An Elder Evil from Thelanis [Archive] - Wizards Community

An Elder Evil from Thelanis [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
kitrack
12-24-07, 11:58 AM In my campaign, I'm playing the Fae as rather unfriendly (Think Discworld elves or Dresden Files winter court). I'm planning for a future set of events that are essentially one of the Fae lords invading Eberron. Having recently purchased Elder Evils, I want to use some of the rules and inspirations from it, but I'd like some advice.

Given that the Thelanis is rife with arcane magic, I would like my signs to be focused on that. As a metagame concern, none of my players are playing arcane casters; one is an artificer.
The signs are a variant of the Alien Skies, empowering arcane casting.
Arcane Skies
I search the skies, looking for the familiar signs I grew up with, but the stars were shifted, far from where I remember. Unnerving, subtle in one sense, glaring in another, the night sky felt alien and malicious.

Faint: The caster level of all arcane spells increases by one. Magic items based on arcane spells are created at a caster level two higher than intended without an increase in price.
The Arcane Congress (and isolated wizards) grows strong. Magic seems to flow freely, and the wizards are acquiring much more power than they had before.
Moderate: There is a chance that people will spontaneously develop the spell-like ability to cast one or more 0th or 1st level spells.
With the power that the wizards of the Five Nations are acquiring, it won't be long before the Last War resumes.
Strong:
Thelanis becomes coterminous with Eberron, including all associated effects. A chance of Transstorms*.
The Five Nations quake in fear as wizards discard the individual rulers and assume the thrones themselves.
Overwhelming:
Arcane spells can be empowered without increasing the spell's level.
Wizards march to war, flinging magic like water. The armies of Khorvaire are being ground into dust.

Fae Lord (no name yet)
For the Malefic Properties, I'm considering:

Dark visiting or
Discord and Woe

Mortal cultists are not particularly involved, although there are some other plot threads that will probably be connected. The primary minions of the Fae Lord will be Fae themselves, primarily based on the elven ascetic.

Do you have any advice for me?

*: Transstorms are magic storms that can transform people in benevolent or malicious ways, from Green Ronin's Advanced Gamemaster's Guide.
AvonRekaes
12-24-07, 12:52 PM You should take a look at the Greensinger druidic sect. You mentioned you didn't plan on using mortal minions, but these druids would be the most likely candidates if you were to reconsider. I believe there's more information on their practices and purpose in Faiths of Eberron, so there should be more info to get you started.

Also, it seems like Gatekeepers might be a good foil for the Elder Evil here, if the PCs can manage to convince them that Thelanis (of all places) is just as dangerous as Xoriat.
mahavira
12-24-07, 06:02 PM Dark visitation would probably fit better with some horror from Dal Quor. One idea I've played with for a while was that King Jarot had another child when he spent a night in a faerie ring as a youth. Time passes strangely in Thelanis, and perhaps only now the half-fey 'heir' (perhaps his first child, before his marriage) has shown up with the backing of his mother's people. In addition to Greensinger druids, you might consider feyblooded sorcerers and warlocks who gained their power from pacts with the fey (ancestors and pactmasters calling in old debts to aid with the invasion). After all, the origin of the word 'changeling' was when faeries substituted their own baby for that of a mortal family.
Wizardman
12-26-07, 03:48 AM I like the idea, kitrack, but there are a couple of problems with it. Boosting magic will give both the Lords of Dust and the dragons an enormous shot in the arm. The Lords, especially, are fractious enough that a number of them would probably do something guaranteed to brass the dragons off, ie. start freeing the rajahs. The dragons will not take that lying down, and they have a proud history of overkill. Then there's the Fae Lord. It all comes down to his/her intentions. If conquest is the goal, then his forces should engage both sides. If destruction is the goal, then one must wonder if reigniting a million year war was a happy accident or part of the plan-- or the goal. Either way, the humanoids of Khorvaire are screwed.

In any case, as the Fae Lord is the catalyst, removing him from the equation is the logical step to take, if it can be done in time. Your PC's could end up with all sorts of allies in this: mortal mages, dragons and fiends who don't want to revisit the war (for their own reasons), and even fae agents of a rival lord who wants the invasion to fail for whatever reason. If you have Secrets of Sarlona, you should also consider what will go on there if arcane magic becomes super-powerful.
Jabberwocky888
12-26-07, 11:48 AM A question from a layman - what is Dark visiting and Discord and Woe?
mahavira
12-26-07, 03:25 PM A question from a layman - what is Dark visiting and Discord and Woe?

