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Purple Dragon Knight
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1796 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Oct 2004 : 02:35:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I guess it's not too surprising, then... I just wish they wouldn't re-label generic stuff as being in the Realms. It's an insult to Realms fans, I think.
I once thought that way, but now I just take the "use it if you will, forget it if you don't" attitude... Aye, there are authors here on these boards that are self-proclaimed ignorants of the Realms!  |
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tauster
Senior Scribe
Germany
399 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2004 : 14:19:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Here's a possible idea, though: the dragon contacted his agents thru some magical device that looks rather non-descipt. Perhaps it's an old book, with messages from the dragon appearing on certain pages. Or it could be a mirror or portrait that acts as a two-way communications device... Either way, this item was somehow overlooked when the house was cleared out (or left behind, for the one or two odd agents who remained). Someone recently found the item and carried it elsewhere, maybe or maybe not nearby (if it's a book, it could be a daring child who found it, if it's something else, it could now be adorning the wall of a local home or business).
your idea is along the lines iīve thought. i had not chosen between communication spells or magic devices, but after your diabolical idea of a "find-the-communicator"- quest the i clearly lean towards the latter! as soon as i read it, i started to visualize the "fun-romp" through a winterly waterdeep: streets almost deserted, a persistent and icy rain that comes from the sea, finding every little gap between clothes, biting and stinging. several red herrings that lead the party gods-know-where: the sewers, the docks, small alleys, perhaps the upper(??? ) reaches of the underdark... *evil dm-grin*
quote:
Now the dragon suddenly needs something done in Waterdeep. He tries to use the device, and the current owner is rather surprised by whatever form the communication takes.
...and...
quote:
Alternatively, the device sould be a small sculpture that become animated when the dragon is trying to communicate with his agents. Either way, the same fun can be had.
that fits into my story, as inzeldrin hasnīt had interest in waterdeep for several years now. i still have to decide yet who (and thus, where the current owner is. besides, it partially depends on the form of the device. i think along the lines that a noble adventuring broke in the house years ago, looted (in a particular daring attempt to impress their bored piers with a spektacular piece of furniture) a small, rather oldfashioned and not very tasteful marble statue (appr. 30 pound, so that my pcīs will have a hard time running away during chases ). nobody discovered that is magical, and soon it was stowed away on some attic. perhaps later, some kids discovered it, took it away and used it to decorate their "secret meeting room"- which could be anywhere in waterdeep!
now i need a nice location for the statue. possibly a place that could be everywhere in the city (attics come to mind) yet has some feature that distinguishes it, so that thereīs a chance (however small *g*) for the pcīs to locate it without magical means (which would be boring).
howīs something like that: the dragon can look through the eyes of the statue and describe the pcīs what he sees. inculuded in this description is a window, so they have a small clue what is the street. perhaps a gargoyle or something like that. now they are looking for a particular gargoyle (perhaps with a broken horn or something noticable)- which to their horror can be found on every second street in some of the wards! after several housebreakings they finally discover the statue the shelf of a shop- across from a picture featuring an attic with a window and a gargoyle with one horn broken.  i only hope they donīt beat me to death afterwards... 
are there any holes in the story, something i overlooked? improvements, additional twists in the plot?
thanks for the idea anyway, it really helped me and got my creative juices flowing again (after weeks of finding nothing useful, which can be really frustrating)! |
Edited by - tauster on 07 Oct 2004 14:24:23 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2004 : 15:37:24
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quote:
Originally posted by tauster
[howīs something like that: the dragon can look through the eyes of the statue and describe the pcīs what he sees. inculuded in this description is a window, so they have a small clue what is the street. perhaps a gargoyle or something like that. now they are looking for a particular gargoyle (perhaps with a broken horn or something noticable)- which to their horror can be found on every second street in some of the wards! after several housebreakings they finally discover the statue the shelf of a shop- across from a picture featuring an attic with a window and a gargoyle with one horn broken. i only hope they donīt beat me to death afterwards...
are there any holes in the story, something i overlooked? improvements, additional twists in the plot?
That is an evil manuever. I like it.
However, I do think that a dragon would realize he was looking at a protrait. After all, if he looked at two different times of the day, then he'd notice a difference in the light.
If you have the statue in a shop, then I'd set the gargoyle as an item for sale in that same shop. Or maybe it's in the courtyard of the shop. The PCs are going to be looking for the gargoyle to be on a building, not on the ground.
