Post Hour of Screaming Shadows Soth - Advice

[HuManBing]

A few points I wanted to address:

1. Suggestions for a lieutenant. I also like the idea of a non-martial lieutenant serving Soth, primarily because the Death Knight now has to be subtle about what he does in case his foes find him and exterminate him. (Not at all easy to do, but sometimes even Ravenloft's own equivalent of Darth Vader needs to be wary of his limits.) If you're after a non-military leader, check out the Soth short story in "Tales of Ravenloft". The story revolves on the dealings at a gambling inn, and the assumption is that anybody good enough to cheat the house and win will be devious enough to serve (however unwillingly) as Soth's 2-i-c. The main character there is a card sharp named Oliver Arkwright (and he does indeed become Soth's unwilling captain - for a brief time), but another notable is a woman named Tisiphone. Both are rogues and ne'er-do-wells, and both could be used by Soth as honey traps or silver-tongued diplomat types to recruit help. For details' sake, the inn was called the Iron Warden, and the game was to decide who owned the inn (and by extension, who became the warden of the Iron Hills).

2. Drakov and Soth: No doubt, Soth would flatten Drakov in a one-on-one duel, and given his undead immunities, he would probably stand a good chance of overthrowing the tyrant even if he had considerably fewer allies. The interesting thing is BOTH Soth and Drakov come from Ansalon ... it is entirely possible that Drakov has heard of Soth's fearsome reputation. Once the darklord is free to move about the Demiplane, Drakov's response can hardly be calm-inspiring.

However, there are those who think Soth would be a better military leader. To be certain, he's not so obsessed with torture and ruling his hapless citizens into the ground. But bear in mind that all Knights of Solamnia are repeatedly characterized as out-of-touch and old-fashioned, even by the standards of Krynn's pseudo-medieval setting. Drakov's main military failing was his inability or unwillingness to use gunpowder weapons against his foes. His mighty warriors would fall, even against the relatively low-level resistance offered by Dementlieu and Borca. I don't think Soth is necessarily one to embrace gunpowder either - ALTHOUGH he probably would embrace magic on the battlefield.

3. Other darklord reactions: I love the idea of Soth vs. Drakov, but don't forget the greater geopolitical picture. How would other darklords view this revolution? If Soth were careful to disguise his identity (in fact, if all the other darklords believed the 'canon' explanation and think he truly did die in the Hour of the Screaming Shadows!) then people could just think it was Oliver Arkwright and his band of recalcitrant PCs. Diplomacy could be the main thing stopping the other darklords from intervening - and that's where the PCs could come in handy.

Perhaps Boritsi and Dilisnya want a greater cut of Falkovnian produce trade in future. Perhaps the Church of Ezra offers to provide humanitarian aid to the populace if they're given free rein to establish congregations.

But perhaps the trickiest question of all concerns the usual mover and schemer behind Ravenloft's grand machinations... What Would Azalin Do? If indeed Soth is running loose, how would the lord of Darkon take the news? Can the PCs hope to fool him about Soth's freedom?

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

A few points I wanted to address:



2. Drakov and Soth: No doubt, Soth would flatten Drakov in a one-on-one duel, and given his undead immunities, he would probably stand a good chance of overthrowing the tyrant even if he had considerably fewer allies. The interesting thing is BOTH Soth and Drakov come from Ansalon ... it is entirely possible that Drakov has heard of Soth's fearsome reputation. Once the darklord is free to move about the Demiplane, Drakov's response can hardly be calm-inspiring.

However, there are those who think Soth would be a better military leader. To be certain, he's not so obsessed with torture and ruling his hapless citizens into the ground. But bear in mind that all Knights of Solamnia are repeatedly characterized as out-of-touch and old-fashioned, even by the standards of Krynn's pseudo-medieval setting. Drakov's main military failing was his inability or unwillingness to use gunpowder weapons against his foes. His mighty warriors would fall, even against the relatively low-level resistance offered by Dementlieu and Borca. I don't think Soth is necessarily one to embrace gunpowder either - ALTHOUGH he probably would embrace magic on the battlefield.

