Alternate use of Castle Whiterock
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 1:49 pm
Though I would love to run a Whiterock campaign, my availability (as well as that of my players) is extremely limited. So what I've done is incorporate parts of CW into the ongoing campaign. Specifically, I've planted Thane Vejik's redoubt and the Bleak Theater into the game close to the drow city of the original 1st ed modules (D1-2-3) , Erelhei-Cinlu.
Recently, the party attempted to track down and take out a villainous npc, a derro vampire cleric who was known via their divinations to be in possession of an important relic. This relic is necessary for them to successfully complete the main plot of the campaign, so the party set about trying to lay a trap for this npc. In the end the dice were against them and the villain npc escaped with the relic, though all his henchmen and one of his main hideouts were discovered and plundered or put to the sword. So what's a homeless vampire on the run from pcs to do? Retreat to the Underdeep! At least there he knows they won't haul his carcass out into the noonday sun.
During the attempt on the vampire's unlife, there was a LOT of collateral damage including, among others, a duergar ambassador (the pcs were aware of his presence but not his significance). The derro has spent his time since performing various divinations and sendings, and has assembled a group of creatures to help him against the party, each representing a group or entity which has suffered at the pcs' hands in the past.
Enter the Bleak Theater! The death of the duergar ambassador opened the door for me to introduce another villain, though one readily-enough neutralized. The party received a missive containing a formal challenge upon the field of honor from the derro vampire. Non-response or failure to appear for this challenge would result in a large sum of money being devoted to putting a price on the pcs' heads (enter the Wolf Pack, advanced to a high enough level to threaten the pcs).
Now the party has battled their way through the various obstacles of Descent into the Depths and part way through Vault of the Drow to reach the Bleak Theater, where they will be surprised to see some familiar (and unwelcome) faces in the arena.
Just one of the ways I am putting CW to good use, even without playing it from level 1...
Recently, the party attempted to track down and take out a villainous npc, a derro vampire cleric who was known via their divinations to be in possession of an important relic. This relic is necessary for them to successfully complete the main plot of the campaign, so the party set about trying to lay a trap for this npc. In the end the dice were against them and the villain npc escaped with the relic, though all his henchmen and one of his main hideouts were discovered and plundered or put to the sword. So what's a homeless vampire on the run from pcs to do? Retreat to the Underdeep! At least there he knows they won't haul his carcass out into the noonday sun.
During the attempt on the vampire's unlife, there was a LOT of collateral damage including, among others, a duergar ambassador (the pcs were aware of his presence but not his significance). The derro has spent his time since performing various divinations and sendings, and has assembled a group of creatures to help him against the party, each representing a group or entity which has suffered at the pcs' hands in the past.
Enter the Bleak Theater! The death of the duergar ambassador opened the door for me to introduce another villain, though one readily-enough neutralized. The party received a missive containing a formal challenge upon the field of honor from the derro vampire. Non-response or failure to appear for this challenge would result in a large sum of money being devoted to putting a price on the pcs' heads (enter the Wolf Pack, advanced to a high enough level to threaten the pcs).
Now the party has battled their way through the various obstacles of Descent into the Depths and part way through Vault of the Drow to reach the Bleak Theater, where they will be surprised to see some familiar (and unwelcome) faces in the arena.
Just one of the ways I am putting CW to good use, even without playing it from level 1...