So, with the recent release of a particular tome, and this Shadar-Kai reading in cover to cover (particularly the sections involving our mistress of memory herself). I've had a curious idea.
It speaks to how the form of the Raven Queen is no more than a cloak of pain and loss behind a stoic mask that is supposed to keep an 'ever decaying' body from fully dispersing. Now tell me please that this doesn't sound like an opportunity. Especially when given the consideration no one knows where these fragments of her lost self ( or soul ) are, and there is a large gash of silt at the bottom of the Styx that the Shadar-Kai are interested in and holds all lost souls.
Can you see now?!?
So, the question is for those DMs like myself out there. Is this too big?
I have written about half a world and am having trouble. There are gods in the way people! However, I image only either a very old (homebrew) world or some "forgotten realm" could possibly hold the fragments needed to hoist a god out of a since the begining of creation old depression. And not even to mention the negotiations with various powers that be to acquire the power to put her back together ( and maybe pull her from the plane of shadows).
But I digress!
It's an idea I want to just fling into the cosmos and this Shadar-Kai will be waiting for the day Arvandor sees the queen it lost so long ago.
So... ya gotta be a little more specific if you are going to attempt to start a conversation. Care to elaborate or is this the extent of your thoughts?
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Now tell me please that this doesn't sound like an opportunity.
Okay. It doesn't sound like an opportunity.
......
Now, why did you ask me to lie to you? Joking aside....
Can you see now?!?
You seem to be implying that the Raven Queen has lost soul fragments that have fallen to the depth of the River Styx, and to restore her original identity. Is this correct? Personally I see the Raven Queen as a god-level, non-evil banshee, so redeeming her from the madness would take different steps.
Now, I'm not entirely sold on the idea that the Queen is broken, but more like a super powerful ghost, especially the part about her being undead. That said, searching for ghostly anchors and memory prompts would amount to the same story of seeking to restore her sanity and help her move on. If so desired, of course - she is a goddess, after all. I think she's also another name for Wee Jas, iirc. Gods in D&D are magical tax collectors, gathering "worship power" and redistributing it, so if she manages to pull herself away from death, she'll likely lose her followers. Either way, wanding off on a tangent here. Anyways, I'm not sure I have a point, other than pointing out the Raven Queen's kind of like a non-evil banshee, which can add to the types of story hooks you use.
So, story about collecting things to help restore the Raven Queen past her divine madness. Seems like a pretty cool idea, and I would be down for it. Stories hold that the Raven Queen attempted to rise up to heal the fractured pantheon of elves. Even if that's still her goal, or ever was, I'm not certain how that's going to restore the Shadar-kai to Avarandor; I doubt that Corellon is going to invite her in, so its a good secondary plot after the first.
Your reply is as I was looking for. It's insight shows another way of looking at the idea of some revival or moving on of the Raven Queen.
Now, my exact idea thus far was this. At some point the elvish queen knew how to travel across planes and break the walls between planes. She now searches for a way out of the Shadowfell. As she collects lost souls she seems to be sifting for some particular knowledge. Here I am implying that during here dispersal she lost the knowledge that would have broken her free of the Shadowfell. Not free from her role as the guide of souls or as the Raven Queen, just from the one plane.
Then I suggest that with this collection of lost knowledge, which are fragments of her former identity, it may be possible with enough help to bring her back from undeath. In my mind however the loyal Shadar-Kai would be worried about getting her out of Shadowfell, if they are focused on this task, first. The Styx just sounds like a place where some of this might be found. Racing against Vecna or some other knowledge hungry evil to save knowledge? Who knows?
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So, with the recent release of a particular tome, and this Shadar-Kai reading in cover to cover (particularly the sections involving our mistress of memory herself). I've had a curious idea.
It speaks to how the form of the Raven Queen is no more than a cloak of pain and loss behind a stoic mask that is supposed to keep an 'ever decaying' body from fully dispersing. Now tell me please that this doesn't sound like an opportunity. Especially when given the consideration no one knows where these fragments of her lost self ( or soul ) are, and there is a large gash of silt at the bottom of the Styx that the Shadar-Kai are interested in and holds all lost souls.
Can you see now?!?
So, the question is for those DMs like myself out there. Is this too big?
I have written about half a world and am having trouble. There are gods in the way people! However, I image only either a very old (homebrew) world or some "forgotten realm" could possibly hold the fragments needed to hoist a god out of a since the begining of creation old depression. And not even to mention the negotiations with various powers that be to acquire the power to put her back together ( and maybe pull her from the plane of shadows).
But I digress!
It's an idea I want to just fling into the cosmos and this Shadar-Kai will be waiting for the day Arvandor sees the queen it lost so long ago.
So... ya gotta be a little more specific if you are going to attempt to start a conversation. Care to elaborate or is this the extent of your thoughts?Understood.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Okay. It doesn't sound like an opportunity.
......
Now, why did you ask me to lie to you? Joking aside....
You seem to be implying that the Raven Queen has lost soul fragments that have fallen to the depth of the River Styx, and to restore her original identity. Is this correct? Personally I see the Raven Queen as a god-level, non-evil banshee, so redeeming her from the madness would take different steps.
Now, I'm not entirely sold on the idea that the Queen is broken, but more like a super powerful ghost, especially the part about her being undead. That said, searching for ghostly anchors and memory prompts would amount to the same story of seeking to restore her sanity and help her move on. If so desired, of course - she is a goddess, after all. I think she's also another name for Wee Jas, iirc. Gods in D&D are magical tax collectors, gathering "worship power" and redistributing it, so if she manages to pull herself away from death, she'll likely lose her followers. Either way, wanding off on a tangent here. Anyways, I'm not sure I have a point, other than pointing out the Raven Queen's kind of like a non-evil banshee, which can add to the types of story hooks you use.
So, story about collecting things to help restore the Raven Queen past her divine madness. Seems like a pretty cool idea, and I would be down for it. Stories hold that the Raven Queen attempted to rise up to heal the fractured pantheon of elves. Even if that's still her goal, or ever was, I'm not certain how that's going to restore the Shadar-kai to Avarandor; I doubt that Corellon is going to invite her in, so its a good secondary plot after the first.
Elves kind of remind me a lot of buddhism in 5e.
Your reply is as I was looking for. It's insight shows another way of looking at the idea of some revival or moving on of the Raven Queen.
Now, my exact idea thus far was this. At some point the elvish queen knew how to travel across planes and break the walls between planes. She now searches for a way out of the Shadowfell. As she collects lost souls she seems to be sifting for some particular knowledge. Here I am implying that during here dispersal she lost the knowledge that would have broken her free of the Shadowfell. Not free from her role as the guide of souls or as the Raven Queen, just from the one plane.
Then I suggest that with this collection of lost knowledge, which are fragments of her former identity, it may be possible with enough help to bring her back from undeath. In my mind however the loyal Shadar-Kai would be worried about getting her out of Shadowfell, if they are focused on this task, first. The Styx just sounds like a place where some of this might be found. Racing against Vecna or some other knowledge hungry evil to save knowledge? Who knows?