Scrying Lattice and Scrying Chamber in Secret of the Soul Pillars

[Zechi]

I have a question concerning the scrying devices which can be found in the ruins of Karran-Kurral.
Who can use them and how can you activate them. Can they be used by any class or just by a spellcaster. Are these devices intended to be used by the player characters regulary. They could use them to spy on Lord Vhalanthru or any of the other villains and get valuable information without confronting these NPCs.

Thank you for any answer.

Zechi

[Zechi]

Nobody can give any help?
I'm especially interested which classes can use the scrying devices in Secret of the Soul Pillars.

I'm also curious if the player characters used these devices in your campaigns and how you handled this. I imagine creative players could make good benefit of them. Same goes for the Soul Pillars and their contact other plane ability.

Was it intended by the author, that the player characters use thes e methods to derive information about their enemies?

Zechi

[Solomani]

I am about to run this so don’t have answers from experience. But do have some best guesses:

1. Scrying: I would judge that only classes that could potentially cast the scrying spell could use it effectively.
2. Pillars: You are almost at end game. Use them to fill the players in on information they haven’t put together. Especially tantalising information they cant use yet (like Vhalantru is a beholder). Since its end game I wouldn’t be scared about revealing too much. All hell breaks loose soon anyway. Don’t give away any info on the apprentices yet. Especially not Thifrane (sp) as that will stuff up the next module.

Your mileage may vary.

[walter mcwilliams]

Saddly, my PC's have never gone back to take advantage of this incredible source of information and I cant really figure out why to tell you the truth.

I cant really answer your questions on the technical use of the devices as I dont have the book here in front of me but I will give you some advice on what info to reveal to the players.

As far as the scrying lattice goes I would treat like a greater scrying spell. Usable only buy spellcasters or UMD. In my game the PC's never located or used the device assuming it was simply more ice lattice. Also, the firey sanctum and skull rot are both protected from scrying, and shatterhorn probably should be also, as well as thilafane and vhalantru's inner sanctum.

The soul pillars themselves should probably require some ranks in knowl(arcana) or spellcraft to properly utilize. However, a particularly weak minded person could be subverted by a particularly evil entity that dwells with in the pillars.

The information they have would depend on the questions asked by the PC's and what direction you want your campaign to go, or gaps that need filled.

In the end its all about suspense so keep that as long as possible finding out first hand that "V" is a beholder is much more climatic than learning it from a soul pillar.

Give answers in riddles, 1/2 truths, and puzzles. No buddy likes screwing with the minds of mortals more than the dead.