Neverwinter Questions

[kalos72]

So being a huge FR fan..but new to 4e I am having a very hard time with the new storyline.

The Chasm - WTH? How do you fill/close that gap? I mean monsters keep crawling out of it...cant rebuild the city with that thing still a menace.

My first idea was iron plates. Just build large 100ft long plates and throw them over it. Then use the wall of stone trick to start filling it in...or the Decanter of endless sand maybe...even flood it perhaps? Suggestions?

Also, what is with the mental things it causes? I cant follow how the Aboleth are supposed to be effecting the minds of the locals... HELP?


Also, anyone ever see any maps or anything of Castle Never by chance?

[Actana]

So being a huge FR fan..but new to 4e I am having a very hard time with the new storyline.

The Chasm - WTH? How do you fill/close that gap? I mean monsters keep crawling out of it...cant rebuild the city with that thing still a menace.
Quite simply: you don't, not without heavy narrative plot devices anyway. And that is one of the problems in the city, to citizens and rulers and adventurers alike. I mean sure, you could potentially go down there and kill every major creature controlling the others, but that sounds a bit risky.

Keep in mind that the Wall is, at least so far, a fairly decent (if not perfect, or even good) defense against the monsters. The river also helps as they're apparently mostly unable to cross it.


My first idea was iron plates. Just build large 100ft long plates and throw them over it. Then use the wall of stone trick to start filling it in...or the Decanter of endless sand maybe...even flood it perhaps? Suggestions?
And how long would those iron plates last? I'm willing to bet that even if the iron plates were finished, they'd be destroyed quite quickly, as I don't see the creatures in the Chasm reacting well to blocking off their exit point. As for the decanter, just how much time you think you would need to fill it in? The Chasm is massive in its own right, and goes deeper down than is feasible to fill up with sand, no matter how endless a decanter. Besides, you'd also need to stop the monsters from taking/destroying the decanter, and ensure that the sand does in fact stay where it flows, and not diverted somewhere else.


Also, what is with the mental things it causes? I cant follow how the Aboleth are supposed to be effecting the minds of the locals... HELP?
How? Because plot. That's why. I don't think there even is much more of a reason. Sure, you can concoct your own version of how exactly they do it (and that's a good thing, because it keeps the mystery up. If the book explicitly said how it happens, then the players would already know, ruining any mystery. Their PCs might not know, but the players would), but as far as I know there's no real underlying specific way they do it. They just do, because that's what the story requires them to. Not everything needs to be 100% documented.


Also, anyone ever see any maps or anything of Castle Never by chance?
I'd actually love a large battlemap of Castle Never myself. Or of any castle, truth be told. One that actually looks like a castle, and has facilities a castle would have. Not just a series of connected corridors and rooms.


I have a fondness for the 4e Neverwinter campaign setting, as it's refreshing on how little it provides the reader with solid answers, and instead gives possible situations and solutions for the GM to adapt for their own game. Contrasting to 4e Forgotten Realms in general, to which I have a fairly sizable apathy towards, and an outright dislike of it in previous editions.

[kalos72]

So your thinking here is they left intentionally vague so I could create a better plot line myself without alot "canon' restrictions?

Ok make sense....

If you a big fan, what your opinion then? How would YOU do it?

I thought about a wall closer to the chasm with ballista or archers just pounding them as they came up but at some point then they will want to go through the sewers instead...then they come out anywhere.

I cant just leave it...but I guess its free XP for my guad though huh? Hmm.....bingo. :)

[Actana]

So your thinking here is they left intentionally vague so I could create a better plot line myself without alot "canon' restrictions?

Ok make sense....

I think that's precisely what the authors of the book say too at the beginning. Something along the lines of "inspire, not inform". Basically leaving things open ended enough to fill in your own blanks. Plus, 4e is generally unobtrusive when it comes to non-combat effects, and allows things without detailed explanations of how it works and what kind of saving throw is needed and how long do you go unaffected if you save against the effect.


If you a big fan, what your opinion then? How would YOU do it?

