Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 shades_of_eternity Oct 10, 2008 17:57:05	Fzoul's revenge kinda a fun thread concept basically Fzoul wants revenge against neitheril for killing him and disjoining him from the zhents. what the heck does he do to take down neitheril? how do we use this as a plot hook?
#2 lord_karsus Oct 10, 2008 20:26:35	-This belongs in the Running the Realms section. It'll be moved.
#3 lord_karsus Oct 10, 2008 20:27:06	-He's an Exarch now. So, he visits the dreams of various Banite priests and priestess', tells them to "rally the troops", and they set off to go attack Shade.
#4 karazhan Oct 10, 2008 23:45:31	Well, As an Exarch and an individual with access to an entire priesthood, I would rally the troops to plunder the crypts of the Phaerimm. I would gather as many corpses as I could and enact a ritual (in 4e) to resurrect as many as I could and form an alliance with them or use their legacies and recorded lore to fight the shades. I would then begin to aid the phaerimm in a new wave of life-draining attacks. As phaerimm are aberrations and returned Abeir is a hotbed of such beings, pehaps I would mount an expedition to find any who live there and forge alliances with them. Or, I would simply feed intelligence to the followers of Selune and assist them covertly in thwarting the faith of Shar and Netheril.
#5 Stigger Oct 13, 2008 18:55:06	Maybe mass an army against those vaults of the tomb tappers and plunder them of all the magic they've amassed... hopefully they're even a bit weaker post-Spellplague.
#6 lord_karsus Oct 13, 2008 18:58:29	Maybe mass an army against those vaults of the tomb tappers and plunder them of all the magic they've amassed... hopefully they're even a bit weaker post-Spellplague. -The magical items in that vault probably will be as well, with certain items no longer functioning and all of that.
#7 Stigger Oct 13, 2008 19:03:06	Still, a room full of enchanted weapons and armor is a pretty good bit of leverage to hang over the Nethy's heads...
#8 lord_karsus Oct 13, 2008 19:04:34	-Oh, no doubt.
#9 karazhan Oct 13, 2008 19:13:34	Well, the rules do say that 3.5 weapons and items with permanent enchantments didn't lose their powers. I think that would fan the flames of tomb exploration as those items are much more powerful than anything that can currently be made.
#10 lord_karsus Oct 13, 2008 19:14:41	Well, the rules do say that 3.5 weapons and items with permanent enchantments didn't lose their powers. I think that would fan the flames of tomb exploration as those items are much more powerful than anything that can currently be made. -I seem to remember something about wands, and other rechargeable items.
#11 karazhan Oct 13, 2008 19:21:25	Those went kaput in general. However, it also says that places with Mythals or heavy wards were sometimes untouched by the plague. So, some old wands, staves, rods, etc. might very well have survived. Certainly Szass Tam was using charges like crazy from items during his war (as written in the novels). If his items could survive, so could others.
#12 lord_karsus Oct 13, 2008 19:23:01	-Meh, it's Spellplague. You pick and choose whatever you want, regardless to whatever.
#13 karazhan Oct 13, 2008 19:23:48	Yup, and I chose for my lady M to live and fix it after the 100 years of chaos.
#14 lord_karsus Oct 13, 2008 19:25:37	-My Lady M? Mystra? -Hey, that's an interesting thing, concerning Bane. Bane isn't friends with Shar. Sure, he wasn't too friendly with Mystra, but the two didn't butt heads too, too often. It would, in theory, benefit Bane to help the Mystaran clergy bring Mystra back into being...
#15 karazhan Oct 13, 2008 19:41:58	Yes, in my game she was wounded in the attack but survived. Ultimately, she was able to gather enough strength to begin healing the Weave (some chosen gave of their silver fire to allow this to occur). The incident served as a wake up call to increase her vigilence and also become more separated from humanity (as it was always her closeness and interaction with them that led to her most disastrous events). I think Bane would be supportive as Weave-based magic was much more beneficial to his wizards and clerics than what exists today. After all, in 4e mages and clerics are not as integral a part of any adventuring party and as a patron of order, control, and tyrrany he would want to have his old strangle hold ability back and his primary minions at their strongest.
