Lands of Intrigue: Castle Spulzeer Builder's Guide
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Lands of Intrigue: Castle Spulzeer Builder's Guide a Neverwinter Nights 1 Module by Erick “Alleyslink” Horton Based on Lands of Intrigue: Book 2 by Steven E. Schend & Castle Spulzeer by Doug Stewart TABLE OF CONTENTS Clink link for section's Table of Contents Prelude Guilds Chapters Key Concepts Story Arcs Henchmen TOC > Prelude The Unfortunate House of Spellseer The Possession of Xvim TOC > Guilds Temple of Major Cargunn's the Black Hand Mercenary Cowled Wizards (Bane) Guild Tower of Duskwood Dell Golden Fortress Willful Suffering (Ilmater) Tower of the Twisted Rune Shadow Thieves Vengeful Hand (Tempus) TOC > Chapters Chapter 1: Chapter 2: Chapter 3: Encounter in Eshpurta The South Road Hillfort Kelsha Chapter 4a: Chapter 4b: Chapter 5a: Skullgnasher Route Overland Route Trailstone Chapter 5b: Chapter 5c: Chapter 5d: Twin Towers of the Eternal Eclipse Cave of Wonders Rebels of Riatavin Chapter 5e: Chapter 5f: Chapter 6: Sunrise Orchid Orgoth's Tower Castle Spulzeer Chapter Thirteen TOC > Prelude: The Unfortunate House of Spellseer 1 2 3 An ancient, rich, powerful and wicked Some family left and founded Trailstone Chardath Spulzeer, current occupant, and family named Spellseer lived on the Amn others remained in the family castle, which Marble, his deaf mute sister recently and Tethyr Border. Horse trading made they converted to an inn catering to rich abode in the Castle. Kartak, plotting to their fortune, aided by family members' travelers with perverted tastes. Kartak kept once more encase his spirit in flesh, innate magical abilities. a secret chamber in the castle and there he mentally compelled Chardath to sacrifice hid his phylactery. Marble with Aggarath, the dagger whose Kartak Spellseer, The All Seeing, learned hilt-stone was the BRR. much of magic and decadence while living During Kartak's first lichdom, he and in Castle Spellseer. With powerful magical Rysellan founded the Twisted Rune, an evil Marble's blood formed a pool and from allies, including Rysellan the Dark, Kartak power group which dominated Tethyrian that a new figure coalesced, Kartak. This devised plans to return from the dead as a monarchies. Treacherous Kartak was later event caused the Planar Rift. Kartak lich. Finally, his mortal life was ended by a expelled and became embittered toward ceased his mental domination of Chardath mob of angry citizens and Kartak returned Rysellan. and fled to his other lair in the Kuldan in his new undead form. Peaks. Chardath went mad upon seeing When Kartak's Lich form was destroyed his what he had done. swore vengeance on The remaining family changed their name spirit fled to his secret chamber in Castle Kartak, dropped Aggarath to the floor to Spulzeer but their fortunes shrank as Spulzeer, he lingered there awaiting a beside Marble's shriveled body and fled Kartak's infamy grew. malleable person whose body he could the chamber gibbering. inhabit. TOC > Prelude: The Unfortunate House of Spellseer 1 2 3 The BRR was knocked lose of the dagger's Gentar, the djinn, enables Chardath's theft Kartak plots the destruction of Amn, hilt and glittered wetly in a puddle of of half Kartak's magic abilities, but which will be replaced by an evil nation coagulating blood. Chardath is unschooled in their use. under his surreptitious command. Servants later discovered Marble's body The ritual sacrifice opened a Planar Rift Chardath has half Kartak's powers and and the BRR was pocketed by the maid between the material and ethereal planes with Gentar is looking for Kartak. who found the corpse. She fled in terror of because more ghosts than marble haunt the the shadowy castle and its wicked dank passages of Castle Spulzeer. The Marble roams the halls of Castle Spulzeer occupants. castle has declined since those events and is hating Kartak and haranguing Chardath now haunted by Marble and myriad other for his weakness. Marble's spirit was not so lucky, she had ghosts. been trapped in the material plane and Gentar the Djinn happily abides in bound to the castle as a result of Kartak's The errant maid who stole the BRR on the Kartak's former Cave of Wonders. necromancy. In this new form she finally other hand has fled to her aunt's home in found a voice, which she uses to berate and Eshpurta. Ellana of Farhome is a fortune Aggarath is in Kartak's secret lair beneath torment Chardath for his actions. Wracked teller and part time fence of stolen property Castle Spulzeer. by guilt, Chardath accepts this abuse as he in the big city. Ellana senses the stone's evil plots his stumbling intrigues. and can find