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Enhancing "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" (Practical stuff to try at your table!)
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<blockquote data-quote="vandaexpress" data-source="post: 6628378" data-attributes="member: 6790472"><p>One of the things that can really enhance this module, I think, is fleshing out some of the NPCs a bit more. Langderosa Cyanwrath is a memorable villain because he's so overwhelmingly powerful when the PCs first encounter him, but most of the other fights in the module aren't as lopsided and lack NPC characteristics to make the villains memorable without some work on the DM's part.</p><p></p><p>I think I might go ahead and post some stuff for each NPC that you can feel free to use to make them more memorable:</p><p></p><p>To start with, <strong>Captain Othelstan</strong> in Parnast is kind of a throwaway villain. If you look at his stats, there's nothing too impressive or interesting about him, and if the PCs have the banner and codeword to enter Skyreach without alerting anyone in town, it's possible they may not even encounter him (this is what occurred in my playthrough) unless you do a little more.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px">Othelstan Remixed</span></p><p></p><p>In my game, I decided to make Othelstan a real tactician and strategist. Unlike most of the cult leadership the party has faced up to this point, who were more zealots than anything else, Othelstan is a soldier. I decided to make him a former <a href="http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Purple_Dragon_knight" target="_blank">Purple Dragon Knight</a> from Cormyr who was turned from his oaths by his desire for retribution on members of the Obarskyr royal family after members of his own family, including his wife, were accused and executed for treason. </p><p></p><p>Othelstan believes the charges were falsified for political reasons and was cast out of the purple dragon knights when he refused to stop verbalizing his position. Following his exile, he was consumed by grief and recruited by <strong>Rezmir</strong>. He believes that the only way to humble the elite of his homeland is through a cataclysmic event such as the return of Tiamat. He (falsely) believes that a land cleansed by Tiamat's power is preferable to one ruled by the hypocrisy and dishonesty of politicians.</p><p></p><p>As a cultist, he is an especially gifted leader of men, thanks to his training with the Purple Dragon Knights. He is both organized and disciplined, and has used his talent for soothing animals to become one of the most gifted Wyvern riders along the sword coast. He doesn't draw undue attention to himself, but has quickly risen through the ranks of the cult on account of his no-nonsense results-oriented approach. His loyalty to the cult is fatalistic but not absolute - he has become somewhat disillusioned by the upper leadership of the cult, seeing the same squabbling and maneuvering he detested in Cormyr. </p><p></p><p>He longs to lead true soldiers again, not rank and file cultists. Ultimately, he is honorable, if misguided, and can be reasoned with by those he considers to be worthy adversaries. PCs who offer to do what they can to find justice for his family, or at least conduct a more thorough investigation have a chance of persuading him to abandon his loyalties to the cult, especially if they offer him some form of redemption as a leader of men in the council's forces during the final showdown at the Well of Dragons. He is very likely to capture the PCs as POWs rather than killing them outright and PCs may observe him rebuking a lower-ranking cultist for dishonorable behavior.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px">Roleplaying Othelstan</span></p><p></p><p><strong>Mannerisms:</strong> Paces when he's thinking, taciturn until the conversation turns to martial combat (especially mounts such as horses or wyverns), Tiamat, or nobility. </p><p></p><p><strong>Ideals:</strong> Retribution (against politicians he believed framed his family), Honor</p><p></p><p><strong>Interaction Traits:</strong> Honest, direct, and cautious.</p><p></p><p><strong>Bonds:</strong> Clutches a locket he wears around his neck (containing some of the ashes of his dead wife) whenever he speaks of Tiamat, Nobility, or his homeland. He views the locket as the only thing he has left of his family. Additionally he does not approve of cruelty towards animals and is protective of his wyvern mount, Vespara.</p><p></p><p>After observing Othelstan manifest a trait, bond, or ideal, PCs may be able to correctly identify it as such with a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check--Persuasion and Intimidation checks which leverage one of these are made with advantage.</p><p></p><p><strong>Potential Scorecard Impact</strong> - Recruiting Othelstan will lose the party one point of favor with Sir Isteval for welcoming a "dishonorable traitor" into their midst. However, it will gain the party a point of favor with Ontharr Frume and Ulder Ravengard, who keenly understand the value of skilled military leaders, as well as Remalia Haventree for providing the cult with a valuable source of cult tactics and intelligence.