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    Canonfire :: View topic - Return to the Barrier Peaks
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    Return to the Barrier Peaks
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    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Aug 05, 2004
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    Wed Nov 10, 2004 11:11 am  
    Return to the Barrier Peaks

    Has anyone done anything to followup S3 - Expedition to the Barrier Peaks? By this I mean a possible rescue mission by other extraterrestrials or explorations after the original crashed vessel or even possible enemies of the crashed extraterrestrials come calling. S3 is, of course, the module in which the PCs explore a spaceship crashed in the Barrier Peaks.

    Some potential scenarios:

    (1) A rescue or salvage mission is launched by the extraterrestrial civilization from which the crashed saucer originally came.

    (2) The extraterrestrial civilization tracks the lost vessel to Oerth. An exploration or colonization of Oerth by the extraterrestrials begins.

    (3) Enemies of the extraterrestrials track the lost ship to Oerth. They are looking for something onboard (“Help me Obi-wan Kenobi.”)

    Scenario 1 could be a brief encounter. Scenario 2 could see a permanent sci-fi element added to Oerth. Scenario 3 could go either way.

    Some thoughts on particular issues that could crop up.

    Magic and Technology. Perhaps magic interferes with the smooth operation of technology, making it unreliable or liable to break down unless carefully shielded. This would limit a technological takeover of Oerth.

    Extraterrestrial interest in Oerth. Worlds where magic is present may be exceedingly rare, making both magical and mundane items from such worlds uniquely valuable.

    Extraplanar creatures. Gods and other extraplanar creatures may be anomalies in the greater universe, limited to particular magical worlds and extra-dimensional spaces that can only be accessed from those worlds.

    PCs. The PCs could be either natives of Oerth, using standard D&D 3rd rules, or could be from the extraterrestrial civilization, using Traveler T20 rules or D&D Future rules.

    Access to Oerth. Perhaps Oerth can only be reached by a unstable wormhole, sort of like Deep Space 9. Thus, an extraterrestrial battle fleet will not necessarily be taking up a position in orbit.

    Some thoughts on thematic issues.

    Medieval fantasy. In our own world, modern technology exists side by side with far less technologically developed civilizations. In New Guinea, for example, high tech mines extract mineral resources but leave the native tribes almost totally alone, as they have nothing to offer the mining company. Medieval fantasy is not immediately compromised by adding high technology, particularly on a limited basis.

    PCs with Lasers etc. In the Slain RPG, which has a pseudo-Celtic model, there are Leyser weapons - energy weapons that draw power from ley lines. They are generally used by the bad guys and fall in line with the trope that magic/technology is corrupting. Unless a tech weapon shop opens, high tech weapons will be scarce and could well appear as a type of magic item. PCs are not immediately going to be in power armor and armed with plasma canons.

    Curiously,

    GVD

    PS - As some will be quick to want to know, yes, spaceships and high technology is ::gasp:: CANON! In fact, a number of monsters on Oerth originated from the crashed vessel, ie the monsters are of extraterrestrial, or extraOerthly origin.

    PSS - Will the crashed ship be on THE MAP? Or will there be a "cosmic wimp-out?"
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    GVD
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    Wed Nov 10, 2004 11:36 am  

    Back when I was playing (as opposed to DMing) we took over the "tower" as a base of operations and used it as a governing building for the outlying city we encourage to crop up, via the fuedal system.

    fun stuff..
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    Wed Nov 10, 2004 11:37 am  

    Quote:
    PSS - Will the crashed ship be on THE MAP? Or will there be a "cosmic wimp-out?"


    Mr. Mona has stated in a thursday chat that the locale will be on the new map.
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    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Jun 29, 2001
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    Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:33 pm  

    The crashed spaceship appears as "The Unoerthly Cave."

    I used to play "Cosmic Wimp-Out" at lunch in high school.