Of course, now that I think about it, I don't think gargoyles are a commmon architectural feature in Waterdeep...
quote:
Originally posted by tauster
thanks for the idea anyway, it really helped me and got my creative juices flowing again (after weeks of finding nothing useful, which can be really frustrating)!
Not a prob! Taking an existing idea and putting a fun spin on it is a specialty of mine. |
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tauster
Senior Scribe
Germany
399 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2004 : 17:30:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly RupertHowever, I do think that a dragon would realize he was looking at a protrait. After all, if he looked at two different times of the day, then he'd notice a difference in the light.
hmmm... perhaps the vision that the statue provided always was kind of "cloudy" or blurred, so that the dragon could see only vaguely? ...not really believable, right?
or how about someone draped a cloth over it, perhaps so that the statue doesnīt gather dust? sounds much more realistic to me than the "blurred vision"-explanation!
that leaves the thing about failing to realize the missing daylight...
again, a cloth over the statues eyes could explain that away.
[edit]
how about the shopkeeper putting the statue under a glas?
that would blurr the vision (though perhaps not enough, and certainly it does not explain the daylight-argument) and deaden most sounds (at least at normal talking loudness)...
[/edit]
quote:
If you have the statue in a shop, then I'd set the gargoyle as an item for sale in that same shop. Or maybe it's in the courtyard of the shop. The PCs are going to be looking for the gargoyle to be on a building, not on the ground.
i like that, itīs better than the picture-version.
the dragon must not have had the impression that the gargoyle sat on the ground, or he would have revealed that detail to the party. perhaps he could only look through a partially opened window and thus failed to realize that there is no wall/roof behind the gargoyle in the courtyard?
another problem: a magical statue made for communicating purposes prpbably has hearing capabilities. how do i prevent the dragon to HEAR that it stands in a shop? 
...perhaps itīs easier to let the dragon just know where the statue stands- and watch the party from a second device for entertainment!
quote:
Of course, now that I think about it, I don't think gargoyles are a commmon architectural feature in Waterdeep...
certainly no "real", living ones. but stonework to decorate eaves gutters on noble mansions surely exists, some of them in the form of waterspouts. inevitably, non-noble but rich citizens would have copied that fashion, and today, after centuries of city-building, lots of them adorn houses ans mansions in waterdeep. there are of course rumors about "living" gargoyles who hide among the stonework, but thatīs surely just that: rumors.
would you buy that as a player? i certainly would, but everyone has a different mental picture of the city of splendors...
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Edited by - tauster on 07 Oct 2004 18:02:42 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2004 : 19:15:42
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quote:
Originally posted by tauster
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly RupertHowever, I do think that a dragon would realize he was looking at a protrait. After all, if he looked at two different times of the day, then he'd notice a difference in the light.
hmmm... perhaps the vision that the statue provided always was kind of "cloudy" or blurred, so that the dragon could see only vaguely? ...not really believable, right?
or how about someone draped a cloth over it, perhaps so that the statue doesnīt gather dust? sounds much more realistic to me than the "blurred vision"-explanation!
that leaves the thing about failing to realize the missing daylight...
again, a cloth over the statues eyes could explain that away.
Except for the fact that if the cloth is thin enough for the dragon to see thru, it'll still notice the difference in the light. If you toss a sheet over your own head, you won't see much other than the sheet, but you will be able to tell if you're in a dark room or a lit one. You could also tell the difference between real sunlight and artificial light... But you could be in a room with windows, and no other light sources. You'd see the natural light, but not know if you were inside or outside. Of course, the lack of a breeze, or rain, and things like that would eventually make you realize you were inside.
quote:
Originally posted by tauster
[edit]
how about the shopkeeper putting the statue under a glas?
that would blurr the vision (though perhaps not enough, and certainly it does not explain the daylight-argument) and deaden most sounds (at least at normal talking loudness)...
[/edit]
another problem: a magical statue made for communicating purposes prpbably has hearing capabilities. how do i prevent the dragon to HEAR that it stands in a shop?
...perhaps itīs easier to let the dragon just know where the statue stands- and watch the party from a second device for entertainment!
