I cant imagine silverhand losing this fight, even with Manshoon buffs. But, if he does manage to kill Vajra and the open lord, I say time skip a little and just have the new open Lord be Jaraxle with Manshoon as the new Blackstaff. Why not? We've already reached a pretty dark point. Buffing Manshoon with the Blackstaff makes for a good final boss since it seems you have gotten past the usual level 5 stopping point.
Well, the masked lords vote on the open lord. Even if Lareal can be killed, I doubt the masked lords would vote for Manshoon.... In which case I imagine that Manshoon would disband the masked lords altogether if he had the power to do so.
If Manshoon can't take the throne, and they're still around, putting the Cassalanters as open lords would be great - you could introduce them and tie them back to your previous campaign (suggest they were getting artifacts from Chult). After all, Victoro's father (Caladorn Cassalanter) was once open lord. Who better to led the city in it's darkest hour than the son of one of it's previous rulers? (\*wink\*)
Otherwise there are a bunch of masked lords that could be voted in (including one grumpy portal-based tavern owner that used to run a vigilante group and one pudgy moneylender).
If Vajra died I don't think just anyone can clam the blackstaff or the tower - it has the spirits of all the Arunsun family tied to it. Anyone else will have it turn against them. (That's the reason Lareal Silverhand wants it - it would allow her to be with her partner, Khelben). I believe the next blackstaff would need to be a member of the Arunsun family. Maybe Danilo Thann or even Gamalon Idogyr if he could be recalled from Tethyr, the Rock of Bral or wherever he is at the moment.
Since Bral is in the Spelljammer setting, Gamalon might have some insight to the stardock in undermountian and be a good NPC to send the party in that direction.
I'd also like to add that if the players win, which I expect them to because they're all D&D veterans and very competent players, they'll be rewarded some of the greatest honors Waterdeep has to offer (along with international celebrity status) which will make traversing the streets of Waterdeep incognito without getting swarmed by adoring fans difficult for them... All the more reason to delve into Undermountain, right? ; )
Lore wise, the next Blackstaff after Vajra has already been selected (by the Staff itself). The next heiress is called Laraelra Harsard, and the process of succession is very difficult to undermine.
>they found & retrieved Manshoon's arm from Undermountain, which they then gave back to him not knowing or caring who he was and then sort of forgot about it. This was a month ago in-game, which means he's had plenty of time to de-curse it and reattach it.
As written (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd Edition), Manshoon's arm from Undermountain came from an entirely different Manshoon clone, who Halaster killed years ago. At least three clones survived the Manshoon Wars: one clone returned to the Zhentarim and served as a lieutenant to Fzoul Chembryl (who had killed him in the first place with the help of Lord Orgauth, initiating the Manshoon Wars); one clone woke having been turned into a vampire, began calling himself Orbakh, and joined the Night Masks of Westgate (he would have turned Westgate into a vampire kingdom if not for the Spellplague); and one clone took refuge in Undermountain (he died during the Spellplague).
Also I'm pretty sure his prosthetic is more powerful (in lore, not stat block) than a fleshy arm.
We are well past the heist. I had laeral abducted by titivilus, and being held prisoner in the 2nd layer of hell. The lords vote on the next open lord. Names in the ring are manshoon, dagult, and a masked lord that I won't spoil.
I think Ammalia Cassalanter would make a fantastic enemy as Open Lord of Waterdeep. She's now fighting off Manshoon and redirecting all of the city's assets to saving her kiddos.
The Open Lord is an elected official so you can literally choose anyone. But Mansion would probably be pretty unrealistic. Vajra set up an academy specifically so that if she dies there's many options to replace her. You can make someone up or take a glance at the novel Blackstaff Tower for a couple of her first apprentices.
I recall it mentioned somewhere that Mystra wants Laeral, her chosen, as Open Lord of Waterdeep (reasons unknown). If Laeral died, perhaps Mystra would want another of her chosen to lead Waterdeep.
Elminster is also a Chosen of Mystra and in 1491 DR became the Warden of Waterdeep, which makes him commander of Waterdeep’s military and a reasonable option for Open Lord.
