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As Wes kindly pointed out, we, the DMs, should be thinking of ways to include Adrissant in our campaigns in a greater way. I, also, believe that campaign's primary villain should be known to the party before the end, so I'll also be brainstorming the ways to include him. Until I think of something of my own, I'd be glad to hear suggestions. Has anyone had any ideas so far?
Spoilers, dude.
I was under the impression that this is the forum for DMs only.
Did you perchance name your avatar after a certain dog in the "Chronicles of the Black Company" series?
Of course I did! It's a pretty unique name, I'm sure you'll agree. :)
Spoilers, dude.I was under the impression that this is the forum for DMs only.
Um... no. Unfortunately, it isn't. Hence the number of threads of players asking for advice on making characters.
It's mostly GM's, but it isn't limited to them.
Well, can't edit it now. Could we now discuss the topic? :D
** spoiler omitted **
Aww man, that's a really good idea. Too bad we're on chapter 2... :/
Aww man, that's a really good idea. Too bad we're on chapter 2... :/
My players know I have the map folio with the lovely maps of Ardis and Karcau
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** spoiler regarding TotB omitted **
That's what I'm thinking as well.
As an alternative, there's Broken Moon...
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Actually meeting him makes him subject to a lot of divination magic I'm not sure I'm comfortable with being used considering most of the plot of book 5 seems to be asking around for where they W.W is hanging out. Not to mention the trash talking Sendings he could potentially be getting every time the PCs have a spare spell slot available ;)
Actually meeting him makes him subject to a lot of divination magic I'm not sure I'm comfortable with being used considering most of the plot of book 5 seems to be asking around for where they W.W is hanging out. Not to mention the trash talking Sendings he could potentially be getting every time the PCs have a spare spell slot available ;)
You don't become an BBEG without....
Mind Blank:The subject is protected from all devices and spells that gather information about the target through divination magic (such as detect evil, locate creature, scry, and see invisible). This spell also grants a +8 resistance bonus on saving throws against all mind-affecting spells and effects. Mind blank even foils limited wish, miracle, and wish spells when they are used in such a way as to gain information about the target. In the case of scrying that scans an area the creature is in, such as arcane eye, the spell works but the creature simply isn't detected. Scrying attempts that are targeted specifically at the subject do not work at all.
I forgot that that was altered to no longer make you immune to mind affecting effects. I guess that helps a lot of base classes out, but makes relations with monsters much, much more difficult, which I'm just fine with.
But yes, as to your point you're completely right.
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In Ravengro he is watching the PCs and gauging them. Perhaps he gives non-magical healing to the PCs "yes I know its unconventional...there are people here who would call me...*looks around* a necromancer!" a good time to collect some PCs blood, hair, nail clips...maybe even a toe :)
In Lepidstat he speaks for the PCs as a character witness saying how good they are how he considers them friends. He even shows up just in time to help with the night riot. After the verdict he is the PCs patron and sends them on an task to Carrion Hill (yes I know but hey, as GM I'm setting the pace) to try and find and retrieve a rare tome "in order to carry on the good work of the professor".
I'll put up more when they pop in my head.
And if the PCs guess right and attack?
Let them have their fun...and leave behind a pile of snow.
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** spoiler omitted **
Oh, that's a really interesting idea. What if he had been friends with the Professor?! Like in a Xavier/Magneto kind of way. I like that.
** spoiler omitted **Oh, that's a really interesting idea. What if he had been friends with the Professor?! Like in a Xavier/Magneto kind of way. I like that.
Yup, started out as best friends but as their individual goals shifted they drifted apart...Hmmm Kendra now has a god-father...mwhahaha!
** spoiler omitted **Oh, that's a really interesting idea. What if he had been friends with the Professor?! Like in a Xavier/Magneto kind of way. I like that.
Ah yes...AA is a busy boy...but
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My current plan is to have Adivion send a letter to the funeral expressing sorrow for Kendra's loss. My current draft is below:
Ms Lorrimer,
Allow me to present to you my warmest regards and deepest regrets upon the death of your father. Petros was a man of great insight, with a keen and enquiring mind. It was perhaps inevitable that it would be his curiosity that brought him low, for his questing ways led him to dark places, and what he lacked in prudence he more than compensated for in courage. Regardless, I shall remember him fondly as one who was almost a peer; as a man of intelligence, tempered but lightly by good sense.
