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I posted this a while ago, and never saw it come up, so I'm posting again (so forgive me it winds up there twice).
As some of you know, I'm getting ready to kick off my SCAP campaign in a few weeks. So I'm reading the HC book right now. I'm in Zenith so far, and out of the blue, Celeste shows up. There is no information about her at all at this point in the book.
Wont the PCs have inquiries about her at the time of their meeting?
Who is she? Where did she come from? She has a membership at the cusp of sunrise obviously - is she a noble in Cauldron? Why does she care about these dwarves???
Finally, the prelude of this chapter states that since Valantru needs the dwarf captive due to him being the Shackleborn, he manipulates the PCs into going to rescue the dwarf for him. But if I'm reading it correctly, it seems to me that Celeste and Davked are the ones asking them to go save the dwarf? How is Valantru manipulating the PCs then? Did he ask Celeste to vie for the PCs help?
Thanks,
Robert
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I posted this a while ago, and never saw it come up, so I'm posting again (so forgive me it winds up there twice).
As some of you know, I'm getting ready to kick off my SCAP campaign in a few weeks. So I'm reading the HC book right now. I'm in Zenith so far, and out of the blue, Celeste shows up. There is no information about her at all at this point in the book.
Wont the PCs have inquiries about her at the time of their meeting?
Who is she? Where did she come from? She has a membership at the cusp of sunrise obviously - is she a noble in Cauldron? Why does she care about these dwarves???
Finally, the prelude of this chapter states that since Valantru needs the dwarf captive due to him being the Shackleborn, he manipulates the PCs into going to rescue the dwarf for him. But if I'm reading it correctly, it seems to me that Celeste and Davked are the ones asking them to go save the dwarf? How is Valantru manipulating the PCs then? Did he ask Celeste to vie for the PCs help?
Thanks,
Robert
I'm pretty sure all of your questions are answered in the HC if you take another look, but I'll take a shot at answering them from memory.
Celeste was sent to Cauldron by "a powerful wizard from the north" who is left unidentified in the campaign. She's investigating the corruption in town, and has suspicions about Vhalantru. How she got involved with Davked is also left unexplained, though her concern for the dwarves could be explained either by having her claim that she simply works for Davked or by insinuating that finding Zenith is important to the forces of good in the city (which it is, but even Celeste doesn't really understand why).
Davked is not Davked at all - he's actually a doppleganger named Gortio, a direct pawn of Vhalantru's. So when the PCs turn Zenith over to him, he turns around and hands him over to V.
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I'm pretty sure all of your questions are answered in the HC if you take another look, but I'll take a shot at answering them from memory.Celeste was sent to Cauldron by "a powerful wizard from the north" who is left unidentified in the campaign. She's investigating the corruption in town, and has suspicions about Vhalantru. How she got involved with Davked is also left unexplained, though her concern for the dwarves could be explained either by having her claim that she simply works for Davked or by insinuating that finding Zenith is important to the forces of good in the city (which it is, but even Celeste doesn't really understand why).
Davked is not Davked at all - he's actually a doppleganger named Gortio, a direct pawn of Vhalantru's. So when the PCs turn Zenith over to him, he turns around and hands him over to V.
Thank you. As of the point I had read, it had yet to explain the wizard sending her to look into the corruption of the city.
It must be explained later in the book; which is what I was asking. I am reading it from front to back without skipping ahead, so what there is later, I'm unsure of. Like I said, the intro to this chapter didnt providen enough (any) info about the protagonists, so I couldn't figure it out in my head what was really happening.
Thanks again,
Robert
The details you are looking for are in Lords of Oblivion, room O14. The PCs find her trapped in a painting. After freeing her, she answers some questions before returning to her Patron, which is Tenser if you set your game in Grayhawk.
To be honest, though, I don't feel Celeste adds that much to the campaign. She's a nice tie-in to Age of Worms, but is little more than that. If you are not planning on running Age of Worms, you may want to skip Celeste alltogether and replace her with Vhalantru. He then introduces Davked to the PCs and takes Zennith off their hands at the end of tyhe chapter.
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To be honest, though, I don't feel Celeste adds that much to the campaign. She's a nice tie-in to Age of Worms, but is little more than that. If you are not planning on running Age of Worms, you may want to skip Celeste alltogether and replace her with Vhalantru. He then introduces Davked to the PCs and takes Zennith off their hands at the end of tyhe chapter.
Thank you for the info. I do intend to run AoW, so i'm glad you told me about that tie-in...
