Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shar Baenre 10-04-03, 01:56 AM	Alright... aside from the factoids of FR that I throw out there, my players don't know much about the setting they call home. But, they've decided that they wanted to test their might at an artic based adventure... I started them just south of the Lurkwood, in a small hamlet I made up for them on the road to Mirabar (where they currently are). Here's the problems... A- There's no reason for them to go there. I have told them that the high north is a place for desperate men running from something, and until the characters are in pursuit of such villians, or are in flight themselves, most Realms natives know better than to go up there. Lets not forget the fact that Uktar right now (the Faerun equivelant to Mid November), and the roads are icy sludge... B- The boredom... They want to challenge themselves with the idea of surviving the north, based on knowledge from movies and books. I've told them that in gaming its kinda bland, cuz the things that make the north hard to live in would just be random dice rolls for things like avalanches, strong gusts sweeping them off the mountainside on the way to Ten Towns, or the very sparse array of creatures tough enough to call the place home (which doesn't lend to much random encounter variability). Just about the only thing I thought about was a few ice-cave crawls to try and find rations.... maybe a damaged wagon and they have to take time to cut a tree and mend it while yetis creep in on camp. But if you guys have any other ideas, fire away...
Kuje31 10-04-03, 02:19 AM	Orcs? There's gotta be orcs up there. You could also try to find the 2e module called The Accursed Tower. I know it technically already happened in official FR but it is still a good starter module. It deals with the Crenshiban (Yes I can't spell that. :)) That artifact from the Drizzt books, and Drizzt and Regis can or do make a appearance in that module. Maybe also try to find the Great Glacier sourcebook, as a ESD, for ideas. A lot of people don't like that sourcebook, but you can use it for ideas......
Shar Baenre 10-04-03, 02:26 AM	right on... but for one, they've been dealing with orcs quite a bit already just from being near the lurkwood. I don't mind pulling from old sources either, hell, I still haven't killed off King Azoun yet in any of my campaigns *wink*. But aside from just making a dungeoun adventure in a cold place, I was trying to think of ways to spice up the natural hazards in game terms. In the novels, its the things like that, things that wouldn't break down into playable circumstances, that make the north so rugged. Thank you though... I appreciate the idea, and I'm gonna look through some old boxes and see if I have either of those sets.
Kuje31 10-04-03, 02:32 AM	Originally posted by Shar Baenre right on... but for one, they've been dealing with orcs quite a bit already just from being near the lurkwood. I don't mind pulling from old sources either, hell, I still haven't killed off King Azoun yet in any of my campaigns *wink*. But aside from just making a dungeoun adventure in a cold place, I was trying to think of ways to spice up the natural hazards in game terms. In the novels, its the things like that, things that wouldn't break down into playable circumstances, that make the north so rugged. Thank you though... I appreciate the idea, and I'm gonna look through some old boxes and see if I have either of those sets. 3/3.5's DMG should also have weather effects that you could use. Silver Marches does also, and I think there are random encounters in that sourcebook also. (I can't check right now, since one of my friends has my copy atm). There are also one or two adventures in the back of the Silver Marches sourcebook that might be of interest. How about also, the new portal article that is on the WOTC site, could tie that in some how. Here's the link below: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pg/20031001a
Neonsamurai 10-04-03, 07:06 AM	Have the characters discover hints about some evil plot, originating from the spine. Like an old order that seeks to give rebirth to an old demonlord. Maybe this order needs old relics that are being excavated on many places in faerūn ... just imagine ;)
Lashan 10-04-03, 12:22 PM	Perhaps a grizzled out dwarf knows of a mine that he has worked before up there. The land is hostile and dangerous, but the reward, if one can pull it off, is worth the risk. This half crazy dwarf wants to hire the party to protect him going to the mine, defend the mine once there, and then help him get back with riches. Perhaps he will throw in a percentage, or perhaps he will just pay them a flat fee. The dwarf should be a bit crazy and off the handle, but the mine does exist and the chance to get rich is there. Just find a way that the dwarf can't get betrayed by the pcs. On the way up there, they have to pass through the territories of numerous critters. Their travels will alert several tribes (of orcs, barbarians, giants, goblins, etc) that there are strangers about. Perhaps they want to know why outlanders are in their area? They sure would love to have knowledge of a gold mine. Can the party defend themselves, not lure the enemy to their mine, and keep spies and scouts away? There might even be someone back in town who knows of the dwarves mines and might try to follow them to take it over. Once they set up base, they will need to have a watch. Perhaps they become members of the local politics. Are there warring tribes of frost giants? Or is the Ice Fang orc tribe at war with the Bone Breaker bugbear tribe? Will the players get involved? Will the battles spill over to their area? They could make friends or enemies in such a terrian. There would also be the problem of supplies. They would need fresh supplies every once in a while. Do they go to town to get it? Do they buy them from local tribes of critters?
Shar Baenre 10-04-03, 12:55 PM	Lashan- I think you may have given me the fuel that I need. After all, the majority of the party is CN, and they're in Mirabar, and the party co-leader is Furg (a shield dwarf). This could very well be it. Neonsamauri- thanks for the ideas man. Actually, I've been working them with two powerful enemies but both are from the far East. One is a crazed, unstable fanatic of Kossuth, the other is a ring of Thavian slavers opperating out of Luskan. So, those are the current pulls for them. Other hooks are that the Teltharius (moon elf ranger) wants to see Silverymoon. Some of the party feel obligated to venture to Suzail and tell of actions by the Red Wizard slavers that caused the death of some Cormyrian War Wizards. But once they get there, I may be able to use what you mentioned on a smaller scale. I'm actually STARVING the players for experience, gear, and wealth... trying to get the entire group into their characters a lot (we're six sessions into the campaign and there's only been four fights, but I've been giving xp based on actions and rollplaying). Basically I did that so that when the real fights start coming, everyone can feel how their character would instead of just trying to pretend. I also pride myself on playing everything as close to the intelligence mentioned in its stat block, so I'm a bit hard for a couple of my players, particularly with my use of the red wizs. Point I'm getting at is that I don't think something as grand as stopping demons from getting relics is for them yet, but its a good idea, and I think I'll conform it for um. Here's another twist!!! Somebody mentioned portals... Well, in tonights game, I have had plans for the characters to thwart an attempt by a guild to steal holy treasures from the Church they're staying at (Lathander). I've been debating the idea of traps involved, in that, would a church like Lathander use traps, even to protect their sacred trinkets? So... here's an idea... thieves break in, one item is cursed that it portals evil people that touch it to the Great Glacier so they can "see as the sun blazes at the very top of the earth". For whatever reason, an item worn by the thief, the item is mistakenly teleported as well. PCs have a dwarven friend that was setting off soon anyway, so he could offer for them to caravan with him... That kinda ties all of it together. Thanks guys... I'll let you know how it goes, cuz by prolly mid-game tonight they'll be deciding where they're going (and I'm pretty sure its gonna be the north, especially since I've told them repeatedly that they prolly don't REALLY want to).
Leagle 10-04-03, 07:56 PM	Don't forget Yuan-Ti, I beleive they have substantial bases there. Lost strongholds, Dragon terrorises land plots (White dragons), Barbarian hordes. Orc hordes. Drow hordes.