The MotP details this more closely, but some places of interest to note:
- Astrazalian, City of Starlight: An eladrin city which exists in the mortal world during the Spring and Summer, and spends the Fall and Winter in the Feywild. While in the mortal world, it is locally well known and commercially available. In the Feywild, it is under constant attack from fomorians and other evil fey who could use it as a stronghold for raids in the mortal world. The leader of the city is a relative to Tiandra of the Summer Fey, and service to Astrazalian is looked on favorably in her court.
- Brokenstone Vale: Home of lycanthropes in the Feywild, visiting here could be related to a side trek for the Maiden of the Moon. Perhaps she wishes to purge it, or the PCs learn of a plot between fomorians/lycanthropes to ambush and slay the Maiden; defending her would earn her trust.
- Cendriane: Eladrin city ruin, haunted by undead and holding ancient secrets.
- The Feydark: Fey equivalent of the Underdark, home to various fomorian and goblin kingdoms, etc. One of these is Harrowhame, ruled by a bipolar fomorian king with ties to Brokenstone Vale. A variety of adventures await here, as the dark fey seek to take advantage of the faction war to claim as much power and territory for themselves as possible. The center of power in the Feydark lies with the insane(?) lord of Mag Tureah. This underground realm has unstable ties to the mortal realm and possibly the Far Realm, and the fomorian king may not be as mad as everyone thinks he is. If he was able to unite the underground tribes, he'd be virtually unstoppable.
- Maze of Fathaghn: A dryad wood protecting the Mother Tree, this might be the location of something important. Perhaps the wood of the Mother Tree is necessary to heal Oran or something.
- Mithrendain, the Autumn City: Detailed further in Dragon #366, this timeless eladrin city sits atop a carefully guarded sealed portal to the feydark. The adventure "The Dark Heart of Mithrendain" in Dungeon #157 (Aug '08) is a 10th level adventure for PCs just stumbling into the Feywild - maybe a great transition to the feywild portion of the campaign.
- The Murkendraw: The darkest swamp of the feywild, and the life that fills it is just "wrong." It is home to various fey beasts and monstrosities, most notably hags, the greatest of whom is Baba Yaga, keeper of secrets. She is evil but can be bargained with, though her deals are treacherous - "Few are wise enough to outwit her, and the truly wise don't even try." (MotP)
- Nachtur, the Goblin Kingdom: Ruled by a goblin wizard chief trying to establish some semblance/credibility of civility, Nachtur might have a mercenary part to play in the faction war. Or perhaps a courier or something was kidnapped/stolen by them and must be liberated.
- Senaliesse: Home of the Summer Fey and the Court of Stars. Likely not visitable until late paragon tier.
- Shinaelestra, the Fading City: An eladrin city of rangers, which worldfalls into a savage area of the mortal realm between midnight and dawn every day. It is also threatened by the fomorian kingdom of Vor Thamil, ruled by a mad queen trying to emulate her insane idea of a "civil and formal royal court" (I'm envisioning something like Alice in Wonderland's the Queen of Hearts, only crazier). PCs captured by her must bow to her whims or be horrifically killed; perhaps this is a result of some PC action gone wrong and they must formulate an escape.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Other Fey Courts
More from the MotP:
"Merfolk and other aquatic fey collectively assemble in the Court of Coral. The fey of the rivers and oceans bow to the will of the eladrin archfey known as the Sea Lords. Elias and Siobhan Alastai are brother and sister, eladrin who only a few centuries ago achieved a level of power elevating them to the archfey. Because of their recent elevation, they are less emotionally detached than many of the archfey. They are, if not approachable, at least not as terrifying as
many of the other great nobles of the Court of Stars. Strangely, few eladrin manifest the aspect of nature related to the waters of the world, and the Sea Lords rule a council made up primarily of powerful noneladrin races native to the deep lakes and oceans.
Elias claims as his domain the shallows—the rivers, the lakes, even the shoreline reefs of the Feywild. His rulership of this domain brings him in constant contact with races who live along the strands. He considers their welfare a testimony to his mastery of the sea elements, and he is quick to aid his subjects if he senses unnatural dangers approaching. Elias is quick to laugh and loves music.
