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    Canonfire :: View topic - Biggest Impact your PCs have had on the Flanaess
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    Biggest Impact your PCs have had on the Flanaess
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    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 09, 2003
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    Tue Apr 01, 2014 1:24 pm  
    Biggest Impact your PCs have had on the Flanaess

    This is for good or ill.

    When I have the time, I can probably do several posts on Orlane alone. All disastrous, of course. Laughing
    Forum Moderator

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    Tue Apr 01, 2014 2:28 pm  

    Here's an easy one. In my last truly high level campaign the PCs organized the crusade to take down Iuz. It was a brilliant all day session with multiple mass combat fronts influenced by PC actions and thrown in there was some back stabbing intrigue to slow them down. In the end Iuz had to take the field personally and when the smoke cleared he was banished from Oerth...for the time being...
    GreySage

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    Tue Apr 01, 2014 7:01 pm  

    The characters from my oldest group/campaign have established strongholds of one size or another. Here are a couple that my brother and I played through.

    Sir Xaris, the paladin, rules a small fief between the Pomarj and the Principality of Ulek. His defensive sacrifices helped slow the advance of Turrosh Mack's armies into the Principality.

    Aaron House, the ranger (wielding Wave), sailed a small army to the larger Olman Island and conquered Heleton, a pirate town governed by the Scarlet Brotherhood. After accomplishing that, he discovered the secret SB city of Narisban on the far side of the island, hidden by powerful illusions and busily building warships to assist in Turrosh Mack's attack on the Principality. He and his forces continue to wage a war with the SB for control of the entire island.

    SirXaris
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    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 09, 2003
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    Wed Apr 02, 2014 2:33 pm  

    mortellan wrote:
    Here's an easy one. In my last truly high level campaign the PCs organized the crusade to take down Iuz. It was a brilliant all day session with multiple mass combat fronts influenced by PC actions and thrown in there was some back stabbing intrigue to slow them down. In the end Iuz had to take the field personally and when the smoke cleared he was banished from Oerth...for the time being...


    -I assume this was in the 587-588 time frame.

    What happened to the Land of Iuz after that? Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows I hope? Or just a return of the Horned Society and the Combination of Free Lords? I assume the Shield Lands was liberated and the Rovers and Tehnese got a break.

    SirXaris wrote:
    ...Sir Xaris, the paladin, rules a small fief between the Pomarj and the Principality of Ulek. His defensive sacrifices helped slow the advance of Turrosh Mack's armies into the Principality...


    -"Historically" (in canon) Mak's guys made it to the southern Lortmils just outside of Havenhill. Kept them out?

    SirXaris wrote:
    ...Aaron House, the ranger (wielding Wave), sailed a small army to the larger Olman Island and conquered Heleton, a pirate town governed by the Scarlet Brotherhood. After accomplishing that, he discovered the secret SB city of Narisban on the far side of the island, hidden by powerful illusions and busily building warships to assist in Turrosh Mack's attack on the Principality. He and his forces continue to wage a war with the SB for control of the entire island...


    -That should have had an impact on Onwall and the Sea barons as well. Maybe given Keoland a break.
    GreySage

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    Wed Apr 02, 2014 5:49 pm  

    jamesdglick wrote:
    SirXaris wrote:
    ...Sir Xaris, the paladin, rules a small fief between the Pomarj and the Principality of Ulek. His defensive sacrifices helped slow the advance of Turrosh Mack's armies into the Principality...


    -"Historically" (in canon) Mak's guys made it to the southern Lortmils just outside of Havenhill. Kept them out?


    Yep, SirXaris' fief was overrun, but most of the populace made it out alive. Many of the soldiers and members of SirXaris' house gave their lives over the course of the siege, but the final defenders managed to escape magically as the fortress was overrun.

    [I've never had an opportunity to game that campaign beyond that event.]

    jamesdglick wrote:
    SirXaris wrote:
    ...Aaron House, the ranger (wielding Wave), sailed a small army to the larger Olman Island and conquered Heleton, a pirate town governed by the Scarlet Brotherhood. After accomplishing that, he discovered the secret SB city of Narisban on the far side of the island, hidden by powerful illusions and busily building warships to assist in Turrosh Mack's attack on the Principality. He and his forces continue to wage a war with the SB for control of the entire island...


    Quote:
    -That should have had an impact on Onwall and the Sea barons as well. Maybe given Keoland a break.