Unless the glass is exceptionally clear, or the dragon's eyesight was poor, it's likely to realize that the staute was encased in glass -- simply by the reflected light from the glass. The lack of window panes would tell it it's not looking out a window.
quote:
Originally posted by tauster
certainly no "real", living ones. but stonework to decorate eaves gutters on noble mansions surely exists, some of them in the form of waterspouts. inevitably, non-noble but rich citizens would have copied that fashion, and today, after centuries of city-building, lots of them adorn houses ans mansions in waterdeep. there are of course rumors about "living" gargoyles who hide among the stonework, but thatīs surely just that: rumors.
would you buy that as a player? i certainly would, but everyone has a different mental picture of the city of splendors...
Sure, some homes do have gargoyles, but again, I don't think that gargoyles are all that prevalent in the City of Splendors. Downspouts and the like, yes, but not gargoyles.
Off the top of my head, I can only remember a few mentions of gargoyles in any of the Waterdhavian sourcebooks.
Perhaps a regular statue, in a private garden? The dragon could describe the trees and bushes surrounding the statue it sees... And if the PCs are familiar with Waterdeep, they'll likely think it's a monument in the City of the Dead.
Wouldn't it then be fun if they found a statue there that matched the description? "And that mausoleum over there would provide the proper line of sight..." Of course, what's inside the mausoleum (the remains of a noble family, perhaps not resting in peace, or a portal to a pocket dimension used for storage of the dead, or maybe a hideout for thieves...) is not going to be what they anticipate! |
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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 07 Oct 2004 19:19:52 |
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tauster
Senior Scribe
Germany
399 Posts |
Posted - 10 Oct 2004 : 13:27:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Sure, some homes do have gargoyles, but again, I don't think that gargoyles are all that prevalent in the City of Splendors. Downspouts and the like, yes, but not gargoyles.
Off the top of my head, I can only remember a few mentions of gargoyles in any of the Waterdhavian sourcebooks.
ok, perhaps iīve put it in wrong words... i donīt see waterdeep cramped full with gargoyles (who/which, at least in my understanding, donīt have to be all ugly monsters; i can very well imagine them being beautiful statues supporting the downspouts). a few of them carefully distributed over the city are enough to cause the party trouble. most of them will belong either to houses of nobles or run-down mansions that have sometime housed a rich merchant who saw tymoras wheel turning against him (like the type of house the dragon owns, as it appears from the outside).
btw: thereīs another nasty idea i came up with: SNOW!
itīs deep winter in the city. icy winds scour the empty streets, heaping up snow in some sheltered corners. too bad that many of those "sheltered corners" hold...well... certain downspout-supporting pieces of architecture. itīs really a shame that during winter, most of these statues are almost completely buried under drifting snow, some of them barely visible. it means that the party has to wander around at least twice, because the winds change all the time(being guided through the streets that work like wind-tunnels), shifting the snows constantly...
imagine the players traipsing through the worst possible winter-weather - and instead of keeping their heads huddled up in their cowls, they have to look UPWARDS, letting the winds blow cold snow left and right around their neck. ...range of vision is SEVERELY limited, of course!
during these walkaways (the players wonīt find the statue during the first!) there will be some desperate cutpurses trying to lift the pcīs. perhaps some even may be successful, forcing the party to get back missing possessions later. the second thief will get caught, thus giving the players a sense of achievement and a more or less loyal (because grateful for not handing him/her over to the watch) guide through the city... any insidious ideas here, wooly? 
quote:
Perhaps a regular statue, in a private garden? The dragon could describe the trees and bushes surrounding the statue it sees... And if the PCs are familiar with Waterdeep, they'll likely think it's a monument in the City of the Dead.
Wouldn't it then be fun if they found a statue there that matched the description? "And that mausoleum over there would provide the proper line of sight..." Of course, what's inside the mausoleum (the remains of a noble family, perhaps not resting in peace, or a portal to a pocket dimension used for storage of the dead, or maybe a hideout for thieves...) is not going to be what they anticipate!
now THAT convinced me; the city of the dead it is then!
iīll stick with the gargoyle-idea but twisted it around a bit: after a few days of unseccessfully hunting gargoyles, inzeldrin will somehow contact his daughter and give her more details: "...the statue has been moved again. now there is a beautiful statue of marble in itīs line of sight [description follows]. it stands on an old weathered pedestal, surrounded by evergreen trees and bushes. during the day i saw people sauntering by, at night however the area is deserted, apart from a watch who passes each hour. thatīs all i can tell you, happy hunting! "
i think iīll use some of the geomorphs from 2eīs "dungeon builders guidebook" (tsr9556). all i need now are some bits of "krypt decoration" to garnish the minidungeon. the small cards from the undermountain boxes will come in handy, i suppose. do you know other usefuel accessories i can blunder?
here some more details about the adventure. feel free to give me more nasty ideas!