My thoughts are with you, my dear. I trust the path you chose to tread in life shall be a safer one than that of your late father – indeed, I would insist upon it.
With the greatest of respect,
Adivion Adrissant
My current idea is 'take one part genuine consolation, add one part superiority and a dash of gloating, season to taste.' Adivion is a smug and self-satisfied sort underneath it all, after all.
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My current plan is to have Adivion send a letter to the funeral expressing sorrow for Kendra's loss. My current draft is below:
** spoiler omitted **
Spot on! You nailed his personality!
I'm yet to read this chapter again thoroughly, but what do you think about replacing Doctor Montagnie Crowl with Adrissant? Would that have any disrupting implications? Since Lorrimore was a teacher before, they could have been colleagues... And explain stealing the Effigy as a way to throw people off of his trail.
I'm yet to read this chapter again thoroughly, but what do you think about replacing Doctor Montagnie Crowl with Adrissant? Would that have any disrupting implications? Since Lorrimore was a teacher before, they could have been colleagues... And explain stealing the Effigy as a way to throw people off of his trail.
So you'd need to explain why he has clear and easy access to the Effigy yet needs a completely outside source to steal it in a rather complicated way.
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Remember, Adivion Adrissant does get name-dropped in the middle of Book 3. (He provided the invitation for Auren Vrood to enter the Lodge.)
This reveals two things: that he is of highly respected noble pedigree, and that he is affliated with the Whispering Way. (However, as far as the PCs can tell, it could be that the WW is merely using him, and that AA is a dupe and is innocent.)
So consider what you want the PCs to think about AA before you get to that point. In my campaign, I have him as an relatively friendly background character (actually, he's having Kendra move in with him at his estate in Caliphas). Finding the invitation will be a "reveal" of sorts, hopefully getting the players to go "oh s~%%, we know that guy!"
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What NPCs from the future books could also be brought to the funeral as friends of the professor? I like the idea of having this influx of strangers all come into town for the funeral, and then all vanish just as quickly.
I'm thinking:
- Acting Seargeant Dun - The son of a mere basketweaver whose husband had died many years earlier, Dun didn't have very many prospects in life. However his departed father, Edward, was a good friend of the Professors. He died at the hands of some restless natives during an expedition led by the professor into some ruins in the Mwangi Expanse.
Professor Lorrimor returned to Lepidstadt and gave Edward's share of the bounty to his widow. When the time came for Edward's son to gain a job, Professor Lorrimor wrote a letter of recommendation which got Dun a job as a courthouse guard.
- Zvraskav Hora - He had sold many goods to the good Professor over the years, and also kept an ear out for news that might interest the professor. He comes to pay his respects of not only a good customer, but someone who had grown into something of a friend.
- Duristan Silbio Ariesir - An aristocrat inspired by the professor's many tales and dealings with creatures of the night. He has come to the funeral and has vowed to continue on in the good professor's step. His first goal is to go into the Shudderwood which the viscious creature s of the night call home.
- Kvalca Sain - Professor Lorrimor first met Kvalca when the professor was studying various diseases that could be spread throughout the lycanthropic community in order to destroy this plague on humanity once and for all. Kvalca proved an invaluable aid for his understanding and knowledge of lycanthropes.
They became good friends, which was Kvalca's goal. Kvalca revealed himself to be a natural werewolf and sympathised with Professor Lorrimor's fears of the average lycanthrope. Kvalca pointed to werebears as a benevolent example of his race, and told the professor of his ultimate goal to one day unite the werewolf tribes.
Through these discussions Kvalca managed to convince the professor to cease his studies for now and to continue it one day in the far future if Kvalca failed in his goals.
- Horace Croon - An eccentric inventor that the professor met and even acted as patron for some of his designs. He comes with an overly complicated invention that takes a rather simple affair (setting fire to some kindling) and turns it into a great ordeal. He has a gigantic barrel with pumps to pump out oil and then knobs and wheels to have this oil catch alight as it sprays into the fireplace. Horace calls this a "lighter" but still has a few kinks to work out (he explains as he quickly stamps out a rug that also happened to catch fire).