    --Erik
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    Wed Nov 10, 2004 11:31 pm  

    Long ago I combined the Barrier Peak crash with basic D&D's similar extraterrestrial 'City of the Gods' and a very intriguing 'Silver Metal Cairn' in the Cairn Hills to make an x-files-y campaign where the heros never quite knew what they were exploring or chasing after. I could go into more, I think there was some Stargate thrown in there when I added Cordell's Gates of Firestorm peak to the mix. Good threads, GVD!
    Grandmaster Greytalker

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    Sat Nov 13, 2004 5:35 pm  

    mortellan wrote:
    Long ago I combined the Barrier Peak crash with basic D&D's similar extraterrestrial 'City of the Gods' and a very intriguing 'Silver Metal Cairn' in the Cairn Hills to make an x-files-y campaign where the heros never quite knew what they were exploring or chasing after. I could go into more, I think there was some Stargate thrown in there when I added Cordell's Gates of Firestorm peak to the mix. Good threads, GVD!


    Gates of Firestorm Peak is a great module, IMO. I like "mountain" adventures. Gates of Firestorm Peak, Dragon Mountain, Mathghamhna (College of Wizardry - Yatils), Radruundar (Axe of the Dwarvish Lords - Yatils), Feathered Priests (TMGames), Ruins of UnderMountain I and II, White Plume Mountain. If Mt Kilimanjaro (all three peaks) would pretty much fill a GH hex, you could create a single super mountain. I've toyed with this idea. Throw in a couple of castles in various states of repair and a town at the foot . . . I'll probably never get around to doing it. ::sigh::

    City of the Gods is a module I would like to pick up but have not gotten around to it. While it is technically Blackmoor, I've always considered it Greyhawk as well. I see DA's Blackmoor as Greyhawk in drag, much like Castle Zagyg will be Greyhawk in drag.

    What did you do vis a vis a "Stargate?"

    GVD
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    GVD
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    Mon Nov 15, 2004 3:51 am  

    Well my tie in with Firestorm peak was quite a heresy or leap off GH as it were. If you recall the point of Firestorm peak was an Alienist got control of this gate-portal which was built ages ago, he used it to open up a connection to the Far Realm (A great invention for D&D cosmology) and what ensued was a plague of strange monsters. I took the back history of the gate and said they were built by an ancient elven or human race (i forget) to network the many prime planes that they lived on.
    Now where it got x-filesy is that the 'homeworld' where the gates originally stem from was overrun and enslaved by the Aboleth, an equally ancient and quite alien race. To prevent their spread across the cosmos the gates were shut down, but enough Aboleth got onto Oerth to set up a forward position in case of an eventual 'invasion'. This all easily could have occured in Oerth pre-history in conjunction with the War with the scaly kind that was cut from official sources. Where the S3 type stuff starts is that there ships are actually fleeing or colonizing or whatever...AWAY from the Aboleth terror. As always there is more to it, I think I also had a theory on the Egg of Coot that fit with this crazy story.
    Grandmaster Greytalker

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    Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:39 am  

    Mortellan,

    Very cool.

    I think the "Far Realms" is one of the better new additions to the D&D multiverse, as well.

    GVD
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    GVD
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    Tue Nov 16, 2004 9:47 pm  

    I'm surprised no one has tried to expand on the Far Realms. Although the most recent Planar Handbook may prove me wrong, I dunno. As for my ideas, yeah that was quite ambitious, and I lament that I have been more 'careful' and less free wheeling with my campaign writing than in my earlier years. Confused
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Jun 20, 2003
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    Wed Dec 08, 2004 6:05 pm  

    I totally revamped it, removing the aliens (sort of ). Using the Monte Cook - Chaos Tech source book, as the bases for the adventure
    Forum Moderator

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    Wed Dec 08, 2004 9:18 pm  

    mortellan wrote:
    I'm surprised no one has tried to expand on the Far Realms.


    I just heard in last week's greychat that Erik talked Bruce Cordell into writing a lengthy article on the Far Realms (for Dragon I assume). How fortuitous!
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Aug 06, 2003
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    Thu Dec 09, 2004 10:21 am  

    What exactly are the "Far Realms?" I've never really heard (or paid attention) to the term. It this somehow related to GH? (Forgive my ignorance.)

    ..............................Omote
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