Siobhan is the more melancholy of the two. She rules the deep oceans and rarely leaves her underwater city, preferring to let Elias act as their ambassador to the Court of Stars when necessary. She considers herself the guardian of the ocean and all the deep places beneath it. Like the ocean waters she roams, Siobhan is slow to anger, but when she does, her wrath drowns entire lands. She can summon hurricanes, waterspouts, and tidal waves when her interests are threatened. Although Tiandra, Oran, and the Prince of Frost are considered the most powerful of the archfey, none of them has yet tested Siobhan at her full strength."
The Sea Lords could be helpful allies for the PCs to make. This could include some underwater adventures, which would be fun. Perhaps one of the fallouts of the faction war is that the Sea Lords decide to claim a higher place in the Court of Stars, and decide to test their real strength against the other Courts.
"Sparked by the arcane influence within the Feywild, some archfey manifest more abstract qualities than seasons or living nature. Many are associated with dreams, darkness, stars, twilight, dusk, and other such nocturnal phenomena, and so they are collectively known as the Gloaming Fey. Although equal in power to the other courts, these archfey keep their own
counsel. They are composed of a loose league, rather than a proper faction, but when the Court of Stars is in session, they band together during court intrigues.
The most well known of the Gloaming Fey is the Maiden of the Moon. She is a formidable hunter who carries a silver sword said to be able to cut through nightmares. The Maiden of the Moon wages a private war against lycanthropes and other savage killers, and she is considered benevolent toward mortals. Although she has many hunting camps in the Feywild, one in particular is a portal to her own private sanctuary on the shining moon above.
The Prince of Hearts is an eladrin archfey dedicated to the principles of beauty, gallantry, and love. One cannot be too careful around the Prince of Hearts. He has been known to grant boons to any who aid him in uniting true lovers separated by circumstance. At other times, the fire of unrequited love best suits his aspect. The Prince of Hearts sometimes meddles in the lives of mortals he believes should be in love, attempting to drive them together. If the unlucky pair dislike each other to begin with, he finds the attempt even more delightful."
The Gloaming Fey would be the wild card in the faction war, seeking any opportunity to cause strife and mischief just for the fun of it. The Maiden of the Moon and the Prince of Hearts could be useful allies, but could just as easily be detractors and always tempting the characters off on side treks. Other Gloaming Fey might be more sinister, seeking to mire the PCs in the swamps, mists, dreams, and twilight they embody. Some of these could be characters the PCs must seek out for help or clues, i.e., Baba Yaga who knows the Prince of Frost's real name, etc. Such assistance only comes with a steep price.
"Merfolk and other aquatic fey collectively assemble in the Court of Coral. The fey of the rivers and oceans bow to the will of the eladrin archfey known as the Sea Lords. Elias and Siobhan Alastai are brother and sister, eladrin who only a few centuries ago achieved a level of power elevating them to the archfey. Because of their recent elevation, they are less emotionally detached than many of the archfey. They are, if not approachable, at least not as terrifying as
many of the other great nobles of the Court of Stars. Strangely, few eladrin manifest the aspect of nature related to the waters of the world, and the Sea Lords rule a council made up primarily of powerful noneladrin races native to the deep lakes and oceans.
Elias claims as his domain the shallows—the rivers, the lakes, even the shoreline reefs of the Feywild. His rulership of this domain brings him in constant contact with races who live along the strands. He considers their welfare a testimony to his mastery of the sea elements, and he is quick to aid his subjects if he senses unnatural dangers approaching. Elias is quick to laugh and loves music.
Siobhan is the more melancholy of the two. She rules the deep oceans and rarely leaves her underwater city, preferring to let Elias act as their ambassador to the Court of Stars when necessary. She considers herself the guardian of the ocean and all the deep places beneath it. Like the ocean waters she roams, Siobhan is slow to anger, but when she does, her wrath drowns entire lands. She can summon hurricanes, waterspouts, and tidal waves when her interests are threatened. Although Tiandra, Oran, and the Prince of Frost are considered the most powerful of the archfey, none of them has yet tested Siobhan at her full strength."
The Sea Lords could be helpful allies for the PCs to make. This could include some underwater adventures, which would be fun. Perhaps one of the fallouts of the faction war is that the Sea Lords decide to claim a higher place in the Court of Stars, and decide to test their real strength against the other Courts.
