Where do you think the campaign would fit the most in the Forgotten Realms?
I haven't decided yet but I am considering Cormanthor and a nearby lowlife city for Riddleport.
Please give me some ideas as the issues come out and we get to know more about the campaign.
I would be most excited to hear the writers thoughts on this! Thank you so much in advance!
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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First off: Spoilers galore.
I am not one of the writers (though a huge wannabe ;) ), but here are some of my thoughts about this:
Problems:
Second darkness in the Realms is pretty hard to pull off, since there was not any "First Darkness" a'la Golarion. Not impossible to work around, but also very sticky. Realms history is mapped out pretty well, and inserting "comet strikes Abeir-Toril, civilizations collapse" is going to be hard.
The Drow / Elf connection is not only quite different from Golarions (no way for hateful elves suddenly turning into drow), but also very well-known to many players.
Worse still: While Second Darkness treats the Drow as little-known boogiemen the Elves managed to hide under the carpet, they are well-known and feared aspects of the realms.
These drow are going to be quite different from the spider fetishists we all know and (insert highly emotional and probably unreasonable response here). No super-dominant religion, but instead demon-worship. Will probably catch many realms fans by surprise, and canon-enthusiasts do not always like them.
Suggestions:
The Elven Kingdom in the AP (name not currently in memory) is a good fit for Evermeet.
Getting riddleport right is not an easy match, i personally would have gone for some Moonsea town.
Sadly, i am drawing blanks on the big issues, though.
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Of course there are ways to twist things around.
1. Third Edition Realms. Not everywhere is mapped. Border Kingdoms, for example, have a lot of "Points of Light" to them already. I'm thinking Oeble would be a good replacement for Riddleport. It's not coastal, like Riddleport, but is built on a river.
We also have to be careful not to metagame. Yes, drow are more well known in some lands. Heck, Shining South, they practically run a country. But other corners of the world may be a bit more ignorant.
While FR is pretty mapped out, I've found plenty of dark spots to insert my own history and dynamics.
It seems that most people are more interested in keeping a setting like Forgotten Realms because of the familiarity of a backdrop. Unless your group is religious zealots of Greenwood's landscape, even with things pretty ironed out in 3rd edition, I'd say that there's still room.
2. Fourth Edition Realms. IMO, door's wide open. Unless your in the Silver Marches, the world may have changed drastically enough where memories of drow have faded, if they ever existed at all.
Again, the issue seems to be whether you want FRCS as a backdrop, or whether you're trying to fit Second Darkness into Faerun's history.
It may, or may not, be a problem - depending on how the DM has presented his/her FR in the past.
There isn't a problem with drow worshipping demons in FR, because a lot actually do. There are entire cities of drow (cf. DDGttU and 3e Underdark) that worship deities other than Lolth, including the once-demon Ghaunadaur (Juiblex) and other still-demons. Even in FR, demons and drow go hand-in-hand.
Further, there are many many unmapped cities that are also undetailed in FR. One good example already mentioned in this thread is the Border Kingdoms region (and there are also a number of southern elven lands, including both Amtar and the Misty Vale). Also, one of the Wizards Reach or Altumbel cities (also undetailed) could easily be a good location for Riddleport (along with an already-existing nearby elven kingdom that is the Yuirwood).
I don't know how necessary having the "First Darkness" is for this adventure path. Probably isn't. Same with the way the drow are handled and/or created in Golarion - that's probably also irrelevant for the actual adventure at hand (ie. the PCs don't need to know or care).
I'm also lucky, I guess, in that I've always handled drow in my FR campaigns in a very "Greyhawkian" (woo!) way - mysterious and hidden...
I don't have the first adventure yet but isn't most of the Drow content in the later modules? I think that would make conversion quite difficult.
I also recall James or Vic saying at one point that Second Darkness had a lot more travel and was set in a larger number of places than any other adventure.
I also recall James or Vic saying at one point that Second Darkness had a lot more travel and was set in a larger number of places than any other adventure.
