Feywild VS Shadowfell war --- NAME? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Feywild VS Shadowfell war --- NAME?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
CALEBROBERTS
Dec 10, 2010 0:59:09 So, i have a new idea for a heroic-mid,late paragon campain spanning 15-20 levels.

The basic premise is that the Shadowfell(Shadar Kai) and the Feywild (Eladrin) are on the verge of a war that has been brewing for a long time (1000 years?) and that is about to come to a head. The PCs will initially encounter hostile forces from each side in the natural world. perhapse they decide to take sides or to find out who is behind this conflict (Devils). Some natural event is allowing both shadow and fey planes to partially merge with the nautral world for extended periods of time.

Mainly i need a Name for this war that is coming.

Also; any comment, criticisms, ideas are welcome.

Thanks
#2
theapokalypseshovel
Dec 10, 2010 2:21:08 Not a very good name but: The Shift War, since both sides must planeshift their forces or alternatively the Gate Wars, since some areas of the world are acting as natural gates between the planes. Not necessarily awe inspiring though.

My only issue is that I don't think that the Shadar-Kai would have much of a chance against the Eladrin. In my eyes the danger of the Shadowfell is the plane itself, whereas the danger of the Feywild is the ridiculous things that live in it (plants, animals and otherwise). The Archfey have no real equal in the Shadowfell and my impression has been that the shadar-kai are numerically inferior to the Eladrin. The Eladrin are THE people of feywild, while the shadar-kai are a tribe of people eeking out their existence in service to the Raven Queen. If you look in the Manual of the Planes under inhabitants you'll see Eladrin listed after the Archfey, while the shadar-kai are behind death giants, cultists, undead and more.

Because of this I think I would make your war more of a Fey invasion of the Shadowfell, as they hope to end the threat of plane merging which is obviously the work of something in the Shadowfell. The Shadar-kai would likely still oppose an invasion, but with them you'd have death giants, necromancers, nightwalkers and the whole gambit of inhabitants. Some of these guys would rather die than ally themselves, so you should find a way to keep them in the fight!

Hope that helps.
#3
Imruphel
Dec 10, 2010 5:37:32 I can imagine the shadar-kai as aggressors in such a war. They want the souls that the archfey are taking for themselves through warlock pacts. Furthermore, the unbounded life of the Feywild would be fuel for the life-devouring nature of the Shadowfell.

Perhaps the shadar-kai are servants of some creature of utter entropy that is seeking to devour all? Alternatively, maybe they think that the are serving a creature of shadow and entropy but it is actually Asmodeus in disguise. He has decided he wants all souls from all pacts. (Personally, I would use Graz'zt in such a role, but I use Graz'zt for everything.)

The War of Souls?

The Pact Primeval?

The Warlock War?

The Pact Thief? The Pactbreaker?

Life & Death?
#4
pruano
Dec 10, 2010 12:20:17 Planar Clash.

Planar Apocalipse.
#5
CALEBROBERTS
Dec 10, 2010 21:47:01 Thanks for so many great ideas and comments.

I think that i am leaning towards elevating the Shadar Kai to be equal to the Eladrin as far as their place on their plane. The majority of the war will be fought on the natural world as that is the only way for each force to get at the other.

THe driving forces behind the war are going to be:
Asmodeus - He wants the all the souls from both sides for a nefarious plot to gin even more power.
Graz'zt - He wants to deprive Asmodeus of the souls so that he can Rule the nine hells himself as a god.

The PCs will begin somewhere of their choosing in the world (perhaps in the Nentir Vale). They will encounter small forces of Fey and Shadow as the planes begin to open to each other. Perhapse they will be convinced to take a side during lvls 1-5 or so.

near the conclusion they will be betrayed and will then have to travel to The Hells or to the Abyss (or both) and confront the real powers.

I hope to rely on the players for some direction choice

how does this sound?
#6
obdormio
Dec 11, 2010 4:23:12 Since it's a war between the world's reflections, how about the Mirror War?
#7
CALEBROBERTS
Dec 11, 2010 10:00:09 I like the Mirror War

or maybe War of Reflections
#8
Imruphel
Dec 11, 2010 19:32:05 I like the War of Reflections.

(I still like the War of Souls but I am, of course, biased! ;))
#9
ChiefGully
Dec 13, 2010 21:33:30 I would actually try and add the flavor by giving it multiple names (no less than three); one for each participant.

Shadar'ki: would call it something like the great pruning war or The taming War.

Eladrin: Would call it something to the effect of "The Grey Wars" Or something.

Prime: those of the prime material would call it something like the war of balance or something denoting the neutral part they play in a war between two connected planes.

You could even Have the PC's encounter several "scribes" from one side or the other each with a different name. then let them naturally choose which they like best (present it as an argument they over hear with a few of the names; then sit back and see what they choose to call it on their own.)