#16 Stigger Oct 14, 2008 3:46:35	Except for that whole Sammaster as way of Bane stealing Silver Fire from Mystra part... Not to mention the tiffs I seem to recall them having during the ToT... among other things. I kinda got the impression that he was definitely a frequent foe in the past, but it had settled down recently, more like the sense that WW2 turned into the Cold War.
#17 lord_karsus Oct 14, 2008 10:06:22	I kinda got the impression that he was definitely a frequent foe in the past, but it had settled down recently, more like the sense that WW2 turned into the Cold War. -Right. On numerous issues, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. worked together when it was mutually beneficial for them.
#18 shades_of_eternity Oct 14, 2008 11:38:16	Yeah Bane is not a very nice god. in fact, I am sure fzoul would probably be being badly tortured somewhere for all eternity if it were not for the fact that Bane would even exist if it were not for Fzoul. However, Bane is smart enough to realize the threat the neitheral have to his churchood and should give Fzoul a free hand in prepping the mantle in his favor. I think my game plan would be very similar 1. organize my zealots to find out every piece of info on the phrennium. From sending scribes and other big to candle keep to plunging into the depths of the underdark get every scrap of info I can as well as any treasure and/or artifacts. 2. Organize adventuring parties and set them up with some sort of messaging system to harrass the neitheral as best I can. Neitheral works on secrets, so every secret revealed is a win and another chance for some pesky adventurers to home in and cause additioanl problems. 3. get on good terms with as many other gods as I can. Well my ultimate goal is complete subjecation of them, it's best to use divide and conquer. Right now neitheral is the biggest threat tot he dream, so present self as a "lesser evil" when compared to them. Run up propaganda that shows as many true attrocities as I can. 4. Use the spellplague as a weapon against netheril. Find out if their is a real reason why they are the only magical kingdom that didn't get smucked by it and use that info to both enhance my own power and to use against them. in short, gather info, use goody goody's and prepare for a final push against such an enemy.
#19 Stigger Oct 14, 2008 13:57:33	Well, looking at it in terms of really powerful Mystra versus a really powerful Shar, I could definitely see Bane going with Mystra, despite probably wanting the power for himself. But, having the godess of magic owing you one would probably be pretty hand too... and its not like Shar really has his, or anyone elses for that matter, better interests at heart. More like, screw em all, I'm ending the world, yay me.
#20 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Oct 18, 2008 0:42:41	There are certainly plenty of Bane worshipping Zhent wizards who also happen to worship Mystra, at least in Ed's novels.
#21 Stigger Oct 18, 2008 2:49:20	Not sure I'd call it worship so much as paying her her due... that looks so much more awkward in print than it does saying it...
#22 Mr_Miscellany Oct 18, 2008 3:06:14	Does or did Bane have any Really Deep Secrets that he'd need to guard against Shar learning of or revealing if she already knows them?
#23 Stigger Oct 18, 2008 3:38:54	Well, presumably he has a true name... but I don't think even she's privy to that one. Really though, he never struck me as the sort who cared. He was capable of just about anything, and he's proven he has what it takes by not only becoming a god in the first place, but coming back even when the whole world thought he was dead. He's really not got much left to prove by this point, and so long as he doesn't lose ground, everything gained is just icing on the cake... only thing I could possibly see him getting worked up about is putting that little prick Cyric in his place... which could probably be a great justification for him helping revive Mystra, since it would bother Cyric to an insane degree. Interesting notion really...
#24 kainhighwind Oct 18, 2008 7:06:29	I can see Bane helping to revive Mystra in order to rub it in Cyrics face, with the very nice perk of having Mystra owe him one. Or you could go another angle adn have Bane help create a new Mystra instead of just reviving Midnight. Bane would jump for joy if the new god of magic was loyal to him... and if no other gods know that Mystra serves Bane... see what I'm gettin at? How's THAT for some political intrigue?!
