Ghostfoot
2014-12-26, 01:44 AM
Hi all
I'm running the Forgotten Realms 3.5 adventure Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave. For those that aren't familiar with it, it's a great adventure but suffers from particularly weak hooks to get the characters involved.
Here's a very basic outline of the plot (spoilers within):
A temple to Mystra has recently been built in Wheloon, Cormyr. While appearing ordinary it is actually a front for the clergy of Shar who are using it to abduct spellcasters who come to worship. They take the kidnapped spellcasters to the Plane of Shadow via a portal in the Vast Swamp. Shadar-kai and enslaved undead lizardfolk are involved (so are priests of Cyric but let's not even go there).
In the Plane of Shadow a black dragon (the BBEG) is sacrificing them in a ritual to destroy the Weave and thus end all normal magic leaving only the Shadow Weave (which is controlled by Shar).
Here's the three suggested hooks (spoilers within):
A random but legitimate cleric of Mystra goes to worship at the fake temple. It is evident to him that it is fraudulent and he is attacked but manages to escape. He recruits the PCs to investigate while he reports to his superiors in Saerloon, Sembia.
A local bookseller goes missing. His wife hires the PCs to find him and uncover a reference to the fake temple.
The PCs need to visit a temple to Mystra for some reason. The Sharrans attempt to kidnap them.
By way of background the party of 5 PCs have a limited gestalt build and currently consists of:
sun elf beguiler//scout from Evermeet,
human warlock//fighter from Cormyr,
dwarven wizard//monk
human barbarian//scout from Damara,
human crusader//cleric of Mystra from Cormyr
They will be in the Hultail/ Thunderstone area just prior to this adventure starting. So relatively close by.
Here's what I was thinking of for a hook (spoilers):
The PC cleric of Mystra is a member of the Knights of the Mystic Fire. He has a handler that has been giving him orders (mundane orders so far). The NPC cleric from hook 1 above gets into trouble and flees, chased by the evil Sharrans. He contacts the handler and then the party, handler and NPC cleric arrange to meet urgently to plan an escape/ counterattack. The group is ambushed by the Sharrans and after defeating them shazaam! we are good to go with the adventure. Maybe the NPC cleric and handler come running in with the Sharrans hot on their trail to give a bit more urgency. In any case the handler will meet a sticky end and the NPC cleric will still need to exit in order to report to his superiors in Sembia.
There are a couple of good evil NPC mercs that could be used for this fight that the Sharrans use to deal with any troublemakers. Also I can throw in a few mook warriors with the "dark" template to give them a hint of what is to come.
Does anyone have any other suggestions, or experience using different hooks with their games?
I'm running the Forgotten Realms 3.5 adventure Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave. For those that aren't familiar with it, it's a great adventure but suffers from particularly weak hooks to get the characters involved.
Here's a very basic outline of the plot (spoilers within):
A temple to Mystra has recently been built in Wheloon, Cormyr. While appearing ordinary it is actually a front for the clergy of Shar who are using it to abduct spellcasters who come to worship. They take the kidnapped spellcasters to the Plane of Shadow via a portal in the Vast Swamp. Shadar-kai and enslaved undead lizardfolk are involved (so are priests of Cyric but let's not even go there).
In the Plane of Shadow a black dragon (the BBEG) is sacrificing them in a ritual to destroy the Weave and thus end all normal magic leaving only the Shadow Weave (which is controlled by Shar).
Here's the three suggested hooks (spoilers within):
A random but legitimate cleric of Mystra goes to worship at the fake temple. It is evident to him that it is fraudulent and he is attacked but manages to escape. He recruits the PCs to investigate while he reports to his superiors in Saerloon, Sembia.
A local bookseller goes missing. His wife hires the PCs to find him and uncover a reference to the fake temple.
The PCs need to visit a temple to Mystra for some reason. The Sharrans attempt to kidnap them.
By way of background the party of 5 PCs have a limited gestalt build and currently consists of:
sun elf beguiler//scout from Evermeet,
human warlock//fighter from Cormyr,
dwarven wizard//monk
human barbarian//scout from Damara,
human crusader//cleric of Mystra from Cormyr
They will be in the Hultail/ Thunderstone area just prior to this adventure starting. So relatively close by.
Here's what I was thinking of for a hook (spoilers):
The PC cleric of Mystra is a member of the Knights of the Mystic Fire. He has a handler that has been giving him orders (mundane orders so far). The NPC cleric from hook 1 above gets into trouble and flees, chased by the evil Sharrans. He contacts the handler and then the party, handler and NPC cleric arrange to meet urgently to plan an escape/ counterattack. The group is ambushed by the Sharrans and after defeating them shazaam! we are good to go with the adventure. Maybe the NPC cleric and handler come running in with the Sharrans hot on their trail to give a bit more urgency. In any case the handler will meet a sticky end and the NPC cleric will still need to exit in order to report to his superiors in Sembia.
There are a couple of good evil NPC mercs that could be used for this fight that the Sharrans use to deal with any troublemakers. Also I can throw in a few mook warriors with the "dark" template to give them a hint of what is to come.
Does anyone have any other suggestions, or experience using different hooks with their games?