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Malanthius
Learned Scribe
144 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 11:20:53
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Yes, it's impossible. Yes, it's insane.
Nevertheless I am putting together a fr Campaign revovling around a horrible magical accident that at least partially restores Karsus.
The basic premise of his return is that sometime during or fairly soon after the return of the Shade enclave, there took place a battle between one of the princes of shade, and one of Mystra's chosen, resulting in a direct conflict of pure shadow magic, versus weave magic, and some idiot throwing wild magic in by mistake. This event occured near the stone "remains" of Karsus, warping the weave, reality, even time itself, giving a brief moment where karsus was able to "latch" onto the weave once again, and partially restore himself. The problem is all of the pieces were there, accept his heart.
Most of the campaign has the adventurers following in his wake as he tries to recover his heart, the Karsestone;and trying to stop his own re-emerging plans to undo the changes to faerun since his death.
I do have a fairly good rendition of a 3.5 edition version of Karsus would be, the problem is that it pictures him as a fully whole and hearty Caster with a ton of Magic items and spells at his disposal.
What I'm needing is a version or two of him in intermediate "stages", ie him immediately after his ressurection, and so on.
The basic plan is to have initially restored as some kind of reanimated entity -visible signs where parts of his body have been crudely "welded" back together- that feeds on magic/magic items just to continue existing.
Here's a rough draft of the "final" version Care of karsus the mad from wotc forum.:
Karsus Male Human (Netherese) Sor6/ Wiz36/ Acm5/ Acn5: CR 52; Medium-size
humanoid; HD 6d4+42 plus 36d4+252 plus 5d4+35 plus 3d4+35; HP 557; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.;
AC36 (flat-footed 32); Atk +32/+27 melee or +27/+22 ranged touch (by spell); SQ Mastery of counterspelling, mastery of elements, mastery of shaping, arcane reach, arcane fire, field specialization, spell focus (epic), backlash resistance 5, epic spell artisan, greater spell focus (epic), enhanced ability scores, enhanced intelligence, immunities; SR 40; AL CN; SV Fort +29, Ref +28, Will +35; Str 29, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 42, Wis 24, Cha 20. Height 6 ft. 1 in.
Skills and Feats: Alchemy +71, Appraise +15, Balance +11, Bluff +20, Concentration +62, Craft (blacksmithing) +27, Craft (bookbinding) +30, Craft (calligraphy) +30, Craft (gemcutting) +27, Craft (leatherworking) +27, Craft (painting) +27, Craft (weaving) +27, Diplomacy +16, Decipher Script +51, Disguise +10, Forgery +19, Gather Information +27, Handle Animal +12, Heal +10, Hide +10, Innuendo +12, Intimidate +27, Intuit Direction +10, Knowledge (spell theory & design) +71, Knowledge (architecture & engineering) +36, Knowledge (geography) +36, Knowledge (netherese lore) +36, knowledge (history) +36, Knowledge (nobility) +36, Knowledge (the planes) +71, Knowledge (arcana) +81, Knowledge (nature) +25, Knowledge (religion) +27, Knowledge (undead) +58, Listen +23, Move Silently +10, Perform +12, Scry +71, Search +23, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +75, Spot +14, Wilderness Lore +14; Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Spellcasting Prodigy, Spell Focus (Enchantment), Spell Focus (Illusion), Empower Spell, Chain Spell, Maximize Spell, Improved Counterspell, Reactive Counterspell, Scribe Scroll, Craft Wondrous Item, Eschew Materials, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell.
Epic Feats: Automatic Quicken Spell x3, Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Epic Counterspell, Epic Spellcasting, Ignore Material Components, Improved Spell Capacity (10th), Improved Spell Capacity (11th), Improved Spell Capacity (12th), Improved Spell Capacity (13th), Improved Metamagic x2, Intensify Spell, Multispell.
Special Qualities:
Archmage High Arcana:
Arcane Reach: Karsus's touch spells have a 30-foot range.
Arcane Fire: Karsus can channel arcane spell energy into arcane fire. The bolt has long range (400 + 40 feet/level of archmage) and deals 1d6 damage per level of archmage plus 1d6 damage per spell level.
Mastery of Counterspelling: When Karsus successfully counters any spell subject to spell turning, he reflects it fully back on the original caster. A spell not subject to spell turning is merely counterspelled.
Mastery of Elements: Karsus can cast any arcane spell he knows with the acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic designator to be cast as a different element.
