217 replies to this topic

[dragonagefun]

a lot of great ideas! Now, please keep in mind i am still new to the toolset. I am still learning as I play with the toolset so bear with me while I learn how to put in features such as puzzles, companions etc..

This mod will be added into the main campaign, with a travel point on the map so your characters can explore it. If anyone is good at scripting, please send me a message! I'm sure I could use your help =)

[dragonagefun]

I got this from the codex:


"The legend of Calenhad himself only grew over time, as stories and sightings multiplied, even long after the point when Calenhad could possibly still be alive. Some say he disappeared into the Korcari Wilds or went to live with the dwarves or even became a monk in a reclusive Chantry order. The Chantry named Calenhad one of the Anointed in 7:88 Storm. Calenhad's sword, Nemetos, was left with Mairyn and became a symbol of Ferelden kingship over the next century. Rumors of its magical powers grew, and when it was lost in the ambush that killed King Venedrin in 8:24 Blessed, it was seen as a great blow to the Theirin line. Several false swords have appeared since that time, but never has the true sword resurfaced."

Does anyone have more lore to add about King Calenhad? I'd like to try and stick close to lore if possible.

Also, this mod will probably take a little longer to release. Seems like I need to add in quite a bit of features.

[pvpgirl]

"Calenhad is often known as the "Silver Knight", due to his wearing a brilliant silver suit of enchanted armor bestowed to him by the Circle of Magi when they endorsed him."

From the wiki.

[Dream00]

If you make companions, coudl you please make it compatable with Ser Gilmore and Return to Korcari?

[vernvern]

Er, undead? In the tomb of a "good" king? That is not lore friendly at all. Enchanted hostile suits of armor perhaps, but if you include undead or darkspawn you need to modify the story for the tomb such that they are intruders. Say something like, the party stumbles on a troop of darkspawn raiding the tomb (and that is how they find it).

You also have the problem of the tomb location - Given the lake Calenhad tradition of burning bodies in boats, it's name, and proximity to the castle and mage tower, it is most likely that Calenhad was burned, not buried. (and hence the missing "body" which might lead to legends of his staying alive)

If he was buried, it would be a tourist attraction, OR located deep within a castle or palace. (hence inaccessible to the party or anything else) He was too famous to simply keep hidden, nor had they any reason for doing so. If there was a "tomb" at all, it would likely have been some kind of ceremonial gravesite, perhaps located in his birthplace, and unlikely to hold either body or ashes.

However - a ceremonial gravesite MIGHT have given something like an armor suit after his death to honor the event and location. So a "fake" tomb might be a reasonable story element (and unlikely to conflict with any future official story lines). "Real/authentic" or not, a magic suit of armor could well be contained within.

With respect to locations, my first thought would be, from the collapsed "temples" in the swamps around Flemeth's, someplace in the south. A ceremonial tomb that fully or partly sank in the swamp, thus becoming forgotten. The current blight appeared from the south, so the massive army of darkspawn might well have uncovered the tomb on accident due to their large numbers and need to initially scout for settlements.

In such a case, you might have, as a story lead in, a message sent to you from Bann Teagan announcing that one of the Redcliffe knights, late returning from the sacred ashes quests, noted the odd digging by darkspawn in the southern swamps...

[dragonagefun]

Good suggestion. I was running with the mod-requester's idea as posted - thus the undeads. According to the lore, Calenhad disappeared, with reported sightings at the swamp and also at frostback mountain. Ultimate he was never found (according to codex 3). His sword was passed on through some time, and was also lost with time.

It wouldn't be a far stretch for example, if the predecesor circle mages eventually built a hidden shrine to honor Calenhad in the middle of the lake. Through mystical means, all the souls of the soldiers burned in the lake ended up in this shrine, which was dedicated to Calenhad. So essentially, any intrusion into the shrine will result in aggression from the souls of the dead.

As the main "reward" of the mod, the original poster requested a suit of armor "Silver Knight", which can be thought as the symbolic piece Circle Mages put in the shrine. This makes the armor accessible to looters (players) lol.

