Reviewing game organisations: The Knights of Myth Drannor

[Kelemvor]

A very good IC history for this group can be found here :

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/K ... th_Drannor

1161 Quiet Earth Merith Strongbow, eldest of the Knights of Myth Drannor, born.
1340 Lion Band of adventurers destroys Pool of Radiance in Phlan on the Moonsea and frees the Ruins of Phlan from the monster curse.
1346 Bloodbird Bhaal banished from Moonshae Islands. Kendrick becomes high king of Moonshaes. The Friendly Arm built. Naval Battle of Lisen Sands. Selfaril becomes High Blade of Mulmaster. Knights of Myth Drannor receive their first charter from King Azoun of Cormyr.
1348 Spur Khelben gives Pendant of Ashaba to Knights of Myth Drannor.
1350 Morningstar Knights of Myth Drannor destroy Zhent stronghold, the Flaming Tower. Manshoon forms alliance with Beholders. Phlan disappears from the shores of the Moonsea but is returned by the same adventurers who destroyed the Pool of Radiance 10 years earlier. Pools of Darkness.
1355 Harp Zhentil Keep takes Citadel of the Raven as it own. Retreat of the elves from Cormanthor reaches its peak. Yulash falls in civil war. Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar move troops to Yulash. Shaerk Rowanmantle sent by Vangerdahast to Shadowdale. Shaerl and Mourngrym wed. Knights of Myth Drannor and allies repulse Zhent attack against Shadowdale.
1356 Worm Knights of Myth Drannor raid and do serious damage to Zhent stronghold in Voonlar. Bane temple in Voonlar destroyed, 400 prisoners including drow and Zhentarim taken.
1369 Gauntlet A band of adventurers, employed by the great mage Elminster and the Phlan City Council, embark upon a journey to investigate a new Pool of Radiance recently discovered in the ruins of Myth Drannor. Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor

Knights of Myth Drannor
=======================
The Knights of Myth Drannor are a group of adventurers and protectors
of Shadowdale and the Dalelands. A rowdy, fun-loving bunch, they
guard the realms from the tremendous powers and unending perils of the
ruins of Myth Drannor with their sharp wits and sword. The Knights
of Myth Drannor keep the unspeakable monsters inside the city from
escaping and naïve adventurers from entering the city and getting hurt.
They are also the first and last line of defense for the Dalelands against
the threat of the Zhentarim. Elminster and Storm Silverhand are there to
help the Knights out when they are in dire straights. They are closely
allied with the Harpers.

[Kelemvor]

In all my years here on Forgotten Kingdoms I've never come across a PC member of this group nor heard of anyone holding a position of power within it.

There is a 4 (count them, 4!) room area off of the Old Skull Tavern in Shadowdale with a couple of itemless, non-training NPCs. It may be that more was planned, but there's little evidence.

My instinct tells me that someone on the staff read Ed Greenwood's books and got all misty eyed.

This looks like a candidate for removal from supported in-game organisations. Feel free to give your opinions below

[Oghma]

I've only come across one pc that was an active member back in 2002. I remember that one of the requirements for membership was not spending time in Waterdeep but spending a majority of time in Shadowdale or surrounding townships. I'm in agreement to either remove the areas or just open them up.

[Solaghar]

Knights of Myth Drannor are more of a mercenary group than anything else, and more specifically Ed Greenwood's personal campaign party. Their entire purpose is to explore Myth Drannor, which we don't have here, and to guard the Dalelands, which is something taken up pretty well by the Harpers. I say get rid of them.

[Jaenoic]

I don't think it would detract anything from the game if we just got rid of this organization, since it practically does not exist now.

[Aegir]

I would think this org would only be of use if Myth Drannor is ever actually built, and even then it'd need to be stacked against other orgs already in to see if it has a niche. As it is, it really has no purpose.

[Kregor]

I would say this organization is one to relegate to imm run characters, cameos, at the most.

