Bait this Hook!

[DeepShadow of FoS]

New Hook - Inza was born at the moment of Duke Gundar's assassination... coincidence? Or part of some larger scheme?

Okay, I can't resist a foreshadowing of the SoS Gaz:

During their stay in Gundarak, Kulchek's descendants were saved from execution multiple times by the intervention of someone in Gundar's personal circle. It has long been speculated that Magda was in fact one of Gundar's secret lovers--making Inza one of his dhampire children--but the truth is perhaps even more strange. It was not Gundar, but his minion Dr. Daclaud Heinfroth who intervened on their behalf, which they learned when he came to consult with them through the Tarrokka. Heinfroth knew of the coming Grand Conjunction, and feared that when Gundar returned home, all of Gundarak--including Dominiani--would cease to exist. Based on this research, he sought to anchor himself to reality so as to weather the coming storm, and he sought the help of the Vistani as those best equipped to bend reality in his favor. In vengeance for her slain husband, Magda gave Heinfroth the final information he needed, allowing him to assassinate his master and root himself in the reality of Gundarak as its lord. Thus Inza was born as Gundar's vengeful spirit rode the storm, cursing Magda for conspiring in his downfall.

New Hook:

In Gaz1, Maeve of the Oak faction shows "S" a pseudodragon she had enticed to come to Forlorn to help restore balance. Who is this creature, where did it come from, and what does it plan to do in Forlorn?

[brilliantlight]

New Hook - Inza was born at the moment of Duke Gundar's assassination... coincidence? Or part of some larger scheme?

Okay, I can't resist a foreshadowing of the SoS Gaz:

During their stay in Gundarak, Kulchek's descendants were saved from execution multiple times by the intervention of someone in Gundar's personal circle. It has long been speculated that Magda was in fact one of Gundar's secret lovers--making Inza one of his dhampire children--but the truth is perhaps even more strange. It was not Gundar, but his minion Dr. Daclaud Heinfroth who intervened on their behalf, which they learned when he came to consult with them through the Tarrokka. Heinfroth knew of the coming Grand Conjunction, and feared that when Gundar returned home, all of Gundarak--including Dominiani--would cease to exist. Based on this research, he sought to anchor himself to reality so as to weather the coming storm, and he sought the help of the Vistani as those best equipped to bend reality in his favor. In vengeance for her slain husband, Magda gave Heinfroth the final information he needed, allowing him to assassinate his master and root himself in the reality of Gundarak as its lord. Thus Inza was born as Gundar's vengeful spirit rode the storm, cursing Magda for conspiring in his downfall.

New Hook:

In Gaz1, Maeve of the Oak faction shows "S" a pseudodragon she had enticed to come to Forlorn to help restore balance. Who is this creature, where did it come from, and what does it plan to do in Forlorn?

OOC: I LOVE what you do with Inza which makes her much more interesting. The idea of Eason not really being possecessed really helped that character and this helps Inza. Nice Job!

IC: The pseudodragon is translated from Draconic to Flamingbloom and she comes from Faerun. Her plan is to restore Forlorn by destroying any foul plants she can. She knows this is a hopeless task by herself but with her help maybe the druids can pull it off.

Plothook: Maekon from the Curse of Ashington Manor is said to have been the mistriss of one of Drakov's earliest and most vicous henchmen. Who was he and what foul deeds did he commit even before he met her? What precise position did he hold? How did he meet her in the first place?

[DeepShadow of FoS]

OOC: I LOVE what you do with Inza which makes her much more interesting. The idea of Eason not really being possecessed really helped that character and this helps Inza. Nice Job!

Thanks! That's what I like doing in RL--dusting off the odd and finding something worthwhile.

IC: The pseudodragon is translated from Draconic to Flamingbloom and she comes from Faerun. Her plan is to restore Forlorn by destroying any foul plants she can. She knows this is a hopeless task by herself but with her help maybe the druids can pull it off.

Okay, but I'd like a little more meat in this bait, please:

• How did Flamingbloom get to RL from FR?--normal bank of Mists, transported with a domain, failed a powers check (!), followed a rabbit down a hole, etc.
• How did Maeve find her?--common friend, common enemy, locating spell, gather info among woodland creatures via speak with animals, etc.
• How did she entice her to come to Forlorn?--Offered her protection, information, life-debt, told her a cool story...
• Why does Flamingbloom focus on evil plants so much--does she blame one for some tragedy in her past, or did she have treant friends back home and can't stand to see what they've become in RL?

