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Wood Elf Ranger
Senior Scribe
USA
627 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 03:09:31
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Has anyone DMed an underwater campaign? There seemes to be quite a bit of really cool underwater races and monsters and items and stuff that would be really cool. But I haven't seen very much detail of the underwater cities of Faerun or any underwaters dungeons and such. Though perhaps thats a good thing if you like making up all your own stuff Anyways just curious if anyone around here had run an underwater campaing and if so, how did it go?
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~Lee N.
"Breaktime yes?!.. Yes?.. Maybe?.. Noo, baaack to work.." -Grovel the Goblin from NWN: HotU |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 05:57:22
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I've not run one myself, but if I did, I'd likely draw heavily on The Sea of Fallen Stars. That book covers everything in the body of water of the same name -- including races, cities, and the recently reopened city of Myth Nantar. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 07:03:22
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When the Candlekeep project for creating an epic (not epic-level) campaign for the Realms got started, I tried pushing for a large part of it being underwater. I don't know how much of it got through, since I lost touch with the project.
Personally, I like the idea of a significant chunk of an adventure taking place in a water environment. I don't really want to do an all-underwater one, since that means that it's all "normal" rather than unusual for the characters. I'd prefer the one where in order to finish the Big Quest, they have to go to some underwater area (preferably a sunken city, which would give a sort of sureal feeling) to get some item or other.
Normal tactics would change; the rogue in the party is concevably more important in a fight than the regular fighter types, since the thicker medium means a lot of force is blunted. The party archer is pretty much neutralized, at least until he learns how to use one of those underwater bows. The spellcasters would need to adjust their castings for the new environment, discarding the common fire spells. Druids would perhaps be the most important spellcasters in that situation, especially with [i]summon nature's ally[i]. A ranger's favored enemy is almost certainly inaplicable here as well, though it would also depend on how much warning is given prior to this detour.
I suppose it's obvious I've thought about this a bit. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 07:14:19
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quote: Originally posted by Bookwyrm
When the Candlekeep project for creating an epic (not epic-level) campaign for the Realms got started, I tried pushing for a large part of it being underwater. I don't know how much of it got through, since I lost touch with the project.
Actually, I did like the concept behind the original idea. As I recall, I expanded upon the basics when I posted some of the material over at RoE for evaluation. I still need to post it here for comment, but I'd appreciate hearing a few more of your thoughts on underwater campaigns, Bookwyrm.
If you're still interested in the epic adventure project, perhaps you could even work on that portion yourself, since we've finally started making some headway on the work.
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 07:51:48
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My thoughts mostly have to do with the flavor of things. I'd love to write a story where my characters went through a situation like I described. It just appeals to me for the characters to come into, say, a dinning hall, where the furniture is rotting away and fish are lairing inside; or where coral covers the outside of a formerly grand building, and sharks stalk the halls. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 08:10:12
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There was an Old 2ed module that was set almost entirely underwater, I believe it was called something like Wyvernthrone and it was tid in with that Big Dwarven kingdom that used to be under Amn/Tethyr |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Purple Dragon Knight
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1796 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 10:07:56
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Yes... Wyrmskull Throne and Sea of Fallen Stars were the last two 2nd edition products I purchased before being completely convinced by others to switch to 3E.
It's a real shame, because those two books, together, were completing each other, and combined, offered all the underwater rules you needed for spells, weapons, movement, etc. It's also sad because of the rich cultures and races that were described therein, mostly all of which have not been transferred to 3E unless I'm mistaken (just going by memory here).
In terms of geography and plotline supplement, those books are still awesome and really useful for someone running an underwater game, whether 2nd edition or 3E. You can now use the 3.5 DMG rules for underwater combat. But I still miss the 2nd edition creatures that have not made it to 3.5 yet... |
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Wood Elf Ranger
Senior Scribe
USA
627 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 15:58:13
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Thats kind of funny Bookwyrm because I was thinking about doing the exact opposite. Creating a very interesting and different underwater feeling campaign really setting the mood with water-type characters and waterey backgrounds and really getting into a water campaing then making them go on land and have to adjust to either retrieve an important item or even to face one of the more important baddies. I think that would be really interesting and fun. Very different too.
I'll have to check out that Sea of Fallen Stars tome as well it sounds like a good one for ideas even if its not 3.5 material. |
~Lee N.
"Breaktime yes?!.. Yes?.. Maybe?.. Noo, baaack to work.." -Grovel the Goblin from NWN: HotU |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 16:49:32
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quote: Originally posted by Wood Elf Ranger
I'll have to check out that Sea of Fallen Stars tome as well it sounds like a good one for ideas even if its not 3.5 material.
There wasn't much rules-based stuff in there, so doing a conversion shouldn't be hard. |
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Llew113
Acolyte
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 05 Sep 2004 : 22:33:55
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I know that this is an old post, but maybe helpful for future generation of adventurers.
I played one campeign (not as dm) where we we were entirley underwater. Basically we got cuaght in a war between Aquatic Elves and Sehaugin(sp?) It was entirly interesting but I was playing as a druid I was quite fine as opposed as our poor paladin. However or dm shied away from the normal spells of waterbreathing(which of course i had access to) or trinkets of water breathing. As a gift for our help, the elves presented us an odd peice of marine growth that looked like coral, but when attached to your mouth would allow you to breath under water(which we kept and became invaluable in future issues, including that trip to the elemental plane of water) Which worked out because no one had to worry about when spells expired and such. Also the elven city although underwater enspelled in such as when you enter the castle you were in normal enviorment(i.e. air) all in all it was a fun expierence not to mention all the xp you get from taking on an entire army of sehaugin(but it helps when you got a few hundred elves at your back) |
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