"Sparked by the arcane influence within the Feywild, some archfey manifest more abstract qualities than seasons or living nature. Many are associated with dreams, darkness, stars, twilight, dusk, and other such nocturnal phenomena, and so they are collectively known as the Gloaming Fey. Although equal in power to the other courts, these archfey keep their own
counsel. They are composed of a loose league, rather than a proper faction, but when the Court of Stars is in session, they band together during court intrigues.
The most well known of the Gloaming Fey is the Maiden of the Moon. She is a formidable hunter who carries a silver sword said to be able to cut through nightmares. The Maiden of the Moon wages a private war against lycanthropes and other savage killers, and she is considered benevolent toward mortals. Although she has many hunting camps in the Feywild, one in particular is a portal to her own private sanctuary on the shining moon above.
The Prince of Hearts is an eladrin archfey dedicated to the principles of beauty, gallantry, and love. One cannot be too careful around the Prince of Hearts. He has been known to grant boons to any who aid him in uniting true lovers separated by circumstance. At other times, the fire of unrequited love best suits his aspect. The Prince of Hearts sometimes meddles in the lives of mortals he believes should be in love, attempting to drive them together. If the unlucky pair dislike each other to begin with, he finds the attempt even more delightful."
The Gloaming Fey would be the wild card in the faction war, seeking any opportunity to cause strife and mischief just for the fun of it. The Maiden of the Moon and the Prince of Hearts could be useful allies, but could just as easily be detractors and always tempting the characters off on side treks. Other Gloaming Fey might be more sinister, seeking to mire the PCs in the swamps, mists, dreams, and twilight they embody. Some of these could be characters the PCs must seek out for help or clues, i.e., Baba Yaga who knows the Prince of Frost's real name, etc. Such assistance only comes with a steep price.
Green Fey
From the MotP:
"Oran, the Green Lord, is the greatest of the archfey of nature. He could be mistaken for an elf, albeit one a head taller and far more muscular than any other elf in existence. Oran’s wild eyes are jet black and set in a rugged face the color of oak. His thatched hair is a mess of brambles and long braids. As a hunter and woodland warrior he is unrivaled. It is said even the god Corellon regards him with a cautious respect. Oran is attuned to every branch and bough, every stream in every forest of the Feywild. In addition to elves who dwell in the Feywild, he has the loyalty of many treants, dryads, and satyrs. Those fey who pledge fealty to Lord Oran are known as the Green Fey.
If Oran has one weakness, it is the wild nature of his heart. He can fall sway to mood swings as violent as thunderstorms. His relationship with Tiandra, for example, is legendary. It was Oran who sculpted Tiandra’s palace of Senaliesse. Over the centuries, they have been lovers, they have been deadly rivals — and once, for two hundred years or so, they managed to be both at the same time. The fey of the Court often try to win favor by supporting one regent or the other in these times of romantic turbulence. At the present, the relationship of Oran and Tiandra is that of passionate friendship. Lord Oran is aware of his impetuous nature, and he values Tiandra’s cool intellect to temper his decisions. They often act in tandem when the Court of Stars is in session, particularly on matters of security and warfare.
Although Lord Oran is the most powerful of the Green Fey, many other perilous archfey also belong to this faction."
One of these is the Eochaid, detailed in Dragon #381 (Nov/09). He is nature and magic made manifest, and seeks to protect artifacts and expand the power of fey magic. Capricious and amoral, he considers the mortal world "mundane" and will protect the sanctity of the feywild at all costs.
As mentioned in the Summer Fey entry, driving a wedge between the Green and Summer Fey would be the keystone in any plan to upset the balance of power in the Court of Stars. Inflaming Oran and Tiandra's relationship would be the first step, and division will follow. Perhaps she has taken yet another mortal lover, and he finally grows tired of her fickleness. With a traitor in his camp, this could be stoked into violent hatred. If the PCs decide to support the status quo, exposing this traitor and reuniting Oran and Tiandra would be paramount.
A possible complication would be earning the enmity of one or both sides. Perhaps the PCs are held responsible for some terrible wrong done to the Feywild, and correcting this wrong would be the first step towards returning to Oran's good graces. Wild and tempestuous, anything could set the Green Fey off, severely hindering the PCs.
