Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 orinkar Oct 23, 2003 23:11:50	First off I'd like to say that all my knowledge of Dragonlance (Which isn't that much, comparitively.) comes from the Dragonlance Campaign Setting book and the Age of Mortals Book. I'm running it because my players love the novels and since I tell a better story then they do, they wanted me to DM it. Also I think Dragonlance is about the neatest Campaign Setting I've seen. So, with that said. Here's my idea. The campaign takes place in the Age of Mortals. The PC's start of in Solace, as it seems to be a gathering place for adventurers and merchants. They do the normal bandit clearing, and monster hunting that goes with being an adventurer looking for gold ( or steel in this case ). They also want to help out the Ranger hoping to be a Solamnic Knight with her duties. In the course of all this they hear rumors of events in other parts of Ansalon. Rumor "A". While gathering information on a set of ruins that is allegedly filled with monsters, the PC's hear of a plot to ressurect Tahkisis. Now I know this is ye olde standard plot scenario, but hey when a god dies, there's always some nut trying to bring them back. A lot of people probably want to do the same thing, so most people are inclined to just ignore it. What I have in mind though, is a mystic out there somewhere who was a follower of Tahkisis/One God wants to bring her back. My more original ( I hope ) idea is that possibly said mystic was someone who was terribly wronged during Mina's romp through Krynn, and thinks raising Tahkisis will be his best way to get revenge. To make him even more depraved, he probably knows and expects Tahkisis will turn on him, and may even long for it just so he gets his "revenge". The reason I think this person should be a mystic is, what diety would let one of their own try to raise another god? Alternatively, and I don't know how well this would fit in with Dragonlance, but what if this mystic was instead an Ur-Priest from the Book of Vile Darkness ? Which would be interesting since they can draw on divine power without need for a deity, very similar to a mystic. What better form of revenge then using another god's power without knowing it? To accomplish his goal, he'll probably need more then just his ability to raise the dead I think. So he'll need to raise Tahkisis as a mortal perhaps, then give her something to help her reascend to godhood. I was thinking something similar to the "godsblood" that's in Monte Cook's Requiem For A God . So obviously the classic "capture the flag" adventure scenario would be good here. Another twist might be that the mystic in the rumor might actually be employing the PC's to get what he needs. He could easily accomplish this by telling the PC's the locations of what he needs. He'd tell them that he will destroy them when he gets them to foil the bad guy. Rumor B. As the bad mystic is searching for means to accomplish his goal, another spellcaster is looking for a way to increase his power. Minor forms of undead spring up in certain unihabited areas, animated by some unexplainable magic. A generic necromancer seems to be the culprit and the PC's might possibly be called to work out this threat. The truth of the matter though is that some wizard somewhere is using undead and other spellcasting minions to throw people off his trail as he researches whatever it is he wants to know. Using rumor after piled on rumor which might include the mystic from Plot A, he manages to get the PC off his trail. Eventually, and hopefully the PC's catch up to him and either thwart what he's doing or maybe help him out ( he might be researching something that's beneficial, but is just extremely paranoid of other spellcasters ). If his work is beneficial I believe that his methods may not be all that "ethical". He might be an accomplished wizard or sorcerer, training lots of apprentices in arcane magic. This wizard may not have any qualms about teaching his pupils anything they want to know, even if it is "evil". He could use his pupils, all of whom would be minor spell casters to throw up diversions everywhere so he could go about his research without being bothered by locals and adventurers. Plot C. Where would a dragonlance campaign be without dragons? I'm thinking a white dragon with a severe inferiority complex might attempt to build a skull totem or similar, repulsive object of power. In collecting trophies the dragon might attract the attention of the PCs and they might help or stop it depending on whether they know who it's for or not. The dragon might also let them keep part or all of the dragon's hoard that they find. I know most of these are pretty generic, over done scenarios but could I get a little feedback here? I'd really appreciate it. Since I know fairly little about Dragonlance, I'm a little intimidated by my players since they've read the novels and I haven't. I want to retain the flavor, but still make it my own. I need help from people who know the setting to accomplish that. So feedback? Comments? Suggestions? Please No Flames, I burn easy. - Aaron Evans
#2 zombiegleemax Oct 24, 2003 9:40:12	Just keep in mind, that unlike the Forgotten Realms, "Adventurer" is not a career choice. In Dragonlance the only people who realy adventure are Kender, and those thrown into the situation.
