Warning: Long!
My campaign has been going on for over 5 realtime years now. Since before the first session, one of the PCs has had the goal of getting to Nidala to find out his mother's mysterious past. Finally, after 17 weekend-long sessions and 6 gametime years, we're going to get there next session. My biggest fear is that after all the anticipation, it will be a let-down when they get there. So any help anyone can give would be appreciated.
Key Issues:
1) Entry point - how do they start finding info about his mother?
2) Complications - how does that lead to adventure?
3) Resolution - what unfinished business can they perform in his mother's stead that will give the trip meaning beyond an information dump?
Background: Here's what I've worked up so far on the PC's mother, Sharon... (John, I mean it, if you're still reading, scram!
)(Note: Since Belenus is a Celtic god, I plundered an online gaelic dictionary for names. I don't intend to make Nidala=Ireland, since the existing sources don't make it seem very Irish, and Tepest has prior claim. So it goes no further than a few names.)
- Sharon was born in the mining village of Sgorrglag, grew up with a boy named Conrad.
- Sharon's family left to move to Glenmurron when she was young, years passed.
- She became a priestess of Belenus, but still left to see best friend Conrad often in secret. Plauged by doubt in her faith.
- Always scared that she’d be caught, because priestesses must be celibate and ascetic.
- After one trip, came home to see Glenmurron destroyed by 'Banemaw'.
- Met Elena and her Guardians of Faith, who 'got there too late'. Elena tells her, "Belenus has spared you from the dragon, child. Truly you are a priestess of pure heart and faith. Come return with us to Touraine." (This instills a great deal of guilt in her, since it was precisely her lack of faith and impure thoughts that saved her.) She asks, "There was a chalice, a gift from my parents when I attained the priesthood..." But Elena cuts her off, "There is nothing left here. The beast took everything of value to his lair." (Elena's men have already plundered everything of value and loaded them on wagons.)
- On the way to Touraine, a wagon wheel broke, and fell on the leg of Urien, one of the soldiers. Sharon healed him. He called her "my angel." One soldier said the wagon was too heavy for the axle. Sharon wondered to herself what was in the wagon that was so heavy.
- In Touraine, she ried to throw herself into her faith to soothe her grief. She studied as much as she could, under the watchful eye of Andraste, the high priestess. Started to find discrepancies in the ancient texts she couldn’t explain. (several references to the husbands of priestesses and also to male priests.)
- Asked Andraste, and was repeatedly hushed and sent to penance. Was told that ancient Nidalan had many meanings and she was interpreting it too literally.
- Heard that a village in the mountains fell to Banemaw. Rushed to Sgorrglag to make sure Conrad was safe. He was. It was a different village. Conrad sensed her unease and fear and begged her to run away with him. But she couldn’t leave until she’d put an end to Banemaw. She resolved to find Banemaw’s lair herself and alert Elena.
- Back in Touraine, she studied ancient texts about dragons, how they had all been slain or died out. But found one tale of an egg hidden long ago in the mountains. From the description in the story, she thought she knew where it might be, near Sgorrglag. Remembered the holy passage: “A woman who walks the true path of Belenus holds within her the power to slay beasts darker than night.” **(this is a subtle hint that Sharon was following the true path because only by giving up a celibate life could she give birth to Leif, who has slain many beasts in his day)
- Took her ceremonial sickle and went alone to the cave. Found only an empty cave, with wagon tracks leading out. Followed the tracks and caught up to Guardians and Elena about to burn another small village. She attacked them; Elena blocked and sundered the sickle. Said, “You… You are interfering in the holy work of Belenus. I once thought you a holy woman, but now I sense great evil in you. The Libram of Belenus speaks truth: “No man is so pure that he throws not a shadow when Belenus gazes on him.” Take her to the question.”
- Taken to the dungeons and tortured, let free by Urien, who still remembered "his angel". During escape, spies chalice in castle and grabs it. Runs to Conrad, tells him he was right, it’s time to go.
- Sharon and Conrad flee downriver in a small boat into the Mists, arrive in Port-a-Lucine, get married, change their last name to Shadowlands (As in, "Sharon and Conrad, of the Shadowlands") and settle in Barovia, where they have Leif, the PC.
- Sharon dies in a house fire. Leif finds a crate of her belongings and asks Conrad about them. Conrad tells him he and Sharon came from Nidala, but not much more.
Phew.... still with me?
So, here's what Leif has to go on:
- The contents of that crate are:
The golden gown of a priestess of Belenus
her broken sickle
the chalice (now a magic healing chalice)
A holy symbol pin of Belenus
a fancy book in Nidalan **** (Leif has recently learned Nidalan, so figuring out what the book says is top priority. It's not a journal of her whole story. (would make the trip moot). Is it about Banemaw? Is it one of those histories that mentions priests marrying?) ***
- Conrad said basically that he never knew who was chasing her in Nidala, but she was always scared of something when she visited him. She brought the crate with her, and never said what was in it. Out of respect and fear, he never looked.
(here's the complete text of that encounter: http://www.themistway.com/Leif-intro.html )
- Leif's making the trip with Gondegal and two other Knights. I can tailor how much or little they know about Nidala proper as I see fit.
- Madame Eva once read the Tarokka for Leif, regarding his mother: http://www.themistway.com/RL-S5-Tarokka.html
I'm thinking the Beast is Elena's Banemaw aspect, The Myrmidon is Urien, the Avenger is Elena herself, the Soldier is Leif, who I hope (along with the other PCs) will put an end to 'Banemaw' somehow.
Once he reaches Nidala, what's he got to work with?
- He only knows Sharon and Conrad's first names, which won't get him very far
- Elena, Urien and Andraste are all still around, but Elena's unlikely to remember anything (or even be cooperative), so I need some hook to lead him to Urien and Andraste.
- Another member of the party has Ethereal Empathy and Ghostsight. Could be helpful to witness Resonance of some of the past events, but they'd have to get to the locations of those events first.
- Another NPC I need to introduce is the Seer of the Phantasmal Forest, a powerful diviner. He can help somewhat, but they have to find him first, and they have no reason to look for him, nor any idea he exists.
- What can be found in "Banemaw's lair"? 1st thought: plunder from the burned villages, but Elena can just keep that at Faith-hold, and who wold question her? 2nd thought: oil, torches, etc, but again, why the need to hide when you are absolute ruler?
And once the truth comes out, what's the act he will have to finish to make it worthwhile?
- reveal to all that Banemaw is a lie? And get them to believe him? What kind of proof could he find?
- reveal to all that Elena's teachings of Belenus (including celibacy for priestesses and no male priests) are lies? Again, what's the proof?
- Destroy Elena's ability to continue the Banemaw charade? (I toyed with her having some kind of oil-pumping wagon that could spray down villages with oil before burning them. He could destroy that wagon, but big deal, she could just build another.)
- claim to have killed Banemaw and offer some false proof?
- avenge his mother's death? (Was someone sent to the Core to finish her off? Was the fire not an accident?)
For a long time, I had a general idea of how this would go, but now that crunch time approaches and I need details, I'm floundering. Any help is appreciated. Thanks for reading this far, at least.
