Three Faces of Evil (TFoE): some new plot tweakings


Age of Worms Adventure Path

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Spacelard, I hinted at the apostlistic scrolls were what was torn from the book that was stolen in Mad gods key.


Spacelard wrote:

The Cult of Vecna is driving things to bring Kyuss back and being the Keeper of Secrets IMO he is doing a fantastic job. Vecna hasn't got to keep the Ebon Triad secret from anyone but Hextor and Erythnul. Everyone involved in the pure cult doctrine of Hextor and Erythnul can go around warning who ever they like about the heresy as Vecna is only intrested in blocking that knowledge to the two deities.

Vecna is *helping* Kyuss as they both have similar backgrounds in that they were both once mortal, the exact motivation is unknown as Vecna ain't telling.

Well, concerning the Mad God's key, maybe the Vecna cultists stole a diary written by Bucknard/Balakarde, fearing that it contained information on its quest to uncover the Kyuss conspiracy? That would foreshadow some elements of later adventures, and Bucknard WAS a native of Greyhawk; it’s not illogical that some of his possessions went to the City after his disappearance (especially because at the time, the Circle of Eight was in turmoil, maybe Tenser was dead, etc.; I don’t remember the exact dates).

Stealing the Chronicles of Chan would imply that they have an focused interest on the Wind Dukes. Nothing says so in the adventures, but the Faceless One was curious enough about the Whispering Cairn to send a Lurking Strangler there, so... Would work better if used later ("Hey, I sent for this book, but he was stolen from the library! Could you do some detective work for me?").

Concerning Vecna helping out Kyuss, shame on you for going the easy way (just pulling your leg, here) ! Of course, Vecna isn’t telling (he cant’t help himself), but as the DM, I am Vecna, so I would know. As said earlier for villains, when a NPC act against his nature (and for Vecna, helping anybody else to become a god and destroy the world he plans to rule isn’t natural) there should be a very good reason, that the PC should have a chance to discover. Having bad guys behaving in a bizarre way without any plausible explanation only frustrates players, which is not good.

If Vecna helps Kyuss, maybe it is to later hijack the divine energy released during its attempt at ascension. In which case you would have to heavily modify the last adventure (maybe if the PC fail, the world isn’t destroyed but Vecna gets tougher? Could work, but could also be anticlimactic).


nomadicc wrote:

I didn't spend a whole lotta time or brainpower on Smenk, as he was more of a means-to-an-end than an important story point. The players knew he was a sleaze, from both background info and Filge. To start the 3FoE module, I skipped the Allustan "predictions" because they were pretty weak.

Instead, I had Smenk seek the PCs out and hire them to investigate the mines - win-win for Smenk (in his mind). The cultists are obviously blackmailing him into supplying them (for a steal) and to keep quiet. If they trash the place and take out his rival Dourstone, then he wins. If they defeat the cultists and free him from the blackmail threat they hold over him, also win. If the PCs die, no great loss...

Yep, we agree here. Sending the PC is a win-win situation for Smenk.

But what I tried to do is to give him a logical reason for doing it, rather than calling in the authorities.


Smarnil le couard wrote:


Concerning Vecna helping out Kyuss, shame on you for going the easy way (just pulling your leg, here) ! Of course, Vecna isn’t telling (he cant’t help himself), but as the DM, I am Vecna, so I would know. As said earlier for villains, when a NPC act against his nature (and for Vecna, helping anybody else to become a god and destroy the world he plans to rule isn’t natural) there should be a very good reason, that the PC should have a chance to discover. Having bad guys behaving in a bizarre way without any plausible explanation only frustrates...

Yea, I know its lazy...but I'm not sure if my players would care about the why as much as I do. If they *do* start to ask why then I will put more brain power behind it.


I have not given much thought to Smenk's motives yet. I am starting the adventure (this Friday!) in a different location and having the PC's journey to Diamond Lake after the first adventure.

Probably will have more thoughts on this in a few weeks I will post what I come up with.


the Smenk Connection:

Now that I have read it more thoroughly I will be tweaking this as well. It does not make sense that Smenk would be brought in to provide supplies. I makes even less sense that the Faceless One would discuss anything about the Age of Worms with Smenk. Furthermore, if a worm went missing I would think they would suspect Smenk first as an outsider.

I have decided instead to have Smenk spy on Dourstone as they are enemies anyway. In the process of spying on him, one of his agents (a Cohort as I gave him Leadership)finds and infiltrates the caverns. That is where the agent finds the worm and brings it out to Smenk. That happened a few weeks before the PC's arrive in Diamond Lake. Once they discover Filge and the note, they will be led back to Smenk. This encounter I will have flow free form as it really depends on how they deal with Filge. Though their encounter with Smenk they will discover that there is a large complex beneath one of Dourstone's mines. They will investigate because some of them have had shadowy encounters with these worms that they vaguely remember from their pasts.

What Allustan knows:

I would say too much. Those secret caves where the Ebon Triad are located should be secret. I see Allustan as more of a link to Manzorian later on than a major player. I will have him there as a resource but not playing that prominent of a role. He will not be accompanying them to Blackwall Keep in the next adventure either though I will use him as a link to get them there (I have othe rplots to make them take that trip).

The Ebon Triad Caves:

As I am running the adventure in the Realms I have decided to make these caves one of the hideaways of the Dead Three while they were still mortals. Complete with mosaics portraying the three when they where still alive. I am swapping out the Gralluk Kur caverns and the Grimlocks for a cavern that would be more suitable to Bhaal with traps and rogue assassin opponents.


Dennis Harry wrote:

the Smenk Connection:

Now that I have read it more thoroughly I will be tweaking this as well. It does not make sense that Smenk would be brought in to provide supplies. I makes even less sense that the Faceless One would discuss anything about the Age of Worms with Smenk. Furthermore, if a worm went missing I would think they would suspect Smenk first as an outsider.

I have decided instead to have Smenk spy on Dourstone as they are enemies anyway. In the process of spying on him, one of his agents (a Cohort as I gave him Leadership)finds and infiltrates the caverns. That is where the agent finds the worm and brings it out to Smenk. That happened a few weeks before the PC's arrive in Diamond Lake. Once they discover Filge and the note, they will be led back to Smenk. This encounter I will have flow free form as it really depends on how they deal with Filge. Though their encounter with Smenk they will discover that there is a large complex beneath one of Dourstone's mines. They will investigate because some of them have had shadowy encounters with these worms that they vaguely remember from their pasts.

Yes, that was my number 2 solution. For my part, I put it aside because I could not see why Smenk wouldn't go to the authorities with the compromising evidence on Dourstone's shady activities if he wasn't somehow involved in said activities.

