D&D 4E An Alternate Story for Changing FR to 4E

[Nine Hands]

Surprisingly the coming of 4th edition couldn't come at a better time for me. I've been running a campaign for a while (since before I heard 4th was coming out) and I've been doing some major worl-devistating things.
My campaign is based in the FR univerce, well because its my favorite, and a whole lot of upheval and other such chaos has been running amok as the PCs have been fighting the sinister plots of various gods who want to rise in power.
Ultimately in the end, there would be no way for the 3.whatever system to survive in my little storyline of events, so ultimately I can easily change whats going on in my little campaign to co-inside with the coming of 4th edition, with NO arbitrary "Role up new dudes for the new system" needed, my own background is in place...
Almost like I saw it coming

Actually I am in the same spot, the characters have a chance to save the world or see it all ruined if they fail. Heck even if they succeed, things won't ever be the same

 

[hopeless]

Wow!

I liked that first story simply because its sounds viable, but then there's the matter of the Tymora, Helm and Tyr situation which has caused so much ire.

There are other threads where they try to give Helm a more appropriate end but I personally can't see any reason why Ao wouldn't restore Helm in those cases s he is serving his portfolio which is why I think they came up with that dumb love triangle.

Personally I would have gone for;
Tharizdun manages to destablise his prison, Cyric long unstable has actually been turned into Tharizdun's puppet explaining why he destroys the dweomerheart which causes a deadly backlash creating the spell plague however this is merely a cover for when the actual destruction occurred it released the devils and demons whom fall under Tharizdun's control as he uses them to destroy all of reality in an effort to free itself.
Helm has disappeared along with the rest of his loyal followers the reason why is only revealed as the host of Thrarizdun's minions pur into the realms as the defenders fall no matter how powerful they were nothing can stand up to this onslaught.
However unseen figures help evacuate survivors and these travel to an undisclosed world.

Eventually only one world remains open and this world now home to the numerious refugees whom have been led here by the gathered forces loyal to Helm preparing for one final battle.
Sending the refugees into hiding the remaining forces make their final stand and although victorious Helm is slain and very few of his followers survive this final battle earning the title of "Chosen of Helm" in honour of their sacrifice.

This world was created for the purpose of meetings between the gods and their pantheons and it was here Tymora, Tyr and Helm had their last meeting and due to evidence of manipulation in Sune's arranged marriage Helm warned Tyr who ignored the warning but Ao approached Helm explaining of a great threat and the only way to resolve the issue was to draw the enemy out.
This done Ao summoned his fellow hierachy to defeat Tharizdun's forces and reset the various worlds to accomodate the great change however Helm remained dead and evil forces spread the rumour that Tyr had slain Helm and that an arranged marriage to help stop up the loss of the faith's image has kept this idea from being disproved.

And as for those that survived the actual battle and the refugees?

Believing their former worlds destroyed they remained there developing a new home, but old rivalries reared their heads as first the dwarves built their homes under the mountains and began to isolate themselves trying to recover there lost past, the elves did pretty much the same except they chose the depths of the great woods for their home.

The halflings became farmers and built communities seeking a stable home to recover from the horrors of the past, humanity built their homes on the coast and ventured on the waters exploring their new home as they all began to forget their past leaving the truth in the hands of a dwindling chosen many of whom never recovered from the wounds and losses from the war to actually care.

The tieflings the result of the demon and devil depradations during the war became more widespread but only the chosen knew the real reason why but they were unaware that their home realm now restored along with all the others would never know their source.

Even though Tharizdun was once more imprisoned his puppet Cyric was similarly interned officially believed a 1000 years but only Ao knew that Cyric was still Tharizdun's puppet and would NEVER return as anything else.

However Tharizdun's forces had been unchained too long, the demons once similar to the devils in origin had been altered so much that they had become like the elementals themselves in truth the elementals had been just as effected as everyone else and thanks to the slaad the demonic change was in truth irreversible.
The devils however had gained even greater power, one of their number was now a god the others close enough to make them a pantheon in their own right but such creatures jealousy guard their power and made war securing followers amoung the mortals where before their numbers were few the follies of those whom hunger for power swelled their ranks as knowledge of the past war was either erased from the other worlds or forgotten on the one world that made the difference.

And thus it truly became a case of Points of Light in the darkness for the war had only beckoned the inevitable end and all that stands before everyone and that bitter realisation are the only hope of the next generation... perhaps YOU

God help us all!

 

[see]

The Faerunian Pantheon has too few gods, who are way too active.

Seriously, the game mechanical purpose of having a god is to have clerics. There's no real problem except that the players and GMs have more choices of types -- unless you have them doing stupid stuff like the Avatar Trilogy, Prince of Lies, Crucible, the Demonweb Pits thing, etc., etc., et-bloody-cetera.

So here's my alternate Realms:

Ao announces, "You know, I thought you idiots would have gotten the message back with the Time of Troubles. Apparently you didn't. Okay, I'm now rendering all of you unable to either leave your home plane or manifest avatars. No imparting Chosen with divine power anymore, either."

"Now, Mystra, I'm taking the power of your Chosen and some more directly from you and making six mortals into demigods of magical schools. Yes, Cyric, this means you lose illusion. Shar, nice try, but you lose the Shadow Weave. My cosmos, my rules. This'll rework how magic operates, but I don't care."

"Now we're going to do some pantheon mergers, first the Mulhorandi. Anhur, Geb, Hathor, Osiris, Thoth, we have no jobs for you. Horus-Re is the new god of the sun. Isis, you're goddess of rivers now. Nephthys, report to Helm or Kelemvor about guarding graveyards and burial goods. Sebek, you get swamps and all kinds of swamp reptiles everywhere, no need to thank me. Set, you're the desert and snakes."