Dark visiting and discord and woe are both 'malefic properties' introduced in Elder Evils. Dark Visiting causes nightmares to divine casters within the area of effect (10s to 1000s of miles) which eventually drive the victims insane. Discord and woe causes homocidal rage (only 1 per round, as a standard action, and the elder evil must be able to see the victim).

As to the issue of what the Lords of Dust and Dragons are up to, I'm not sure it would escalate to the extent Wizardman suggests. Both sides benefit from the increased arcana, so the balance of power doesn't really change any, and it's not like the LoD don't try to free the rajahs normally. While there might be a few more 'open' battles, probably in population centres as the Rakshasa, being evil, don't care about the civillian toll and every dragon shot down by human air defenses is a dragon they don't have to kill, it's not like there is really any one place the dragons can go to stop whatever it is the LoD are up to (a massed attack on Ashkatla, while doubtless satisfying, is probably not helpful, as the city only kind of exists in the first place).

An excellent point, however, is what the Fae Lord/Lady is actually trying to achieve. To follow the Dresden summer court/winter court idea, if the Winter Queen has determined that it's time for the cycle to turn to cull the weak and cleanse the world of impurity, you might find the Children of Winter joining the fray. You might also decide the Winter Queen is right, and defeating her plan will actually have some awful consequence of its own (perhaps Ragnorra is attracted by the imbalance of life and death in the world). If the intent is to conquer (either to rule, or to destroy civilization and return to the "good old days" of hunting humans like animals), human minions, whether willing or charmed, are an important tool to disrupt their enemies.