</p><p></p><p>----</p><p></p><p>I'm going to redo his statblock; I'll post it here when I have the chance.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="vandaexpress, post: 6628378, member: 6790472"] One of the things that can really enhance this module, I think, is fleshing out some of the NPCs a bit more. Langderosa Cyanwrath is a memorable villain because he's so overwhelmingly powerful when the PCs first encounter him, but most of the other fights in the module aren't as lopsided and lack NPC characteristics to make the villains memorable without some work on the DM's part. I think I might go ahead and post some stuff for each NPC that you can feel free to use to make them more memorable: To start with, [B]Captain Othelstan[/B] in Parnast is kind of a throwaway villain. If you look at his stats, there's nothing too impressive or interesting about him, and if the PCs have the banner and codeword to enter Skyreach without alerting anyone in town, it's possible they may not even encounter him (this is what occurred in my playthrough) unless you do a little more. [SIZE=5]Othelstan Remixed[/SIZE] In my game, I decided to make Othelstan a real tactician and strategist. Unlike most of the cult leadership the party has faced up to this point, who were more zealots than anything else, Othelstan is a soldier. I decided to make him a former [URL="http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Purple_Dragon_knight"]Purple Dragon Knight[/URL] from Cormyr who was turned from his oaths by his desire for retribution on members of the Obarskyr royal family after members of his own family, including his wife, were accused and executed for treason. Othelstan believes the charges were falsified for political reasons and was cast out of the purple dragon knights when he refused to stop verbalizing his position. Following his exile, he was consumed by grief and recruited by [B]Rezmir[/B]. He believes that the only way to humble the elite of his homeland is through a cataclysmic event such as the return of Tiamat. He (falsely) believes that a land cleansed by Tiamat's power is preferable to one ruled by the hypocrisy and dishonesty of politicians. As a cultist, he is an especially gifted leader of men, thanks to his training with the Purple Dragon Knights. He is both organized and disciplined, and has used his talent for soothing animals to become one of the most gifted Wyvern riders along the sword coast. He doesn't draw undue attention to himself, but has quickly risen through the ranks of the cult on account of his no-nonsense results-oriented approach. His loyalty to the cult is fatalistic but not absolute - he has become somewhat disillusioned by the upper leadership of the cult, seeing the same squabbling and maneuvering he detested in Cormyr. He longs to lead true soldiers again, not rank and file cultists. Ultimately, he is honorable, if misguided, and can be reasoned with by those he considers to be worthy adversaries. PCs who offer to do what they can to find justice for his family, or at least conduct a more thorough investigation have a chance of persuading him to abandon his loyalties to the cult, especially if they offer him some form of redemption as a leader of men in the council's forces during the final showdown at the Well of Dragons. He is very likely to capture the PCs as POWs rather than killing them outright and PCs may observe him rebuking a lower-ranking cultist for dishonorable behavior. [SIZE=4]Roleplaying Othelstan[/SIZE] [B]Mannerisms:[/B] Paces when he's thinking, taciturn until the conversation turns to martial combat (especially mounts such as horses or wyverns), Tiamat, or nobility. [B]Ideals:[/B] Retribution (against politicians he believed framed his family), Honor [B]Interaction Traits:[/B] Honest, direct, and cautious. [B]Bonds:[/B] Clutches a locket he wears around his neck (containing some of the ashes of his dead wife) whenever he speaks of Tiamat, Nobility, or his homeland. He views the locket as the only thing he has left of his family. Additionally he does not approve of cruelty towards animals and is protective of his wyvern mount, Vespara. After observing Othelstan manifest a trait, bond, or ideal, PCs may be able to correctly identify it as such with a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check--Persuasion and Intimidation checks which leverage one of these are made with advantage. [B]Potential Scorecard Impact[/B] - Recruiting Othelstan will lose the party one point of favor with Sir Isteval for welcoming a "dishonorable traitor" into their midst. However, it will gain the party a point of favor with Ontharr Frume and Ulder Ravengard, who keenly understand the value of skilled military leaders, as well as Remalia Haventree for providing the cult with a valuable source of cult tactics and intelligence. ---- I'm going to redo his statblock; I'll post it here when I have the chance. [/QUOTE]
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