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#Post#: 1132--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: May 8, 2025, 10:13 pm
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Time for a new Volume. The first subject I am going to bring up
is that I am going to try to run a short game about the politics
of the Solamnic Knights and figure out if we can get them on the
same page, because they are broken into three factions right
now. The Sancrist Faction, The Sanction Faction, and the Empire
of Solamnia. The Sancrist Faction has tried to have James Markam
eliminated at least two times during the War of the Half-Giant.
It took a while for the Sancrist Faction to supply some troops
during the War, but Sanction did not.
It is a complex situation. Also trying to get a Knight Game
going from the ground level, boots on the ground Knights with
squires game.
#Post#: 1134--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII Tales of Karnea vol.1, Story Two
Karnea and Talia Part II
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: May 9, 2025, 4:59 pm
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Well, I stayed up all night waiting to edit Tales of Karnea
vol.1, Story Two Karnea, and Talia Part II. I thought maybe
Karnea's player was delayed, and I went to bed. Woke up, and it
had been posted after I went to sleep.
So Part II is up. I thank Adam for telling this part of Karnea's
life. There was no good way to place some of these stories, and
therefore, I am thankful we created this Tales of Karnea venue
so we may jump around the timeline and tell some tales that
"need to be told."
The breakup was not as bad as I was getting the feeling it was
going to be. It was a little messy, and Talia can be childish
and overdramatic at times, things that Karnea is very clearly
not. Still, they were together, off and on, for twenty-five
years, quite an accomplishment and something I never saw coming.
Never in a million years did I ever foresee Karnea A) being
bisexual (But then I never thought much about it in any way) B)
she would have a semi-romantic and professional relationship
with a Tiefling, but then it all makes sense pulling out in a
macro view. Look at who Karnea was raised with.
So now we have the beginning and the ending, for now, of their
relationship.
I am super deep into Chapter One of Story Three of Karnea, and I
am partway done, still waiting to see if Adam has any more to
contribute to this first chapter, otherwise, I am going to edit
this further and hopefully have it up just after Midnight.
I don't know if Karnea has ever encountered someone with the
Brass Balls as big as the Dark One himself, Fistandantilis, and
it was interesting to write this dance, which I hoped would
signify a happy outcome for all parties, and let me tell you, it
worked like a charm. I threaded the needle. This meeting not
only holds the lives of the Masters of Magic in the balance, but
the rest of Story Three. I had to get them through this meeting
without getting them into a war that would have turned out badly
for the rest of the game. He nearly checkmated the Masters of
the Conclave in the First Chapter. I wanted to show the old
Khasmaster at work. I hope I did him justice. It is an
interesting idea to play with him in this new era and do some
different things with him, considering what he has tried to do
and where that got him before and these new doors open to him,
what might he make of this life with this opportunity opened to
him that has not been open before. Mostly, I want him out there
so that Karnea has to look over her shoulder every once in a
while. She is epic level, but there always has to be someone out
there who is the bigger threat. I accomplished my three main
goals, Karnea could have screwed up any part of those goals, but
I finessed things enough to get it through the needle and now am
on the other side.
I have been in contact with Karnea's player, and she has some
more things to add, so I am looking at either tonight after
midnight, or this weekend sometime, I will have the first
Chapter up. It is seven pages at this point, I may need to break
it into two parts.
#Post#: 1135--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII Dropped Karnea, Master of the
Black Robe Story Three: Power Moves vol. I Chapter One
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: May 10, 2025, 9:10 pm
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Karnea, Master of the Black Robe, vol. I Story Three: Power
Moves Chapter One: The Gift Part One and Two have dropped. It's
a big one right off the bat.
Big Spoilers for the story, stop here and go read 423 AC Karnea
Master of the Black Robe vol. I Story Three: Power Moves
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/karnea-master-of-the-black-robe/karnea-master-of-the-black-robe-vol-i-story-three-power-moves/msg1136/#msg1136<br
/>and then come back here
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So this story might be controversial, I am adapting and
continuing what was depicted in the Relics and Omens short
story, the Restoration by Jeff Crook. I also diverge from the
Lost Legends Fistandantilis Novel in favor of the short story.
