dude this is sick, insta subscribed! Let it be known I was here when you had only 47 subscribers. Going to use this in my campaign right this second, Cheers Stephen!
Thank you so much for this brilliant analysis and backstory creation for Nezznar. LMoP is a great module but definitely lacks in explanation for Nezznar's motives. I've been running it for a fantastic group of players and we are nearing the end. It's the first campaign I've ever run, and I don't want to disappoint them (or myself!) with a lackluster ending, but I've been struggling to connect all the loose threads. I saw a similarly toned analysis of LMoP's young green dragon, Venomfang, on reddit. Dragons are greedy for magic, so giving him more depth and motivation/connection to the mine has been in my back pocket for a while, too. To inject some humor in our campaign, I renamed the dragon Savanna and gave her a delicious Southern belle accent (one of, like, two accents I can roleplay well!), which my players just loved. And I'm glad I did, because your explanation of drow society being matriarchal has clarified how I can connect Nezznar and Savanna. Perhaps Savanna is tied to Nezznar's matron, or perhaps she IS the matron . . . My players are also already suspicious of the Rockseekers' motivations (mostly because I've been vague on them so far, because the module is vague), so this altered storyline and insertion of doubt is perfect. I'm considering also putting some object of great worth and meaning in the last rooms of Wave Echo Cave, where the Forge of Spells is. I think it'll be an artifice of great significance. I REALLY want to bring in an object like the heirloom sphere from Critical Role, created by Matthew Mercer, as well... Maybe Nezznar's matron mother is the one who abolished the original Phandelver Pact, and the mages in control of the mine saw her as such a large threat that they trapped her inside the artifice. Before fleeing the mine during the final siege, they locked the artifice containing her in that final secured room, the Forge of Spells, that Nezznar is trying to get to . . . Now my brain is really churning, thanks to your inspiration. I think this has helped me figure out how to tie everything together. Thank you!! Note: I know this is a novel of a comment, but writing it all out helped me connect the dots. Rather than shorten my comment, I'm leaving all the detail, so any other DMs who stumble across it might gain some ideas. Good luck, fellow DMs!
Oh my God! I'm so glad I clicked on this. This plot twist is so rich and textured. I've already gone completely off book in the game I'm running as I find the module as written to be a bit dry. It seems more like a crime drama than an awe inspiring fantasy epic. I haven't introduced Nezznar yet but he's bubbling around behind the scenes. Thankyou so much for sharing this.
Im glad i clicked on this in searching for something more for Nazznar. I have been tinkering with LMoP adding peices from Dungeon Crate and what ever else I think would make the story more fun or work with what is happening at the time. I'm coming up on the end of Cragmaw Castle for my next session and don't know if I'll have enough left there and was looking for a way to bring in the Drow more, cause its time to push things to the next level and bandits and goblins have had their place. So to cut this short, my twist will now be that the Rockseeker brothers are the actual bad guys and want to make weapons of war and have been using the dopplegangers to cover their tracks. The Black Spider doesn't actually exist, it is something they made up in an effort to cover their tracks and keep people away. Thank you for the little piece I needed
This is great! Only thing I might add is that although he could be working for his Matron....what if he was seeking independence and the ability to overthrow the Matriarchy? Then would he go from a good bad guy to a great bad guy?
Tha is for sharing this, my players are starting Wave Echo Cave and I feel I have not set Nezzar up well enough. The adventure really doesn't give you anything about him besides the letter with Earno. This was my first campaign and I've learned a lot through running this adventure. I've was able to set up the ice dragon from Icespire Peak pretty well but now realize I needed to have done the same for Nezzar.
That is a really awesome take on Nezznar. I'm DMing for a group that are currently in the Wave Echo Cave. I may have to use this. I was thinking of maybe using what you said and finding a way to attach all of this to the next big adventure in Princes the Apocalypse. Perhaps the Matron Mother is looking for a powerful Magic in the Spell Forge that would allow Nezznar or her family easier access to those most powerful weapons that can be found in that quest?
