Lake of Steam difficulties [Archive] - Wizards Community

Lake of Steam difficulties [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Llathos
06-21-07, 03:44 PM So I started a campaign in the region of the Lake of Steam. I am new to the area in FR, so I read up on it. I learned all about the geography, the nature of the lake itself, and plotted trading routes to the nearest large cities.

I specifically chose the western edge of the lake of steam, east of the mountains and placed a small village there.

Too bad.

According to my players, there's beholders and mage lords in the mountains to the immediate west and a giant city to the north (starts with an M?) completely run by Banite clerics commanding legions of undead. Both are within 1-2 days from my little quiet village.

Two questions:

1) Is this true, or are they full of it? I can't find much detail on this info.
2) What now? Ignore it? Change the timeline so these things haven't happened yet?

How is a DM supposed to explore a new area of FR without some novel coming along and hosing the "history" I'm working with?
Zamandrelasta
06-21-07, 04:41 PM "It is unfortunate that the information that the characters were given about the area was inaccurate. A traveling merchant embellished a local tale that he had heard about a beholder in the area and made it out to be an entire area of beholders."

In other words, simply ignore the information.:D As is often said in published campaign settings, the DM can make changes to the world as he sees fit. By using the example above, you can make the changes to fit what you want to do while still coming up with a plausible reason for contradictory information.;)
msatran
06-21-07, 04:51 PM My advice is use it anyway. Maybe the beholders secretly control the village, and the reason why it hasn't been destroyed is that it looks like a refuge for good aligned creatures, but is really a place where the Beholders can watch their enemies.
Zamandrelasta
06-21-07, 04:56 PM My advice is use it anyway. Maybe the beholders secretly control the village, and the reason why it hasn't been destroyed is that it looks like a refuge for good aligned creatures, but is really a place where the Beholders can watch their enemies.

Hey, why is everyone following that human wearing that beholder mask into the woods. This place is so nice. There couldn't be a beholder cult in this village.:devil:
Fingoldfin
06-23-07, 08:05 PM The city is Mintar. It is ruled by Teldorn Darkhope, brother of Scyllua Darkhope. He is a cleric of Bane and answers only to Fzoul. He helped Fzoul create the Tyrant's Eye. When the Zhents captured the city much of it burned. There is a rebel/freedom fighter movement in the city led by members of the cities sword fighting schools.

If you want more info download the 2e box sets Empires of the Shining Sea and Lands of Intrigue. They have detailed info on several cities and towns in the area.
Fingoldfin
06-23-07, 08:09 PM Hey, why is everyone following that human wearing that beholder mask into the woods. This place is so nice. There couldn't be a beholder cult in this village.:devil:

I would use this. There is a beholder cluster in that area. You could have an occular adept running a beholder cult there.
MarkusTay63
06-25-07, 01:16 AM There is also a Drow 'kingdom' in the forest of Mir, and some Aranea in the swamp and also in the forest as well, not to mention a hidden Mythal/town of Elves and others in the same forest... oh, and I believe there is a group of Neogi there as well, which makes sense since there is a landing site for Spelljammers. - busy place. ;)

MAP (http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/53442070/?qo=7&q=by%3Amarkustay&qh=sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps)
oden131
06-26-07, 01:57 PM Mintar in on the northern shore pretty far west on the lake, the very west houses the towns of well not much of anything veshpek and tulmon are on the southern shore roughly parralles with mintar, Almraivin is a little off the lake near the spider swamp with a road connecting it to veshpek. thats all the atlas put for towns although if i put a village on the very western shore i would be more worried about the forest of mir than the lake but i haven't read empires of the shining sea or land of intrigue

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Llathos 06-21-07, 03:44 PM	So I started a campaign in the region of the Lake of Steam. I am new to the area in FR, so I read up on it. I learned all about the geography, the nature of the lake itself, and plotted trading routes to the nearest large cities. I specifically chose the western edge of the lake of steam, east of the mountains and placed a small village there. Too bad. According to my players, there's beholders and mage lords in the mountains to the immediate west and a giant city to the north (starts with an M?) completely run by Banite clerics commanding legions of undead. Both are within 1-2 days from my little quiet village. Two questions: 1) Is this true, or are they full of it? I can't find much detail on this info. 2) What now? Ignore it? Change the timeline so these things haven't happened yet? How is a DM supposed to explore a new area of FR without some novel coming along and hosing the "history" I'm working with?
Zamandrelasta 06-21-07, 04:41 PM	"It is unfortunate that the information that the characters were given about the area was inaccurate. A traveling merchant embellished a local tale that he had heard about a beholder in the area and made it out to be an entire area of beholders." In other words, simply ignore the information.:D As is often said in published campaign settings, the DM can make changes to the world as he sees fit. By using the example above, you can make the changes to fit what you want to do while still coming up with a plausible reason for contradictory information.;)
msatran 06-21-07, 04:51 PM	My advice is use it anyway. Maybe the beholders secretly control the village, and the reason why it hasn't been destroyed is that it looks like a refuge for good aligned creatures, but is really a place where the Beholders can watch their enemies.
Zamandrelasta 06-21-07, 04:56 PM	My advice is use it anyway. Maybe the beholders secretly control the village, and the reason why it hasn't been destroyed is that it looks like a refuge for good aligned creatures, but is really a place where the Beholders can watch their enemies. Hey, why is everyone following that human wearing that beholder mask into the woods. This place is so nice. There couldn't be a beholder cult in this village.:devil:
Fingoldfin 06-23-07, 08:05 PM	The city is Mintar. It is ruled by Teldorn Darkhope, brother of Scyllua Darkhope. He is a cleric of Bane and answers only to Fzoul. He helped Fzoul create the Tyrant's Eye. When the Zhents captured the city much of it burned. There is a rebel/freedom fighter movement in the city led by members of the cities sword fighting schools. If you want more info download the 2e box sets Empires of the Shining Sea and Lands of Intrigue. They have detailed info on several cities and towns in the area.
Fingoldfin 06-23-07, 08:09 PM	Hey, why is everyone following that human wearing that beholder mask into the woods. This place is so nice. There couldn't be a beholder cult in this village.:devil: I would use this. There is a beholder cluster in that area. You could have an occular adept running a beholder cult there.
MarkusTay63 06-25-07, 01:16 AM	There is also a Drow 'kingdom' in the forest of Mir, and some Aranea in the swamp and also in the forest as well, not to mention a hidden Mythal/town of Elves and others in the same forest... oh, and I believe there is a group of Neogi there as well, which makes sense since there is a landing site for Spelljammers. - busy place. ;) MAP (http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/53442070/?qo=7&q=by%3Amarkustay&qh=sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps)
oden131 06-26-07, 01:57 PM	Mintar in on the northern shore pretty far west on the lake, the very west houses the towns of well not much of anything veshpek and tulmon are on the southern shore roughly parralles with mintar, Almraivin is a little off the lake near the spider swamp with a road connecting it to veshpek. thats all the atlas put for towns although if i put a village on the very western shore i would be more worried about the forest of mir than the lake but i haven't read empires of the shining sea or land of intrigue