Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 sith_interceptor May 06, 2009 16:23:40	I need help placing this module into the realms. The idea is to place Firestorm peak in a region that is overun with monsters from the far realms or has the potential to be overun with creatures from the far realms that is consistant with Realmslore. This is to form the basis for a new campaign set in 1479, the 4th edition of the forgotten realms. In the module, Elder elves construct a world gate that opens portals to alien realms, they dissapear and seal the door to the peak but a duergar clan tunnels in mining nephelium and allies with a mad alienist wizard who opens the world gate to bargain with a being for power from the cosmic vast unleashing a entity from the far realms into the world. I need someone knowledgable in the realms to help me place Firestorm Peak into the realms. Where in the realms is the best place to set this campaign that is consistant with realms lore? Any creative ideas for such a campaign are welcome! Thanks.
#2 lord_karsus May 06, 2009 22:30:32	-What is Firestorm Peak? A volcano? If so, there are The Firepeaks, in the Hordelands. Almost the same name.
#3 ScrivenerofDoom May 07, 2009 1:09:35	This is a question I often ponder as I believe this to be one of the best dungeon adventures of all time (from when Bruce Cordell really had his mojo!). I would suggest the Stormhorns on the western border of Cormyr. That way the work of the elder elves (and elves were the original inhabitants of Cormyr) could be built on the much earlier work of the batrachi creator race that was noted as dwelling in the area of the Farsea Swamp and who built towers of glass (who loved playing with portals too!). Perhaps some of these towers were actually nephelium instead? I also like Cormyr because it is the only region of 4E Faerûn with a map that does not SUCK!!! Another option is in High Imaskar where it is the work of the Imaskari rather than the elder elves. There was a 3.5E Dragon article, the Ecology of the Kaorti, which linked the kaorti to the experiments of the Imaskari in the Far Realm. It would be great to include a kaorti cyst in the Twisted Caverns. A further option is Aglarond where it is the star elves who built the dungeon originally conducted experiments with the Far Realm and the nilshai (cf Unapproachable East) are responsible for the latest problems being unleashed. There are a number of other options, too, if you have Lost Empires of Faerûn: just go with places where the ancient elves had their empires. Contacting the Far Realm is definitely something I can see the Vyshaan doing! Or you could go completely underground, set it in the Underdark and have it be drow in the service of Ghaunadaur who were attempting the unthinkable (this fits best in the south around what was once the Great Rift).
#4 BadCatMan May 07, 2009 5:23:42	I'd suggest the Smoking Mountains, south of Chessenta and Unther (Tymanther in the new setting). That is, if they still exist and haven't fallen into that gigantic hole. The Smoking Mountains are volcanic. Duergar aren't far away, in the Riders To The Sky mountains that separated Chessenta and Unther. And the Far Realm creatures might come up from that gigantic hole, or be relics of the Imaskari (whose first empire bordered just about here). The elves are a bit tricky, the nearby forests were home to wild elves, though they had empires in ancient days. But those elves sound like Star Elves; they weren't far away, in Aglarond.
#5 markustay63 May 07, 2009 15:18:56	Considering who wrote it, and what it pertains to, might I suggest the Dustwall Mountains? The Imaskari/Pandorym tie-ins are a given, there. ;)
#6 lord_karsus May 07, 2009 16:41:55	-With the Imaskari, you don't even need a real volcano. You can very much have a situation like the Fortress of the Old Man, where Imaskari portals to the Plane of Fire made it an "artificial volcano" of sorts.
