Praise Mykrul! (Campaign Questions!) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Praise Mykrul! (Campaign Questions!) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Aylomeizen
08-25-05, 04:08 PM I'm in a rut: I have very little playing experience with Faerun, and so I apologize if some of these questions seem rather obvious/stupid. I do, however, want to play within the bounds of the game - and so that's why I'm here! I used to play as a half-elf cleric/mage of Myrkrul waaay back in 2nd Edition when the god was still a major power - I'm wanting to carry this character over into 3rd Edition:

His stats used to be 9/10/9/18/17/18. In short, the epitome of the weakling genius. Would a 3rd Edition carryover into 7/10/8/18/17/18 seem too much, or would 7/10/8/18/16/18 provide the more balanced template? I plan on taking some of the handicap feats from the Unearthed Arcana book because, in concept, he's really a complete gimp who'll direct and mastermind a battle from the rear. He's just very easy to kill if you can get to him. ;)

Next, his worship of Mykrul: since his god has fallen(and we haven't come up with a backstory for this character's actions during this time, which is what I'm currently trying to figure out) he has not abandoned his worship of Mykrul. He is a Lawful Evil character who, oddly enough, will be loyal to his bitter end. Where would he get his clerical powers, for the time being? Would an allied diety such as Bane provide them to him?

Finally, I'm wondering if any of you know any way to restore a god back to power. This is the character's only real goal, as he wishes to rebuild the church, but I have no real idea how to bring Mykrul back. I'm sure that it's been done in many campaigns; I'm just curious as to how other people have done this.

Thanks!
ericlboyd
08-25-05, 05:45 PM You can worship a dead god by taking the Servant of the Fallen feat (detailed in Lost Empires of Faerun). Myrkul's domains are also detailed therein.

It's 2e, but I wrote an adventure a while back in Dungeon #73 entitled "Eye of Myrkul". You might mine that adventure for ideas about how to bring Myrkul back.

In Faiths & Pantheons, you might look at the Horned Harbringer PrC for ideas.

SMALL SPOILERS FOR AGE OF WORMS

Finally, you could look at Paizo's "Age of Worms" campaign unfolding over 12 issues of Dungeon magazine. (The third adventure just appeared in Dungeon #126.) I'm writing the Realms conversions for the adventure path on the Paizo website. You might look at info about the Realms version of the Ebon Triad for insight.

--Eric
Lord Mortanius
08-26-05, 07:01 AM On the other hand, if you don't have LEoF, Velsharoon would be an adequate replacement, in terms of domains. Just switch Magic with Suffering.
shades of eternity
08-26-05, 08:10 AM bah, velashroon is a poor man's myrkul and a cliche 80's villian.

Do What I do,

Have him return by replacing another god and/or merging with him.

In my game, he's coming back from the dead thanks to cyrics greed. ;)
Apostate
09-24-05, 02:25 PM bah, velashroon is a poor man's myrkul and a cliche 80's villian.

Do What I do,

Have him return by replacing another god and/or merging with him.

In my game, he's coming back from the dead thanks to cyrics greed. ;)

Can't people just let poor old Myrkul rest in peace? :(
GothicDan
09-24-05, 07:41 PM There's something horribly oxymoronic at the thought of Myrkul "resting in peace."
dragonheart
09-24-05, 09:28 PM As Eric Boyd said you need to take the Servant of the Fallen feat to keep getting spells from a fallen deity (this shouldn't be a problem as you rebuild to 3.x just add the feat in in the backstory) . As for the stats I see no reason not to simply carry over the original stats as the level 1 stats and then add however many stat boosts his levels allow.
To brinmg Myrkyl back your going to have to find his "body" on the Ethereal plane (or is it the astral - check faiths and pantheons it says where the dead gods bodies are) and perform a major ritual to bring him back - provided no one gets word of what your doing and stops you first. something like this is described in the Novel with finder as a god (can't remember its name - KUJIE!! :D )
Kuje31
09-24-05, 09:48 PM Finder's Bane probably. :)
Sovereign King
09-25-05, 01:11 AM Crown of Horns
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Crown of Horns is an evil, intelligent artifact of great power from the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. Forged by Myrkul, the former god of death, it carries with it a long history of corruption and tragedy.

At one point, the Crown possessed Laeral Silverhand, one of the Seven Sisters, and was sundered by her husband, the archmage Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, who locked its pieces away within the heavily-protected walls of his tower. However, when Myrkul died at Midnight's hand during the Time of Troubles, the god tore the broken shards of the Crown from Blackstaff Tower, reforged it in a new shape, and infused it with the remains of his sentience before teleporting away. To this day, Myrkul, through the Crown, has been spreading evil through the Realms, tormenting members of the Church of Cyric as well as hapless innocents.

