Tag: Time of Troubles

Comics & Quests: Wake of the Realms Master

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

Since I don’t own copies of the Dragonlance or Spelljammer comics, this entry marks the end of my 1990s D&D comics. While there were other D&D comics over the years, it would take two full editions of the game before a licensed comic struck my fancy as much as the gang at Selûne’s Smile and the crew of the Realms Master did.

So let’s dive into one final adventure with our intrepid crew and see how the story ends for Dwalimor Omen and his faithful companions.

Continue reading “Comics & Quests: Wake of the Realms Master” →

Comics & Quests: Against the Gods

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

The D&D comics produced by DC came out right at the dawn of 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, so the Time of Troubles which shaped that edition’s Forgotten Realms setting played a major role from the beginning. Characters referred to magic going awry, the gods becoming more distant, and so on. However, as the Forgotten Realms comic draws to a close, the Time of Troubles finally arrives.

What happens to the crew of the Realms Master when the gods are suddenly cast down and magic stops working? Let’s find out.

Continue reading “Comics & Quests: Against the Gods” →

What is “Canon” in Baldur’s Gate 3?

On By Charlie BrooksIn Role-Playing Games, Video GamesLeave a comment

Spoilers for the Baldur’s Gate franchise follow.

Like any video game sequel, Baldur’s Gate 3 makes certain assumptions about what happened in the games that preceded it. This goes a bit beyond just the events of Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2, since Baldur’s Gate 3 also follows several novels, adventure modules, and comic books. And while continuity is what you make of it, there are many who want to know what the game considers “canon.”

Now note that “canon” is not the same as “official,” and it’s especially not the same as “right.” What follows is my take on the fictional events which set the stage for Baldur’s Gate 3. It bears no seal of approval from Wizards of the Coast or Larian Games, nor is it a suggestion that someone who plays through the older games is doing something wrong if they veer from the events described here. For example, in 100% of the Throne of Bhaal games I finished, I settled down with Viconia and made her a better person before she got assassinated by worshipers of Lolth. Her appearance in Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t ruin those old play-throughs; it just means that the events in that version of the Forgotten Realms happened slightly differently.

Continue reading “What is “Canon” in Baldur’s Gate 3?” →

Comics & Quests: Undead Love

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

In “Triangles,” the Realms Master added a new member of their crew in Jasmine…and I complained that she and Ishi were reduced to one-note romantic interests for Agrivar. But that was only her first story, so where are we now?

Well, the next tale, “Undead Love,” presents a lich seeking a bride…and selecting Jasmine as his wife-to-be. So it seems that the creative team has a very particular direction for this character.

Continue reading “Comics & Quests: Undead Love” →

Comics & Quests: Triangles

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

After a couple issues focused on providing some backstory for the crew, “Triangles” kicks off a longer story for the crew of the Realms Master and brings a new member into the adventuring party. True to this arc’s name, it also establishes a love triangle that puts the character of Ishi Barasume to the test.

I complained previously when “Spell Games” did Vajra dirty by running through a checklist of “strong female character” tropes that were already tired by 1990. Ishi is this title’s strong female character, and she also provides east Asian representation, since her homeland of Kara-Tur is a hodgepodge of legends and stereotypes taken from our real world. Is Ishi bound for the same tone-deaf treatment that Vajra got, or does “Triangles” offer something better? Read on and judge for yourself.

Continue reading “Comics & Quests: Triangles” →

Comics & Quests: Phases of the Moon

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

The Advanced Dungeons & Dragons comic series lasted for 36 issues and one annual, but I would argue that the main story of the series ends with issue #22, which concludes the “Phases of the Moon” story. Not that the comic shouldn’t have continued after that–as we will see, there are certainly some more fun stories to tell–but after this story all the plot hooks that appeared back in “The Gathering” get largely wrapped up.

The actual storytelling in “Phases of the Moon” is messy and has a few plot holes that go unexplained. Nonetheless, it’s probably my favorite story in this series because it deals with my favorite character of the bunch: the innkeeper Luna.