#7 sith_interceptor May 13, 2009 3:08:57	Some really good ideas for locations so far. Firestorm peak isnt a volcano rather. The village of longbridge is located in the foothills of the frost mountains and has a peak that once every 27 years becomes ignited in flames, this coincides with the dragons tear, a comet that passes across the sky and at this time the gate that leads into the mountain opens as well as the planar gate to the far realms inside the mountain. The villagers have a annual fire festival and regard this as a time of celebration but recently over time the far realms influence with opening of the gate has spread over the village into neighboring lands causing disease, stillbirth, insanity and crime. Markus or anyone else could you elaborate on the imaskari/pandorym tie ins or Durpar? Scrivener you really know your stuff. Two of your ideas I like the best but i cant decide which I like better. I like the storm horns as the farsea swamp towers sound exactly like nephelium and I agree its an awesome map to use as well and that alone makes a stong case for this area. Does anyone have any more ideas and tie ins for this area? I also think Aglarond might be good place with the star elf tie ins and the Nilshai. Mak Thuum Ngatha, who is worshipped would be a ideal being that has been contacted and is making its way to the realms. The mountains north of the Yuirwood though is by realmslore is a plagueland by 1479 due to the spellplague. Perhaps this is actually an effect due to the corruptuion of the gate in the Tannath mountains and has been misrepresented by scholars. I kinda like that idea.
#8 ripvanwormer May 14, 2009 13:34:05	Incidentally, the "elder elves" of Bruce Cordell's writings are intended to represent the elves before the Crown Wars split them between surface elf and drow.
#9 lord_karsus May 14, 2009 17:10:42	Incidentally, the "elder elves" of Bruce Cordell's writings are intended to represent the elves before the Crown Wars split them between surface elf and drow. -As mentioned in Darkvision? Those are leShay- the race is mentioned specifically by name on a fresco in an Imaskari ruin. I don't recall any mentions of "elder Elves" in Lady of Poison, Stardeep, or Plague of Spells.
#10 ripvanwormer May 14, 2009 20:46:37	-As mentioned in Darkvision? No, as mentioned in Sea of Blood, the third of Cordell's trilogy of sahuagin-themed adventures that tied in with The Sea Devils in 2e. Page 49: "The cabal was made of elves that existed prior to the schism that drove the Drow beneath the earth (this ancient, unified people are named the Elder Elves in some texts)." The other connection between the sahuagin trilogy and Gates of Firestorm Peak is the "sunken island chain known as the Lost Realm of Olefin," [Gates, 79] which appear on a map in the second sahuagin adventure, Night of the Shark. And chances are that if it's a novel, I haven't read it.
#11 markustay63 May 15, 2009 11:03:35	Hmph... never bothered to read those... More FR lore hiding in core sources. I guess I'll be perusing those tonight (after I dig them out).
#12 ripvanwormer May 15, 2009 14:42:12	Well, it's not FR lore as such; you could put it in the Realms, but neither the Elder Elves nor Firestorm Peak (nor Olefin) are an official part of the setting to my knowledge. Just, if they are, that's how Bruce Cordell envisioned them.
#13 nightseer May 15, 2009 17:14:45	Elder Elves would = Eladrin now right? ;) :P
#14 markustay63 May 15, 2009 21:57:12	No. The way I'm seeing it. Elder Elves would simply be the Elves that existed prior to the coming of the High Elves (Gold and Silver, now Eladrin). The Dark Elves were part of the 'Sylvan Elf' group, along with the Wood (Green) and Wild (Grugach) Elves. Ergo, Elder Elves = plain ol' Elves in 4e. Which makes sense, cosidering they were actually around in FR much longer (and according to BRJ, were around first in the cosmos).
#15 nightseer May 15, 2009 22:17:53	Sounds great to me.
#16 sith_interceptor May 20, 2009 6:56:12	Id just like to remind you while Cordel's work is not Greyhawk and Firepeak, White Plume etc.. are from his own campaign/imagination if i had to place it in FR or GH it would be GH. However this thread isnt about placing it in GH, its about placing it in the realms. Here is a link to a indepth and excellent thread about placing it in GH with many good references. http://www.canonfire.com/cfhtml/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1657 I just noticed that the Lost Realm of Olefin is on the map on page 26 Night of the Shark, one of Bruce Cordell's "Sahuagin trilogy" of modules. The note on the map says "Dusk devils dwell in the ruins of Olefin; stay clear of the shadows!" The sequel, Sea of Blood, goes into a bit more detail on the Elder Elves, explaining that this is the name given to the united elven race before the split between surface elf and drow. The association with sahuagin (and the Elder Elves tampered with sahuagin quite a bit in their day) If anyone has Night of the Shark and can post a pic of the map id must appreciate it.