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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 19 Feb 2020 :  16:20:26  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
I am an old school DM and have loved the Forgotten Realms since I was in my early teens. I got out of D&D for awhile, and recently started some new players for 5e and decided to dust off my old skills and teach new people. So I decided I would run the Lost Mines of Phandelver. My players are not that crunchy yet, but for my own internal consistency I am making some changes to the module (mostly background) wanted to just get some thoughts and/or ideas here.

First, I am replacing the Spider with a NPC with a minor Shade Wizard who will be named Damien Nurien (taken from the Shadow portion of the 1e Lords of Darkness supplement). In my universe it is 1490 and the Thulthantar has fallen, and the Prince of Shade Clairburnas Thantul has retreated to what is left of his forces in Xinlenal, although greatly weakened as the vast majority of his forces had been pulled to Thulthantar to assault Myth Drannar. He still seeks magic items to finish the Mythallar, but he is exposed and his resources limited.

When reviewing Old Owl Well and the Netheril in the boxed set, it indicates there that:

quote:
Two other watering stations and spy outposts were created in this new frontier. The first was stationed in the forested area
northwest of the future site of Southkrypt. Since these Netherese
frequently had to leave their outposts—where the mythallars
wouldn’t function—they began a long, arduous campaign to create
real magical items with the power of the quasimagical items—
not an easy process.


Northwest of Southkrypt would be about where the Lost Mines of Phandelver are located.

My idea is that Netheril founded this location in the mountains, and and built a small, experimental mythallar that pulled the [i]Faerzress{/i] from the underdark. This made the entire area undetectable to the elves of Illefarn, and allowed for the easier crafting of magical items at the location. The small mythallar there is under the water in the Wave Echo Chamber and what creates the waves, effectively operating sort of like water for a nuclear magical reactor. The site was used by the Netherese government and only those in the upper levels of their government were aware of it. However, after the fall of Illusk and the abandonment of Queseer at the Age of Discovery, they mothballed the location, and set guards on the area. One of the locations that the records were kept however, was in Xinlinal.

The site was unused for thousands of years, protected by the Mythallar, and the protective wards cast upon it. Some of the mages from Xinlenal had survived in the Tower of Xen'kar, and their magical knowledge eventually found it's way to mages from that time known as the Covenant. It was those mages, along with the Gnomes of Dolblunda and Dwarves of Dardath that reopened the area. The Covenant had the keywords to allow for the Forge of Spells and Mythallar to operate, and the plan was to use it as a base of operations to then clean out the Sword Mountains of the orc and goblinoid infestations. However, that all came to an end when Uruth Ukrept came down from the mountains and destroyed Phandalin and the location of Phandelver and all of the information about it was closed.

In the Module the the Nothic is actually one of the mages from the Covenant that was exposed to the waters of the Wave Echo Chamber and the power of the Mythallar, but was not killed. He was taken back to Phandelver to try and cure him, but the orcs came down and he has been living underground there for hundreds of years in an obsessive state to fix himself. The Flameskull from the Lost Mines is actually a netheril wizard that died that was tied as the last guardian of the Mythallar. if you know the Words of Power to it, then it will stand down. It also knows the history of the site and can explain it to the players (it regenerates every day so they will figure it out eventually).

The Empire of Shade found records of the Lost Mines and believe that it is the lost listening spot, but they do not have it's exact location. They had also sent a representative to find it, and that will be Damien Nurien. They want to drain the mythallar to fix Xinlenal's and have the city fly again, to rebuild the Shade Empire.

After this module ends, I am not sure what the players are going to do. I have ideas for the Scarlet Brotherhood's rise and Uruth Ukrypt resurgent. For finding the mothballed ruins of Quesseer, and I keep thinking that Xinlenal would make a great netherese version of the Ruins of Cormathyr level problem. The capital of Netheril, finally found. Shade has a power base there, perhaps Thay once they find it, even a Pharimme and other groups. I think Shade had just found it's location when Thulthantar fell, and they broke the enchantments by the elves to keep it hidden.

Anyway, just my thoughts about lorewise for this new campaign I am starting. (They have just cleared out Cragmaw Hideout, and will find their first clue, an old netherese silver piece, in Klarg's hold). I will slowly doll out the lore of the Forgotten Realms to them, one game at a time.

Edited by - Prodigalson on 19 Feb 2020 16:24:44

Balmar Foghaven
Learned Scribe

Canada
124 Posts

Posted - 20 Feb 2020 :  16:14:27  Show Profile Send Balmar Foghaven a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I really like those changes! In particular, the reference to the Covenant. IIRC, they have reformed and are now based in Waterdeep, so perhaps some notes can be found that may lead the players there to find the remaining mages, who would probably be good allies against the Netherese remnants.