    In my campaign, it prevented the SB from assisting Turrosh Mak in his invasion of the Principality. They were supposed to wipe out the Principality's navy, tie up Keoland's navy so that it couldn't send support, and land some forces behind the Principality's battle lines. These efforts were thwarted by the armies and navies of Aaron House as they battled the SB forces based at Narisban and forced those military resources to be used in that arena.

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    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:53 am  

    We have just completed a 25th anniversary special (25 yrs since we last adventured in the WoG - and some of the original players + some new ones who weren't around back then - got together for a 3 part 'special)
    The story involved some old favourite NPCs from the past & of course some new creations and allowed me to tidy up some storylines and give proper endings to others.
    But the major plot was to uncover a plan by a mysterious entity who was working behind the scenes to manipulate thrones, churches & the very Gods themselves. It had engineered a new deity for the Underdark to replace Lloth (following her defeat 25yrs ago) known only as The Beast.
    After descending to the Underdark and doing battle with the High Priestess of this new religion they were then tasked to repair the 'Arrow of Law' (an artefact from our past - the destruction of which was causing Chaos to bleed through into the Prime Material). A whole weekends playing later, they found themselves in the High temple of Wee Jas where they were able to repair the Arrow using the Eye of Harmony. But the Eye (yes, I borrowed the name from a well known Sci-Fi series, as you will see) has other powers and it also reveals the truth of all things. It was here that they saw the truth of the scale of the deception. A mysterious race known as The Silence were everywhere and yet no-one could see them (or at least remember them). I should add that I had agreed with my players in advance that I might drop a bit of Dr Who in as we are all fans but I kept it strictly to plot devices - they never had to actually fight The Silence. The Silence were manipulating everything and everyone in alliance with The Entity in the belief that the destruction of this Plane of existence would allow them to return to their own universe. After the story took them on a quest across several outer & elemental planes, the conclusion was an almighty battle in which The Beast turned out to be Mual Tar and The Entity turned out to be Tharizdun. They used the light of the Eye to reveal this truth in the nick of time so that all the Gods could unite to banish him once and for all. So the PCs saved the day and became heroes.
    After 25 yrs absence from D&D, it was remarkable how quickly I got back into DMing and how many ideas are bubbling away in my head now I have got started again.
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    Sun Apr 06, 2014 10:40 am  

    Wow melyndhowr, that was a mighty epic story you unfolded and after so long! Yeah even though you borrowed from scifi, such things are not without precedent in the World of Greyhawk.
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    Sun Apr 06, 2014 10:48 am  

    jamesdglick wrote:
    -I assume this was in the 587-588 time frame.

    What happened to the Land of Iuz after that? Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows I hope? Or just a return of the Horned Society and the Combination of Free Lords? I assume the Shield Lands was liberated and the Rovers and Tehnese got a break.


    It may have been even later than that. 600+. My campaign timelines always ran ahead of published material, I just made due.

    Yes, the Shield Lands were liberated (again), the Rovers were pretty nonexistent by then and Tehn may have been too remote to worry about. According to the players, the Lands of Iuz was going to be ruled by the PCs until the lords/ladies of Furyondy, Veluna, Vesve and the Shield Lands protested and withdrew their support for the 'heroes'. It seems those epic level PCs (levels near 30th) were quite power-hungry themselves and one turned out to be a lich in disguise. They only wanted to help defeat Iuz to supplant him rather than bring peace. Most of the PCs left Oerth shortly after never to be seen again. As it should be.
    GreySage

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    Sun Apr 06, 2014 12:54 pm  

    I don't care to mix my Sword & Sorcery with Science Fiction, but whatever gets you and your Players back into the World of Greyhawk works. Cool

    Glad to hear it, Melyndhowr. Smile


    For you, Mort, you know I'm a pre-Wars guy, but it's all good if you're having fun. Wink

    So, one of the PCs turned out to be an "undercover" Lich, eh? Evil Grin
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    Grandmaster Greytalker

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    Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:46 am  

    Sorry for the delay.

    Well, the highest any of the PCs in my campaign has gotten so far is 4th level, so the effects have been a little more subtle (and not necessarily for the better) although in most cases e.g., Hommlet, the Keep on the Borderlands (at the intersection of the Jewel and Handmaiden rivers on the Welkwood/Suss side), southern Ratik (Quasqeton), Restenford, and a few other places, the players have put things "on line" for resolution by CY 582.



