So what's so great about this world?? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

So what's so great about this world??

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
May 17, 2004 23:32:14 I come to you to seek the highlights of your favorite world. I have a campeign currently running in the world of Athas. I plan of having the PCs run across a wizard (possibly Elminster.) He will tell them that he will help them out if they come with him to an undecided world to solve some undecided conflict. I plan on using a spelljammer-like setting for their interplanetary travel. Of course, Athas and the desired world are far apart, so the party will need to land on several other planets for supplies and R&R.

Now here's where you guys come in...
I don't know about any specific setting aside from dark sun. I would like to show the great contrasts that exist between Oerth, Toril, Krynn, and the other world of D&D. So I would like to know from you what the big differences are on this world(in comparison to the mundane, no-name D&D campeigns that are ever too frequent.)
#2
zombiegleemax
May 18, 2004 1:06:12 The big difference here think middle ages earth, King arthur and his knights, romanticized with the Emerald Isle and the rebellious Scottish. Don't forget that Elminster fits sooooo right with this world. It was the first and most widely known of the original DnD worlds. classic in it's simplicity,Dangerous in it's roughness,and beloved by the Older Generations of gamers.
#3
mortellan
May 18, 2004 1:12:25 Oerth, Toril, Krynn

These settings are all essentially the same IMO. Its ATHAS that I'd send characters to for a contrasting world quest.
#4
Mortepierre
May 18, 2004 1:46:45 Oerth (World of Greyhawk):

Good vs Evil, but preserving the Balance is the name of the game. Grim and gritty.

Faerun (Forgotten Realms):

Every innkeeper is a retired 18th lvl Wizard with a mind-flayer in temporal stasis in his closet. High magic setting. Recently went from a "Elminster & Co always appear to save the day" to "Now, it's YOUR turn to save the day" :D

Krynn (Dragonlance):

Dragons, dragons, and more dragons. For a world that didn't see any for more than a thousand years, they sure have plenty of them now. Another Good vs Evil setting, albeit one where they take turn being on top. The gods also conveniently appear and disappear ("now you see them, now you don't!")
#5
mortellan
May 18, 2004 2:31:54
High magic setting

Without going on too big of a rant, there is nothing in GH that suggests it is a 'lower magic' than any other world, maybe except in the quantity and levels of the characters/monsters in its setting. Its like comparing role play to roll play IMO.
#6
Mortepierre
May 18, 2004 7:42:36 I know. You'll notice I didn't say either GH or DL were low magic settings. I said FR was a high magic setting because it's so high, it becomes ridiculous at times.
#7
zombiegleemax
May 18, 2004 9:18:50 Er.... you may wanna use Mordenkainen in place of Elminster if you're bringing your PCs to Oerth...
#8
lincoln_hills
May 18, 2004 12:15:28 Better still: use Rary.

For your reference, Il-da-bo, I'll summarize here & say that Rary, although possibly Greyhawk's single most powerful wizard, is not to be trusted. Several years ago he decided that he knew what was best for Oerth, and has become a sort of "good intentions" villain. Bringing in a powerful batch of adventurers from some alien world - and you'd have to BE from another world not to know about Rary's treachery! - would give him some very useful cat's-paws...

In other words, after they're done with your spelljamming adventures and finally reach Oerth, you can put them through the task they were brought for... only to have 'em realize that their employer, the "wise old mage", is the REAL villain here.

(General notes on Rary - NE human male Wizard 20 (or, if you're using Epic Level, more like 25-26?) specializing in spells of charm, deception, enchantment and metamagic.)
#9
zombiegleemax
May 18, 2004 13:35:33 Hhmmm...Rary is starting to sound very interesting to me. I wasn't to sure on who to use anyway. I just chose Elminster because of his fame on other worlds but not-at-all known on Athas. Then again, so to is Rary. Are there any exact stats on this guy or do i need to create some?
#10
zombiegleemax
May 18, 2004 14:36:45 LG 0 had his 3rd ed stats, I am sure some kind person would post them if you beg.
#11
zombiegleemax
May 18, 2004 17:06:37 Rary is not a member of the Circle of Eight, so he isn't described in LG0. Dungeon #98 contains the LGJ about the Bright Desert and #103 has got a follow-up to that called "The Denizens of the Bright Desert".
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to print the stats here in full.
(and he better kneel down before me, not just beg )

just for a teaser:
Rary the Traitor, Male Human Wizard Wiz24: CR 24
hp149, AC40
AL NE
Str 7
Dex 20
Con 16
Int 32
Wis 20
Cha 16