This character in question will not come to dominate the future
of Karnea, but he will just be around, out there. I hope I did
him justice. I am just happy they did not kill each other. That
was a miracle.
Karnea has been so open about opening the Towers and allowing
the red robe and the white robe to come to the tower.
But two things have made her diverge from having a purely open
relationship with the other two masters. She refuses to give
them access to the portal to Sigil, and she is withholding the
information about Fistandantlis. Very interesting, I thought she
would share the information in both cases, but
It is a matter of time before Jenna finds out about the portal
to Sigil.
So, it's up. This will let me get to the other stories that are
waiting to come out. I ended up being right. I had to break the
story in two and find the right breaking point. I don't know if
I chose correctly, but it seemed the right place.
Otherwise, finally posted. The start of a new story. It will be
interesting to see how this one is received. I feel like I
accomplished several key things in this chapter answers some
questions that have been around since the beginning of the game.
One has to do with the strangeness of Dalamar and Nalis at the
beginning of the game, which caused Karnea to distrust Nalis.
The other was Jenna and Dalamar's hyper-strange conversation
early in the Highmage's Story One in the Chapter: Non Sequitur.
They were still loopy for a time after their gassing by Raina
during her infiltration of Skullcap.
A Shadow Demon was going to show up in this Game until I
backtracked and went a different route.
The Shadow Realm is a place I have wanted to introduce into the
game for a while. This introduction will come back in the
future.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there.
I believe I am going to bed here soon.
I hope you enjoyed the story. If I have any more insights, I
will further add them here.
#Post#: 1141--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII vol. II Story One: The
Blackthorn Conspiracy
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: May 18, 2025, 1:16 am
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429 AC Hierophant of Chislev, vol. II, Story One: The Blackthorn
Conspiracy
The beginning of a new trilogy of stories coming out of our
gaming sessions and is the third open story for Talidaar.
The World of Elves has a couple of extra chapters coming
The World of Man has more chapters coming
The Blackthorn Conspiracy is a story that has been waiting to be
told for a long time. I just had to have the patience to get to
it. I had this idea long ago, but have only now put it into
words. I first started laying the trail in Talidaar's appearance
in Las in Ergoth First story, the chapter is when Talidaar
visits the Emperor, and Daera meets the Princess. The emperor
revealed that the last two Grand Druids had been killed after
Talidaar became Hierophant. Talidaar learned that nearly all of
the surveyors the emperor has sent to Southern Ergoth have been
killed.
I also revealed Wrynn Darkfeather was now the Grand Druid of
Chislev, and Darkfeather is a Druid of Vengenece
So first of all, Wrynn could have killed those surveyors, and
the emperor could have had the last two Grand Druids
assassinated. These two things are plausible, but as we are
going to see through the course of the story, we will find out
what is true and what is being hidden.
In the stories beyond, I am going to explore the current state
of the Druids of Ansalon, and through the World of Man, we will
see the Pre-War of the Lance Druids of Ansalon.
In this story, we also see the attack on Bale at Digfel, and
Talidaar finding the hanging villagers and his response towards
the Baron and his men. The trees around Digfel sprang from the
baron's men's bodies. The Baron met his end personally, coming
face to face with Talidaar as he was Shapechanged into a Grizzly
Bear, and he ripped the Baron apart.
That was fun to write, and I am glad to be getting Torin and
Ragrim on their way to pick up the Dwarven group that is still
at the Stone Dragon in Southern Ergoth.
Lashia will be starting as she drops the Dwarves off at Digfel,
and Lashia will get Story Two and winter in Northern Ergoth, and
attend the ball with her daughter, while Talidaar is off with
the current Grand Druid investigating who killed who and why?
Still working on Wydara, but I think I am close for Coryn to
come next, Jenna will follow. I have a map of the stories I have
to write yet.