The Crown of Horns appears as a silver circlet with a black diamond set on the brow and four bone horns mounted around its edge. It imbues the wearer with several considerable necromantic powers - including the unique "Myrkul's Hand" property - but has a tendency to strongly influence that action of the wearer, changing his alignment to neutral evil and gradually making him into an undead creature, among other things.

The Crown of Horns was last seen in the possession of a yuan-ti pureblood named Nhyris D'Hothek, who disappeared from his haunts in Skullport in 1370 DR, after the Crown transformed him into a lich. People and creatures who have remained dedicated to Myrkul after, or have become dedicated to him since, his demise, devote themselves to him through the Crown of Horns and are known as Horned Harbingers - Nhyris included.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_of_Horns"
dragonheart
09-25-05, 11:55 AM thanks Kujie that was the book - check it out for info on raising dead gods.
yeah any ritual to raise myrkul would probably call for the Crown of Thorns so there is a campaign for you - track it down, track down his "dead body" , get the crown (or the clown wearing the crown) to the body then perform the ritual without being interupted - probably including sacrificing the clown wiht the crown to provide an initial life force for the deific resurrection.

see - nice and simple (till the harpers, moonstars, and the other do gooders get into the act and try to stop you :D )
Kuje31
09-25-05, 12:53 PM No problem Dragonheart.