Before you had said that, I was considering making Celeste a Succubus that takes a liking to a PC and is "in on" the plot with the dwarf, and is a cohort of Vhalantru; if the PC is into her early on Vhalantru could really use her as a "spy" to keep an on the PCs progress and know what they know to see just how safe his secrets are...
Just random musings.
Robert
If you want more info on Celeste, check out the hall of Harsh Reflections (issue 127) and the Champions Belt (issue 128). I believe Celeste is featured in those two adventures. I´m not sure, though (don´t have the issues in front of me), so I hope someone else can verify this.
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If you want more info on Celeste, check out the hall of Harsh Reflections (issue 127) and the Champions Belt (issue 128). I believe Celeste is featured in those two adventures. I´m not sure, though (don´t have the issues in front of me), so I hope someone else can verify this.
Thanks Chef, you've been a lot of help. I'll go look for those issues in my magical "book shelves of holding (more than it should)"
Robert
In my game I introduced Celeste during the Demonskar Ball (see theRPGenius.com for the side trek if your interested) where she sat talking to Vhalantru. Celeste has been sent to Cauldron to attempt to find out what evil disaster will befall the city and how to stop it. Vhalantru has drawn her celestial superiors suspicions and is therefore her first target.
In addition, in my game (see Alternative Adimarchus and Cagewrights which again can be found at theRPGenius.com), Celeste is the daughter of the Haloen - the same arch angel that was once Adimarchus mentor and who eventually banished him from heaven for his crimes. The story goes that Haloen later sacraficed herself on the field of tears causing the invaded portion of heaven to tear away and fall into the Abyss becoming what is now known as Occiptus.
During the final alternative adventure when the party enter the Nightmare Realm to face Adimarchus Inner Demon and release the angel from his madness, Haloens ghost acts as their guide through Adimarchus' dreams.
Haloen can be released from Adimarchus Nightmares when she learns of her daughter safety and perhaps is shown the cloak she gave Celeste before Haloen died that fateful battle.
Again this is just my take on Celeste and my attempt to infuse her into the Path. As written you could easily take her out and replace her because as you have rightly stated other than a tie in to a later AP, she serves little function in the SCAP.
Good Luck with your game
Delvesdeep
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>>>In my game I introduced Celeste during the Demonskar Ball (see theRPGenius.com for the side trek if your interested) where she sat talking to Vhalantru. Celeste has been sent to Cauldron to attempt to find out what evil disaster will befall the city and how to stop it. Vhalantru has drawn her celestial superiors suspicions and is therefore her first target<<<
So Delvesdeep, is she celestial in your campaign (only) or is she a celestial in the SCAP? As I said, at the point i have read to, there's no mention to her "Stat block." Furthermore, theres no stat block info on her about what/who she is in the appendix area of the HC either. Thats the frustrating thing.
Lets pretend I was stupid, I dont know anything about this campaign setting, and I was reading the book to run the campaign for the first time. Where would someone find out info on her in the book or is there no further info on her? I just read the prelude to he Zenith Trajectory, and it just introduces her as someone with the dwarf. Thats it. She apparently has a membership at Cusp of Sunrise, so she obviously is someone important to the city: a noble probably, but that isn't illicitly indicated.
If there is no further info on her, I can and will develop her further, I was merely asking if the book does indeed provide her info, and if so, where?
That being said, I do like the idea of how you intend to use her in your campaign and may borrow that, if there is truly no other info on her already designed in the campaign book.
Thanks
Robert
Have a look in the chapter dedicated to the LoO (Chapter 8 if I remember correctly). Chef gave the room number in one of his posts above - O14. I believe their is further description of her in the adventure. In this adventure the players can release her from a painting Vhalantru has imprisioned her within.
In regard to her race I believe she is an angel of some type, what type or whether she is full bloodied I can not remember. I'll have a look in the Hard Cover when I get a minute at home.
Good luck and feel free to use any ideas from me or anyone here to modify or use in anyway you wish. Thats why I come to these boards - ideas!
Delvesdeep
P.S. One other thing. The SCAP as presented in the HC is a fantastic adventure but it does have many flaws. I love the campaign but as you get more familiar with it you will see them too.
I speak of things like -
1There are too many villians in the later chapters. You just can't foreshadow them all and they end up become just another meaningly encounter when the party eventually face them.
2The plot is confused and piecemeal in some regards. Adimarchus is the main villian but you could easily exclude him from the AP and the players would still be just as happy and furfilled.
