Anyone ever going to do something Philidor? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Anyone ever going to do something Philidor?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
May 07, 2004 7:11:46 And I mean something good? I realize most people have washed him off as an Elminster clone and I'll be the first to say I don't want anyone like that in Greyhawk. But Phildor, as Carl wrote him did have a twinge of cool to him as well that pretty much went unexplored.

So how about it? Anyone have a means or story about him that can insert him in a unique way into Greyhawk without falling into the "generic all powerful mage" cookie cutter trap? Greyhawk has some of the best stories around, and certainly some of the most creative people adding to it. We've got to be able to do something with the bloke.
#2
mr._vandermeer
May 07, 2004 8:27:00 I am interested in this as well. I believe he was last sighted near the entrance to the valley of the mage. Maybe he's taken over from that necromancer that is impersonating the original mage.
#3
Greyson
May 07, 2004 9:49:54 No.

Regrettably, Philidor will not be a part of my table-top GH game. I have expunged him and references to him, so he does not exist. I want the focus on the PCs sitting around my table, receiving some help from other, more ubiquitous NPCs.
#4
zombiegleemax
May 07, 2004 9:58:29 I was thinking about writing a piece about him and Tharizdun being utterly and forever destroyed....
#5
mortellan
May 07, 2004 14:04:20 At first I surmised he was the reincarnation of Tenser given the blue fetish, but Return of the Co8 shot that to pieces. Philidor who?
#6
lincoln_hills
May 07, 2004 14:14:10 If I HAD to justify Philidor's existence, I'd "reveal" eventually that he was actually a celestial servant of St. Cuthbert, sent to act on that deity's behalf. But my campaign hasn't come to the point yet where Philidor appears, and frankly, I don't see a need for him.
#7
zombiegleemax
May 07, 2004 17:25:10 Greyson: Thats the thing, I don't think any of us want him to be some sort of a powerful pop in mage that helps PCs every now and then. It's contribed and besides Elminster has the patent on that. =)

The point is, we are a bunch of pretty creative people here. Surely we can come up with some good uses for this guy that involves in as a backfigure.

I'm thinking he's already involved in forces or changes that no one is really aware of. The universe after all is a system of checks and balances. Using a tiny bit of spillage from this does well to create a mystery for players that does more to tell a story than involve the players in epic gaming.

Telling good stories for me is what greyhawk is all about.
#8
bdpenney
May 07, 2004 20:25:48 Well..

*Cracks fingers*

I'd be willing to take a shot at this one.

I've already done a full write-up of Xaene the Accursed and am still working on the Pomarj and Turrosh Mak, but when I'm done I'd be more than willing to do some research and then a full write-up of the Blue Wizard.

Needless to say, he won't be an avatar, aspect of Tenser, of a manifestation of Elminster (hiss!) on Oerth.

Mind you, it'll probably run 10-15 pages, including full stats, but it your willing to be patient I think I could put something together that would prove pretty satisfying...

By the way, any chance we could track down Carl Sargent and get him to "give up the goodies" about this character? In From the Ashes he has a snibbit saying "Maybe we'll tell you some more about him later..."
#9
zombiegleemax
May 07, 2004 22:05:42 If memory serves (and I hope it does..) Carl Sargent was MIA somewhere in Europe last I heard. He wasn't really interested in talking about the old Greyhawk work he did. I heard that about 5 years ago. If someone could back me up on that I'd appreciate it.

I'd like to hear from him too.. His plans for him were somehow as a balance against Iuz. Now that Iuz's empire has been trimmed quite a bit there may be little room for the previous explaination. Which is a good point for someone else to come up with one.

I'm thinking of a couple ideas myself.

Treat him like your favorite artifact though. Where the story is far more important than artifact itself.
#10
zombiegleemax
May 08, 2004 10:53:32 Carl did spill the beans on Phildor. It was post on the Greytalk list yonks ago.

In a sentence: Philidor is a construct created by Pelor and Corellon to prevent Iuz gaining the upper hand on Oerth. As he's not a direct avatar - he gets around the rule of non-intervention.

P.
#11
zombiegleemax
May 08, 2004 15:08:47 Right right. I do remember. I'm just suggesting an alternate explaination (or heck even a parallel one) that gives him a still-poinant story during the post Iuz era. The wars obviously didn't end up the way Carl had anticipated, so perhaps a new explaination should be reached..