- the party starts in mistledale. because they have only little time to spare (there is a main plot with a certain sense of urgency) and through very good connections to a trading coster (=character background of our transmuter: he belongs to the firehand trading coster), the trip will be accomodated by felgolosī "frame teleport" spell, cast by the dragon himself (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20030129a) who has "business ties" to the coster and sometimes does them a favour in return for the coster running errands for him. of course that will cost the party something: the "flying misfortune" asks them to acquire a gem with a certain cut in waterdeep, which they will have to pay (several hundred gp), thus returning him a service. they meet on the new trading post the coster has built in mistledale, encounter felgolos there and get teleported to the costers "farm" (=trading base) outside of waterdeep.
any ideas what may happen with this background in mind? iirc, the firehand group was traditionally losing against the iron throne (stated in the chapter about trading companies of the realms somewhere in the 2e campaign setting). hmmm.....
- one member of the party is the half-daughter of inzeldrin (the green dragon "ruler" of our mistledale). he gives his daughter(1) the name of a famed swordsmith in waterdeep and a "password"-phrase that changes her status as a customer from "come back in two years when my waiting-list is worked off!" to "please come in and sit down, iīll show you my best pieces in a minute or two!". much opportunity for introducing some snobbish city-nobles that make derogatory remarks before her entering- and baffle them afterwards when "that country bumbkin from the dales gets a sword where we fail trying even to get on that frigginī waiting-list!". i know my players; that will be a most satisfying scene! ...apart from giving her the opportunity to acquire a set of one of the best fencing weapons available on faerun. after all there must be some use for those thousands of gp you "earn" when going adventuring.
(1) a girl of 18 years. she is a human (at least appearing human) thief of the "swashbuckler-type" and slowly discovers her new abilities during the campaign, after her "father" revealed her heritage recently (around level 5, the party is now at lvl. 9-10).
- inzeldrin initially knows nothing of felgolosī involvement (facilitating the trip). how would he react? for one, heīs a sorcerer/wizard (i havenīt made a decision yet, and certainly will never have to do, as inzeldrin is more a story element than a npc with stats), so he is surely interested in that spell. on the other hand... the bronze dragon was active in inzeldrinīs domain, and though the self-styled "ruler of mistledale" knows that the flying misfortune is not interested in an own domain, he is surely not happy about it! any ideas for future plots or developements?
and thanks again for your ideas, they are a real help!
tauster
:) |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 10 Oct 2004 : 15:09:43
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quote:
Originally posted by tauster
ok, perhaps iīve put it in wrong words... i donīt see waterdeep cramped full with gargoyles (who/which, at least in my understanding, donīt have to be all ugly monsters; i can very well imagine them being beautiful statues supporting the downspouts). a few of them carefully distributed over the city are enough to cause the party trouble. most of them will belong either to houses of nobles or run-down mansions that have sometime housed a rich merchant who saw tymoras wheel turning against him (like the type of house the dragon owns, as it appears from the outside).
btw: thereīs another nasty idea i came up with: SNOW!
itīs deep winter in the city. icy winds scour the empty streets, heaping up snow in some sheltered corners. too bad that many of those "sheltered corners" hold...well... certain downspout-supporting pieces of architecture. itīs really a shame that during winter, most of these statues are almost completely buried under drifting snow, some of them barely visible. it means that the party has to wander around at least twice, because the winds change all the time(being guided through the streets that work like wind-tunnels), shifting the snows constantly...
imagine the players traipsing through the worst possible winter-weather - and instead of keeping their heads huddled up in their cowls, they have to look UPWARDS, letting the winds blow cold snow left and right around their neck. ...range of vision is SEVERELY limited, of course!
Okay, that works a lot better. And the snow idea is evil.
And what if, while the PCs were hunting, some evil mage began animating statues and using them to attack people? Wouldn't that certainly complicate matters?
quote:
Originally posted by tauster
during these walkaways (the players wonīt find the statue during the first!) there will be some desperate cutpurses trying to lift the pcīs. perhaps some even may be successful, forcing the party to get back missing possessions later. the second thief will get caught, thus giving the players a sense of achievement and a more or less loyal (because grateful for not handing him/her over to the watch) guide through the city... any insidious ideas here, wooly?