3 There are too many loose ends. While this allows for plenty of possible home grown side treks many of them appear to be an oversight. These include the Last Laugh who seemed destined for a major role in the earlier chapters but faded away into obscurity later. Celeste. Even Orbius never is heard of again by the party until they face him in Chapter 8.
4 Redgorge - was it invaded or not?
5The Stormblades and Skies - great introductions but what then?
There are many more so look through the posts and sites like theRPGenius.com site (yes I know I'm pushing this one)for documents written by fellow DMs which support the game and come up with possible solutions to improve on its flaws.
Its a great campaign but don't restrict yourself to just what is written in the HC.
That's a great point, delvesdeep. I think the AP assumes that the PCs manage to get the news of Alek's death back to Cauldron before Redgorge is invaded, but I'm wondering if you or anyone else did any work on a possible invasion plan.
4 Redgorge - was it invaded or not?
Chef's Slaad started a great thread on this that you could find by searching in the archives. I've started writing up the invasion using many of the ideas found within this discussion as my starting point and inspiration.
But have a look at Chef's Slaad's thread - it is a good read.
Delvesdeep
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**** spoilers ****
Celeste is a Ghaele Eladrin with levels in bard. I suggest you check out the Dungeon magazines previously referred to for her stats, (but they are basically irrelevant to the "offical" shackled city AP) and the chapter in the HC referred to for her continuing role or lack thereof.
I think the idea (again, "officially" - what you do in your campaign is up to you) is to play Celeste as mysterious - if/when the PCs start trying to delve into her back ground they will meet with dead ends, and have no idea whether she's one of the bad guys or not.
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I think the idea (again, "officially" - what you do in your campaign is up to you) is to play Celeste as mysterious - if/when the PCs start trying to delve into her back ground they will meet with dead ends, and have no idea whether she's one of the bad guys or not.
Sounds good; thanks. And I agree that's a good way to go, but my confusion was for the fact that someone reading the SCAP wouldn't necearrily have known that simply because it wasn't very well written.
Delves is correct there are alot of holes and flaws - but despite them, it is a fabulous looking maodule that I cannot wait to tackle.
Thanks to everyone on this board who have helped on this thread and all the others. It has provided unmeasurable amounts of inspiration.
Robert
**** spoilers ****
Celeste is a Ghaele Eladrin with levels in bard...
Nice. Instead of a statblock in the HC, we get conflicting information. On p.245, the HC clearly states that Celeste will volunteer to help destroy Vhalantru, and although her +4 holy greatsword has been sold by big V, she still has all her cleric spells prepared.
An unfortunate oversight. I plan to use HeroForge to build up a character sheet for her. She's too interesting to leave out of the story after the PCs rescue her.
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]Nice. Instead of a statblock in the HC, we get conflicting information. On p.245, the HC clearly states that Celeste will volunteer to help destroy Vhalantru, and although her +4 holy greatsword has been sold by big V, she still has all her cleric spells prepared.
LOL!
Oh well, thanks or looking deeper. I really got a chuckle out of this; it so spoke to my frustration of late tryig to make head and tails of things.
I'll just take things with a grain of salt.
Thanks again,
Robert
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Nice. Instead of a statblock in the HC, we get conflicting information. On p.245, the HC clearly states that Celeste will volunteer to help destroy Vhalantru, and although her +4 holy greatsword has been sold by big V, she still has all her cleric spells prepared.
LOL; boy id I get a good chuckle from this! It just spoke volumnes towards my recent frustrations. Thanks for looking deeper; I'll just take things with a grain of salt.
Thanks again,
Robert
Actually, the mention of cleric spells isn't an error. She's a Ghaele Eladrin, and from the SRD:
"Spells: Ghaeles in humanoid form can cast divine spells as 14th-level clerics."
Duh! You're completely correct, Cintra. Thanks.
Still, a statblock would be nice.
Actually, the mention of cleric spells isn't an error. She's a Ghaele Eladrin, and from the SRD:
"Spells: Ghaeles in humanoid form can cast divine spells as 14th-level clerics."
As a Ghaele (I changed her in a trumpet archon, so she could be the daughter of Haloen) she couldn't be charmed by Orbius' eye ray "charm monster", since she has a permanent protective aura on (which functions as protection from evil).
I'm desperately thinking of a possibility for Orbius to capture her, but other than catching her in his anti-magic cone followed by physical force, I don't see.Also her answer on page 245 is impossible, telling the PC's that she saw Zenith being taken away. She was captured and bound in the painting way before Zenith's return!