Mastery of Shaping: Karsus can alter the area or effect of spells that use the following categories: burst, cone, cylinder, emanation, or spread. The alteration consists of creating spaces within the spells area or effect that are not subject to the spell.
Netherese Arcanist Qualities:
Field Specialization: Karsus's major field of specialization is mentalism, his minor is variation.
Enhanced Ability Scores: Karsus used wish spells to increase his Strength, Dexerity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma each by 5 points.
Enhanced Intelligence: Karsus read a tome of understanding +5.
Immunities: through the casting of the epic spells epic spell reflection and eternal freedom, Karsus is permanently immune to all spells of 1st through 9th level that target him (and they are reflected back to the caster) and to the following specific spells, effects, and spell like abilities: entangle, hold, imprisonment, paralysis, petrification, sleep, slow, stunning, temporal stasis, and web. By permanently casting multiple energy immunity spells, Karsus is immune to damage from fire, cold, acid, sonic, and electricity.
Permanent Spells: Through the use of permanency, Karsus has the following permanent continuous magical abilities: arcane sight, filter, gaze screen, indifference, detect poison, read magic, comprehend languages, detect secret doors, detect undead, darkvision, non-detection, detect scrying, reverse arrows (as protection from arrows except missiles are reflected back), see invisibility, true seeing, and tongues.
Sorcerer Spells Known: (0-3) 8/7/6/4. Base DC= 15+spell level, 17+spell level for Enchantment and Illusion Spells. Caster Level 9th. 0- mage hand, mending, open/close, arcane mark, detect magic, prestidigitation, ray of frost; 1st- obscuring mist, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, burning hands, feather fall; 2nd- hypnotic pattern, invisibility; 3rd- fireball.
Wizard Spells Per Day0-13) 4/9/8/8/8/8/6/5/6/12/3/3/3/3. Base DC= 27+spell level, 29+spell level for Enchantment and Illusion Spells. Caster Level 41st.
Spellbook: As an extremely powerful arcanist from Netheril, Karsus has access to spellbooks containing all the wizard/sorcerer spells from the Players Handbook, the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Lords of Darkness, Tome and Blood, Magic of Faerūn, Manual of the Planes, and any other sourcebook the DM desires.
Epic Wizard Spells Per Day: 8 (the epic spell contingent resurrection uses up one spell slot per day until it is triggered.)
DC= 42
Epic Spells Known: contingent resurrection, damnation, dreamscape, enslave, epic counterspell, epic repulsion, epic spell reflection, eternal freedom, greater spell resistence, kenetic control, mass frog, mummy dust, nailed to the sky, safe time, soul dominion, soul scry, spell worm, superb dispelling, time duplicate, proctiv's move mountain.
Possessions: As probably the most powerful spellcaster on Toril, Karsus has access to unimaginable resources and can aquire or make any nonartifact item he might need, if he does not already possess it. Among some of the magic items he usually has with him, or has at his immediate disposal are an amulet of epic natural armor +10, a mantle of epic spell resistance, a ring of epic wizardry IX, a ring of spell battle, a rod of epic absorption (size reduced 50%), a rod of epic spellcaster (size reduced 50%), a rod of excellent magic (size reduced 50%), bracers of epic armor +12, a lore stone, dual caster gloves III, vestments of readiness. Karus also has an additional 5,000,000 gp in magic items, artifacts, and rare treasures. His treasury contains approximately 3,000,000 gp in platinum, gold, and silver coinage.
Lore Stone: This small, rather ordinary looking opal grants a +10 bonus to any single knowledge skill the wearer already has. The stone affixes itself in the center of the forehead but does not impeed the wearing of other forms of head gear, though only one Lore Stone can be worn at any given time.
Caster Level: 20th; prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, legend lore; market price: 180,000.
Gloves of the Dual Caster: These soft and supple black leather gloves go up to the wearer's elbow and are embroidered with soft, bluish glowing runes. When they are being used, the runes shed light equal to a daylight spell. These gloves allow any arcane spellcaster to cast any two non-epic spells simulataneously (ie: casting a fireball spell one way with your left hand, while casting mage armor upon yourself with the right hand, or you could cast two fireballs at the same place, or different places.). Because it takes great concentration to cast two spells simultaniously, the concentration checks for each spell are doubled. Also, the wearer can't cast spells at targets that are in opposed positions to himself, ie: can't cast a spell at a target in front of him and at a target behind him at the same time, nor at two targets directly left and right of him, though he can cast spells at targets that are in front of him and beside him. Basically, the wearer can only cast spells at targets if those targets are within a 45 degree viewing angle. There are three different kinds of gloves of the dual caster: I, II, and III. gloves of the dual caster I can only be used with 3rd level spells and lower, gloves of the dual caster II can only be used with 6th level spells and lower, and gloves of the dual caster III, which can be used with 9th level spells and lower. Note: only the level of the base spell determines whether or not the gloves can be used with it, ie: the gloves of the dual caster I can be used with two fireball spells, even if the spells have been modified beyond 3rd level by metamagic feats (except Heighten Spell, which actually raises the DC level of the spell).