"Despair not, for in the end all things shall work out for the best - in at least one timeline."
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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 25 Feb 2020 :  22:16:05  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I am planning on adding a new NPC into Phandalin that is a member of the covneant that sends them to Wyvern Tor and starts a quest chain to fight a resurgent Uruth Ukypt and scarlet brotherhood. (also the players do not have a mage in their party, and I wanted to put someone in that they can interact with and be friendly with to identify items).
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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 26 Feb 2020 :  17:07:03  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote
So far so good in my game. I introduced a single netheril coin in Klarg's treasure, (a pure accident from the Shadowvar from teh ruis of Xinlinal in the payoff to King Grul from from Damien Nurien). The Warlock player happen to have the ability to read anything, so he was amble to figure out pretty easily what it said and with a few knowledge History checks, that it was from Netheril. A little forshadowing never hurts.

They arrived at Stonehill inn and my Covenant NPC they were immediately drawn to, and she will be sending them to Wyvern Tor to explore what is happening there. (the Scarley Brotherhood of orks is looking for the Hammer of Gruumish, where we I will fur the Sons of Gruumish module, odified for 5e) to prevent the rise of Uruth Ukypt.

the players ended up being very... woodsy. Forrest Gnome Druid, 1/2 ranger, Warlock of the Feywild. The Bard has taken to worshipping Finder Wyverspur as her patron god, and the rogue worships Tymore. I think that I am going to do something in Xinlenal that I was not expecting. What if one of the reasons the elves sealed the city off is that there was a large cult to Moandor there (as he was one of the 10 main gods of Netheril). His worshipers all died, but there is a Seed of Moander there, and now that the Shadowvar have destroyed the wards, it is growing again, and it is starting the slow process of rotting the city and eventually all of Neverwinter Woods. Definitely something these PC's will want to deal with one day, and I have always throught that the Darkbringer was a particularly terrible god.

I'm also trying to figure out how big Xinlenal was before it fell. It was the capital of Netheril, but Thulthantar was only 25K, and Myth Drannor was only about 15K. Then you have the supplement (as bad as it was) How the Mighty Have Fallen that says that Delia (Polaris's city) had 450K and now Waterdeep has 1 million people in the area. Perhaps Xinlenal had a population of 100K on the city itself, but it reached out to numerous communities through teleportation portals and gates so that the support network (and places it deemed it protected personally on the ground) accounted for another 500-800K people that lived in what it considered the 'countryside'.

Edited by - Prodigalson on 26 Feb 2020 17:08:23
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cpthero2
Great Reader

USA
2285 Posts

Posted - 26 Feb 2020 :  20:40:17  Show Profile  Visit cpthero2's Homepage Send cpthero2 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Acolyte Prodigalson,

Fantastic adapatations. I think if you look at a couple of other modules that would fit into that area and alter some mid level themes together, you could have a really great sandbox campaign you could avoid scaling on and really mix it up with them!

Best regards,




quote:
Originally posted by Prodigalson

I am an old school DM and have loved the Forgotten Realms since I was in my early teens. I got out of D&D for awhile, and recently started some new players for 5e and decided to dust off my old skills and teach new people. So I decided I would run the Lost Mines of Phandelver. My players are not that crunchy yet, but for my own internal consistency I am making some changes to the module (mostly background) wanted to just get some thoughts and/or ideas here.

First, I am replacing the Spider with a NPC with a minor Shade Wizard who will be named Damien Nurien (taken from the Shadow portion of the 1e Lords of Darkness supplement). In my universe it is 1490 and the Thulthantar has fallen, and the Prince of Shade Clairburnas Thantul has retreated to what is left of his forces in Xinlenal, although greatly weakened as the vast majority of his forces had been pulled to Thulthantar to assault Myth Drannar. He still seeks magic items to finish the Mythallar, but he is exposed and his resources limited.

When reviewing Old Owl Well and the Netheril in the boxed set, it indicates there that:

quote:
Two other watering stations and spy outposts were created in this new frontier. The first was stationed in the forested area
northwest of the future site of Southkrypt. Since these Netherese
frequently had to leave their outposts—where the mythallars
wouldn’t function—they began a long, arduous campaign to create
real magical items with the power of the quasimagical items—
not an easy process.


Northwest of Southkrypt would be about where the Lost Mines of Phandelver are located.

My idea is that Netheril founded this location in the mountains, and and built a small, experimental mythallar that pulled the [i]Faerzress{/i] from the underdark. This made the entire area undetectable to the elves of Illefarn, and allowed for the easier crafting of magical items at the location. The small mythallar there is under the water in the Wave Echo Chamber and what creates the waves, effectively operating sort of like water for a nuclear magical reactor. The site was used by the Netherese government and only those in the upper levels of their government were aware of it. However, after the fall of Illusk and the abandonment of Queseer at the Age of Discovery, they mothballed the location, and set guards on the area. One of the locations that the records were kept however, was in Xinlinal.

The site was unused for thousands of years, protected by the Mythallar, and the protective wards cast upon it. Some of the mages from Xinlenal had survived in the Tower of Xen'kar, and their magical knowledge eventually found it's way to mages from that time known as the Covenant. It was those mages, along with the Gnomes of Dolblunda and Dwarves of Dardath that reopened the area. The Covenant had the keywords to allow for the Forge of Spells and Mythallar to operate, and the plan was to use it as a base of operations to then clean out the Sword Mountains of the orc and goblinoid infestations. However, that all came to an end when Uruth Ukrept came down from the mountains and destroyed Phandalin and the location of Phandelver and all of the information about it was closed.