I know that Governor Neff is inept, but on the other hand think that the Heironeian garrison could deal efficiently with the situation (maybe after calling in heavy-duty reinforcements).

But maybe Smenk is just sufficiently paranoid and distrusting of the authorities, or maybe he feels secure and wants to send in a plausably deniable probe first... So I guess it can work.

In fact, I don't know if I will be doing this part your way (simpler and elegant), or mine. I still do like the idea of PCs going in as dupes and discovering evidence about Smenk involvement...

Dennis Harry wrote:

What Allustan knows:

I would say too much. Those secret caves where the Ebon Triad are located should be secret. I see Allustan as more of a link to Manzorian later on than a major player. I will have him there as a resource but not playing that prominent of a role. He will not be accompanying them to Blackwall Keep in the next adventure either though I will use him as a link to get them there (I have othe rplots to make them take that trip).

I agree wholeheartedly. Allustan stepping in and spilling all the beans on a supposedly secret hideout, abandoned for a millenium, is really way too much.


"(1) Yes, that was my number 2 solution. For my part, I put it aside because I could not see why Smenk wouldn't go to the authorities with the compromising evidence on Dourstone's shady activities if he wasn't somehow involved in said activities.

(2) I know that Governor Neff is inept, but on the other hand think that the Heironeian garrison could deal efficiently with the situation (maybe after calling in heavy-duty reinforcements).

(3) But maybe Smenk is just sufficiently paranoid and distrusting of the authorities, or maybe he feels secure and wants to send in a plausably deniable probe first... So I guess it can work.

(4) In fact, I don't know if I will be doing this part your way (simpler and elegant), or mine. I still do like the idea of PCs going in as dupes and discovering evidence about Smenk involvement..."

Hey :-). As to number 1, I don't get the sense that Smenk's first impulse is to ever go to the authorities. I think he would have brought in Filge to make a determination as to what Ragnolin is up to. As far as Smenk knows it is all Ragnolin's scheme he knows nothing about the Ebon Triad. Once he understands what is going on the he can make an informed decision, of course he will not get the opportunity because the characters will interfere.

Number 2, in my game the garrison is as corrpt as Neff as the God Gilgeam is more evil than good, except for the leader Tolliver who is more apathetic than corrupt, but there is a reason for that apathy. The Empire that has interests in the mines is literally weeks away so if the garrison ever ran into real trouble they could not expect any reinforcements, therefore they do not get involved in anything too dangerous. Neff is in charge because Allustan is literally the most powerful man in Diamond Lake, luckily for DL he is not a tyrant himself.

Number 3, I pretty much addressed in point 1 above. Smenk's plan for Ragnolin is interfered with by these meddling adventurer's. Of course if he could prove Ragnolin is harboring something dangerous, then he probably would go to Neff and the garrison.

Number 4, I went simple on the Smenk plot because I have a two pronged way to get the PC's into the mines. If they do not bother to follow up with the worm and with Smenk after dealing with Filge, one of the characters is actually a manchurian candidate. That character is the nephew of Theldrick, the background is too involved to spell out. Once Theldrick realizes he is in Diamond Lake with allies, he plans on using the characters as fodder to eliminate both the Faceless One and Illasera (I replaced Grallak Kur with a new NPC) thereby allowing him to be the one to raise the Overgod. This of course is ging to backfire on him as it is the bloodletting and violence that cause the Overgod to rise...

Scarab Sages

Dennis Harry wrote:

What Allustan knows:

I would say too much. Those secret caves where the Ebon Triad are located should be secret. I see Allustan as more of a link to Manzorian later on than a major player. I will have him there as a resource but not playing that prominent of a role. He will not be accompanying them to Blackwall Keep in the next adventure either though I will use him as a link to get them there (I have other plots to make them take that trip).

Agreed.

Though that part, about Allustan directing the PCs to the mine, is only there if the DM is running the adventure as a stand-alone.

Why anyone would run chapter 2 without chapter 1 beats me, but they have to allow for the possibility in the magazine.

I had Allustan be the party's agent, taking unwanted items off their hands, and commisioning items they wanted, so the game wouldn't be stalled by shopping trips. This also introduced the name of Eligos as Allustan's contact in the Free City. The pair also got Filge out of town, to avoid any unpleasantness (like being bumped off by Smenk, to hide the evidence).

I did include Allustan in the journey to Blackwall, but ensured he didn't hog the adventure, by having him spot Ilthane on the horizon, and fly off to lead her away (he uses the teleport scroll to flee to Diamond Lake, when finally cornered). This added a bigger payoff when they do finally meet, and time pressure to the Twisted Branch lair, since the PCs didn't want to be around if/when Ilthane came back.
The whole lizard lair took at most, a quarter hour of PC-time, including the egg chamber and the signing of a truce, before everyone legged it (lizards and PCs!).


Dennis Harry wrote:

Hey :-). As to number 1, I don't get the sense that Smenk's first impulse is to ever go to the authorities. I think he would have brought in Filge to make a determination as to what Ragnolin is up to. As far as Smenk knows it is all Ragnolin's scheme he knows nothing about the Ebon Triad. Once he understands what is going on the he can make an informed decision, of course he will not get the opportunity because the characters will interfere.

Number 2, in my game the garrison is as corrpt as Neff as the God Gilgeam is more evil than good, except for the leader Tolliver who is more apathetic than corrupt, but there is a reason for that apathy. The Empire that has interests in the mines is literally weeks away so if the garrison ever ran into real trouble they could not expect any reinforcements, therefore they do not get involved in anything too dangerous. Neff is in charge because Allustan is literally the most powerful man in Diamond Lake, luckily for DL he is not a tyrant himself.

Now I do fully understand your point. With a corrupt and inefficient garrison, you have no need to provide for a way to prevent your players from going to the authorities.

It's the only point that still bother me with your plans. In Greyhawk, if Smenk isn't involved and just point the players to Dourstone mines (or if they go there on their own after reading Filge's letter), the logical thing to do when they first see the Temple of Hextor is to go ASAP to the authorities (barrring horrendous railroading, such as a timely cave-in, or cultists destroying the elevator from above).

Alas, I can't switch the Heironean temple for another one. So I will stick to my blackmail/sob story plot.

For the Snorting Tip Sniffer: yes, maybe the goofy Allustan introduction was meant as standalone only. I don't remember that it was plainly stated as such, but that would explain a lot.


"It's the only point that still bother me with your plans. In Greyhawk, if Smenk isn't involved and just point the players to Dourstone mines (or if they go there on their own after reading Filge's letter), the logical thing to do when they first see the Temple of Hextor is to go ASAP to the authorities (barring horrendous railroading, such as a timely cave-in, or cultists destroying the elevator from above)."

