My players are soon going see their first Runewell. Now I'm wondering how much do an average hero know about the runewells and if there's info available through research in Sandpoint (or Magnimar)?
My guess is that since the runewells are from Thassilonian magic items no one really remembers anything of them and their use. But is there info available in the Sandpoint library or somewhere else? Since it seems they play a big part in the story it is important to know whether I just describe it as a "magic well of evil" or something more accurate.
I only have Burnt Offerings and Skinsaw Murders so far as I'm waiting for the compilation to come out. I understood from the forums that in the later parts of the campaign Karzougs presence will be bigger and probably the runewells and their use will be then explained more and maybe the player will count 1+1 what the "magic well of evil" was. Is this correct?
And then there's one more question:
|
There is a chance for players to find out info on the Runewells in book 4.
And with info they learn after defeating the BBEG from book 4 they go back to the Catacombs of Wrath to learn more info there. They also learn the way to enter the Runewell and go there to kill stuff and learn of Runewells powers, that is the majority of book 5.
There is a chance for players to find out info on the Runewells in book 4.
Awesome! That was exactly what I was hoping for. So for now I won't give them any more spesific info. Big thanks mate!
|
I've read through the whole AP and my takeaway is that Thassilon is virtually unknown to the common peoples of the land. They do know about these really old monuments and stuff, but the knowledge of what they are and who built them have been lost. Even scholars who have spent their entire lives studying Thassilon don't know the whole story; they only have more educated guesses as to what and who all of that stuff is. It's the PC's actions through out this AP that unveil the truth about Thassilon.
As far as the runewells are concerned, especially when the PCs first see one, I would doubt there would be much known about it's actual purpose, or if you do allow a Knowledge check (with a high DC), a success would still only reveal limited information or half-truths. YMMV.
|
|
I've read through the whole AP and my takeaway is that Thassilon is virtually unknown to the common peoples of the land. They do know about these really old monuments and stuff, but the knowledge of what they are and who built them have been lost. Even scholars who have spent their entire lives studying Thassilon don't know the whole story; they only have more educated guesses as to what and who all of that stuff is. It's the PC's actions through out this AP that unveil the truth about Thassilon.
As far as the runewells are concerned, especially when the PCs first see one, I would doubt there would be much known about it's actual purpose, or if you do allow a Knowledge check (with a high DC), a success would still only reveal limited information or half-truths. YMMV.
Yeah, it would not be common knowledge but if they have the ability to read and speak Thassilonian they should be able to learn a lot about them from the library under Jorgenfist with its vast knowledge of the Thassilonian Empire.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
• Runewell of Wrath in the Sandpoint catacombs
• Triangle-shaped pool in the Sandpoint catacombs
• Magic well in Nualia's chamber beneath Thistletop
• Pool in the control room of the Skull's Crossing dam
• Runeforge pool at Runeforge
• Ethillion pool at Runeforge
• Erratic item recharging pool at Runeforge
• Runewell of Greed in the Pinacle of Avarice in Xin-Shalast
Likely, there are others that have slipped my mind. The impression this left with me as a player was that magic pools are the cornerstone of Thassilon magic. Playing a character who was very interested in Thassilonian magic, I kept trying to study or research them to determine how they might be used for the PCs' benefit; my reasoning being that if the Runelords built so many of the damned things, they must be exceptionally powerful/useful. Unfortunately, as our GM admitted, most were very vaguely detailed, if at all, throughout the A.P. Many seemed to be mere set pieces with no particular purpose or use; with a few interesting exceptions. Some, although described with alluring flavour text, did nothing at all.
If I were to run the A.P. myself, I'd likely seek to flesh these pools out liberally. Build on what's in the A.P.; give them each abilities which the players can use if they persevere. Justify their ubiquitous presence throughout the A.P. That's just my ¢2.