In the Module the the Nothic is actually one of the mages from the Covenant that was exposed to the waters of the Wave Echo Chamber and the power of the Mythallar, but was not killed. He was taken back to Phandelver to try and cure him, but the orcs came down and he has been living underground there for hundreds of years in an obsessive state to fix himself. The Flameskull from the Lost Mines is actually a netheril wizard that died that was tied as the last guardian of the Mythallar. if you know the Words of Power to it, then it will stand down. It also knows the history of the site and can explain it to the players (it regenerates every day so they will figure it out eventually).

The Empire of Shade found records of the Lost Mines and believe that it is the lost listening spot, but they do not have it's exact location. They had also sent a representative to find it, and that will be Damien Nurien. They want to drain the mythallar to fix Xinlenal's and have the city fly again, to rebuild the Shade Empire.

After this module ends, I am not sure what the players are going to do. I have ideas for the Scarlet Brotherhood's rise and Uruth Ukrypt resurgent. For finding the mothballed ruins of Quesseer, and I keep thinking that Xinlenal would make a great netherese version of the Ruins of Cormathyr level problem. The capital of Netheril, finally found. Shade has a power base there, perhaps Thay once they find it, even a Pharimme and other groups. I think Shade had just found it's location when Thulthantar fell, and they broke the enchantments by the elves to keep it hidden.

Anyway, just my thoughts about lorewise for this new campaign I am starting. (They have just cleared out Cragmaw Hideout, and will find their first clue, an old netherese silver piece, in Klarg's hold). I will slowly doll out the lore of the Forgotten Realms to them, one game at a time.


Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring
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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 03 Mar 2020 :  19:41:37  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thank you for the kind words. I have made some further adaptions to attempt to deepen the story.

Iarno Albrek has been seducied by my replacement Spider, Damien Nurien (a Shadovar survivor of Thulthantar). Iarno was gifted a copy of Telemont Thanthul's seminal work Shaodows: The Palpable Cohesion of of Formless Corporeality when he became an agent of Shadowvar and seudced with the power of lost Netheril. He does not know why they want the mine, but he has started his research into shadow magic, the shadow weave and is attempting to study through the book. I am going to put a lot of the old shadow spells back into the game like Shadow Conjuration, etc... he believes that he is close to succeeding in how to turn himself into a Shade, and has constructed a magic item to do that. I am lifting this plot from REF5 1st Edition Lords of Darkness under Shadows. it's amazing how how even that far back an NPC was trying to turn themsevles into a Shade. Instead of creating that, he has instead made a half-ass portal that summons shadows from the Shadowfell. The box is made of black wood with a single silver button on one side (a poor man's cubic gate).

This encounter should start giving me a good place to introduce shade, shadows, and their connection to Netheril and start teaching the players about it.
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cpthero2
Great Reader

USA
2285 Posts

Posted - 05 Mar 2020 :  08:57:21  Show Profile  Visit cpthero2's Homepage Send cpthero2 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Acolyte Prodigalson,

No problem. I thought it was well thought out on your part.

Always a good deity to throw in there for some confusion: Leira. :) She is awesome!

Best regards,




quote:
Originally posted by Prodigalson

Thank you for the kind words. I have made some further adaptions to attempt to deepen the story.

Iarno Albrek has been seducied by my replacement Spider, Damien Nurien (a Shadovar survivor of Thulthantar). Iarno was gifted a copy of Telemont Thanthul's seminal work Shaodows: The Palpable Cohesion of of Formless Corporeality when he became an agent of Shadowvar and seudced with the power of lost Netheril. He does not know why they want the mine, but he has started his research into shadow magic, the shadow weave and is attempting to study through the book. I am going to put a lot of the old shadow spells back into the game like Shadow Conjuration, etc... he believes that he is close to succeeding in how to turn himself into a Shade, and has constructed a magic item to do that. I am lifting this plot from REF5 1st Edition Lords of Darkness under Shadows. it's amazing how how even that far back an NPC was trying to turn themsevles into a Shade. Instead of creating that, he has instead made a half-ass portal that summons shadows from the Shadowfell. The box is made of black wood with a single silver button on one side (a poor man's cubic gate).

This encounter should start giving me a good place to introduce shade, shadows, and their connection to Netheril and start teaching the players about it.


Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring
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Dewaint
Learned Scribe

Germany
148 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2020 :  23:20:35  Show Profile Send Dewaint a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hi Prodigalson,

it is maybe a bit out-of-topic, but maybe it is worth to check the Essentials Kit as it covers same area around Phandalin and provides some more ideas ans side quests to enrich your campaign.

Cheers!
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Dewaint
Learned Scribe

Germany
148 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2020 :  23:32:41  Show Profile Send Dewaint a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ah yes,

during my researches on the area I also stumbled in the Arcane Age Box upon the short section about the Old Owlbear Well and noticed that most likely it was powered by a Mythallar, potentially still active or maybe dormant in the 5e era.
I took some parts of The Shattered Circle AD&D module to expand the Well.