Sure -- the both thieves were members of the Unseen. The second one was intended to be caught, and will lead the party in a direction the Unseen wants. Maybe not into something so obvious as an ambush, but more like they'll be manipulated into doing something that helps the Unseen out.
Perhaps the evil mage mentioned above knows of the Unseen, and is using the statues to destroy certain members he's uncovered. The Unseen know they have a foe, but they've no idea who this foe is. So the thief helps the PCs find this mage who threatens the city, and they find out later that they just helped imprison someone who had the city's best interests at heart!
quote:
Originally posted by tauster
now THAT convinced me; the city of the dead it is then!
iīll stick with the gargoyle-idea but twisted it around a bit: after a few days of unseccessfully hunting gargoyles, inzeldrin will somehow contact his daughter and give her more details: "...the statue has been moved again. now there is a beautiful statue of marble in itīs line of sight [description follows]. it stands on an old weathered pedestal, surrounded by evergreen trees and bushes. during the day i saw people sauntering by, at night however the area is deserted, apart from a watch who passes each hour. thatīs all i can tell you, happy hunting! "
i think iīll use some of the geomorphs from 2eīs "dungeon builders guidebook" (tsr9556). all i need now are some bits of "krypt decoration" to garnish the minidungeon. the small cards from the undermountain boxes will come in handy, i suppose. do you know other usefuel accessories i can blunder?
I want to say that the Myth Drannor boxed set had some useful goodies on cards, too... And I recall that the first edition DMG had a dungeon dressing section that could come in handy.
quote:
Originally posted by tauster
here some more details about the adventure. feel free to give me more nasty ideas!
- the party starts in mistledale. because they have only little time to spare (there is a main plot with a certain sense of urgency) and through very good connections to a trading coster (=character background of our transmuter: he belongs to the firehand trading coster), the trip will be accomodated by felgolosī "frame teleport" spell, cast by the dragon himself (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20030129a) who has "business ties" to the coster and sometimes does them a favour in return for the coster running errands for him. of course that will cost the party something: the "flying misfortune" asks them to acquire a gem with a certain cut in waterdeep, which they will have to pay (several hundred gp), thus returning him a service. they meet on the new trading post the coster has built in mistledale, encounter felgolos there and get teleported to the costers "farm" (=trading base) outside of waterdeep.
any ideas what may happen with this background in mind? iirc, the firehand group was traditionally losing against the iron throne (stated in the chapter about trading companies of the realms somewhere in the 2e campaign setting). hmmm.....
The only thing that comes readily to mind is that the gemstone in question bears some enchantment that makes things very interesting for the PCs once they get a hold of it... Perhaps some imprisoned being, or a spell that makes monsters attack more frequently, or the gem itself is sentient...
Ooh, or it could make the bearer incredibly irrestible to members of the opposite sex. The PC will be loving this at first, until those drawn by the stone start fighting each other over the stone's holder, or the amorous people start showing up at exactly the wrong time, or when the intended spouse of a wealthy noble leaves him for the PC, and said noble swears vengeance.
quote:
Originally posted by tauster
- one member of the party is the half-daughter of inzeldrin (the green dragon "ruler" of our mistledale). he gives his daughter(1) the name of a famed swordsmith in waterdeep and a "password"-phrase that changes her status as a customer from "come back in two years when my waiting-list is worked off!" to "please come in and sit down, iīll show you my best pieces in a minute or two!". much opportunity for introducing some snobbish city-nobles that make derogatory remarks before her entering- and baffle them afterwards when "that country bumbkin from the dales gets a sword where we fail trying even to get on that frigginī waiting-list!". i know my players; that will be a most satisfying scene! ...apart from giving her the opportunity to acquire a set of one of the best fencing weapons available on faerun. after all there must be some use for those thousands of gp you "earn" when going adventuring.
(1) a girl of 18 years. she is a human (at least appearing human) thief of the "swashbuckler-type" and slowly discovers her new abilities during the campaign, after her "father" revealed her heritage recently (around level 5, the party is now at lvl. 9-10).
