Neverwinter Nights games and FR: The RPG [Archive] - Wizards Community

Neverwinter Nights games and FR: The RPG [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Charles Phipps
11-04-07, 08:44 PM I was curious, is there anything worth stealing storyline wise from the Neverwinter Nights games? I play video games partially for inspiration on my own games as well as play, so I was wondering what benefits might be entailed from them and what's coolest.

Please feel free to spoil and share what you liked best.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
11-04-07, 09:36 PM I was curious, is there anything worth stealing storyline wise from the Neverwinter Nights games? I play video games partially for inspiration on my own games as well as play, so I was wondering what benefits might be entailed from them and what's coolest.

Please feel free to spoil and share what you liked best.

From NWN1: OC, I loved:

--The mystery in the castle (forgot the name, it involved the two brothers).

--The world inside the snowglobe--dwarves and dryads constantly fought thanks to the magic of a sinister white dragon who lived in a cave (also inside the snowglobe).

That's what comes immediately to my mind. I have all the other games (and I've played tons of player-made modules), but those two ideas seem like fun to branch off from.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
11-04-07, 09:36 PM double post
meto30
11-04-07, 11:34 PM Myrkulite story in NWN2:MotB (Betrayer's Crusade)
Lord Karsus
11-05-07, 12:08 AM -A few things from the Neverwinter Nights games were made canon. Off the top of my head, I can think of these two things:

Plague in Neverwinter
The existence of Undrentide as a Netherese Enclave

-Now, as for interesting things that happen that aren't canon, but are interesting none the less? Hmm...I can only think of this one, which is probably cliche, but I used it in a campaign of my own. At one point, you can "quest" for a Druid/Ranger to free animals from a collector who lives in the city. I changed this around a little bit, in my campaign, to a Wizard who collected exotic 'sentients'. It's a start.
Uzzy
11-05-07, 12:38 AM I do quite like using Aribeth as canon, though I leave it at 'Some Elven Paladin from Neverwinter who betrayed the city, was redeemed, then died a violent and tragic death'. I wouldn't be too specific though, as it many players might want to put their own experiences with the game as their own canon.

The Castle Rino is referring to is the one in Charwood, the quest being called 'Village of Eternal Night'. Probably the best part of NWN!

Not played through NWN2, so I couldn't give advice on that game.
Stigger
11-05-07, 04:12 AM While I like the Castle Jhareg bit, it didn't really seem to be something that Lathander would do to anyone to be honest... I don't think I've ever conceived of him as indecisive, even if it was one of the better sub-plots in the whole series.

I did like the bit with Mutamin's Challenge quite a bit, and have incorporated a few things like it in a few different regions, some legal, some not.

As to the stuff in Neverwinter itself, I don't recall ever using any of it really, as the game designers take on Neverwinter I didn't think meshed well with the descriptions of Neverwinter in canon material... although NWN2 was many degrees better in that respect I thought, even if still not quite what I had envisioned from what little has been written.

Some of the names and such I've borrowed simply for a bit of a wink and nod if nothing else was coming to mind... most of my group is fairly familiar with the series, so springing it on them would require some serious reworking on my part anyway, and not something I'd be likely to do anyway unless I thought of a really significant twist to toss in.
Charles Phipps
11-05-07, 05:55 AM I'm debating doing the Neverwinter Knights: Mask of the Betrayer's plotline and the Return of Myrkul possibility in my game. I'm definitely thinking of ways to do a different take on it from the Bhaalspawn though.

One thing I'm interested in the possibility of is subverting the audience's expectations. Specifically, Bhaal is trying to come back and Bane did come back, but canonically Myrkul isn't interested in coming back.

I'm working on an outline of a speech when they meet him in the Halls of the Gray City. The spirit of the Crown of Horns being only a portion of soul rather than the actual spirit himself.

Here's the basic gist.

[i]"In life, I was much like Velsharoon and Liches like him. I sought power with unlimited abandon and recklessly gambled ever greater deeds until I was Lord of the Dead. Instead, I found that unlimited power was ash in my mouth but I lacked the wisdom to realize that the urges inside me could not be filled with more power. I tried to take the mantle of Ao himself and fell to darkness for my deeds."

