Post/Author/DateTime	Post
gorion 07-31-04, 11:34 AM	I'm going to start an adventure as a DM in September, using the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. I'd like to make all the campaign about the attempt of a new human wizards Guild to recover Netherese Magic and to restore the Empire. The players will have the opportunity of helping this wizards several times in the campaign, but probably they won't, mainly because I'm planning to make this attempt feared by almost all FR organizations (Harpers, Red Wizards, Zhentarim and so on..). Now.. I need some suggestions. Would you play in a similar campaing or you would find it boring? What kind of small quest could I let them make in early levels? Should I use the 2ed sources on Netheril? Do you have any good idea?
Cunning Linguist 07-31-04, 11:39 AM	If done right, it would be fun to play in such a game. There are all kinds of quests you can do.. even the most mudene ones can be added in, if the reward is the netherese item that the party needs. Yes, you should use 2.ed Netheril: Empire of magic, if only to learn more about the Empire itself, and learn how to best reflect the culture that once existed. And no, I have no good ideas.
The_Declaration 07-31-04, 12:08 PM	i kinda did something like that. It can be pretty fun, I would advise you to start outside Anauroch: role and situation of the PCs is up to you, but the PCs should get in contact/conflict with the Shades. You can use spies sent by the Shades for example, and put some deep intrigues. Then as a second step, after the PCs being spied by the Shades, the PCs can start focusing on the Shades, and you can get closer to their goals/secrets/etc. I posted a summary of the first games of my campaign, a long time ago. You can maybe find them out with the search tool. Lords of Darkness could be pretty useful for you, as there are i think around 30 pages about the Shades. Then maybe Ancient Empires when it will be out, but i don't know if Netheril material will be included...
Ramar Aulinvox 08-01-04, 01:09 PM	I ran a campaign a couple of years ago that sent the pcs back to Netheril at different points in history. To add more authenticity I created a number of spells that are unique to Netheril but might be considered obsolete in modern times. Since the spells in the PHB didn't exist at all points in history i find them invaluable. If you would like I can post them for you to look over. By and by, this is my first posting so be gentle.
gorion 08-02-04, 02:52 AM	Starting outside Anauroch is not possible, because I'm taking over a running campaign. At the moment the party is in Daerlun. I'd like to see those spells Ramar, thanks.
Ramar Aulinvox 08-02-04, 08:05 PM	Gorion, here are a few spells. I'll add more later. -this is a spell that allowed arcanists to travel across the empire before teleport spells were developed. Celestiar's Meteor Travel Field: Variation School: Trans (fire) Level: 9 Wiz/Sorc Comp: V,M CT: 1 action Range: Personal Area: 20' radius burst on impact Duration: 1 hour/2 levels (D) SV: None/Reflex 1/2 SR: Yes This spell turns the caster into a meteor that has a movement rate of 250, with this the caster may travel at a dragon's overland flying rate. The caster may chose to move at the hustle speed but will be fatigued at the end of the spell (nor other ill effects). When the caster finally stops he hits the ground and explodes and deals 7d6 bludgeoning and 5d6 fire damage to all with in a 20' radius (reflex for half). Material comp: red gem worth at least 1000gp - here is a lower level personal combat spell Telsara's Stormstaff Field: Inventive School: Evoc (Sonic, Elec) Level: 3 Sorc/Wiz Comp: V,M CT: 1 action Effect: 1 staff Dur: 1 r./Level or until discharged SV: Fort Partial SR: Yes This spell creates a shimmering staff. The caster may make a melee touch attack on the round the spell is cast or at the normal attack rate on a later round. If the staff hits it deals d6/Level damage that is half electric and half sonic damage. The opponent also must make a fortitude save for half damage and to avoid being stunned for one round. Material Comp: wood struck by natural lightning
Ramar Aulinvox 08-03-04, 05:51 PM	I need to correct some thigs on my post last time. First, Celestiar's Meteor Travel's component should cost 1000gp. Next, Tel'sara's Stormstaff discharges after it hits something. -here is a precursor to magic missile Tel'sara's Force Bolts Field: Invention School: Evo (Force) Level: 1 Wiz/Sorc Comp: V,M CT: 1 action Range: Medium Effect: 1 force bolt/2 levels Duration: Instantaneous SV: None SR: Yes This spell creates one bolt per two levels (max 5) that deal d6 damage each. The caster can immediately attack with all bolts and must succeed at a regular range attack. Defences that protect against magic missiles work normally against this spell (ie. shield spell, brooch of shielding, etc.). Material Comp: powder from a clear gem. -here is a spell from a member of the Shadow Consortium Ramar's Shadow Slay Field: Variation School: Necro (Death, Evil) Level: 9 Wiz/Sorc Comp: V,S CT: 1 action Range: Close Target: One living creature Duration: Instantaneous SV: Fort partial SR: Yes This spell slays the target and immediately raises it as a shadow under the casters control. This shadow counts against the normal maximum of undead allowed to a caster. A subject that makes its save suffers 3d6 damage + 1/caster level. -more to come soon....
