I'm planning on running Descent into Avernus for my group once we finish this current campaign. I have at least 5 weeks left if we don't mess around and head straight for the BBEG, but it is more likely that it'll be 5 months. My question is what would information would be best to give a player character who was born/lived in Elturel before the titular descent? I can't seem to find anything like that anywhere else on DnDBeyond...
Also, what exactly do I tell them? Do I mention Zariel and her Hellriders? The Betrayal? I have to mention the Companion in some detail, maybe how it arrived during a conflict with a secret Vampire who ruled Elturel? I really don't know all the details I'd like to, so I'm asking for help. And please, make it short and sweet. I tend to read out everything like an idiot, and forget not to mention the clearly evil part of a plan when I'm not supposed to
I haven't run DiA so a bit limited regarding advice I can give but hope the link to the thread and some of the answers their in are helpful
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
I'm in the middle of DiA now, her are my suggestions:
A PC born and raised in Elturel would know the complete Story Elturel, that is given to the PC by Reya Mantlemorn. The origin of the companion ist also common knowledge to the people of Elturel. Don't forget, that the Charakter technically would hav sworn the Creed Resolute and therefore his soul would be forfeit.
Usually the PC's would gather the Informations about the History step by step. In my Campaign Reya and Salvyra Savikas had a lot of Informations for the party. Reveal as many Informations as you see fit for the Moment. If they don't care, you don't need to tell them more Informations then needed.
BG needs a big overhaul. The beginning is pretty bad, and none of the decisions the players make matter in the later campaign. It would be more interesting if your Players are in Elturel while the City is dragged into avernus. This needs a lot of Homebrew though....
Chapter 3 Avernus is a little dull. Some Plotpoints make absolutely no sense. I recommend this article, in which chapter 3 is restructured to become a Sandbox. The Ideas given in this Series makes Avernus a lot more exciting to explore. You need to give the Questlines in Avernus way more sense then travel route A OR B and meet random elemental that offers a random invitation to godlike devil duke....
I haven't tried it, but stumbled upon it when searching the net in frustration when I ran the campaign a year ago. I think I liked a lot of what he wrote, but he wasn't finished at the time I checked it out.
This is what I have so far for info to give to characters who have visited or lived in Elturel, most of this pulled word for word from somewhere in the adventure;
“It was over a century past that the great troubles began. Fiends roamed the lands to the north and west of Elturel. Fields were despoiled, livestock slaughtered, homes razed, and people dragged off to a terrible and unknowable fate. Terror gripped the hearts of all.
“The city’s cavalry rode across the land, striking down fiends wherever they found them and suffering fearful losses. But it was never enough. For every fiend they destroyed, it seemed as though two more appeared elsewhere. The ruler of Elturel, the High Rider, asked his people to pray to the gods for aid. To everyone’s astonishment, a mighty angel entered the city the next day. Her name was Zariel, which means Companion of Light. The prayers of Elturel had been heard, and help had come.
“Zariel located the gate through which the fiends were entering the natural world, on the Fields of the Dead west of the city. Zariel declared that she would lead the cavalry into Avernus, destroying the infernal host that was amassing there, and striking a great blow against the forces of darkness.
“The High Rider sent out the riders of Elturel, now numbering many thousands, with Zariel at their head, riding a golden mastodon. With a great cry, Zariel and her army charged through the gate. The legions of Avernus trembled and buckled, but did not crumble. Zariel was defeated, and the remnants of her army returned to Elturel, overcome with grief at the loss of their glorious general but confident that the lords of the Nine Hells would think twice about threatening Elturel again.
“There were great celebrations to honor the valiant knights of the cavalry, who became known as Hellriders from that day on.”
Hellriders , the knights of Elturel. So-named long ago when they descended into the Nine Hells on horseback to fight devils under the leadership of the Angel Zariel. Most of them never returned.
The Companion is the name given to the artificial sun that burns over Elturel, protecting the city and its surrounding lands against undead. It was summoned by a priest named Thavius Kreeg, who now serves as Elturels High Overseer, a title he changed to High Overseer when he introduced the Creed Resolute.