"Kelemvor has taken my consciousness from the Astral corpse of my ravaged bones and allowed it to dwell in this place. He has honored me as his forebearer and only now have I been able to enjoy the judgements that I handled down capriously or without thought. I am at peace now, with my knowledge and an end to the pettiness of the intrigues I left behind. Let Bane have dominion over Strife and conquest, he will find it only makes the pain of his existence greater."

I'm not quite sure how to properly integrate the Akachi Crusade and Soul plotline but I think the idea of it and the Spirit Eater plus the fundamental injustice of the Wall of the Faithless are impressive things to handle.
Stigger
11-05-07, 06:18 AM Interesting concept there Charles, very interesting indeed.
Charles Phipps
11-05-07, 06:48 AM Yes, I like Kelemvor as the God of the Dead in our games but mostly because he's a former PC and it's nice to say at times "This man has the worst job in the universe. It only makes sense if you hate people."

But yeah, I'm thinking that after the players handle the Bhaalspawn and the Fey'ri that they'll take a journey up North. I'll probably tie the story to Samular's Crusade, throw in some old enemies of the players, and end the game with either Velsharoon defeated or destroyed.

Most likely the former rather than the later. I'm cutting back on dead Gods in this campaign.
Lord Karsus
11-05-07, 10:26 AM -Anubis is the one who watches over dead deities in the Astral. Kelemvor would have had to have made some kind of deal with him. Just being picky, but that could also open up some kind of plot later on, or something.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
11-05-07, 12:25 PM The Castle Rino is referring to is the one in Charwood, the quest being called 'Village of Eternal Night'. Probably the best part of NWN!

Yes! That was it, thank you. :) It was a wonderfully spooky quest.
Charles Phipps
11-05-07, 02:32 PM -Anubis is the one who watches over dead deities in the Astral. Kelemvor would have had to have made some kind of deal with him. Just being picky, but that could also open up some kind of plot later on, or something.

It doesn't seem like it would be a real plotline. Kelemvor saying "I don't want Myrkul's soul to rot in an eternal dreamless sleep of regrets and endless nightmares?" Unless Anubis has some sadistic desire to see deities trapped in their Hellish half-existence, I doubt he'd interfere. I feel the same way about clerics trying to resurrect their god.

Maybe I'm missing something.
Lord Karsus
11-05-07, 03:23 PM -Like I said, it could open up some kind of plot later on.
MerrikCale
11-05-07, 04:47 PM The only video games I use for inspiration is PacMan and QBert
Charles Phipps
11-05-07, 05:25 PM I appreciate the thought Karsus, the input is always welcome.
Lord Karsus
11-05-07, 06:18 PM -Here you go, for a subplot/later plot concening what I mentioned. For whatever reason, Anubis now cannot allow Kelemvor to "protect" the divine essence/sentience of Myrkul. Thus, he dispatches his own followers to recover it.
Charles Phipps
11-05-07, 06:39 PM Definite idea, since this is far in the future, I might even have the player characters visit the Astral to "steal" it in the first place. It's an interesting storyline hook to say the least.

I'm probably going to combine Akashi with either the Order of Samular or Samular himself because I like to "minimize" my Realms. I like lots of existing connections and there's a limited number of Great Wizards and Champions in history for players to keep track of.

I'm also going to try and figure out what the Shadow King is and what the role Garius is in the setting.
silkerahn
11-06-07, 01:39 AM I like the backgrounds of both games, but for my main campaign the second storyline does not work since I pick up my campaign after my hero (my character from the NWN game and its main modules) returns home only to have to fight for her survival due to an attack on her hometown by Lolth fanatics. The fact that these fanatics just happen to be cousins to my hero and her branch of the family makes the dynamic more interesting for the players. My hero's family is a surface dwelling branch, eilistraee following branch of the House of Vrinn. The family resided in a human village on the southern edge of the Silver Marches just north of the High Forest. The village, well actually a town, was attacked a week after my hero returned from her adventures. Now my players played out the fight barely escaping with their lives. Their town was distroyed, my hero's mother called on a devine intervention to save the surviors of the community.

That is where my D&D FR campaign crosses over to my d20 Modern campaign. The survivors from the massacre of Morn's Forge some 1200 drow, high elves, wood elves, half-elves, and humans make their way via a portal into the ruins of an old church over looking the sleepy Kansas hamlet of Stull. The year of their arrival is 1987 on Halloween Night. Now my D&D campaign picks up again in the current year on Earth and in the equivalent year on Toril according to the Dale Reconing. Silke Rahn my hero is summoned back to the Realms by Eilistraee and is allowed to bring across or find friends and retainers to help her on her quest. This part I am almost ready to game out.