C'mon, give me some juicy secret that will give this character some depth!

[Rotipher of the FoS]

In all fairness, barring the Malken = Romir portion, this is the canon version of events: Malken is the darklord, and Tristen's suffering is just a side effect of being a component of Malken's curse (just like Tatyana's suffering in each of her reincarnations is just a component of Strahd's curse, not anything meant to punish Tatyana).

Of course, but then Malken didn't exist before the domain formed, so he's being cursed for nothing. My solution is to say that Malken DID exist before the domain formed, just not in the same form.

FWIW, I've tended to assume that the original Tristen was Lawful Evil, and killed his first victim out of genuine malice, taking great pleasure in the deed. He did feel bad about it later, not because it was evil, but because it constituted a lapse of self-discipline that he regarded as shameful. The Dark Powers found his contrary feelings about the murder interesting, so they split the two aspects of his alignment apart: the Evil side of him became Malken, and the Lawful side became the well-meaning Tristen we know.

[brilliantlight]

OOC: I LOVE what you do with Inza which makes her much more interesting. The idea of Eason not really being possecessed really helped that character and this helps Inza. Nice Job!

Thanks! That's what I like doing in RL--dusting off the odd and finding something worthwhile.

IC: The pseudodragon is translated from Draconic to Flamingbloom and she comes from Faerun. Her plan is to restore Forlorn by destroying any foul plants she can. She knows this is a hopeless task by herself but with her help maybe the druids can pull it off.

Okay, but I'd like a little more meat in this bait, please:

• How did Flamingbloom get to RL from FR?--normal bank of Mists, transported with a domain, failed a powers check (!), followed a rabbit down a hole, etc.
• How did Maeve find her?--common friend, common enemy, locating spell, gather info among woodland creatures via speak with animals, etc.
• How did she entice her to come to Forlorn?--Offered her protection, information, life-debt, told her a cool story...
• Why does Flamingbloom focus on evil plants so much--does she blame one for some tragedy in her past, or did she have treant friends back home and can't stand to see what they've become in RL?

C'mon, give me some juicy secret that will give this character some depth!

Flamingbloom got here by the usual through the mists method of getting to RL along with the treant friend of hers. Maeve found her by speaking with animals. She heard rumors from various birds of a strange new creature who just appeared in Forlorn, which is the domain Flamingbloom got transported to. She saw her friend get warped via the mist and got the idea if she got rid of the evil plants her friend would return to normal. This is incorrect of course but she doesn't know. Even the druids don't know for sure what would happen as many have never left Forlorn. She once attacked Neeshka for being a tiefling but was chased off by her. She later found out through the legends of the knight-captain that she wasn't all that bad and she feels some guilt about that. Since then she has refained from attacking beings just because of their species.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Flamingbloom got here by the usual through the mists method of getting to RL along with the treant friend of hers. Maeve found her by speaking with animals. She heard rumors from various birds of a strange new creature who just appeared in Forlorn, which is the domain Flamingbloom got transported to. She saw her friend get warped via the mist and got the idea if she got rid of the evil plants her friend would return to normal. This is incorrect of course but she doesn't know. Even the druids don't know for sure what would happen as many have never left Forlorn. She once attacked Neeshka for being a tiefling but was chased off by her. She later found out through the legends of the knight-captain that she wasn't all that bad and she feels some guilt about that. Since then she has refained from attacking beings just because of their species.

Okay, now THAT is awesome! Great work.

One question: who is Neeshka?

[brilliantlight]

Flamingbloom got here by the usual through the mists method of getting to RL along with the treant friend of hers. Maeve found her by speaking with animals. She heard rumors from various birds of a strange new creature who just appeared in Forlorn, which is the domain Flamingbloom got transported to. She saw her friend get warped via the mist and got the idea if she got rid of the evil plants her friend would return to normal. This is incorrect of course but she doesn't know. Even the druids don't know for sure what would happen as many have never left Forlorn. She once attacked Neeshka for being a tiefling but was chased off by her. She later found out through the legends of the knight-captain that she wasn't all that bad and she feels some guilt about that. Since then she has refained from attacking beings just because of their species.

Okay, now THAT is awesome! Great work.

One question: who is Neeshka?

A character in Neverwinter Nights 2. She is a TN tiefling rouge. She is an interesting character and rather likable. Do you have any ideas about Maekon?

