Kulan: Knightfall's Heroes of Carnell Game [OOC]

[ScottDeWar_jr]

Ok, I am caught up on this thread, for now. It is late and my left hand is hurting bad. There is a thunderstorm near-by, I think.

 

[Knightfall]

I'm not sure if Angus was present or not; I seem to have gotten mixed up as to who was where. If Angus hears the dragon conversation, he would interject with the following:

I would say that Angus is still outside the inn near both Aureus and Phar (who I assumed would be standing just outside the inn's door). Caerth and Quinn are in the common room sitting next to Mazz. The door to the inn is currently open, so Angus, Aureus, and Phar can see and hear Caerth talking to Mazz, so your IC response is fine.

Aries and Maur on the third floor of the inn in an open-aired (wild) garden. Aries is using it to pray for his spells and @Neurotic is planning to have Maur use it for communing with Moradin after the Soldier of Iron is done. There conversation is away from the other PCs.

 

[Knightfall]

P.S. Angus is willing to wait. He realizes that the trading needs to be done at the headquarters, not with Aries himself.

I thought maybe that was the case, but I wanted to be clear.

 

[Knightfall]

I figured Angus would know about dragons and their alignments in general, and therefore his remarks make perfect sense. These dragons, specifically, can be of a different alignment, and not knowing too much about them, Caerth is still hesitant to approach any of them.

Even True Neutral dragons can be opposed to our goals and/or hostile towards us. An audience with a metallic dragon is often safer, but then again, these are dragons. Nothing is certain.

When it comes to Harqualian true dragons, that is so true. And a metallic dragon that follows the Tenets is just as likely to be NE as a similar chromatic dragon is to be NG. However, dragons that are strongly lawful (per the RAW) tend to be LN more often that NG. The same is true for chaotic dragons within the RAW, so they are usually CN. This is true for the gem dragons as well (although they are rare).

I have a chart somewhere with alignment tendencies for the various true dragons. I'll look through my files and see if I can find it, if you want to see it?

While Majestic Dragons are always True Neutral, there is no rule that says that one of the Majestics can't fall from grace to become a rogue dragon. Caerth hasn't heard of such a dragon, however.

Spoiler: For JustinCase Only

I forgot to mention (or did I?) in my spoiler for you that there is an order of knights known as the Knights Majestic that answers only to the Majestic Dragons. They oppose (and sometimes even hunt) true dragons that have gone rogue and cast aside the Tenets. More often, they hunt down dangerous dragons that aren't true dragons and considered to exist outside the Balance. This can include wyverns that are more vicious than normal or unintelligent crossbreeds. They consider dracoliches (and other undead dragons) to be blights upon the land that must be destroyed. Their hated rivals in the world are the Cult of the Dragon.

Note that there are dragonborn in my world, and they don't have to be partially neutral. However, many of them are and they are accepted in the Knights Majestic just like humans and other humanoids.

As a player, I really should be more careful about making broad statements, in a world so heavily-customized as Kulan. I am used to DMs who customize small things, such as implementing house rules, and creating groups and organizations; I am not used to playing under a DM who changes staple concepts, such as chromatic vs. metallic dragons, LOL But I should know better by now, since I have been playing with Rob for like 7 years now, ha ha ha. At any rate, I plan to be more careful in the future. Loose lips sink ships.

And Kulan has existed as campaign world since the mid-90s, so it is very well defined in my mind. As a DM, I have tried to learn to not let everything I've created get in the way of player ideas but there a few things set in stone for the world, especially Harqual.

Dragons have different alignments, there is a unique calendar for Harqual (but I don't usually reference it too much), and there aren't any native drow on Kulan. (They did invade Kulan's Underearth at one point but were defeated (primarily) by the duergar and morlocks. Then the morlocks turned on the duergar (and their other allies) and kicked the gray dwarves out of the deepest parts of Kulan's underdark.)

For Kulan's cosmology, there isn't an Astral Plane or a Plane of Shadow. They are combined into one plane that is called the Shadowstar Sea. It is also where positive and negative energy comes from. However, the standard spells still work as normal except for where a character ends up if they planewalk.

