Hello everyone,
My 5 players are just starting to build their new kingdom after defeating the Stag Lord and I am definitely tossing the Carnival of Tears to their capital.
For a bit of context, up to now, big N appeared in their dream once and presented herself as an ally. She gave them a blessing to use in the fight against the Stag Lord. I joyfully plagiarized the kingmaker video game for that idea. Now, I was not expecting her to reveal her true intention right after the capital settlement.
I was just wondering whether I would keep Syntira (from Carnival of Tears) as such or replace her by big N. From what my players have seen, they would look a lot alike and they would be wondering why I would send them two separate badass fey queens at the same time.
What do you think of this? Should I just tell them it is just another fey asking for their help or could I merge the two characters ? If I merge them, what would big N intentions be now that the Stag Lord is gone ?
I thought she could simply consider the new nation as promising and would help them grow up to the level of a kingdom, after which she would start showing her true nature. The Witch Queen from the North could be some the Winter court (while big N would be from the Summer court, which would be consistent with her first appearance early in the Spring). The Witch Queen from the North may try to disrupt big N plans by destroying the new nation early on.
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I would keep Syntira as she foreshadows how scared the other fey are of N. introduced Syntira early during a random encounter where the PCs stumbled onto a fey party, thanks to their prior relationship with Tyg and Perlivash.
It was a trippy experience, but the Queen (thanks to Tyg and Perlivash) gave her word no misfortune would befall them. She however, didn't hold back her feelings during a non-sensical game of nonsense (a board game where the rules appeared made up, but all fey took it seriously).
I used some of the dialog from the adventure. She's angry. The Fey are angry. In my campaign, Syntira represents the Summer Court, a group more in sync with the Second World. She had a deal with a prior kingdom (long gone) that she considers binding with the current settlers. They hanged her dryads, the bandit lord turned one of Vinroot's friends into a table, they indiscriminately killed her kind where they found them.
She doesn't care or distinguish time, or that was another generation. She knows the Second World can't be trusted. Yet, for the generosity shown to her friends, she will say all deals have an "undeal." This foreshadows the point system the PCs can get during the Carnival.
Ultimately, like all fey in the area, N is off-limits. She is "she who cannot be named" or talked about. If they do, they draw her attention. The dead unicorn is just the one the PCs know about. She doesn't talk about it, and it's clear that's anathema to her.
As for Nyrissa as a counselor, absolutely!!!
In my campaign, she's been behind the scenes building up and then finding ways to destroy kingdoms (I'm using the 1000 grains of sand, and each one must be unique in order to entertain the Eldest). It's in her best interest to see Hargulka grow and fail, the PCs, the Sootscales, the Stag Lord, Pitax, and so on. It's up to the DM when the kingdom reaches a level that fits her needs.
Currently, one of my PCs has agreed to a wedding with Rhoswyn (Fellnight Queen adventure), in which she's modified to by N's daughter. She has her own agenda (getting free) but seduced the PC with promises of teaching him the ways of the First World and uniting the fey and 2nd world. She can only appear to him during the 3 days of the full moon and Samhain (fantasy Celtic holiday at end of year, 3 days). I'm waiting to see how this turns out...
Thanks a lot, Touc, and sorry for replying so late ^^' .
I will follow your advice of keeping Syntira and big N distinct of each other. Also, I will gladly steal your idea of the nonsense game that I happen to like a lot.
I will try to link the game to some kind of deal between the PCs and Syntira : their redemption for past wrongdoings (although not technically theirs) if they integrate the Fey's point of view. Initially meant to look unconsequential in the game's context, the deal would take a completely different connotation when the Carnival will take place.
We'll see where this leads us in the end but I hope my players will forgive me.
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As long as players know they had an "undeal," or a fair shot at whatever you throw at them, should be good. Foreshadowing, makes you look like genius if it later comes into play when players remember (especially if you have a player who takes notes and you don't have to prompt them) something that saves the day.
I think I am missing something about those undeals. Are you talking about the fact that Quinn changes side when his love is 'saved' or something directly related to Syntira? I don't see mention of any deal or undeal linked to the point system in the carnival of tears.
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"Undeal" is a term I use in my games when dealing with fey. It's like Rumplestiltskin - if you can guess his name, you can break the deal he has over you.
It's not in the adventure as written.
I have used this all over my game when dealing with fey, including a fey bazaar where the deals looked good, but eventually there's a catch.
With Syntira, in my game they've met her before through Tyg and Perlivash, who invite them to a wacky fey fair held by the Summer Court (who are opposed to the BBEG Nyrissa but won't speak of her and won't directly oppose her). She holds much anger about the "second world" humanoids breaking a prior deal of some kind, and this anger transfers to any current rulers. I used the text from Carnival of Tears to foreshadow around level 2 when she gives her angry speech.
I also dropped hints that all fey deals have an undeal, a way out. The players have found out fey deals are usually not good for them, and they are familiar with how hard it is to find the undeal.
This way, down the road, it makes more sense that Syntira is willing to help, if she sees them doing "good" deeds. It's part of the "undeal" (that those who broke the fey deal could avoid retribution if they did certain good deeds by the fey who brokered the deal). She and many fey are still angry, but this helps.
I have another question regarding the carnival. The more I look at it, the more I wonder about the link between Quinn and the Lumber Consortium.
The carnival is presented as an itinerary one but about half the attractions are intimately linked to those evil lumberjacks. Why is that?
I plan on running the scenario in my pcs capital and the Consortium is highly unwanted by the rulers. I can add some npcs in but I don't see how entire attractions would pop out of nowhere nor why would Quinn initially deal with such evil associates. I understand he is not very concerned since his wife's death but that's a step further...
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...about half the attractions are intimately linked to those evil lumberjacks. Why is that?
Advertising pays the bills. The consortium is the primary sponsor of the event and gets prime real estate for public relations, to foster good will, and even hire workers.
These adventures are limited by word count, but I could totally see the Consortium PR folks handing out candy to kids, sponsoring drawings (win a free house), and so on. The PCs may know they're corrupt at the top, but no one else cares when they have a chance at at free house.
To further throw off suspicion ("gee, a carnival, I bet something bad happens because the GM is getting out that creepy module"), I've had the carnival pass through, setup business arrangements, meet with sponsors, etc. A couple years later, I drop a hint that Quinn's wife died but the show is still going on, just local tea-house gossip.