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Plothook: Maekon from the Curse of Ashington Manor is said to have been the mistriss of one of Drakov's earliest and most vicous henchmen. Who was he and what foul deeds did he commit even before he met her? What precise position did he hold? How did he meet her in the first place?

Here's your vicious henchman as a Seven-sentence NPC:

"There, there. You weren't a good girl this time. Be a good girl for them next time, and I promise to kill you when they're done."

Gulrik was a young orphan who followed the Talons through Ansalon, repairing their gear and making their food right up to the day when he followed Vlad Drakov into the Mists to become seneschal of Draccipetri. Then in his mid-twenties, he had weathered, pockmarked skin, dark brown eyes and greasy black hair. While surrounded by men of violence, Gulrik's true talent was making people comfortable; it was said he discovered abfalduz for female slaves to take comfort in, after arranging for the Talons take comfort in the slaves. After life as a war orphan, Gulrik's never got over his childhood fears, and he spent his adult life making himself truly indisposable to as many powerful men as possible. Slaves and commoners often mistook Gulrik's lack of sadism for compassion; Talons were relieved at how he would forgo fawning or groveling and just satisfy their unspoken desires.

Gulrik's most distinguishing feature was a tattoo around his left eye in the shape of a sideways V, with the opening pointed at the bridge of his nose. He received the mark from his lover Maekon after their lovemaking under the light of a full moon on his thirtieth birthday, and later discovered that it rendered him immune to Vistani curses and the evil eye. Before she send this "nonviolent" monster on the first, and last, bloody rampage of his life, Maekon made sure that he had made good use of the mark, sending as many Vistani as he could find to the Central Prison.

Hook (Random page on the Mistipedia!): The Bright Blade was Sergei Von Zarovich's sword, the bane of Strahd's undead existence. It was recovered by Van Richen during his expedition to the castle, but was stolen from the Herbalist's shop under the nose of the Weathermay Twins. Who stole it, and why? Where is it now?

(Bear in mind, I think the sunsword was removed for a good reason, and I'm not asking you to make the same mistake as those who put in in VR's basement. If you are worried about that, I'd recommend, you make sure the location is some combination of well guarded, hard to access, and not well known.)

[brilliantlight]

Plothook: Maekon from the Curse of Ashington Manor is said to have been the mistriss of one of Drakov's earliest and most vicous henchmen. Who was he and what foul deeds did he commit even before he met her? What precise position did he hold? How did he meet her in the first place?

Here's your vicious henchman as a Seven-sentence NPC:

"There, there. You weren't a good girl this time. Be a good girl for them next time, and I promise to kill you when they're done."

Gulrik was a young orphan who followed the Talons through Ansalon, repairing their gear and making their food right up to the day when he followed Vlad Drakov into the Mists to become seneschal of Draccipetri. Then in his mid-twenties, he had weathered, pockmarked skin, dark brown eyes and greasy black hair. While surrounded by men of violence, Gulrik's true talent was making people comfortable; it was said he discovered abfalduz for female slaves to take comfort in, after arranging for the Talons take comfort in the slaves. After life as a war orphan, Gulrik's never got over his childhood fears, and he spent his adult life making himself truly indisposable to as many powerful men as possible. Slaves and commoners often mistook Gulrik's lack of sadism for compassion; Talons were relieved at how he would forgo fawning or groveling and just satisfy their unspoken desires.

Gulrik's most distinguishing feature was a tattoo around his left eye in the shape of a sideways V, with the opening pointed at the bridge of his nose. He received the mark from his lover Maekon after their lovemaking under the light of a full moon on his thirtieth birthday, and later discovered that it rendered him immune to Vistani curses and the evil eye. Before she send this "nonviolent" monster on the first, and last, bloody rampage of his life, Maekon made sure that he had made good use of the mark, sending as many Vistani as he could find to the Central Prison.

Hook (Random page on the Mistipedia!): The Bright Blade was Sergei Von Zarovich's sword, the bane of Strahd's undead existence. It was recovered by Van Richen during his expedition to the castle, but was stolen from the Herbalist's shop under the nose of the Weathermay Twins. Who stole it, and why? Where is it now?

(Bear in mind, I think the sunsword was removed for a good reason, and I'm not asking you to make the same mistake as those who put in in VR's basement. If you are worried about that, I'd recommend, you make sure the location is some combination of well guarded, hard to access, and not well known.)