Before starting up the Crisis in Bluffside game, the only campaigns I've ever run for Kulan have been set on Harqual. My original AD&D 2E Companions of Harqual game was in the 90s (although we didn't call it that), and I ran an in-person SCAP campaign in the 2000s. That was the last game I've run with players around a physical table.

Since then, it's been you guys. Heh.

At some point, I'll probably want to start up another game set on one of my other worlds -- Time of Ages, most likely. Now is not the right time, however. My sister and I are still dealing with my dad's sudden death last year. We just set a date for his funeral service in July. Plus, I'm turning 50 this year and my mom is turning 80, both in July, so there is a lot on my mind right now.

Once on the other side, I might put together that Time of Ages game or maybe run another game set on Almagra (not as likely).

 

[Knightfall]

I'm planning to write up my reply later on today, but I need a nap first.

EDIT: Nap didn't go well (too noisy outside) and now it's past midnight and I don't want to write my post while both mentally tired and emotionally amped up from the Oilers winning in game 7.

 

[JustinCase]

When it comes to Harqualian true dragons, that is so true. And a metallic dragon that follows the Tenets is just as likely to be NE as a similar chromatic dragon is to be NG. However, dragons that are strongly lawful (per the RAW) tend to be LN more often that NG. The same is true for chaotic dragons within the RAW, so they are usually CN. This is true for the gem dragons as well (although they are rare).

I have a chart somewhere with alignment tendencies for the various true dragons. I'll look through my files and see if I can find it, if you want to see it?

While Majestic Dragons are always True Neutral, there is no rule that says that one of the Majestics can't fall from grace to become a rogue dragon. Caerth hasn't heard of such a dragon, however.

I like alignments a bit loose, not restricting PCs or NPCs but more speaking to general tendencies. That's why Caerth is so hesitant to reach out to a dragon, of whatever colour or alignment; a LG bully is still a bully. (Edit: Wait, I'm not sure I see how a bully would be LG... but my point stands. )

Regarding that chart: I think it's fine to just let it play out IC. If the general personality traits are somewhat as expected, I'm not too worried about alignments.

That was the last game I've run with players around a physical table.

Since then, it's been you guys. Heh.

Do you miss playing IRL? I know I love having friends around the table rolling actual dice, not to mention the OOC banter.

At some point, I'll probably want to start up another game set on one of my other worlds -- Time of Ages, most likely.

You know that if/when you do, I'm game.

 

[Knightfall]

New post added.

 

[Knightfall]

BTW, when this game was originally conceived, I had meant to set it in 757 N.C., but for my own sanity, I've decided to move it to the current year in my world's timeline, 759 N.C. It was getting too hard trying to remember that the game was supposed to be set two years prior to the world's current year.

The failed Shackled City Legacy game was meant to be set in 758 N.C.

Note that my old SCAP/Order of the Silver Hand campaign was set during 750-751 N.C.

My old AD&D 2E Companions game started in 748 N.C. and ended at the beginning of the Year of the Return in 749 N.C. (The Year of the Return was how I transitioned from 2E to 3E.)

 

[Knightfall]

New posts added.

 

[Knightfall]

I like alignments a bit loose, not restricting PCs or NPCs but more speaking to general tendencies. That's why Caerth is so hesitant to reach out to a dragon, of whatever colour or alignment; a LG bully is still a bully. (Edit: Wait, I'm not sure I see how a bully would be LG... but my point stands. )

Regarding that chart: I think it's fine to just let it play out IC. If the general personality traits are somewhat as expected, I'm not too worried about alignments.

A dragon's personality traits are still determined by what is listed for them in the MM, usually. I might still post the chart in the Lands of Harqual thread. I'm fair certain I haven't posted it anywhere yet. Hmm, or did I?

Do you miss playing IRL? I know I love having friends around the table rolling actual dice, not to mention the OOC banter.

I do but not as much as I thought I would. Prepping as a DM for an IRL game is a lot more stressful. It's easier on my brain to run pbp games. I tend to overprepare for in-person sessions.

I would probably prefer to be a player for a IRL game.

You know that if/when you do, I'm game.