no buyers, instead she dumps The BRR is in the hands of Ellana of it on PC. Farhome and she waits for PC. TOC > Prelude: The Unfortunate House of Spellseer 1 2 3 > Next Kartak is utilizing his wealth to enact Kartak mocks Chardath and thinks Marble's Ellana's telling was misinterpreted, she vengeance on Amn. Currently, he is; ghostly wrath inconsequential. Kartak feared Gaspard would visit her, and she mistakenly thinks the BRR is still in the hilt was intimidated by his visage. - financing Sothillis and Feduk who harry of Aggarath on the floor of his chamber. the Hillforts, dividing the ACA. This oversight will be his downfall. Gaspard confronts PC, asks if they have gems for sale. He explains the current - mobilizing the Cyric Cultists from Twin Any who posses the BRR may activate it in events and gives them the quest with Towers of the Eternal Eclipse and the Dark Kartak's Castle Spulzeer secret chamber ambiguous goals like “Go South”. Redoubt. These forces he will soon unleash and summon the lich . on Eshpurta. He further explains the PC will need a Xvim feeds the Heralds misinformation Travel Visa to go south during the war. - bribing or blackmailing Riatavin and saying the BRR Ellana possesses is a Cyric Gaspard has many connections in the Trailstone officials into backing his Relic. Heralds have dispatched Gaspard de Guilds and assures them a spot. contrived secessionist rebellion. Louca to purchase it. Before he can, Ellana gives the BRR to the player and Gaspard Gaspard explains PC has been touched by Kartak plans are coming to fruition and changes Tactics. He plans to use the PC as unknown gods and can not suffer soon he will launch an all out attack on an his pawn to dispatch the (false) Cyric permanent death while on their mission, Amn which could erase the country from threat. the same goes for their henchmen. But the map. who is this unknown deity? TOC > Prelude: The Possession of Xvim 1 2 For many years Iyachtu Xvim, the half- The Planar Rift opened in Spulzeer Vale as The Former Banite Priests instantly demonic son of Bane formerly the lawful a result of Chardath's sacrifice of Marble at realized Bane was among them once again evil lesser deity of Fear, Hatred, Strife, and the command of Kartak. and quickly recognized Xvim. This new Tyranny, was imprisoned in Zhentil Keep. found faith gave Xvim the power to During this time, Xvim made contact with This caused the Haunted Taint which has escape his prison in Zhentil Keep and he Former Banite Priests who had fled effected Amn's Water Table and permits the begin plotting his resumption of power. underground following the events of the existence of Marble and the other Ghosts at Banedeath of 1361 DR. Castle Spulzeer and at the Haunted Springs. Xvim / Bane knew to complete their transformation, they (Xvim/Bane) must But Bane was dead and Xvim was not as When the Planar Rift opened it also tap new reservoirs of faith, to do that they powerful as the new deity in the Faerûnian allowed the escape of Bane's Spirit from the must dethrone Cyric as the reigning god of pantheon, Cyric. Banite Priests have Ethereal Plane to the Prime Material Plane. Hate, and Amn was the place to do it. deliberated for years about recognizing Xvim as Bane' heir. Bane's Spirit, knowing it's time to be short, Xvim/Bane is now headquartered in quickly found a new home. Eshpurta, with a few very close allies and The events at Castle Spulzeer will change is plotting the destruction of Cyric, but he the world in ways even Kartak could never Xvim, Bane's half demonic son, was soon is not yet at full power. have foreseen. located in Zhentil Keep's Dungeon and his body was soon inhabited by Bane's Spirit. TOC > Prelude: The Possession of Xvim 1 2 It is by this unlikely confluence of events Xvim / Bane uses the Planar Rift, the Many Guilds the PC can join are either which has put Xvim / Bane in the position Haunted Taint and Kartak's Plots as tools in knowingly or unwittingly serving Bane as of playing Savior to Amn in order to his war on Cyric. Using an agent he makes he reasserts himself. Few will know truth reassert his domination over the portfolio Gaspard aware of the BRR and says it is a before it's revealed at the Climax. of Hate. Cyric Artifact. Tempus, if the PC backs Whallnsor, Xvim / Bane's most hated and hunted foe is It is Xvim's hint about the BRR to the discovers Xvim / Bane's plot. Ilmater if the Church of Cyric, which has allied itself Heralds (Gaspard) which puts Eshpurta on the PC chooses to do Fort Ilbratha, with Kartak in his bid to overthrow Amn. Kartak's trail. Without that intelligence discovers Xvim / Bane's plot. Bane and Amn would be clueless.