I figure that since I have the alternate plan of having a manchurian candidate character, I can have him be the one to bring the characters into the mines. The way I have tweaked the plot is that Theldrick feels the usefulness of the other groups is at an end so the players are the perfect candidates to soften the followers of Bhaal and Myrkul up before he crushes them. So that character will encourage them to explore those temples.

The primary plan is to have Filge's letter lead them to Smenk. (I have been foreshadowing nightmares of worms with one player character so once he sees those worms he is going to want to know where the worms came from). Smenk will in turn (I think) see the players as an opportunity to ruin Ragnolin. If they can go to his mine and uncover some kind of nefarious cult then the authorities probably would get involved especially if Smenk lends his fodder to an exploration. The only religion allowed to be openly worshipped in Unther or its territories is the religion of Gilgeam. The punishment for violating this law is death.

Ordinarily I would say that you are right, if a person in general sees a strange temple they would run to the authorities to get help. However, I think most DnD characters would just want to butt in and explore the Temple themselves.


My group have had a clue from day one regarding the Dourstone mine as one of the PCs was indentured in the mine and has seen all the excess food being taken in.
As a side note a few bodies have been found with their left hand and eye missing, and guess where they will be found...
Crawling Claws anyone?


I like the idea of the Faceless one being able to wear others faces, and the left over material is a lurking strangler.
I think I'm going to have my party run into the FO at the abandoned mine office, just as night falls, as he and some goblin allies are waiting for the lurking stranglers in the WC to come back from their scouting trip.
He'll be wearing the face of Billy Bob the bartender from the Feral Dog (who didn't return to the FD yesterday after services at the Church of St. Cuthbert, the party will have a heads up when one of the barmaids ask them if they've seen him when they meet up at the FD, before they depart for the WC in the morning).
During the fight I'll have him abandon his goblin allies and when the party chases, one of them will trip over the body of the real Billy Bob who happens to be missing his left hand as well (to be seen as a crawling claw later, that's a good idea also). The player of the wizard is playing his character as being paranoid of Vecna anyway.
I think I'll have him have a lurking strangler familiar that will make an appearance before the FO flees, that way when the party encounters them in the cairn they'll be really paranoid, probably thinking he's waiting out in the main area for them.
He, he, this should be fun. Thanks for the ideas guys.


How about this idea for the Ebon Triad to work?

The Ebon Triad isn’t actually a scheme invented by the followers of Kyuss. It’s a scheme invented by the three gods themselves (Vecna, Hextor and Erythnull) who are fooling Kyuss. The Ebon Triad followers know that, but the schism inside the three gods hierarchies are made to seem real, so that Kyuss and the good gods don’t see what’s coming to get them until it’s too late.

The original plan is this: Vecna discovers (god of secrets, anyone?) that there is going to be an opening between the planes of the gods and Oerth, allowing a god to pass through. This is the prophecy regarding Kyuss. Normally gods can’t walk on Oerth due to their compact, which avoids an all-gods war that would destroy the plane. A good god can stop an evil god from entering the plane and vice-versa, the same applying to chaos and order.

But this opening can be used by other gods besides Kyuss as long as they have an object in Oerth linking them. For Kyuss it’s the ziggurat. For Vecna it’s going to be his hand. His plan is to make the prophecy fulfilled and then enter Oerth. Once in the material plane, he’ll kill every single St. Cuthbert follower, thus weakening his old enemy so much that he can be killed. He’ll do the same with Heironeous’ followers (thus Hextor’s participation) and Erythnull is in this only for the carnage (which will strengthen his as well). Hextor and Eryhtnull’s part in the plan is to use the compact’s terms to avoid the interference of any good deity.

So the three gods fool Lashanna into thinking that the Ebon Triad is her own idea, that she’s fooling their followers. Actually they’re not being completely fooled. Even though they don’t know the whole plan, they think that one of their gods is going to kill every single enemy of theirs at the end of it (which is not that far from the truth). Vecna doesn’t know how the prophecy is meant to be fullfiled, so his reasoning is the same as Lashanna’s: that by joining their three essences into one they’re going to fulfill the prophecy and allow Kyuss a(nd other gods who can take advantage )to walk Oerth.

To join these three essences that material which is found in Diamond Lake is essential, so that it can form that strange avatar with six hands, one missing hand, etc. Vecna knows that because he was there once (and maybe he used that to acquire godhood as well, who knows?). So he tells his devoted follower, the Faceless One, how to work the substance. But to find the exact place they also need the grimlock cleric of Erythnull, because he’s a prophet who can find this exact location. And the cleric of Hextor is there to defend them with his followers. That’s why the clerics were sent to Diamond Lake in the first place, to mine it there and send to Redhand, so that all the Ebon Triad worshippers there can make a very big avatar.

But during the end of excavations, the grimlock cleric has a vision. He sees that to actually join “the three that were one” they need to stay in Diamond Lake and try to make a mini-avatar there. The other two clerics don’t understand, but do as he tells, since he’s a prophet. Lashanna doesn’t like the fact that they’re staying and not obeying her and complains, but since a very big avatar was already made in Redhand (and killed all Ebon Triad worshippers there) she disregards this, thinking that that part of the prophecy had already been fulfilled.
So the three clerics stay in the mine, harvesting and worshipping. Until the grimlock has another vision. He sees that the mini-avatar is only going to awake once two of the three clerics are dead. Then the remaining cleric will have control of it. There is an immediate fight once this happens (the grimlock has this vision when they’re all gathered near the well) and they all retreat to their temples. This is some kind of Mexican stand-off, where none dare attack, for fear that the other will take advantage of it. And it’s at this time that the PCs come in.

This solves the question of “why they don’t help each other”. Even if they realize that the PCs are killing the other cleric, they’re going to like it. And once every cleric is near death, he has to run to the well, to try to see if the mini-avatar awoke. If it has, then the PCs will need to fight the weakened cleric and the mini-avatar at the same time, before he goes up there and creates havoc (a good climatic fight, is it not?).

What the grimlock didn’t understand is that his vision was correct, but not the way he interpreted it. Because the three of them stayed there and created the mini-avatar the PCs found out about the Ebon Triad. And because they’re going to investigate the Ebon Triad and the Kyuss cult they’re going to help Balakarde’s spirit reunite, thus fulfilling the prophecy.

Vecna’s plan, besides making the mini-avatar, included having an artifact that had to do with him near the Ziggurat and the Obelisk, so he could take advantage of the flaw in the God’s compact. This artifact is going to be his Hand. And he directed his faithful follower Darl Quethos to finding it, so that he could be manipulated into getting near the ziggurat once the moment was necessary. Also Quethos was going to destroy the library of last resource, thus allowing Dragotha to find his phylactery and put forward Kyuss’ entrance in Oerth as soon as possible.

