Undoing the spellplague - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Undoing the spellplague

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
_jarlaxle_
Oct 20, 2008 4:01:42 Yesterday the following plot came into my mind, what do you think about it?

There are some time travelling devices in the Realms und according to the FRCG most Magic Devices still work after the spellplague so someone could travel back in time and warn Maystra (maybe trough Elminster) about whats going to happen, than maybe one of the these things could happen:

1. Simply by beeing warned Mystra doesn't die
2. Mystra gathers everyone who doesn't want the spellplague to happen, which should be allmost everyone expect followers of Shar and Cyric, to hunt these followers down and by this weaken the two gods so they are no threat anymore.
3. She allows 2 of her own followers to cast Karsus Avatar on Shar and Cyric so there are two new gods which wont plot against her.

Just a few thoughts...
#2
ywhtptgtfo
Oct 20, 2008 4:15:08 Dot dot dot...

If you really insist in removing the Spellplague from your campaign, you can:
(1) Treat it as an alternate reality much like the one with Raistlin triumphing over the Takhesis
(2) Simply pretend it does not exist.
#3
sfdragon
Oct 20, 2008 4:23:41 the spell plague was caused by the weave being unraveled.

the spell plague can only undone by a sitting god or goddess of magic.
or to be precise, the effects can only be undone.

there is a problem with your plan though.

you have to warn someone, you have to go back far enough to warn Savras and Azuth, Mask and whats her name the lady of illusions and misdirection.

Mystra you see has died twice before.

savras , mask, azuth, and whats her name would be the way to go.
Illusion to guide the eye astray, shadows to hide the truth.
a divining bowl to watch and guide the hand. in the end a mystery ends, and mystra's lost spells wont be lost anymore.

eitherway word of doom will reach mystra/midnight

and azuth and velsharoon die either way.
#4
lord_karsus
Oct 20, 2008 11:54:17
(2) Simply pretend it does not exist.

-Right. This is the best answer. If you don't like it, and don't want it, don't use it. Ignore it, and it don't treat it as official.
#5
rinonalyrna_fathomlin
Oct 20, 2008 15:29:46
If you really insist in removing the Spellplague from your campaign, you can:

(2) Simply pretend it does not exist.

This I think is the easiest and fastest solution. You don't have to use the Spellplague in your game.
#6
_jarlaxle_
Oct 21, 2008 3:12:56 I'm not talking about some game of mine here, in fact I never played any D&D Session. I only read the FR Novels (and play the PC games ;)).

As said above those where just some thoughts I had about it and wanted to see whatothers think of it...
#7
ywhtptgtfo
Oct 21, 2008 4:07:33
I'm not talking about some game of mine here, in fact I never played any D&D Session. I only read the FR Novels (and play the PC games ;)).

As said above those where just some thoughts I had about it and wanted to see whatothers think of it...

I am in the same boat as you. I don't play any of the PnP games and only read novels + play comp games. My way of dealing with 4th edition is to ignore it even exists and roll back to the start of 3rd edition when the Realms were relatively unmolested by unimaginative hands.
#8
lord_karsus
Oct 21, 2008 10:15:51
I'm not talking about some game of mine here, in fact I never played any D&D Session. I only read the FR Novels (and play the PC games ;)).

-I'm in the same boat. I follow my own advice. The timeline stopped at 1,375 DR. Everything else that happened afterwards, that didn't really happen.
#9
the_shaman
Oct 21, 2008 13:07:12 I'm thinking about having games set later, but there are a few differences.

First, the obvious: the Weave is still there. The FR has a well-detailed and imo unique system explaining why magic happens, and I do NOT thing throwing it away and flushing the toilet is a good idea. Same with Mystra, btw - deities of magic are a dime a dozen, but a deity that is, basically, magic incarnate - the very consciousness of all magic - is something special.

So let's say we get a Spellplague-ish moment: Cyric and Shar do manage a way to wound Mystra enough (probably through the Weave - getting the drop on her in Dweomerheart is imo absurd) to send her into the divine version of a coma. The Weave goes almost haywire, wild and dead magic zones abound, etc. Mystra isn't dead - else there would be no magic in Faerun, and probably much worse things would happen - but the wounds to her "body" - the Weave - are so sore that she is all but unresponsive; this may be due to a curse by Shar (who iirc is a deity of dreams and most likely nightmares) that keeps her into a perpetual nightmare state. Mind you, Cyric and Shar might have a few regrets themselves. The Shadow Weave, anchored to the "real" one, collapses on Shar, injuring her almost as badly as Mystra herself is injured, and she has to release her control over it. Cyric, who in all his wisdom has actually used his magic powers (and they are based on the Weave proper), well, loses them (and gets a few small bruises in the process himself). This causes a serious crisis for Shar, who loses a lot of power and is demoted to an intermediate deity (losing her control over shadows to Mask) and causing a serious rift in her faith; however, in the next decade or so she recuperates somewhat. Mask is not so lucky, as quite a few deities have a score to settle with him and decide that it's a good time for that. Bane, Mask, and even a few other deities with a grudge go after his skin, and he is currently on the run and similar to a demigod in power. Some of his cult remains as deep cover moles that cling to delusions of his glory and cunning, but he keeps as low a profile as possible - and dares to give spells to only a few of his lieutenants.