- Abraun Chalest - Professor Lorrimor certainly had his fair share of expeditions into the lost tombs of Ancient Orision. Always keen to aid in identifying and interpreting these ancient relics was Abraun Chalest. The PCs have an opportunity to befriend Abraun with a diplomacy DC 17. If they succeed he offers to show them a good time in Caliphas should they ever be out that way.
This also has the upside of having Adivion meet Kvalca Sain during the funeral which allows him to send his minions into Shudderwood with the specific intention of stealing this particular werewolf lord's heart.
I want to thank Spacelard and F. Wesley Schneider for their inspiration. I'm even more excited about this AP now and I'm finding a much better way to link the different APs together with this bit of foreshadowing.
Stuff
I really like that! Sorry, but I'll have to copy that shamelessly!!! =D
kvalca sain is a woman, other then that sounds awesome. good job.
I think I will have AA know the professor is trying to interfere with his plans, but the professor never knows that AA is the one behind the plans.
AA will arouse less suspicion as "just another mourner." I don't want him sticking out in book one. He will be a "well-meaning" jerk though, the type of person that talks down to people without realizing he is doing so or maybe he does realize, but only to see who can pick up on hidden insults.
Vrood had been given strict orders to not kill the professor, but thought AA was being irresponsible by allowing him to live so he used the opportunity to do it anyway, figuring he would be forgiven.
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Having just read Wes intro for Shadows of Gallowspire it hit me that my group has no idea who the main villain is. I'm currently halfway through Wake of the Watcher. Any suggestions how to foreshadow him a bit before the final ap?
My group actually thought Vrood was the main guy and when they finally encountered him they were scratching their heads. They felt Vrood was being built as the main BBEG.
Having just read Wes intro for Shadows of Gallowspire it hit me that my group has no idea who the main villain is. I'm currently halfway through Wake of the Watcher. Any suggestions how to foreshadow him a bit before the final ap?
My group actually thought Vrood was the main guy and when they finally encountered him they were scratching their heads. They felt Vrood was being built as the main BBEG.
Check previous posts in this thread for a bunch of super-cool ideas on working Adivion into the plotline in earlier chapters. The information is concealed behind the spoiler bars. Folks have a lot of good ideas here, and that information is right above you!
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Having just read Wes intro for Shadows of Gallowspire it hit me that my group has no idea who the main villain is. I'm currently halfway through Wake of the Watcher. Any suggestions how to foreshadow him a bit before the final ap?
My group actually thought Vrood was the main guy and when they finally encountered him they were scratching their heads. They felt Vrood was being built as the main BBEG.
Adivion could be a member from a long time ago and now uses magic to hide anything that would get him kicked out. It gives him the ability to keep an eye on what the Order is doing, while maintaining contacts that could be useful in certain situations. This connection to the Order could also have given him the description of the PCs and he decides to take the moment to meet the people who have caused him such trouble.
Introducing Adivion this late in the game has a lot of dangers. He can't be too obvious or arrogant (though Modd can be used to make it clear that such people aren't unique in the Order), but he should still come across as unnerving and maybe a little too interested in their doings. Of course, it isn't difficult for him to come across as a bit of a bored fop who is overly taken with the tales of their adventure.
There problem of Adivion's absolute lack of a Bluff score, which makes interacting with him dangerous for PCs with good Sense Motive. You'll have to decide how to deal with that, as well as have an idea of what to do if the characters happen to use Detect Magic and realize that he's covered in powerful spells that prevent scrying and the like.
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I really like that! Sorry, but I'll have to copy that shamelessly!!! =D
No need to be sorry, I'm glad you liked it :)
kvalca sain is a woman, other then that sounds awesome. good job.
D'oh. So that means
I honestly didn't see that coming.
I've rewritten Professor Lorrimor's journal as I felt the clues it provided were far too direct and obvious. In doing so, I've managed to work mention of Professor Crowl into it (I won't be using the plot hook of Petros's Tomes in order to get the PCs to go to Lepidstadt). Here is my version of the journal:
6th of Kuthona, 4710
I woke up today to find two dead whippoorwhirls on my windowsill. The witch’s foretelling has finally come true. It’s every bit as dreadful as she promised.