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax May 07, 2004 7:11:46	And I mean something good? I realize most people have washed him off as an Elminster clone and I'll be the first to say I don't want anyone like that in Greyhawk. But Phildor, as Carl wrote him did have a twinge of cool to him as well that pretty much went unexplored. So how about it? Anyone have a means or story about him that can insert him in a unique way into Greyhawk without falling into the "generic all powerful mage" cookie cutter trap? Greyhawk has some of the best stories around, and certainly some of the most creative people adding to it. We've got to be able to do something with the bloke.
#2 mr._vandermeer May 07, 2004 8:27:00	I am interested in this as well. I believe he was last sighted near the entrance to the valley of the mage. Maybe he's taken over from that necromancer that is impersonating the original mage.
#3 Greyson May 07, 2004 9:49:54	No. Regrettably, Philidor will not be a part of my table-top GH game. I have expunged him and references to him, so he does not exist. I want the focus on the PCs sitting around my table, receiving some help from other, more ubiquitous NPCs.
#4 zombiegleemax May 07, 2004 9:58:29	I was thinking about writing a piece about him and Tharizdun being utterly and forever destroyed....
#5 mortellan May 07, 2004 14:04:20	At first I surmised he was the reincarnation of Tenser given the blue fetish, but Return of the Co8 shot that to pieces. Philidor who?
#6 lincoln_hills May 07, 2004 14:14:10	If I HAD to justify Philidor's existence, I'd "reveal" eventually that he was actually a celestial servant of St. Cuthbert, sent to act on that deity's behalf. But my campaign hasn't come to the point yet where Philidor appears, and frankly, I don't see a need for him.
#7 zombiegleemax May 07, 2004 17:25:10	Greyson: Thats the thing, I don't think any of us want him to be some sort of a powerful pop in mage that helps PCs every now and then. It's contribed and besides Elminster has the patent on that. =) The point is, we are a bunch of pretty creative people here. Surely we can come up with some good uses for this guy that involves in as a backfigure. I'm thinking he's already involved in forces or changes that no one is really aware of. The universe after all is a system of checks and balances. Using a tiny bit of spillage from this does well to create a mystery for players that does more to tell a story than involve the players in epic gaming. Telling good stories for me is what greyhawk is all about.
#8 bdpenney May 07, 2004 20:25:48	Well.. Cracks fingers I'd be willing to take a shot at this one. I've already done a full write-up of Xaene the Accursed and am still working on the Pomarj and Turrosh Mak, but when I'm done I'd be more than willing to do some research and then a full write-up of the Blue Wizard. Needless to say, he won't be an avatar, aspect of Tenser, of a manifestation of Elminster (hiss!) on Oerth. Mind you, it'll probably run 10-15 pages, including full stats, but it your willing to be patient I think I could put something together that would prove pretty satisfying... By the way, any chance we could track down Carl Sargent and get him to "give up the goodies" about this character? In From the Ashes he has a snibbit saying "Maybe we'll tell you some more about him later..."
#9 zombiegleemax May 07, 2004 22:05:42	If memory serves (and I hope it does..) Carl Sargent was MIA somewhere in Europe last I heard. He wasn't really interested in talking about the old Greyhawk work he did. I heard that about 5 years ago. If someone could back me up on that I'd appreciate it. I'd like to hear from him too.. His plans for him were somehow as a balance against Iuz. Now that Iuz's empire has been trimmed quite a bit there may be little room for the previous explaination. Which is a good point for someone else to come up with one. I'm thinking of a couple ideas myself. Treat him like your favorite artifact though. Where the story is far more important than artifact itself.
#10 zombiegleemax May 08, 2004 10:53:32	Carl did spill the beans on Phildor. It was post on the Greytalk list yonks ago. In a sentence: Philidor is a construct created by Pelor and Corellon to prevent Iuz gaining the upper hand on Oerth. As he's not a direct avatar - he gets around the rule of non-intervention. P.
#11 zombiegleemax May 08, 2004 15:08:47	Right right. I do remember. I'm just suggesting an alternate explaination (or heck even a parallel one) that gives him a still-poinant story during the post Iuz era. The wars obviously didn't end up the way Carl had anticipated, so perhaps a new explaination should be reached..