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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Feb 2007 : 03:41:11
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I've seen several detailed references to the Dungeon of Swords in various FR books, as though it has actually been run as an adventure. Is there a supplement for it, specifically? Was it part of a campaign run by Ed or one of the other authors?
In any case, what sort of stats should be given to the animated swords there? Are they more than animated swords (e.g. not self-animated, but borne rather by ghostly warriors of Anauria, perhaps)?
Several products mention that there is a one-way portal to "the undercroft of a temple of Jergal," but I have read that it is in the Evermoors and also that it is under Anaurach. What's the "official" location, prithee?
Your assistance is kindly requested, gentles, and I thank you for it in advance.
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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D-brane
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
140 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2007 : 03:49:32
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You could try looking through the bits about the Dungeon of Swords in the second Appendix for ELMINSTER'S ECOLOGIES, which is likely available at WotC as a PDF download.
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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6678 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2007 : 07:19:18
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'Serpent Kingdoms' and a few tidbits in 'Lost Empires of Faerūn' provide the latest information on the Dungeon of the Swords.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2007 : 18:01:19
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And, yes, Ed did run us through it. A mini-dungeon, with a shaft, animated swords hanging vertically in it, and blades swooping at you point-first of you did the wrong thing.
It is mapped and fully detailed (2nd Ed) and is NDA (Wizards has it, and could use it at any time).
I survived the Dungeon of Swords, but have no T-shirt to prove it. Probably because Ed knows the thing I like to do most wit T-shirts is . . . take them off.
:}
love,
THO |
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Uzzy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
618 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2007 : 18:02:51
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| I vote that we give THO some more T-Shirts. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2007 : 21:36:28
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
And, yes, Ed did run us through it. A mini-dungeon, with a shaft, animated swords hanging vertically in it, and blades swooping at you point-first of you did the wrong thing.
It is mapped and fully detailed (2nd Ed) and is NDA (Wizards has it, and could use it at any time).
I survived the Dungeon of Swords, but have no T-shirt to prove it. Probably because Ed knows the thing I like to do most wit T-shirts is . . . take them off.
:}
love,
THO
Ah, dear Lady, welcome to my scroll! By "mapped ... fully detailed ... and NDA," do you mean that WotC has it but neither TSR nor they published the map and details, or did TSR publish something which I've missed, and which WotC has the option of developing further? (Go for it, Wizards!!!)
I have read the FRCS, Serpent Kingdoms, and El's Ecologies references to the Dungeon of Swords, but your mention of the shaft intrigues me. We "know" that it can be seen from afar, and that (one entrance at least) is in a natural cave, but where is this shaft? Is it part of an old mine or part of the tomb complex? Does it descend into the Serpent Hills (or wherever in the Realms that part is located) or up to the sky? If the latter, I would dearly love to see the faces of my players should I tell them that the sky above them at midmorning is night black, leaving them to guess what happened and where in the Realms (if "in the Realms") they are actually. 
Please clue me in, Lady Hooded One, if only on your own impressions and experiences! I promise not to "publish" any of your inside info, nor even use it to "promote" my campaign. (See? I read those 2004 posts discussing the differences between the two.)
Would an ordinary sword affected by Animate Objects suffice to match the dangers of the Swords, or are they of a different order of magnitude entirely? The Map-a-Week Serpent Kingdoms map of the area shows the Dungeon of Swords connected to -- or very close -- to a yuan-ti tunnel system. Were Scalykind a danger in the Dungeon when you went through it, or is it beyond them (through lack of knowledge of it or perhaps because of their knowledge of it -- and its dangers)?
Finally, may I ask the approximate level, dear Lady of your party when you went through it? My own players have a party of mixed levels, but I'd like to know (give or take a few levels) what level party would be just able to make it through, perhaps with 25% PC casualties and a 50% or so kill rate of henchfolk. Surely that can't be NDA, can it? 
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2007 : 19:55:25
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Since the lovely Hooded One has maintained her silence, I have decided to deal with the swords using the d20 "Dragon Lords of Melnibone" rules from Chaosium. I decided what encounter level would be just below TPK, took the amount of xp that a character of that level would have, and then bought abilities for the swords as if they were demons. (You can custom-make your own personal demons in "Dragon Lords.")
Using this as my guide, I came up with a number of swords which have special abilities. Obviously they can fly; I added sight and hearing so that they can actively engage in combat instead of swinging blindly. Each one flies at a Hellacious speed (pun intended) -- real "RUN AWAY" encounters, and each has a couple of combat feats, plus character-killing damage potential, and they are all fully statted (and so, presumably intelligent and capable of being reasoned with, as in being able to understand what, "I surrender!" means when screamed in the Common tongue).
To mitigate the awfullness of the encounter, I am using only a certain number of the 14 which I rolled up, so that each low-level character has the chance of a higher-level character intervening to prevent character death (i.e. there are more party members than swords, and some of them are more powerful than any one sword), and I gave the swords hit points within a proven range of the characters being able to defeat them, one by one, just by damaging them relentlessly. Being magical weapons of great age, and hence great cunning and power, the swords also have damage reduction versus certain attack forms.
I shall report back after the slaughter.
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2007 : 23:59:22
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I am sorry for being so tardy in getting back to you, Jamallo Kreen. Still, perhaps it's for the best, as you can run the Dungeon of Swords the right way for your campaign, and not have to try to twist Ed's original to fit your players' needs.
Wizards may have lost it, or may still have it (transferred from the old TSR HQ in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin), but neither they nor TSR published it. The shaft plunged vertically underground from the end of a small complex of subterranean rooms, into a small lower level of interlinked rooms. There WERE other subterranean ways connecting to it, but the inhabitants of those ways didn't dare explore, thanks to the various flying swords. All of which had different powers, from rather feeble to demigods-will-run, but COULD be kept at bay by beings who knew how to command (never control) them. Ed created 12 new types of magical swords, all with detailed powers, histories, and "neat" sideline powers as well as the combat flashy stuff. They were almost like people.
Yes, the swords flew VERY fast, and with great aerial agility. We Knights averaged around 9th level when we found the place (and very shortly after entering it, ran like the Nine Hells away from it!).
I'd love to hear what happens with your version of the Dungeon of Swords.
love (and deepest apologies; you can flog me, if ever we meet)
THO |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2007 : 00:05:46
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Wizards may have lost it, or may still have it (transferred from the old TSR HQ in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin), but neither they nor TSR published it.
Just makes you wonder how much great source material they've lost and ignored or left unpublished. *SIGH*, I don't know about any official sales figures, but you'd think that even Eberrubbish DMs would love to adapt and run Ed's material (especially if Ed would get to decide the page count ;). If the material is great, I don't mind whether it's set in Krynn or Eber-whatsit. In fact, I'm leaning more and more towards buying and adapting parts of Monte Cook's Ptolus into my Realms... |
"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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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2007 : 17:58:19
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Ptolus mixes very well with the Realms. not much stirring needed at all. :}
I've been watching one of the DMs at one of my workplaces doing just that. Works a charm.
love,
THO |
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Dungeon of Swords info request
