If I ran it again I would try to emphasize the political aspect of the adventure a bit more. The actions of the different groups and the possible reactions of Durkayle.
Kilamar
Frankly, I also always felt that the game would drastically miss out if it wasn't referenced again politics wise. The villain of the Piece, I'm just going to call him "Bad Harmonium Stereotype" was I think uniquely well qualified for later use.
Though the adventure says his aborted attack on the Xaocists, his affair with a succubus, his alliance with Devils, and his own LE nature would probably prevent him from being Factol....I personally wonder if it might have been worthwhile to explore the man as a real danger to Factol Sarm's position.
The Harmonium has always been portrayed as a bunch of well meaning but often overzealous and vicious berks, the idea that they could be fooled into doing something drastically stupid and electing an evil member is not a bad one at all. Especially if Sarm's own stupidity has him get his own scandal publically lauded (I can't imagine him remaining a paladin for very long if the Harmonium's 're-education' and other actions occur...I imagine such a thing would destroy his career too)
I'm less impressed with Umbra's "Supreme Being" status but I imagine it might be worth a laugh to watch her cult grow until the Lady smashes her like an insect
The Harmonium has always been portrayed as a bunch of well meaning but often overzealous and vicious berks, the idea that they could be fooled into doing something drastically stupid and electing an evil member is not a bad one at all. Especially if Sarm's own stupidity has him get his own scandal publically lauded (I can't imagine him remaining a paladin for very long if the Harmonium's 're-education' and other actions occur...I imagine such a thing would destroy his career too)
I'm less impressed with Umbra's "Supreme Being" status but I imagine it might be worth a laugh to watch her cult grow until the Lady smashes her like an insect
1) I've toyed with something of a reformation of the Hardheads in my own campaign, largely because I've always loathed and denigrated them at every chance and it seemed, at least to me, to get old after a while. One of my players is an Indep fan, and so it might throw them for a loop to eventually have the Harmonium actually learn from their mistakes and take a turn for the better and more patient and mellow.
2) Indeed, she'd get squashed, or just shunted out of Sigil, if she ever grew too powerful.
I was rather glad to have finally picked up that adventure on Ebay, and for fairly cheap too, it was well worth it.
The Harmonium is an easy bunch to hate because Planescape is essentially post-modern. It takes at face value that Good, Evil, Neutrality, Law, and Chaos are things that don't really matter in the long run since the Planes always stay the same.
The Harmonium's biggest flaw is the fact they practice "compassionate conservatism" (and I don't mean that ironically, I mean it literally) in a place that rejects the idea there's something better.
It's an interesting conundrum because paladins are used to being hated or loved, I imagine that its gotta be disconcerting to find people who simply don't want to be saved. Apathy is the one thing I doubt they're prepared for.
The LE in the Harmonium I do make the effort to say are ALL idealists as well. I don't have berks that are in the Harmonium for power (much easier places to go for it and the Harmonium screens out any who would simply abuse their authority). Even the Devils have a vision of a better world.
My LE Harmoniumites are those who accept the principles of "necessary evil" They are still working for all the ends the Harmonium does but are willing to break the codes of ethics they wish to see all others follow to accomplish it.
The LE Harmonium world is filled with cameras, smiling children, snipers in the bushes, laughing women, happy husbands, rigged elections, and re-education chambers with enchanters
The worst part is the LG folk know their world may only be accomplishable through that.
[2) Indeed, she'd get squashed, or just shunted out of Sigil, if she ever grew too powerful.]
Actually, in my campaign the Godsmen on hand simply said that they should join up and she did. She of course declared she ALREADY was a god and simply needed to learn what her powers were (this was after the player explained about the Lady's ban)
She being a Alu Fiend was of course interested in becoming the leader of the non-godly godsmen ASAP.
2) Indeed, she'd get squashed, or just shunted out of Sigil, if she ever grew too powerful.
Actually, in my campaign the Godsmen on hand simply said that they should join up and she did. She of course declared she ALREADY was a god and simply needed to learn what her powers were (this was after the player explained about the Lady's ban)
She being a Alu Fiend was of course interested in becoming the leader of the non-godly godsmen ASAP.