So, do you people like this plan? It not only explains the Ebon Triad, but actually makes it a mystery within a mystery. The PCs are at first going to think that the Ebon Triad followers are being fooled, when in fact it’s Lahshonna and Kyuss who are being manipulated. Also, the NPC villain (Vecna) has a good enough plan that could work (only the part of the three spirits joining wouldn’t, but it’s impossible to know about that and only the PCs can do that part come true). It also gives a good follow-up to the Age of Worms, in an epic campaign where the PCs need to stop Vecna from killing every follower of St Cuthbert and Heironeous in the world. And this time there aren’t going to be so many weaknesses in the god they’ll be battling.

Also, an idea I had was that the Hand of Vecna could overcome Manzorian or one of his friends if the PCs gave it to him for safekeeping. Since the Hand will be holding the whole divine force of the god of secrets, it’ll be impossible to resist it’s call. This could also lead to the possessed Mazorian killing all his high-level mage friends, thus giving a reason for the PCs being the only ones able to stop Vecna in Oerth.
The other thing is that Vecna promises his followers eternal life ruling Oerth if they help in this project. So that’s a good excuse for bringing back the Faceless One and Darl Quethos as very powerful undeads for the PC party to face.


I think that is a pretty neat twist. It is similar in a way to the Forgotten Realms version where it is also a mystery within a mystery because it was Jergal who has been manipulating events from the beginning.

Some of the background material such as the AoW prophecies I took from the last campaign I ran. A major prophecy was the Grand Conjunction from 2E Ravenloft. I had the idea that Kyuss was so evil that he was actually imprisoned in Ravenloft after suffering his first defeat so many millenia ago.

Kyuss was a follower of Jergal from the Empire of Netheril early on in the Empires founding. He became a Mystic Theurge and moved his base of operations in the Southern Jungles because he was exiled for his extreme necromancy. In those jungles he found lost races that sheltered from humanity and elven kind becaue they were so different. Kyuss then experimented on and sacrificed all of these poor creatures to the whims of Jergal in order to become more powerful. This is where he perfected his "Spawn". He then began a campaign of terror along with Dragotha of course seeking to subjugate the Shining South before moving North against the Netherese to gain his revenge. In the South the Order of the Storm met him in battle and defeated he and Dragotha as the Nature gods of Faerun would not allow Jergal his conquests. The mysterious powers of Ravenloft then snatch Kyuss and bind him in the demiplane, its first inhabitant isolated from the rest of the prisoners because of the danger his Spawn present to all of existence. Jergal has failed in his bid to control the Realms. So he begins to plot again hoping that his champion will one day return.

The AoW overload explains that Jergal hatched a plot to seize absolute control of the Realms by splitting his powers among Bane, Bhaal and Myrkul, the gods that are part of the Ebon Triad in FR. His plot was to overthrow the high god but in order to hide his intentions and gain enough power to defeat the high god he removed the memory of his plot from his own mind and placed the idea in three parts into the minds of these gods. He believed that the best opportunity for success would come from the Age of Worms prophesized by his followers the Spellweavers. An Order of Monks dedicated to him also keep this secret in three parts (The Twilight Monastery contains one of those three orders).

In my FR game Kyuss is simply a conduit to summon all of Jergal's memories and powers at one time. Once the AoW begins, Jergal will seize back the divinity of his three patsies with their full churches supporting him and with the coordinated attack by Kyuss on the churches of the Nature gods he hopes to have enough power to finally defeat the other gods of the pantheon and bring about the end of everything (he is after all the Lord of the End of Everything).

What Jergal does not forsee is the Time of Troubles. Where the three he granted his power to form a plan to steal the tablets of fate and thus Ao's power to make themselves triumphant. (They did this in part because of the echo of Jergal's grand designs led them to this idea). They fail in their endeavor and are all destroyed for their hubris. After the death of Bane (prior to the death of Bhaal and Myrkul), Jergal imprisoned the Baneson Iyachtu Xvim to prevent him from claiming his fathers portfolio. He did this because the death of Bane began the triggering mechanism for him to remember his plot. Jergal believed that the Time of Troubles was the begining of the AoW. Too his absolute shock no doubt, Kyuss never appeared and instead of receiving the divinity of the now Dead Three, Cyric ascends and claims all of their portfolios.

Now Jergal (with some of his memory now regained) creates the Ebon Triad. Giving heretics of each defunct faith a reason to not worship Cyric and to instead return the Dead Three to life to challenge Cyric and regain his divinity.

In the prior campaign I ran the party helped trigger the Grand Conjunction, opening the Demiplane of Dread and allowing Kyuss to escape his prison. His essence is still bound to the ziggurat because he needs to summon a material form strong enough to contain his divinity plus he does not want to play his hand too strongly (thus the final act of the AoW). Jergal now realizes that he acted too soon during the ToT and may have even given Ao an inkling of what he wanted to do, thus the reason for the ascension of Cyric from mortal to God. He abandons the Ebon Triad once Kyuss returns from his prison but still believes them a useful tool so he does not completely destroy them. He has tasked some of the order to retrieve artifacts connected to the Dead Three to summon the last of their residual divinity to aid in Kyuss' return (a few side quests I have added into the AoW is to prevent this from happening or at least obtain the artifacts themselves).

Once Kyuss is freed he will unleash the AoW targeting the followers of ALL gods. If all of the major centers/followers of the other gods can be transformed into followers of Kyuss and by extension followers of Jergal it will not only weaken the other major religions but give Jergal the power he needs to defeat the other gods and challenge for supreme control over the sphere by elimnating Ao. This will make the remaining gods his subordinates (And he is hoping his followers, imagine the power generated from having gods worship you?) Of course this is crazy and would never work but what evil plot is not a bit crazy?

That is essentially the meta-plot for my AoW campaign.

Sovereign Court

Wow so much to read here... I can't get to all of it in one sitting at work, but just something I've noticed while prepping TFoE for my Pathfinder game... the three seperate Temples do have an order to tackle them in.

You need the KEYS from each High Priest to enter the next one. It's not stated directly except in the temple of Hextor (zon-Kuthon) with the Stone key. Notice Grallak Kur has a Silver Key in his gear entry but nothing in his area is opened with it... thus I infer that it's for the door to the temple of Vecna (Norgorber) but it got chopped in the poor editing job.

--Jingle Bell Vrock


Yes I did not realize that keys were required to get into each temple either until I read these boards. I removed that requirement as my PC's have enough levels to tackle any temple first. They original way it was presented kind of reminds me of a videogame format where you need to be a certain level to tackle the villains so you have to do them in order kind of neat.


King of Vrock wrote:

Wow so much to read here... I can't get to all of it in one sitting at work, but just something I've noticed while prepping TFoE for my Pathfinder game... the three seperate Temples do have an order to tackle them in.

