Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 crashbeedo Mar 05, 2009 13:22:51	I have a campaign "mega dungeon" getting ready for my 4E game and I'm considering placing it in the Realms; here is some (brief) background. I'm looking for help identifying a good location for it, and whether this belongs in the Realms... Long before the city or town was built on the surface, the site was home to a wizard (Malzunthras) whose dungeon housed a school of magic. The deepest levels were the wizard's personal sanctums, and the wizard ultimately cheated death and attained lichdom; the wizard has moved on (perhaps pursuing his own form of apotheosis in the Shadowfell). The aged dungeons can be reached from the sewers beneath the city, and they've attracted adventurers through the years. But new information has surfaced about the deepest levels, and word has spread amongst arcane circles that the lost laboratories of Malzunthras lay deep beneath the city. Necromancers of all stripes, servants of Orcus, worshippers of Vecna, Vampire lords of Kas, followers of Kyuss, and their opponents, have come to the city to plumb the depths and be the first one to either a) recover the lost lore of Malzunthras b) follow in the Master's footsteps, or c) stop the madman from reaching his goal - not sure which. Anyway, I usually would do a homebrew campaign setting but I'm trying to consider if this would make sense to place in the 4E Realms. What would be a good city location for it, preferably something neutral or edgy that could stand to have a surplus of dark wizards running about? And not to be too picky, but not someplace beat-to-death with published lore to research to 'run it right'. Also, who could be some of the 'forces for good' that might have their own agents on the lookout for trouble? Anyway, thanks for any insights or ideas! I'll be cracking the FRCG as well
#2 lord_karsus Mar 05, 2009 16:25:34	-The FRCS has a four-page list of known dungeons in Faerûn (which, of course, isn't fully comprehensive). Flip though that, and see which ones listed fit best. Ultimatley, if none do, just take the concept you have and shoehorn it in as best you can as is.
#3 BadCatMan Mar 05, 2009 19:08:51	That sounds a lot like Halaster's Undermountain, beneath Waterdeep. Sure, a lot has been said and repeated about the place, but it's everchanging, and (assuming you're using 4e FR), a century out of date for a lot of things to change. Halaster was an insane immortal mage who liked creating and expanding his dungeon, and populating it with monsters. He had a number of students too, who would do their own things. Malzunthras could conceivably be one of them. You might also adapt the Halls Of Demarch, introduced (and only covered) here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070214 http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070725 A combined temple to Mask and Leira and school of magic (of the shadow and beguiling kinds), hidden beneath the streets of Tantras, and now filled with undead after a brutal battle between rival factions. Malzunthras could have been one of the mages there, turning his undead on the others to keep the place for himself (you mentioned the Shadowfel).
#4 sfdragon Mar 06, 2009 2:26:10	you could add a dungeon anywhere, even in the smack middle of Suzail, just use extra dimensional space..
#5 crashbeedo Mar 06, 2009 8:36:28	You might also adapt the Halls Of Demarch, introduced (and only covered) here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070214 http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070725 A combined temple to Mask and Leira and school of magic (of the shadow and beguiling kinds), hidden beneath the streets of Tantras, and now filled with undead after a brutal battle between rival factions. Malzunthras could have been one of the mages there, turning his undead on the others to keep the place for himself (you mentioned the Shadowfel). I really like this idea of taking the Halls of Demarch, expanding it quite a bit, and putting it beneath Tantras. Thanks for the ideas fellas!
#6 markustay63 Mar 06, 2009 12:12:46	I'd go with Waterdeep myself. Undermountain has hundreds of levels 'never explored', or ar least never explored in sourcebooks. :D Pick a corner of the city and run with it, and you could always say it is connected to undermountain.. or not. Malzunthras could even be another of Halaster's apprentices (some of whom went-on to gain notoriety of their own). Tantras is also good, but you could use just about any city for this, really. Secomber would probably be my second choice - it is the original site of fallen Athalanter (Elminster's 'homeland'), and there were dozens of evil mages building all sorts of 'lairs' in the area around a thousand years ago. Secomber itself is built over Hastarl - Athalanter's fallen capital. Considering it was ruled by Magelords for awhile, it's a decent fit.
#7 Mr_Miscellany Mar 09, 2009 23:46:39	Were I you, crashbeedo, I'd drop your dungeon in the northern Thunder Peaks, somewhere south of Semberholme and the East Way road and within the edge of the mountains that form the Thunder Gap. That puts you close to -but also comfortably far enough away from- a lot known above ground locations (Cormyr, Sembia, Cormanthor, the Dalelands). This would also allow for your dungeon to have developed without a lot of other Realms events and Realmslore getting in the way. You could easily have Malzunthras’ origins be from old Cormyr, from Myth Drannor before its fall or likewise from Netheril before it fell. Cormyr is known for having many a mage who (presumably) operates lawfully within its borders. Perhaps Malzunthras was one of these before his departure to places unknown? Your dungeon also sounds like it could easily fit H2: Thunderspire Labyrinth right inside it, given the similarities between the denizens of that adventure and the bad guys you mentioned were in yours.