Caster Level: 22nd/ 25th/ 28th, respectively; prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Epic Wondrous Item, multispell or twin spell feats; 30,000 XP/ 60,000 XP/ 90,000 XP, respectively; market price: 225,000gp/ 450,000gp/ 675,000gp, respectively.
Vestments of Readiness: These silk vestments grants the wearer the improved initiative feat. If the wearer already has the feat, then there is no change.
Caster Level: 15, prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Improved Inititiative feat; 2,000 XP; market price: 20,000
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"Oh, Do stop whining, It's not the End of the World. It's just the end of Your's." |
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Mortagon
Acolyte
Norway
33 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 11:32:02
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Is this campaign going to start out at epic levels? if not i could see them encounter some kind of aspect of karsus before he finally reinvigorates himself to full power. These aspects could be as powerful or as weak as you would like them to be, enabling even low level pc's to combat some of them before they meet the real deal.
Also his ressurection could spawn some new monsters and entities never seen before. |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 12:30:12
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at least one error spotted ...
Tome of understanding doesn't stack with the +5 int bonus from the wish spell ... same type of modifier (enchanted) |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 13:22:53
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| There is rampant wild magic surrounding Karsus' remains |
Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2007 : 19:38:17
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I wouldn't give Karsus any levels in the sorcerer class. Netherese arcanists were wizards, and given their xenophobia and paranoia, I doubt that they would react well towards a sorcerer.
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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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Malanthius
Learned Scribe
144 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2007 : 05:16:40
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| True enough, but the idea being to create a "revived" version of Karsus, in a sort of final state after he comes back from being in several pieces. |
"Oh, Do stop whining, It's not the End of the World. It's just the end of Your's." |
Edited by - Malanthius on 20 Aug 2007 05:17:16 |
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Aravine
Senior Scribe
USA
608 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 18:12:59
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| this is ridiculous. so ridiculous i might use some of it |
The brave don't live forever,the cautious don't live at all |
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Haman
Seeker
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 19:38:34
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He just seems too powerful to me...he wasn't that high of level when he died, so I guess I'm not getting where the extra 10 or so levels come from (he was straight 42 wiz in 2nd, right? so it should have converted over as same in 3.x I thought.) Besides, being dead and out of touch, I'd almost think he would be way weaker....which is how I'd run him I guess.
But it's all you, and don't think I'm slamming anything you wish to do at your table, far from it! I'd actually love to play in a game like that and with a DM intent on getting the details flushed out. Very intriguing. |
Some people say we gamers have no lives....I think we have too many. |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 20:45:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Malanthius
What I'm needing is a version or two of him in intermediate "stages", ie him immediately after his ressurection, and so on.
Immediatly after the ressurection he's going to be weak as a kitten and unable to cast even the simplist cantrip. Mystra completely changed the weave after Karsus killed Mystral. Everybody had to relearn how to cast spells - and Karsus, being dead, missed out on that experience. He wouldn't be able to cast anything for a bit.
My concern is this - if you accept the novel's depictions of Karsus, he's a egomanical genius. I'm doubtful that he could overcome his huge ego and ask for help understanding the modern weave. So, he'd essentially be opperating in a vacum. Given time, he's likely to be able to figure out the current methods of casting spells, but would Mystra (or any diety for that matter) give him that time?
My bet is that within less than two days of his ressurection, every chosen, every proxy, every divine assassin and most of the mundane power groups in the Realms will be hunting him. Most will have instructions to capture him, but other will have thier phasers set to kill. You'll be able to time Karsus's new incarnation with a waterclock.
Just my opinion, but I don't think your players will have to worry about stopping Karsus. They'll have plenty of help. It might make a more interesting campaign if they had to keep the poor sap alive and breathing against all the opposition. That might also be too tough a job even for epic characters to handle. |
"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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Aewrik
Seeker
80 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 01:02:18
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You know, that campaign could be a good step into the fourth edition. The players are charged by to gather Karsus' remains by Savras, who would resurrect the short-lived deity (if that is possible).
