Zardnaar
Legend
It's a lie BTW Bane may die (see below)
I thought I would include some of my official (TM) LE tyrant DM notes from my current campaign since people seem to like arguing about railroading.
I'm running a newbie friendly group that recently completed Dragon of Stormwreck Isle. We talked it over about what they wanted to do. New beginner set, new campaign or transition from starter set to a campaign. They chose the later with a request to stay on the island and reach level 4 before departing. I did that and its time to leave. They were fine with going to Baldur's Gate. Most of them have played BG 3 or familiar with it. They had the option of rebuilding the characters or changing them (eg race, archetypes, etc basically staying the same level).
2 of the PCs also have the sailor back ground, one has the sage, athlete etc.
I will be using these notes on Sunday. Much like BG 3 there will be a ship wreck and they have to get to BG. That is the railroad part. Note they actually want to go to BG. Mostly its social stuff it may take half the session or the whole session.
My notes are condensed from say an official adventure. Its a rough outline in my head I know roughly how each NPC is going to get played. The basic idea has been stewing for around a month IRL with BG4 part more like 6 months.
This isn't really an adventure as such more of a side trek in ye olde dungeon magazine terms. The NPCs and basic idea are from the Sea Wyverns Wake adventure from the Savage Tide AP. The Bhaalist nod is what I'm setting up in BG with Bane and Myrkul being involved via the Ebon Triad a heretical belief they're aspects of the same god. Ebon Triad is from Age of Worms AP, heretic angle is from Faiths and Avatars through to 3E material.
The main adventure will be starting in Sandpoint. I've lifted Sandpoint from Rise of the Runelords. I have this material may as well use it. Saves me a lot of time writing and drawing maps. I just make short hand notes converting say a trap or whatever to 5E format. I'll take Faiths and Avatars, Dungeon 141, and printouts along on Sunday. Tonight's C&C game was prepped around a month ago. The 6 prominent Golarion Deities (cheers Paizo) will be converted to FR ones (Inner Sea Primer). Desna becomes Selune, Abadar Becomes Amaunator, Sarernrae becomes Lathender, Shelyn becomes Sune, Gozreh becomes Chauntea, Erastil becomes Mielekki. Conversions don't have to be to exact. The evil deities will be the dead three and Shar being prominent, Umberlee, Cyric etc may make cameos. By that I mean their faiths. Amaunator, Lathender and Selune will be the major good ones along with whatever ones the PCs go with.
My basic plot is mostly original (work in progress) and its not locked in stone. Ebon Triad is the BBEG as such how the PCs respond is up to them. Very loosely scripted is how I run things. I'm assuming the PCs are actually interested (I checked BTW). Campaign may end in a TPK, the death of a god or three or the ascension of a new deity or two none of that has been determined or will be. The sandbox is roughly Cloakwood, BG, Fields of the Dead and environs.
Sources. Faiths and Avatars trilogy, Forgotten Realms Adventures, FRCS, Power of Faerun, Powers and Pantheons, SCAG, Baldurs Gate 3, Dungeon magazines, Pathfinder.
Mostly I'm laying the ground work and getting over the idea the Ebon Triad are badwrongfun and should be stopped. They'e stuck on a boat with a Bhaalist (they have recently encountered the Ebon Triad).
Carrying a cargo of scrimshaw and food stuffs from Golden Fields via Waterdeep. Avner is the investor who has hired the ship. Destination Sandpoint.
Captain Amelia Venkalie (Rogue 4, Sailor). Captain of the Se Wyvern
Father Feres (posing dishonored priest of Ilmater AKA Conrad Horst) Conman fleeing secretly infected and turning into a Bhaalist monstrosity.
Avner Merevanchi (entiled rich investor. Amnian). All around general ass hat and git.
Skald- tiefling mysterious figure fleeing assassins from Luskan. Completely innocent but convenient scapegoat.