#3 iltharanos Oct 25, 2003 0:34:20	What level are your PCs at? re scenario A: Perhaps as a funky plot-twist Mishakal (or some other good deity) is the one that would secretly plot to have Takhisis resurrected to godhood so that Paladine would also be restored to preserve the balance. re plot C: Where would this white dragon be located? The Icewall glacier is pretty much dominated by the white dragons Ice and Freeze while Frost dominates Southern Ergoth. The only other place that would seem available for a white dragon amassing a skull totem might be the land bordering Ice Mountain Bay (now that Beryl is swimming with the seaweed). As for Adventurer not being a career choice in Dragonlance. Why not? Tinker gnomes love to go adventuring if doing so furthers their lifequests. Conundrum the gnome went adventuring to test out his new submersible and to explore the underwater regions of Ansalon. Knights purposely go adventuring to right wrongs (or to commit them in the case of Dark Knights). Especially now, Clerics go adventuring so that they can spread the word of their now-returned deities. Wizards adventure so they can discover that musty tome that contains that almost-forgotten spell. Raistlin himself adventured to Xak Tsaroth for the express purpose of acquiring one of Fistandantilus' old spellbooks. Mintotaurs adventure now so that they can go on journeys of conquest in the name of the newly powerful Minotaur Empire. etc. etc. I'd say Adventurer is a career choice that is definitely not limited to kender.
#4 orinkar Oct 25, 2003 22:31:19	Well, my PCs are all level one right at the moment. I've got a half-elven ranger, a human sorcerer, a human rogue (assassin really) and believe it or not, a gully dwarf cleric. I haven't really decided where to put the white dragon as of yet. I tend to go towards unusual places to put things so my players rarely know what to expect. I think the Ice Mountain Bay area might be interesting. The skull totem thing might be replaced with something else, if equally repulsive though. I do kind of like the idea though. The word "Adventurer" was used not as a career choice but to describe what they were doing. The ranger is hoping to become a Knight of the Crown one day so she needs to prove herself. The assassin of course is running from a reputation and fled to Solace. The sorcerer is actually from the lands around Solace. The gully dwarf cleric is sort of backwards for his kind, and quite a bit smarter then the average Aghar. He is looking to prove himself. Besides isn't that what Dragonlance is about really? Grand quests to save the world against potentially superior odds. Not the snivelling little adventures and dungeon delves of Faerun that don't really affect the world as a whole. Romantic stories of brave warriors and fair maidens on scale rivaled only by King Arthur and his Knights? Whether they are doing it on purpose or just thrown into it, aren't these people adventurers one way or another? -Aaron Evans
#5 iltharanos Oct 26, 2003 23:58:11	Originally posted by Orinkar Well, my PCs are all level one right at the moment. I've got a half-elven ranger, a human sorcerer, a human rogue (assassin really) and believe it or not, a gully dwarf cleric. I haven't really decided where to put the white dragon as of yet. I tend to go towards unusual places to put things so my players rarely know what to expect. I think the Ice Mountain Bay area might be interesting. The skull totem thing might be replaced with something else, if equally repulsive though. I do kind of like the idea though. If you're the kind of DM that loves creating your own adventures and fleshing out your own towns, then Kharolis (that whole area from Ice Mountain Bay to Qualinesti) is an absolute treasure trove. Very little has been detailed in that area (with the exception of the city of Tarsis) and you can cook up legions of your own NPCs. The gully dwarf cleric sounds cool (after all, they've got no Wisdom penalty). An old Dragonlance campaign of mine featured a gully dwarf fighter/barbarian that was the beefiest fighter in the whole party! He was dumb as a rock, but that