You need the KEYS from each High Priest to enter the next one. It's not stated directly except in the temple of Hextor (zon-Kuthon) with the Stone key. Notice Grallak Kur has a Silver Key in his gear entry but nothing in his area is opened with it... thus I infer that it's for the door to the temple of Vecna (Norgorber) but it got chopped in the poor editing job.

Hi! Quite the contrary, in fact.

In a quite old thread, Erik Mona clarified this point:the keys were part of the first version of the module, and were struck out in the final one, because it was TOO railroady... but an editing error left them in some descriptions.

So, it's true there is an error. But it was to LEAVE the keys, not to forget to tell what they are supposed to open (by the way,you're right, it was doors leading to the Grimlolcks' and Faceless One's areas).

--Jingle Bell Vrock


mephistphael wrote:

How about this idea for the Ebon Triad to work?

The Ebon Triad isn’t actually a scheme invented by the followers of Kyuss. It’s a scheme invented by the three gods themselves (Vecna, Hextor and Erythnull) who are fooling Kyuss. The Ebon Triad followers know that, but the schism inside the three gods hierarchies are made to seem real, so that Kyuss and the good gods don’t see what’s coming to get them until it’s too late. (...)

The original plan is this: Vecna discovers (god of secrets, anyone?) that there is going to be an opening between the planes of the gods and Oerth, allowing a god to pass through. This is the prophecy regarding Kyuss. Normally gods can’t walk on Oerth due to their compact, which avoids an all-gods war that would destroy the plane. A good god can stop an evil god from entering the plane and vice-versa, the same applying to chaos and order.

Your whole plot is very nice, but...

1) alas for me, it doesn't apn out as well in Greyhawk, because of the varied origins of the said gods, and because demgiods are supposed to be able to enter Oerth at will (Iuz ans Wastri reside there, for exemple). So Vecna, also a demigod, wouldn't need such a plot to that end. A compact between gods does exist, but it only ties gods of greater rank.

2) there is no other "but"... I like the mexican standoff idea, and will work to weave into my own plot.

Thanks a lot.


Smarnil le couard wrote:

e-versa, the same applying to chaos and order.

Your whole plot is very nice, but...

1) alas for me, it doesn't apn out as well in Greyhawk, because of the varied origins of the said gods, and because demgiods are supposed to be able to enter Oerth at will (Iuz ans Wastri reside there, for exemple). So Vecna, also a demigod, wouldn't need such a plot to that end. A compact between gods does exist, but it only ties gods of greater rank.

2) there is no other "but"... I like the mexican standoff idea, and will work to weave into my own plot.

Thanks a lot.

Is Vecna still a demigod? I thought he made into full godhood after 3rd edition (the whole stealing temporarily Iuz's powers and killing the Lady of Pain thing). I mean, he's on the Core Book next to Heironeous, Hextor and all the others.

Back in 2nd edition he was a demigod but was still trapped inside Ravenloft. Being a demigod apparently wasn't enough to get him free. So I thought he had become a full god (at least a minor power) to escape the demiplane of mist.

And I always thought demigods could walk into Oerth at will only when they made it into their home plane (i.e. the one place where they can get killed for real). Iuz and Wastri were born in Oerth (and stayed there) and that's why they do all those terrible things personally while Nerull or Erythnul only get to watch their followers doing it. I think St. Cuthbert and that female paladin (what's her name?) became good gods after dying and that's why they don't come into Oerth so much. Maybe I'm wrong, it has been some time since I read Greyhawk books.


mephistphael wrote:

Is Vecna still a demigod? I thought he made into full godhood after 3rd edition (the whole stealing temporarily Iuz's powers and killing the Lady of Pain thing). I mean, he's on the Core Book next to Heironeous, Hextor and all the others.

Back in 2nd edition he was a demigod but was still trapped inside Ravenloft. Being a demigod apparently wasn't enough to get him free. So I thought he had become a full god (at least a minor power) to escape the demiplane of mist.

And I always thought demigods could walk into Oerth at will only when they made it into their home plane (i.e. the one place where they can get killed for real). Iuz and Wastri were born in Oerth (and stayed there) and that's why they do all those terrible things personally while Nerull or Erythnul only get to watch their followers doing it. I think St. Cuthbert and that female paladin (what's her name?) became good gods after dying and that's why they don't come into Oerth so much. Maybe I'm wrong, it has been some time since I read Greyhawk books.

Hi, and thanks for the input.

I did some doublechecking myself, and in fact Vecna is still listed as a demigod in "A player's guide to GH" (TSR9578, ADD2) and got upgraded to lesser god status in the "Living greyhawk Gazetteer". So, we can have it both ways, as we please (depending on what we assume was the "official" result of the events in Ravenloft and Sigil).

And you are right: in the PGtGH are only listed as living in the Flanaess Iuz, Wastri and... Farlanghn, a intermediate god. But on the other hand, 1st edition sources are choke full of avatars roaming the world (Heironéous, etc.). So it seems that the ban is at least on direct and full-power intervention, not on sending a limited aspect of self on OErth. Or you can ignore 1st edition sources and decide that no god can walk the Oerth except those three.

So I guess that nothing is wrong with your plot, either way. Vecna can sek to gain unlimited access, or simply an access: it doesn't change a thing.

How do you plan to uncover Vecna's masterplan to your players? I mean, circonvoluted plans are a good thing only if, in the end of things, you let your players know of them, and can enjoy their horrified faces.

See ya,
-smarnil


Well in my campaign the party are soon to be doing the TTFoE after a few side adventures (slow progression).

In my game the FO has guessed that the temple is soon to be invaded and its usefulness up so as decided to send a group of hardy adventurers to destroy/remove evidence. The Ebon Aspect is the final "trap" to remove those pesky adventurers.

The FO in the Vecna temple is a simulacrum of the *real* FO.

FO has killed Smenk and wearing his face invites the PCs to dinner to drop a few hints about getting into the temple. When the PCs get out they will find out that Smenk has been found killed and his face removed.

Just a brief outline.


Spacelard wrote:
Well in my campaign the party are soon to be doing the TTFoE after a few side adventures (slow progression).

Hi!

How soon will you start TFoE ? (for my part, my PCs are still wrapping up the Whispering Cairn, soon to be assaulting the Old Observatory).

I would be glad to know how it turned out for your players, and how they felt about your plot (when it will be all over and if they survive, of course).

Good luck!


Smarnil le couard wrote:
Spacelard wrote:
Well in my campaign the party are soon to be doing the TTFoE after a few side adventures (slow progression).

Hi!

How soon will you start TFoE ? (for my part, my PCs are still wrapping up the Whispering Cairn, soon to be assaulting the Old Observatory).