"Oran, the Green Lord, is the greatest of the archfey of nature. He could be mistaken for an elf, albeit one a head taller and far more muscular than any other elf in existence. Oran’s wild eyes are jet black and set in a rugged face the color of oak. His thatched hair is a mess of brambles and long braids. As a hunter and woodland warrior he is unrivaled. It is said even the god Corellon regards him with a cautious respect. Oran is attuned to every branch and bough, every stream in every forest of the Feywild. In addition to elves who dwell in the Feywild, he has the loyalty of many treants, dryads, and satyrs. Those fey who pledge fealty to Lord Oran are known as the Green Fey.
If Oran has one weakness, it is the wild nature of his heart. He can fall sway to mood swings as violent as thunderstorms. His relationship with Tiandra, for example, is legendary. It was Oran who sculpted Tiandra’s palace of Senaliesse. Over the centuries, they have been lovers, they have been deadly rivals — and once, for two hundred years or so, they managed to be both at the same time. The fey of the Court often try to win favor by supporting one regent or the other in these times of romantic turbulence. At the present, the relationship of Oran and Tiandra is that of passionate friendship. Lord Oran is aware of his impetuous nature, and he values Tiandra’s cool intellect to temper his decisions. They often act in tandem when the Court of Stars is in session, particularly on matters of security and warfare.
Although Lord Oran is the most powerful of the Green Fey, many other perilous archfey also belong to this faction."
One of these is the Eochaid, detailed in Dragon #381 (Nov/09). He is nature and magic made manifest, and seeks to protect artifacts and expand the power of fey magic. Capricious and amoral, he considers the mortal world "mundane" and will protect the sanctity of the feywild at all costs.
As mentioned in the Summer Fey entry, driving a wedge between the Green and Summer Fey would be the keystone in any plan to upset the balance of power in the Court of Stars. Inflaming Oran and Tiandra's relationship would be the first step, and division will follow. Perhaps she has taken yet another mortal lover, and he finally grows tired of her fickleness. With a traitor in his camp, this could be stoked into violent hatred. If the PCs decide to support the status quo, exposing this traitor and reuniting Oran and Tiandra would be paramount.
A possible complication would be earning the enmity of one or both sides. Perhaps the PCs are held responsible for some terrible wrong done to the Feywild, and correcting this wrong would be the first step towards returning to Oran's good graces. Wild and tempestuous, anything could set the Green Fey off, severely hindering the PCs.
Summer Fey
From the MotP:
"Tiandra, the Summer Queen, is one of the mightiest of the archfey. With a smile, she can ripen a crop, and with a frown, summon wildfires. Noble eladrin infused with the spirit of summer, count themselves as her barons. Other spirits of growth and good favor follow her banner. Her court and its followers are known as the Summer Fey.
Tiandra appears as an eladrin of great beauty, with honey-colored skin and hair that shimmers through all the colors of autumn leaves. Her eyes shine golden, like the sun. Her gaze alone can drive people mad.
The Summer Queen’s Court, in the palace of Senaliesse, is a reflection of her unearthly beauty, and the court can appear frivolous. Fairies flit at her side. Every inch of her throne room is decorated with flowers, fountains, and fine silks. This vivid and rich sensual imagery is all merely a distraction from her fierce intelligence. Tiandra is a master strategist, both in the Court intrigues and on the battlefield. She also possesses an odd, dry sense of humor and a surprising
streak of pragmatism.
Tiandra has an amused fondness for mortals. She craves the unpredictability and urgency instilled by their brief life span. She commands performances by mortal playwrights and commissions poems from poets who strike her fancy. She even goes so far as to take the occasional mortal lover. These relationships have tempered in her the disdain most archfey carry for mortals. She is nominally less fickle in her dealings with mortals than most other powerful fey. The Summer Queen has granted favors to those who serve her well."
The Court of Stars meets in her abode at Senaliesse, described on MotP page 46. This is the center of the intrigue surrounding the Court of Stars, and invitations to this place are rare. This would be a location the PCs would visit maybe mid-paragon, when they've done deeds worthy of notice, and they would return here throughout their adventures.
The Summer Fey are more or less allied with the Green Fey, though Tianna and Oran (lord of the Green Fey) can sometimes be at odds. One of the goals of detractors in the faction war would be driving a wedge between the Summer and Green Fey, as together, their alliance easily outmatches the other faction's strength. Though nominally the "good guys", it must be remembered that the Summer Fey are just as capricious as the other fey, and cannot be trusted any more than the other factions. The Summer Fey would not start a faction war, and would be hesitant to escalate it, but when threatened, they will certainly bend all their strength to their defense.