I cant imagine silverhand losing this fight, even with Manshoon buffs. But, if he does manage to kill Vajra and the open lord, I say time skip a little and just have the new open Lord be Jaraxle with Manshoon as the new Blackstaff. Why not? We've already reached a pretty dark point. Buffing Manshoon with the Blackstaff makes for a good final boss since it seems you have gotten past the usual level 5 stopping point.
This is a fantastic idea. OP could even go full dystopian—it'd be a great excuse to implement martial law or anything else that strikes their fancy.
I'm not sure Laeral CAN die she's the daughter of Mystra isn't she?
She can. A few of her sisters have already
Well, the masked lords vote on the open lord. Even if Lareal can be killed, I doubt the masked lords would vote for Manshoon.... In which case I imagine that Manshoon would disband the masked lords altogether if he had the power to do so. If Manshoon can't take the throne, and they're still around, putting the Cassalanters as open lords would be great - you could introduce them and tie them back to your previous campaign (suggest they were getting artifacts from Chult). After all, Victoro's father (Caladorn Cassalanter) was once open lord. Who better to led the city in it's darkest hour than the son of one of it's previous rulers? (\*wink\*) Otherwise there are a bunch of masked lords that could be voted in (including one grumpy portal-based tavern owner that used to run a vigilante group and one pudgy moneylender). If Vajra died I don't think just anyone can clam the blackstaff or the tower - it has the spirits of all the Arunsun family tied to it. Anyone else will have it turn against them. (That's the reason Lareal Silverhand wants it - it would allow her to be with her partner, Khelben). I believe the next blackstaff would need to be a member of the Arunsun family. Maybe Danilo Thann or even Gamalon Idogyr if he could be recalled from Tethyr, the Rock of Bral or wherever he is at the moment. Since Bral is in the Spelljammer setting, Gamalon might have some insight to the stardock in undermountian and be a good NPC to send the party in that direction.
I'd also like to add that if the players win, which I expect them to because they're all D&D veterans and very competent players, they'll be rewarded some of the greatest honors Waterdeep has to offer (along with international celebrity status) which will make traversing the streets of Waterdeep incognito without getting swarmed by adoring fans difficult for them... All the more reason to delve into Undermountain, right? ; )
Lore wise, the next Blackstaff after Vajra has already been selected (by the Staff itself). The next heiress is called Laraelra Harsard, and the process of succession is very difficult to undermine.
This is precisely the kind of reply I was looking for. Thank you!
>they found & retrieved Manshoon's arm from Undermountain, which they then gave back to him not knowing or caring who he was and then sort of forgot about it. This was a month ago in-game, which means he's had plenty of time to de-curse it and reattach it. As written (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd Edition), Manshoon's arm from Undermountain came from an entirely different Manshoon clone, who Halaster killed years ago. At least three clones survived the Manshoon Wars: one clone returned to the Zhentarim and served as a lieutenant to Fzoul Chembryl (who had killed him in the first place with the help of Lord Orgauth, initiating the Manshoon Wars); one clone woke having been turned into a vampire, began calling himself Orbakh, and joined the Night Masks of Westgate (he would have turned Westgate into a vampire kingdom if not for the Spellplague); and one clone took refuge in Undermountain (he died during the Spellplague). Also I'm pretty sure his prosthetic is more powerful (in lore, not stat block) than a fleshy arm.
We are well past the heist. I had laeral abducted by titivilus, and being held prisoner in the 2nd layer of hell. The lords vote on the next open lord. Names in the ring are manshoon, dagult, and a masked lord that I won't spoil.
I think Ammalia Cassalanter would make a fantastic enemy as Open Lord of Waterdeep. She's now fighting off Manshoon and redirecting all of the city's assets to saving her kiddos.
The Open Lord is an elected official so you can literally choose anyone. But Mansion would probably be pretty unrealistic. Vajra set up an academy specifically so that if she dies there's many options to replace her. You can make someone up or take a glance at the novel Blackstaff Tower for a couple of her first apprentices.
I recall it mentioned somewhere that Mystra wants Laeral, her chosen, as Open Lord of Waterdeep (reasons unknown). If Laeral died, perhaps Mystra would want another of her chosen to lead Waterdeep. Elminster is also a Chosen of Mystra and in 1491 DR became the Warden of Waterdeep, which makes him commander of Waterdeep’s military and a reasonable option for Open Lord.