"Immortal Fortress" - WotC Drops Clues About The Upcoming Storyline?

With the new D&D storyline being announced soon in the Stream of Many Eyes, WotC has created a new Twitter account called "Immortal Fortress" in which it appears to be giving cryptic answers to questions.

It was announced via their main Twitter account:

"Forgive my usurpation of this information stream, but circumstances call for nothing less. I dare not cede control ere I’ve occasion to recount a brief but dire missive from the realms that time forgot.

The Sage of Shadowdale hath hid on Earth a stone, of power great and imminent import. Its guardian, an exile from my realm, was spirited to Earth with this in tow; To keep it safe and secret ere its prophesied return.

The hour of its need now soon at hand, this item and its wielder must be found; Sent, via portal, back from whence they came. At long last, well and truly homeward-bound.

The Sage of Shadowdale himself is otherwise engaged, and cast me as his proxy in this search. Unable, as I am, to sojourn there myself, this task falls to the denizens of Earth.

Should you be of a mind to render aid, direct your queries to mine own account. I’m called @Immortal4tress, my address: your internet; Elminster’s humble servant, and forever in your debt."

Heading over to the Immortal Fortress account, there is this message: "My thanks to one and all who had the courage to recite the words the Sage of Shadowdale hath writ. I know not when or how these clues will come, so each of us should keep the rest informed. To guarantee that no replies be missed be sure to tag your posts #NoStoneUnturned."

The Twitter account is headed by a black and white photograph of Bodiam Castle in East Sussex. That could be relevant, or it could just be a representative castle.

Image from Alternative Planting blog




​

 

[Demetrios1453]

Part of it already is a mini setting, with Skullport and the near Promenade of the Dark Maiden. It wouldn't be that much of a stretch to present the whole dungeon as some kind of setting

That's a hugely interesting idea. Basically, create several more factions/locales like Skullport and the Promenade, all working toward different (and potentially conflicting) goals, which our adventurers get caught up in. Certain areas will still be fully wild dungeon, of course, which will be places adventuring parties will need to go for various reasons. Combined with everything going on above in Waterdeep, much of which could interact with the Undermountain factions, this could potentially make for quite an intriguing adventure...

 

[Irennan]

That's a hugely interesting idea. Basically, create several more factions/locales like Skullport and the Promenade, all working toward different (and potentially conflicting) goals, which our adventurers get caught up in. Certain areas will still be fully wild dungeon, of course, which will be places adventuring parties will need to go for various reasons. Combined with everything going on above in Waterdeep, much of which could interact with the Undermountain factions, this could potentially make for quite an intriguing adventure...

Indeed. And WotC have been dropping hints about returning big figures during the last couple years, that could contribute to that kind of thing. Halaster, Khelben, they all could invest in those factions and back certain goals. Also, during the last year, Ed claimed that the Promenade has been stealthily reclaimed by the drow of Eilistraee, and that *A LOT* more was going on down there, but that he couldn't reveal anything more about that yet. I think that it points something more than just a mega-dungeon.

 

[Demetrios1453]

So, we know that WotC said they weren't looking into doing another 2-part adventure like the Tiamat series, but "Broadway" and "Catacomb" really do sound like a Waterdeep and Undermountain one-two punch. Yeah, this has been brought up before, and, fairly reasonably, been pooh-poohed as something that wouldn't be likely, but still...

Maybe "Broadway" is the adventure, and "Catacomb" is another "Tales from the Yawning Portal"-type book, detailing smaller adventures throughout parts of Undermountain (and perhaps Waterdeep) not covered in "Broadway"? Adventures that could be used in conjunction with, or independently of, the main adventure in "Broadway"? And they could definitely call it something like "More Tales from the Yawning Portal" and actually tie it into the eponymous tavern!

And... carrying this out even further in speculation, this would be an interesting way to showcase other regions/settings when they get around to them - a main book being a combination setting guide/adventure (like ToA was for Chult), and a second book with smaller adventures and filling out areas the first book couldn't cover...

 

[Irennan]

I would really enjoy that. It would provide more room to explore the many adventure hooks that the Waterdeep/Undermountain/Skullport combo offers.

 

[Irennan]

https://www.immortalfortress.com/

 

[Blackwarder]

A Waterdeep based adventure with a waterdeep setting info would be invaluable to me

 

[dwayne]

In the old dragon magazines where was articles written as if Elminster was talking to someone here on earth, he would visit him and tell him things. He even had other wizards with him Mordenkainen was one and I think even from mystia and dragonlance some came too.

 

[mach1.9pants]

In the old dragon magazines where was articles written as if Elminster was talking to someone here on earth, he would visit him and tell him things. He even had other wizards with him Mordenkainen was one and I think even from mystia and dragonlance some came too.

Yeah "Wizards Three" with Elminster, Dalamar and Mordenkainen - written by Mr E Greenwood

 

[Daern]

I think it will start in Waterdeep & Undermountain, then end up in Planescape.

 

[Herosmith14]

So, we know that WotC said they weren't looking into doing another 2-part adventure like the Tiamat series, but "Broadway" and "Catacomb" really do sound like a Waterdeep and Undermountain one-two punch. Yeah, this has been brought up before, and, fairly reasonably, been pooh-poohed as something that wouldn't be likely, but still...

Maybe "Broadway" is the adventure, and "Catacomb" is another "Tales from the Yawning Portal"-type book, detailing smaller adventures throughout parts of Undermountain (and perhaps Waterdeep) not covered in "Broadway"? Adventures that could be used in conjunction with, or independently of, the main adventure in "Broadway"? And they could definitely call it something like "More Tales from the Yawning Portal" and actually tie it into the eponymous tavern!

And... carrying this out even further in speculation, this would be an interesting way to showcase other regions/settings when they get around to them - a main book being a combination setting guide/adventure (like ToA was for Chult), and a second book with smaller adventures and filling out areas the first book couldn't cover...

That seems like a fun idea, and would certainly fix the "commit to publishing adventures" problem that's been going around for new settings, in combo with DMs Guild.