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So, about Tithian

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
603
Oct 05, 2010 17:44:05 Anyone else noticed that the number one traitor of the Prysm Pentad isn't statted in any core book?

Now, before anyone else can utter the three capital letters starting with D which I don't want brought into this conversation, what does that suggest to you about him?

To me, it suggests two possibilities. First off, he could be a total weakling not much more powerful than an average noble. And as such, he's fragbait walking until one some more powerful NPC takes over.

Option 2 is that he really *is* powerful enough to be on par with an S-K, and is left as something for the DM to develop independently. After all, with access to all of Kalak's libraries and magic, its only a matter of time before he starts empowering templars and doing all that other stuff that S-Ks do.
#2
ritorix
Oct 05, 2010 18:02:41 Definitely not a pushover. He was Senior Templar before all the assassination. Besides having to control Tyr and all the various factions, he had to deal with other cities making demands of the new King.

He was statted up back in the 2e days. In 4e I would stat him as a SK-pact warlock with a few psionic abilities thrown in. Depends at what point in the 'timeline' you need his stats.
#3
Pennarin
Oct 05, 2010 20:14:05 Tithian was only an important templar for the last few weeks it took for the ziggurat to be finished, and during that time he passed from - IIRC - High Templar of the King's Games to High Templar of the King's Works, or he might have been given both jobs. There was no one senior templar, as the head guy in Tyr - and every other city - was the sorcerer-king.

Tithian was stated out in City-State of Tyr, in 2e, a 17th level templar. Timor - the highest ranking member of the templar faction, after the revolution - was 12th/13th dual-classed templar/defiler.

In 4e none of the Heroes of Tyr are stated out, and rightfully so: the spotlight is on the PCs.
#4
603
Oct 05, 2010 20:41:44
In 4e none of the Heroes of Tyr are stated out, and rightfully so: the spotlight is on the PCs.

I would agree with you, except for the fact that Tithian- unlike other heroes from most D&D novels- is wearing a great big huge KILL ME sign sticking out of his hat like one of those ! things the questgivers in WOW do. In fact, its entirely possible that the other S-Ks might be sending parties of adventurers out to kill him- sounds like a good premise for a campaign, at least in the Paragon tier.

So in a sense, having stats for him could be desirable because he's such a big target. Unlike Rikus who could be written off as just some random gladiator Tithian bought to provide muscle.
#5
baronspam
Oct 05, 2010 20:59:50 I think that the designers decided to move the focus away from the prism pentad story. As Pennarim pointed out, we dont have stats for any of those characters, not just Tithian. Its up to the individual dm to decide how much Tyr is going to feature in his stories, and what direction those stories are going to head in. The problem with following those story lines for 4th ed is that that story has its heroes. Rikus and company are the focus of those adventures, and for those who were 2nd ed fans and have read the books you know how the story turns out. The PCs should be the stars of the show in any given Darksun campaign. The campaign doesn't have to focus on Tyr at all, and even if it does things an be very different than they were in the books. Maybe Tithian is the guy holding Tyr back from anarchy. Maybe he is the only honest one in the whole revolutionary council. The nice thing about not having stats for Tithian is that he can be whatever version of Tithian your story needs him to be.
#6
wizardofwor
Oct 08, 2010 10:47:09

Tithian was stated out in City-State of Tyr, in 2e, a 17th level templar. Timor - the highest ranking member of the templar faction, after the revolution - was 12th/13th dual-classed templar/defiler.

Also in that book it is said that Tithian disappears, off to try to become a S-K in his own right. A lot of possibilities, from 'you never encounter him' up to 'he succeeds'.
#7
jahatch28
Oct 10, 2010 16:39:25 I had forgotten a bit about how he does disappear on his quest for a while... also, don't forget those floating heads .. they were awesome in the Prism Pentad...

so yeah, is he even in Tyr for your PCs to deal with? does he return powerful enough to challenge the other SKs for Tyr or does Tyr start to fall apart more without him there to pose as the leader...

Does your campaign follow some of the arc of the Prism Pentad or does it diverge just after Kalak takes a spear to the head...

I had always found it odd how the 2nd edition setting did sort of railroad the DM into following the direction the books take and I guess it makes sense that they skipped that in this edition..

I'm also looking forward to the newest Dark Sun novel to see what direction they go with that...

- josh
#8
khorne37
Oct 14, 2010 13:44:01 Both of the floating heads were destroyed and Tithian became what is now the Cerelean Storm. I happen to be revisiting the original 2E adventures that were in flip book format and even though all the major players are in the adeventures I do not think they have a stat listing. There is a book however that is called beyond the prisim pentad that Stats the still living chracters from that series ten years after Kalaks death if they are considered to be alive still.
#9
603
Oct 15, 2010 6:19:15
Both of the floating heads were destroyed and Tithian became what is now the Cerelean Storm.

Slow down there. None of those events have happened yet in 4e, and might not ever happen.
#10
khorne37
Oct 15, 2010 10:32:48 Yes I know I was just giving a little refresher for jahatch28. I think I am going to follow the prsim pentad closley up to the point where the dragon is killed. I think I might want some SK's around to harass epic level characters. The PC's will have intereacted with at least 3 of them in the standard adventures byt he time all is said and done.
#11
603
Oct 16, 2010 11:32:55
Yes I know I was just giving a little refresher for jahatch28. I think I am going to follow the prsim pentad closley up to the point where the dragon is killed. I think I might want some SK's around to harass epic level characters. The PC's will have intereacted with at least 3 of them in the standard adventures byt he time all is said and done.

