Ashen Covenant - DDI Orcus Cult Article

[Mouseferatu]

Better figure it out before your Advanced Player's Guide is due.

Heh. I'm not working on the ritual chapter--the whole book isn't mine, just a large chunk--so it's somebody else's problem.

Also, I thought I'd re-ask, because my gut still bugs me: Is it intentional that Wraithstrike weapons get such a low enhancement bonus compared to other weapons of similar level?

Dunno. When I wrote the item, there was also a daily power attached to it. Perhaps they felt it was worth the cost without.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Love it MF, great stuff.
I have a question tho'. Although ti is obvious that an exarch is some one high up in orcus' favour, erm what is an exarch? Is it a game mechanic term or just one you like?
Cheers
M1.9P

 

[Mouseferatu]

Love it MF, great stuff.
I have a question tho'. Although ti is obvious that an exarch is some one high up in orcus' favour, erm what is an exarch? Is it a game mechanic term or just one you like?
Cheers
M1.9P

You'll find reference to "exarch" in several places throughout the 4E corebooks. It basically refers to someone who is a chief agent and/or emissary of a god (or other great power, like a demon lord), though the exact meaning, and the duties they're expected to perform, vary from power to power.

 

[mach1.9pants]

You'll find reference to "exarch" in several places throughout the 4E corebooks. It basically refers to someone who is a chief agent and/or emissary of a god (or other great power, like a demon lord), though the exact meaning, and the duties they're expected to perform, vary from power to power.

cheers

 

[vagabundo]

Great Article and great timing for myself.

I'm using KotS in a POL/Magnamund setting and needed another evil organisation that would not be allied to the Darklords. Looks like I've found it, since the Ashen Covenant is a logical follow-on to KotS.

 

[Ashardalon]

Since getting the core books last week, I've been torn between running a Shadowfell campaign or a Elemental Chaos campaign (with the evil villain being either undead or elemental).

This article presents a very interesting idea about combining the two threats... The cult of Orcus plotting to reawaken a primordial, in the attempt to change the laws of nature! Very wicked.

Exactly, why choose? Ice Archon liches seem to be possible, after all.


Err, and... isn't there something missing with the skull helm? Or would I know why it looks like that if I had the core books?

 

[WhatGravitas]

Dunno. When I wrote the item, there was also a daily power attached to it. Perhaps they felt it was worth the cost without.

Or it fell to an overzealous editor!

But cool article, with neat crunch and superb fluff! Interesting how well this new PoL cosmology actually meshes with old tropes (like Orcus) - it really grows on me.

Cheers, LT

 

[Byronic]

I know I shouldn't. Not amongst all the praises (it is a nice article) but I just have to get this off my mind.

“For of all the world’s most fearsome things,
the most dreadful by far is an empty grave.”

...

Really?

I mean really?

That's the most dreadful by far? An open grave?

I walked past an open grave. I thought to myself "it's such a good thing that they have machines to dig these things now. It saves so much work. Last time my character went past an open grave (he's a Cleric) he didn't think "how dreadful", he thought "Oh good, there are more then enough open graves here if something bad happens. How polite of them. Pre-dug graves"

I know that considering the context they probably meant "undead" but still. I can think of a hundred more fearsome things then that on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Last time my character came across an undead he simply raised his holy symbol and the thing crept into a corner in abject fear. If it still had the equipment I'm pretty sure the thing would have wet itself. Actually there was such a fearsomely disgusting and malodorous odour about, I'm not quite sure whether it really did lack the equipment for that last deed before it was cut up in small pieces and burned to ashes.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

I'm really impressed by all the Dungeon & Dragon articles so far. Plus, I'm hungry for new monsters, magic items, etc....

Pure win and awesome.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

That's the most dreadful by far? An open grave?

Makes sense to me; it's not just undead people are afraid of, but the threat of undead. Essentially, it's fear of the unknown, which is pretty real and can be particularly frightening.

Anyway, I like the article. This digital format is really nice, very easy to read and, statblock errors or no, the quality is high. Lots of good story stuff in here.