Indeed - that's where the problems will lie. The more that an adventure is 'geography reliant', the less adaptable it becomes. This is a "VERY BAD THING (TM)".
I'm not sure exactly what is going to go on with the Cypher Gate, but at first blush I'm tempted to say that Westgate would be a suitable stand in for Riddleport.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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Westgate was my first idea as well, but Westgate is strongly tied into the whole Night Masks / Vampires angle... that might not be the best idea.
Strange stray idea: Vampires plot to darken the Realms to avoid their sunlight vulnerability - whatever the cost. Sure, it is extremely overdone a plot, but... it might just work.
Creative Director
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Indeed - that's where the problems will lie. The more that an adventure is 'geography reliant', the less adaptable it becomes. This is a "VERY BAD THING (TM)".
Actually... the majority of the overland travel in Second Darkness is covered via elfgates—portals. The first three adventures take place in...
...northwestern Varisia. The fourth adventure takes place in a drow city in the Darklands. The fifth adventure takes place in the elven nation of Kyonin. The last adventure occurs in the Land of Black Blood deep in the Darklands. The transition between these locations in the campaign is usually handled via portals, the nature of which have a small role to play in the campaign in and of itself.
So... it's not all that geography reliant is it might at first appear.
Elfgates fit in pretty well to Faerun . . . at least until the Last Mythal trilogy and beyond.
Actually... the majority of the overland travel in Second Darkness is covered via elfgates—portals. The first three adventures take place in...
** spoiler omitted **So... it's not all that geography reliant is it might at first appear.
Well, then. It looks like I'll be buying the entirety of this particular AP as well.
And indeed, as mentioned - a concept like "elfgates" works perfectly well in FR.
Curse you Paizo! *throws money at them*
Indeed - that's where the problems will lie. The more that an adventure is 'geography reliant', the less adaptable it becomes. This is a "VERY BAD THING (TM)".Actually... the majority of the overland travel in Second Darkness is covered via elfgates—portals. The first three adventures take place in...
** spoiler omitted **So... it's not all that geography reliant is it might at first appear.
James, I was so happy to see you posting and then there was no reply to my question. Can you please let us know your opinion on this? You are the only one here who knows what FR locations would suit this AP the best.
What I will surely use is the Sea of Fallen Stars idea. The name itself gives a fantastic link to this AP. As for elven locations there is Evermeet, Evereska and for an old empire there is Cormanthyr. The sinful city by the water could be several things I think. I will look into them.
I look forward to your smart ideas guys...
I was thinking of having Telflamm act as Riddleport. We kind of reconsidered and will run this campaign with a contingent of Thayan spies (3 wizards, a thayan knight, a slaver and a minotaur slave) who were sent by an agent of the zulkir of divination who wants to put his hands on the magical weapon of the drow.
Any Thayan artpiece would be appretiated!
I know it has been more than 2 years since the last post on this thread but I had to post here. So, without further ado, spoilers abound below.
The Winter Council functions the same but tries to manipulate the Queen through the Council of Matrons and through various elven noble houses, primarily those of sun elf origins. However, their sphere of influence is stronger outside of Evermeet and thus they try to control the flow of information from the rest of the Realms to Evermeet. The Winter Council (I'm still looking for a better name in elven for them) is more willingly to pursue options to hide the secrets of the elves, including the nature of the Dark Fate. Some of the evil deeds committed by the Winter Council includes the assassination of King Zaor over 45 years ago (I have a few reasons why they did this but you can adapt as needed). The Eldreth Veluuthra is actually an extremist offshoot of the Winter Council but very few know of this. No one, except for those in the Winter Council, know of the exact origins of the Eldreth nor that the Winter Council has some of the Council of Matrons in their pocket.