#25 Stigger Oct 18, 2008 11:37:57	Not a bad angle at all really... right up his alley as well. :D
#26 Mr_Miscellany Oct 19, 2008 23:14:47	I can see Bane helping to revive Mystra in order to rub it in Cyric's face, with the very nice perk of having Mystra owe him one. Dude that's a kick ass idea. I could see Bane putting the beat down on Asmodeus in order to take back Azuth's divine essence, the bit of magical madness Mystra put in Asmodeus (from Halaster) and some of Asmodeus' own divine power. Then Bane takes Scyllua Darkhope's soul and re-incarnates it as a mortal, but invested with the stolen Asmodeus/Azuth power, a touch of Bane's own (for control purposes) and the madness of Halaster as a means of unraveling Scyllua's mind, should the whole experiment go awry. Then as she grows up, Scyllua takes on the legacy of power granted to her and gains followers (maybe from the Order of Blue Fire and by rallying the Sharn to her cause?) and naturally ascends to divinity once she hits 31st level (in game terms). Perhaps she convinces tired old Elminster to part with his own deep secrets of Midnigh/Mystra along the way. (Or murders him for them ---wouldn't Bane be pleased!) Once a part of the divine, she forms her own divine realm on the Astral Sea and sets about her first "built in" (by Bane) purpose: that of crushing the Netherese via her many worshippers bringing war to Netheril in order to steal back the magical secrets they are hording. Scyllua then becomes a non-aligned entity of magic, favoring none and showing a stern demeanor to all.
#27 kainhighwind Oct 20, 2008 5:26:38	That's really sweet, but the more I think on it, I could really see Bane making his own Mystra, with the "You OWE me!" as a backup plan. I could easily see Bane goin to Mystra and sayin" Okay, you're back, and if oyu wanna stay a god, all you have to do is turn the othher way every now and again. Do whatever you want, but when I act, you had better be busy..."
#28 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Oct 20, 2008 12:55:25	Not sure I'd call it worship so much as paying her her due... that looks so much more awkward in print than it does saying it... Heh. I have to admit, I think "worshipping" a god and "appeasing" a god could be one and the same thing. That's just me though.
#29 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Oct 20, 2008 12:56:52	I can see Bane helping to revive Mystra in order to rub it in Cyrics face, with the very nice perk of having Mystra owe him one. That sounds believable.
#30 Stigger Oct 20, 2008 17:54:33	Heh. I have to admit, I think "worshipping" a god and "appeasing" a god could be one and the same thing. That's just me though. Which is why you're a heathen. ;) :D
#31 lord_karsus Oct 20, 2008 18:42:43	Well, presumably he has a true name... -Everything has a True Name. Like you said, though, Mystra probably didn't know Banes...Although, when Bane died, his name would have been written in Jergal's book. With Mystra and Kelemvor lovers, for that short little bit of time, perhaps Kel snuck Mystra the book, for her to peek at. Which is why you're a heathen. ;) :D -Or, unconstrained by the mortal constraints that religion creates. Or whatever.
#32 Stigger Oct 21, 2008 1:21:17	Interesting out for Mystra if Bane does help with the resurrection and calls for a rather large boon. And I still say Heathen. :P
#33 karazhan Oct 21, 2008 13:19:07	Gotta wonder why Selune didn't restore Mystra. After all she was a MAJOR ally.
#34 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Oct 21, 2008 19:50:55	Which is why you're a heathen. ;) :D I'm an apostate, which is even better.:D
#35 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Oct 21, 2008 19:54:04	Gotta wonder why Selune didn't restore Mystra. After all she was a MAJOR ally. Good question. Maybe she thought it would only cause more trouble?* *Not saying I agree with that, necessarily, just throwing the idea out there.
