Well, this is new

[pennywit]

My players are putting together the final pieces of my (highly modified) Kingmaker AP before they plunge into Thousandbreaths, complete with a conference with The Marshal of Joyful Revels, a mythic Seilenos who has been something between an ally and a frenemy to the PCs.

So, some time back, my the PC duchess married the son of Castruccio Irovetti to create an alliance. (long story there). As a soap opera twist, I threw in the idea that Irovetti's son is also the son of Nyrissa.

When contemplating possible ways to deal with the Lady of Dreams, the duchess's player floated the idea of pregnancy -- perhaps if she conceives an heir to the whole enchilada, the entire war can get called off.

I have never before seen a player suggest pregnancy to solve a plot, let alone defeat the BBEG.

[Andostre]

So... why would having a grandchild cause Nyrissa to back off when having a son wouldn't? I mean, Nyrissa isn't interested in ruling, unless in your modified campaign she is. And what does the Marshal of Joyful Revels have to do with that? Or is your Ruler PC floating this idea to the Marshal?

[pennywit]

The Marshal of Joyful Revels is ... a long story. Thing is, I don't know if the pregnancy gambit would work or not. But I'm really proud of my players for thinking outside the box.

[Andostre]

Absolutely. I've never had players that threw a baby at the problem. :)

[pennywit]

Andostre wrote:

Absolutely. I've never had players that threw a baby at the problem. :)

Well, I've known more than a few players who might use the baby as an improvised weapon ...

[Gaming Anonymous]

Andostre wrote:

So... why would having a grandchild cause Nyrissa to back off when having a son wouldn't?

I have this same question... why would having a grandchild cause Nyrissa to back off when having a son didn't?

I might be remembering incorrectly but Nyrissa is without "love" (what makes up Briar)? If so then she would be fairly incapable of even caring for her descendants in the typical way unless they can restore what she lost. Plus, there isn't anything saying she couldn't just pluck them from the Stolen Lands before or after she bottles it up too.

It is a clever idea, but one that wouldn't just end in the happy ending myself. Good luck figuring it out though. Let us know how it goes!

[pennywit]

Well, a couple things:

1) In a general sense, I like to reward my players for creativity. If they come up with a solution I didn't anticipate, I like to let them explore that solution and decide if it would work. If I can fit their idea in with campaign lore they have, and their idea conforms with the Rule of Cool, I'm willing to roll with it as long as they can make the requisite rolls.

2) There's some pretty heavy symbolism when you talk about children and heirs, and the relationship between mortals, the fey, and the lands. In my campaign, Nyrissa is looking to take the land for her curio for Ranalc, but she needs to hold places of power (Vordakai's temple, Lake Hooktongue, Candlemere, and the Temple of the Elk) to do so. She's also without love (which was forged into Briar). I gave them a bit of campaign lore that Briar is the "Lady of Dreams' doom or salvation."

[Warped Savant]

Having a son wouldn't be enough because he didn't have a claim to the Stolen Lands and after he married the duchess it would depend on how the laws of the kingdom worked as to if the power was passed on to the husband if the duchess were to die. Sometimes the power goes to the closest blood relative rather than the person married into power.
So if the kingdom is set up that way, the grandchild of Nyrissa could inherit the land as they're blood of the duchess.
Personally, I really like the idea of this working but I'd be worried that the players may feel like the campaign lacks an ending. (But I have no idea... it might be perfect to the players that it ends this way).

Is there a chance to have it so that Choral the Conqueror is trapped in Thousandbreaths? (Eg: I had him bottled up; maybe you've done the same and he could escape?) You could set up so that Nyrissa can be reunited with Briar and doesn't become an evil, all-powerful thing. She's welcome into the kingdom as a protector of the land, but due to her not being in Thousandbreaths, Choral has escaped and taken over and is now trying to expand his army out into the players kingdom?

[pennywit]

Choral is not a part of my campaign.

[Lord Foul II]

I’m considering having choral take the place of the jabberwock in my game.

We’re about to face tallonquake so we have plenty of time