"Tiandra, the Summer Queen, is one of the mightiest of the archfey. With a smile, she can ripen a crop, and with a frown, summon wildfires. Noble eladrin infused with the spirit of summer, count themselves as her barons. Other spirits of growth and good favor follow her banner. Her court and its followers are known as the Summer Fey.
Tiandra appears as an eladrin of great beauty, with honey-colored skin and hair that shimmers through all the colors of autumn leaves. Her eyes shine golden, like the sun. Her gaze alone can drive people mad.
The Summer Queen’s Court, in the palace of Senaliesse, is a reflection of her unearthly beauty, and the court can appear frivolous. Fairies flit at her side. Every inch of her throne room is decorated with flowers, fountains, and fine silks. This vivid and rich sensual imagery is all merely a distraction from her fierce intelligence. Tiandra is a master strategist, both in the Court intrigues and on the battlefield. She also possesses an odd, dry sense of humor and a surprising
streak of pragmatism.
Tiandra has an amused fondness for mortals. She craves the unpredictability and urgency instilled by their brief life span. She commands performances by mortal playwrights and commissions poems from poets who strike her fancy. She even goes so far as to take the occasional mortal lover. These relationships have tempered in her the disdain most archfey carry for mortals. She is nominally less fickle in her dealings with mortals than most other powerful fey. The Summer Queen has granted favors to those who serve her well."
The Court of Stars meets in her abode at Senaliesse, described on MotP page 46. This is the center of the intrigue surrounding the Court of Stars, and invitations to this place are rare. This would be a location the PCs would visit maybe mid-paragon, when they've done deeds worthy of notice, and they would return here throughout their adventures.
The Summer Fey are more or less allied with the Green Fey, though Tianna and Oran (lord of the Green Fey) can sometimes be at odds. One of the goals of detractors in the faction war would be driving a wedge between the Summer and Green Fey, as together, their alliance easily outmatches the other faction's strength. Though nominally the "good guys", it must be remembered that the Summer Fey are just as capricious as the other fey, and cannot be trusted any more than the other factions. The Summer Fey would not start a faction war, and would be hesitant to escalate it, but when threatened, they will certainly bend all their strength to their defense.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Winter Fey
There's an article in Dragon Magazine #374 (April 2009) detailing the Prince of Frost, and some of his winter fey followers. Also known as the Pale Prince, he is the mightiest of the winter fey, but not necessarily their lord - though most of them would follow him if he asked it. He is the son of Tiandra, queen of the summer fey, and used to belong to that court, where he was known as the Sun Prince. When the love of his life ditched him to wed a mortal, his heart turned to ice and he became obsessed with possessing her and destroying the knight. They fled to the Raven Queen, who put their souls in stasis pending a future rebirth and owing her a favor. Ever since, the Prince of Frost has been searching for his reborn love, to make her suffer as much as she made him suffer. His hatred of the mortal realm is his second motivation, desiring to cover it in ice and misery just as it did to him.
Older archfey recall his days as the Sun Prince, and feel pity for him. In kind, the Prince of Frost still holds a certain loyalty to his family and would come to the aid of the summer fey in dire need. Younger, more foolish summer fey actively work against him. The Prince of Hearts from the gloaming fey would be an ally against the Pale Prince, as the Prince of Frost seeks to divide lovers, while the Prince of Hearts seeks to bring them together. The Prince of Heart's assistance would likely come in the form of assisting to reunite the Prince of Frost with his lost love and return him to the days of his joy (and perhaps reverting to his persona as the Sun Prince).
In addition, the Prince of Frost holds an uneasy truce with the Raven Queen - he hates her for what she did to his lover, but respects her power and hold over cold and darkness. In return, she respects his power and honor, along with the other aspects of their domains which are similar. They could be potential allies and consorts.
Although evil, the Prince of Frost is honorable and keeps his word. He respects wit and trickery, and will play games with his foes for the enjoyment of toying with them. Enemies who can play along earn his admiration, though not his mercy.