Just remember that wars are rarely named by those that fight them or start them, instead it is some historian (usually the victor) that gives it a name several years or centuries after.
#10
meltheim
Dec 14, 2010 14:08:53 I actually have an event like this in my campaign's "recent" past (i.e. 'my great grandfather fought in the war') and the local denizens of the land once known as the Nerath Empire call it the "Feyfell Wars". I used the default PoL setting and had the Keep on the Shadowfell as the site of the final battle. In my campaign, all of the Shadowgates and Fey Crossings are closed, sealed and guarded, lest anyone decide to reopen them and reignite the war. The Eladrin PC in my group is the first of his kind to be seen in a century and is regarded with extreme suspicion (or often confused for a 'fancy elf')
#11
undergroundplayer
Dec 14, 2010 15:06:29 war of souls has been used by many fiction areas (including a dragon lance trilogy) if that effects your choice at all
and it seams to have a surragate feel to it since they are taking the fight to the natural world so why not
surragate war
#12
bookmen
Dec 14, 2010 17:39:29 On mention of the Shadar'ki being weaker then the Eladrin you could have them favor hit and run, Gurilla tactics, summoning, constructs, and undead creation tactics. This could really help them tip the balance if they are numerically less.

Ambushes and traps would be big. Throw in a bit of a curve ball having some tribe of Shadowfell Kobolds that ally with the Shadar'ki.

War of Souls, Rift War, and War of Reflections sound good. Something that can help is asking why the groups of fighting. Graz'zt and Asmodeus know about the Souls and Pacts so War of Souls and Pact War Fits for them.
#13
Imruphel
Dec 21, 2010 4:40:10
war of souls has been used by many fiction areas (including a dragon lance trilogy) if that effects your choice at all and it seams to have a surragate feel to it since they are taking the fight to the natural world so why not surragate war

I had forgotten about a Dragonlance series with the same name. I haven't touched a DL novel since they were first released 25 or so years ago.

Surrogate doesn't sound right. I do like The Pact War. Screw Orcus: why not have souls being fought for by Asmodeus and Graz'zt? And not just those souls that normally pass to the Shadowfell: both the big A and the big G are manipulating warlock pacts and this is why the campaign includes the fey: it seems one or both of the BBEGs have assassinated one of the archfey and taken their place.