No more to share here as potentially some of my players lurks around ;)
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Dewaint
Learned Scribe

Germany
148 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2020 :  23:58:09  Show Profile Send Dewaint a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Sorry me again :)

I very like your ideas and approach. It makes complete sense to use Phandelver's Pact as entry point to a Netheril centered campaign. Exploring the past of the North and the wonders of such mighty empire, Netheril was actually, is something very worth the efforts and hopefully thrills the players too.

I took a different approach, am more centered on the dwarven clans and realms of old, paired with Halia's schemes to get a firm grasp over Phandalin. Spiced with what you can find in above mentioned AD&D module and 5e Essentials Kit :)

I paused to master my long lasting FR campaign around 2010 and started again with same players and 5e rule set around 2017.
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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2020 :  21:55:17  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I really appreciate your thoughts. I am a nerd about FR and am glad to have a place to work out some ideas.

Coronavirus has stalled my game currently, and the players (almost all new) didn't want to try Roll20. I am now getting ahead of myself with painted models and stuff for the game when it starts back up. They are all having a great time and want to start back as soon as the quarantine passess...

I had originally wanted to base the game more towards the Sword Mountains and the dwarves and orcs there, including explording the dwarf empire that went insane. However my players ended up being a 1/2 elf Ranger, Human Warlock (Tatiana), Halfling rogue(Follower of Tymora), tiefling bard(follower of Finder Wyverspur), 1/2 ork cleric of Torm and forrest gnome druid(of the Gnome god of the forrest).

Not a dwarven or dwarf interested person in the group. So I decided that I would push them long term more toward the Neverwinter Woods and the corruption of it, from what is happening in the Dread Ring and also Xinlenal.

I am working right now on how to include Moandor in the game.

Here is what I am thinking right now: Mondor is attempting to return back to a demi-power at the moment, and previously when he attempted this (Yulush, Curse of Azure Bonds etc..) it was when an ancient seed of his was left in the world, sealed.

Well, the background suggests that the Sarukh Empire(s) collapsed due to some sort of interference from Moander. Old Owl well was a depository of some type for Isstosseffifil where all the Chandolym gems (spelling) were located. The background we have was that hoards of deepspawn lived down there, which is why there were so many owlbears. I believe that Moander could have had a portion of his essence sealed down there from the Days of Thunder, and that is where the deepspawn keep coming from.

Another idea is in Xinlenal itself. Moander was one of the small number of gods worshiped in Netheril. Perhaps he had a secret temple in Xinlenal where part of his essence still resides. The elves could have locked it away when they sealed Xinlenal for the thousands of years as well, but now that the Shadowvar have pierced the wards, it is free to escape and begin the corruption of the Neverwinter Woods.

The party, being either nature people, OR being worshipers of gods that hate Mounder (Tymora/Finder) would have a vested interest in stopping him.

Next time we play, they should fight Glasstaff. I have changed him slightly, and given him an extra cool item I have below:

Shadows: The Palpable Cohesion of Formless Corporeality
By: Telamont Thanthul


Book Text: Bound in black leather with the text on the cover and the spine in silver thread. The entire text is in the ancient Netherese script of Loross

One of the last treatises written before the fall of netheril in -390 D.R. this text discusses what is called in the book the Demi-plane of shadows that exists under our normal plane of Existence. Much of the text is in arcane mathematics showing evidence of for the same, and proving the existence of said plane of existence. The tome also discusses specific investigations and personal investigation of the plane.

The demi-plane of shadow is described as a place that is a dark mirror of our world, but lacking in color and light. No sun, moon or stars adorne the vault of inky black sky and all things look as if the color has been leeched out, leaving nothing but black and white, which in the dimness are more like dark black and light black. Light sources work half as well. Magic that called upon darkness worked twice as well, whereas those of the light were diminished.

The book contains little in actual spells, but is a foundation into further study of the Demi-plane of shadows and shadow magic. Reduce all costs of enchanting, scribing of researching shadow magic by 5%. It also contains the following spell as an example, which can be learned.
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Dewaint
Learned Scribe

Germany
148 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2020 :  12:32:25  Show Profile Send Dewaint a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Looking at your PCs, with a Bard with Finder as Patron ... yeah nice stuff to resuscitate Moander.

During the 3/3.5 era of the Realms, it was hinted at that The Eldreth Veluuthra had some operations located in the Neverwinter Woods too (see Champion of Ruins p.78,79).
So maybe that's something to get it personal for your Half-Elf Ranger?

Not everyone likes to play online. My players and me being more old-school, it took a lot of persuading to move online, at least temporarily as long as "social distancing" is appropriate to counter these special days.

Edited by - Dewaint on 08 Apr 2020 12:39:12
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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 11 Aug 2020 :  17:55:04  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote
So I was able to get a game in with my players in the last few months. Lots of testing and we are all pretty good, so we decided it was safe to try.

