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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 02:35:07
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Okay, this was my initial thought about running a one round adventure for a FR session at a convention. I wanted it to be somewhat iconic for the Realms, and maybe serve as an update to what is going on to any people that play D&D but perhaps don't keep up with the novels/latest products.
Picking up the Pieces
An adventure for six 16th-level characters
All pregenerated elven characters, backgrounds would bring them in from various elven settlements from across Faerun.
The adventure would have them asked to investigate an old Moanderite ruin near Myth Drannor. This would take place just as they arrived in Myth Drannor, shortly after the Crusade.
I wanted to have them encounter a few twisted plant creatures that escaped from the ruin, then eventually find a portal in the ruins that transports them to a portal nexus created by Moanderite elves.
The PCs would find more plant creatures, some Vhearaunite drow that manged to get trapped in the ruins, and eventually a central section of the portal nexus.
Inside the portal nexus the PCs would find a badly wounded and infested Malkzid, who, upon being trapped in the imploding portal nexus in the Last Mythal, managed to fall into this Moanderite portal nexus.
Malkzid is wounded and infested with plant growth. He begs the PCs to help him purge himself from the growth, and tells them that he is infected, and tells them where to find the item to purge the growth (a section of the nexus warded from those infested with Moander's darkness by the elves that first tried to clense this place).
They will run into a "baelnorn" set to guard the place, who is actually a former follower of Moander (and actually a lich). This cultist will tell them who Malkzid is, if they don't know, and give them an item that will accelerate his decay into "nothingness" thus freeing elves from his taint forever.
This item, if used on Malkzid, will cause him to dissolve into a small rotting mound that will slither away, trying to escape to a portal that leads to Tsornyl.
If they resist the lich, obviously he will not be pleased and will attack them.
If they find the item to "purify" Malkzid, and bring it back to him, he will try to convince them that the item will give him the chance to be completely purged of evil and become a solar again. In truth, it only affects the rot of Moander, and he will be healed and will attack them.
In the same chamber with the item will be a journal that will explain how to destroy the portal nexus as a whole, collapsing it in on itself. If they do this, Malkzid, wounded and corrupted further, will try to slay them or keep them in the nexus until it collapses.
So, let me know your thoughts on this one, and help me figure out how to streamline it, because as outlined, I don't think its going to run in a four hour slot.
Looking forward to hearing your ideas.
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Sanishiver
Senior Scribe
USA
476 Posts |
Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 06:42:06
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I take it you would have to pre-generate the characters? If yes, what mix? Also, would you have more than six to choose from (such that one group might not be composed of the same classes as another group)?
J. Grenemyer
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09/20/2008: Tiger Army at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz. You wouldn’t believe how many females rode it out in the pit. Santa Cruz women are all of them beautiful. Now I know to add tough to that description.
6/27/2008: WALL-E is about the best damn movie Pixar has ever made. It had my heart racing and had me rooting for the good guy.
9/9/2006: Dave Mathews Band was off the hook at the Shoreline Amphitheater.
Never, ever read the game books too literally, or make such assumptions that what is omitted cannot be. Bad DM form, that.
And no matter how compelling a picture string theory paints, if it does not accurately describe our universe, it will be no more relevant than an elaborate game of Dungeons and Dragons. --paragraph 1, chapter 9, The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 12:57:14
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| The plot seems wonderful - rich in Realmsian flavour, with some nice twists and a great concept involving big events. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 14:12:49
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I fear that 16th level characters might be too high for a convention game. Many convention attendees don't have experience with higher level characters, and probably won't be able to use them anywhere close to their actual potential. I belong to a group that runs one of the larger tournaments at Gencon every year, and we've found it best to keep characters under 10th level - usually between 7th and 10th works best for the widest range of convention attendees.
It's your call, but if your module really requires 16th level characters played by folks who know how to handle them well in combat - make sure that the description of your event is very clear: 16th level characters - experienced players only! |
"Over the Mountains
Of the Moon
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied,
"If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Allen Poe - 1849 |
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Beirnadri Magranth
Senior Scribe
USA
720 Posts |
Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 16:00:18
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I dont see the level issue being a problem. But what might be an interesting twist is if the pcs did find another magical item that did allow malkizid to be redeemed. If the party is made up of clerics etc. this wouldnt be as difficult. an impromptu ceremony of cleansing etc wouldnt be that difficult either for guys going against a god of corruption.
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"You came here to be a martyr in a great big bang of glory... instead you will die with a whimper."
::moussaoui tries to interrupt::
"You will never get a chance to speak again and that's an appropriate ending."
-Judge Brinkema |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 16:23:01
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As per Eric's advice in my other thread, I am going to try to distil this down to about four encounters. I imagine that the drow encounter will go out the window, but I definately want to keep the baelnorn/lich and Malkzid.
