My party has just completed the Whispering Cairn, and have not yet met Allustan. I don't like his role in the campaign, as well as the roles of Eligos, Manzorian, and the other wizardly types.
Since, my party has a Wizard PC in it, and she is focusing alot on knowledge skills and research, I've been thinknig that it's only fair to reward her by letting her take an active role in uncovering all of the campagin's information and backstory.
However, since alot of stuff in the first half of the campaign revolves aroud these Wizards, stuff needs to change. . . mostly with the hooks.
The hooks for the third, fourth, sixth, seventh, and eighth are somewhat dependent on the wizards (For the Whispering Cairn, the party wizard has already uncovered the Wind Duke's information herself, Allustan wasn't needed). . . here's what I have so far.
"Blackwall Keep" The PCs have been working on and off with a grizzled old garrison commander, Captain Legare, to clear out some goblins stirring in the mountains (one of their first level quests - they didn't get to the Cairn until second level). Long at odds with his superiors and the corrupt government for which is is sworn to protect, he gets a transfer out of Miresberg, and is sent to Blackwall Keep, to keep him out of the way. When the lizrdfolk attack at the end of the second module, he sends for the PCs to aid him, as they are the only ones he can trust.
"Hall of Harsh Stuff" When the PCs discover the slow worms, they'll also discover that a large shipment of tainted fluids are being sent to Cinnmore (my campaign's Free City). The materials are to be dissiminated throughout the city by the Dopplegangers, hired by Raknian in prep for his Champion's Games offering. It's the PC's inquiries (as well as Thedrick's word to Raknian), are what sets the attacks in motion.
After that, I'm stuck. The hook with Allustan trapped in Icosol's tomb in the sixth adventure definitely needs to be changed/replaced/etc. I am thinking about using Khellek in some way, but the PCs don't have much of a relationship with him yet.
I have a few months to get it together, but I may need to get some NPCs or other devices into the campaign sooner rather than later, to set it up properly.
Any ideas on how to do this?
Allustan is easy.
In adventure 2, there are a number or other ways the PC's can find out about the cult under the mine, Filge is the easiest way for them to find out...
In adventure 3 Allustan wants to go to blackwall keep to talk to a fellow wizard. So in that adventure just tell your PC wizard he knows a fellow wizard in blackwall he would like to talk to about the worms, everything else will follow.
In adventure 4, Allustan wants the party to go to the free city to talk to Eligos a lore wizard, you can substitute eligos for a great library. (Have the info eligos would provide, given to the pc through research checks.)
Lastly Manzorian/Tenser, I would leave him in the campaign :) He is cool, can give the PC's a glimpse at epic status, and does not really drag down the campaign IMHO.
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Allustan is easy.
In adventure 2, there are a number or other ways the PC's can find out about the cult under the mine, Filge is the easiest way for them to find out...
In adventure 3 Allustan wants to go to blackwall keep to talk to a fellow wizard. So in that adventure just tell your PC wizard he knows a fellow wizard in blackwall he would like to talk to about the worms, everything else will follow.
In adventure 4, Allustan wants the party to go to the free city to talk to Eligos a lore wizard, you can substitute eligos for a great library. (Have the info eligos would provide, given to the pc through research checks.)
Lastly Manzorian/Tenser, I would leave him in the campaign :) He is cool, can give the PC's a glimpse at epic status, and does not really drag down the campaign IMHO.
I believe he is looking for help with the later adventures. As is indicated in his post, the early ones are already covered...
I have also cut Allustan out of the plot hooks in my game. For the 6th adventure, I lucked out because one of my players had adventuring parents in his backstory. I've begun planing clues that his parents lead Uluvant to the Whispering Cairn (Uluvant himself I tied back to the Ebon Triad and Faceless One). The parents escaped from Uluvant and took the portal to Isocial's tomb. Uluvant was enraged and caused the cave-in to trap them. He later met his fate at the hands of the Cairn.
Once my PC's complete their legal challenges in the Free City (aka HoHR and the Champion's Belt), a friend they left back in Diamond Lake will report the discovery of the portal. This will bring them back to town to help save the parents.
Anyway, all you really need is a semi-powerful ally/mentor to get trapped in the tomb.
Anybody they have a strong connection with from Diamnd Lake could be trapped in the tomb in AGoW--but to tie it into the Illthane's revenge I would use the Garrison Commander or (more likely) a relative of his, perhaps a brother who is a wizard investigating the Cairn after hearing of the PCs adventuers. This character could have the ex-apprentice to Manzorian.
Alternately, while in the Free City, there could be a librarian or fellow researcher that the PCs get to know, who asks the PCs to show him the WC. Illthane just so happens to attack when they are there, and their new friend flees into the cairn, where he gets stuck. Later he suggests they visit his uncle Manzorian.
There is no reason that after some sort of push (maybe the librarian mentioned in the previous post) the characters go back to WC and they are the ones to clear the rubble and find the portal. Maybe the librarian suspects something is behind the rubble...
Those are some good sugesstions. I am hoping that a close ally emerges, and would be willing to unbury the gate for them. So far, the only allies they have are the aformentioned garrison captain and a few NPCS who buy/sell magic items.
It would be tres cool if the PCs could initiate the unburying of the black portal themselves. It would also be cool if the hook could somehow involve Moreto, especially considering that he has an interest in Dragotha and the Age of Worms.
Thanks for your tips, guys. Hopefully, the PCs will do something in the coming weeks that makes the hook fall right into my lap.