At any rate, they have as of last weekend cleared out the Redbrands, and taken Glasstaff, i.e. Lord Iarno Albrect captive, and I leveled my players to 3rd level. The Warlock is taking Patron of the Tome, the Ranger is going to be a beastmaster, the Druid is a Druid of the Moon, and the Cleric has picked up my sword of Tresendar.First, a few of the changes and extra items I put in the dungeon:

Talon, the Blade of the House of Tresendar

Talon was forged in the lost mines of Phandelver and gifted to the House of Tresendar, who were one of their chief allies in the attempt to return the area to a semblance of civilization. It’s last wielder was Sir. Aledith Tresndar, the Black Falcon of Phandelver, It was a weapon forged at the height of craftsmanship of the dwarves of Dardath, the Gnomes of Dolblunda and the human wizards.
The Sword is made of the gnomish metal Arandar and is a gleaming silver-blue metal that has a blue sheen, except in sunlight when the sheen turns into a greenish blue. It has been treated with the dwarven technique of Blueshine and finish and enchanted with ensorcelled. The hilt and cross guard are made to resemble a Falcon in flight.

• +1 to Hit/+1 to Damage Longsword
• Arandar metal – On a Natural 20 to hit, the player may add their proficiency as additional damage (this is not doubled to a critical)
• Everbright Treatment – The sword is Immune to acid damage.

I also replaced the dwarven book with this. I used a lot of dwarven fonts and Dalelands fonts for it when I gave this to the players:

Dwarves of the Sword mountains
*Dwarves of the Sword mountains
By Urmon Ironeater, Cleric of Dugmaran Brightmantle

This is a thick solid book, bound in steel sheets with a single large pearl set in the very center of the book. The steel is slightly darkened as if by fire. The parchment inside is thick and solid, and aged, but good shape. The penmanship of the page is solid and straight, and the entire book is in Dethik, the language of the Dwarves. On the inside it has stamped into it the image of a book, chased in silver and states “in the service of Dugmaran brightmantle, god of knowledge”

This book is the ruminations and study of the various dwarven ruins, locations and kingdoms that have populated the Sword Mountains. Part reference book, part journal, and part history book, it sites to other works, but attempts to put the entire history of the dwarves that have lived in the sword mountains in a context. It has sections on the phandelvar pact, the ancient fallen sea dwarf kingdom of haunghdannar the role of the phaloram and attempt to retake the sword mountains during that period.

On the very back of the book an additional page of a different, newer parchment was added that simple dates, “Property of the House of Knowledge, 1401 D.R., 201 Warden Way, Neverwinter.


Anyone that has the History skill gets Advantage when rolling any history roles about dwarven relics, locations, ruins or people from the Sword Mountains if able to consult this book. In addition because of how well sited it is, it will give a +2 to history roles in addition, if used in a library to consult other texts. This role increases to a +4 if the library is dwarven.

The book weights 5 pounds.
The book is has a value to a collector, or librarian if sold as it is likely an original.

The players next game will reorganize in town and then be heading to Cragmaw Castle to rescue their dwarven ally from King Grul.

I have decided that I want to add an adventure in for the players that role-plays in their specializations, so I am going to run an updated version of the old Dungeon Module Tomb it May Concern by Randy Maxwell in Dungeon Magazine #22, Mar/April 1990. I remember reading it and thinking it was fun and clever and it stuck with me. It is a solo dungeon for a 5th level paladin to get their paladin mount which is a figurine of wondrous power.
I am changing the module (obviously). I love that the wizard that attempted lichdom was a big friend of the fey. So I am changing it to make him a Warlock of the Archfey that settled in this location, but as he aged became more fearful of death, and eventually switched his patron the Larlock the Undying and attempted to turn the Neverwinter Woods into an arm of Larlock's Crypts. This went really poorly for him, and after a war of undead fey vs real fey, with him eventually losing, and in the midst of his lose attempting (too early) lichdom. It failed and he remainder cursed in a small area of always winter. He is trapped as a failed warlock lich, holding onto the fey power granted by Tatiana, but also a portion of Larlock's power. He is a twisted mockery of his former self. Tatinana is going to task the Warlock through dreams (as in the module) to get the Warlock to clear the place out, and claim his Tome of Shadows for himself, also in the location I am going to put a figurine of wonderous power for the Ranger for their animal companion (I know... I know. Drizzt and whatever, but my players are newbies and are not familiar, so it is all new to them, and will make them feel special). Also a big problem with the class is that the pet keeps dying and this should not matter. I am trying to decide if the Ranger should also have a calling, and if I should involve the druid as well. I like the idea that the druid (who is a forrest gnome researcher) is familiar with the area once he hears about it as a legend of Neverwinter woods, and is cursed and can do some of the exposition for me during the game. I considered making him a Warlock of Moander, but if I did that I would have to abandon the undead theme and go for more corruption theme, with it being beings controlled... not an alltogether bad idea actually. If I did that I could have all of the fey be rotting from the inside, with the flowers in their hair, and use fey rules for them instead of zombies/skeletons, and make him a Warlock of Moander. Hmmmm... something to think about. That would link in my Bard (a worshiper of Finder).