Urol Forol Gnome sage en route to Sorcerous Sundries/Chult
Lirith Veldirose. A sailor heading for Baldurs Gate. Secretly a adherent of Umberlee (priest with ocean domain)
Rowyn Kellani (bard)-Stowaway responsible for various mishaps. Member of the Ebon Triad. Bhaalist looking at reaching BG. The ship is her play ground.
Tavery Nesk Ships cabin boy
Blepp Kobold Missionary of Runara/Bahumat decided to follow the PCs (comic relief)
7 Crew (commoners, sailor back ground) Bob or Kate 1-7
Events
Introductions. Over the next few days the passengers come and introduce themselves. Feres complains about pain but states its sea sickness.
Ship Wrecked.
A storm catches the Sea Wyvern near Baldurs gate. Several sailor checks are required to keep it from dashing into the cliffs (DC 10 5 checks 3 required to pass).Crew discover Lilith's identity and decide to attack her blaming hr for their predicament. PCs can save her or not. If they do she may be encountered later at Umberlees temple in BG.
The ship is blown south and hits rocks several hundred meters off the coast south of Baldu'rs Gate. PCs can swim to shore (DC 20) or make a crude raft (DC 10wisdom or intelligence sailor check).
Assuming they survive they wash upon a narrow beach with a step climb (DC 10/difficult terrain to get to the top. Larger beach and some lights are visible to the south (Sandpoint).
I thought I would include some of my official (TM) LE tyrant DM notes from my current campaign since people seem to like arguing about railroading.
I'm running a newbie friendly group that recently completed Dragon of Stormwreck Isle. We talked it over about what they wanted to do. New beginner set, new campaign or transition from starter set to a campaign. They chose the later with a request to stay on the island and reach level 4 before departing. I did that and its time to leave. They were fine with going to Baldur's Gate. Most of them have played BG 3 or familiar with it. They had the option of rebuilding the characters or changing them (eg race, archetypes, etc basically staying the same level).
2 of the PCs also have the sailor back ground, one has the sage, athlete etc.
I will be using these notes on Sunday. Much like BG 3 there will be a ship wreck and they have to get to BG. That is the railroad part. Note they actually want to go to BG. Mostly its social stuff it may take half the session or the whole session.
My notes are condensed from say an official adventure. Its a rough outline in my head I know roughly how each NPC is going to get played. The basic idea has been stewing for around a month IRL with BG4 part more like 6 months.
This isn't really an adventure as such more of a side trek in ye olde dungeon magazine terms. The NPCs and basic idea are from the Sea Wyverns Wake adventure from the Savage Tide AP. The Bhaalist nod is what I'm setting up in BG with Bane and Myrkul being involved via the Ebon Triad a heretical belief they're aspects of the same god. Ebon Triad is from Age of Worms AP, heretic angle is from Faiths and Avatars through to 3E material.
The main adventure will be starting in Sandpoint. I've lifted Sandpoint from Rise of the Runelords. I have this material may as well use it. Saves me a lot of time writing and drawing maps. I just make short hand notes converting say a trap or whatever to 5E format. I'll take Faiths and Avatars, Dungeon 141, and printouts along on Sunday. Tonight's C&C game was prepped around a month ago. The 6 prominent Golarion Deities (cheers Paizo) will be converted to FR ones (Inner Sea Primer). Desna becomes Selune, Abadar Becomes Amaunator, Sarernrae becomes Lathender, Shelyn becomes Sune, Gozreh becomes Chauntea, Erastil becomes Mielekki. Conversions don't have to be to exact. The evil deities will be the dead three and Shar being prominent, Umberlee, Cyric etc may make cameos. By that I mean their faiths. Amaunator, Lathender and Selune will be the major good ones along with whatever ones the PCs go with.
My basic plot is mostly original (work in progress) and its not locked in stone. Ebon Triad is the BBEG as such how the PCs respond is up to them. Very loosely scripted is how I run things. I'm assuming the PCs are actually interested (I checked BTW). Campaign may end in a TPK, the death of a god or three or the ascension of a new deity or two none of that has been determined or will be. The sandbox is roughly Cloakwood, BG, Fields of the Dead and environs.