So where does that leave the setting? Well, there is still a serious upheaval in the Realms, although none of that post-apocalyptic 2-settings-for-the-price-of-one stuff. The Weave is riskier to use and few mages dare to call on it as recklessly as before - some of concern for Mystra and others for their own sake (a cantrip gone awry can singe your beard, a Time Stop gone awry... well, getting out of the timestream is the easy part). Other deities are careful too, as Divine magic resonates with the weave as well and is likewise subject to harmful distortions if too much power is siphoned in a short amount of time at a single place. This, by the way, accounts for why the Chosen, and no few other mages, might have been quite busy, weakened, or both. One particularly ugly spellstorm, created by the vast concentration of magical power in the Warlock's crypt, has devastated Larloch's army. Suffices to say that he did not appreciate surviving by the nonexistent skin of his teeth, and has taken a personal dislike to those facilitated the disaster. Velsharoon, who aided Shar in her attempted coup, may find his very existence challenged - and the damage that a fight between those two powers would do, both to the Weave and everything else, would be immense. For now, though, the Warlock bides his time and prepares, and the Ungrateful knows (or cares) little about the plans of the Netherese archmage. He has cast his lot with Shar, and aids her as much as he can.

In a way, undoing the damage of the weave (and thus the pseudo-spellplague) could be done by restoring the Weave (which would most likely take a long, long time) or finding a way to bring Mystra back to consciousness (an epic task).
#10
karazhan
Oct 21, 2008 13:13:56 I think it's a very plausable explanation and a good plothook. I also posted one under where's the weave. I agree that the setting is too unique to dump all the good stuff in order to become "compatible" with every other setting supplement when it still can be with fewer changes. IMO 4e works as a entirely different setting and game but the magic system is not magic, it's powers.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 _jarlaxle_ Oct 20, 2008 4:01:42	Yesterday the following plot came into my mind, what do you think about it? There are some time travelling devices in the Realms und according to the FRCG most Magic Devices still work after the spellplague so someone could travel back in time and warn Maystra (maybe trough Elminster) about whats going to happen, than maybe one of the these things could happen: 1. Simply by beeing warned Mystra doesn't die 2. Mystra gathers everyone who doesn't want the spellplague to happen, which should be allmost everyone expect followers of Shar and Cyric, to hunt these followers down and by this weaken the two gods so they are no threat anymore. 3. She allows 2 of her own followers to cast Karsus Avatar on Shar and Cyric so there are two new gods which wont plot against her. Just a few thoughts...
#2 ywhtptgtfo Oct 20, 2008 4:15:08	Dot dot dot... If you really insist in removing the Spellplague from your campaign, you can: (1) Treat it as an alternate reality much like the one with Raistlin triumphing over the Takhesis (2) Simply pretend it does not exist.
#3 sfdragon Oct 20, 2008 4:23:41	the spell plague was caused by the weave being unraveled. the spell plague can only undone by a sitting god or goddess of magic. or to be precise, the effects can only be undone. there is a problem with your plan though. you have to warn someone, you have to go back far enough to warn Savras and Azuth, Mask and whats her name the lady of illusions and misdirection. Mystra you see has died twice before. savras , mask, azuth, and whats her name would be the way to go. Illusion to guide the eye astray, shadows to hide the truth. a divining bowl to watch and guide the hand. in the end a mystery ends, and mystra's lost spells wont be lost anymore. eitherway word of doom will reach mystra/midnight and azuth and velsharoon die either way.
#4 lord_karsus Oct 20, 2008 11:54:17	(2) Simply pretend it does not exist. -Right. This is the best answer. If you don't like it, and don't want it, don't use it. Ignore it, and it don't treat it as official.
#5 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Oct 20, 2008 15:29:46	If you really insist in removing the Spellplague from your campaign, you can: (2) Simply pretend it does not exist. This I think is the easiest and fastest solution. You don't have to use the Spellplague in your game.
#6 _jarlaxle_ Oct 21, 2008 3:12:56	I'm not talking about some game of mine here, in fact I never played any D&D Session. I only read the FR Novels (and play the PC games ;)). As said above those where just some thoughts I had about it and wanted to see whatothers think of it...