Continue reading “Comics & Quests: Phases of the Moon” →

Troubled Times, Troubled Adventures: Making the Avatar Trilogy Work

On By Charlie BrooksIn Role-Playing Games2 Comments

I’ve made my feelings on the Avatar Trilogy painfully clear. But one question remains: if I hate the adventures, why do I know so much about them? Well, I did it to myself.

Years ago, I picked up Waterdeep at a yard sale. I tried to run it, but never got it off the ground – very few of my campaigns lasted beyond the first few levels, and I usually shied away from doing mid-level one-shots. Years later, in a 3rd edition game, I decided that I wanted to shake things up in my campaign setting with a Time of Troubles-style event, so I hunted down Shadowdale and Tantras on eBay.

Yeah…I actually bought these monstrosities of my own volition.

And you know what? The game I ran with them turned out to be a lot of fun.

Any adventure module can be fun if the DM puts work into it. In the case of the Avatar Trilogy, it was still a waste of money on my part because the amount of work I put into the adventures to make them playable exceeded the work I would have needed to write my own adventure from scratch. Adventure modules are supposed to make things easier for a DM, not harder.

That said, let’s say you somehow wound up with these modules and you want to put them to use. How can you make this mess of an adventure into something enjoyable? Well, here are my suggestions…

Continue reading “Troubled Times, Troubled Adventures: Making the Avatar Trilogy Work” →

Troubled Times, Troubled Adventures: Waterdeep, part six

On By Charlie BrooksIn Role-Playing Games1 Comment

At long last, we are on the last chapter of the Avatar Trilogy. Chapter 6 of Waterdeep is a long, convoluted mess that ends with a huge insult both in game and out of game. But let’s take it one step at a time.

“Midnight has seen the Realm of the Dead, and she would rather be destroyed utterly than live in the Realms if Myrkul rules them. What actually happened there? ‘Don’t ask,’ Midnight replies, shaking her head. ‘Never ask me that again.’

“The only fact she will reveal about her time in Hades is that she succeeded in gaining possession of the second Tablet of Fate – the one that had been held by Myrkul. As the PCs can deduce, her success occurred at just about the same time that Myrkul’s minions stole the first tablet. Thus, an ironic and uneasy balance is maintained – and the fate of Realms, as before, still hinges on which faction will ultimately possess both tablets at the same time.

“If the players think to post a guard over Midnight’s sphere in the Pool of Loss, go to Event 1. However, don’t remind them of this if they don’t think of it! No NPC thinks of it, either.

“If the PCs post no guard, skip the next event. PCs can undertake more adventures in Waterdeep (left as exercises to the DM). If and when they return to Blackstaff Tower to rest, go to Event 2.”

Continue reading “Troubled Times, Troubled Adventures: Waterdeep, part six” →

Troubled Times, Troubled Adventures: Waterdeep, part five

On By Charlie BrooksIn Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

As Chapter 5 of Waterdeep begins, the PCs have been separated from Midnight. They have also lost the Tablet of Fate to the god of death. But wait…didn’t the text in the previous section state that the PCs could hold onto the tablet if they took special pains to do so?

“If the PCs managed to hang onto their Tablet of Fate through the battle at Dragonspear Castle, they should lose it before they reach Waterdeep. Harry them with more night riders, or have Myrkul himself steal into camp invisibly and steal the tablet from its sleeping guard.”

Yeah…should’ve known better.

“Once they lose the tablet, the PCs still should head for Waterdeep. They can guess that is where Myrkul will be, with one or both tablets. Besides, they still want to meet Elminster, so that the sage can help them find Midnight.”

There is no part of that paragraph that I like.

Continue reading “Troubled Times, Troubled Adventures: Waterdeep, part five” →

Troubled Times, Troubled Adventures: Waterdeep, part four

On By Charlie BrooksIn Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

Chapter 4 of Waterdeep opens with a multiple choice path: either Midnight teleported the group to safety or they’re screwed. Breaking with my normal format, I’ll show the second option first, since it’s the non-assumed part that won’t get brought up again in the module.

Continue reading “Troubled Times, Troubled Adventures: Waterdeep, part four” →