The First Darkness I had to change to being the Dark Disaster that occured during the Crown Wars. The 2nd Darkness is an attempt to recreate that incident (which is still a massive meteorite that breaks up in the atmosphere causing a targeted large scale meteorite shower). The pcs are under the mistaken assumption that House Azirnae is targeting Evermeet. They are not. They are intending to hit the High Forest (with an even larger meteorite), wiping out the Silver Marches and the Elven Court in the process as well. If they succeed hitting the High Forest, the resulting destruction is also enough to free Araumycos from its "prison."
Thorn's End will be located at or near Hellgate Keep. I have not decided yet where the Blood Lands will be exactly in the Underdark but the group have not finished The Endless Night yet so I am not in a rush.
Perelir remains a cleric of Calistria but naturally I changed Calistria's history. She is still an elven deity and her portfolio remains the same. She was, often, a former consort of Corellon Larethian. In fact, she was the FIRST consort of his before Lolth, who was known as Araushnee, seduced Corellon and replaced Calistria as his consort. Calistria repaid Lolth by helping Corellon durinng Lolth's attempt to replace him as the head of the Seldarine. Calistria's origins though is only known to the Seldarine and she is completely forgotten by the elven race, except through a small following that she has in Arvandor. Thus, she has been reduced to demigoddess status instead.
I also decided to include a 3rd power behind the scenes: Graz'zt, who is manipulating both the drow and the elves through moles that he has placed among the two races centuries ago, including Quilindra.
I hope my changes to the adventure path here can provide some of you with inspiration as well.
CB out.
I know it has been more than 2 years since the last post on this thread but I had to post here. So, without further ado, spoilers abound below.
** spoiler omitted **...
I'm not familiar with either the default Pathfinder Campaign setting or this adventure path so most of what you typed for the adventure plot makes very little sense to me but I am familiar with the Realms as I've been a fan for a while now.
Looking at the wiki entry for Calistria, I can't help but think that it might be easier for you to just use Sharess (they even share at least three domains: Chaos, Charm, and Trickery). Normally speaking, most people would probably wonder what Sharess has to do with the elven pantheon but she has a tangential link in that a goddess that merged with her had previous ties with gods that in turn merged with the Seldarine.
Most of the pantheon worshiped by the Yuir pantheon merged with the Seldarine save for one member who merged with Sharess: Zandilar the Dancer. As a bonus, the gods of the Yuir have some history with the drow as well. I can't remember the details as it's been a while since I've read through my old AD&D 2nd edition material but it's mentioned in some of the books. In any event, it's just a suggestion from a Realms fan. Good luck with your adventure and I hope you and your group have fun.
I know it has been more than 2 years since the last post on this thread but I had to post here. So, without further ado, spoilers abound below.
** spoiler omitted **...
I'm not familiar with either the default Pathfinder Campaign setting or this adventure path so most of what you typed for the adventure plot makes very little sense to me but I am familiar with the Realms as I've been a fan for a while now.
Looking at the wiki entry for Calistria, I can't help but think that it might be easier for you to just use Sharess (they even share at least three domains: Chaos, Charm, and Trickery). Normally speaking, most people would probably wonder what Sharess has to do with the elven pantheon but she has a tangential link in that a goddess that merged with her had previous ties with gods that in turn merged with the Seldarine.
Most of the pantheon worshiped by the Yuir pantheon merged with the Seldarine save for one member who merged with Sharess: Zandilar the Dancer. As a bonus, the gods of the Yuir have some history with the drow as well. I can't remember the details as it's been a while since I've read through my old AD&D 2nd edition material but it's mentioned in some of the books. In any event, it's just a suggestion from a Realms fan. Good luck with your adventure and I hope you and your group have fun.
Thanks for the suggestion, Alea Iact Est. I knew about Sharess. What I didn't know was that Zandilar agreed to merge with Sharess. However, using Sharess as a substitute for Calistria wouldn't work too well as it requires a more personal stake on the behalf of the deity in regards to the adventure plot. Sharess is more concerned with her portfolio than the well-being of the elves.
The reference to Zandilar agreeing to give her essence to Sharess is detailed in The Spellbound (campaign guide) and Powers & Pantheons, both 2nd Edition materials. ;)
CB out.