#14
deliverance
Dec 29, 2010 16:42:59 The Dance of Light and Shadow, sounds a bit otherwordly compared to what human wars are called which ties in well with the the fact that it is a war between otherworldly beings.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 CALEBROBERTS Dec 10, 2010 0:59:09	So, i have a new idea for a heroic-mid,late paragon campain spanning 15-20 levels. The basic premise is that the Shadowfell(Shadar Kai) and the Feywild (Eladrin) are on the verge of a war that has been brewing for a long time (1000 years?) and that is about to come to a head. The PCs will initially encounter hostile forces from each side in the natural world. perhapse they decide to take sides or to find out who is behind this conflict (Devils). Some natural event is allowing both shadow and fey planes to partially merge with the nautral world for extended periods of time. Mainly i need a Name for this war that is coming. Also; any comment, criticisms, ideas are welcome. Thanks
#2 theapokalypseshovel Dec 10, 2010 2:21:08	Not a very good name but: The Shift War, since both sides must planeshift their forces or alternatively the Gate Wars, since some areas of the world are acting as natural gates between the planes. Not necessarily awe inspiring though. My only issue is that I don't think that the Shadar-Kai would have much of a chance against the Eladrin. In my eyes the danger of the Shadowfell is the plane itself, whereas the danger of the Feywild is the ridiculous things that live in it (plants, animals and otherwise). The Archfey have no real equal in the Shadowfell and my impression has been that the shadar-kai are numerically inferior to the Eladrin. The Eladrin are THE people of feywild, while the shadar-kai are a tribe of people eeking out their existence in service to the Raven Queen. If you look in the Manual of the Planes under inhabitants you'll see Eladrin listed after the Archfey, while the shadar-kai are behind death giants, cultists, undead and more. Because of this I think I would make your war more of a Fey invasion of the Shadowfell, as they hope to end the threat of plane merging which is obviously the work of something in the Shadowfell. The Shadar-kai would likely still oppose an invasion, but with them you'd have death giants, necromancers, nightwalkers and the whole gambit of inhabitants. Some of these guys would rather die than ally themselves, so you should find a way to keep them in the fight! Hope that helps.
#3 Imruphel Dec 10, 2010 5:37:32	I can imagine the shadar-kai as aggressors in such a war. They want the souls that the archfey are taking for themselves through warlock pacts. Furthermore, the unbounded life of the Feywild would be fuel for the life-devouring nature of the Shadowfell. Perhaps the shadar-kai are servants of some creature of utter entropy that is seeking to devour all? Alternatively, maybe they think that the are serving a creature of shadow and entropy but it is actually Asmodeus in disguise. He has decided he wants all souls from all pacts. (Personally, I would use Graz'zt in such a role, but I use Graz'zt for everything.) The War of Souls? The Pact Primeval? The Warlock War? The Pact Thief? The Pactbreaker? Life & Death?
#4 pruano Dec 10, 2010 12:20:17	Planar Clash. Planar Apocalipse.
#5 CALEBROBERTS Dec 10, 2010 21:47:01	Thanks for so many great ideas and comments. I think that i am leaning towards elevating the Shadar Kai to be equal to the Eladrin as far as their place on their plane. The majority of the war will be fought on the natural world as that is the only way for each force to get at the other. THe driving forces behind the war are going to be: Asmodeus - He wants the all the souls from both sides for a nefarious plot to gin even more power. Graz'zt - He wants to deprive Asmodeus of the souls so that he can Rule the nine hells himself as a god. The PCs will begin somewhere of their choosing in the world (perhaps in the Nentir Vale). They will encounter small forces of Fey and Shadow as the planes begin to open to each other. Perhapse they will be convinced to take a side during lvls 1-5 or so. near the conclusion they will be betrayed and will then have to travel to The Hells or to the Abyss (or both) and confront the real powers. I hope to rely on the players for some direction choice how does this sound?
#6 obdormio Dec 11, 2010 4:23:12	Since it's a war between the world's reflections, how about the Mirror War?
#7 CALEBROBERTS Dec 11, 2010 10:00:09	I like the Mirror War or maybe War of Reflections
#8 Imruphel Dec 11, 2010 19:32:05	I like the War of Reflections. (I still like the War of Souls but I am, of course, biased! ;))
#9 ChiefGully Dec 13, 2010 21:33:30	I would actually try and add the flavor by giving it multiple names (no less than three); one for each participant. Shadar'ki: would call it something like the great pruning war or The taming War. Eladrin: Would call it something to the effect of "The Grey Wars" Or something. Prime: those of the prime material would call it something like the war of balance or something denoting the neutral part they play in a war between two connected planes. You could even Have the PC's encounter several "scribes" from one side or the other each with a different name. then let them naturally choose which they like best (present it as an argument they over hear with a few of the names; then sit back and see what they choose to call it on their own.) Just remember that wars are rarely named by those that fight them or start them, instead it is some historian (usually the victor) that gives it a name several years or centuries after.
#10 meltheim Dec 14, 2010 14:08:53	I actually have an event like this in my campaign's "recent" past (i.e. 'my great grandfather fought in the war') and the local denizens of the land once known as the Nerath Empire call it the "Feyfell Wars". I used the default PoL setting and had the Keep on the Shadowfell as the site of the final battle. In my campaign, all of the Shadowgates and Fey Crossings are closed, sealed and guarded, lest anyone decide to reopen them and reignite the war. The Eladrin PC in my group is the first of his kind to be seen in a century and is regarded with extreme suspicion (or often confused for a 'fancy elf')
#11 undergroundplayer Dec 14, 2010 15:06:29	war of souls has been used by many fiction areas (including a dragon lance trilogy) if that effects your choice at all and it seams to have a surragate feel to it since they are taking the fight to the natural world so why not surragate war
#12 bookmen Dec 14, 2010 17:39:29	On mention of the Shadar'ki being weaker then the Eladrin you could have them favor hit and run, Gurilla tactics, summoning, constructs, and undead creation tactics. This could really help them tip the balance if they are numerically less. Ambushes and traps would be big. Throw in a bit of a curve ball having some tribe of Shadowfell Kobolds that ally with the Shadar'ki. War of Souls, Rift War, and War of Reflections sound good. Something that can help is asking why the groups of fighting. Graz'zt and Asmodeus know about the Souls and Pacts so War of Souls and Pact War Fits for them.
#13 Imruphel Dec 21, 2010 4:40:10	war of souls has been used by many fiction areas (including a dragon lance trilogy) if that effects your choice at all and it seams to have a surragate feel to it since they are taking the fight to the natural world so why not surragate war I had forgotten about a Dragonlance series with the same name. I haven't touched a DL novel since they were first released 25 or so years ago. Surrogate doesn't sound right. I do like The Pact War. Screw Orcus: why not have souls being fought for by Asmodeus and Graz'zt? And not just those souls that normally pass to the Shadowfell: both the big A and the big G are manipulating warlock pacts and this is why the campaign includes the fey: it seems one or both of the BBEGs have assassinated one of the archfey and taken their place.
#14 deliverance Dec 29, 2010 16:42:59	The Dance of Light and Shadow, sounds a bit otherwordly compared to what human wars are called which ties in well with the the fact that it is a war between otherworldly beings.