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Dungeon of the Mad Mage and the "Withered Heart (spoilers)
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<blockquote data-quote="Scott Thorne" data-source="post: 7530936" data-attributes="member: 6872591"><p>In my game, I am using the "withered heart" as a plot device, not a magic item. I am treating it like a reliquary where the necromancer's spirit resides after his body was destroyed; it is pure spirit now and cannot reconstruct a body like a lich. I removed the side effect of instant death and, by attuning to it, you can telepathy communicate with the spirit trapped within; no need for "Speak with Dead."</p><p></p><p>The Arcane Brotherhood desperately wants to recover the withered heart so they can receive a de-briefing from the spirit of their agent that successfully infiltrated Dweomercore before he was killed by Halaster; though they do not know yet <em>how </em>he died. One of the PCs wants to join the Arcane Brotherhood so, to earn their favor and willingness to accept him as a recruit, is attempting to recover the heart.</p><p></p><p>The Lords' Alliance has learned of this and recruited its own agent, a different PC, to recover the heart. They have received (and divined) ominous warnings of a mysterious arcane project being developed within Dweomercore that somehow involves the long-dead mad mage and believe that it is a credible and significant to the City of Waterdeep.</p><p></p><p>Note that only one PC, if any, will be able to complete their mission.</p><p></p><p>I feel that there are lots of little details within the adventure that can be expanded upon by a creative DM to become more meaningful but, as-written, are just "fluff." Seems like an opportunity for someone to create material for the <a href="https://www.dmsguild.com/" target="_blank">DMsGuild</a> . . .</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Scott Thorne, post: 7530936, member: 6872591"] In my game, I am using the "withered heart" as a plot device, not a magic item. I am treating it like a reliquary where the necromancer's spirit resides after his body was destroyed; it is pure spirit now and cannot reconstruct a body like a lich. I removed the side effect of instant death and, by attuning to it, you can telepathy communicate with the spirit trapped within; no need for "Speak with Dead." The Arcane Brotherhood desperately wants to recover the withered heart so they can receive a de-briefing from the spirit of their agent that successfully infiltrated Dweomercore before he was killed by Halaster; though they do not know yet [I]how [/I]he died. One of the PCs wants to join the Arcane Brotherhood so, to earn their favor and willingness to accept him as a recruit, is attempting to recover the heart. The Lords' Alliance has learned of this and recruited its own agent, a different PC, to recover the heart. They have received (and divined) ominous warnings of a mysterious arcane project being developed within Dweomercore that somehow involves the long-dead mad mage and believe that it is a credible and significant to the City of Waterdeep. Note that only one PC, if any, will be able to complete their mission. I feel that there are lots of little details within the adventure that can be expanded upon by a creative DM to become more meaningful but, as-written, are just "fluff." Seems like an opportunity for someone to create material for the [URL="https://www.dmsguild.com/"]DMsGuild[/URL] . . . [/QUOTE]
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