Oh yeah, I have tried to have the game go on, but recognize some
people might get together in a physical sense, and so I do not
try to overdo it, but it make it sexy enough, that is,
suggestive enough, but not get explicit, I can only think of one
time I wrote about Las getting on the bed sugesstivly and I soon
had that fade to Black, I'm trying to think when it ever happens
otherwise, but in anycase, Lashia and Talidaar in this chapter
One, of Story One, of vol. II. It made me realise Lashia gets
hot over weird things. But Talidaar and Lashia showing the kids
how it is done, I almost was too late in fading to black.
Before their coupling, I loved Talidaar and Lashia discussing
what they were going to do with their friend Longshot, because
neither one wanted to take him and be responsible for him where
they are both going next. Talidaar flat-out knew he did not want
Longshot along on his delicate mission. And when Lashia explains
it plainly, what will happen if she has to vouch for him going
into Northern Ergoth, and what will happen if she goes to jail
for Longshot? She asks Talidaar to think hard about what he is
going to say to his wife when he comes to bail her out, because
it had better be something good.
So Talidaar thought twice and reversed himself and brought up
the babysitter idea. I just thought it was super cute, Lashia
holding it together, and laying it out plainly for Talidaar,
because he had been missing her points.
I say it all the time, but I love this couple so much.
The hardest thing I have to do as it is late spring where I am,
and the story times in the game it is winter, and I don't think
it shows up in this story, like I made it in the Karnea story
recently.
One last thing, eventually, I am going to create a playground
for the Lord City of Palanthas, Capital of New Capital of the
Empire of Solamnia. I plan to turn this into a sandbox for
players to roleplay in.
Home of the people of Palanthas, Palanthas Guards, The Thief
guild of Palanthas, Knights of Solamnia, Sailors, fishermen,
spies, Legion of Steel Cell, and plots yet to unfold.
I am going to get back to writing.
#Post#: 1150--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII Update of Sorts, More
Housekeeping and some Future things
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: May 27, 2025, 5:18 am
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So I have been moving some things around on the forum, most
notably Wizards of High Sorcery in the gaming section. I have
broken them down by moon affiliation. I have added a working
file on the Tower of Nightlund in Information for Coryn in the
efforts of establishing the Tower as a location for future
roleplaying. I have scoured my collection of Sourcebooks (though
I feel I am remiss, I have realized I do not have the 5th Age
Sorcery book that details further the Tower of
Palanthas/Nightlund) and online to try to erect the Tower of
Nightlund.
The Palanthas File in Rise for Solamnia has been set up for
future Roleplaying and gaming endeavors. I have A couple of
Knight stories coming. They are both kind of complex, and I am
taking my time to plan things out for a couple of games.
There are several bouts I have to detail for the next part of
Wydara next part, it is taking some more time.
I am preparing for Chapter Two of the next Karnea Roleplaying
session. It is, I'd say, 80% done. Several questions are going
to be answered, which is going to lead to more questions. In the
future, I'm going to be introducing the court of Takhisis, and
the appearance of a certain Handmaiden (My version of her, not
the Lolth Clone from the Wild Elves Module.) We will also enter
the Gray in this next Chapter.
That is all for now, Take care all.
I will give an update soon.
#Post#: 1151--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII Updates
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: June 8, 2025, 2:26 am
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Greetings,
Getting Chapter Two of Karnea Story Three prepared. I am deep
into writing out my third act. Adam is aware of the first and
Second Parts; it's a lot of internal political housekeeping, and
the second part is receiving guests in the form of several
Hirelings and Mercenaries that Palainess put together for
Karnea.
He has no idea what is coming in the Third Act. We delve into a
longstanding plot of who ordered the attack on Aravis.
For anyone who has been following along in the Children of the
Dragon Queen background stories, you will get some more pieces
of the puzzle, as this will deal with the mythological
dimensions of Aravis's story.
