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Troubleshooting slow narrative? (ToA, spoilers)
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7487856" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>Further thoughts on the Soulmonger’s crafting as a guideline for clues I can give players...</p><p></p><p>The Soulmonger is an enormous (20’ high, 10’ diameter) crystal cylinder resting on adamantine struts over a lava pit. It is a necromantic artifact created by Acererak with the aid of 3 Night hags who adapted the techniques for fabricating their “soul bags” on a greater scale. It absorbs souls. In ToA this is the souls of the dead, preventing them from attaining afterlife and from being resurrected. I’m also adding that it is also slowly affecting unborn souls, causing precipitous drops in fertility - this makes it not just a eschatalogical problem, it just a problem for nobles/adventurers who can afford resurrection, but a problem for everyone.</p><p></p><p>Based on its location underground and it’s vulnerability to radiant damage, it’s safe to say one of the clues might be “must be in a sunless place.” Additionally, since it’s hanging over a pool of lava, perhaps another clue is “must be near a great energy source.” A vague clue, but one that might make sense in combo with other clues. Finally, since Omu is a dead city (Acererak killed everyone, more or less), another clue may be “must be near where many died.” This clue *could* lead PCs erroneously to Valley of Lost Honor (where Ras Nsi massacred Eshowe tribe), but that is pretty close to Omu geographically, so not too much of a red herring.</p><p></p><p>Reading the night hag’s description, it says “soul bags” must be crafted from skin of a living creature. So...what if a crystalline creature was “skinned” to make the Soulmonger? That’s an interesting idea, but what monsters fit that bill? Well, there are Geonids in the Snout of Omgar (acc. to The Tortle Package). And there is/was a topaz dragon off the SW coast of Chult, acc. to some 3e book (Draconomicon probably). Flail snail might fit, but looking at its artwork that might be a stretch to go from iridescent shell to crystal. Will have to think on this one more...</p><p></p><p>Adamantine might have some property - ultra-hardness? - making it uniquely suited to supporting the Soulmonger. This clue could learn PCs to investigate the adamantine mine Hrakhamar. Dwarves can report their parents had been enslaved by Omuan queens, and dwarves can give general idea of Omu’s location. Because Hrakhamar connects to Wyrmheart Mine (red dragon Tzindelor’s lair), PCs could also parlay with red dragon for info about Omu’s precise location (which dragon has seen flying overhead).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 7487856, member: 20323"] Further thoughts on the Soulmonger’s crafting as a guideline for clues I can give players... The Soulmonger is an enormous (20’ high, 10’ diameter) crystal cylinder resting on adamantine struts over a lava pit. It is a necromantic artifact created by Acererak with the aid of 3 Night hags who adapted the techniques for fabricating their “soul bags” on a greater scale. It absorbs souls. In ToA this is the souls of the dead, preventing them from attaining afterlife and from being resurrected. I’m also adding that it is also slowly affecting unborn souls, causing precipitous drops in fertility - this makes it not just a eschatalogical problem, it just a problem for nobles/adventurers who can afford resurrection, but a problem for everyone. Based on its location underground and it’s vulnerability to radiant damage, it’s safe to say one of the clues might be “must be in a sunless place.” Additionally, since it’s hanging over a pool of lava, perhaps another clue is “must be near a great energy source.” A vague clue, but one that might make sense in combo with other clues. Finally, since Omu is a dead city (Acererak killed everyone, more or less), another clue may be “must be near where many died.” This clue *could* lead PCs erroneously to Valley of Lost Honor (where Ras Nsi massacred Eshowe tribe), but that is pretty close to Omu geographically, so not too much of a red herring. Reading the night hag’s description, it says “soul bags” must be crafted from skin of a living creature. So...what if a crystalline creature was “skinned” to make the Soulmonger? That’s an interesting idea, but what monsters fit that bill? Well, there are Geonids in the Snout of Omgar (acc. to The Tortle Package). And there is/was a topaz dragon off the SW coast of Chult, acc. to some 3e book (Draconomicon probably). Flail snail might fit, but looking at its artwork that might be a stretch to go from iridescent shell to crystal. Will have to think on this one more... Adamantine might have some property - ultra-hardness? - making it uniquely suited to supporting the Soulmonger. This clue could learn PCs to investigate the adamantine mine Hrakhamar. Dwarves can report their parents had been enslaved by Omuan queens, and dwarves can give general idea of Omu’s location. Because Hrakhamar connects to Wyrmheart Mine (red dragon Tzindelor’s lair), PCs could also parlay with red dragon for info about Omu’s precise location (which dragon has seen flying overhead). [/QUOTE]
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