The Creed Resolute is the oath that all citizens of Elturgard take when they’re old enough to read, swearing to defend Elturel body and soul. It was implemented by Thavius Kreeg.
minor point Thavius Kreeg changed the title High Observer to High Overseer ~1489 DR when he also introducing the Creed Resolute
the events of 1444 DR - Year of the Seductive Cambion are quite relevant and some what closer in popular memory then the events in the Year of the Bow, 1354 DR
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
Sure I was trying to say that if one of the PC's actually comes from Elturel the events of 1444 DR (Vampires undead ruling the night and the salvation of Elturel via the Companion (sun)) would be in living memory the PC would probably know the first hand accounts from people that actually lived it, were as the events of 1354 DR (Hellrider crusade into avernis) would be some 140 years back
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
I'm planning on running Descent into Avernus for my group once we finish this current campaign. I have at least 5 weeks left if we don't mess around and head straight for the BBEG, but it is more likely that it'll be 5 months. My question is what would information would be best to give a player character who was born/lived in Elturel before the titular descent? I can't seem to find anything like that anywhere else on DnDBeyond...
Also, what exactly do I tell them? Do I mention Zariel and her Hellriders? The Betrayal? I have to mention the Companion in some detail, maybe how it arrived during a conflict with a secret Vampire who ruled Elturel? I really don't know all the details I'd like to, so I'm asking for help. And please, make it short and sweet. I tend to read out everything like an idiot, and forget not to mention the clearly evil part of a plan when I'm not supposed to
I had a very similar problem for HotDQ
here's a link to the thread hotdq-elturel-describing-a-city-theocracy-of-torm
I haven't run DiA so a bit limited regarding advice I can give but hope the link to the thread and some of the answers their in are helpful
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
I'm in the middle of DiA now, her are my suggestions:
Reveal as many Informations as you see fit for the Moment. If they don't care, you don't need to tell them more Informations then needed.
I knew the part about the introductory quest in Baldurs Gate being stupid and too difficult given the level, but the rest of this stuff is great!
Thanks a lot! I'll go through this once I have the time!
You can check out this as well: https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/44214/roleplaying-games/remixing-avernus
I haven't tried it, but stumbled upon it when searching the net in frustration when I ran the campaign a year ago. I think I liked a lot of what he wrote, but he wasn't finished at the time I checked it out.
Ludo ergo sum!
This is what I have so far for info to give to characters who have visited or lived in Elturel, most of this pulled word for word from somewhere in the adventure;
“It was over a century past that the great troubles began. Fiends roamed the lands to the north and west of Elturel. Fields were despoiled, livestock slaughtered, homes razed, and people dragged off to a terrible and unknowable fate. Terror gripped the hearts of all.
“The city’s cavalry rode across the land, striking down fiends wherever they found them and suffering fearful losses. But it was never enough. For every fiend they destroyed, it seemed as though two more appeared elsewhere. The ruler of Elturel, the High Rider, asked his people to pray to the gods for aid. To everyone’s astonishment, a mighty angel entered the city the next day. Her name was Zariel, which means Companion of Light. The prayers of Elturel had been heard, and help had come.
“Zariel located the gate through which the fiends were entering the natural world, on the Fields of the Dead west of the city. Zariel declared that she would lead the cavalry into Avernus, destroying the infernal host that was amassing there, and striking a great blow against the forces of darkness.
“The High Rider sent out the riders of Elturel, now numbering many thousands, with Zariel at their head, riding a golden mastodon. With a great cry, Zariel and her army charged through the gate. The legions of Avernus trembled and buckled, but did not crumble. Zariel was defeated, and the remnants of her army returned to Elturel, overcome with grief at the loss of their glorious general but confident that the lords of the Nine Hells would think twice about threatening Elturel again.
“There were great celebrations to honor the valiant knights of the cavalry, who became known as Hellriders from that day on.”
Hellriders , the knights of Elturel. So-named long ago when they descended into the Nine Hells on horseback to fight devils under the leadership of the Angel Zariel. Most of them never returned.
The Companion is the name given to the artificial sun that burns over Elturel, protecting the city and its surrounding lands against undead. It was summoned by a priest named Thavius Kreeg, who now serves as Elturels High Overseer, a title he changed to High Overseer when he introduced the Creed Resolute.
The Creed Resolute is the oath that all citizens of Elturgard take when they’re old enough to read, swearing to defend Elturel body and soul. It was implemented by Thavius Kreeg.
minor point Thavius Kreeg changed the title High Observer to High Overseer ~1489 DR when he also introducing the Creed Resolute
the events of 1444 DR - Year of the Seductive Cambion are quite relevant and some what closer in popular memory then the events in the Year of the Bow, 1354 DR
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
I'll be running this game for people who aren't too concerned with Lore, but I'll try and keep that in mind
Sure I was trying to say that if one of the PC's actually comes from Elturel the events of 1444 DR (Vampires undead ruling the night and the salvation of Elturel via the Companion (sun)) would be in living memory the PC would probably know the first hand accounts from people that actually lived it, were as the events of 1354 DR (Hellrider crusade into avernis) would be some 140 years back
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
Ah, I get you now. I understand