Also been doing a deep dive into Druids on Krynn and getting
things ready to redo the Information for the Hierophant and make
it more fluid and intuitive.
I am working on a lot of other things, too many to list. I will
update soon.
#Post#: 1152--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII Happy Fathers Day
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: June 15, 2025, 5:41 am
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Hello all,
Happy Father's Day to all the Dads.
I have been doing a ton of writing and planning, and preparing
for some upcoming game sessions. All of Talidaar's open stories
will be moving forward soon. I am getting Lashia story II off
the ground
Planning for the next chapter, Chapter 2 of Karnea Story III:
Power Moves. Doing some finishing touches on the 3rd act, and
got some things locked down about acts 1 and 2. So I'd say in
the next two weeks, depending on when Karnea's player and I can
get together on Discord to game out the session.
I am also told that Karnea's player has a story he is composing
for the Tales of Karnea.
I am running a Knight Game here soon. There is an overarching
background story for Solamnia.
There might be some time jumps coming up after we get some
pieces in place.
Sorry for the slow going. But everything is starting to come
together. We just have to get together to game.
Getting back with the player to finally finish the Song of
Rilla.
Patience.
#Post#: 1158--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII Kalana Hiewind
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: June 19, 2025, 6:50 pm
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Greetings,
Getting ever closer to posting the stories from our games. Just
taking a bit of time. Also, I am projecting out where things are
going and at times calculating scenarios to come, adding all the
variables and information, and trying to determine likely
outcomes based on my knowledge of the players. Sometimes they
surprise the hell out of me in the end, but I try to allow for
likely outcomes so I am not completely surprised during the
sessions.
I work with Adam to get a new character onto the board. I have
posted a story page for Kalana Hiewind. Adam and I are working
together on this Character/NPC. Since Karnea is not leaving the
Tower much anymore, at least that is the plan, I am suggesting
to Adam about taking over Kalana's actions from her NPC status
and act as Karnea's will. Kalana is probably the best suited for
this task.
The way Adam handled this initial outing with Kalana, he went
places with that NPC I had never conceived of before, and I
learned about some previously unknown sides to this NPC that I
had never fully explored before. Although I conceived of many
aspects of the Girls (Karnea's first coven at Schallsea), there
was a player in our 2nd Forum named Don, and he played Kalana,
and I ran Selene. They were deadly and dark. But now that we are
gaming again, we have not been able to find Don. Don and Adam
gamed in several personal gaming sessions, Roleplaying via
Messenger. I would have loved to game with Don on Discord, but
it had not been invented yet. Anyways, both Adam and I came away
with good memories of gaming with Don and Kalana, and we have
tried to honor the character, post Don. It's one of the main
reasons Kalana was one of the first of the Coven to join Karnea
on the Island in
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of
Power: Chapter One: Visitors. Kalana shows up in the very first
Chapter of Consolidation of Power.
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/karnea-master-of-the-black-robe/karnea-master-of-the-black-robe-34/msg62/#msg62
Kalana was sent away to run things in Northern Ergoth until
Karnea was ready to use Kalana, and now we are at that point in
the game.
Kalana is about to become a big player in the Tower of Blood
Sea. She is one of the original Bad Girls. Selene, a little
older than Kalana, but they are contemporaries and have been
through almost everything together before they split off on
their own. Selene stayed in touch with Kalana over the 5th Age.
There has always been an internal dynamics within the coven of
the Dark Elves: Selene, Kalana, Hestia, and Inari, and the
Humans: Vorena and Raina, that formed almost
fully in a section in my mind. I have tried to convey in words
different aspects, but it is Adam that truly understood and
conveyed some of it in the vignette between Aravis and Selene in
423 AC Aravis Daughter of the Black Moon Chapter Two: Perfection
Seen here:
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/black-robe-of-nuitari/422ac-aravis-daughter-of-the-black-moon/msg873/#msg873<br
/>
I am currently laying out in Story form from what has been
sitting in the recesses of my mind about the Journey of the
Girls that became the coven of Schallsea. I have not decided on
the venue in which the story will be told. But pieces will be
alluded to over time until it is posted.