Fair enough. I plan on ignoring it completely. Feels too much like the Heroes of the Lance, or Cyric and Midnight from Abeir/Toril.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 603 Oct 05, 2010 17:44:05	Anyone else noticed that the number one traitor of the Prysm Pentad isn't statted in any core book? Now, before anyone else can utter the three capital letters starting with D which I don't want brought into this conversation, what does that suggest to you about him? To me, it suggests two possibilities. First off, he could be a total weakling not much more powerful than an average noble. And as such, he's fragbait walking until one some more powerful NPC takes over. Option 2 is that he really is powerful enough to be on par with an S-K, and is left as something for the DM to develop independently. After all, with access to all of Kalak's libraries and magic, its only a matter of time before he starts empowering templars and doing all that other stuff that S-Ks do.
#2 ritorix Oct 05, 2010 18:02:41	Definitely not a pushover. He was Senior Templar before all the assassination. Besides having to control Tyr and all the various factions, he had to deal with other cities making demands of the new King. He was statted up back in the 2e days. In 4e I would stat him as a SK-pact warlock with a few psionic abilities thrown in. Depends at what point in the 'timeline' you need his stats.
#3 Pennarin Oct 05, 2010 20:14:05	Tithian was only an important templar for the last few weeks it took for the ziggurat to be finished, and during that time he passed from - IIRC - High Templar of the King's Games to High Templar of the King's Works, or he might have been given both jobs. There was no one senior templar, as the head guy in Tyr - and every other city - was the sorcerer-king. Tithian was stated out in City-State of Tyr, in 2e, a 17th level templar. Timor - the highest ranking member of the templar faction, after the revolution - was 12th/13th dual-classed templar/defiler. In 4e none of the Heroes of Tyr are stated out, and rightfully so: the spotlight is on the PCs.
#4 603 Oct 05, 2010 20:41:44	In 4e none of the Heroes of Tyr are stated out, and rightfully so: the spotlight is on the PCs. I would agree with you, except for the fact that Tithian- unlike other heroes from most D&D novels- is wearing a great big huge KILL ME sign sticking out of his hat like one of those ! things the questgivers in WOW do. In fact, its entirely possible that the other S-Ks might be sending parties of adventurers out to kill him- sounds like a good premise for a campaign, at least in the Paragon tier. So in a sense, having stats for him could be desirable because he's such a big target. Unlike Rikus who could be written off as just some random gladiator Tithian bought to provide muscle.
#5 baronspam Oct 05, 2010 20:59:50	I think that the designers decided to move the focus away from the prism pentad story. As Pennarim pointed out, we dont have stats for any of those characters, not just Tithian. Its up to the individual dm to decide how much Tyr is going to feature in his stories, and what direction those stories are going to head in. The problem with following those story lines for 4th ed is that that story has its heroes. Rikus and company are the focus of those adventures, and for those who were 2nd ed fans and have read the books you know how the story turns out. The PCs should be the stars of the show in any given Darksun campaign. The campaign doesn't have to focus on Tyr at all, and even if it does things an be very different than they were in the books. Maybe Tithian is the guy holding Tyr back from anarchy. Maybe he is the only honest one in the whole revolutionary council. The nice thing about not having stats for Tithian is that he can be whatever version of Tithian your story needs him to be.
#6 wizardofwor Oct 08, 2010 10:47:09	Tithian was stated out in City-State of Tyr, in 2e, a 17th level templar. Timor - the highest ranking member of the templar faction, after the revolution - was 12th/13th dual-classed templar/defiler. Also in that book it is said that Tithian disappears, off to try to become a S-K in his own right. A lot of possibilities, from 'you never encounter him' up to 'he succeeds'.
#7 jahatch28 Oct 10, 2010 16:39:25	I had forgotten a bit about how he does disappear on his quest for a while... also, don't forget those floating heads .. they were awesome in the Prism Pentad... so yeah, is he even in Tyr for your PCs to deal with? does he return powerful enough to challenge the other SKs for Tyr or does Tyr start to fall apart more without him there to pose as the leader... Does your campaign follow some of the arc of the Prism Pentad or does it diverge just after Kalak takes a spear to the head... I had always found it odd how the 2nd edition setting did sort of railroad the DM into following the direction the books take and I guess it makes sense that they skipped that in this edition.. I'm also looking forward to the newest Dark Sun novel to see what direction they go with that... - josh
#8 khorne37 Oct 14, 2010 13:44:01	Both of the floating heads were destroyed and Tithian became what is now the Cerelean Storm. I happen to be revisiting the original 2E adventures that were in flip book format and even though all the major players are in the adeventures I do not think they have a stat listing. There is a book however that is called beyond the prisim pentad that Stats the still living chracters from that series ten years after Kalaks death if they are considered to be alive still.
#9 603 Oct 15, 2010 6:19:15	Both of the floating heads were destroyed and Tithian became what is now the Cerelean Storm. Slow down there. None of those events have happened yet in 4e, and might not ever happen.
#10 khorne37 Oct 15, 2010 10:32:48	Yes I know I was just giving a little refresher for jahatch28. I think I am going to follow the prsim pentad closley up to the point where the dragon is killed. I think I might want some SK's around to harass epic level characters. The PC's will have intereacted with at least 3 of them in the standard adventures byt he time all is said and done.
#11 603 Oct 16, 2010 11:32:55	Yes I know I was just giving a little refresher for jahatch28. I think I am going to follow the prsim pentad closley up to the point where the dragon is killed. I think I might want some SK's around to harass epic level characters. The PC's will have intereacted with at least 3 of them in the standard adventures byt he time all is said and done. Fair enough. I plan on ignoring it completely. Feels too much like the Heroes of the Lance, or Cyric and Midnight from Abeir/Toril.