Reliquary Seeker

[Ardantis]

So...

I play Hearthstone, the WoW online card game. They just released a card called "Reliquary Seeker," who is this evil Warlock-type character who is a member of the Reliquary, the rivals to the heroic League of Explorers.

The lore is uninteresting, but the idea of a "Reliquary Hunter," or a Warlock who seeks out the earthly remains of powerful Outsiders buried on the Material Plane, held me fast.

My players just finished the Goblin Cave encounter of LMoP, and I've been itching to try and include a 4th level Fiend Pact Bladelock as an NPC. Phandalin is almost too "nice" of a town atmosphere to include him. What would be the most awesome and thematic way to include this character? I'd love to tie him in to some forgotten tomb quest for unearthly horrors, or into one of the existing LMoP plots or locations.

Any ideas? Intro scenes, setups, or party connections would be very much appreciated.

[burninatortrog]

He's on the hunt for a golden frog idol!

[Ardantis]

He's on the hunt for a golden frog idol!

I suppose I asked for that one.

The frog idol might be an in, though. It's not writing a whole new subquest, it addresses the frog treasure my characters received last session and are obsessing over, and it links to material I have ready (the character).

Still, how do I introduce? Mysterious stranger in the woods? Fleeing from persecution, or with a stolen object?

As a note, the character was associated with fire dragons in his previous incarnation, so flame is a theme. Perhaps his Fiend Patron is fire aligned, so he seeks elemental power?

Playground, help me out!

[downlobot]

One of the side quests involves a necromancer digging up artifacts or some such at the old owl well. My players skipped it b/c it was painfully obviously a side quest (i'm not a good dm), but the frame that you're looking for is there.

[Estrillian]

One of the side quests involves a necromancer digging up artifacts or some such at the old owl well. My players skipped it b/c it was painfully obviously a side quest (i'm not a good dm), but the frame that you're looking for is there.

I was going to say the same. Old Owl Well is presented as some sort of ancient (Netheril I think) ruin, which a Red Mage from Thay is investigating. My players actually went and talked to him while trying to find the location of Cragmaw Castle, and he was evil but urbane. He paid them to go and deal with the Orcs on Wyvern Tor in return for information. He seems like an ideal person to replace with your Reliquary Seeker (who better be an Etherial, just saying :P)

[Ardantis]

Five years later, I’d like to thank you all for responding to this thread. The Playground is still the premier resource for DnD questions, both mechanical and RP/story. Thank you again!