An inside tidbit, Selene knows Kalana very well, Selene knows
Kalana is kind of a psycho, and to defuse any feelings
one-upmanship, she put them on the same floor so Kalana would
not carry a grudge for being made to feel less than someone else
in the coven. It is bad enough that Hestia and Inari are
Conclave Reps. There is some resentment there for those two. And
the thing is, there does not have to be. Karnea has every
intention of sliding Kalana in one day soon into the conclave.
Karnea wants to give different dark wizards each some experience
in the conclave to build the future. Karnea just needs Kalana
more right now as her personal Agent.
Kalana will be the board where wetwork will be taken care of.
Whatever needs to be done, Kalana will be acting. I will be
running the scenarios that come Kalana's way. For the time
being, her stuff will be handled in 423 AC Kalana Hiewind: Dark
Wizardess Story One: Agent of the Black Robe
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/black-robe-of-nuitari/423-ac-kalana-hiewind-dark-wizardess/<br
/>
Her stories will be carried out between the above link and in
the new Karnea stories from time to time.
We will see how Kalana fits in with Aravis.
That's all for now.
#Post#: 1159--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII Writng a story from my notes
about Karnea's Coven at Schallsea
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: June 21, 2025, 5:00 am
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I am working on a story from my old notes about the girls coming
together in Silvanesti, then in the Southern Ergoth Elven Exile,
and falling from the light. I determined some important facts
derived from my notes and was able to determine the girls' ages
when they went to Schallsea Isle in 371 AC.
I am going to determine the best way to tell the story, don't
know where it is showing up yet. It's not going to be too long,
just long enough. These girls have played a part in the story so
far, and I am looking forward to getting to know them a bit
more.
Dalamar will weave in and out of the story, as they come into
the same circles and meetings at different points across the
Elven Timeline. They cross in Silvanesti, Tarsis, and Southern
Ergoth early on.
Determining their Houses of Origin, coming into Magic, their
Shalafi, how they went to the dark side, and when they were
found out and cast out, their road to finding the human girls,
and finding a new Master, before Selene takes the girls to
Schallsea.
I find gaming in the Age of Despair very weird now that we have
been in the Age of Mortals for so long.
I'm still working on everything else, several things are ready
to be gamed when my players get back to me.
#Post#: 1162--------------------------------------------------
Behind the DM's Screen Vol. XII Fostering the Moon Child, and
more is coming soon.
DIR By: Dungeon Master
Date: June 26, 2025, 12:34 pm
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Greetings, This last week has been all research, researching
Silvanesti, of which there is not enough information on pre- or
post-Nightmare. I used to have the Syvan Vale. I need to pick
that up again and see what I might be missing.
Karnea's player just completed another story for the Tales of
Karnea anthology, and that will be going up here soon
I am going to ask Karnea's player if he is up to gaming soon, so
I will let you know when that is coming.
More Talidaar and Lashia are coming.
Reevaluating how I'm doing the fights for the Last Games of the
Season, I'm going for Wydara. There are so many fights to go
yet, and I need to cut down or I will never finish the next
chapter.
Sorry for the delay in things, as well as my detours into side
characters. Kalana will be very important to the Karnea main
story, so I needed a place to cover smaller moments with her and
also her missions for Karnea. This will be a big deal for
Kalana, becoming Karnea's personal Agent, now that Karnea is
limiting her trip out of the tower.
I've had the story of the girls in my head since 2012, so
finally doing their backstory has been a gift to work on, even
if we start out in Silvanesti. Of all the places I've gamed or
written about, Silvanesti has not been a location I have used
hardly at all, so after all this time, it is so strange to be
gaming there in Pre War of the Lance Silvanesti.
Going back and writing this will allow me to figure out how much
influence Dalamar had over the girls in the past.
Anyways, I will see what is coming soon and let you know.
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