Glorfinden
#12
zombiegleemax
May 19, 2004 10:56:32 Umm...Kneel down before you, am I gonna be knighted??(i hope)

Well his stats gives me something to work with atleast. Now I simply need to fill 24 levels worth of spells and feats, that shouldn't take too long, should it?
#13
lincoln_hills
May 20, 2004 11:35:06 The one thing to bear in mind when you create Rary is that he regards subtlety and even (strange as this may sound) 'gentle' spells over what he has been known to refer to disparagingly as "blood and thunder stuff".

This guy is better known for the likes of Rary's memory alteration, Rary's mnemonic enhancer, and Rary's thought probe - though some of those only appear in an ancient 1st-ed hardback and might not be considered canon. (Imagine the combination of the third-named with the first: one day you're all suspicious of this guy, and the next day you can't remember why.) I'd definitely figure he has a fair assortment of metamagic feats (even back in 1st ed, he was developing spells that would enhance OTHER spells) - also Spell Focus (or even Greater Spell Focus) for the Enchantment school. He also has an assortment of golem-lore, and the Craft Wondrous Item feat to back it up.

Don't neglect Combat Casting and Improved Initiative, and don't be afraid to load him with "just in case" scrolls. The only items I recall him having with absolute certainty are a rod of absorption and one of those ioun stones which give a +1 to all saves/skills/checks - he plundered that stone from the smoldering corpse of Otiluke, on the day of the Great Signing...

Also, when Rary needs physical backup, he has on hand a powerful fellow-traitor, Lord Robilar (NE human male - I believe he's Ftr 18+ by now - wasn't he given a spot in the ELH?), who carries the Blade of Black Ice and a horn of blasting and rides a mighty horse-like construct provided for him by Rary. The two have their rivalries and differences, but they're united because of their vast number of mutual enemies...
#14
zombiegleemax
May 21, 2004 0:08:04 yeah I have Robilar as a Level 24 fgh with the Blade of Black Ice and his Metal Destrier but no Rary.

