Secrets of Xen'drik -- who has it?
- Thread starter Kunimatyu
- Start date
I picked up a copy of this and MMIV during lunch (who needs to eat when there are new books available!) I haven't read much yet, but one thing that can be laid to rest... the thought that the creature in Lake Dark within Karrnath that the Emerald Claw is trying to awaken is NOT the Tarrasque. The real location (very general) is given in the third paragraph of the introduction.
Vocenoctum
First Post
I've read it peripherally, so here's my first impressions.
What I expected: A location book giving details on XenDrik's history, culture and locations.
It delivers for the most part on cultures of various drow and giant types, not in depth but enough information to make using them useful.
It delivers in spades on locations. You get specific locations (such as City X and Ruins Y, featured on the map, then detailed in the text, including Stormreach and a few towns) and you get generic locations very evocative of XenDrik's flavor.
It falls flat on history though. Everything is scattered and rumors, and they generally stick to generalities and "mystery". That's more about my expectations than the book though.
What it delivers that I didn't expect, was adventures. It's got lots of adventure fragments, with a location and basic plot. Some of them can stack togethor into a minicampaign. Very interesting.
The Umbra-whatsit drow are mentioned, but you're refered to Dragon magazine. It also includes Shattered Lands stuff like the firedrow.
PrC's didn't do much for me, didn't read all the magic items or monsters yet.
I do like the noble/couatl Yuan Ti though, very nice idea.
Also, yeah, Warforged were made by Quori (in a construct way, more than a living construct way) and Docents were a method of trapping quori, or something of the sort. Cainnith looted XenDrik for the 'forged. The interesting thing is, since Dal Quor has rebooted since the invasion, the Dreaming Dark is not previously aware of the connection, but is also plumbing the depths of XenDrik for secrets of the war.
All in all, a great "kit book", very useful, though not the Xen Drik sourcebook I expected/wanted. Still worth the money.
And, MM4 is a good book too, don't let the haters spoil it for you!
What I expected: A location book giving details on XenDrik's history, culture and locations.
It delivers for the most part on cultures of various drow and giant types, not in depth but enough information to make using them useful.
It delivers in spades on locations. You get specific locations (such as City X and Ruins Y, featured on the map, then detailed in the text, including Stormreach and a few towns) and you get generic locations very evocative of XenDrik's flavor.
It falls flat on history though. Everything is scattered and rumors, and they generally stick to generalities and "mystery". That's more about my expectations than the book though.
What it delivers that I didn't expect, was adventures. It's got lots of adventure fragments, with a location and basic plot. Some of them can stack togethor into a minicampaign. Very interesting.
The Umbra-whatsit drow are mentioned, but you're refered to Dragon magazine. It also includes Shattered Lands stuff like the firedrow.
PrC's didn't do much for me, didn't read all the magic items or monsters yet.
I do like the noble/couatl Yuan Ti though, very nice idea.
Also, yeah, Warforged were made by Quori (in a construct way, more than a living construct way) and Docents were a method of trapping quori, or something of the sort. Cainnith looted XenDrik for the 'forged. The interesting thing is, since Dal Quor has rebooted since the invasion, the Dreaming Dark is not previously aware of the connection, but is also plumbing the depths of XenDrik for secrets of the war.
All in all, a great "kit book", very useful, though not the Xen Drik sourcebook I expected/wanted. Still worth the money.
And, MM4 is a good book too, don't let the haters spoil it for you!
Vocenoctum
First Post
Torpedo said:
The Adventure sites would be most useful probably, they're basically generic locations pre-done, a page and a half to two pages, including some site effects. The trap stuff is detailed also, they're basically trap-rooms and such, much more detailed then a simple "spear trap" or such. The Yuan Ti are not covered in lots of details, Wretchlings are failed experiments, CR1 humanoids with a poison bite. Dream Serpents are large snakes with a sleep gaze and a poison that causes wisdom damage and vidid hallucinatory dreams.
The rest is probably too Drow/Giant related or Eberron specific for your needs, but the Adventure Sites and Traps are both decent pagecounts.
Dark Psion
First Post
Yuan-Ti In Xen'Drik:
When the Yuan-Ti fled their native Sarlona and were later forced from Argonnessen, some fled to Xen'Drik to hide. Those here still seek to build an army to retake their homeland and are always trying to create new "Snake-like" servants and warriors of those they catch. The Wretched are the result of most of those experiments. They have also taken to following the Devourer, whom they see as a world devouring serpent. They consider the Dream Serpents to be divine aspects of the Devourer, so those hunting them best beware of Yuan-ti avengers hunting them.
The Shulassakar are the human followers of the Couatls. They were willingly transformed by their patrons to continue the fight against evil. Use the Yuan-ti stats, but have feathered plumage over their scales and are always Lawful Good. The Trancendent (use Yuan-Ti abominations stats) are the most righteous in the fight. It does not say, but I would give the Trancendent wings and maybe change the Aversion ability to Attraction. And if Keith Baker is reading, these guys really need a Dragon magazine article
One new weapon in the Serpent bow. It is shaped like a snake and has a blade at the tail. It allows it's wielder to switch between melee and ranged attacks during the same round.
When the Yuan-Ti fled their native Sarlona and were later forced from Argonnessen, some fled to Xen'Drik to hide. Those here still seek to build an army to retake their homeland and are always trying to create new "Snake-like" servants and warriors of those they catch. The Wretched are the result of most of those experiments. They have also taken to following the Devourer, whom they see as a world devouring serpent. They consider the Dream Serpents to be divine aspects of the Devourer, so those hunting them best beware of Yuan-ti avengers hunting them.
The Shulassakar are the human followers of the Couatls. They were willingly transformed by their patrons to continue the fight against evil. Use the Yuan-ti stats, but have feathered plumage over their scales and are always Lawful Good. The Trancendent (use Yuan-Ti abominations stats) are the most righteous in the fight. It does not say, but I would give the Trancendent wings and maybe change the Aversion ability to Attraction. And if Keith Baker is reading, these guys really need a Dragon magazine article
One new weapon in the Serpent bow. It is shaped like a snake and has a blade at the tail. It allows it's wielder to switch between melee and ranged attacks during the same round.
Pseudonym
Ivan Alias
Dark Psion
First Post
I must have missed that one, I'll put it in my "Will print if I ever get my printer and computer to talk to each other again" file.
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