So I'm thinking I'm going to go with some version of the mirror thing, but here's what I've come up with concerning those gems. The cataclysm, to whatever extent it goes, was the result of an evil spell that caused what was essentially a meteor shower of evil orbs/gems/whatever that came down all over the countryside. Wherever the orbs/gems landed, they started corrupting the land around them, calling evil creatures to them and bending them toward their will. So each orb is sort of a One Ring in that it has its own will, but unlike the One Ring, they aren't attached to a greater power beyond themselves, but rather they all just have a sort of an "inanimate" will that simply strives to increase evil and chaos in their surroundings. So evil things are drawn to congregate in their presence, whether to worship them or simply be in their thrall, then go out and cause destruction.
The wizard, staying within his mansion/tower/laboratory, used his abilities of scrying and divination to figure out exactly what the situation was and to deduce the solution. That is where we come back to the suggestion given before, that the PCs have to go and retrieve the orb/gem/heart of evil in each location, but then to actually purge the residual corruption from that area, the wizard created the mirrors that harness the orbs power to destroy its own essence wherever it may be found. So whatever that orb had corrupted will be cleansed once it is brought back to the wizards' mirror.
That may be a bit clunky, but it satisfies my need to understand how these things got in the places they are and how the wizard knew to be able to use them to cleanse the various areas.
I like. Don't forget. Each sentence that you write that causes you to raise your eyebrows and smile, consider if your family will be reacting with similar emotion. Also, chunk your cool bits into gameplay moments. Video game it if you have to. There's a drastic difference between doing as Tolkien did and creating the coolest world and creating a world for a game. Games need gameplay spots. Places for your characters to roll dice and push all the buttons on their character sheets.
So I'm thinking I'm going to go with some version of the mirror thing, but here's what I've come up with concerning those gems. The cataclysm, to whatever extent it goes, was the result of an evil spell that caused what was essentially a meteor shower of evil orbs/gems/whatever that came down all over the countryside. Wherever the orbs/gems landed, they started corrupting the land around them, calling evil creatures to them and bending them toward their will. So each orb is sort of a One Ring in that it has its own will, but unlike the One Ring, they aren't attached to a greater power beyond themselves, but rather they all just have a sort of an "inanimate" will that simply strives to increase evil and chaos in their surroundings. So evil things are drawn to congregate in their presence, whether to worship them or simply be in their thrall, then go out and cause destruction.
The wizard, staying within his mansion/tower/laboratory, used his abilities of scrying and divination to figure out exactly what the situation was and to deduce the solution. That is where we come back to the suggestion given before, that the PCs have to go and retrieve the orb/gem/heart of evil in each location, but then to actually purge the residual corruption from that area, the wizard created the mirrors that harness the orbs power to destroy its own essence wherever it may be found. So whatever that orb had corrupted will be cleansed once it is brought back to the wizards' mirror.
That may be a bit clunky, but it satisfies my need to understand how these things got in the places they are and how the wizard knew to be able to use them to cleanse the various areas.
Sounds good.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Rock on!
I like. Don't forget. Each sentence that you write that causes you to raise your eyebrows and smile, consider if your family will be reacting with similar emotion. Also, chunk your cool bits into gameplay moments. Video game it if you have to. There's a drastic difference between doing as Tolkien did and creating the coolest world and creating a world for a game. Games need gameplay spots. Places for your characters to roll dice and push all the buttons on their character sheets.
All things Lich - DM tips, tricks, and other creative shenanigans