sophocles 08-05-04, 09:30 AM	You mentioned that you cannot start in Anauroch because the party's in Daerlun. But you also mentioned starting this campaign in September. If it were me. I'd start weaving the Netherese plot in now... not too much as I wouldn't want to distract the party from the existing campaign. But just enough to tweak their interest and set the stage for the the start of the "new" campaign..... Something along the lines of introducing a "Netherese Artifact" and having the players acquire it... but not allow them to know what it really is.... Then a little bit later start rumoring about the new wizards guild. And when you're ready to introduce the new campaign, it could start with a member of this new guild approaching the party - with various intent- regarding the Netherese Artifact. This could be a great catalyst for the party to start "helping" the feared guild. But weave a deep plot so the players are not aware of the rebuilding of the Empire, until it's relatively too late....... then conclude it with an epic struggle of paramount proportions.... such as the original guild member becoming friends with the party, and leading the party to the ultimate story line... and the party having to decide on whether to spare their's friend's life or kill him because he is a member of this "guild." Just a thought. :)
frankbassist 08-21-04, 11:33 AM	Originally posted by Ramar Aulinvox -more to come soon.... [/B] Euhm, well I'm waiting for more spells from Netheril, Ramar. Because I'm planning to send my player's back to the time of Netheril. So show me what you've got :)
Rogue Extraordinaire 08-21-04, 10:18 PM	My game that I am playing in as a PC has recently become involved alot with Netheril. We killed a lich who had taken control of a floating tower, called the Tower of the Fang and later found out that it was a relic from the time of Netheril. We kept it for ourselves and while exploring it we found a portal to a vault with gobs and gobs of gold and items, aswell as the ghost of an anchient Nethersese wizard.... It turned out that this wizard was the brother of Karsus and that he entombed another evil wizard from the time of Netheril (who had built the flting tower) here. We accidentaly released the evil wizard and the two ghosts duked it out. The good guy fell, and the bad guy fled but with his second last breath (as he was already dead) he put a geas upon us to find and kill the bad wizard. So we've been finding Netherses "artifacts" (artifacts because of their age, but only normal magic items) and stuff, its pretty cool.
FriendOfReligion 08-22-04, 03:18 PM	Trying to even rescue limited amounts of Netherese lore or items can be real fun, but the problem is that Midnight-Mystara is now goody-two-shoes instead of Neutral, and has the power and inclination to smack down anyone who might pose a threat to her (by shutting them off from the Weave, if nothing else). If a group using Shadow magic tried to raise Netheril, Mystara would have much less power over them, and their potential victory could be devastating to Mystara's cult (and a great victory for Shar). All of the people who've been nursing grudges against Mystara for millennia for shutting Netheril down and locking it away can finally vent their spleens at her if it makes a comeback, further strengthening Shar in her role as goddess as the Wrong Remembered. And do not forget that Larloch was the Archmage Quantoul. (He was! He was! He was!)
Ramar Aulinvox 08-23-04, 05:55 PM	sorry, been busy with finals and stuff... here are a few more spells here's a modified version of the icestorm spell Telsara's Fiery Reconing field: Inven school: Evoc (fire) Level: sorc/wiz 5 Comp: V,M CT: 1 action Range: Long Area: Cylinder (20' R. and 40' high) Dur: 1 full round SV: no SR: yes Fiery stones fall that deal 4d6 bludg. and 3d6 fire damage to everything in the area. All listen checks take a -6 penalty in the area and all movement is reduced by half. Material: peice of a meteorite Another shadow consortium spell Ramar's Enervation Ball Field: Inven School: Necro Level: Sorc/Wiz 9 Comp: V,S CT: 1 action Range: Long Area: 20' radius spread Duration: Instant SV: will half SR: yes A burst of negative energy gives 1d4+1 negative levels to all with in the spread of the spell. A will save reduces the negative levels taken to half. Negative levels remain for twenty hours, therefore, it is impossible to actually loose levels from this spell. here is a modified version of a spell in Magic of Fearun Kelzar's Electric Mantel Field: Inven school: Evoc (elec) level: sor/wiz 2 Comp: V,M CT: 1 action Range: Personal Target: you Duration: 1 round/level (d) Save: Will negates (harmless) SR: yes You are surrounded by a crackling aura that deals 1d4 damage plus 1 per 2 levels (max +5) to anyone who attacks you with a natural or hand held weapon. Any hand held weapon with exceptinal reach is immune. Material: a paste made of lightning scroched wood, iron, and gems worth 50 gp. more to come.....hopefully sooner than later.