But as far as actually playing out an NWN quest, no I have not done that. I have only used the main campaign and both of the main modules as jumping off points and background for my campaign.
Charles Phipps
11-09-07, 12:57 AM One of our player characters will be going through the Spirit Eater story arc, and I'm currently trying to figure out a Template for Akachi's Spirit. What exactly do you think that the Spirit Eater Template should look like?

I'm open for suggestions.
Willis_G
11-09-07, 02:57 AM Does anyone know what year the various Neverwinter Nights adventures are set?
Stigger
11-09-07, 06:44 AM 1372 for NWN I think (haven't played it in ages and the memory's slipping a bit about it)... no terribly sure on that though. No idea for NWN2 though.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
11-09-07, 01:40 PM 1372 for NWN I think (haven't played it in ages and the memory's slipping a bit about it)...

That's correct--mid 1372. The SoU expansion takes place at the same time. HotU takes place sometime after that.

I don't think a solid date was given for NWN2, but it must be a few years after NWN1, as the city of Neverwinter has had time to recover and rebuild.
meto30
11-09-07, 06:50 PM Also, Luskan and Neverwinter has reestablished diplomatic relations, and many people are refering to the plague as if a recent yet historic event. I'm guessing somewhere around ten years.
Charles Phipps
11-09-07, 07:39 PM Spirit Eater Template

The subject has had his soul replaced with that of Akachi the Betrayer. While the player maintains his memories, his personality is affected by the presence of the powerful personality along with his reactions from other beings. This is in addition to the more grosser changes that become part of hosting the dread horror that is Akachi's curse.

* The subject gains a +2 bonus to Wisdom

* The subject gains a +2 to Charisma

* The subject gains the ability to use the Sword of Gith whether or not he's proficient in it or not.

* The subject can Energy Drain once per day. This can be used on ghosts as well as other undead.

* The Subject must devour one level of Energy every day and can store up to ten levels of energy within him.

* The subject permanently loses a point of mental attributes for each week that he does not feed his hunger for souls.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Charles Phipps 11-04-07, 08:44 PM	I was curious, is there anything worth stealing storyline wise from the Neverwinter Nights games? I play video games partially for inspiration on my own games as well as play, so I was wondering what benefits might be entailed from them and what's coolest. Please feel free to spoil and share what you liked best.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 11-04-07, 09:36 PM	I was curious, is there anything worth stealing storyline wise from the Neverwinter Nights games? I play video games partially for inspiration on my own games as well as play, so I was wondering what benefits might be entailed from them and what's coolest. Please feel free to spoil and share what you liked best. From NWN1: OC, I loved: --The mystery in the castle (forgot the name, it involved the two brothers). --The world inside the snowglobe--dwarves and dryads constantly fought thanks to the magic of a sinister white dragon who lived in a cave (also inside the snowglobe). That's what comes immediately to my mind. I have all the other games (and I've played tons of player-made modules), but those two ideas seem like fun to branch off from.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 11-04-07, 09:36 PM	double post
meto30 11-04-07, 11:34 PM	Myrkulite story in NWN2:MotB (Betrayer's Crusade)
Lord Karsus 11-05-07, 12:08 AM	-A few things from the Neverwinter Nights games were made canon. Off the top of my head, I can think of these two things: Plague in Neverwinter The existence of Undrentide as a Netherese Enclave -Now, as for interesting things that happen that aren't canon, but are interesting none the less? Hmm...I can only think of this one, which is probably cliche, but I used it in a campaign of my own. At one point, you can "quest" for a Druid/Ranger to free animals from a collector who lives in the city. I changed this around a little bit, in my campaign, to a Wizard who collected exotic 'sentients'. It's a start.
Uzzy 11-05-07, 12:38 AM	I do quite like using Aribeth as canon, though I leave it at 'Some Elven Paladin from Neverwinter who betrayed the city, was redeemed, then died a violent and tragic death'. I wouldn't be too specific though, as it many players might want to put their own experiences with the game as their own canon. The Castle Rino is referring to is the one in Charwood, the quest being called 'Village of Eternal Night'. Probably the best part of NWN! Not played through NWN2, so I couldn't give advice on that game.
Stigger 11-05-07, 04:12 AM	While I like the Castle Jhareg bit, it didn't really seem to be something that Lathander would do to anyone to be honest... I don't think I've ever conceived of him as indecisive, even if it was one of the better sub-plots in the whole series. I did like the bit with Mutamin's Challenge quite a bit, and have incorporated a few things like it in a few different regions, some legal, some not. As to the stuff in Neverwinter itself, I don't recall ever using any of it really, as the game designers take on Neverwinter I didn't think meshed well with the descriptions of Neverwinter in canon material... although NWN2 was many degrees better in that respect I thought, even if still not quite what I had envisioned from what little has been written. Some of the names and such I've borrowed simply for a bit of a wink and nod if nothing else was coming to mind... most of my group is fairly familiar with the series, so springing it on them would require some serious reworking on my part anyway, and not something I'd be likely to do anyway unless I thought of a really significant twist to toss in.
Charles Phipps 11-05-07, 05:55 AM	I'm debating doing the Neverwinter Knights: Mask of the Betrayer's plotline and the Return of Myrkul possibility in my game. I'm definitely thinking of ways to do a different take on it from the Bhaalspawn though. One thing I'm interested in the possibility of is subverting the audience's expectations. Specifically, Bhaal is trying to come back and Bane did come back, but canonically Myrkul isn't interested in coming back. I'm working on an outline of a speech when they meet him in the Halls of the Gray City. The spirit of the Crown of Horns being only a portion of soul rather than the actual spirit himself. Here's the basic gist. [i]"In life, I was much like Velsharoon and Liches like him. I sought power with unlimited abandon and recklessly gambled ever greater deeds until I was Lord of the Dead. Instead, I found that unlimited power was ash in my mouth but I lacked the wisdom to realize that the urges inside me could not be filled with more power. I tried to take the mantle of Ao himself and fell to darkness for my deeds." "Kelemvor has taken my consciousness from the Astral corpse of my ravaged bones and allowed it to dwell in this place. He has honored me as his forebearer and only now have I been able to enjoy the judgements that I handled down capriously or without thought. I am at peace now, with my knowledge and an end to the pettiness of the intrigues I left behind. Let Bane have dominion over Strife and conquest, he will find it only makes the pain of his existence greater." I'm not quite sure how to properly integrate the Akachi Crusade and Soul plotline but I think the idea of it and the Spirit Eater plus the fundamental injustice of the Wall of the Faithless are impressive things to handle.
Stigger 11-05-07, 06:18 AM	Interesting concept there Charles, very interesting indeed.
Charles Phipps 11-05-07, 06:48 AM	Yes, I like Kelemvor as the God of the Dead in our games but mostly because he's a former PC and it's nice to say at times "This man has the worst job in the universe. It only makes sense if you hate people." But yeah, I'm thinking that after the players handle the Bhaalspawn and the Fey'ri that they'll take a journey up North. I'll probably tie the story to Samular's Crusade, throw in some old enemies of the players, and end the game with either Velsharoon defeated or destroyed. Most likely the former rather than the later. I'm cutting back on dead Gods in this campaign.
Lord Karsus 11-05-07, 10:26 AM	-Anubis is the one who watches over dead deities in the Astral. Kelemvor would have had to have made some kind of deal with him. Just being picky, but that could also open up some kind of plot later on, or something.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 11-05-07, 12:25 PM	The Castle Rino is referring to is the one in Charwood, the quest being called 'Village of Eternal Night'. Probably the best part of NWN! Yes! That was it, thank you. :) It was a wonderfully spooky quest.
Charles Phipps 11-05-07, 02:32 PM	-Anubis is the one who watches over dead deities in the Astral. Kelemvor would have had to have made some kind of deal with him. Just being picky, but that could also open up some kind of plot later on, or something. It doesn't seem like it would be a real plotline. Kelemvor saying "I don't want Myrkul's soul to rot in an eternal dreamless sleep of regrets and endless nightmares?" Unless Anubis has some sadistic desire to see deities trapped in their Hellish half-existence, I doubt he'd interfere. I feel the same way about clerics trying to resurrect their god. Maybe I'm missing something.
Lord Karsus 11-05-07, 03:23 PM	-Like I said, it could open up some kind of plot later on.
MerrikCale 11-05-07, 04:47 PM	The only video games I use for inspiration is PacMan and QBert
Charles Phipps 11-05-07, 05:25 PM	I appreciate the thought Karsus, the input is always welcome.
Lord Karsus 11-05-07, 06:18 PM	-Here you go, for a subplot/later plot concening what I mentioned. For whatever reason, Anubis now cannot allow Kelemvor to "protect" the divine essence/sentience of Myrkul. Thus, he dispatches his own followers to recover it.
Charles Phipps 11-05-07, 06:39 PM	Definite idea, since this is far in the future, I might even have the player characters visit the Astral to "steal" it in the first place. It's an interesting storyline hook to say the least. I'm probably going to combine Akashi with either the Order of Samular or Samular himself because I like to "minimize" my Realms. I like lots of existing connections and there's a limited number of Great Wizards and Champions in history for players to keep track of. I'm also going to try and figure out what the Shadow King is and what the role Garius is in the setting.
silkerahn 11-06-07, 01:39 AM	I like the backgrounds of both games, but for my main campaign the second storyline does not work since I pick up my campaign after my hero (my character from the NWN game and its main modules) returns home only to have to fight for her survival due to an attack on her hometown by Lolth fanatics. The fact that these fanatics just happen to be cousins to my hero and her branch of the family makes the dynamic more interesting for the players. My hero's family is a surface dwelling branch, eilistraee following branch of the House of Vrinn. The family resided in a human village on the southern edge of the Silver Marches just north of the High Forest. The village, well actually a town, was attacked a week after my hero returned from her adventures. Now my players played out the fight barely escaping with their lives. Their town was distroyed, my hero's mother called on a devine intervention to save the surviors of the community. That is where my D&D FR campaign crosses over to my d20 Modern campaign. The survivors from the massacre of Morn's Forge some 1200 drow, high elves, wood elves, half-elves, and humans make their way via a portal into the ruins of an old church over looking the sleepy Kansas hamlet of Stull. The year of their arrival is 1987 on Halloween Night. Now my D&D campaign picks up again in the current year on Earth and in the equivalent year on Toril according to the Dale Reconing. Silke Rahn my hero is summoned back to the Realms by Eilistraee and is allowed to bring across or find friends and retainers to help her on her quest. This part I am almost ready to game out. But as far as actually playing out an NWN quest, no I have not done that. I have only used the main campaign and both of the main modules as jumping off points and background for my campaign.
Charles Phipps 11-09-07, 12:57 AM	One of our player characters will be going through the Spirit Eater story arc, and I'm currently trying to figure out a Template for Akachi's Spirit. What exactly do you think that the Spirit Eater Template should look like? I'm open for suggestions.
Willis_G 11-09-07, 02:57 AM	Does anyone know what year the various Neverwinter Nights adventures are set?
Stigger 11-09-07, 06:44 AM	1372 for NWN I think (haven't played it in ages and the memory's slipping a bit about it)... no terribly sure on that though. No idea for NWN2 though.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 11-09-07, 01:40 PM	1372 for NWN I think (haven't played it in ages and the memory's slipping a bit about it)... That's correct--mid 1372. The SoU expansion takes place at the same time. HotU takes place sometime after that. I don't think a solid date was given for NWN2, but it must be a few years after NWN1, as the city of Neverwinter has had time to recover and rebuild.
meto30 11-09-07, 06:50 PM	Also, Luskan and Neverwinter has reestablished diplomatic relations, and many people are refering to the plague as if a recent yet historic event. I'm guessing somewhere around ten years.
Charles Phipps 11-09-07, 07:39 PM	Spirit Eater Template The subject has had his soul replaced with that of Akachi the Betrayer. While the player maintains his memories, his personality is affected by the presence of the powerful personality along with his reactions from other beings. This is in addition to the more grosser changes that become part of hosting the dread horror that is Akachi's curse. * The subject gains a +2 bonus to Wisdom * The subject gains a +2 to Charisma * The subject gains the ability to use the Sword of Gith whether or not he's proficient in it or not. * The subject can Energy Drain once per day. This can be used on ghosts as well as other undead. * The Subject must devour one level of Energy every day and can store up to ten levels of energy within him. * The subject permanently loses a point of mental attributes for each week that he does not feed his hunger for souls.