In my own Neverwinter campaign that I may eventually run, I had plans on how the PCs could eventually deal with the Chasm thus: [deep breath] Mordai Vell, the tiefling leader of the Ashmadai in Neverwinter wants to unlock the primordial in Gauntlgrym to ascend to godhood but only manages to infuse himself with great demonic power which sends him on a rampage through Neverwinter and attempts to use his power to take control of the Chasm's power which he believes he could succeed in but the players stop him and after a climactic battle against a half-demon lord Vell falls down into the Chasm supercharging the Aboleths and making them hyper-aggressive in their attacks forcing the players to seek out the source of power within Gauntlgrym to find a way to disable the power and then try to safely descend into the Chasm to retrieve Vell's body in order to remove its influence and there do battle with the servants of the Aboleths and maybe the Aboleths themselves and once they recover Vell's body the resonant powers of his primordial power source start to collapse the Chasm leading the PCs to either escape upwards or deeper through the tunnels and once they find their way back they notice the Chasm has collapsed unto itself. [/deep breath]

That's what I would have planned for a story arc anyway. Details would of course change and the actions of the PCs would also change how everything unfolds. But generally I'd tie a few plothooks in the setting together for a more coherent and focused experience. This is as a DM, naturally. As a player? I really have no idea.


I thought about a wall closer to the chasm with ballista or archers just pounding them as they came up but at some point then they will want to go through the sewers instead...then they come out anywhere.

Maybe organize a few parties to collapse entries into the sewer or otherwise try to deter the creeps from going down below. The way I see it though is that the Chasm doesn't constantly churn out monsters on a regular basis. They'd likely have a more erratic and unpredictable assault method, where a large amount of monsters come up at once. Otherwise just pointing a lot of siege weapons at the Chasm would solve a lot. Granted, it still might.


I cant just leave it...but I guess its free XP for my guad though huh? Hmm.....bingo. :)

If you want the Chasm to feature more heavily in a game you're in, I'd recommend talking to the DM about it and offer some suggestions on goals for your character. If it works I'm sure you'll eventually stumble upon a plot hook or two dealing with the Chasm. Because I don't see any other reliable method than "plot" to permanently deal with the Chasm.

[kalos72]

Some good information there. Thanks!

I guess also the question is short term, the chasm letting plague touched out is an issue. Long term, the Aboleth themselves need to be addressed. I need to research the Aboleth more and determine how best to deal with them...

Also I wonder how the Spellplague area directly beneath the city affect its rebuilding?

[kalos72]

I wonder if a Spellplague area can be removed/dispelled like a wild or dead zone area can be?

[kalos72]

Perhaps maybe some good aquatic effigies / constructs to kill the aboleth?

Wonder if Spellplague effects them too...

[MeeposFire]

I wonder if a Spellplague area can be removed/dispelled like a wild or dead zone area can be?

Generally I don't think so but that is the sort of thing that a DM could use as a plot point. A character could try to find a way as a quest or the fact somebody might know a way may start a quest.

That is one of the benefits to being open ended as you can go many ways iwth something and they are all ok.

[Mando Knight]

I wonder if a Spellplague area can be removed/dispelled like a wild or dead zone area can be?


Generally I don't think so but that is the sort of thing that a DM could use as a plot point. A character could try to find a way as a quest or the fact somebody might know a way may start a quest.
The basic thing about Spellplague is that it's far worse than mere wild magic zones. One cannot simply dispel the massive plague-wrought scar in Neverwinter, though doing so might be the goal of an Epic level quest.

Mystra could probably do it, but she, as Elminster found her, is still mostly dead at that point. Ao fixes everything during the Sundering.

[kalos72]

Is the Sundering in the Rules yet or is it just paperback stuffz?

I havent seen much mention of it outside of the paperback stories...

[Mando Knight]

Is the Sundering in the Rules yet or is it just paperback stuffz?

I havent seen much mention of it outside of the paperback stories...

It's not in any sourcebook yet. It's the event for the conversion of FR from 4e to 5e, and thus will be included in the next version of the Realms campaign guide.

[kalos72]

So after reading the setting a little more thoroughly..

It appears the "feeling" part of the story line is more the Hex Locus thingamajig then anything..resolve that and its just monsters crawling out ot of the sewers and crap.

Thats almost a good think...a wannabe ranger with a good bow taking pot shots at it from the wall/tower...XP battery.

[Mando Knight]

So after reading the setting a little more thoroughly..

It appears the "feeling" part of the story line is more the Hex Locus thingamajig then anything..resolve that and its just monsters crawling out ot of the sewers and crap.

Thats almost a good think...a wannabe ranger with a good bow taking pot shots at it from the wall/tower...XP battery.

They mostly use suicide squads of Spellscarred.

[kalos72]

Has anyone thought about the earthmotes and pulling over the Chasm and using it as the ulitmate archer platform?

Or even just fortify them and use them as military bases to protect the ciy?