I'm running from the magazines not the hardcover but I simplified matters by removing Celeste. Instead, she appears, but is actually a polymorphed Thrilifrane (or however you spell it) the party meets with Vhalantru.
In my game they met her during the Demonskar Ball at Vhalantru's side and she even danced with the Ogre barbarian. He made a break for her when he saw one of the Stormblades moving in to ask her to dance.
I felt that putting her at Vhalatru's side a few times would reinforce that she works for him in some capacity. I didn't like that she just appeared in Zenith Trajectory so I felt that her introduction during the Demonskar Ball was better.
The details you are looking for are in Lords of Oblivion, room O14. The PCs find her trapped in a painting. After freeing her, she answers some questions before returning to her Patron, which is Tenser if you set your game in Grayhawk.
I'm assuming this information is only in the hardcover. I can't find any such information in the magazine article. O14 is Vhalantru's trophy room but there is very little description.
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As a Ghaele (I changed her in a trumpet archon, so she could be the daughter of Haloen) she couldn't be charmed by Orbius' eye ray "charm monster", since she has a permanent protective aura on (which functions as protection from evil).
I'm desperately thinking of a possibility for Orbius to capture her, but other than catching her in his anti-magic cone followed by physical force, I don't see.
Don't forget Orbius has allies, most notably Thifirane. Her spells, Orbius' rays, and the aid of Gortio, they could subdue her in one way or another. But you raise a good point, and I will have to remember it when next I run the campaign.
It's well worth it.
It's well worth it.
So I've heard.
Don't forget Orbius has allies, most notably Thifirane. Her spells, Orbius' rays, and the aid of Gortio, they could subdue her in one way or another. But you raise a good point, and I will have to remember it when next I run the campaign.As a Ghaele (I changed her in a trumpet archon, so she could be the daughter of Haloen) she couldn't be charmed by Orbius' eye ray "charm monster", since she has a permanent protective aura on (which functions as protection from evil).
I'm desperately thinking of a possibility for Orbius to capture her, but other than catching her in his anti-magic cone followed by physical force, I don't see.
During the session I suddenly realized how they might have captured her. First Thifirane casting a magic circle against good (from scroll), followed by a dimensional anchor to keep her there and then greater planar binding from scroll (calling Celeste). Needs some lucky rolls, but I think that would be a feasible solution of the problem.
The perfect place is O8 of course: A search check in that room reveals a few blond hairs and some silver dust.
Don't forget Orbius has allies, most notably Thifirane. Her spells, Orbius' rays, and the aid of Gortio, they could subdue her in one way or another. But you raise a good point, and I will have to remember it when next I run the campaign.As a Ghaele (I changed her in a trumpet archon, so she could be the daughter of Haloen) she couldn't be charmed by Orbius' eye ray "charm monster", since she has a permanent protective aura on (which functions as protection from evil).
I'm desperately thinking of a possibility for Orbius to capture her, but other than catching her in his anti-magic cone followed by physical force, I don't see.
During the session I suddenly realized how they might have captured her. First Thifirane casting a magic circle against good (from scroll), followed by a dimensional anchor to keep her there and then greater planar binding from scroll (calling Celeste). Needs some lucky rolls, but I think that would be a feasible solution of the problem.
The perfect place is O8 of course: A search check in that room reveals a few blond hairs and some silver dust.
I never thought that far into it but Maglub you raise a good point about her capture.
I actually changed her appearance to that of a beautiful halfling to link her up as a love interest to the rogue character in the campaign.
Celeste is designed to be an enigma and they use her as a carry on NPC in STAP. I, like you Maylub, changed her to a trumpet archon so she could realistically be Haloens daughter. I am also keen to bring in an old hook I designed for Skies Treasury years a go revolving around Celeste which was a Cloak of Chrisma given to Celeste by her parents.
After her rescue, I may have Celeste give the cloak to the party. She may explain wearing it only gives her pain but she asks them to take it with them to assist them in journey. One possibility is that the cloak acts as a way to allow the specture/ghost of Haloen, that acts as a guide in Adimarchus' Nightmare Realm, to be realised from her sevitude when she holds the cloak in her arms and knows her daughter is safe. Just an idea.
But getting back to the point - Celeste is another one of the loose threads in this campaign that promised so much but went no where. Well no where if we didn't fill in the holes ourselves that is!
Delvesdeep