I may make a note that this should be for more experienced players and not a beginers round (which makes me thing that perhaps I should see if I could run an "introduction to the Realms" type adventure). Its been my experience that this particular convention doesn't draw a lot of people brand new to the hobby, but its a good thing to point out.
I was definately planning on making up pregenerated elven PCs, with a good mix of elven sub races. Definately going to hit all of the main archetypes, (fighter, wizard, cleric, rogue), and likely a ranger as well, and probably a bard.
Keep the ideas coming, I appreciate them. |
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EytanBernstein
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
704 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2006 : 09:24:37
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| I love the whole Elven Convention idea. I've been playing with the in my head for something completely different, but the idea is cool. |
http://eytanbernstein.com - the official website of Eytan Bernstein |
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Conlon
Learned Scribe
Canada
132 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2006 : 14:57:03
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Sounds great to me. You have obviously put a lot of thought into this. One concern I do have though: although I would greatly enjoy this one-off, it sounds as though it will be quite role-playing heavy. I can imagine being read loads of descriptions with a lot of dialogue. As I said, this is something I would enjoy, but I'm not so sure about the general gaming populace. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
If it was your plan to run the game in this fashion, again, you may wish to make it known to potential participants the flavour and bent of your design.
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My hopes are ashes, my dreams are dust. All my intentions mean nothing unless they are followed by action. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2006 : 01:07:59
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As per Eric's suggestion in the other thread, I'm trying to pair this down to about four encounters. I'm thinking something along these lines:
1. PCs are called together after recently arriving in Myth Drannor, asked to investigate Moanderite Temple because others are dealing with remnants of fiends and Phaerimm still wandering the ruins. They meet with Ilsevele, hopefully accept the job, and are shown an elfgate that will take them to the ruin (saving time in the session with travel).
2. A few elven clerics outside the ruins tell the PCs about detecting a powerful evil from within, and having lost several elves to corrupted plant monsters. They enter the ruins, and might be hit with a trap (probably a magical one, a curse).
3. PCs will run into a token plant monster of some kind to make sure the place "feels" like a Moanderite site. Not meant to be a major encounter, but the creature should be tough enough that the PCs know it would be a threat to low/mid level characters exploring the site.
The next two encounters would be finding Malkzid all twisted and weakened, and make whatever deal or decision that they are going to with the arch fiend. Then it will be finding the "baelnorn" that tries to convince them to finally "purify" Malkzid's essense.
3. Encounter Malkzid, RP, move to 4
4. Encounter Baelnorn, either fight or work with him, then go back to Malkzid.
5. Either fight Malkzid after cleasing him, or watch him turn into a mound of rot that leaves for Tsornyl (beyond the scope of the adventure, will have some RP reference to this after adventure wrap up if the PCs let this happen).
6. If they trusted the "baelnorn" at this time it will reveal itself as a lich and attack, proclaiming the glory of Moander and heralding his return.
RP note if the PCs let Malkzid be consumed by the rot is that elves near Tsornyl will see a huge mound of vegetation shamble through a glowing gate near the ruins, and some of the elven sages say that this may be to gather more "portions" of Moanders former power, now that Malkzid is providing the amimus for the dead god.
Okay, now with this refined outline, how is it looking to all of you? |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2006 : 03:59:22
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While I'm not a big fan of the whole Malkazid/Portal Nexus thing from the trilogy, I really like how you're implementing it here, and tying in the age-old Moanderite influence!
I really don't think that 16th level is that complicated, as long as you pregenerate the PCs as you said.
Some random ideas for pregenerated PCs:
Sun Elf Wizard/Archmage
Moon Elf Fighter/Wizard/Bladesinger
Avariel Cleric if Aerdrie Faena/Heirophant
Wild Elf Barbarian/Ranger
Moon Elf Rogue/Sorcerer/Daggerspell Mage
Half-Elven Bard or Wood Elf Druid |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me
"That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2006 : 16:46:15
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Okay, now with this refined outline, how is it looking to all of you?
Seems reasonable enough to be completed in a 4-hour con slot. Nice mix of traps, combat and role-plaing enounters as well. You should have an excellent shot at running an enjoayle and sucessful convention event. I wish you luck. |
"Over the Mountains
Of the Moon
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied,
"If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Allen Poe - 1849 |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 19 Sep 2006 : 17:35:38
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Marvelous plot, Knight!
It warms my rotten heart that you have included the great Dread God in your adventure, mixing in recent FR events, a major antagonist and the ideas suggested in Power of Faerûn. I love the idea about infected Malkizid! His essence might be enough to elevate the Old Moldy back into the status of a Deity.
I would keep the drow encounter, but maybe they are only 7th-9th level "scouting party" - an easy fight for the PCs, but their presence might fool them into thinking that the Drow are somehow involved with the nexus? A red herring, if you will... |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Potential Outline for Elven Convention Adventure