Totally using some of this (probably use that monologue almost verbatim), but if the players do bite the hook he casts out, or even if they don't, I may introduce conflict between Nezznar and his Drow matrons. They might want him to use the Forge to bring all Sword Coast collapsing into the Underdark, but he thinks it would better serve Lolth's Purpose to use it to strengthen them against sunlight so that they can conquer the overworld. Any thoughts/point out inconsistencies? Using the monologue as he projects an illusory image of himself to taunt the party on their way from Thundertree to Cragmaw Castle.
I found a very interesting twist that Nezznar is a member of House Xorlarrin and is wanting to use the forge to help his house reclaim their lost city of Q'Xorlarrin that was taken by the Dwarves. For those who dont know, they are a drow house known for their wizards and that the men of the house have the privilege of being near equal to females (within their house they are even able to have intense debates with priestesses and even openly disagree with the matriarch herself and not be punished). They still have a matriarch who is in charge but have a more council, some would dare say democratic base of rule. A city run by this house would be a HUGE step forward for male drow and driders, a fact of which not even Gromph Baenre could not deny, and dwarves snatching that away because they have some special claim to the city due to it being some long lost ancestral city that they abandoned is be unforgivable, mainly to those groups that would have benifited from the city and especially to a male drow of House Xorlarrin like Nezznar. So he does not mindlessly seek the forge on the orders of his matriarch, he actively wants to reclaim the forge and use it as an instrument to reclaim his houses taken city - to reclaim his houses social standing among his people - to reclaim things no afforded to him anywhere else in Lothite society.
dude this is sick, insta subscribed! Let it be known I was here when you had only 47 subscribers. Going to use this in my campaign right this second, Cheers Stephen!
Fantastic!
I am definitly integrating this into my Nezznar!
Thank you so much for this brilliant analysis and backstory creation for Nezznar. LMoP is a great module but definitely lacks in explanation for Nezznar's motives. I've been running it for a fantastic group of players and we are nearing the end. It's the first campaign I've ever run, and I don't want to disappoint them (or myself!) with a lackluster ending, but I've been struggling to connect all the loose threads.
I saw a similarly toned analysis of LMoP's young green dragon, Venomfang, on reddit. Dragons are greedy for magic, so giving him more depth and motivation/connection to the mine has been in my back pocket for a while, too. To inject some humor in our campaign, I renamed the dragon Savanna and gave her a delicious Southern belle accent (one of, like, two accents I can roleplay well!), which my players just loved. And I'm glad I did, because your explanation of drow society being matriarchal has clarified how I can connect Nezznar and Savanna. Perhaps Savanna is tied to Nezznar's matron, or perhaps she IS the matron . . .
My players are also already suspicious of the Rockseekers' motivations (mostly because I've been vague on them so far, because the module is vague), so this altered storyline and insertion of doubt is perfect.
I'm considering also putting some object of great worth and meaning in the last rooms of Wave Echo Cave, where the Forge of Spells is. I think it'll be an artifice of great significance. I REALLY want to bring in an object like the heirloom sphere from Critical Role, created by Matthew Mercer, as well... Maybe Nezznar's matron mother is the one who abolished the original Phandelver Pact, and the mages in control of the mine saw her as such a large threat that they trapped her inside the artifice. Before fleeing the mine during the final siege, they locked the artifice containing her in that final secured room, the Forge of Spells, that Nezznar is trying to get to . . .
Now my brain is really churning, thanks to your inspiration. I think this has helped me figure out how to tie everything together. Thank you!!
Note: I know this is a novel of a comment, but writing it all out helped me connect the dots. Rather than shorten my comment, I'm leaving all the detail, so any other DMs who stumble across it might gain some ideas. Good luck, fellow DMs!