I would be glad to know how it turned out for your players, and how they felt about your plot (when it will be all over and if they survive, of course).

Good luck!

Will post.

The FO is just too good to throw away so in my game he is trying to unify the churches (not deities, thanks for that idea!) to set himself up as the Overlord of the Unified Church of Ultimate Evil rather than uniting three deities.
The set up in Diamond Lake has fulfilled its purpose and so now he intends to pull out and destroy the temple, etc. Why not use some dupes to do it? Hopefully the Ebon Aspect coming out of the pool will do it and kills two birds with one stone.
Like I said I'm going to have the FO have his own apotheosis aka Lair of Maldred The Mighty and his emergance as the Overlord will herald in the Age of Worms.
The Smenk face-off is really to install paranoia in the players. And it will be a good way to find out how much the party knows. In later adventures I'll have him turn up now and again leaving his trade mark. Perhaps getting the PCs to go off down nasty scenarios to try and kill them off (Mud Sorcerer's Tomb?)
I'm going to give the FO a few levels of Alchemist so he can try this little number if I'm feeling mean.

New Discovery: Re-Animation Elixir
Injected into a corpse less than 24 hours old this Elixir re-animates the remains as a mockery of life itself. The Alchemist may re-animate any corpse this way up to half his class levels in HD. Hit Dice gained from classes gained in life are not concidered. Its stats remain the same except for constitution which it is no longer treated as having. The corpse does not need to be whole for the Elixir to work.

For every hour since the creatures death it re-animates with 1 point of intelligence less that it originally had and it loses an additional point per hour. These points can be regained only through the Regeneration spell. The recipient of the elixir may be Ressurected in the normal way.

The recipient of the elixir may not even realise that it has died if killed through non-violent means. If it does realise the recipient spirals into insanity and rage. Within a short time they become comatose

On very rare occasions (DM dependent) the victim doesn't lose intelligence. Such creatures usually come about after the re-animation elixir has been injected into a creature that has died non-violently. These poor souls are generally unaware of their undead status until the creeping realisation that they no longer feel hungry and can not sleep. Wounds do not heal, neither do they bruise. Spellcasters lose any spells memorised before death and can not regain them since they can not rest.

Once the creatures intelligence reaches zero it becomes a standard fast zombie.

The creature so animated gains the undead template


It is pretty funny how close our respective groups are in the AoW AP Smarnil and Spacelard. Last game my party just entered the first room of the Old Observatory and made a hell of a lot of noise doing so. They will hopefully push forward all the way up to the lab where I will be able to ambush them from behind (I am going to have Filge use a scroll of Animate Dead on the Zombies at the dinner table) while they have to deal with the undead in the lab as well.

The characters managed to get one of Kullen's (expanded gang because I have 8 players) gang members away fro the rest of the gang at the Feral Dog. After questioning him they left him tied up and unconscious at the abandoned mine office outlined in Dragon magazine. Unfortunately for them he made his escape artist check and now Smenk knows the group is investigating them.

As I have 2 alternatives for getting the group into the Temple this Smenk plot may be the winner. Can get into it in more detail if anyone is REALLY curious :-)


Dennis Harry wrote:

It is pretty funny how close our respective groups are in the AoW AP Smarnil and Spacelard. Last game my party just entered the first room of the Old Observatory and made a hell of a lot of noise doing so. They will hopefully push forward all the way up to the lab where I will be able to ambush them from behind (I am going to have Filge use a scroll of Animate Dead on the Zombies at the dinner table) while they have to deal with the undead in the lab as well.

The characters managed to get one of Kullen's (expanded gang because I have 8 players) gang members away fro the rest of the gang at the Feral Dog. After questioning him they left him tied up and unconscious at the abandoned mine office outlined in Dragon magazine. Unfortunately for them he made his escape artist check and now Smenk knows the group is investigating them.

As I have 2 alternatives for getting the group into the Temple this Smenk plot may be the winner. Can get into it in more detail if anyone is REALLY curious :-)

Perhaps we three are the Ebon Triad?

I'm curious BTW....


I will give the detail later after work :-)


Hi Spacelard. Here is my detailed and probably too long explanation.

Diamond Lake has a bit of a modified history because: (1) I am running AoW in the Realms and (2) I am running it in the Shining South. I need to delve into that a bit to explain the links to TFoE.

Diamond Lake Modified History
Diamond Lake in my game is located south east of the Duskwood. The Duskwood is an extremely dangerous place and always has been even when the community was first settled. To the south of Diamond Lake is the Shaar a wide expanse of plains. A millennia or more ago the territory of the Shaar was annexed by the Empire of Unther. This land grab allowed settlers from Empire to found new communities. The community of Diamond Lake was started as a farming settlement on the shores of what the settlers called Diamond Lake. Soon thereafter it was discovered that in the nearby hills of the Firesteap Mountains there were deposits of silver and gold and farming as well as mining became large parts of the community.

Unther overreached itself and after a short century or two lost all of its gains attributable to this expansion. Diamond Lake however had survived where other communities failed, partially because of its proximity to a haunted wood and partially because of its location for trade routes. Diamond Lake was overseen by High Priests of the God Gilgeam (the living God of Unther) and therefore Unther retained control over Diamond Lake despite losing the rest of its territories. The High Priests were wise enough to know that trade with neighbors was just as important as providing supplies to Unther so compromises were made in order to keep the community afloat.

Fast forward to 10 years ago (1353 DR in my timeline), at this point all of the gold and electrum mines have run dry and only iron, some silver and some copper mines remain. Unther and its government pay little attention to Diamond Lake so long as something in the way of gold rolls in. The Empire though at this point uses the community to banish the unsavory (which it has been doing for some time) sending them to Diamond Lake to work in the mines.

Balabar Smenk runs into some trouble in Unther and comes to Diamond Lake. Immediately he sees the potential. He uses the little gold he acquires from the mines he does own (I left his acquisition of the mines as is from AoW backgrounds) to buy out all of the surrounding farms left in the community. He proceeds to shut them all down and uses his contacts from other communities to import food and makes a killing doing so. Many mine managers cannot keep up with these costs and go belly up trying to feed their workers. Smenk purchases their mines (though some say he stole them) and instead of employing any workers brings in slaves from Unther (where slavery is legal) to work the mines.

The remaining mine managers (the ones featured in the AoW overload and the Diamond Lake adventure) also begin to import food and to employ slave labor. Except for Ellival Moonmeadow (who makes a mint in Silver) and Dourstone who deals exclusively with Dwarves from the Great Rift, they can afford to employ people still.

Preset Day Whispering Cairn Adventure
Smenk obviously is trying to get an edge wherever he can and keeps a close eye on his competitors. For some time he and his spies have observed that Dourstone is shipping in simply an inordinate amount of food for his workers in Dourstone Mine (this has been going on for about 5 years now and steadily the orders have been getting bigger).