If anyone wants a breakdown in the details of how I changed the module for 5E, let me know.

I also am consiering putting a cold-wrought iron weapon as it seems like something that would be there during this small anti-fey war. There is a +1 hand axe in the location that I could replace.

The monsters needed serious updating, but besides that the nuts and bolts of the module are fun and solid. Great little module.

Then the players will advance onto Cragmaw Castle after dealing with this side trek.



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Dewaint
Learned Scribe

Germany
148 Posts

Posted - 20 Aug 2020 :  10:14:24  Show Profile Send Dewaint a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hey, sonds familiar to me ;)

have done similar changes.

In Tresendar Manor's crypts I have added some inscriptions to the sarcophagi, to loosely tie in Icespire Keep and the battles around it.

Of course, Talon was forged by the dwarves of Phandelver's Pact.
Unfortunately the Nothic was killed right away so nochance to get some infos on the mines from him. Made him one of the mages working at the Spell of Forge originally.

The dwarven journal was enhanced by entries about his journey to the Forge of Spells, some day-by-day jobs done by the author of the journal: Dornabar, son of Torghatar, who ended up as member of the guards, instead of starting a great career as a smith.
Added some dates and details about the various dwarven clans and realms which Dornabar collected during his stay at the Spell Forge by talking to sages, dwarves, etc. The journal ended abruptly in 951DR

Currently the group is exploring the mines, and guess they will head for some of the Essential Kit adventures after that, maybe heading for Ice Spire Keep directly.
That way giving me the possibility to delve even more deeper into the region's history and lore.
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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 29 Sep 2020 :  17:08:37  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote
So (due to covid) I had to break the games up, with four of my players doing the Tomb it May Concern dungeon and finding their animal companion and also their Pact of the Tome. Fun little adventure for the players, and they banished the curse of frost on the location. I am trying to work out what is on the other side of the veil in the Feywild in Neverwinter/Neverwinter Woods. I am aware that in 4E that New Shanatar(sp?) came over, but honestly I feel like that is kind of lame. I like the elven retreat concept and that most went to Evermeet, the idea that a city suddenly showed up I feel is lame. I am considering creating my own Archfey that has swaths of control and a Formorian Kingdom on the flipside of Gauntlagrym and a Eladrin city in Neverwinter's location, and perhaps a fallen city in the woods that was abandoned and cursed and has dark/unseelie fey in it now. I need to come up with a cool Archfey name. Marquis something or other.

The other players did the very first adventure of Lords of Darkness by Ed Greenwood. I had planted Kendra from that module way back and she finally attacked the town during the jurisdiction town meeting on what to do with Glasstaff. The players persuaded the populance to send him back to Neverwinter, and then skeleton's attacked the town. They eventually protected glasstaff, although he managed to escape (thanks to a guest PC) and ran around the town till he was cornered in the Shrine of Tymora and it was a three way problem of skeletons trying to kill him while the players tried to protect him. Eventually they tracked Kendra back to the old Phandalin Graveyard and a forgotten and destroyed temple to Jergal. She was slayn and the book that twisted her mind taken from her corpse. The players will open up in the doors in the temple and meet it's old guardian, a weird neutral undead creature.

Next game they will start their trek up to Cragmore Castle. I have the entire thing modeled, painted and ready to go. I have a new player in the group now (takeing it to 7) a Tabaxi wizard. I am trying to decide if I need to increase the monsters at the castle to make it more of a fight. After that I think they are going to go directly to Wave Echo Chamber to confront my BBEG, the low level wizard of shade. I am considering changing him to a Eldritch Knight as opposed to a wizard.



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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 29 Sep 2020 :  22:59:57  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I have updated some of the magic items from the adventures that I mentioned and am putting in a few more that I am listing here:

THE BLACK PILGRIM

This small figurine is approximately two inches long by an inch wide. It is of a grey wolf that appears to be in mid-lope with its face looking to the right. It has the smallest tiny yellow topaz gems for eyes. It is crafted out of a single piece of grey stone, and the carving gives it a striation and a darker mane than the rest of its body. It is a art piece of surprising beauty and elegance. On the bottom of the miniature in Espruar script it says Raca (RACA).

The holder of it may say the command word raca in elven, and use a bonus action to speak and throw the figurine to a point on the ground within 10 feet of you, the figurine becomes a living creature. If the space where the creature would appear is occupied by other creatures or objects, or if there isn't enough space for the creature, the figurine doesn't become a creature.
The creature is friendly to you and your companions. It understands your languages and obeys your spoken commands. If you issue no commands, the creature defends itself but takes no other actions.
The creature exists for up to eight hours per day. At the end of the duration, the creature reverts to its figurine form. It reverts to a figurine early if it drops to 0 hit points or if you use an action to speak the command word again while touching it. When the creature becomes a figurine again through damage, then it cannot be re-summoned for 1d4 days as the feywild spirit tied to it reconnects to the figurine. If it is cancelled voluntarily, or is cancelled due to eight hours of time, it can be re-summoned the next day.
The wolf summoned has all of the statistics from the Monsters Manuel.