Regarding other winter fey, from the MOTP:
"The fey lords who choose the path of winter—of deadly cold, biting ice, and blinding snow—are known as the Winter Fey. Although they have no true leader, the most powerful and ruthless of the lot is the Prince of Frost. When he bothers to convene his allies of the long night, his faction is known as the Winter Court. Narrow of build, pale, and light-haired, the Prince of Frost has a smile that does not warm. He is not unnecessarily cruel, but he has not an ounce of mercy in his heart. He allies with other archfey only when facing the direst of threats. The Prince of Frost prefers to deal with his enemies quickly and viciously, with little regard for collateral damage. For some inscrutable reason, the Prince of Frost holds mortals in utter contempt. Although he appears content for now to rule his lands in the Feywild, rumors constantly circulate that he plots to freeze the entire mortal world into one long, eternal glacial age."
Potential plot point - The Prince of Frost and the Raven Queen have formed a truce and an alliance to extend their agendas together. Knowing the other archfey won't support his bid for dominance over the mortal realm, he first needs to neutralize the other factions before he can act (likely throwing them into confusion and disarray, not necessarily destroying them). If the PCs decide to work against him, the info regarding his downfall can be learned from the summer fey (perhaps tricking his mother into revealing info about him), from the RQ herself, or other sources as mentioned in the Dragon #374 article. Allying with the Prince of Hearts could also be beneficial. The Prince of Frost is written as level 31, and if he rises to dominance in the faction war, would prove a worthy epic foe.
Older archfey recall his days as the Sun Prince, and feel pity for him. In kind, the Prince of Frost still holds a certain loyalty to his family and would come to the aid of the summer fey in dire need. Younger, more foolish summer fey actively work against him. The Prince of Hearts from the gloaming fey would be an ally against the Pale Prince, as the Prince of Frost seeks to divide lovers, while the Prince of Hearts seeks to bring them together. The Prince of Heart's assistance would likely come in the form of assisting to reunite the Prince of Frost with his lost love and return him to the days of his joy (and perhaps reverting to his persona as the Sun Prince).
In addition, the Prince of Frost holds an uneasy truce with the Raven Queen - he hates her for what she did to his lover, but respects her power and hold over cold and darkness. In return, she respects his power and honor, along with the other aspects of their domains which are similar. They could be potential allies and consorts.
Although evil, the Prince of Frost is honorable and keeps his word. He respects wit and trickery, and will play games with his foes for the enjoyment of toying with them. Enemies who can play along earn his admiration, though not his mercy.
Regarding other winter fey, from the MOTP:
"The fey lords who choose the path of winter—of deadly cold, biting ice, and blinding snow—are known as the Winter Fey. Although they have no true leader, the most powerful and ruthless of the lot is the Prince of Frost. When he bothers to convene his allies of the long night, his faction is known as the Winter Court. Narrow of build, pale, and light-haired, the Prince of Frost has a smile that does not warm. He is not unnecessarily cruel, but he has not an ounce of mercy in his heart. He allies with other archfey only when facing the direst of threats. The Prince of Frost prefers to deal with his enemies quickly and viciously, with little regard for collateral damage. For some inscrutable reason, the Prince of Frost holds mortals in utter contempt. Although he appears content for now to rule his lands in the Feywild, rumors constantly circulate that he plots to freeze the entire mortal world into one long, eternal glacial age."
Potential plot point - The Prince of Frost and the Raven Queen have formed a truce and an alliance to extend their agendas together. Knowing the other archfey won't support his bid for dominance over the mortal realm, he first needs to neutralize the other factions before he can act (likely throwing them into confusion and disarray, not necessarily destroying them). If the PCs decide to work against him, the info regarding his downfall can be learned from the summer fey (perhaps tricking his mother into revealing info about him), from the RQ herself, or other sources as mentioned in the Dragon #374 article. Allying with the Prince of Hearts could also be beneficial. The Prince of Frost is written as level 31, and if he rises to dominance in the faction war, would prove a worthy epic foe.
The Court of Stars
Ok, I'll start out by just exploring some of the different factions. Much of this material is just condensed from the Manual of the Planes (MotP), with some additional campaign ideas by me.
First, some general notes on the Court of Stars. From the MotP:
"Several times a year, at no set schedule, the archfey and their allies gather for a parliament and bacchanalia, merging their royal courts into one great congress. They spend the time negotiating, feasting, scheming, marrying, and betraying each other. The collected court has no true leader, but it is hosted by the archfey known as the Summer Queen. The eladrin call this assembly the Court of Stars.