First off, Soth is from Ansalon, but Drakov is from Taladas, it's unlikely Soth knows Taladas even exists.

Secondly, Soth hails from an era when the Knights of Solamnia where respected and did lead armies. He successfully repelled a seige from Dargaard Keep, he lead Kitiara's armies against Palanthas in the War of the Blue Lady. Soth is very much a martial figure.

[HuManBing]

So noted re: Drakov not being able to know Soth from Krynn.

However, re: the second point. I'm not arguing Soth is not a martial leader. I'm saying he's probably an antiquated, though fearsome, enemy. He himself would be a great swordsman and very hard to defeat, but with regards to his followers, he'd probably be the type of character who insists on many years' training with the sword (or other weapon) and battle formations, and cavalry and seige tactics.

Things like gunpowder and magic use - anything requiring new-age flexibility - would probably flummox him.

That's my two copper pieces.

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

So noted re: Drakov not being able to know Soth from Krynn.

However, re: the second point. I'm not arguing Soth is not a martial leader. I'm saying he's probably an antiquated, though fearsome, enemy. He himself would be a great swordsman and very hard to defeat, but with regards to his followers, he'd probably be the type of character who insists on many years' training with the sword (or other weapon) and battle formations, and cavalry and seige tactics.

Things like gunpowder and magic use - anything requiring new-age flexibility - would probably flummox him.

That's my two copper pieces.

I see him more as a slaughter-them-all-and-turn-them-into-zombies type, myself...

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Given that Soth got used to dragon-based warfare pretty quickly, during the War of the Lance on Krynn -- dragons, which IIRC hadn't been seen in Ansalon since Huma's day, well before Soth's mortal lifetime -- as well as making shrewd tactical use of the likes of draconian troops and flying castles, a piddly little thing like gunpowder shouldn't be so difficult for him to adapt to. Heck, he might even like the way it demonstrates how obsolete those old Solamnic ideals of knighthood really are!

[Manofevil]

Drakov COULD have heard of Soth. I've never read any of the stuff on Taladas so there's no way of telling exactly how much knowledge might have found its way across the sea for the people of Taladas to learn. . Drakov might also have heard of Soth since he came to RavenLoft.

As far as gunpowder goes. I posted a question on the old Kargatane site involving the following scenario: Soth surprises a gunman in the forest. The gunman spins and fires and plants a shot through Soth's visor and between his eyes. What is the effect on Soth? The conclusion we came to in that is unaffected by damage to his corporeal self. Meaning his corpse. My impression based on that discussion is that Soth, structurally, is basicly a corpse animated by a ghost. Blunt force and piercing damage probably don't cause him a great deal of pain, unless it's like a cannonshot or something. Fire and lightning are far more effective. Could Soth learn to use gunpowder? probably. Is he especially vulnerable to it? Not really. Does he need it? With all his other abilities, I doubt it. To quote a famous Solamnic knight from 'Test of the Twins', Someone who can kill you by pointing at you and saying 'Die' has a significant advantage in battle. It might make for some interesting situations, though. I have this image of Soth galloping back after the battle with his corporeal head hanging off at an odd angle and his ghostly head standing straight up with an infuriated glare on his face. He stomps into his tent and takes off his helmet (and head) and dumps the pieces of his skull out it onto a table and bellows "BRING ME THE SUPER_GLUE"

[HuManBing]

Again - like I said before - I don't think gunpowder (or indeed any mortal attack, really) will pose much of a PERSONAL threat to Soth. But it could cause problems for his armies, which he will probably need to at least partially compose of living human soldiers. The point is I don't think he should be portrayed as a political force who can effortlessly topple another. Make him work for it, make him a villain with clear limitations and clever tactics to work around them, and then if he triumphs over the likes of Drakov, the victory will be that much more dramatic.