I know growing up in Ravengro hasn’t been the easiest on Kendra. Although she didn’t remember very much about living in Lepidstadt, as a child she would often tell me of dreams of a big city. I tried to tell her all children have these types of dreams, but I don’t know if she ever truly accepted it.
I’m going to sell my home so that at least Kendra can finally return to the big city.
10th of Kuthona, 4710
I leave today for Lepidstadt. I’ve had Professor Crowl put out feelers for any interested buyers. I haven’t told my other colleagues about my plans. They’ll find out soon enough.
25th of Kuthona, 4710
I have secured a buyer for my property. One Dr. Vasyl Belenko. I’ve signed the papers over for a sum that should allow Kendra to settle into Lepidstadt quite comfortably. I was able to convince the fellow that I have some unfinished business in Ravengro that would need to be dealt with and requested he hold off until the 30th of Gozran before moving in. He was quite amenable to the idea once I explained he could hold off on paying me for the property until the 1st of Calistril, at which point it would be held by the Bank of Abadar until the agreed date.
This should provide enough time for Kendra to move at her leisure.
26th of Kuthona, 4710
I had dinner with <INSERT PC NAME HERE> last night. I had been planning on slipping out of Lepidstadt before anyone from the university knew I was here. However I’m glad I relented and spoke with him. He’s doing quite well for himself and seems to have settled into things well enough.
29th of Kuthona, 4710
I cannot believe the difficulties I had getting into Tamrivena today. The guards at the gate were being completely unreasonable, demanding to know what my business was and why I was travelling on the road.
I had to pull quite a few strings simply to get through the damn gate! I was half tempted to simply spend the night in Nathrus, but it didn’t come to that. This time. I don’t know what’s happened to this town, but I simply don’t have time to be dealing with petty thugs such as these. I’ve got far too many things to do once I get home.
3rd of Abadius, 4711
It was good to see Kendra when I got home. I forgot to get her a gift like I usually do. She seemed to shrug it off saying she was probably too old to get a treat whenever her father went away.
The disappointment in her voice still stung though.
5th of Abadius, 4711
I’m concerned that some unusual people have been snooping around Ravengro while I was away. Perhaps I’m just getting paranoid, but some of the comments people have made are somewhat unsettling.
14th of Abadius, 4711
I’m not growing paranoid, there have been strangers lurking around in the woods. I have my suspicions as to who it might be, but I have no idea what they could possibly want.
25th of Abadius, 4711
Of course. I’m such a fool for not seeing it before. There is only one possible reason they could have for being here. But why now? Why after all this time? This requires further investigation, but I don’t have too much time left.
29th of Abadius, 4711
It seems the rumours aren’t all just old ghost stories after all. That helps explain their interest in the place. But it doesn’t explain why now. Regardless I believe quite strongly that they’re after something <this will be crossed out in the printed out version> someone that was there. Father Dimitru should be able to help me with that.
1st of Calistril, 4711
I see just how ill prepared I was when I first headed out there. I am lucky to have returned at all. But of course I know luck didn’t have anything to do with it. I’ll get some benefit from that damn curse before I go.
I remember reading clues and hints about a crypt in the Restlands. I’ll need to go searching through my notes. I should never have let my supplies get so low to begin with. That was a foolish error on my part.
3rd of Calistril, 4711
Perhaps my memory is failing me. I’ve scoured through all of my books and haven’t been able to find the notes I need. I was positive it was in Ravengro. I couldn’t be getting this town confused with another one. Could I?
Success! My memory wasn’t failing me after all. The false crypt is in the intersection between Eversleep and the Black Path. I wonder if Father Grimburrow knew about it? I guess I’ll find out soon enough.
5th of Calistril, 4711
I redrew my will yesterday and had Hearthmount witness it and store it away. He was quite perturbed by the fact I’ve sold my house to an outsider. I guess the rumour mill will be working overtime by the end of today.
I made sure I sat down and had dinner with Kendra last night. Our first meal together since I saw those two whippoorwhirls. I was almost going to tell her that I’ve sold the place, but got distracted and then forgot about it.
I helped myself to a few of the items in the crypt. Anymore wouldn’t do ME any good. I’ve gotten no sleep tonight as I’ve thought long and hard about who to contact in order to deal with them. I doubt I’ll take them out by myself.