The players then need to keep Karsus alive until the tearing of the Weave. Using Halidan's opinion, he could probably be more or less unaffected by the tearing of the weave, since he doesn't depend on it as heavily as the others (seeing as he worked magic in another way than modern spellcasters).
After Mystra's death, they just need to find a way to bring him to ascension. Because there's no Savras to guide them, they'd have to work completely alone against the entire world, since the realmsfolk might not realize it's the only way to restore the magic (weave) to Faerūn.
I think Karsus would be happy if that was the case, though : )
Or something. |
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Brynweir
Senior Scribe
USA
436 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 01:50:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Aewrik
You know, that campaign could be a good step into the fourth edition. The players are charged by to gather Karsus' remains by Savras, who would resurrect the short-lived deity (if that is possible).
The players then need to keep Karsus alive until the tearing of the Weave. Using Halidan's opinion, he could probably be more or less unaffected by the tearing of the weave, since he doesn't depend on it as heavily as the others (seeing as he worked magic in another way than modern spellcasters).
After Mystra's death, they just need to find a way to bring him to ascension. Because there's no Savras to guide them, they'd have to work completely alone against the entire world, since the realmsfolk might not realize it's the only way to restore the magic (weave) to Faerūn.
I think Karsus would be happy if that was the case, though : )
Or something.
I think that it would be really interesting to play it this way. Karsus would start out weak, just learning how to deal with the nature of magic, and the players have to keep him around to save the weave. It may even leave some of your players torn between defending him and helping others in the realm tear him apart. Fun, fun, fun. |
Anyone who likes to read something that's really dark and gritty and completely awesome ought to read The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. You can check out a little taste at www.BrentWeeks.com I should probably warn you, though, that it is definitely not PG-13 :-D
He also started a new Trilogy with Black Prism, which may even surpass the Night Angel Trilogy in its awesomeness. 
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 13:33:09
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| Maybe he can retain a glimmer of divine energy and giving him a Divine Rank of "0" to reflect this, with appropriate adjustments. Don't forget that he was always an insane kookoo man. Brilliant and charismatic in his own way :) |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Mace Hammerhand
Great Reader
Germany
2296 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 21:44:51
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The question may be moot, but was Karsus really mad?
I mean, after all, he did cast Karsus's Avatar to help Netheril and defeat the phaerimm, at least that's how I understood the entire gig. Unfortunately he made a very simple error... he didn't check his target first. Mystryl had more to do than he imagined and that basically blew a couple fuses.
Yet, the keep Karsus alive to save the weave has a huge appeal... you could tell your players that if they fail everything will become 4e. Naturally, unless you wanna make the step to 4e, you will have to play very close to your chest and make minor adjustments to let them succeed
Karsus as new guardian of the Weave... poof goes the phaerimm. |
Mace's not so gentle gamer's journal My rants were harmless compared to this, beware! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36798 Posts |
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Aravine
Senior Scribe
USA
608 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2007 : 12:51:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Wouldn't it be interesting if Karsus is reborn to replace Mystra 2.0? 
yes it would be very inyeteresting |
The brave don't live forever,the cautious don't live at all |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2007 : 13:56:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Wouldn't it be interesting if Karsus is reborn to replace Mystra 2.0?
I think "intersting" would be a very good word to describe what would happen if Karsus replaced Mystra.
I suspect that you already know this Wooly, but I'll state it for the benefit of the rest of us anyway. The Chinese use the word "interesting" as a curse. While I don't have the actual Chinese wording on hand, it translates into English as, "may you live in interesting times." |
"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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Aravine
Senior Scribe
USA
608 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2007 : 14:52:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Wouldn't it be interesting if Karsus is reborn to replace Mystra 2.0?
you'd think there would be a lot of wild magic, since Karsus was Crazy |
The brave don't live forever,the cautious don't live at all |
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Aewrik
Seeker
80 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2007 : 19:21:23
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Heh... in madness-related aspects, he's way better than Halaster.
However, from what I've read, he wasn't mad, except for his hubris(sp?). Then again, I haven't read all that much about him.
I think Karsus would make a great god of magic, since he wouldn't care for the restrictions Mystra set up for the weave. |
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"Impossible" Campaign Arc: The Return of Karsus