And the final consideration, what else is going on in the world? This is not only a matter of why major organizations cannot or will not stop the threat, but also simple side effects. The increase in magic may not have much impact on the dragon-rakshasa balance of power, but it seriously shifts the political-military balance of power in the five nations. Aundair goes from being the weak sister to a powerhouse by the time the sign is overwhelming. Perhaps Aurala is deposed by her spellcasting brother, who orders the reconquest of Thaliost, as the Thranes don't get much bounce out of arcane empowerment. Perhaps the Lord of Blades' creation forge, which doesn't work that well, suddenly goes into overtime, producing warforged very quickly (but perhaps with defects, either mutants or berserk or something).
Rauric
01-05-08, 09:58 AM Keith Bakers last novel deals alot with the Fae Realm. It was some good fluff source material.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kitrack 12-24-07, 11:58 AM	In my campaign, I'm playing the Fae as rather unfriendly (Think Discworld elves or Dresden Files winter court). I'm planning for a future set of events that are essentially one of the Fae lords invading Eberron. Having recently purchased Elder Evils, I want to use some of the rules and inspirations from it, but I'd like some advice. Given that the Thelanis is rife with arcane magic, I would like my signs to be focused on that. As a metagame concern, none of my players are playing arcane casters; one is an artificer. The signs are a variant of the Alien Skies, empowering arcane casting. Arcane Skies I search the skies, looking for the familiar signs I grew up with, but the stars were shifted, far from where I remember. Unnerving, subtle in one sense, glaring in another, the night sky felt alien and malicious. Faint: The caster level of all arcane spells increases by one. Magic items based on arcane spells are created at a caster level two higher than intended without an increase in price. The Arcane Congress (and isolated wizards) grows strong. Magic seems to flow freely, and the wizards are acquiring much more power than they had before. Moderate: There is a chance that people will spontaneously develop the spell-like ability to cast one or more 0th or 1st level spells. With the power that the wizards of the Five Nations are acquiring, it won't be long before the Last War resumes. Strong: Thelanis becomes coterminous with Eberron, including all associated effects. A chance of Transstorms. The Five Nations quake in fear as wizards discard the individual rulers and assume the thrones themselves. Overwhelming: Arcane spells can be empowered without increasing the spell's level. Wizards march to war, flinging magic like water. The armies of Khorvaire are being ground into dust. Fae Lord (no name yet) For the Malefic Properties, I'm considering: Dark visiting or Discord and Woe Mortal cultists are not particularly involved, although there are some other plot threads that will probably be connected. The primary minions of the Fae Lord will be Fae themselves, primarily based on the elven ascetic. Do you have any advice for me? : Transstorms are magic storms that can transform people in benevolent or malicious ways, from Green Ronin's Advanced Gamemaster's Guide.
AvonRekaes 12-24-07, 12:52 PM	You should take a look at the Greensinger druidic sect. You mentioned you didn't plan on using mortal minions, but these druids would be the most likely candidates if you were to reconsider. I believe there's more information on their practices and purpose in Faiths of Eberron, so there should be more info to get you started. Also, it seems like Gatekeepers might be a good foil for the Elder Evil here, if the PCs can manage to convince them that Thelanis (of all places) is just as dangerous as Xoriat.
mahavira 12-24-07, 06:02 PM	Dark visitation would probably fit better with some horror from Dal Quor. One idea I've played with for a while was that King Jarot had another child when he spent a night in a faerie ring as a youth. Time passes strangely in Thelanis, and perhaps only now the half-fey 'heir' (perhaps his first child, before his marriage) has shown up with the backing of his mother's people. In addition to Greensinger druids, you might consider feyblooded sorcerers and warlocks who gained their power from pacts with the fey (ancestors and pactmasters calling in old debts to aid with the invasion). After all, the origin of the word 'changeling' was when faeries substituted their own baby for that of a mortal family.
Wizardman 12-26-07, 03:48 AM	I like the idea, kitrack, but there are a couple of problems with it. Boosting magic will give both the Lords of Dust and the dragons an enormous shot in the arm. The Lords, especially, are fractious enough that a number of them would probably do something guaranteed to brass the dragons off, ie. start freeing the rajahs. The dragons will not take that lying down, and they have a proud history of overkill. Then there's the Fae Lord. It all comes down to his/her intentions. If conquest is the goal, then his forces should engage both sides. If destruction is the goal, then one must wonder if reigniting a million year war was a happy accident or part of the plan-- or the goal. Either way, the humanoids of Khorvaire are screwed. In any case, as the Fae Lord is the catalyst, removing him from the equation is the logical step to take, if it can be done in time. Your PC's could end up with all sorts of allies in this: mortal mages, dragons and fiends who don't want to revisit the war (for their own reasons), and even fae agents of a rival lord who wants the invasion to fail for whatever reason. If you have Secrets of Sarlona, you should also consider what will go on there if arcane magic becomes super-powerful.
Jabberwocky888 12-26-07, 11:48 AM	A question from a layman - what is Dark visiting and Discord and Woe?
mahavira 12-26-07, 03:25 PM	A question from a layman - what is Dark visiting and Discord and Woe? Dark visiting and discord and woe are both 'malefic properties' introduced in Elder Evils. Dark Visiting causes nightmares to divine casters within the area of effect (10s to 1000s of miles) which eventually drive the victims insane. Discord and woe causes homocidal rage (only 1 per round, as a standard action, and the elder evil must be able to see the victim). As to the issue of what the Lords of Dust and Dragons are up to, I'm not sure it would escalate to the extent Wizardman suggests. Both sides benefit from the increased arcana, so the balance of power doesn't really change any, and it's not like the LoD don't try to free the rajahs normally. While there might be a few more 'open' battles, probably in population centres as the Rakshasa, being evil, don't care about the civillian toll and every dragon shot down by human air defenses is a dragon they don't have to kill, it's not like there is really any one place the dragons can go to stop whatever it is the LoD are up to (a massed attack on Ashkatla, while doubtless satisfying, is probably not helpful, as the city only kind of exists in the first place). An excellent point, however, is what the Fae Lord/Lady is actually trying to achieve. To follow the Dresden summer court/winter court idea, if the Winter Queen has determined that it's time for the cycle to turn to cull the weak and cleanse the world of impurity, you might find the Children of Winter joining the fray. You might also decide the Winter Queen is right, and defeating her plan will actually have some awful consequence of its own (perhaps Ragnorra is attracted by the imbalance of life and death in the world). If the intent is to conquer (either to rule, or to destroy civilization and return to the "good old days" of hunting humans like animals), human minions, whether willing or charmed, are an important tool to disrupt their enemies. And the final consideration, what else is going on in the world? This is not only a matter of why major organizations cannot or will not stop the threat, but also simple side effects. The increase in magic may not have much impact on the dragon-rakshasa balance of power, but it seriously shifts the political-military balance of power in the five nations. Aundair goes from being the weak sister to a powerhouse by the time the sign is overwhelming. Perhaps Aurala is deposed by her spellcasting brother, who orders the reconquest of Thaliost, as the Thranes don't get much bounce out of arcane empowerment. Perhaps the Lord of Blades' creation forge, which doesn't work that well, suddenly goes into overtime, producing warforged very quickly (but perhaps with defects, either mutants or berserk or something).
Rauric 01-05-08, 09:58 AM	Keith Bakers last novel deals alot with the Fae Realm. It was some good fluff source material.