I'm about to start a campaign based on the Price of Courage story line, and at least half of the group are veteran players whom have read most, if not all of the DL books. They know of Mina, Soth's demise, War of Souls...they attempt to not metagame, but I've found that this group, some of which have played for 20+ years, never fully seem to grasp the fact that they just don't know. So I throw them curveballs. I'm planning on Soth being one of these.
Suggestions on how to include Lord Soth into this campaign?
Don't know if any of this will help:
This group tends to always make sure they cover the 4 bases (fighter,wizard,cleric,thief) and the other 3 (there are 7 PC's) are usually random. I'm encouraging whatever classes, races, alignments they want since I think that inter-PC conflict (of a limited nature of course) ads a lot to the game and as a DM it creates a ton of opportunities to add story.
I'm running it starting from the small adventure in the Campaign Setting dealing with the music box through all three adventure books. Still working out the kinks as the group isn't starting for another week or two.
The list of known PC's so far:
1. Human/male/Fighter - Plainsfolk - Eventually become Legion of Steel
2. Elf/Female/Fighter or Druid - Qualinesti
3. Tinker Gnome/male
4. Human/male/Rogue (though I really want him to be a kender, so that may happen...whether he likes it or not. Muah ha ha ha!!)
5. Human/male/Cleric (Either of Sargonnas or Kiri Jolith)
6. Minotaur ??
7. Some kind of Wizard...if I know this guy, probably a black robe
I'm really trying to play out the tests for the Legion and the Wizards, planning a short early session when the time comes actually just for those characters (and any who wish to come early and watch of course)
So basically I'm just brain-storming and am looking for ideas or critiques. Thanks.
. I also DMing in 3.5 Dragon Lance and I also like Soth. Have you seen my avatar?Well I read only the books that are translated and Price of Courage is not one of them. When is this happening? After the War of Souls? Before it? Is this a campaing that you created yourself or a bought one? Where do the group start from?
Yes, I saw your avatar, very nice or whatever, here, have a cookie
\We've drawn up PC's, and they are as follows:
Human/Male - Plainsman Fighter
Afflicted Kender/Male - Handler/Rogue
Half-Elf/Female - Ranger
Silvanesti Dark Elf/Male - Wizard (probably Red robes, but maybe Black)
Human/Male - Cleric of Kiri Jolith
Tinker Gnome/Male
It's all based off the fact that, as detailed in the Soulforge, when Raistlin took his test the illusion was so powerful that he at first didn't even realize it was a test. Using this as a starting point, you'll have to include everyone in the group except for the guy playing the mage. As far as the mage-player is concerned this is just another game session (or two, however long it takes), and the party is going along their normal adventures.
Work the requisite events of the Test into the adventure (battle with a more powerful opponent, use every known spell, etc.), and at specific points each of the other PCs should die. These deaths should be scripted, and the players of each character should do their best to make it look otherwise. The goal is that, in the end, only the wizard will remain and will have to face the final encounter on his own.
Throughout the adventure there should be opportunities for the wizard to realize he is taking the test and none of this is real. It shouldn't be easy for him at all--really high Will saves, really high Perception checks or Knowledge (Arcana) checks, etc.--since that would defeat the purpose of everything. For the sake of fairness he should have a chance, though.
So yeah, there's my idea. I think it's really neat for several reasons. First it allows you to actually play out the Test instead of glossing it over or just describing it. Second it allows you to fulfill that first reason while including the entire party, instead of just taking the player aside one day. Finally it should be quite fun to see if you can actually make the guy playing the wizard that everything is really happening, especially when all his friends start dying right and left.
Plus, as an afterthought, perhaps you could actually use his actions in the Test to determine the color of his robes. Much more in keeping with the setting, and it'll help determine whether or not the player is RPing his character in a fashion appropriate to what he had intended. The guy who says he wants to play a white robe but ends up wearing red might have to reevaluate how he plays. Or hell, make it an IC problem; the character is shocked and has to do some serious soul searching.