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msherman
Briar Beast
(3/5/04 5:55 am)
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Jolene, Thrommel, and the King of Furyondy
IMC, the party is currently in Verbobonc, recovering from their disasterous fight with Hedrack and Thrommel. They first encountered (and identified) Thrommel three days ago, game time, and they just now have made his existance known to the authorities. Chase, recently knighted by the King of Furyondy for returning Fragarach, just wrote a letter to his friend Balwayne, Knight Commander of the Royal Guard in Chendl -- Hamish the Cleric delivered the letter via Lantern Archon. In the letter, he apologizes for the 3 day delay, describes Thrommel's vampiric nature, and swears an oath to destroy the Vampire and return his remains to the King and Jolene. He included the signet ring and amulet from the coffin with the letter.
I'm torn as to how I should react to that. I'm thinking that I really like the scene with Jolene's "kidnapping" from the BoB, but with Jolene 600 miles away, it's hard to work in. Any suggestions? Does anyone have a prepared character sheet for Jolene already?
One idea I has was to use this as an opportunity to introduce an NPC arcane spellcaster into the party; my players have been complaining about the lack of an arcanist, but we've been unable to recruit a new player. I'm thinking of creating an NPC Pal2/Sor6/EK3, light on the Int score, so I don't have to do any of the heavy lifting when it comes to tactical planning, who will adventure with the party for a couple levels until Cyr can hold his own with arcane spells (he's currently a Rog7/Wiz4, so in one level he'll have Fireball and Haste, which will make a big difference for the party). Then once the party has come to depend on him, I can kill him off for a nice plot twist.
Oh, and my next game is sunday, so any quick suggestions that won't require me to do a ton of additional prep work are most appreciated.
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 Infiniti2000
Night Beast
(3/5/04 7:11 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King of Furyondy
From what I understand, your party has not actually asked the authorities for any help, so sending any would definitely be a gesture on your part that they might need help. One thing that could happen is that this NPC could be, say, a 10th level sorcerer (or wizard) with teleport and be Jolene's trusted adviser. The wizard would scry the party and then teleport to them with Jolene and a bodyguard. She wants to see Thrommel one last time, so to speak, and it would give you the chance to have some cool RP (re: the BoB). Alternatively, you could make the wizard and guard lower level (with a few scrolls) such that the party could not insure their survival except for maybe just Jolene.
I personally don't like the kidnapping thing because it seems out of place all of a sudden. If they told Thrommel that Jolene was still alive and somehow convinced him of it, then maybe.
As for the NPC spellcaster, I think you are making him a little too high of a level. More importantly, IME it is never a good plot element to plan to kill someone in the party, even just an NPC. It will give the players a bad taste in their mouth unless you pull it off perfectly (i.e. it actually happens). I would come up with an alternate reason to have him leave the party, such as perhaps he was Thrommel's protege and is only their until Thrommel is returned or destroyed. Simple enough and easier to swallow.
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ronin
Staj
(3/5/04 8:45 pm)
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
I think there may be another way to get into an RP situation with Thrommel without throwing the campaign all out of whack. I am not even sure how you would get the idea into your players heads without just telling them which wouldn't work well at all. It is a bit out of the ordinary and may not be for your (or any) campaign.
What if one of your players could effectively disguise themselves as Jolene and trick Thrommel into believing it was actually her? I don't even know if this is possible (its been a long time since I have run Thrommel) but there are spells that could certainly increase their chance of success. Alter self (level 2) is such a spell and it gives you a 10 on a disguise check. A hat of disguise would be another method. I am sure there are many other ways to accomplish this but only you know how useful this idea would be for your group.
I hope it works out well. Thrommel and Hedrack were probably the two most memorable NPCs in the entire campaign for my group. They definitely have alot of potential, let us know how it turns out.
Good luck.
ronin
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Caedrel
Ghoul Worm
(3/6/04 1:27 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
I don't think the RP situation with Thrommel would go very well if one of the PCs is pretending to be Jolene; the deception is almost sure to be revealed (depending on the strength of true love in your game  ) and I'm pretty sure it would upset the undead former Crown Prince no end...