And then, as soon as she gets this truly nifty weapon, some noble-sponsored thugs come by and steal it!
quote:
Originally posted by tauster
- inzeldrin initially knows nothing of felgolosī involvement (facilitating the trip). how would he react? for one, heīs a sorcerer/wizard (i havenīt made a decision yet, and certainly will never have to do, as inzeldrin is more a story element than a npc with stats), so he is surely interested in that spell. on the other hand... the bronze dragon was active in inzeldrinīs domain, and though the self-styled "ruler of mistledale" knows that the flying misfortune is not interested in an own domain, he is surely not happy about it! any ideas for future plots or developements?
and thanks again for your ideas, they are a real help!
tauster
:)
I imagine that Inzeldrin will simply want to drive Felgolos off without making an appearance himself. So perhaps after the PCs have ingratiated themselves to Felgie, Inzeldrin gives them information (which may or not be factual) of this dangerous dungeon (conveniently far away) that contains something Felgie would be interested in...
And hey, no problem! I'm enjoying this, and I may have to use some of these ideas myself!  |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2004 : 05:24:04
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The Yew Tree:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/al/20041208a |
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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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2004 : 13:08:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Is it just me, or is this another one that has little Realms flavor?
It's not just you, it doesn't even have a specific locale. Nothing in it says Realms, in fact nothing in it seems very deifnite at all. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2004 : 15:58:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Is it just me, or is this another one that has little Realms flavor?
No, it's not just you. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2004 : 17:18:33
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Is it just me, or is this another one that has little Realms flavor?
No, it's not just you.
*sigh* I was afraid of that... Since I saw the updates this morn, before I rolled out the door to go to work, all I had time to do was scan over them... If I finish reading that big Prestige pdf today, I'll then read the articles in full. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until I get home from work.
It's such a burden having plenty of free time at work.  |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4702 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2005 : 16:59:16
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
A new locale, The Floating Island is now up.
Not for me. Just a floating death trap even if all the monsters are killed. |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2005 : 18:16:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
Not for me. Just a floating death trap even if all the monsters are killed.
At least they used an FR deity in the article. I've seen past offerings that...well... |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4702 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2005 : 18:31:26
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
At least they used an FR deity in the article. I've seen past offerings that...well...
There are rumors of other worlds out there , you know.
It would have been far more interesting if the Island hd more features and something less then a saving throw every hour or something else perhaps some kind of imunity.
Hey just a minute, Paladins are imune to magical disease (checks) "Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases."
Hey the Island can be used as a Paladin school ;-) for those that achieved Level 3 or better. Perhaps school not the correct term, but certainly a safe haven from those Evil humaniods that seek to harm them. Also the Island could have a lighthouse built on it to help reduce navagation hazard. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2005 : 23:45:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
At least they used an FR deity in the article. I've seen past offerings that...well...
There are rumors of other worlds out there , you know.
'Tis true. But here's the rub: the Adventure Locales series claims to be presenting locales within the Forgotten Realms. With that claim in place, it's not unreasonable for us to want the articles to actually feel like they were written for the Realms, not written to be generic and then squeezed into the Realms with a single reference or two. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4702 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 00:25:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
At least they used an FR deity in the article. I've seen past offerings that...well...
There are rumors of other worlds out there , you know.
'Tis true. But here's the rub: the Adventure Locales series claims to be presenting locales within the Forgotten Realms. With that claim in place, it's not unreasonable for us to want the articles to actually feel like they were written for the Realms, not written to be generic and then squeezed into the Realms with a single reference or two.
*nods* I see that now by reading the URL. So all in all it is better then some others from all indications. |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 02:11:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
'Tis true. But here's the rub: the Adventure Locales series claims to be presenting locales within the Forgotten Realms. With that claim in place, it's not unreasonable for us to want the articles to actually feel like they were written for the Realms, not written to be generic and then squeezed into the Realms with a single reference or two.
No, the real rub, as I alluded to, is that a past article that was written for the "Realms" had a Greyhawk deity used instead of a Realms god. I think that was a clear indication that the article, and I suspect most like this new one, are written generic first and then only converted to be a Realms article as needed. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 04:21:48
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
'Tis true. But here's the rub: the Adventure Locales series claims to be presenting locales within the Forgotten Realms. With that claim in place, it's not unreasonable for us to want the articles to actually feel like they were written for the Realms, not written to be generic and then squeezed into the Realms with a single reference or two.
