Vestiges and Timelines

[Samloyal23]

I don't know how many people watch the show Fringe, but the current story arc has some interesting ideas about parallel universes, alternate timelines, and people getting "erased" from history that remind me of vestiges.

Check out the lastest episode on Hulu...

 

[emoplato]

I don't know how many people watch the show Fringe, but the current story arc has some interesting ideas about parallel universes, alternate timelines, and people getting "erased" from history that remind me of vestiges.

Check out the lastest episode on Hulu...

So, what is the question/topic?

 

[Samloyal23]

What are your thoughts on the nature of vestiges? Do you think it is possible for a vestige to be pulled back into reality? Can a vestige be "real" in a different timeline or reality?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

My understanding is that Vestiges are the "Other" category of what could happen to creatures, from mortals to gods, in a world as varied and dangerous as D&D.

Is it possible to bring a Vestige back? Sure, Anything is Possible! Build a magical strainer composed of matter from the Far Realm, The energy of a dying deity can pull another soul back into this world, The sacrifice of ten thousand cats, Cast a Gate spell inside a Bag of Holding Tossed though an unstable Portal, force a Bag of Devouring to regurgitate on the Plane of Limbo...

The idea of a timeline ceasing to exist, but powerful individuals persisting into the alternate timeline sounds to me very "Vestige" like. Since D&D (at least 3rd edition) tends to avoid developing mechanics for any sort of time related drama, a DM would likely have to create whatever sort of explanation for themselves.

I'd Recommend The Save State Psion Trick.

 

[the Jester]

What are your thoughts on the nature of vestiges? Do you think it is possible for a vestige to be pulled back into reality? Can a vestige be "real" in a different timeline or reality?

Witness Acererak: By the time the 3e Tome of Magic arrived, he was a vestige. By the time the 4e Tomb of Horrors arrived, he was no longer a vestige.

 

[Samloyal23]

Witness Acererak: By the time the 3e Tome of Magic arrived, he was a vestige. By the time the 4e Tomb of Horrors arrived, he was no longer a vestige.

Another reason I don't like 4E, it blew all continuity out the window...

...Did they every explain this, or are we supposed just forget his history?

 

[Samloyal23]

The show Fringe is a deep mine of ideas usable in a campaign. The Observers seem to exist outside of time, a machine created to observe a parallel dimension punched a hole a in the barrier between that plane and ours, the main hero is was kidnapped from the other universe and raised here...

...But the way he was brought back after being eliminated from history was very interesting.

 

[Drowbane]

Another reason I don't like 4E, it blew all continuity out the window...

...Did they every explain this, or are we supposed just forget his history?

I view 4e Fluff in the same vein as a "What if..." line from Marvel Comics. Interesting* to speculate about, but not to be taken seriously with the established Canon.

* Well, interesting to somebody to be sure.

 

[the Jester]

Another reason I don't like 4E, it blew all continuity out the window...

...Did they every explain this, or are we supposed just forget his history?

Not very well:

Though it took him decades, Acererak has resumed his physical form through sheer force of will, plotting a new scheme during that period that could potentially gain him even more power than he had before.

 

[Samloyal23]

So Acererak is no longer a vestige? Aren't there really too few as it is? How does one go about making a new vestige?