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I really liked the idea of Arron Ivy and all of the stuff that happens on the island, but there wasn't a really good way to get that info to the PCs within the narrative, so I decided to flesh out his time on the island by leaving behind a diary of sorts. Its actually the Infernus' manifest. I also built in a minor sort of feat for the PCs that study the manifest.
I thought I'd share. Let me know what you think. Feel free to use it in any way you want.
LINK: The Infernus Legacy
thanks
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Krail -
I like what you've done here!
A bit of constructive advice:
Your piece is a diary.
The author is chronicling the significant events (of his past).
The tense of the writing needs to maintain the current perspective of the author. As I read it, Aaron Ivy often refers to things happening in the past tense (not his present) and it feels a bit awkward to the reader.
I recommend searching for some examples of diary's to get a feel for the format. Keep yourself in Ivy's reality when making the entries.
With your permission and time willing, I'd like to make an edit/pass on it and see what I come up with.
If/When it happens, I'll send you a copy to check out.
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With your permission and time willing, I'd like to make an edit/pass on it and see what I come up with.
If/When it happens, I'll send you a copy to check out.
For sure, go for it. What I have is a feverish first draft, I need to go back through and trim/cut and firm up the tense. I knew I was mushing that as I wrote it, but just wanted to get it out on the page. I'll give it a good overhaul here sooner or later. My online pbp game is only on day four, so they are a ways off from encounter poor Mr. Ivy.
good luck and thanks for the feedback!
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I think that Arron Ivy is a source of tremendous potential and is much, much better off as a living NPC than an (un)dead foe.
In our capaign, Ivy ended up being the sole survivor of the Infernus and had been living on the island as best he could for some time. By letting him be alive, someone the PC's could rescue, we were able to have the following happen:
2) We were able to get the full story of the Infernus which allowed a lot of things to be pieces together for the party - I hate it when there is a tremendous amount of backstory out there to explain the bizarre encounters the PC's have, but no means for them to learn of it. He was also able to lead them to the ship-wrecked Infernus where some goodies remained to be salvaged - the PC's never would have come across it otherwise.
3) Finally his experiences on the island made it much easier to nudge the group towards the sea caves where Sandara was being held.
Eventually he would lose his leg in a fight and retire shoreside where he was commissioned by our captain to build a masterpiece of a flagship, gaining some small assitance from the Master of Gales to, ah, 'weather proof it', after we had gone on a mission for him... finishing just in time for the big naval battles in the 5th act. When the Maiden's Fury was finally revealed, that was a BIG moment in our game.
In my game, Ivy failed to grapple the PC's in the first round, and they withdrew out of reach and starte firing acid splashes on him. Since he is an intelligent undead, that meant they could interrogate him, on the threat of further acid splashes.
In the end, he offered to join their crew, but they declined his offer, and killed him after he had told them all he knew.
Thanks for sharing this, I just might make a document of it. (My group is about 2 game weeks away from this - still months for us.) Good job humanizing the poor crew of the Infernus. +1 to you!
nice idea overall - think I will draw up a journal along your general lines , or somesuch.
Give the PC crew some more ideas about what the "Infernus" was doing so far south of the Shackles... and maybe, have Ivy haunt them, instead of doing his "grappling death" routine with the swarm nearby
Great idea, and very nicely written. I definitely will be using this when my crew reaches Bonewrack.
I like the idea of Ivy as a Haunt rather than just another undead ghoul, but can the PCs deal with a Haunt at their current level? I presume in this case Ivy's suicide would have succeeded, so what would you have as the method of finally laying him to rest? Getting word of his fate back to his mother in Cheliax? That could generate some interesting suspicions towards the PCs, if it was thought they were corresponding with Chelaxians.... Hmmm.
Great idea, and very nicely written. I definitely will be using this when my crew reaches Bonewrack.
I like the idea of Ivy as a Haunt rather than just another undead ghoul, but can the PCs deal with a Haunt at their current level?
I presume in this case Ivy's suicide would have succeeded, so what would you have as the method of finally laying him to rest? Getting word of his fate back to his mother in Cheliax? That could generate some interesting suspicions towards the PCs, if it was thought they were corresponding with Chelaxians.... Hmmm.
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Great idea, and very nicely written. I definitely will be using this when my crew reaches Bonewrack.
I like the idea of Ivy as a Haunt rather than just another undead ghoul, but can the PCs deal with a Haunt at their current level? I presume in this case Ivy's suicide would have succeeded, so what would you have as the method of finally laying him to rest? Getting word of his fate back to his mother in Cheliax? That could generate some interesting suspicions towards the PCs, if it was thought they were corresponding with Chelaxians.... Hmmm.
I meant the "haunt" more as a figure of speech, but... yeah, why not bring his bones/remains home to Cheliax ? Until then, he will haunt the ship, spooking the crew with "dire portents" about the chelian fleet. But anyways, the whole "stockade encounter is pretty deadly with the combination of swarm, creepers and the ghast in itself, so some reshaping feels necessary.
As a player (when we played the path), we actually visited Correntyn (yeah, to find out more about Harrigan ) and I could see some memorable moments with the PCs sneaking into that fortress harbour with the remains of Ivy, attempting to lay him to rest in his parish's temple ?
Guards : "tell us strangers, what do you carry in that urn"
Not-so-wily PC "just the remains of a sailor cursed by Asmodeus to eternal damnation, lest he returns home to rest with his mother !"
Then again, simply for reasons of sympathy, I would/will not paint him as a devil worshipper, but a follower of Gozreh or similar - a sailor who served on the wrong ship at the wrong time. Perhaps under the wrong oath, as well.
This document was very handy, thank you, Krail. Not only did it allow the players to appreciate the background of what they're walking into, with a little additions to the diary, it allowed a seamless transition for one PC to multiclass into alchemist. The player, bless him, gave me a heads-up that he was wanting to branch out into alchemy and would appreciate it if that desire could be accommodated for the next level-up.
It didn't take much to add a few lines about the poor crew's efforts to concoct some type of insect repellent and antidotes, have notes of a few recipes/formulas and some basic gear for an alchemists kit (not lab) to be cobbled together.
I cast raise thread to give credit where it's due and say "thanks!" again.
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This is fantastic! I'm starting this adventure path with my new group (ran it when it first came out with a different group of players), and this time I want to go all out with the 'extras'. I took your story, edited it slightly (changed a word here and there, nothing major), and then formatted it all pretty. I even made a booklet version, and printed it out. The end result is amazing!
Infernus Manifest - Normal version
Infernus Manifest - Booklet version
Thanks again for this wonderful story!
Verdacy, that looks so great! With your permission, I'd love to steal that for my group, which also just started. So much more evocative than just a typewritten document.
And awesome writing, Krail!
Go nuts! The booklet version turned out fantastic. I can't wait to hand it to my players.
Very impressive!