So I was glancing through The Five Shires Gazetteer and read (for what seems to be the first time
) and I quote,"Very few mortals know that Blackflame is a substance of the Sphere of Energy. Released into the known World in very few places... by the Hierarch of Energy..."
Just one theory, but I thought it was an interesting twist on Blackflame.
This was my take on it: Halflings and Blackflame and Glaurants. Oh my!
Just one theory, but I thought it was an interesting twist on Blackflame.
Interesting twist indeed! I like the tie-in to the hin's denial ability. So I guess that the info in the gaz is "what the halflings believe", eh? It certainly could work. I was just hoping there was the kernal for a connention to the Immortals for the hin; every other race seems to have a strong one.
IMHO the fact that Coberham was the first who discovered the true powers of the Blackflame AND managed to build the Crucible to contain and exploit them is a sign that he began to undertake the path of the Paragon at that time.
Also IMHO the denial ability is tied to the essence of the hins' relic: only within the area "covered" by the Crucibles is possible for hins to deny spells thanks to another "hidden power" of the Crucibles (having been built by a hin Master, this obviously works only for hins).
So if you take into consideration that:
A. Coberham BUILT the Crucible (a new and unique artifact)
B. Coberham created a magical mystical net all around the Shires which provides protection for the hins in the form of denial ability
C. Coberham populated the Shires with a unique culture.
D. Coberham was prolly aknowledged the most powerful MUs in a 100miles radius.
That's the explanation behind Coberham's accomplishment of the path of the Paragon.
Also, the fact that now the hins control the area was a bit of a backoff for Ixion's plan, since the Blackflame is not so widespread as he hoped.. prolly.
And yes, IMO the Keepers of Blackflame (much like other Keepers) are just that: Clerics of a specific immortal charged with a specific task. Obviously in 3E they can be equated to a special PrC with both divine and arcane powers ;)
I second Andrew's idea on the source of the Blackflame.
IMHO the fact that Coberham was the first who discovered the true powers of the Blackflame AND managed to build the Crucible to contain and exploit them is a sign that he began to undertake the path of the Paragon at that time.
Also IMHO the denial ability is tied to the essence of the hins' relic: only within the area "covered" by the Crucibles is possible for hins to deny spells thanks to another "hidden power" of the Crucibles (having been built by a hin Master, this obviously works only for hins).
So if you take into consideration that:
A. Coberham BUILT the Crucible (a new and unique artifact)
B. Coberham created a magical mystical net all around the Shires which provides protection for the hins in the form of denial ability
C. Coberham populated the Shires with a unique culture.
D. Coberham was prolly aknowledged the most powerful MUs in a 100miles radius.
That's the explanation behind Coberham's accomplishment of the path of the Paragon.
Also, the fact that now the hins control the area was a bit of a backoff for Ixion's plan, since the Blackflame is not so widespread as he hoped.. prolly.
And yes, IMO the Keepers of Blackflame (much like other Keepers) are just that: Clerics of a specific immortal charged with a specific task. Obviously in 3E they can be equated to a special PrC with both divine and arcane powers ;)
Ahhhh, thanks DM! That was the missing link that I was hoping for. Like I said, I really did like Andrew's take on the Blackflame, and will be using this approach IMCs. But having Coberham as the patron Immortal involved with the hin and the Blackflame, and having the Keepers his clerics is, IMHO, ideal.
One question though, you mentioned that Ixion's plan fell through for him; what was his original plan, did he work with Coberham in the planning stages? Basically, what was Ixion's role in all this?
His plan backfired (or rather, it didn't give all the fruits he expected) when Coberham used the Blackflame as source for the hins' relic, thus preventing others from exploiting it and putting the hins to guard it and hide it from the rest of the world.
It's like saying: I give humanity the secret for eternal life and suddenly the Swiss come and seize it for their own... not a great opportunity to spread it then ;)
We could also see an opposition between the Blackflame of Ixion and the Nucleus of the Spheres of Rad, if we want to throw the Shires in the fray :D