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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LostSoul" data-source="post: 4422412" data-attributes="member: 386">I don't think I want to do that - I want to leave it open for things to arise in play.  I'm hoping to get all sorts of unexpected results from the PC's actions, and tie those into what happens next.In order to do this, I think I have to focus on Kalarel and what he wants.What does Kalarel want?Kalarel wants to make Sir Keegan suffer.  He can do this by making Sir Keegan's failure complete - by opening the Shadow Rift.[sblock=Kalarel's Backstory]Some time ago, a group of good and noble vowed to push back the darkness that has been growing ever since the fall of Ancient Nerath.  They wanted to restore Nerath's glory.[I think I'll say that the PCs belong to this organization, though over the years it's been corrupted into a simple mercenary company.]Sir Keegan was one of them; as a young knight, he was valourous and honourable.  He served well and made a name for himself.  His lords gave Sir Keegan the duty to watch over the Shadow Rift, to keep it from opening.But Sir Keegan was a proud man.  This duty was beneath him - he was a young knight, and glory on the field of battle was his calling, not watching over a keep like an old man waiting for the end.  Resentment grew in his heart, resentment fed by too much wine.Kobolds, goblins, and hobgoblins began to raid Winterhaven.  The drunken Sir Keegan was slow to act against the threat.  People died, their homes burned.  One of them was Kalarel.He saw his home destroyed, his wife and children killed, and he was sold as a slave to the Bloodreavers.  He vowed revenge against Sir Keegan.  To get that revenge, he needed power.  Power that Orcus was willing to provide.As a Scion of Orcus, Kelarel wrested control of the various humaniod tribes away from their chieftans.  Their mates and children were sacrificed to Orcus.  Kelarel raided the town, isolating Winterhaven from the Keep.  Many died, more were sacrificed.The people of Winterhaven turned their backs on Sir Keegan and the Keep: "They are in league with Orcus."  Why else would they leave Winterhaven to the steel mercy of Kalarel?With the power of sacrifice, Kalarel seeded the wine-addled mind of Sir Keegan with nightmares.  Night by night they grew worse, until Sir Keegan could take no more.  He slew his wife and children and finally himself on one bloody night.With their Lord dead, the garrison could not stand against the horde Kalarel had stiched together.  Shadowfell Keep burned.Using the dark power of the Shadow Rift, Kalarel tore Sir Keegan's soul from the Shadowfell and the Raven Queen.  He built a tomb to torment Sir Keegan, keeping him from his final rest.  But this ritual took a lot out of Kalarel, and for years he slumbered, gathering power.Now Kalarel has awoken.  He will open the Shadow Rift where he can send Sir Keegan directly to Orcus.  He will call forth the undead armies of Orcus and kill all the women and children in the Nentir Vale and sacrifice those who survive to Orcus, to suffer torment for eternity - torment as great as Kalarel's.[/sblock]What does Kalarel want with the PCs?He sees them as a threat - they hit him hard - and he wants to neutralize them.  Part of him also respects them - maybe if they had been the ones to protect Winterhaven instead of Sir Keegan, his life would have been different.  That respect makes him hate the PCs even more; he's got to break them, to reinforce his worldview, to prove to himself that those with power are just selfish bastards who only care about their own needs and don't give a rat's ass for those they have sworn to protect.Kalarel wants to curse them, to use them against their friends, to see them destroy what they care about in order to save themselves.  Keeping that in mind, I'll just play Kalarel as hard as I can.  It will be strange because I'm not getting any rolls in, but we'll see what happens in play.  Things might get crazy if the PCs are successful on their rolls - who knows what the situation will end up like?  That's what I want, that's why we use dice to resolve these things!(I am thinking of allowing the PCs to spend healing surges during the skill challenge to get a bonus to the roll - "I can take the pain!  You won't break me!"  This way I'm also asking the players to decide how much they want to put into the conflict.)</blockquote>

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