#36 Stigger Oct 22, 2008 11:04:11	Well, see, the day she died was Selune's "Get Blitzed with Sehanine Day", which got even stranger when she realized she was actually drinking alone all these years, and that her 'daughter' was missing... considering she misplaced one major ally in her own mind, she's still under the impression that Mystra was just a figment of her imagination, much like Sehanine...:D
#37 karazhan Oct 22, 2008 12:52:51	Quite frankly I'm waiting for the revelation that the entire pantheon (minus interloper gods or ascended beings) are aspects of Shar, Chauntea, or Selune.
#38 sfdragon Oct 22, 2008 15:13:29	I always thought that Fzoul's revenge was having to spend all day at the latrine with diarrhea .......
#39 Stigger Oct 22, 2008 16:52:13	Quite frankly I'm waiting for the revelation that the entire pantheon (minus interloper gods or ascended beings) are aspects of Shar, Chauntea, or Selune. That's being saved for 5e I'd guess... where PoL takes on a much more sinister Shar-Like meaning as you struggle to save a desolate outpost of civilization from her ever-burning hunger... by which time in 6e, its revealed that they're all aspects of Shar, who was suffering from MPD, who gets her act together and reveals herself to actually be male, thanking her servant Ao for watching over things while she was asleep, who then promptly goes about devouring the omniverse, which launches 7e, The Realms Shar Forgot... where we battle to keep her minions from discovering them...
#40 lord_karsus Oct 22, 2008 21:15:34	-Does Shar ever get her ultimate goal of universal destruction and nothingness?
#41 karazhan Oct 22, 2008 21:57:03	Shar aka Unicron tried that but the Chosen/Autobot matrix of silverfire/leadership stopped her.
#42 Stigger Oct 23, 2008 1:03:16	-Does Shar ever get her ultimate goal of universal destruction and nothingness? Yes, but not omniversal destruction and nothingness. But, as compensation, she probably has genetically modified (to be black and dark grey, with shadowy eyes, and nihlistic personalities, but hyper aggressive since its all meaningless anyway) trout with black-beamned (its Shar after all) magical lasers (because she's cool that way) mounted on their heads swimming in a shadowy pool of shadowstuff somewhere to dangle her victims over.
#43 kainhighwind Oct 23, 2008 7:22:45	Yes, but not omniversal destruction and nothingness. But, as compensation, she probably has genetically modified (to be black and dark grey, with shadowy eyes, and nihlistic personalities, but hyper aggressive since its all meaningless anyway) trout with black-beamned (its Shar after all) magical lasers (because she's cool that way) mounted on their heads swimming in a shadowy pool of shadowstuff somewhere to dangle her victims over. You sure they aren't sharks with laser beams attached to their heads?
#44 lord_karsus Oct 23, 2008 12:47:59	Yes, but not omniversal destruction and nothingness. But, as compensation, she probably has genetically modified (to be black and dark grey, with shadowy eyes, and nihlistic personalities, but hyper aggressive since its all meaningless anyway) trout with black-beamned (its Shar after all) magical lasers (because she's cool that way) mounted on their heads swimming in a shadowy pool of shadowstuff somewhere to dangle her victims over. -Understood. -You know, Shar would probably like Fzoul a lot. Think about it: How many souls has he consigned to their doom? Singlehandedly, Fzoul is doing much to aid Shar in extinguishing life on Faerûn.
#45 Stigger Oct 23, 2008 18:06:06	Nope, no sharks... sharks are too long lived to appeal to her much, whereas trout are much more transient in their lifespans, making their appeal greater. As to Fzoul, I'm sure she would like him, but doubtful she'd ever trust him. Besides, he's much more useful where he is, than if he were flying her banner.
#46 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Oct 23, 2008 20:15:19	Well, see, the day she died was Selune's "Get Blitzed with Sehanine Day", which got even stranger when she realized she was actually drinking alone all these years, and that her 'daughter' was missing... considering she misplaced one major ally in her own mind, she's still under the impression that Mystra was just a figment of her imagination, much like Sehanine...:D That gave me a laugh, thanks.
#47 Stigger Oct 24, 2008 0:44:32	I do my best. :D