This item does not require attunement. However, a Good Ranger may attune this item as their Animal Companion, in which case it gains all of the additional benefits of the animal companion. In addition, at every odd level the Ranger, while community with it for a full day, can change the shape that the Feywild spirit takes into another applicable animal companion with a successful Handle Animal check of 10+CR of the creature for it to be turned into. It holds this shape until such time as the ranger changes it, or until such time as another creature summons it, or the bond is broken. Raca is a Chaotic Good creature.



The Enduring Spellbook

This small tome is six inches in length, and four inches in width. It is bound in silver metal on one side with the symbol of a white diamond with a blue star glowing in its center. It is cold to the touch, and when opened cold air drips from the pages.

This items is an Enduring Spellbook meaning that the pages cannot be damaged by non-magical fire or by water. In addition, while the book appears thin on the inside, it actually has a thousand pages of script in it. If you take out a page, another blank page is simply replaced in it within 24 hours. (The page taken out will turn to dust within an hour). In addition, each time you turn the page, you will find that the next page is exactly the page you needed.

The Book tells the tale of Sollers Vestitus, a human man that formed a bond with the Fey. Half of the book is his Journal entries as he masters the powers that he was gifted, and also serving the bidding of his patron, a fey called the Prince of Frost. The tale is that of a man who is gripped by a desire for power until finally he fell in love with a human woman named Iliana. Refusing the call of his master, he settled and attempted to live a life of happiness here. His world, and his love, along with their child however were taken by the Marquis of Harvest, for his breaking of his word, and he lost them forever. Lost is vengeance he called out to any that would aid him, and… something answered. The book is unclear what answered, but it taught him well. He made war upon all of the fey of the woods, crafted cold-iron weapons to kill them, and learned to animate their dead in a fight with them. After years he was finally defeated, and in his hubris, he attempted to turn himself into a entity powerful enough to rescue his lost love and his child. It failed…

The book has the Spell Detect Crossroads in it as a ritual:

DETECT CROSSROADS – 2nd Level
Divination
Casting Time: 1 action or 10 minutes by Ritual
Components: V, S, M (50 gold worth of incense, which is burned during the casting)
Duration: Concentration up to 10 minutes/level (D)
Classes: Wizard, Warlock, Cleric, Druid, Bard
Range: 60 ft. or 1 mile
Area: Quarter circle emanating from you to the extreme
of the range
You can see crossroads to another plane within 60 feet, if your visibility isn’t blocked. A crossroads appears to you as based on the plane in question. You recognize the crossroads for what it is, and won’t be fooled by a false or illusory one. Detect crossroads gives you no information on where the backroad leads, including the plane it leads to and a short vision of what may be on the other side. This spell does not open the portal, or provide any information regarding opening it, but simply shows a weakening in the planes and a possible entrance.

The Forgeborn Axe

This axe is a steel metal hand axe with an old oaken wood portion of the handle. The Axe head itself is plane, except runes that have been placed into the head of it as follows: Forgeborn Cclan.

+1/+1 Hand Axe (1d6 Slashing Damage, Light, Ranged (20/60), Thrown
Requires Attunement
• While attuned the Forgeborn Axe grants the wielder an additional 5 feet of movement during the Movement section, and if a Dash action is taken.


Thunderdance


This long elegant blade is of clearly elven manufacture. The handle is a basket hilt that looks like wind and air that was frozen in metal. The blade itself is long and whiplike point at the end. When drawn from the scabbard it makes a soft sound like that of thunder in the distance.

+1/+1 Rapier 1d8 Piercing Damage, Finesse
• When drawn the character has Disadvantage on all Stealth checks due to the noise created by Thunderdance.
• The Wielder gains a +1 to Hit or increase in the Spell Save by 1 of any spells that do Thunder damage while wielding this spell after the first turn it is drawn.

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cpthero2
Great Reader

USA
2285 Posts

Posted - 23 Oct 2020 :  22:25:10  Show Profile  Visit cpthero2's Homepage Send cpthero2 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Acolyte Prodigalson,

I love that Detect Crossroads spell. Very cool! I use a lot of ritual and runic magics in my campaigns, so that is a goody for sure. Thanks!

Best regards,




Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring
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Prodigalson
Acolyte

USA
11 Posts

Posted - 27 Oct 2020 :  20:24:27  Show Profile Send Prodigalson a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thanks cpthero2! I love the idea of ritual magic in D&D in 5th edition. I now have both a wizard and a warlock with Pact of the Tome so I want to give them lots of weird little spells. They also have encountered at least so far, a weakness between the Shadowfell and our world (in the crypts where the Nothic lived).

