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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1419 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 04:47:39
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Hey folks,
I want to run BALDUR'S GATE: DESCENT INTO AVERNUS but I always love heavily modifying the adventures so PCs are completely dumbfounded by what actually happens. I really like the idea of a Forgotten Realms city getting sucked into Hell and am thinking about angles to explore to make it more story focused and tying it into preexistng lore.
This is a thread of spitballing. Basically, throwing whatever ideas that might be interesting to do within the game and I don't hesitate to completely upend the game. My players are huge lore junkies and love this sort of thing.
Here's some things I've already pondered:
1. Adding Aribeth: I'm a huge fan of Aribeth from Neverwinter Nights and am not a big fan of Aribeth becoming the hellish demon rider that she is in the new books. So, I was thinking that she might actually be someone the players could redeem and if they can't redeem Zariel then Aribeth can take up the sword and take Zariel's place.
2. Switching Ellturel with Baldur's Gate: If you're going to send a city to Hell that the player characters care about. Why not send Baldur's Gate itself? If the player characters fail to save Baldur's Gate, that's permanently altering the Forgotten Realms but only in my campaign world and the goal IS to save the city. Go big or go home.
3. Give a reason that all of Baldur's Gate isn't dead in the Nine Hells: Just to avoid TOO bleak of an ending, I have the idea that Baldur's Gate's citizens are actually fine in the Nine Hells (to an extent) with the city protected by Zariel. This is all an enormous con job by her that gets the citizens to "pray to the Shining Lady." Because, really, that has got to be the greatest sales pitch ever made.
She's planning to make herself a goddess or something by saying she's going to save the city (and maybe she will--but more likely mass harvest the souls after they're all pledged to her).
4. Garguath as a possible ally: Maybe Garaguth actually offers the PCs a deal and an unbreakable oath ("I swear by Asmodeus Lord of Contracts--") that he actually wants to help the PCs kill Zariel and return Baldur's Gate because, well, he hates angels and because he wants her position. Being Lord of the Tenth sucks after all.
5. Ditch Lulu: I know, I know, but....yeah.
6. Siege of Dragonspear: Maybe instead of Aribeth, the PCs befriend Calear Argent who is instead the corrupted paladin turned demon rider.
I'd love to hear any ideas anyone has.
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Charles Phipps on 16 Mar 2022 04:47:58
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6643 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 10:29:12
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Perhaps you might want to modify it to reflect the actual deadliness of Avernus.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 14:16:49
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Just some points here from an outsider (I am not well read on 4e/5e events and I haven't read this particular adventure):
1. Leave it in Elturel. All anyone hears about is Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter, and Waterdeep. I guess there are no other cities in the Realms. Leave it in Elturel to give another city a "turn in the spotlight".
2. Elturel may have been specifically selected and this plan was much longer in motion than the adventure indicates. Maybe someone infernal was offended that Elturel called their forces "Hell Riders".
3. It could also be that this was just a test of the process to being a Faerunian city to Hell as part of a larger plan to bring several to Hell.
a. Elturel was just the right size for the test.
b. Given the population of paladins in the city, it would also be a good test to see how much difficulty there would be to subjugate the city once it gets to Hell.
c. While Elturel is not a world leader, city-wise, it IS he capitol of a nation and that would certainly cause a nice amount of chaos in the area.
d. Look at what the likely response would be Elturel vs Baldur's Gate. Elturel being taken is going to spur a response from someone but it wouldn't be anywhere as large as it would be if Baldur's Gate is taken (backwater burg vs major city).
Specifically for point 3, if this is a plan to bring multiple cities into Hell, the adventure could lead into a city-hopping set of adventures as the players go from city to city to interfere/stop the plans for other cities. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1419 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 14:27:37
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quote:
Perhaps you might want to modify it to reflect the actual deadliness of Avernus.
Well going into hell and dying is kind of the opposite of a more plot-based story-heavy game even if it's perhaps more realistic. |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Eldacar
Senior Scribe
438 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 23:22:33
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quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
3. It could also be that this was just a test of the process to being a Faerunian city to Hell as part of a larger plan to bring several to Hell.
Generally speaking, and without looking too far into the rest of the topic, Elturel was a “test” in the sense that the adventure does have the PCs stopping the person responsible for Elturel (Kreeg) repeating it in Baldur’s Gate, and then going to Avernus to fix Elturel. So there is definitely a “first part, second part” there. Elturel wasn’t a test in that Zariel did very definitely have a grudge/score to settle with the city, which is partially also why it was targeted first. It was certainly the first on the list though, with more to come.
To the main topic, changing it to Baldur’s Gate falling would necessitate the largest amount of change to the first several chapters, which in the adventure as written are about finding the Dead Three, unearthing Hell-contractors in Baldur’s Gate, learning about the Companion, and a range of other plot points. So you would likely need another city to set that part in for the most minimal changes. Or rip out and rewrite fairly large chunks of the start if that is your preference.. |
"The Wild Mages I have met exhibit a startling disregard for common sense, and are often meddling with powers far beyond their own control." ~Volo
"Not unlike a certain travelogue author with whom I am unfortunately acquainted." ~Elminster |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
888 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2022 : 18:28:26
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Besides ditching Lulu (good idea), I also recommend ditching Jander Sunstar. I like the adventure as a whole, but including Jander is a festering boil on an excellent character and the lore in which he is embedded.
I would also tone down the demon lords. Keep the demons actively fighting the Blood War in Avernus.
One more detail: In your campaign, is Tiamat loose on the Prime Material Plane or is she still restricted to Avernus? If Zariel is vying for godhood, she will have a more immediate threat than Asmodeus. |
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Modifying Descent into Avernus