Over the centuries the signatories to the Court of Stars have aligned themselves into factions. These vie for influence in the Court, which translates into arcane power and territory out in the Feywild. Most archfey and their followers count themselves as members of more than one faction, often supporting rival forces when it suits their purposes. Despite this chaotic mix of power, allegiances, ambition, and treachery, open conflict is rare in the Court of Stars. Favor is won through clever wordplay, duels using proxies, and ever-shifting schemes. Adventurers make useful cat’s-paws for eladrin nobles.
Separate from the eladrin archfey factions, the remainder of the Court of Stars is composed of attendant faeries, ambassadors from other fey races, centaur chieftains, and various interplanar hangers-on. Many creatures attending the Court have worked for decades to gain enough influence to seek an audience with the Summer Queen. Some of these attendants from other lands have gone native. They have forgotten their original missions, and they now live out their days in the wondrous, intoxicating beauty of the Feywild."
Perfect. This provides the foundation of the campaign. One or more of the factions have decided to make a move on ruling the Court of Stars, and breaking the truce that has held it together for time immemorial. Given the honor of the fey, this might have an outside influence; a deity or primordial thinking to take over the Feywild and usurp its power.
First, some general notes on the Court of Stars. From the MotP:
"Several times a year, at no set schedule, the archfey and their allies gather for a parliament and bacchanalia, merging their royal courts into one great congress. They spend the time negotiating, feasting, scheming, marrying, and betraying each other. The collected court has no true leader, but it is hosted by the archfey known as the Summer Queen. The eladrin call this assembly the Court of Stars.
Over the centuries the signatories to the Court of Stars have aligned themselves into factions. These vie for influence in the Court, which translates into arcane power and territory out in the Feywild. Most archfey and their followers count themselves as members of more than one faction, often supporting rival forces when it suits their purposes. Despite this chaotic mix of power, allegiances, ambition, and treachery, open conflict is rare in the Court of Stars. Favor is won through clever wordplay, duels using proxies, and ever-shifting schemes. Adventurers make useful cat’s-paws for eladrin nobles.
Separate from the eladrin archfey factions, the remainder of the Court of Stars is composed of attendant faeries, ambassadors from other fey races, centaur chieftains, and various interplanar hangers-on. Many creatures attending the Court have worked for decades to gain enough influence to seek an audience with the Summer Queen. Some of these attendants from other lands have gone native. They have forgotten their original missions, and they now live out their days in the wondrous, intoxicating beauty of the Feywild."
Perfect. This provides the foundation of the campaign. One or more of the factions have decided to make a move on ruling the Court of Stars, and breaking the truce that has held it together for time immemorial. Given the honor of the fey, this might have an outside influence; a deity or primordial thinking to take over the Feywild and usurp its power.
Thinking Fey
Having looked through the Manual of the Planes, I think it would be a lot of fun to do a campaign which centered around the intrigues of the Feywild Court of Stars - the Summer Fey, the Winter Fey, the Gloaming Fey, the Sea Lords, etc. Part adventure, part politics, there would be all sorts of avenues for both RP and Combat.
It's not just every mortal adventurer who gets invited to the Summer Court, and so things would have to work up to that. It would initially be a set of adventures in the early to mid-heroic tier that brings the adventurers to the attention of one or several Archfey. By levels 6-9, they would be undertaking initial missions for various fey lords. At paragon tier, they would find themselves in the Feywild, adventuring through various demesnes and becoming more entwined in fey politics. Much of this level of adventure could be more sand-box than linear, as various factions approach them and offer rewards for service. The choices of the PCs would determine future options and consequences. Perhaps the epic finale of the campaign would be an all-out faction war in the Feywild, and the allegiances of the PCs would determine the lordship of the Summer Court and it's cosmological effects.
The directions this could go are all over the place. The starting point would be outlining the story, and the motivations of the various factions. Because there are multiple events going on simultaneously, the PCs will obviously not be involved in everything. While they are on a mission for the winter fey, the summer fey have something else going on which will have impacts when the PCs return from their current mission. How the characters play the politics game will have corresponding results on the options available to them. While the storyline would have certain inevitable milestones, the state of affairs when that milestone is reached will vary and will impact how things progress to the next milestone.