Smenk (who I gave the Leadership feat to) sends his Skulk Cohort into Dourstone Mine to investigate (approximately two weeks before the characters arrive in Diamond Lake he does this). The Skulk steals a worm and heads out to report to Smenk. Smenk cannot believe what is going on down there! He wants to expose Dourstone but is not sure of the best way to do so. He calls in Filge to study the Worm and try and figure out exactly what it is. He could go to the authorities (worshipping other Gods besides Gilgeam is illegal in Unther) but there is another religion openly practicing in Diamond Lake so Dourstone could just bribe his way out of that. If he does that he exposes his knowledge of the temple to Ragnolin and he is not sure he wants to do that.

Option 1 to stumble onto TFoE:

Smenk who the characters just crossed last game despite their best efforts not to is gathering information on the party. He sees the party as a threat though he is not sure what they want with him (what they want with him is part of whole other plot hook). Smenk owns the Observatory. Now that the characters have broken in to that building he sees that as a perfect opportunity to blackmail the characters to going into Dourstone Mine and investigating. Not only are they not associated with him but if they stir the pot perhaps they can expose Dourstone to the authorities allowing Smenk to claim all of Dourstones’ valuable iron ore mines and lucrative dwarven trade contracts.

Theldrick’s History
Theldrick is a priest of Bane from the city of Mintar across the Lake of Steam (far far northwest of Diamond Lake). Six years ago during the Time of Troubles Bane died. The high priest of Bane at the time instead of following the new Lord of Strife proclaimed that Bane would soon return more powerful than before in the form of an Overgod. Theldrick began to explore this heresy and learned that it was called the Way of the Ebon Triad. He believed that he should be the one to bring about the return of the god. He and his followers were driven out of Mintar when he attempted a coup.

One of his followers is one on my PC’s who is also a nephew of Theldrick. In order to ensure their undying loyalty, Theldrick paid a powerful mage to place a number of permanent dominate spells on his followers - this form of dominate allowed Theldrick to give commands to his subjects that they would forget - basically turning them into Manchurian Candidates. (The PC chose this background so I am not railroading him – though he now slowly learning the exact details of his choices &#61514;).

Theldrick after fleeing MIntar settled in a large Border Kingdom called the Great Duchy and again attempts to assume control. The Duchy (in my game) is ruled by a council of powerful Psion Elan’s. They discover his flimsy attempt to take power and he sacrifices his followers to get away. One of his followers my PC is also a Psion and the Elan council recognizes his potential for greatness. Instead of slaying him, they transform him into an Elan and wipe his memory away. However, they fail to wipe away the powerful mind control spell still locked in the recesses of his subconscious.

Theldrick finally arrives in Diamond Lake after fleeing from the Great Duchy and is taken in by the Faceless One another member of the Ebon Triad (I have a more expanded story for the Faceless One as well though I do love your concept for him Specelard!)

My PC also ends up in Diamond Lake. Theldrick learns that he is there (the Elan kept his name as Aldondrick) and pays him a visit. He realizes that while Aldon’s memory is gone the mind control still functions. Theldrick finds out that Aldon has come with a large group of adventurers and decides that this is the perfect time to make a move. Theldrick believes that soon the Overgod will rise and if he can eliminate the follower of Myrkul (Vecna) the Faceless One as well as the follower of Bhaal (Eyruthnal) an NPC I made up, the Overgod will rise as Bane with the divine energies of Myrkul and Bhaal at his disposal (of course he is mistaken). Theldrick will then be the new chosen to Bane (he thinks).

Option 2 to stumble into TFoE:
Theldrick has given the PC a directive. In 4 days time he is to take the group into Dourstone Mine and slay all of the cultists of Myrkul and Bhaal. Once that is complete Theldrick will ambush the group and either allow them to join him (why not?) or slay them.

Provided that Smenk gets to them or they get to Smenk they will be able to get into the Temple without falling into Theldricks trap. I did this so that way there would be two plausible ways to enter into the mine.

Option 3:
I had a third option as well. One of the PC’s is a Dwarf who is working for Greysmere. In my game Greymere is a trading outfit from the Great Rift society of Dwarves that negotiates rates and shipments of iron ore from Dourstones’ mines to the Great Rift. That PC is supposed to have a meeting with Dourstone at the mine and while there the PC’s would be given a chance to see some fishy stuff. (Based upon another plot they may have re-entered the mine as a result of seeing this). This avenue may be closed down though because of some events that happened last game.


Nice!

Option 1 seems the way to go. I like the Uncle Thedrick link...
I will post my opening scene this weekend.


Spacelard wrote:

Nice!

Option 1 seems the way to go. I like the Uncle Thedrick link...
I will post my opening scene this weekend.

I agree. It's very nice to have multiple hooks at hand to reel the PCs in, but the best (that is, most enjoyable from the point of view of the players) is usually the one which SEEMS to be a consequence of their past actions. Make the world feel alive, I guess.

The manchurian candidate option is fine, but too much "behind the scene" to have the same effect.

It's the same difference between a Conan Doyle novel, where you don't really have a chance to guess who is the culprit before Holmes explain it all to Watson, and a more modern murder mystery, where the author drops subtle hints and the reader usually ends up smacking himself on the head for not having seen them.

I mean that it's much more satisfying for the players to BELIEVE that they could have avoided becoming Smenk's blackmailed pawns (even if, in fact, you would have chosen another option to the same effect if they had tied up tighter the captured goon). Did I make myself understood, despite my poor choice of words?


Spacelard wrote:

Perhaps we three are the Ebon Triad?

I'm curious BTW....

Dibs on the six armed god... Could be useful to type faster.

Maybe we are only the last DMs on Earth not having already run AoW?


Smarnil le couard wrote:
Spacelard wrote:

Perhaps we three are the Ebon Triad?

I'm curious BTW....

Dibs on the six armed god... Could be useful to type faster.

Maybe we are only the last DMs on Earth not having already run AoW?

Maybe but our games will be better for it!


Spacelard wrote:
Smarnil le couard wrote:
Spacelard wrote:

Perhaps we three are the Ebon Triad?

I'm curious BTW....

Dibs on the six armed god... Could be useful to type faster.

Maybe we are only the last DMs on Earth not having already run AoW?

Maybe but our games will be better for it!

Indeed... Late but not lame.


They still can get into the Cairn not being Smenk's pawns I think. Next game will determine if they can maneuver around him. I agree better to go in NOT as pawns!

I am hoping to avoid the Uncle Theldrick hook but my players will take FOREVER if I don't force the issue somehow. :-)

I think there are absolutely other people running AoW, Armnaxis is in the Library of Last Resort and I think at least one other DM on the boards is as well. I am glad I waited until now as these boards were great with showing some potential adventure pitfalls!