didn't matter too much when he whipped out his battle axe. If you haven't already, check out Dragon magazine issue 311 (September '03). They've got a section on bloodline feats for sorcerers, which can be taken at any level. The various bloodline feats (e.g. Air, Draconic, Celestial, etc.) allow Sorcerer PCs to emphasize a certain style of spellcasting. E.g. A sorcerer with the Air bloodline feat gets one bonus "air"-type/related spell at each spell level beginning at 1st ... but is forbidden from learning any spells with the earth descriptor. Each bloodline also has a small feat tree where the sorcerer can further emphasize his particular style of casting. E.g. an earth bloodline sorcerer can select a feat that gives him a +3 circumstance bonus to Climb and Tumble checks, but only when he's in contact with stone or earthen surfaces. Since you mentioned Monte Cook, there are even spell templates (ala Arcana Unearthed) provided in the Dragon magazine issue. Besides isn't that what Dragonlance is about really? Grand quests to save the world against potentially superior odds. Not the snivelling little adventures and dungeon delves of Faerun that don't really affect the world as a whole. Romantic stories of brave warriors and fair maidens on scale rivaled only by King Arthur and his Knights? Whether they are doing it on purpose or just thrown into it, aren't these people adventurers one way or another? -Aaron Evans You hit it right on the money. :D
#6 zombiegleemax Oct 27, 2003 11:25:46	::Gouging through a bag of scrollcases.:: Skullcap is on Dergoth. But farther south, the highest peak in the range looms high above the surrounding area. It's chock-full of ice! This map's a little old, but it doesn't mean those places aren't still there! And you never know till you try. There are a whole bunch of smaller peaks that have ice on them, but whites aren't the smartest bunch and they know they aren't and they get mad and would probably be willing to tough it out for a while in warmer climes. They'd probably think it was a clever idea, but they are white and their surroundings wouldn't be, so it would probably be easy to spot one in the mountains or plains. As for Rumor A, Morgion and Old Takky were fooling around there for a while. He probably misses her, even though they did argue a lot. But that's the way it goes sometimes. My neice, Butterknot, once had a boyfriend who read ALL THE TIME! A very unusual sort for a kender and BORRR-ING! But she loved him. He became a wizard too. Stringed instruments and magic, things I never had the patience for. And Hiddukel would do anything for a laugh. He and Reorx play bones on Tuesdays. Now he's just the sort to bring that up to Reorx and trick him some way 'cause Reorx has a real problem if you ask me. Gambling addiction! (Pssst. . .don't say that around a dwarf.) Rumor B. . .hmmm. . .I forgot what rumor B was. Oh yeah, the wizard. Well, Skullcap was the former home of Fistandantilus and he's probably got a whole bunch of neat things for a necromancer to use still tucked away in there.> Iltharanos has some really good ideas as well. Having the gods of good active in bringing Takhisis back! Genious! I wish I'd thought of it. Anyway, I hope I've helped. Iltharanos, why don't you start a post on that idea! That would be a REALLY interesting topic. Good luck on the adventure Orinkar! Love, Haldon
#7 orinkar Oct 27, 2003 18:14:32	On the sorcerer bloodline feats, I was actually thinking of letting him take the earth bloodline feat since he claims to be from a "barbaric tribe". A white in a warmer climate might be interesting actually. They are for all practical purposes the dragons from the core rulebooks right? I imagine a white dragon would find a magic item that raises or lowers the temperature of his imediate surroundings very useful. That way he could live in say, a temperate forest and be fine while inside his lair, and even travel. A ring or similar magic item of Endure Elements might be useful too. Neither would be really hard to come by I imagine. Those are all great ideas, thanks for the help and keep 'em comin'! -Aaron Evans