these are not Will O' Wisps but Nyths from the MoF) and will battle to the death.
The Nyth are guarding an old ruined temple, there is a large corpse (just a few days old, of a hill giant) just outside the crumbling door. Treasure: generate giant's bag
The roof to the temple has succumbed to weather a from a time long ago. Knowledge religion (DC15) to recognize symbols dedicated to Laduger and from the outside it looks to have been long abandoned. Tracking rangers (DC18 due to low light and hard ground) will notice large and small humanoid tracks descending a set of crumbling stairs into darkness.
After about 60-80 feet in following a long tunnel the players will enter a cave with carpets strewn on the floor, rugs hanging from the walls, and exquisite antique furniture scattered about. Faint music can be heard in the background, the air is scented with incense They see cushions strewn about the chairs and rugs. Between a set of divans is a large oak chest, it is open and gems, golden dishes, silver bowls etc. Play up the opulence...
As the players complete thier inspection of the cave , you note that there is an alcove to the west, draped with a curtain of glass beads and covered by a strangely worked and decorated folding screen. From behind it you hear a high-pitched giggle, and before your startled eyes appears a muscular human dressed in flowing robes of blue and white, purple slippers with curled up toes, and a large head dress of pale purple, set with a deep-hued purple gem. He waves a scimitar, bows, and bids you welcome to the "Chamber of Earthly Delights."
He bows and walks over to a screen and pushes it out of the way...
There is a marble passageway some 20' long and in it are three rather comely girls. All three are dressed in a fashion similar to the strange, robed man who is now urging your party to follow him into the bright corridor and the sunny garden you can see beyond it.
Sunny? Babes with bedroom eyes beckoning the players with promises of pleasures beyond counting?
Naturally (unless they're weird) the players will get a sense of unease and try to leave.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that..." and the man (who is a Dao) throws up a wall of stone at the entrance of the passage and the fight is on.
Dao (from MoP) and 3 Harpies
The Dao has used persistent image and limited wish to make the place appear opulent and the harpies as beautiful women. If they are slain or vanquished the illusion is gone and all of the opulence is revealed for the junk that it is.
Hidden and buried (Search DC28) is a small chest with: Emerald (1,000 gp); Deep blue spinel (700 gp); Banded agate (14 gp).
Currency: 180 pp.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2004 : 20:09:29
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| Elf_Friend, I like that most recent idea! Was that from a module, a book, or something else? I'm not familiar with that name... |
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2004 : 20:31:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Elf_Friend, I like that most recent idea! Was that from a module, a book, or something else? I'm not familiar with that name...
That was a room borrowed from the old 1E module "The Lost Caverns of Tsjocanth", I just took it from there and built a whole encounter out of it.
One of my favorite modules but I always butcher (one of the reasons it my not have been familiar) the spelling, and I think it was actually spelled two different ways in the first place. :) |
Edited by - Mystery_Man on 28 May 2004 20:36:24 |
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Encounters in the Evermoors