Dennis Harry wrote:

They still can get into the Cairn not being Smenk's pawns I think. Next game will determine if they can maneuver around him. I agree better to go in NOT as pawns!

I am hoping to avoid the Uncle Theldrick hook but my players will take FOREVER if I don't force the issue somehow. :-)

Of course: better a somewhat railroady hook than a swamped game. But even better is the hook that seems to be the logical consequence of the players' action. So in my book, the "Uncle Theldrick" would come third, after the "something fishy in the mines" hook (which is fine, but too much dependant on a particular player's curiosity, and prone to petter out if said player decides to play brain dead), and the "oops we messed up with the wrong crowd" would go first.

Of course, it's a matter of personal taste and depends heavily on your players's tastes, too. Some of them HATES when their wrong decisions come back to haunt them...

Dennis Harry wrote:
I think there are absolutely other people running AoW, Armnaxis is in the Library of Last Resort and I think at least one other DM on the boards is as well. I am glad I waited until now as these boards were great with showing some potential adventure pitfalls!

So he got quite a headstart on us... And I also am glad to benefit from years of playtest. Should help us to do it right.


I am running AoW currently as well. My group is currently towards the end of Library of Last Resort as well. Been on the Age of Worms for close to two years now, and you are right, these boards have been a tremendous help to us latecomers. We reap the ideas and corrections of all the DM's who ran before us!

(unfortunately I ran TFoE before I ever came across this thread, but I had some ideas that were similar to what was put forth; i.e. Really, Allustan just happens to know that Vecna used to have an underground laboratory here?!?!)


My players learned the harsh reality of splitting the party last night (one player lost a few uh... appendages after being questioned by Smenk and his associates). Smenk is on to them investigating him(partially because they allowed Filge to get out of the Observatory unscathed) they are about to perhaps enter a war with him next game.

It may have been one of the wackiest low level games I have ever been a part of :-)

Next game they FINALLY start TFoE, it should be interesting to see how they actually get there as they still do not know the temple exists.


My group is playing in the FR, Maztica to be more precise (why doesn't anyone seem to love that amazing region??).
Bhaal = Zaltec (Bhaal being - well - DEAD)
Bane = Bane (again)
Myrkul = Kelemvor

The priests that were sacrificed included: Theldrick (Bane), Grallak Kur (Zaltec - native) and Amariss (cult of ascended lovers - Kelemvor/Mystra) instead of FO. FO escaped the massacre at the Black Cathedral and is now posing as mayor hidden away in the manor... Soon the players will meet him again. He'll become the main villain, Raknian taking orders from him.

As for the overplot: Jergal as well.

Man i love this AP!


Mistral is your entire campaign self contained within Maztica or are the characters journeying outside of Maztica to elsewhere in Faerun?


All in Maztica. Diamond Lake = Qoral, a reletively NEW mining town (as opposed to the old mining town it is originally but things work out well). Amazing how well both AP and setting connect.

Cordell is Lanod Neff in my campaign (abscent and staying in Ulatos - Free City) so the FO can easily take his place.

Later on they'll travel to New Waterdeep (Alhaster) and Anchorome (Rift Canyon, ...)


Cool. I like Maztica I just never found a way to make it work for me. Perhaps I can place the initial adventures of the Savage Tide there when I run that.

I am using the Shining South because it is such a big region and my players wanted to explore it a bit.


My players finally got to the Temple! They managed to defeat the two Tiefling guards without raising the alarm. They have explored the first chamber and dipped their toe into my modified Temple of Bhaal (Erythnul) and the temple of Myrkul (Vecna). I had mosaics of all three gods on the walls by the halls which had secret doors that they managed to find. This temple used to be a base for them when they were still "mortals".

Their Rogue missed last game and it was getting late so they decided to cut and get the Rogue for next game so they could explore further (they triggered two of the traps I placed in the initial entry into the Temple of Bhaal). So far they have not too much of a disturbance so no one knows they are there yet...

They found out about the Temple location by aligning with Smenk, they are working for him (and getting paid though it is a low fee they think). Should be a great game in two weeks!


That link to lair of Maldred the Mighty in 3.5 wasnt working- does anyone know where it is?

PS I am planning to run AoW... probably next year


Werecorpse wrote:

That link to lair of Maldred the Mighty in 3.5 wasnt working- does anyone know where it is?

PS I am planning to run AoW... probably next year

Post your email. I have it as a word document.


Spacelard wrote:
Werecorpse wrote:

That link to lair of Maldred the Mighty in 3.5 wasnt working- does anyone know where it is?

PS I am planning to run AoW... probably next year

Post your email. I have it as a word document.

thomashobday at hotmail dot com

thanks


Werecorpse wrote:

That link to lair of Maldred the Mighty in 3.5 wasnt working- does anyone know where it is?

PS I am planning to run AoW... probably next year

Start with the Mad God's Key and use this to lead the party to Diamond Lake and the Whispering Cairn. I've sent Maldred to you and willing to share my start up for AoW and the Faceless One.


I know the physical appearance of the Faceless One has caused a few "How did he get like that?" comments.

I'm planning to convert The Return to the Tomb of Horrors and during the upgrade I noticed that there is a nasty magic item called The Mask of The Devourer. It is a cursed item which can only be removed via a Wish but even then the areas covered by the mask are "consumed" and left blank and featureless...

Now to tie in the FO with Desatysso the mage who went to Moil...an apprentice?

Scarab Sages

Dennis Harry wrote:
They found out about the Temple location by aligning with Smenk, they are working for him (and getting paid though it is a low fee they think). Should be a great game in two weeks!

Don't forget; Smenk gets all the credit, if the cults get wiped out!

And escapes any investigation of his doings, which are retroactively trumpeted as being his noble, self-sacrificing, courageous detective work.

Scarab Sages

Dennis Harry wrote:
I think there are absolutely other people running AoW, Armnaxis is in the Library of Last Resort and I think at least one other DM on the boards is as well. I am glad I waited until now as these boards were great with showing some potential adventure pitfalls!

I just cleared up HoHR last week, and set the scene for TCB.

It's been a long chapter, but I've been using extra material from Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk, and I expanded the number and influence of Zyrxog's agents. I've also been strengthening the links between chapters, so they flow better, and anticipate the PC's likely decisions.


The Snorting Tip-sniffer wrote:


.......I've been using extra material from Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk, and I expanded the number and influence of Zyrxog's agents. I've also been strengthening the links between chapters, so they flow better, and anticipate the PC's likely decisions.

can you expand on this- or have you posted it elsewhere (especially the Zyrxog's agent & link strengthening comment)

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