"No, we're not keeping racial pantheons, either; too much duplication. Lolth, spiders and drow. Ghaunadaur, you're fine. Elistraee, you're demigoddess of swordwork and, oh, joy in battle now. Abbathor, we can use a god of greed. Berronar, Clangeddin, Dugmaren, Gorm, Haela, Marthammor, Vergadain, sorry, a bit short on positions. Berronar, we need a goddess of marriage and motherhood, you're it. Psionics need a goddess, Duerra. Dumathoin, you're everybody's god of mining now. Laduguer, patron of the duergar and crafter of magic weapons are open, so you get 'em. Moradin, you get patron of the dwarves and god of stonework. We don't have anybody doing heling and mercy, so you're in, Sharindlar. Thard Harr, you're the new god of jungles, keep up the wild-dwarf-patronage."

"Aerdrie -- avians, avariels. Corellon -- elves, or eladrin, or whatever; if you want a school of magic, sure. Deep Sashelas -- aquatic elves. Erevan, mischief. Fenmarel, scapegoats and isolation. Hanali Celanil, fine art and artistry. Labelas, time and longevity are fine. Rillifane, we've got enough woods gods, thank you. Sehanine, dreams are good, so are moon elves or eladrin or whatever. Solonor, we don't have an specific archery deity, of you want to be the demigod of that, fine."

"Baervan, you're the new god of illusion. Baravar, we have gods of forests and travel up the wazoo. A general god of the Underdark and of svirfneblin is fine, Callarduran; Shar won't like it, but I don't care. Flandal, mind being demigod of physical fitness and atheltics? If you want to stay, we'll cut into Lathander's portfolio a bit. Gnomes and gemcutting, sure, Garl. We have enough of your type already, Segojan. Urdlen, uncontrolled impulses and spriggans, okay. Yondalla, halflings, family, and and children, sure. Male orcs and strength for Gruumsh, servitude and female orcs for Luthic, and the rest of you are duplicates."

"Okay, now, any gods I dismissed? I'm setting up lares, penates, tutelary deities, muses, and other assorted minor quasigods. Want to be god of a specific skill, profession, geographic area, or whatever? Form a line to the right to apply. I'll take anyone who wants one. No constant belief necessary to exist, though number of worshippers still means power. Lots of available slots, I'll start out with a hundred or so."

"Okay, a few-super divine adjustments to to reflect the new divine order, and let's see if it runs any better this time. Otherwise I'm just gonna off all of you gods and let the Zahkaran pantheon take over." Hand of Ao waves . . . .

 

[Tharen the Damned]

Wholesale deicide GUUUUUD. Really, FR has too many useless gods. Also, uber-NPCicide would also be good. Elminister and the Seven Sisters must die. I'd say Drizz't too, as he gives all drow a bad name and inspires cheesy imitations, which are used to slander those who wish to play drow wizards as 'Drizz't fanboys'.

What?

Ok, give it a try:

Pulling down his breaches, Drizzt squatted down. Dozens of years with only trail rations, half cooked game and barely ripe fruits have left the Drow with a delicate stomach. And of late he felt that he wasn't 100 any more. Slowly the white skin of his face turned into a beautifl shade of crimson, perfectly matching the colour of his almond eyes. With a low moan he finished his business. His right arm reached for the low hanging branch of an old oak to rip of some leaves.
Suddenly the Tree became alive. Big saucer shaped green flecked eyes opened in the trunk of the oak. A gaping mouth opened:"You dare? You really dare to use the leaves of my hand for your...buramburumbum? I will teach you to treat me and all trees with respect!"
Almost to fast to see, one of the biggest branches of the tree swipes at the Dark Elf.
But Drizzt was faster. Gracefully he dived under the the attacking branch and came up in a warriors' crouch, reaching for his two scimitars.
Or tried to.
He had forgotten that his breaches still were down at his feet and that his swords were hanging at a nearby branch.
Instead of being armed in a defensive stance he half kneeled half lies ungracefully just before the enraged Tree.
Only one thing to do now. Drizzt reached for his belt, taking out the onyx statuette: "Guen...". But his summoning is cut short, as another branch tries to punch him.
His cat like and magically enhanced reflexes saved him again. With a lightning fast backwards flip, he jumps out of reach from the branch and came up in a warriors' crouch.
Or tried to.
A second time he had forgotten his breaches.
Stumbling backwards he put both of his hands behind him, to keep him from falling.
No good, he had also forgotten he still had the onyx statuette in his right hand.
Suddenly Drizzt felt an unbearable pain in his abdomen. It was as if red hot pokers were stabbed into his bowels. Balckness danced before his eyes.
With his last concscious thought he called out for the only freind who could save him now:"Guenhwyvar, come now!".

Some hours later the Catty Bree found the Drow. Or rather that what remained of Drizzt. And hiding in bushes a very embarressed looking black panther.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

... Meanwhile, Mystra's return brings back magic, but it still is not at full strength. Only then does Mystra realize that her actions, while saving the Weave as a whole, have changed it in subtle and unforeseeable ways (others will say that Ao has intervened on the Weave to maintain balance between the Weave and Shadow Weave). She examines it and then relates through her followers how to now tap into the Weave. In time, all mages return to full strength.

If FR had a story like that, I wouldn't buy it. I want Mystra dead. I don't want her to die and come back a third time. FR isn't a comic book setting.

Drizzt can live. Eilistraee is the real drow problem IMO.