I think the fact that Calenhad was never found leads to many possibilities of a shrine dedicated to him in the middle of the lake, since it's also close to the circle tower. What i staged was a new map next to the lake, where you can see the circle tower. A recent quake disrupted the landscape and a mysterious body of land appeared from the lake. This is the staging ground for the mod, in which adventures will travel to and enter the tomb/shrine.

I can stage the entrance area to have some knights, soldiers who have first explored this area, only to find death. Due to the blight, Ferelden can not spare an army to explore this tomb/shrine. Thus they call in the favors of brave adventurers (you).

Enclosed is an image of the lake I just created with the a narrow passage and landmass that rose up from the lake - the entrance to the tomb/shrine.

[vernvern]

"It wouldn't be a far stretch for example, if the predecesor circle mages eventually built a hidden shrine to honor Calenhad in the middle of the lake. Through mystical means, all the souls of the soldiers burned in the lake ended up in this shrine, which was dedicated to Calenhad. So essentially, any intrusion into the shrine will result in aggression from the souls of the dead. "

I see 2 problems with that as a story idea that would need to be explained.

1) capturing the souls of the dead would be a tremendously evil magic that any circle seems unlikely to attempt, even if they could do this without blood magic. Even just animating the dead, a single skeleton, is a powerful spell. It seems both unlikely AND requiring more power than they would have possessed.

2) why make such a shrine and hide it? why do this for a king when we have no mention made of them honoring anyone else, even their own first enchanters, in such a fashion?


With respect to creating a "shrine" and concealing it, the magic required would be tremendous and without reason, unless it wasn't a shrine at all. Perhaps you could explain that, if you stick with the lake location, by explaining that the "shrine" is in fact a prison? Perhaps created to hold and conceal a demon who inhabited the King near his death. I mention a demon specifically since using a large number of undead would also require demonic power.

The traps would also serve to contain the demon, not prevent outside entry, which would already be accomplished by hiding the shrine in the lake.

Otherwise why create the shrine and then bother to hide it? They could simply have created a shrine inside the tower itself, like the basement.

This might create a more interesting story because you can explain the source of the lake tradition in burning - the mages claimed they burned the king's body when in fact they were explaining the magic used to hide the prison, and what happened to the king. (of course the problem is that you have to explain why the demon wasn't simply defeated - perhaps a demon of unusual power, a pride demon, who could only be contained while in the king's body)

[dragonagefun]

Good point of view! That's a pretty good twist. Wish we could've exchanged this info via PM. I feel like I read a spoiler to a movie! I think i'll head towards this direction.

On the other hand, to explain #1
- Perhaps unknowingly, a demon found a way to tap into the power of the shrine without the circle knowing about it. It was after centuries before the demon found the source of dead souls, heavily gathered at the lake. Because of that, he somehow traversed the fade, and began feeding on century old ritual - and the people who live around the lake unknowing feed the demon by performing this ritual.

On another twist, maybe the circle mages recently found out a demon was harnessing souls of the dead at the hidden shrine. In order to stop it, they performed a ritual to uncover the shrine (raise the entrance from the lake) and ask the aid of our heros to vanquish this demon.

2) I can't answer this. I'm trying to tie in the lore the best I can, but in the end, it's probably the writers of Dragon Age who can elaborate why the King disappeared without mention. I'm simply trying to build an adventure module on my spare time for people to enjoy =P I'll dwell on this question, but to be answered on a later date. It is late and the brain is functioning slowly.


Thanks for the suggestion! I really like your story-line and I will most likely go towards it! I'm just laying out the dungeon as we speak. Idea implimention is not set, so i'd love to discuss more!

[dragonagefun]

Anyways, I have finished the dungeon layout. I also included a puzzle people must solve, which someone suggested earlier. I will start adding in content such as creature, loot, etc... in the new few days. Check out the screenshots, I hope you guys like the idea.

[Finjala]

It looks very promising!! Once I reach the appropriate level in my current playthrough I will try your other mod (Temple of Vulak) as well. Just wanted to give a *thumbs up* for making these extra dungeons!