[Nedylene]

I vote we open up the inn and make it to the source code. Give a place of gathering in shadowdale to offer quests, low level help etc. Make is an "area needing builders" for a good 50 room area *nods*

This is an organization that could have use in the future but right now at this time there is not a full good use for it until the player base gets bigger. Nix it for now and if someone in the future has an interest in opening it let them apply.

[Selveem]

To be quite honest, my first instinct is to cling to it instead and say 'One day we'll need you - one day you'll have a place in this world.' I really, really hate the _removal_ of things already in game from the game.

In this case, though, if we are trying to fill the ranks of the others first... I have to agree. I support its removal as well.

[Sairaven]

I think I agree with Kregor.

Remove them as a player-run organization, for now. Have it limited to NPCs and Cameo appearances, and should there ever be a demand for it, reintroduce it.

[Tobias]

Makes me sad..I know I always wanted a pc that was a knight of Myth Dranor they are one of my own favorite bands within the Forgotten Realms novels. Although I'd have to agree limit it to imm run guild until the other main guilds get up and running.

[Vibius]

Though much I dislike the idea of closing this organization perhaps for some time or perhaps for always, if the harpers take the role of protectors of the Dalelands in the big scheme of things FK will be benefited since it will lead to more active organizations and less dispersion of players among organizations

[Lerytha]

I say get rid of it.

However, it is possible to use the rooms for other organisations, the ones we decide to keep.

[Mariela]

Instead of getting rid of the rooms entirely, can the rooms be converted into being Paladin/Squire access?

Yes, get rid of the actual Knights of Myth Dranor Organization.. but keep the rooms and rework them into another Paladin/Squire area to encourage game play with those organizations?

[Nedylene]

I have a problem with converting the Old Skull Inn into a paladin/squire area. Does anyone HAVE the Shadowdale source book? Open to Page 28 and read...

The Old Skull Inn
The Old Skull Inn was built almost 90 years ago by Buldo Silvermane, father of the present proprietor, Jhaele Silvermane. BEfore that, another building stood on its site, noted in the local diaries and histories as the Twisted Tower Inn. Little other than its name and the fact it existed for 100 yearsd is noted. The nature of its demolition is unrecorded and unmourned, as the impression remains that is was less then sterling quality.

The Old Skull is far removed from that earlier inn, such that its reputation is known throughout the Dalelands, and - Jhaele would venture - around the Moonsea and into Cormyr and Sembia as well. It is a common stop of adventurers, merchants, and travelers along the main toad and is known for the honesty of its staff, the quality of its mead and drink, and its relative safety in the heart of Shadowdale.

Jhael Silvermane (NG hf F5), daughter of Buldo, maintains the inn. A powerful, no-nonsense woman, Jhaele is a fine judge of human nature and more then capable enough to distinguish between those in need and those who are playing on her sy mpathy. She has seen just about everything in her taproom, from powerful bards reducing the assemblage to tears, to extradimensional monsters reducing the furniture to splinters. Jhaele usually wears a leather apron over a white blouse and a leather skirt when working. She has also specialized with the thrown dagger, such that she gains a +1 to her attack rool .... et cetera

Myself, personally, and maybe because I am a prudem so not believe that this particular inn should be exclusive to an organization. There is two more pages in the Shadowdale book detailing this inn, its rooms, staff etc and I think it would do this mud alot more worth to be a place players can actually go in Shadowdale.

I'll... get off my soap box now..

[Mariela]

To be honest Nedylene, I don't play D&D.
FK is my first real good look at Forgotten Realms period. Thus a lot of my suggestions are based upon what I can look up in the core book and what I kinda assume out of logic.

Logically speaking, instead of just wiping out those rooms, I'd rather have them turned into something for another organization, or like you suggested, opening them up for use than deleting them.

Regardless of setting requirements for said community....
Might I make a suggestion that if your Soap Box has "Shadowdale" written all over it, you make some quests based out of that city and the other Dale communities. I mean.. it's your soap box after all...

[Nedylene]

*coughs* I really want to sink my hands in Shadowdale and redescribe the whole place and add working shops but was told a few months ago not to apply to redescribe anything. BUT .. not on topic