This could be a lot of fun to plan out. A cross-planar political intrigue campaign. I know I haven't played anything like this before, should be an interesting exercise. I'll work on the story and faction motivations first, and once that's outlined, I can figure out how to work the PCs into the mix.
It's not just every mortal adventurer who gets invited to the Summer Court, and so things would have to work up to that. It would initially be a set of adventures in the early to mid-heroic tier that brings the adventurers to the attention of one or several Archfey. By levels 6-9, they would be undertaking initial missions for various fey lords. At paragon tier, they would find themselves in the Feywild, adventuring through various demesnes and becoming more entwined in fey politics. Much of this level of adventure could be more sand-box than linear, as various factions approach them and offer rewards for service. The choices of the PCs would determine future options and consequences. Perhaps the epic finale of the campaign would be an all-out faction war in the Feywild, and the allegiances of the PCs would determine the lordship of the Summer Court and it's cosmological effects.
The directions this could go are all over the place. The starting point would be outlining the story, and the motivations of the various factions. Because there are multiple events going on simultaneously, the PCs will obviously not be involved in everything. While they are on a mission for the winter fey, the summer fey have something else going on which will have impacts when the PCs return from their current mission. How the characters play the politics game will have corresponding results on the options available to them. While the storyline would have certain inevitable milestones, the state of affairs when that milestone is reached will vary and will impact how things progress to the next milestone.
This could be a lot of fun to plan out. A cross-planar political intrigue campaign. I know I haven't played anything like this before, should be an interesting exercise. I'll work on the story and faction motivations first, and once that's outlined, I can figure out how to work the PCs into the mix.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
FRCG
As most of my D&D experience has revolved around the Forgotten Realms, it only makes sense to continue the tradition. Here's some ideas from the FR Campaign Guide that might be interesting to expound on:
- Page 50: The Spellplague. This has had a major effect on the current state of affairs in Toril, and our current campaign hasn't touched it at all. Spellplagued creatures at least would be interesting, even if it's just a journey through a pocket of plaguelands on the way to somewhere else.
- Page 53: Fey Sites. I have an idea that the Feywild will feature heavily in my campaign idea, so this is good stuff to note. Fey Mounds could be burial sites of power with guardians that must be visited, and there's any number of options for Fey Crossroads, portals to the Feywild. Other good stuff is on page 68, about Feywild lore. Fey-related kingdoms include the Yuirwood in Aglarond, Cormyr (ally to Myth Drannor and the fabled "Queen of Thorns" sleeping in the King's Wood), the Dalelands (ally to Myth Drannor and home to Cormanthyr Forest, Shadowdale, etc), Estagund (Nacmoran), Evereska, Evermeet, Luruar, Moonshae Isles, Myth Drannor, Rashemen (Ashenwood, Erech Forest), Sea of Fallen Stars (Myth Nantar), and Tethyr (Wealdath Forest).
- Page 50: The Spellplague. This has had a major effect on the current state of affairs in Toril, and our current campaign hasn't touched it at all. Spellplagued creatures at least would be interesting, even if it's just a journey through a pocket of plaguelands on the way to somewhere else.
- Page 53: Fey Sites. I have an idea that the Feywild will feature heavily in my campaign idea, so this is good stuff to note. Fey Mounds could be burial sites of power with guardians that must be visited, and there's any number of options for Fey Crossroads, portals to the Feywild. Other good stuff is on page 68, about Feywild lore. Fey-related kingdoms include the Yuirwood in Aglarond, Cormyr (ally to Myth Drannor and the fabled "Queen of Thorns" sleeping in the King's Wood), the Dalelands (ally to Myth Drannor and home to Cormanthyr Forest, Shadowdale, etc), Estagund (Nacmoran), Evereska, Evermeet, Luruar, Moonshae Isles, Myth Drannor, Rashemen (Ashenwood, Erech Forest), Sea of Fallen Stars (Myth Nantar), and Tethyr (Wealdath Forest).
Purpose
This blog is nothing more or less than my travelling notebook of story ideas for D&D. Bad ideas, good ideas, bad ideas that might turn into good ideas, this is where I'll write it all down. Eventually I hope to build a whole campaign out of this stuff, but for now it's just random ideas. I don't expect anyone other than myself to ever read this, but if you aren't me, enjoy. Just don't steal my stuff.
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