No, the real rub, as I alluded to, is that a past article that was written for the "Realms" had a Greyhawk deity used instead of a Realms god. I think that was a clear indication that the article, and I suspect most like this new one, are written generic first and then only converted to be a Realms article as needed.
Which indicates, once more, that they're not as concerned with giving us quality, just quantity. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 05:14:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Which indicates, once more, that they're not as concerned with giving us quality, just quantity.
Hey it's free, so....
When it comes to updates, the game company I've always enjoyed the most has been Malhavoc Press. Monte Cook just has the ability to come up with entertaining articles for this gamer more than others. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 05:31:38
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Which indicates, once more, that they're not as concerned with giving us quality, just quantity.
Hey it's free, so....
When it comes to updates, the game company I've always enjoyed the most has been Malhavoc Press. Monte Cook just has the ability to come up with entertaining articles for this gamer more than others.
Truly? Have you a link to this site? I've never looked at it, so I'm not familiar with it.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 06:14:59
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Which indicates, once more, that they're not as concerned with giving us quality, just quantity.
Hey it's free, so....
When it comes to updates, the game company I've always enjoyed the most has been Malhavoc Press. Monte Cook just has the ability to come up with entertaining articles for this gamer more than others.
I couldn't agree with that more . Monte Cook and the team over at Malhavoc Press have churned out some amazing game updates. They're always jam-packed with information, and also have a healthy dose of crunch... enough so that you don't choke on it while working your way through the material .
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Truly? Have you a link to this site? I've never looked at it, so I'm not familiar with it.
I hope Sirius doesn't mind...  .
Here's the URL for the main site, and this is the URL for the updates on the site.
Enjoy, my furry friend .
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 06:18:14
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Oh, and you may also find this URL particularly interesting, as it is the archive for all the other informative columns located on Monte's site.
So have a wander around... you're sure to find something worthwhile... .
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 06:41:17
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Monte Cook and the team over at Malhavoc Press have churned out some amazing game updates. They're always jam-packed with information, and also have a healthy dose of crunch... enough so that you don't choke on it while working your way through the material .
Healthy dose of crunch is one way to put it. Still, even when he's the Crunchmeister, Monte has always made it more interesting than offerings from other companies. Case in point his Arcana Unearthed.
quote:
I hope Sirius doesn't mind... .
Steal my thunder. Go ahead. And yet some wonder why I just post sarcastic musings. What else do the higher ups leave me? |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 07:11:08
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Monte Cook and the team over at Malhavoc Press have churned out some amazing game updates. They're always jam-packed with information, and also have a healthy dose of crunch... enough so that you don't choke on it while working your way through the material .
Healthy dose of crunch is one way to put it. Still, even when he's the Crunchmeister, Monte has always made it more interesting than offerings from other companies. Case in point his Arcana Unearthed.
It's partly why I finding myself more and more drawing from AU when it comes to writing up new campaigns and adventures for my gaming sessions. And, if the future supplements Monte discussed recently in that chat on Mortality.net are any indication... I'll be making most of my D&D purchases from Malhavoc in the future... .
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 07:15:43
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
It's partly why I finding myself more and more drawing from AU when it comes to writing up new campaigns and adventures for my gaming sessions. And, if the future supplements Monte discussed recently in that chat on Mortality.net are any indication... I'll be making most of my D&D purchases from Malhavoc in the future... .
What did he hint at? I'm definitely more inclined to buy something from him than anyone else in the D20 market now. Green Ronin is just not producting products that I am interested in any more. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 07:18:46
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
It's partly why I finding myself more and more drawing from AU when it comes to writing up new campaigns and adventures for my gaming sessions. And, if the future supplements Monte discussed recently in that chat on Mortality.net are any indication... I'll be making most of my D&D purchases from Malhavoc in the future... .
What did he hint at? I'm definitely more inclined to buy something from him than anyone else in the D20 market now. Green Ronin is just not producting products that I am interested in any more.
I'll see if I can find the transcript I made from the chat. That had most of the brief details he mentioned. It will also be better than relying on my never-reliable memory... .
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2005 : 07:21:47
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
I'll see if I can find the transcript I made from the chat. That had most of the brief details he mentioned. It will also be better than relying on my never-reliable memory... .
Gracias. If you can't, I'll just try to remember to visit his boards. He might have dropped some hints there. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
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New FR articles - "Adventure Locales"