frankbassist 08-24-04, 07:05 AM	Originally posted by Ramar Aulinvox sorry, been busy with finals and stuff... here are a few more spells Another shadow consortium spell Ramar's Enervation Ball Field: Inven School: Necro Level: Sorc/Wiz 9 Comp: V,S CT: 1 action Range: Long Area: 20' radius spread Duration: Instant SV: will half SR: yes A burst of negative energy gives d4+1 negative levels to all with in the spread of the spell. A will save reduces the negative levels taken to half. Negative levels remain for twenty hours, therefore, it is impossible to actually loose levels from this spell. here is a modified version of a spell in Magic of Fearun Kelzar's Electric Mantel Field: Inven school: Evoc (elec) level: sor/wiz 2 Comp: V,M CT: 1 action Range: Personal Target: you Duration: 1 round/level (d) Save: Will negates (harmless) SR: yes You are surrounded by a crackling aura that deals d4 damage plus 1 per 2 levels (max +5) to anyone who attacks you with a natural or hand held weapon. Any hand held weapon with exceptinal reach is immune. Material: a paste made of lightning scroched wood, iron, and gems worth 50 gp. more to come.....hopefully sooner than later. I suppose you mean : gives 1d4+1 negative levels and deals 1d4 damage plus 1 per 2 levels (max +5)[/b]
Ramar Aulinvox 01-30-08, 02:04 AM	I'm going to resurrect this thread for some other parties and add a couple more of my Netherese spells. Ramar's Circling Singularities Conjuration Level: Sorc/Wiz 8 Comp: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal/Medium Target: You/one creature or object Duration: 1r/level Save: None/Fort (1/4) SR: Yes This spell brings about one minute singularity per level (max 24). The singularities may act in one of three ways each round; chosen once per round as a free action: (1) grant a deflection bonus to A/C equal to the number of spheres divided by 3 rounded up; (2) cause a sphere to intercept every attack on caster. In the case of weapons, a weapon takes 2d6 damage before striking caster (save for 1/4). In the case of natural weapons, the attacker takes 2d6 damage per attack (save for 1/4). The damage is pure destructive damage and bypasses hardness; spell resistance applies. Each interception causes one sphere to dissipate. (3) Gather as many remaining spheres as the caster choses, combine them, and unleash a ray attack that does 2d6 damage per sphere (Fort save for 1/4). Material: lode stone covered with diamond dust (500 gp value). Mass True Strike Divination Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, F Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: close Targets: 1 creature per level all within 20' of eachother. Duration: special This spell works like True strike except where provided above. Focus: a multifacet gem worth at least 500 gp Shared Senses Divination Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, F Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close Targets: You plus one willing creature per three levels, no two of which can be more than 30' apart. Duration: 1 minute/level (D) Save: none SR: no This spell links the minds of several allies and allows them to share their sensory perceptions. While this spell is active, all creatures gain all visual, hearing, tactile, and other abilities of the other creatures in the link (i.e. low-light vision, darkvision, blindsight, tremor sense, scent, etc.). As long as one of the creatures in the link isn't flat footed, all members are not flat footed; further, a creature in the link is not flanked unless all members of the link are flanked. The spell stops harmful effects from spreading to other members of the link. The drawback of this increased sensory experience is that all members in the link take a negative on initiative equal to the number of creatures in the link. Focus: a silver circulet with a saphire mounted in it that is worn on the head of the caster (500 gp value) and a silver ring with a mounted saphire worn by all members of the link (each ring valued at 100 gp). These are not consumed in the casting. Here's a ritual used by worshipers of Shar: Shadowfade This ritual was developed to remove assassins or other operatives' bodies and equipment if they failed. Upon the death of the individual, s/he shifts to the plane of shadow along with all equipment. This ritual must be performed in a desecrated cavern during the new moon. Base Cost: 4500 gp (XP: 180, Materials: 2250 gp).
MarkusTay63 01-30-08, 10:53 AM	Bear in mind that MOST Netherese artifacts recovered within the borders of Anauroch will not function any more - they were pseudo-magical items and require a linked 'power source' (such as a Mythallar) to function. Of course, the mage you are planning to have looking for such items could very well be a member of the Arcane Order (from CA I think - I don't have my books here). That PrC is based on the Order written up in the 2e supplement College of Wizardry, which have their own 'Arcane Power Source' that they can tap into. I forget the name of that artifact - I'll look it up when I get home - but it appears to function very simmilar to a Mythallar, and I always postulated that it may very well be one, or perhaps some early prototype of one that the was recovered from Netherese ruins. Lastly, you could start them in Tethyamar (SP?), which is still 'outside' of Anauroch, but right on the edge of it, and curently inhabitted by Goblins. The D'Tarig (half-Dwarves) are decendents of the original clan that owned Tethyamar, and could very well be looking to take it back, especially since they have some Zhentish backing, and the Zhents are probably looking for a new outpost to watch over these 'newcomers' (Shades) who are messing up THEIR plans for Anauroch. What does Tethyamar have to do with Netheril? Well, it traded with a least one of Netheril's 'survivor-states', AND the Nether Scrolls passed through its halls at one point, when they were stolen by the Elves who were carrying them underground to avoid the Netherese. The scrolls aren't there anymore, but perhaps somewhere in that ancient dwarven Citadel lies a scroll detailing the Elves visit... and some hints about other hidden caches of dangerous Netherese magic. :plotting: EDIT: And don't forget to include a little Sarrukh 'goodness', there's some stuff about primordial Anauroch in Serpent Kingdoms. It would be great fun to have your PCs find some ruins, and then find out they are MUCH older then Netheril. Since the High Ice is melting, lots of those types of ruins are bound to start appearing. Besides, an army of ancient Sarrukh Lichs sounds like so much fun... from a DMs point of view, that is. :devil: