Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Diffan Aug 09, 2009 17:23:41	Well, in just a matter of a few weeks it'll be my turn to start up a new campaign. As much as I would like to see the conclusion of our 3-part series (Cormyr/Shadowdale/Anauroch), I really want to start a 4e campaign. Most of us have played 4e and are privy to the new rule set so I was thinking of starting out a bit higher, around level 8. In addition, I was going to use the Sword Coast as the starting point of the adventure since thats the area my group is most familiar with in the Realms. So my big question is what the campaign is going to be? The only idea i've formed so far is the reclamation of the city of Neverwinter. Because the FRCG is vague in it's details about Neverwinter's fate, I've decided that in my campaign it still stands but ever since the Spellplague, it's been a battle ground for the failing Neverwinter guards against.....? What, I don't know? Other ideas? Suggestions as to what would be plaguing Neverwinter or a new idea about a campaign all together is very much appreciated. I'd like to keep it close to the Sword Coast and The North but I can go, say into the Western Heartlands, Calimshan, and the Lands of Intrigue for example. Thanks for any responses.
#2 LordManshoon Aug 09, 2009 18:32:23	So my big question is what the campaign is going to be? The only idea i've formed so far is the reclamation of the city of Neverwinter. Because the FRCG is vague in it's details about Neverwinter's fate, I've decided that in my campaign it still stands but ever since the Spellplague, it's been a battle ground for the failing Neverwinter guards against.....? What, I don't know? Hostile fey from Neverwinter Wood Orcs Luskan Marauders The Order of Blue Fire Other ideas? Suggestions as to what would be plaguing Neverwinter or a new idea about a campaign all together is very much appreciated. I'd like to keep it close to the Sword Coast and The North but I can go, say into the Western Heartlands, Calimshan, and the Lands of Intrigue for example. Well, sticking with Neverwinter, there are a few options. I'll just use ones adapted to my above answers. The return of the Feywild could have introduced arrogant/malevolent fey into Neverwinter Wood. The fey have made the Wood a makeshift capital of sorts and seek to expand into Neverwinter proper. Perhaps they wish to enslave the humans and create a new empire on the foundations of ruined Neverwinter. Orcs have always been a pain in their arse. Perhaps renegades from the Kingdom of Many-Arrows have broken away to claim their own territory, or perhaps these are just wild orcs who have gathered together to raid a vulnerable site. Mayhap a shaman of Gruumsh believes it is his god's will that he overrun Neverwinter, maybe to turn it into a holy site for his deity or to display the might of He Who Watches. Perhaps an orc warlord wants to create his own kingdom, a foul antithesis to the order of Obould's realm. Luskan has certainly fallen on hard times. Perhaps the more ambitious souls see Neverwinter as a fruit ripe for the plucking, and are attempting to openly or covertly take control of the city. If the former, perhaps they attack the defenders in guerilla combat to probe and wear down their defenses. If the latter, perhaps certain Luskan entrepreneurs have infiltrated the town's fragile economy and have begun establishing monopolies with ill-earned gold. Perhaps they plan on ruining the town financially and seizing their goods from the inside before moving soldiers in and claiming the city from the inside. As for the Order of Blue Fire, perhaps a sect has sensed an abundance of concentrated spellplague and wish to establish themselves in Neverwinter, using it as base of operations. However, their deeds seem suspicious, so the guard clashes with them. Up against spellscarred agents, the guardsmen are hard-pressed, and the city is vulnerable to coming under the thumb of the Commanders Accordant. Perhaps they wish to make a home for one of their revered sharn allies. Hope any of this helps.
#3 Diffan Aug 09, 2009 20:17:20	Those are all some pretty awesome ideas. The return of the Feywild could have introduced arrogant/malevolent fey into Neverwinter Wood. The fey have made the Wood a makeshift capital of sorts and seek to expand into Neverwinter proper. Perhaps they wish to enslave the humans and create a new empire on the foundations of ruined Neverwinter. Great idea. As the elves have decided to end their retreat and reclaim their old strong holds of Myth Drannor, so too does the Fey intend to do so with woods surrounding Neverwinter and even vast parts of the North for that matter. Couple of questions though: How would the leShay and even the surrounding elves/eladrin feel about this? Would they (meaning the Fey) gain support from remote elven or eladrin communities? Orcs have always been a pain in their arse. Perhaps renegades from the Kingdom of Many-Arrows have broken away to claim their own territory, or perhaps these are just wild orcs who have gathered together to raid a vulnerable site. Mayhap a shaman of Gruumsh believes it is his god's will that he overrun Neverwinter, maybe to turn it into a holy site for his deity or to display the might of He Who Watches. Perhaps an orc warlord wants to create his own kingdom, a foul antithesis to the order of Obould's realm. All good possibilities. I like the idea of a straight up street-by-street brawl with hundreds of orcs. Reminds me of LotR and the orc's rampage through Osgiliath. Luskan has certainly fallen on hard times. Perhaps the more ambitious souls see Neverwinter as a fruit ripe for the plucking, and are attempting to openly or covertly take control of the city. If the former, perhaps they attack the defenders in guerilla combat to probe and wear down their defenses. If the latter, perhaps certain Luskan entrepreneurs have infiltrated the town's fragile economy and have begun establishing monopolies with ill-earned gold. Perhaps they plan on ruining the town financially and seizing their goods from the inside before moving soldiers in and claiming the city from the inside. Hmm, since reading The Pirate King and the FRCG, Luskan doesn't seem coordinated enough to infiltrate much of anything. The idea of, say, a prosperous gang who want more for themselves and openly attempt to take control of the city does seem like it would work though. They would have to have help from an outside source (orcs, drow, giants, fire salamanders, etc...) to beef up their forces but I can definitly see something like that happening. As for the Order of Blue Fire, perhaps a sect has sensed an abundance of concentrated spellplague and wish to establish themselves in Neverwinter, using it as base of operations. However, their deeds seem suspicious, so the guard clashes with them. Up against spellscarred agents, the guardsmen are hard-pressed, and the city is vulnerable to coming under the thumb of the Commanders Accordant. Perhaps they wish to make a home for one of their revered sharn allies. I don't know too much about their order but I'll give it a good read through when I get the chance. I know they're listed in the FRCG (along with the Gibbering monster stats, lol) but I just gave them a gloss over. Thanks, that helps alot man.
#4 LordManshoon Aug 09, 2009 20:31:01	Those are all some pretty awesome ideas. :D Always glad to be of service. Great idea. As the elves have decided to end their retreat and reclaim their old strong holds of Myth Drannor, so too does the Fey intend to do so with woods surrounding Neverwinter and even vast parts of the North for that matter. Couple of questions though: How would the leShay and even the surrounding elves/eladrin feel about this? Would they (meaning the Fey) gain support from remote elven or eladrin communities? Funny enough, I think it all comes down to origins. I think the elves and eladrin (at the time still high elves) that lived in the area prior to the Spellplague wouldn't be too happy about it. They might see it as the destruction of a unity/peace that was quite pleasant from their perspectives, one which has more or less survived a century of upheaval. On the other hand, I can see the eladrin and elves of the Feywild more than happy to witness the rise of a Fey state in Faerun, since they don't really have ties to Neverwinter. The LeShay themselves... if I recall, they no longer have much of an interest in Toril, so this could go either way (though if they were to oppose it, I doubt it would be out of compassion). The support of remote elven/eladrin communities would all depend on the skill of Fey diplomats. The reps need to be able to sell their pitch to the ambivalent and solidify the support of those already willing. Promises of trade, greater Fey culture, and a sturdier defensive aid pact might tempt the neutral into attacking Neverwinter. All good possibilities. I like the idea of a straight up street-by-street brawl