Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Melvin the Mediocre 09-27-06, 02:24 PM	Actually, game time doesn't matter, but I'm looking for ideas for a one shot in Vathirond. A party of 4 (5th level) PCs have just made it to Vathirond and will be entering the Mournlands for a mission (under a different DM.) I have an idea for a short adventure, but don't seem to be able to pull it together (I've never been good at one shots.) So I thought I would cast about a bit for other ideas. For those who aren't familiar with the town, it is on the North Eastern portion of Breland. It is just south of a river that Separates Breland from Thrane, and right on the edge of the gray mists of the Mournland. The town, which suffered badly in the last war, has dropped in population from 4,000 to 3,000 due to disease, violent deaths, and people getting the heck away from the depressing mists. And while I totally welcome suggestions for entirely new ideas, I'll throw out a brief scetch of my plan in case anyone is compelled to elaborate on it: In a deserted, but formerly affluent neighborhood, a thick sense of wrongness blankets the streets. Even stay dogs avoid the area. One large forlorn mansion has been emanating odd lights and eerie sounds. Concerned by the decline of the city, King Boranel has been urging the Mayor to get the town back under control. The Mayor in turn hires the pc to investigate the mansion. Inside they find 4 vampire spawn and insinuations that they spawn are tied to the Karnathi Crown.
DarkWarriorKarg 09-27-06, 04:31 PM	Except that they are not spies for Karrnath... They are emerald claw agents, posing as Karrnathi spies, in order to drive a wedge between Breland and Karrnath, by posing as Karrnathi spies trying to set up Breland and Thrane. They have just finished a mission in Thrane, posing a Karrnathi spies there as well. They sufficiently annoyed people there that a Thranish strike unit, led by a Cleric, is after them. The vampires are aware of this. Ther Mayor is actually dominated, and has chosen the adventurers because they were convenient. The Thranish pursuit is in town. he hires the adventurers to go to the mansion, then advises the Thranish pursuit about the mansion, mentionning humanoid figures only seen at night, and a group of adventurers who are to meet with the inhabitants that same night. I trust this is complicated enough.
Tyveil 09-28-06, 08:57 AM	They are emerald claw agents, posing as Karrnathi spies, in order to drive a wedge between Breland and Karrnath, by posing as Karrnathi spies trying to set up Breland and Thrane. Isn't the idea of being a spy to operate undetected? This "posing as spies" idea just sounds like an oxymoron to me. If they do a great job of it, nobody suspects they're spies then what was the point of posing? Heh.. just something to think about.
DarkWarriorKarg 09-28-06, 09:28 AM	Isn't the idea of being a spy to operate undetected? This "posing as spies" idea just sounds like an oxymoron to me. If they do a great job of it, nobody suspects they're spies then what was the point of posing? Heh.. just something to think about. The point being that they WANT people to think they are Karrnathi agents trying to drive a wedge between Breland and Thrane. They WANT them to think that Kaius, or a warlord, is behind it. So it looks like Kaius, driving for peace, is trying to cause unrest and suspicion. Or that he can't control his people. This weakens his position at home. Weaken his position enough, some other warlord, friendlier to the EC, might take over.
Tyveil 09-28-06, 12:39 PM	The point being that they WANT people to think they are Karrnathi agents trying to drive a wedge between Breland and Thrane. They WANT them to think that Kaius, or a warlord, is behind it. They WANT people to believe they're spies from one nation? How does one pull that off? A spy (or agent) by definition of the term is one who acts in secret.. if somebody knows they're a spy, well then, they're no longer a spy. A spy is somebody who more often than not is posing as something else.. so to "pose" as a spy is eh, somewhat of a contradiction don't you think? It just doesn't make sense to me.. maybe in Eberron spys are more open about their occupation and the fact that a group is known spies is not unusual. To me it sounds like an added twist for the sake of having a twist. Not sure as a DM how I would pull off such a story. Perhaps I'm being too analytical. :P
Daemion 09-28-06, 01:51 PM	I came up with a variety of ideas for Vathirond in preparation for my players making a stopover there on the lightning rail. Could have been fun, if they had actually decided to get off the train, rather then just chilling in the lounge until it took off again... Since it was so close to the Mournland, I had it being rather constantly besieged by nasties. The city's defenses were in shambles, and the townsfolk were super-paranoid and tended to stay indoors. I really accented the bleakness and paranoia of the place (distrust of strangers, people peeking out of windows, etc.). I also placed a charnel pit a quarter of a mile away, where the corpses of the Mournland creatures were drug off to and burned. Of course this lead to undead problems, which was solved by local clerics erupting a sort of positive energy barrier around the pits. The trapped undead were quite vocal in their displeasure - their screams and gibbering could be heard clearly at night. On top of this, I had an outspoken, rather charismatic figure in town that was convincing more and more people that Boranel was not going to send them any aid, and that everyone was better off just abandoning Vathirond and immigrating to Thrane. I also threw in some unscrupulous adventurers that had recently emerged alive after a raid into the Mournland that were going to attempt to bilk my players out of their valuables. Most of the King's soldiers stationed in town had long since been slain by monstrousities, so there was no "law" to prevent miscreants like this. Needless to say, my Vathirond is not a very fun place to visit.
Melvin the Mediocre 09-28-06, 02:35 PM	Thanks for the setting help Daemion, I'll probably use at least some of that. I totally understand the frame job, DarkWarriorKarg. However, one of the character's in the group I'll be running is a member of the Emerald Claw. So I think I will stay away from using them as the bad guys. I was thinking that the vampire spawn would be victims of King Kaius. I think having one actually be the true King Kaius III would be to sloppy for KK I, so I'm sort of stuck in exactly how they are related to his dirty laundry. Actually the posts in the "De-macguffinize the Macguffin" thread are giving me some ideas as well. So I'm thinking that I might have somethink along the lines of a cult of life in Breland being led by a vampire spawn martyr.
Ghorrin 09-28-06, 10:31 PM	They WANT people to believe they're spies from one nation? How does one pull that off? A spy (or agent) by definition of the term is one who acts in secret.. if somebody knows they're a spy, well then, they're no longer a spy. A spy is somebody who more often than not is posing as something else.. so to "pose" as a spy is eh, somewhat of a contradiction don't you think? It just doesn't make sense to me.. maybe in Eberron spys are more open about their occupation and the fact that a group is known spies is not unusual. To me it sounds like an added twist for the sake of having a twist. Not sure as a DM how I would pull off such a story. Perhaps I'm being too analytical. :P Okay, substitute the word "spy" for "agent," "operative," "agitator," or some other that implies a slightly less covert level of action. Problem solved. Ghorrin