I agree that a kidnapping is pretty drastic - also, I wouldn't think it particularly feasible for your particular group, lacking a spellcaster able to cast teleport as they are. Given that they haven't asked the authorities for help, perhaps Jolene seeks them out - or one of her agents, with perhaps a message from her that only Thrommel would understand or appreciate (a piece of poetry would be apropos). I suppose it depends on how much Jolene would risk on such a wild venture: after all, there's already been another very well credentialled imposter associated with the Temple of Elemental Evil
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Bluesman
Staj
(3/6/04 2:22 am)
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
My immediate thought was: your planned NPC teleports in (using scroll) with Jolene. He's her faithful (LG) retainer, a former member of Thrommel's order of Paladins but too lowly to be remembered. When Jolene receives the PCs' message, she turns to him because he is both faithful to her and loyal to the Thrommel he knew. Realising Jolene is too important to be allowed to leave [wherever], they decide to risk everything with the PCs, because no-one else will understand the importance of it. (Sounds like true love to me...) It's a guilt-free kidnapping!
NPC: a/a
Jolene: mostly Ari levels? plus +saves and +Con items I think.
If you want a sub-plot, Pally NPC is also in love with Jolene. Regardless of how things go with Thrommel, he's so broken up by the whole thing he leaves to go be sad someplace. In a very noble fashion. Think end of Casablanca. "The troubles of two little people ain't worth a hill of beans in this crazy mixed-up world. Which is going to end soon, anyway. But we'll always have Furyondy."
OK, maybe I got cheese on my copy of the movie or something. But you get the idea.
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msherman
Briar Beast
(3/6/04 3:41 am)
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
Despite the High Cheese, I really like where that's going, Caedrel and Bluesman. I strongly expect that the party will refuse to take Jolene along with them; I'll play up her weakness and age. So they'll take on her loyal retainer to assist them in destroying Thrommel, and deliver her message to him, "which he'll surely understand, if there's anything left in him of the Thrommel I loved."
I'll make it clear that he's only with the party for the extent of the Thrommel mission, not the whole rest of the campaign, so I can extract him easily if I have trouble playing him - I'm really not fond of the DMPC, never have been, from either side of the screen. In fact, I have a long history of getting my own PCs killed by picking intra-party fights with DMPCs.
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Infiniti2000
Night Beast
(3/6/04 7:12 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
How old do you think Jolene is? Weren't they engaged a mere 15 years ago? If they were, say, 20, then she is only 35 now, hardly old. At least, you better think that it's hardly old! 
Most royal couples or betrothed at an even younger age, so it's reasonable to say she was 14 or so and is now 29. If you have the timeline extended out further, she could be older, but I don't it would be higher than 40, which, I agree, is quite ancient.
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msherman
Briar Beast
(3/6/04 8:33 am)
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
Good point, old man. (Ask me again how I feel about 35 in three years...)
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smetzger
Staj
(3/6/04 8:40 am)
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
Quote:
How old do you think Jolene is? Weren't they engaged a mere 15 years ago?
I thought it was 25 years ago.???
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Infiniti2000
Night Beast
(3/6/04 8:52 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
No, it was actually 22 years ago (25 minus 3 years for the construction of the temple). Anyway, I just wanted to clarify what Jolene's age would be. I think I'm gonna make it 16+22=38. Not too old. I'll make Thrommel 18, just old enough to drink, plus the 5 years (IMC) it took Varachan to turn him into a vampire makes him a 23 year old looking man. IMC vampires do not age, so he still looks 23.
Infiniti2000, who's turning 35 in April. Ug. 
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Bluesman
Staj
(3/6/04 5:04 pm)
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Re: Jolene, Thrommel, and the King
Following Cadrael's suggestion for a poem as Jolene's message, how about:
In darkest night, the brightest flame
In furthest fall, the stoutest heart
Ours was an oath never to part
Whate'er your will, my love's the same.
Say not that there is naught to save:
The stars have whispered of our fate
If at the last you burn with hate,
I'll love your ashes to the grave.
Not a dry eye in the house...
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