I finished my last letter this morning. I didn’t want to say too much, because the gods only know whose hands the parcels might actually fall into. In fact, I’ve done my best to be downright cryptic. Hopefully their interest will be piqued and they’ll investigate matters in more depth.
Using this as a hint, clever PCs should be able to work out most of the references as the adventure path continues, giving them a larger sense of an overall arc to the adventure path.
I did like that I could give the PCs yet another name of an NPC that they'll meet in a later book. By the time the campaign actually starts, I might have every major and minor NPC referenced in the very first adventure ;)
Spoiler:D'oh. So that means
I had him appear at the funeral. The party did not talk to him, but they asked Kendra about him. He was described as arrogant and snobbish, but brilliant. He and the professor had a falling out a few years ago, and have not spoken since. She does not know the details.
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All of the suggestions are brilliant. Someone in another post had mentioned Kendra being invited to Caliphas by an old family friend, AA.
"If you ever find yourself in need of a change of scenery, I would be most happy to welcome you to Caliphas."
In my game, the PC who was developing a relationship with Kendra was just killed when Gurtis expolded. Now this town and the manor house hold nothing but bad memories, so she intends to take AA up on his offer. She told the PC's this already, but having them find the letter will help keep AA's name in their minds (or at least written in their campaign journal.) I think adding Kendra into the Path much later will be fun. Who knows what will have happened to her by then?
I'd discuss my plans in detail but I don't want to yet. I have some really killer ideas that I'll be able to talk about in about a month once my group has played through Ashes at Dawn and The Tomb of the Iron Medusa. I just don't trust all of my PCs to not go reading all of my spoiler notes anymore.
I put AA in Lpeidstadt. He met the PCs one day after the trial, offered his help, because he recieved a letter from Kendra telling him that they're going to Lepidstadt. I let them use him to make one gather information check (thus throwing them off the trail that he has a more serious role) for them, to save time and they had a dinner in his house (I told them that he's a noble who has houses all over Lepidstadt) and I think I managed to pull off the whole 'arrogant because he can' look and planted the seeds of his involvement with Lorrimore. I also used his full name, which means I'll have to edit it out of handouts that mention his name/initials.
Still no progress on the alterego. The Dead Count is the best I've come up so far, but I don't think I'll settle on that.
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It seemed better to put it there than here since it's all kind of a blog post anyways.
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It seemed better to put it there than here since it's all kind of a blog post anyways.
Nice work. You really put some thought into it. :)
So far in my campaign: They met him briefly when he stopped by (he rode in on a black carriage) to offer his sympathies to Kendra and visit Lorrimor's grave. I ended up making his ties to Ravengro stronger than I originally intended when the players wanted to know who owned the crypts at the top of the Restlands. Put on the spot I listed off one as a small Pharasman chapel, four as belonging to the families of the Council, and one that was very old and whose family name had worn away. They checked into it and found it belonged to the Adrissant family.
I think I am going to make his family the feudal owners of the village that became Ravengro before Canterwall became a Palatinate.
It seemed better to put it there than here since it's all kind of a blog post anyways.
That's beautiful. I'm still running Chapter One, and looking for ways to extend Kendra's role, so I'm going to steal the Tar-Baphon connection. In my game, Kendra is a blind Oracle -- she lost her sight when she snuck a peek at one of Lorrimor's forbidden tomes. Perhaps that event was the clue that tells AA she's one of TB's bloodline.
Early on when my party arrived in Lepidstadt, I had one of the PCs literally bump into AA in the Inn they were getting rooms at while he in turn was leaving, and said PC recognizes him as someone she'd met at a party in the capital a decade before. They traded pleasantries before he took off, and they've largely forgotten him now, but he did briefly mention his plans for going off to a certain Hunting Lodge with friends, and that perhaps he'd see her again there.
My plan is to have a Simulacrum of AA traveling with Count Galdana to keep an eye on him, possibly as his secretary, and insert them into the mystery at the lodge in BM (possibly combining the Count with one of the other characters there - Cilas Graydon or Corvin Tergsvor). If the Simulacrum of AA is suspected/found out, either in BM or AaD, he should still be manageable (tough in BM, not so much in AaD). This earlier entrance to the storyline should solidly plant not just AA, but the Count as personae the party knows.