I appreciate the guidelines for Rary, especially since I havent played as a wizard in quite some time, so I would have a real hard time creating such a NPC.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax May 17, 2004 23:32:14	I come to you to seek the highlights of your favorite world. I have a campeign currently running in the world of Athas. I plan of having the PCs run across a wizard (possibly Elminster.) He will tell them that he will help them out if they come with him to an undecided world to solve some undecided conflict. I plan on using a spelljammer-like setting for their interplanetary travel. Of course, Athas and the desired world are far apart, so the party will need to land on several other planets for supplies and R&R. Now here's where you guys come in... I don't know about any specific setting aside from dark sun. I would like to show the great contrasts that exist between Oerth, Toril, Krynn, and the other world of D&D. So I would like to know from you what the big differences are on this world(in comparison to the mundane, no-name D&D campeigns that are ever too frequent.)
#2 zombiegleemax May 18, 2004 1:06:12	The big difference here think middle ages earth, King arthur and his knights, romanticized with the Emerald Isle and the rebellious Scottish. Don't forget that Elminster fits sooooo right with this world. It was the first and most widely known of the original DnD worlds. classic in it's simplicity,Dangerous in it's roughness,and beloved by the Older Generations of gamers.
#3 mortellan May 18, 2004 1:12:25	Oerth, Toril, Krynn These settings are all essentially the same IMO. Its ATHAS that I'd send characters to for a contrasting world quest.
#4 Mortepierre May 18, 2004 1:46:45	Oerth (World of Greyhawk): Good vs Evil, but preserving the Balance is the name of the game. Grim and gritty. Faerun (Forgotten Realms): Every innkeeper is a retired 18th lvl Wizard with a mind-flayer in temporal stasis in his closet. High magic setting. Recently went from a "Elminster & Co always appear to save the day" to "Now, it's YOUR turn to save the day" :D Krynn (Dragonlance): Dragons, dragons, and more dragons. For a world that didn't see any for more than a thousand years, they sure have plenty of them now. Another Good vs Evil setting, albeit one where they take turn being on top. The gods also conveniently appear and disappear ("now you see them, now you don't!")
#5 mortellan May 18, 2004 2:31:54	High magic setting Without going on too big of a rant, there is nothing in GH that suggests it is a 'lower magic' than any other world, maybe except in the quantity and levels of the characters/monsters in its setting. Its like comparing role play to roll play IMO.
#6 Mortepierre May 18, 2004 7:42:36	I know. You'll notice I didn't say either GH or DL were low magic settings. I said FR was a high magic setting because it's so high, it becomes ridiculous at times.
#7 zombiegleemax May 18, 2004 9:18:50	Er.... you may wanna use Mordenkainen in place of Elminster if you're bringing your PCs to Oerth...
#8 lincoln_hills May 18, 2004 12:15:28	Better still: use Rary. For your reference, Il-da-bo, I'll summarize here & say that Rary, although possibly Greyhawk's single most powerful wizard, is not to be trusted. Several years ago he decided that he knew what was best for Oerth, and has become a sort of "good intentions" villain. Bringing in a powerful batch of adventurers from some alien world - and you'd have to BE from another world not to know about Rary's treachery! - would give him some very useful cat's-paws... In other words, after they're done with your spelljamming adventures and finally reach Oerth, you can put them through the task they were brought for... only to have 'em realize that their employer, the "wise old mage", is the REAL villain here. (General notes on Rary - NE human male Wizard 20 (or, if you're using Epic Level, more like 25-26?) specializing in spells of charm, deception, enchantment and metamagic.)
#9 zombiegleemax May 18, 2004 13:35:33	Hhmmm...Rary is starting to sound very interesting to me. I wasn't to sure on who to use anyway. I just chose Elminster because of his fame on other worlds but not-at-all known on Athas. Then again, so to is Rary. Are there any exact stats on this guy or do i need to create some?
#10 zombiegleemax May 18, 2004 14:36:45	LG 0 had his 3rd ed stats, I am sure some kind person would post them if you beg.
#11 zombiegleemax May 18, 2004 17:06:37	Rary is not a member of the Circle of Eight, so he isn't described in LG0. Dungeon #98 contains the LGJ about the Bright Desert and #103 has got a follow-up to that called "The Denizens of the Bright Desert". I'm not sure if I'm allowed to print the stats here in full. (and he better kneel down before me, not just beg ) just for a teaser: Rary the Traitor, Male Human Wizard Wiz24: CR 24 hp149, AC40 AL NE Str 7 Dex 20 Con 16 Int 32 Wis 20 Cha 16 Glorfinden
#12 zombiegleemax May 19, 2004 10:56:32	Umm...Kneel down before you, am I gonna be knighted??(i hope) Well his stats gives me something to work with atleast. Now I simply need to fill 24 levels worth of spells and feats, that shouldn't take too long, should it?
#13 lincoln_hills May 20, 2004 11:35:06	The one thing to bear in mind when you create Rary is that he regards subtlety and even (strange as this may sound) 'gentle' spells over what he has been known to refer to disparagingly as "blood and thunder stuff". This guy is better known for the likes of Rary's memory alteration, Rary's mnemonic enhancer, and Rary's thought probe - though some of those only appear in an ancient 1st-ed hardback and might not be considered canon. (Imagine the combination of the third-named with the first: one day you're all suspicious of this guy, and the next day you can't remember why.) I'd definitely figure he has a fair assortment of metamagic feats (even back in 1st ed, he was developing spells that would enhance OTHER spells) - also Spell Focus (or even Greater Spell Focus) for the Enchantment school. He also has an assortment of golem-lore, and the Craft Wondrous Item feat to back it up. Don't neglect Combat Casting and Improved Initiative, and don't be afraid to load him with "just in case" scrolls. The only items I recall him having with absolute certainty are a rod of absorption and one of those ioun stones which give a +1 to all saves/skills/checks - he plundered that stone from the smoldering corpse of Otiluke, on the day of the Great Signing... Also, when Rary needs physical backup, he has on hand a powerful fellow-traitor, Lord Robilar (NE human male - I believe he's Ftr 18+ by now - wasn't he given a spot in the ELH?), who carries the Blade of Black Ice and a horn of blasting and rides a mighty horse-like construct provided for him by Rary. The two have their rivalries and differences, but they're united because of their vast number of mutual enemies...
#14 zombiegleemax May 21, 2004 0:08:04	yeah I have Robilar as a Level 24 fgh with the Blade of Black Ice and his Metal Destrier but no Rary. I appreciate the guidelines for Rary, especially since I havent played as a wizard in quite some time, so I would have a real hard time creating such a NPC.