#7 ywhtptgtfo Oct 21, 2008 4:07:33	I'm not talking about some game of mine here, in fact I never played any D&D Session. I only read the FR Novels (and play the PC games ;)). As said above those where just some thoughts I had about it and wanted to see whatothers think of it... I am in the same boat as you. I don't play any of the PnP games and only read novels + play comp games. My way of dealing with 4th edition is to ignore it even exists and roll back to the start of 3rd edition when the Realms were relatively unmolested by unimaginative hands.
#8 lord_karsus Oct 21, 2008 10:15:51	I'm not talking about some game of mine here, in fact I never played any D&D Session. I only read the FR Novels (and play the PC games ;)). -I'm in the same boat. I follow my own advice. The timeline stopped at 1,375 DR. Everything else that happened afterwards, that didn't really happen.
#9 the_shaman Oct 21, 2008 13:07:12	I'm thinking about having games set later, but there are a few differences. First, the obvious: the Weave is still there. The FR has a well-detailed and imo unique system explaining why magic happens, and I do NOT thing throwing it away and flushing the toilet is a good idea. Same with Mystra, btw - deities of magic are a dime a dozen, but a deity that is, basically, magic incarnate - the very consciousness of all magic - is something special. So let's say we get a Spellplague-ish moment: Cyric and Shar do manage a way to wound Mystra enough (probably through the Weave - getting the drop on her in Dweomerheart is imo absurd) to send her into the divine version of a coma. The Weave goes almost haywire, wild and dead magic zones abound, etc. Mystra isn't dead - else there would be no magic in Faerun, and probably much worse things would happen - but the wounds to her "body" - the Weave - are so sore that she is all but unresponsive; this may be due to a curse by Shar (who iirc is a deity of dreams and most likely nightmares) that keeps her into a perpetual nightmare state. Mind you, Cyric and Shar might have a few regrets themselves. The Shadow Weave, anchored to the "real" one, collapses on Shar, injuring her almost as badly as Mystra herself is injured, and she has to release her control over it. Cyric, who in all his wisdom has actually used his magic powers (and they are based on the Weave proper), well, loses them (and gets a few small bruises in the process himself). This causes a serious crisis for Shar, who loses a lot of power and is demoted to an intermediate deity (losing her control over shadows to Mask) and causing a serious rift in her faith; however, in the next decade or so she recuperates somewhat. Mask is not so lucky, as quite a few deities have a score to settle with him and decide that it's a good time for that. Bane, Mask, and even a few other deities with a grudge go after his skin, and he is currently on the run and similar to a demigod in power. Some of his cult remains as deep cover moles that cling to delusions of his glory and cunning, but he keeps as low a profile as possible - and dares to give spells to only a few of his lieutenants. So where does that leave the setting? Well, there is still a serious upheaval in the Realms, although none of that post-apocalyptic 2-settings-for-the-price-of-one stuff. The Weave is riskier to use and few mages dare to call on it as recklessly as before - some of concern for Mystra and others for their own sake (a cantrip gone awry can singe your beard, a Time Stop gone awry... well, getting out of the timestream is the easy part). Other deities are careful too, as Divine magic resonates with the weave as well and is likewise subject to harmful distortions if too much power is siphoned in a short amount of time at a single place. This, by the way, accounts for why the Chosen, and no few other mages, might have been quite busy, weakened, or both. One particularly ugly spellstorm, created by the vast concentration of magical power in the Warlock's crypt, has devastated Larloch's army. Suffices to say that he did not appreciate surviving by the nonexistent skin of his teeth, and has taken a personal dislike to those facilitated the disaster. Velsharoon, who aided Shar in her attempted coup, may find his very existence challenged - and the damage that a fight between those two powers would do, both to the Weave and everything else, would be immense. For now, though, the Warlock bides his time and prepares, and the Ungrateful knows (or cares) little about the plans of the Netherese archmage. He has cast his lot with Shar, and aids her as much as he can. In a way, undoing the damage of the weave (and thus the pseudo-spellplague) could be done by restoring the Weave (which would most likely take a long, long time) or finding a way to bring Mystra back to consciousness (an epic task).
#10 karazhan Oct 21, 2008 13:13:56	I think it's a very plausable explanation and a good plothook. I also posted one under where's the weave. I agree that the setting is too unique to dump all the good stuff in order to become "compatible" with every other setting supplement when it still can be with fewer changes. IMO 4e works as a entirely different setting and game but the magic system is not magic, it's powers.