quibblemuch |
Either my search-fu is failing me or this hasn't come up. Question:
What happens if a PC wants to keep Baraket the entire campaign? I can see a character being prideful enough to take the -4/-8 penalty just to wield a Runelord's sword...
Have any GMs run across this and if so, how did you handle it?
Askar Avari |
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I'm sad I didn't see this earlier!
I'm currently running two Return games, and in both cases, the players have unanimously decided they want to keep Baraket for the entire campaign, or else as long as they can (before it regains its full power and consumes their mind, like Chellan did to Viorian Dekanti).
My approach from the get-go was to RP Baraket as very clever, proud, manipulative, and seemingly very straightforward and earnest. She uses whatever initial information she learns about the PCs to try and establish a rapport with them (asking the Shelynite inquisitor about how Shelyn has fared in the past 10,000 years, urging them to 'do their best to make a beautiful world for her,' initially mocking the Sorshen clone for their impersonation of a Runelord and then showing interest in who they were before, praising the illusionist's magical talent and urging them to grow their power), making it clear that while she must be returned to Xanderghul 'in good time,' for now she only wishes to learn of this new world and to understand what happened to Thassilon in its final days.
A day or two outside of Magnimar, she makes her first show of practiced humility, pleading with the party not to be handed over to the Council, to not 'be locked in a box in a dark room after 10,000 years of torpor, or else coerced to betray my very nature.' She also cautions the PCs 'not to immediately think of Xanderghul as an enemy; he is not of the same ilk as Karzoug or Zutha, and I do not think his first thoughts will be of brutal domination.' Even once the Peacock Cult reveals themself, she will try and get the party to talk with them rather than kill them, in hopes of being passed off to them OR convincing the party to serve Xanderghul, depending on how plausible that is.
Furthermore, I think any PC willing to undergo training from Baraket ought to be able to retrain their class to fighter, swashbuckler, or an archetype that emulates swashbuckler fighting (such as a Daring Bravo) for free by making some compromise with the sword, such as letting her speak through them or moving their alignment one step closer to Lawful Evil.
The longer Baraket is wielded, the stronger it ought to become (with the +X stat acting as a 'count-down' to suggest Xanderghul's growing power), and the more demanding it should become as well. I've been working on a series of escalating demands, given my party's receptive behavior so far.
- Baraket should be kept in a sheathe (not a box or bag), though she permits the sheathe to be cloaked from divinations to avoid endangering herself and the wielder.
- Baraket should be able to speak through a willing party member as needed so her input on important matters may always be heard.
- Baraket should be wielded in combat against supporters of rival runelords (at such time it will inflict no penalty to a wielder).
- The party should not meet or speak with Runelord Sorshen, as she is guaranteed to make puppets of them.
- The party should present themselves as newfound members of the Order of the Green Feather, and then seek to make peace with the Cult of the Peacock Spirit.
- A party member should travel to meet Runelord Xanderghul and plead to become the Champion of Pride; Baraket will or will not vouch for them based on earlier behavior.
Should a party actually comply with all of this, Book 4 is altered to be more RP focused, with the later parts becoming a 'trial' for a prospective champion, as well as the 'Knights,' presided over by the Peacock Spirit. The framing in this case is that the Peacock Spirit protected Xanderghul from Earthfall, and the two of them will ally publicly once Xanderghul's full strength returns. The completion of the trial will allow Baraket and Xanderghul to reunite, and while Xanderghul will not regain his mythic power, Baraket will become a true alara'hai.
Book 5 is run as-is, and in Book 6, Xanderghul is the one trapped by Alaznist, not Sorshen. The epilogue could either feature Xanderghul's true return and the formation of New Thassilon, or a union between Sorshen and Xanderghul.
This itself could branch somewhat: a Baraket who feels in-tune with a good or neutral party upholding similar values to those she held in life could incline her to a change of heart, which could only truly happen if Xanderghul willed it. A more evil party could fall entirely to Xanderghul's will but still complete the AP. I think the themes and encounters of the AP are largely unaffected by the choice to keep Baraket in the party, but some of the specifics from Book 3 onward definitely would need to get switched around.
That's just the approach I'm taking though!
The Spirit of Adoration spoke with the common people, and learned of many different types of love, largely conceptualizing it as a form of happiness borne from outside oneself. Baraket spoke to philosophers and rulers, and came to think of love as both a need and a duty. The Spirit of Adoration eventually returned to Shelyn's service, but Baraket remained on the material plane, having fallen in love with Xanderghul and been chosen as his champion.
... I go overboard on making connections between characters, so in my game Xanderghul and Baraket also had twin daughters, Avana and Sivah, the first aligned with the celestial, and the second aligned with shadow and illusions (who also inherited a spark of divine power). Avanah eventually became a Peri-like being who turned on her family, and is the one who killed Baraket. Sivah killed her sister in return, and soon thereafter turned her own divine spark into full divinity, becoming the goddess Sivanah.
If it wasn't clear, I really like Baraket, and also tried VERY HARD to work my player's peri-kin aasimar into a direct connection to the plot.