And that info from Wikipedia is a bit outdated and the Crown is no longer on that NPC. See page 143 of Serpent Kingdoms.
Sovereign King
09-26-05, 09:34 PM All that matters is that the crown still exists thats all thats important to his concept.
thorchilde
09-29-05, 03:36 PM In my campaign.... An NPC by the name of Khemed "Bonemaster" is similiar to your character. He is being used by Orcus, posing as a reincarnated Myrkul, to cast his influence on the Realms. Khemed has posed as a major antogonist, and the PC's believe him to be currently defeated.
I have plans of the PC's running in the City of the Spider Queen module, which will introduce them to Kiaransalee who is also vying for whatever power remains from the former Lord of Death.
There is always the possiblity of Myrkuls' ressurection, but I think the worship of another power with similiar goals to be the wiser alternative.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aylomeizen 08-25-05, 04:08 PM	I'm in a rut: I have very little playing experience with Faerun, and so I apologize if some of these questions seem rather obvious/stupid. I do, however, want to play within the bounds of the game - and so that's why I'm here! I used to play as a half-elf cleric/mage of Myrkrul waaay back in 2nd Edition when the god was still a major power - I'm wanting to carry this character over into 3rd Edition: His stats used to be 9/10/9/18/17/18. In short, the epitome of the weakling genius. Would a 3rd Edition carryover into 7/10/8/18/17/18 seem too much, or would 7/10/8/18/16/18 provide the more balanced template? I plan on taking some of the handicap feats from the Unearthed Arcana book because, in concept, he's really a complete gimp who'll direct and mastermind a battle from the rear. He's just very easy to kill if you can get to him. ;) Next, his worship of Mykrul: since his god has fallen(and we haven't come up with a backstory for this character's actions during this time, which is what I'm currently trying to figure out) he has not abandoned his worship of Mykrul. He is a Lawful Evil character who, oddly enough, will be loyal to his bitter end. Where would he get his clerical powers, for the time being? Would an allied diety such as Bane provide them to him? Finally, I'm wondering if any of you know any way to restore a god back to power. This is the character's only real goal, as he wishes to rebuild the church, but I have no real idea how to bring Mykrul back. I'm sure that it's been done in many campaigns; I'm just curious as to how other people have done this. Thanks!
ericlboyd 08-25-05, 05:45 PM	You can worship a dead god by taking the Servant of the Fallen feat (detailed in Lost Empires of Faerun). Myrkul's domains are also detailed therein. It's 2e, but I wrote an adventure a while back in Dungeon #73 entitled "Eye of Myrkul". You might mine that adventure for ideas about how to bring Myrkul back. In Faiths & Pantheons, you might look at the Horned Harbringer PrC for ideas. SMALL SPOILERS FOR AGE OF WORMS Finally, you could look at Paizo's "Age of Worms" campaign unfolding over 12 issues of Dungeon magazine. (The third adventure just appeared in Dungeon #126.) I'm writing the Realms conversions for the adventure path on the Paizo website. You might look at info about the Realms version of the Ebon Triad for insight. --Eric
Lord Mortanius 08-26-05, 07:01 AM	On the other hand, if you don't have LEoF, Velsharoon would be an adequate replacement, in terms of domains. Just switch Magic with Suffering.
shades of eternity 08-26-05, 08:10 AM	bah, velashroon is a poor man's myrkul and a cliche 80's villian. Do What I do, Have him return by replacing another god and/or merging with him. In my game, he's coming back from the dead thanks to cyrics greed. ;)
Apostate 09-24-05, 02:25 PM	bah, velashroon is a poor man's myrkul and a cliche 80's villian. Do What I do, Have him return by replacing another god and/or merging with him. In my game, he's coming back from the dead thanks to cyrics greed. ;) Can't people just let poor old Myrkul rest in peace? :(
GothicDan 09-24-05, 07:41 PM	There's something horribly oxymoronic at the thought of Myrkul "resting in peace."
dragonheart 09-24-05, 09:28 PM	As Eric Boyd said you need to take the Servant of the Fallen feat to keep getting spells from a fallen deity (this shouldn't be a problem as you rebuild to 3.x just add the feat in in the backstory) . As for the stats I see no reason not to simply carry over the original stats as the level 1 stats and then add however many stat boosts his levels allow. To brinmg Myrkyl back your going to have to find his "body" on the Ethereal plane (or is it the astral - check faiths and pantheons it says where the dead gods bodies are) and perform a major ritual to bring him back - provided no one gets word of what your doing and stops you first. something like this is described in the Novel with finder as a god (can't remember its name - KUJIE!! :D )
Kuje31 09-24-05, 09:48 PM	Finder's Bane probably. :)
Sovereign King 09-25-05, 01:11 AM	Crown of Horns From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The Crown of Horns is an evil, intelligent artifact of great power from the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. Forged by Myrkul, the former god of death, it carries with it a long history of corruption and tragedy. At one point, the Crown possessed Laeral Silverhand, one of the Seven Sisters, and was sundered by her husband, the archmage Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, who locked its pieces away within the heavily-protected walls of his tower. However, when Myrkul died at Midnight's hand during the Time of Troubles, the god tore the broken shards of the Crown from Blackstaff Tower, reforged it in a new shape, and infused it with the remains of his sentience before teleporting away. To this day, Myrkul, through the Crown, has been spreading evil through the Realms, tormenting members of the Church of Cyric as well as hapless innocents. The Crown of Horns appears as a silver circlet with a black diamond set on the brow and four bone horns mounted around its edge. It imbues the wearer with several considerable necromantic powers - including the unique "Myrkul's Hand" property - but has a tendency to strongly influence that action of the wearer, changing his alignment to neutral evil and gradually making him into an undead creature, among other things. The Crown of Horns was last seen in the possession of a yuan-ti pureblood named Nhyris D'Hothek, who disappeared from his haunts in Skullport in 1370 DR, after the Crown transformed him into a lich. People and creatures who have remained dedicated to Myrkul after, or have become dedicated to him since, his demise, devote themselves to him through the Crown of Horns and are known as Horned Harbingers - Nhyris included. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_of_Horns"
dragonheart 09-25-05, 11:55 AM	thanks Kujie that was the book - check it out for info on raising dead gods. yeah any ritual to raise myrkul would probably call for the Crown of Thorns so there is a campaign for you - track it down, track down his "dead body" , get the crown (or the clown wearing the crown) to the body then perform the ritual without being interupted - probably including sacrificing the clown wiht the crown to provide an initial life force for the deific resurrection. see - nice and simple (till the harpers, moonstars, and the other do gooders get into the act and try to stop you :D )
Kuje31 09-25-05, 12:53 PM	No problem Dragonheart. And that info from Wikipedia is a bit outdated and the Crown is no longer on that NPC. See page 143 of Serpent Kingdoms.
Sovereign King 09-26-05, 09:34 PM	All that matters is that the crown still exists thats all thats important to his concept.
thorchilde 09-29-05, 03:36 PM	In my campaign.... An NPC by the name of Khemed "Bonemaster" is similiar to your character. He is being used by Orcus, posing as a reincarnated Myrkul, to cast his influence on the Realms. Khemed has posed as a major antogonist, and the PC's believe him to be currently defeated. I have plans of the PC's running in the City of the Spider Queen module, which will introduce them to Kiaransalee who is also vying for whatever power remains from the former Lord of Death. There is always the possiblity of Myrkuls' ressurection, but I think the worship of another power with similiar goals to be the wiser alternative.