There was a Gundarite named Harak who decided he would get back by stealing from the Bavorians instead of openly rebeling as it was both safer and more profitable. He was very successful at it too. He targeted rich Bavorian boyers and mercants and got away with it for a long time. Strahd eventually put his best men on him and he was caught and brought before him. Instead of just killing him he put a geas on him to get the sword from the Weathermay twins as he soon figured out who had it and where it was. He got in and out with the sword with little difficulty. Strahd now has it locked up in Castle Ravenloft in a trapped hidden room that also contain 6 Strahd zombies who gaurd the sword.

Hook:
Davion the Mad has three alternate personalities of a fighter, a mage and a cleric due to an ill worded wish. What is the background of these three? Where did he meet them? Has the mists granted him more personalities and if so what kind?

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Hook:
Davion the Mad has three alternate personalities of a fighter, a mage and a cleric due to an ill worded wish. What is the background of these three? Where did he meet them? Has the mists granted him more personalities and if so what kind?

I'm pretty sure that's all already detailed in the Book of Crypts, no?
http://fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Davion_the_Mad

(too lazy to go downstairs to the collection to look.)

[brilliantlight]

Hook:
Davion the Mad has three alternate personalities of a fighter, a mage and a cleric due to an ill worded wish. What is the background of these three? Where did he meet them? Has the mists granted him more personalities and if so what kind?

I'm pretty sure that's all already detailed in the Book of Crypts, no?
http://fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Davion_the_Mad

(too lazy to go downstairs to the collection to look.)

No, you are basically told that they were hired by him, that the fighter's name is Boromar, his statistics and that he is a bit paranoid and that he is CN. The Wizard's name is Augustus,his statistics that he is ponderous and that he is LN. The cleric is a woman who worships Loviatar, her statistics and that she is a CE sadist. There is no mention of their background, or how he found them. Of course any more personalites would happen after the adventure and in a different manner than the first three.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Anyone wanna help me dig up this thread? I'm just doing one of the three--someone can revisit them in another hook if they want.

Davion met Boromar during a trip to the Positive Material Plane. Boromar had been betrayed by his companions and left stranded in one of the silver towers that protect mortals from the plane's radiance. Lacking the means to leave the tower safely, Boromar had survived for eleven years thanks to a Myrlund's spoon that created gruel for him, but his ordeal made him even more paranoid and unreliable than he was when his original party had stranded him. He had tried to gain help from other visitors by wheedle, cajole, intimidate and even taking hostages, but his instability and unreliability discouraged anyone from taking him with them. After many hours of conversation learning all of this, Davion decided that the only way Boromar's prodigious strength and skill would be useful to him was through the use of a powerful geas. Saddling the paranoid warrior with such an enchantment, he took him back to the prime material plane, introduced him to the other two servitors, and set him looking for treasures.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Gregorian Illhousen was last mentioned wandering the nightmare lands with a nurse from his doomed clinic. The two were said to be in love despite the huge age difference, and she was pregnant with his child. What became of this May-December romance, and--especially--what became of the child?

[Isabella]

Dr. Gregorian Illhousen was last mentioned wandering the nightmare lands with a nurse from his doomed clinic. The two were said to be in love despite the huge age difference, and she was pregnant with his child. What became of this May-December romance, and--especially--what became of the child?

Let's take a cue from Neil Gaiman here. A child who was in the Nightmare Lands in utero - s/he has the unusual power to enter into other people's dreams. Aside from that, s/he's just an ordinary human... but s/he as the potential to be transformed into one of the Nightmare Land's dream lords. No one is quite certain what might trigger this, or if it's just going to happen whether anyone wants it or not, but the Nightmare Court want the child. Unfortunately for them, they all have different motives and end goals, which left room for the mother and child to escape.

So where are the two now? We could say with a group of Abber Nomads, but that might wind up a bit "Dances With Wolves." Maybe they could only escape into Vechor, where Dream and Reality keep mixing in unstable ways. Or maybe they fled to the most unromantic country they could think of, Lamordia, in the hopes the dreams won't follow them.

[The Giamarga]

Or maybe they joined the Carnival? Isabella, tell us a bit more about this child? She should not be too normal. What does she do when entering other peoples dreams? When did she discover this ability first and whose dreams did she enter?

[DeepShadow of FoS]

And where's the father, Isy? You left out what happened to Illhousen.