So I am running LMOP, and my players are talking about and making plans on working with Gundren to get the mine and Forge of Spells fully operational again, using it as a cornerstone for developing Phandalin in to a thriving town (as well as building their own business and political empire). Basically they want Phandalin to be on course to be the next Neverwinter/Waterdeep/Baldurs Gate.
I know I know, they really think too small and need to expand their aspirations, right?
The thing is, I actually love the idea and have decided to make it possible for them. I think it would be a really cool campaign to build this region with them. However, I know that the lore as written is that the Forge is basically tapped out and shortly after the official end of LMOP Gundren gives up and leaves phandalin. Obviously that isn't going to work And i need to make some changes.
The first thing I am going to change is that the Forge is not dead, it is deactivated from lack of use over time (and probably broken or missing a piece or something. The only person that ever knew how it was originally started was its inventor and builder, the great gnome archmage and inventor, Kwalish. After we wrap LMOP, a contingent of gnomes is going to arrive in phandalin and seek to re-establish the phandelver pact, and offer their knowledge of how the forge operates and to run it as their contribution. The one thing they dont know is how Kwalish initialized it originally, but they do know of rumors that he is still alive, cut to my adaptation of Lost Laboratory of Kwalish.
After they find kwalish or the information of how to start the Forge up, and any missing components, they then kind of have a super powerful game breaking magic forge at their disposal, so I need to put some limits on it.
My idea is that creating items with the forge requires SUPER rare and super unique components. things like
"the left molar of the Uluu Thalong from the jungles of Chult" or
"a handful of dirt from Ssaz Tam's original grave".
Things that, if they want to make a magic item, they can, but they have to go on an adventure and really EARN it. (and I get to design a bunch of cool item quest adventure which I love!)
So I am collecting a list of super unique and rare and crazy things that they could have to go after and I wanted to see what ideas other folks might have and suggest!
Here is my list so far:
Infusing any kind of spell into an item requires a chardalyn to hold the spell in for the process.
A scale from the tail of a mermaid princess
A bottle of cerebral fluid from an illithid elder brain
The death beam eyestalk of a beholder
a molar from the Uluu Thalong from the jungles of Chult
The voice of a spider. A vial of broken promises. A piece of a rainbow. A beaker of sunset.
Oh excellent, and then it better supports the players driving and crafting their own story by however they wind up interpreting them, great suggestions!
Coupled with components being rare, you could also just say that, in the interests of building up the region, the forge is booked up, too busy to churn out magic items for the party frequently.
Sorry guys, this week they've been contracted by the city of Phandalin to forge enchanted steel bands too reinforce the city walls, and then next a private client needs 50 moonblades for their personal guard. We can try and pencil you in for next month, but we're still waiting to hear back from the goblin tribes about a possible order of pickaxes...
Coupled with components being rare, you could also just say that, in the interests of building up the region, the forge is booked up, too busy to churn out magic items for the party frequently.
Sorry guys, this week they've been contracted by the city of Phandalin to forge enchanted steel bands too reinforce the city walls, and then next a private client needs 50 moonblades for their personal guard. We can try and pencil you in for next month, but we're still waiting to hear back from the goblin tribes about a possible order of pickaxes...
I kind of want to avoid doing that. Given the hoops I am going to have them jump through just to get the damn thing fired up (they are going to have to find Kwalish, get the secret of starting it from him, gather a bunch of specific components to fix the thing, etc) it would be a bit of a slap in the face to say "Oh no, sorry, you just cant use the thing you spent who knows how many sessions fixing and firing up because someone else is using it." I want them to be able to use it. I want them to be able to use it as much as they want actually, i just want them to have to earn it, it will make the magic items and weapons and armor that much more special if they went through hell to do it. I also plan on having the items they ultimately craft be really awesome. Think along the lines of the Vestiges of Divergence from the Exandria setting
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So I am running LMOP, and my players are talking about and making plans on working with Gundren to get the mine and Forge of Spells fully operational again, using it as a cornerstone for developing Phandalin in to a thriving town (as well as building their own business and political empire). Basically they want Phandalin to be on course to be the next Neverwinter/Waterdeep/Baldurs Gate.
I know I know, they really think too small and need to expand their aspirations, right?
The thing is, I actually love the idea and have decided to make it possible for them. I think it would be a really cool campaign to build this region with them. However, I know that the lore as written is that the Forge is basically tapped out and shortly after the official end of LMOP Gundren gives up and leaves phandalin. Obviously that isn't going to work And i need to make some changes.
The first thing I am going to change is that the Forge is not dead, it is deactivated from lack of use over time (and probably broken or missing a piece or something. The only person that ever knew how it was originally started was its inventor and builder, the great gnome archmage and inventor, Kwalish. After we wrap LMOP, a contingent of gnomes is going to arrive in phandalin and seek to re-establish the phandelver pact, and offer their knowledge of how the forge operates and to run it as their contribution. The one thing they dont know is how Kwalish initialized it originally, but they do know of rumors that he is still alive, cut to my adaptation of Lost Laboratory of Kwalish.
After they find kwalish or the information of how to start the Forge up, and any missing components, they then kind of have a super powerful game breaking magic forge at their disposal, so I need to put some limits on it.
My idea is that creating items with the forge requires SUPER rare and super unique components. things like
"the left molar of the Uluu Thalong from the jungles of Chult" or
"a handful of dirt from Ssaz Tam's original grave".
Things that, if they want to make a magic item, they can, but they have to go on an adventure and really EARN it. (and I get to design a bunch of cool item quest adventure which I love!)
So I am collecting a list of super unique and rare and crazy things that they could have to go after and I wanted to see what ideas other folks might have and suggest!
Here is my list so far:
Go for metaphorical components.
The voice of a spider.
A vial of broken promises.
A piece of a rainbow.
A beaker of sunset.
Oh excellent, and then it better supports the players driving and crafting their own story by however they wind up interpreting them, great suggestions!
A bottle of dragon's breath. This one needs to be given, not taken.
The eye of a Dragon Turtle.
A mummy lord's heart.
A vial of dreams from the hanging gardens of Nangalore.
A gem suffused with the interplanar magic from Sigil.
The simple one would be some kind of bound Fire elemental that keeps the forge lit
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
Coupled with components being rare, you could also just say that, in the interests of building up the region, the forge is booked up, too busy to churn out magic items for the party frequently.
Sorry guys, this week they've been contracted by the city of Phandalin to forge enchanted steel bands too reinforce the city walls, and then next a private client needs 50 moonblades for their personal guard. We can try and pencil you in for next month, but we're still waiting to hear back from the goblin tribes about a possible order of pickaxes...
A Drow Matron Mother’s tear of motherly love.
I love these!
Ooooooooo, that’s a good one!
I kind of want to avoid doing that. Given the hoops I am going to have them jump through just to get the damn thing fired up (they are going to have to find Kwalish, get the secret of starting it from him, gather a bunch of specific components to fix the thing, etc) it would be a bit of a slap in the face to say "Oh no, sorry, you just cant use the thing you spent who knows how many sessions fixing and firing up because someone else is using it." I want them to be able to use it. I want them to be able to use it as much as they want actually, i just want them to have to earn it, it will make the magic items and weapons and armor that much more special if they went through hell to do it. I also plan on having the items they ultimately craft be really awesome. Think along the lines of the Vestiges of Divergence from the Exandria setting