    The best impact was probably the group that played out Treasure Hunt (N4), which I placed in the Azure Sea south of Gradsul and east of the Sea Princes. When the Keoish navy finally picked up the survivors, the suvivors told their story and handed over the charts and log. I assessed that the Keoish authorities were able to use that to tie the slavery ring back to the Pomarj, setting the stage for Operation "Against the Slavers" in conjunction with several other nations.



    The biggest (and worst) impact has probably been on poor Orlane (N1).



    [SPOILER ALERT]



    First:



    A party of three showed up in Orlane in Fireseek CY 578. Two decided that being of non-evil alignment was boring and robbed the Golden Grain. They got knocked out by the poison gas but escaped. The one decided to go on a killing spree and killed the blacksmith, tried to kill a goodwife in an off hamlet to the north of the map, then got killed by the constable. The second one escaped to the farmhouse of the recently "converted" (and confused) cult members, got irritated by their apparent stupidity, and killed them out of sheer disgust. He got captured by the elvish spies, who in turn got raided by the cult. He escaped, killed the widow (which came with a curse), ran into Ramne in the woods, tried to attack him, and got killed. End result: a lot of dead cult members (but mostly of the otherwise harmless variety), the helpful old widow Vilma dead, and the elves captured (although that was not particularly the PC's fault).



    Meanwhile, the third, Walgar, a befuddled paladin of Heironeous, investigated the Foaming Mug Inn and killed the troglodytes there. Assuming that he had something to do with the other two idiots' doings, he was arrested, tried by jury (most cult members), and convicted. The elder (called the "mayor" in the module) suspected that he was not really involved and tried to help him out. Walgar got branded on the check and exiled, but with a wink from the elder. Walgar wandered east, and got caught in a cold snap. It was a contest between whether he'd die of starvation or hypothermia. Hypothermia won, but his stuff is out in the Dim Forest to be found! Of course, it might be a little rusty...



    Second:



    One of the survivors from Treasure Hunt eventually ended up in Orlane with an entourage he'd collected over time. He determined that the Golden Grain was trouble after getting knocked out as a result of the meal (his pair of groupies made their saving throws and dragged him out before any attack), and properly put the place under surveillance. He bought the Elves' hut from Zakarias Ormond. After a lot of painstaking work, he went to Zakarias' house, knocked on the door, and when the lady of the house refused to let him in, he bashed down the door with the objective of rescuing her. He didn't realize that she didn't want to talk to him because 1) Her Common wasn't very good (she's a native Keoish speaker) and 2) Someone in a place with a lot of mysterious happenings might be reluctant to talk to a pair of heavily armed teenagers. To make a long story short, they mortally wounded Stoutheart the bodyguard, badly wounded Ormond and one of his sons when they came in from the workshop after hearing screams and shouts, and got captured by the Constable and company. The other member of the entourage was brought in soon after. Eventually, the PC, his entire team, and Ormond ended up dead when they tried to escape while being transported to the Cult base. The son is now a stooge for Cult, with the rest of the family next on the hit list.


    The previous to groups of adventurers have now made it awfully difficult for any group of outsiders to have a positive effect in Orlane. by the time the giants attack Hochoch, the Bowl might be under the control of the cult! Confused
    Adept Greytalker

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    Fri Jan 16, 2015 8:06 pm  
    Impact on the world

    At the end of my player's story arc, they helped the forces of Keoland expel the SB occupiers in the Hold of the Sea Princes, eventually becoming the Viceroys of the newly minted "Sea March" for the King of Keoland.

    They became nobles by their own hands.
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    Sat Jan 17, 2015 7:58 am  

    The Sea March, that's a cool name! My players liberated the Hold, too, and it's part of Keoland again. The biggest impact my players have had was when they cured Ivid the Undying of his madness, and set him and the Great Kingdom on the right path. Their victory may be short-lived, though, because armies of darkness are gathering and there are many within the Great Kingdom who don't share the overking's newfound conscience or his devotion to law and honor. The PC's convinced Ivid to outlaw all worship of Nerull, and drive all the undead out of the land. In retribution, Nerull has enlisted Orcus to destroy the Great Kingdom. The overking has cracked down on crime as well, and the thieves' guilds which had gotten used to great power and influence are revolting in every city of the realm.

    It's a time for a new generation of heroes, as the old ones have retired.
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