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<blockquote data-quote="Quickbeam" data-source="post: 661776" data-attributes="member: 635"><p>First things first. Mythago, I didn't take your comment about burning up the keyboard poorly, so don't worry. I knew it was a long, involved entry, and your levity was appreciated. Also, thank you for the kind words regarding my friend's loss <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />.</p><p></p><p>Now onto the exposition...</p><p>When I first saw the ingredient list, almost all of my attention became focused on <strong>The Dolphin King</strong>. I knew immediately that I wanted this element to either become an NPC Merman akin to the superhero Submariner, or the name of a pirate ship. After some thought, I decided to go with the pirate ship...but who/what was going to be the boat's captain, and what role would he play in the story?</p><p></p><p>Next, I moved on to the <strong>Keen Scythe</strong>, which I expected to give me trouble since I wasn't sure how to incorporate such an item without making it seem forced. I decided that the scythe would become a very powerful magic weapon which granted its bearer <strong>All Around Vision</strong>, thereby providing a means of incorporating two ingredients in a very central manner. I enjoy playing paladins who wield non-standard weaponry, and the idea of a farmboy become hero who wields a farming implement, struck home for me. I then focused most of the backdrop around this now deceased paladin's awesome scythe, and made it the pirate's motivation for arriving on the scene.</p><p></p><p>Back to Faroun. A buddy of mine <em>loves</em> pulling monsters and foes out of the original MM, and in tribute to his habit the Jackalwere captain was born. These creatures are very smart, cunning, evil and manipulative, plus they possess the added bonuses of likely being unremembered by most players. Therefore, folks probably won't recall their shapeshifting ability or sleep gaze attack. And the gaze made an amusing flaw in logic on Faroun's part, in that he wanted the Blade of Jaern so badly because he assumed the 360 degree vision would augment his natural sleep gaze <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />.</p><p></p><p>To add an element of political intrigue -- not to mention the <strong>Expatriate</strong> ingredient -- I decided to craft the area as a region of tenuous peace. This would allow Faroun to distract the general populace's attention; create several story arcs for the characters to chase; and provide several possible PC Hooks. Add to this chaos a dense forest populated by orcs and worgs, which separates our three cities from the continent proper, and there's enough going on to satisfy any curious party or RBDM.</p><p></p><p>Faroun (in disguise) asking for a <strong>Worg</strong> from the party in exchange for information, helped mitigate a scenario that otherwise left the worgs irrelevant. And the "nice to eat you/meet you" faux pas coming from a wolflike creature, was too perfect an <strong>Obvious snafu</strong> to pass up. FWIW, the other snafu was included becasue I didn't now if our Judge wanted a misstep or obvious error as a snafu -- or if he wanted a true snafu in the literal sense (<strong>S</strong>ituation <strong>N</strong>ormal, <strong>A</strong>ll <strong>F</strong>ouled <strong>U</strong>p). That meant placing the party in a screwed up circumstance quite common to adventurers, thus the raid on the orc camp.</p><p></p><p>Finally, the burial tomb and guardian. I thought it would be hilarious to have the crypt guarded by an Iron Golem since Jackalweres can only be harmed by magical or iron weapons. This meant Faroun would need help to reach Jaern's tomb, making his approach of the party more plausible, and almost necessary. Allowing the Golem to wield the Blade of Jaern, was an interesting twist to the story IMO, and it provided a means for keeping such a powerful item out of the PC's hands.</p><p></p><p>More commentary and explanation will be in a brief reply to Incognito's analysis of my entry.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickbeam, post: 661776, member: 635"] First things first. Mythago, I didn't take your comment about burning up the keyboard poorly, so don't worry. I knew it was a long, involved entry, and your levity was appreciated. Also, thank you for the kind words regarding my friend's loss :). Now onto the exposition... When I first saw the ingredient list, almost all of my attention became focused on [b]The Dolphin King[/b]. I knew immediately that I wanted this element to either become an NPC Merman akin to the superhero Submariner, or the name of a pirate ship. After some thought, I decided to go with the pirate ship...but who/what was going to be the boat's captain, and what role would he play in the story? Next, I moved on to the [b]Keen Scythe[/b], which I expected to give me trouble since I wasn't sure how to incorporate such an item without making it seem forced. I decided that the scythe would become a very powerful magic weapon which granted its bearer [b]All Around Vision[/b], thereby providing a means of incorporating two ingredients in a very central manner. I enjoy playing paladins who wield non-standard weaponry, and the idea of a farmboy become hero who wields a farming implement, struck home for me. I then focused most of the backdrop around this now deceased paladin's awesome scythe, and made it the pirate's motivation for arriving on the scene. Back to Faroun. A buddy of mine [i]loves[/i] pulling monsters and foes out of the original MM, and in tribute to his habit the Jackalwere captain was born. These creatures are very smart, cunning, evil and manipulative, plus they possess the added bonuses of likely being unremembered by most players. Therefore, folks probably won't recall their shapeshifting ability or sleep gaze attack. And the gaze made an amusing flaw in logic on Faroun's part, in that he wanted the Blade of Jaern so badly because he assumed the 360 degree vision would augment his natural sleep gaze :D. To add an element of political intrigue -- not to mention the [b]Expatriate[/b] ingredient -- I decided to craft the area as a region of tenuous peace. This would allow Faroun to distract the general populace's attention; create several story arcs for the characters to chase; and provide several possible PC Hooks. Add to this chaos a dense forest populated by orcs and worgs, which separates our three cities from the continent proper, and there's enough going on to satisfy any curious party or RBDM. Faroun (in disguise) asking for a [b]Worg[/b] from the party in exchange for information, helped mitigate a scenario that otherwise left the worgs irrelevant. And the "nice to eat you/meet you" faux pas coming from a wolflike creature, was too perfect an [b]Obvious snafu[/b] to pass up. FWIW, the other snafu was included becasue I didn't now if our Judge wanted a misstep or obvious error as a snafu -- or if he wanted a true snafu in the literal sense ([b]S[/b]ituation [b]N[/b]ormal, [b]A[/b]ll [b]F[/b]ouled [b]U[/b]p). That meant placing the party in a screwed up circumstance quite common to adventurers, thus the raid on the orc camp. Finally, the burial tomb and guardian. I thought it would be hilarious to have the crypt guarded by an Iron Golem since Jackalweres can only be harmed by magical or iron weapons. This meant Faroun would need help to reach Jaern's tomb, making his approach of the party more plausible, and almost necessary. Allowing the Golem to wield the Blade of Jaern, was an interesting twist to the story IMO, and it provided a means for keeping such a powerful item out of the PC's hands. More commentary and explanation will be in a brief reply to Incognito's analysis of my entry. [/QUOTE]
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