So, the players snuck into Cragmaw Castle with a clever use of Pass Without a Trace (clever little bastards) and kicked in the door to the hobgoblins, killed them, then burst into King Grul's room. Because my players had increased to 7 players I drastically increased the encounter here. I made King Grul a Bugbear Chief, gave him two Ogre bodyguards, and because I plan on integrating the mini-modules from Lost Tales of Myth Drannor (modified for Neverwinter woods) I included some Vat Goblins creatued by Gorig from that adventure (more on that later). In addition, the players had bypassed all of the goblins and front door guardians, but the last hobgoblin had time to issue a yell for aid, so they were alterted. I figured out the the following as psudo lair actions
Round 1 - Nothing Happens
Round 2 - [I had hooked up a large bluetooth speaker to my phone in another room, and had a huge war horn sound from the depths) Players flipped out. Need trick for anyone that wants to use it. Use one device to play standard fight music, and other out of the way for sound effects.
Round 3 and each round onward - 1 hobgoblin and 4 goblins appear. They act the next turn, but show up this round.

The combat was furious and deadly, but in the end, the players prevailed, although they are all seriously injured. I was proud of them being 3rd level and getting through it. The doppleganger was shape changed into a regular elf, and cowered near Gundran. The players urged her to help (she lied about being a captured elf). She grabbed a sword and moved to help, then the next turn when the hobgoblin and goblins showed up, ran past them and changed into a hobgoblin and escaped the castle alive. The only survivor.

We finished the game with the players figuring out what they want to do. The hobgoblin patrol I decided will return in 4 hours of time with their raiding party (again, more then is in the book). I made a flow chart for the next game depending on what they do now.
Options for players
1. Stay and explore the castle then sleep there (they are 25 minutes in) in around 3 and ½ hours the hobgoblins show up. The hobgoblins send in a few goblins to explore and see what is happening. They do not attack, and run if seen. If the players are asleep, depending on what is happening, they may open the doors and allow the owlbear out to terrorize them. Then come in and attack.
2. They stay and explore, then leave the castle. The hobgoblins get there and spend an hour checking it out (so five hours in) they will then attempt to give chase. Unless the players announce that they are doing something to hide their tracks, they track them.
a. The players just run to town. If this happens, then they are attacked by a Warg pack on the way there, but the hobgoblins do not catch them. They give up, and go back and reinforce and swear vengeance.
b. If the players camp,then the player awake may here the warg pack howl. They can then
i. Prepare for attack Wargs, hobgoblins and goblins, perhaos find defensive terrain
ii. Run for it, in which case they need skill challenges
1. 3 Skill challenges for how they are trying to lose the enemy, and how are they moving faster then 25 (gnome) speed.
A survival check to lose them is a 13
Anything else may have different numbers
They must make 2/3 roles or they fail and they are caught(and have to fight).

I had a small little goblin without working legs that acted as Grul's scribe (as Grul could not read). He had letters in goblin for the players from various NPC. One was from Gorig for that Weirding Vats module later, and the other was from a NPC that I put in for fun named Grishnak, who is the true goblin king of the Crags. I printed them on cool looking fonts and included them for my players.

I am currently having to upgrade Wave Echo Chamber so that it is a threat to the players, and increase the magic items in it for them as well.
Nezznar will be a Thulthantar shade agent who I have not figured out stat wise. Instead of spiders, he will have 4 shadows with him. The bugbears stay the same, as does the dopplegangers.
Mormesk is getting an upgrade to a full Wraith (CR 5) for the players. I may have to give him some legendary actions as 7 players is a lot. Maybe some specters.
Finally, I am going to do some serious work to the ghouls. Instead of some random ghouls and skeletons, they will all be ghouls, and the ghouls have been treating the mines as their home for hundreds of years. I am going to again use a NPC and monsters from the 1st edition Lords of Darkness by Ed Greenwood, and use Rugan Phimister. He is huge fat hungry ghast with more hit dice and slightly better statistics. In his background he was a hunting beast in the Abyss for awhile, so perhaps a abyssal bred ghast or something. I am slowly working through that entire 1st edition book of NPC's by the end of this campaign. When they find him he will be sitting at a grand banquet table eating one of the bugbears that came in, and I am going to have a put with some other things that he will eat. One of the reasons this area was never found is that the ghouls that live here dragged them off in the night and no one ever returned. It is going to end up being something like 20 ghouls by the end of the encounter, with traps leading to the room, and perhaps put in some portculises to break the players up. I think really working up the horror element of the flesh eating should weird and freak the players out. I may design some lair/legendary actions for him as well. The players are now 4th level and really doing well.

Lastly, I need to write up some more books for Mormesk. First, he will have his research notes on the Hybrid Mythallar that is located in the Wave Echo Chamber, and that is running the forge of spells. Lastly, the map that you are supposed to find. He had access to some of the netheril books that were left here thousands of years ago (one of the enchantments over the entire complex is that writing does not age). It details a path through the ancient realm of Haugandannar under the sword mountains toward waterdeep. If opened the goods from here could cut days or a week off of travel and go through the uppderdark. If the players choose to explore that I will flatten the Forge of Fury and run it sideways as a serious of level through the upperdark.

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cpthero2
Great Reader

USA
2285 Posts

Posted - 28 Oct 2020 :  05:22:00  Show Profile  Visit cpthero2's Homepage Send cpthero2 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Acolyte Prodigalson,

I love your recount here. You should really consider posting your adventure based information and accounts in the "Adventuring" tome! I enjoyed reading this, and I am sure others would as well!

Best regards,



Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring
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