with hundreds of orcs. Reminds me of LotR and the orc's rampage through Osgiliath. That's the effect I envisioned: a straight-up slobberknocker-siege, where the threat isn't a fireball from the skies, but the pike of an orc veteran. Make the defenders fight and die for every inch of ground (and the attackers the same). Hmm, since reading The Pirate King and the FRCG, Luskan doesn't seem coordinated enough to infiltrate much of anything. The idea of, say, a prosperous gang who want more for themselves and openly attempt to take control of the city does seem like it would work though. They would have to have help from an outside source (orcs, drow, giants, fire salamanders, etc...) to beef up their forces but I can definitly see something like that happening. True, the dregs of Luskan certainly aren't unified. But as you rightly say, any ambitious group with the resources can be a pain in the arse for Neverwinter. In fact, maybe it's a coalition of like-minded gangs, who are begrudgingly banding together for the promise of great wealth and success. Incidentally, this is something to exploit, for fractures in the group's unity can be exploited by those loyal to Neverwinter. I don't know too much about their order but I'll give it a good read through when I get the chance. I know they're listed in the FRCG (along with the Gibbering monster stats, lol) but I just gave them a gloss over. I must admit, The Order of Blue Fire is the wild-card in the group. Their primary base of operations is in Ormpetarr, but they seem to be spread across the land. I imagine if they were to show up, their charitable deeds and false smiles might lower the guards of the people long enough for them to set their plans into motion. They'd also probably seek out willing pilgrims with promises of giving them spellscars. This could easily earn the wrath of Neverwinter's higher-ups, in my opinion.
#5 turbowombat Aug 11, 2009 0:31:44	I recently ran a campaign that was basically "fan service to the sword coast" cause my players wanted a FR campaign that went to see how all the cool places they remembered had changed. the plot in a nutshell was as follows: A follower of Cyric intends to sow strife throughout the sword coast in order to uncover the locations of a few keys to the Supreme Throne and release his god. He has concocted ways of destroying/controlling/robbing every major settlement as follows. Ten Towns of Icewind Dale: make deals with the Orcs of Many-Arrows to march on Icewind dale and level it while using your own cult of Cyric to send assassins and poison mayors and generals to weaken their defenses. Waterdeep: Dispell the wards which hold it over the massive gaping chasm of the underdark directly beneath it causing the entire place to sink into a spellscar and turning its population into plaguechanged ghouls Baldur's Gate: Make deals with the local crime guilds run by the local master of deception Nine-Fingers to install a puppet duke to manipulate the Flaming Fist and allow robberies and legislation controlling the city politically and taking whatever they want (like that strange black key in the Hall of Wonders) And of course Cyric followers (sowers of strife and lies) would just LOVE Luskan for obvious reasons. Basically the talk above about luskan covers what my campaign did here, only sow in some intrigue from the cult of Cyric. Of course there was a fluid story progressing the players through these plotlines with lots of cool NPCs and villains. I can send you my complete campaign write ups and notes if you're interested. If you're not, the stuff stated above here is really good too. kudos.
#6 lord_karsus Aug 13, 2009 21:02:58	So my big question is what the campaign is going to be? The only idea i've formed so far is the reclamation of the city of Neverwinter. Because the FRCG is vague in it's details about Neverwinter's fate, I've decided that in my campaign it still stands but ever since the Spellplague, it's been a battle ground for the failing Neverwinter guards against.....? What, I don't know? Other ideas? Suggestions as to what would be plaguing Neverwinter or a new idea about a campaign all together is very much appreciated. I'd like to keep it close to the Sword Coast and The North but I can go, say into the Western Heartlands, Calimshan, and the Lands of Intrigue for example. Thanks for any responses. -Going away from what happened in actuality (ie, MY Neverwinter Nights game! :P), Aribeth sat in Caina, growing more and more evil as time passed, and the malignant influence of the Nine Hells pervaded into her essence, her soul. Mephistopheles, for whatever reason, decided to "free" her back into the Material Plane, perhaps for his amusement, perhaps with some kind of goal in mind, something...The first thing on her mind? Revenge on Neverwinter, for everything that happened to her, with her husband, with her fall, with her death...