Ironically IMC there was a Godsman paladin (an aasimar fiendslayer) who became romantically involved with the Umbra after convincing Factol Ambar to sponsor the small temple. I loved the dichotomy of having an Aasimar paladin fall in love with a Chaotic neutral half-fiend. Especially seeing that he hated Tanar'ri for the most part... in fact his female Intelligent holy avenger became a great plot device for a "love triangle."
In the adventure our drow Indep was captured by Durkayle and imprisoned in the Vault (love tying adventures together!). Durkayle got booted from the Hardheads and fled to Rigus with Greptaug the amnizu. Inimigle returned to Gehenna but gave the PC's a marker they could use to get out of trouble if they got into it on Chamada...
There were so many good NPC's in this adventure! The Annis in the Screaming Tower, the Night Hag restauranteur, the Cambion assasin!!!
I finally got to run the adventure last night...
I tweaked things considerably with the Ultraloth being actually a member of the Faction as a power altered him to have a LG alignment and now a member of the priesthood. It made the encounter considerably wackier personally.
I also made the prophecy true, after a fashion, in which the power that be had become a mortal and tried escaping death with the loss of all his/her worshippers. She unfortunately ended up captured by some fiends and eaten....meaning she was reborn as the soul for the Umbra.
She thus returned to her religion almost immediately as she achieved apothesis with the return of her worshippers.
She of course schedadled before the Lady of Pain showed up. Her reaction was signed by Dabus
[Eye + Document showing where my estate goes when I die + K + someone sick, a state of disease + U
Elf - E + U + A state of time + Musical Note before Rei + Arrow at Umbra + a illusion showing an action repeated over and over *]
I'm thinking I may do a sequel next time with "For Duty and Deity" showing her burgeoning church needing to rescue her AGAIN from fiends.
* Translation: I will kill you if you ever do that again.
1) I've toyed with something of a reformation of the Hardheads in my own campaign, largely because I've always loathed and denigrated them at every chance and it seemed, at least to me, to get old after a while. One of my players is an Indep fan, and so it might throw them for a loop to eventually have the Harmonium actually learn from their mistakes and take a turn for the better and more patient and mellow.
2) Indeed, she'd get squashed, or just shunted out of Sigil, if she ever grew too powerful.
I was rather glad to have finally picked up that adventure on Ebay, and for fairly cheap too, it was well worth it.
There is a sequel to that adventure, but I don't remember the name..
Banshee
Dungeon#60 Nemesis Christopher Perkins AD&D PS 7-12
Nemesis is the one with the marilith, Shaktari and the 531st Layer of the Abyss Vudra.
May I ask, and how is it a sequel?
I honestly don't remember....I just recall seeing it, and I think it had some of the same characters..
Banshee
Basically, it uses the same tavern (the Black Sail) as a starting point, and it has one or two recurring NPCs (the waitress and ... I think there was someone else, too). That's about it.
Show
Basically, it's about a marilith seeking four magical swords to defeat an enemy, a mage of some power. The PCs get drawn into the adventure by investigating the death of a thief that was supposed to steal one of the swords, and in the end must (or probably will want to) do battle with the marilith on her home plane. Rule-of-Three's in, too :D.
Basically, it's about a marilith seeking four magical swords to defeat an enemy, a mage of some power. The PCs get drawn into the adventure by investigating the death of a thief that was supposed to steal one of the swords, and in the end must (or probably will want to) do battle with the marilith on her home plane. Rule-of-Three's in, too :D.
Well the Romance lasted the better part of the Campaign, though we left it backstage for the most part. Eventually Lucien (the Paly) & Umbra parted ways as the Godsmen and Signers became the Minds Eye. Lucien broke from the godsmen when Ambar was mazed and styed in the Cage, Umbra left for the Land. Eventually he joined Arwyl Swan's Son and the Sons of Mercy (Arwyl was key in helping break some of the corruption in the Red death and the Harmonium after the party stormed the Vault!).