Oh my God! I'm so glad I clicked on this. This plot twist is so rich and textured. I've already gone completely off book in the game I'm running as I find the module as written to be a bit dry. It seems more like a crime drama than an awe inspiring fantasy epic. I haven't introduced Nezznar yet but he's bubbling around behind the scenes. Thankyou so much for sharing this.
Im glad i clicked on this in searching for something more for Nazznar. I have been tinkering with LMoP adding peices from Dungeon Crate and what ever else I think would make the story more fun or work with what is happening at the time. I'm coming up on the end of Cragmaw Castle for my next session and don't know if I'll have enough left there and was looking for a way to bring in the Drow more, cause its time to push things to the next level and bandits and goblins have had their place. So to cut this short, my twist will now be that the Rockseeker brothers are the actual bad guys and want to make weapons of war and have been using the dopplegangers to cover their tracks. The Black Spider doesn't actually exist, it is something they made up in an effort to cover their tracks and keep people away. Thank you for the little piece I needed
He was an archvillian for our group because, we assumed he was the mastermind and he had epic escapes from us.
If you're worried about going off book, the situation you described plays well into out of the abyss.. I'm currently setting up that lead in now
That was super useful, thanks a lot!
This is great! Only thing I might add is that although he could be working for his Matron....what if he was seeking independence and the ability to overthrow the Matriarchy? Then would he go from a good bad guy to a great bad guy?
Tha is for sharing this, my players are starting Wave Echo Cave and I feel I have not set Nezzar up well enough. The adventure really doesn't give you anything about him besides the letter with Earno. This was my first campaign and I've learned a lot through running this adventure. I've was able to set up the ice dragon from Icespire Peak pretty well but now realize I needed to have done the same for Nezzar.
Cool idea 💡
Magic Brian
That is a really awesome take on Nezznar. I'm DMing for a group that are currently in the Wave Echo Cave. I may have to use this. I was thinking of maybe using what you said and finding a way to attach all of this to the next big adventure in Princes the Apocalypse. Perhaps the Matron Mother is looking for a powerful Magic in the Spell Forge that would allow Nezznar or her family easier access to those most powerful weapons that can be found in that quest?
Totally using some of this (probably use that monologue almost verbatim), but if the players do bite the hook he casts out, or even if they don't, I may introduce conflict between Nezznar and his Drow matrons. They might want him to use the Forge to bring all Sword Coast collapsing into the Underdark, but he thinks it would better serve Lolth's Purpose to use it to strengthen them against sunlight so that they can conquer the overworld. Any thoughts/point out inconsistencies?
Using the monologue as he projects an illusory image of himself to taunt the party on their way from Thundertree to Cragmaw Castle.
Sounds like a blast!
I found a very interesting twist that Nezznar is a member of House Xorlarrin and is wanting to use the forge to help his house reclaim their lost city of Q'Xorlarrin that was taken by the Dwarves.
For those who dont know, they are a drow house known for their wizards and that the men of the house have the privilege of being near equal to females (within their house they are even able to have intense debates with priestesses and even openly disagree with the matriarch herself and not be punished).
They still have a matriarch who is in charge but have a more council, some would dare say democratic base of rule.
A city run by this house would be a HUGE step forward for male drow and driders, a fact of which not even Gromph Baenre could not deny, and dwarves snatching that away because they have some special claim to the city due to it being some long lost ancestral city that they abandoned is be unforgivable, mainly to those groups that would have benifited from the city and especially to a male drow of House Xorlarrin like Nezznar.
So he does not mindlessly seek the forge on the orders of his matriarch, he actively wants to reclaim the forge and use it as an instrument to reclaim his houses taken city - to reclaim his houses social standing among his people - to reclaim things no afforded to him anywhere else in Lothite society.
Great content!
very entertaining, do you dm by any chance? (in roll20) i would really love to play as a player in your campaign.
Not yet. I was looking into Fantasy Grounds though.