Sources. Faiths and Avatars trilogy, Forgotten Realms Adventures, FRCS, Power of Faerun, Powers and Pantheons, SCAG, Baldurs Gate 3, Dungeon magazines, Pathfinder.
Mostly I'm laying the ground work and getting over the idea the Ebon Triad are badwrongfun and should be stopped. They'e stuck on a boat with a Bhaalist (they have recently encountered the Ebon Triad).
Sea Wyverns Wake AKA Zards (terrible/boring) notes
NPCS
Sea Wyvern
NPCS
Sea Wyvern
Carrying a cargo of scrimshaw and food stuffs from Golden Fields via Waterdeep. Avner is the investor who has hired the ship. Destination Sandpoint.
Captain Amelia Venkalie (Rogue 4, Sailor). Captain of the Se Wyvern
Father Feres (posing dishonored priest of Ilmater AKA Conrad Horst) Conman fleeing secretly infected and turning into a Bhaalist monstrosity.
Avner Merevanchi (entiled rich investor. Amnian). All around general ass hat and git.
Skald- tiefling mysterious figure fleeing assassins from Luskan. Completely innocent but convenient scapegoat.
Urol Forol Gnome sage en route to Sorcerous Sundries/Chult
Lirith Veldirose. A sailor heading for Baldurs Gate. Secretly a adherent of Umberlee (priest with ocean domain)
Rowyn Kellani (bard)-Stowaway responsible for various mishaps. Member of the Ebon Triad. Bhaalist looking at reaching BG. The ship is her play ground.
Tavery Nesk Ships cabin boy
Blepp Kobold Missionary of Runara/Bahumat decided to follow the PCs (comic relief)
7 Crew (commoners, sailor back ground) Bob or Kate 1-7
Events
Introductions. Over the next few days the passengers come and introduce themselves. Feres complains about pain but states its sea sickness.
- This is an outrage.- Avner Meriachi (noble) DC 10 calms him down but he is unfriendly. DC 15 makes him barely tolerate the PCs. Father Feres introduces himself complains about more pain. DC 10-15 reveals he is sweating and has a fever. Claims (DC 10 somehting in luskan, 15 women, 20 broke his vows) he may have met a beautiful women in Luskan who seduced him (infected with Bhaal slayer)
- Dinner with Amelia. She mentions she suspects a stowaway. DC 15 perception reveals she is holding something back. She has found evidence of someone trying to start a fire on board.
- Murder most foul. One of the crew members is murdered or an NPC(1d8 excluding Father Feres). The murder is a Bhaalist ritual killing involving dismemberment.
- Father Feres transformation. Use gladiator stat block to represent a slayer. Has disadvantage to hit the first round and is a monstrosity. Before he dies he confesses he is Conrad Horst and begs the PCs to save him. A DC 15-20 medicine check identifies something is in him, DC 25 to remove (3d6 damage) or 30 for 1d6 damage. If removed the slayer grows rapidly but has disadvantage for 2 rounds. Failure to remove it kills Feres.
- Rowans Vengeance (poisoning or seduction) as per SWW adventure.
Ship Wrecked.
A storm catches the Sea Wyvern near Baldurs gate. Several sailor checks are required to keep it from dashing into the cliffs (DC 10 5 checks 3 required to pass).Crew discover Lilith's identity and decide to attack her blaming hr for their predicament. PCs can save her or not. If they do she may be encountered later at Umberlees temple in BG.
The ship is blown south and hits rocks several hundred meters off the coast south of Baldu'rs Gate. PCs can swim to shore (DC 20) or make a crude raft (DC 10wisdom or intelligence sailor check).
Assuming they survive they wash upon a narrow beach with a step climb (DC 10/difficult terrain to get to the top. Larger beach and some lights are visible to the south (Sandpoint).
