"One Shall Die. Duke Adrian Abdel is a living legend in the city of Baldur’s Gate, and much of the city has gathered to celebrate him and his accomplishments. On this day of festivities, though, the duke’s past will finally catch up with him—with dire consequences. Murder has returned to Baldur's Gate, and brave heroes are the city’s only hope to stop the violence. This adventure is designed to kick off the 2013 August – November season of the D&D Encounters official play program."
Come on guys, one can always modify the adventure to substitute Abdel for the MAIN CHARACTER Besides, other than Abdel and maybe Sarevok or Viconia, the other NPCs from the series are probably dead, so it's probably easy to modify(even though is a story about the return of Bhaal, so great part of the past of Abdel is ignored)...
While I lost faith in WotC handling their own settings after the changes for 4E, I'm honestly impressed that there are stats not only for D&D Next included, but also for 4E and 3.5. Would be really awesome if Next was indeed downwards-compatible.
Not sure if digging out the BG series is a great nod to the lovers of the classic games, or a cheap move to lure them into buying, though.
I was sceptical at first, but now I think this is an interesting-looking sourcebook and a grat hommage to the series. I could imagagine that this 'Abdel Adrian' has nothing in common with the Peter Athans novel than his name. The BG games aren't considered canon because they aren't books and thus can't be considered proper D&D sourcebooks. But given the games' importance to almost every D&D player I know and many others on the internet, this book could be seen as a compüliment by none other than the creator of the Realms himself (who as far as I can tell wasn't too happy with story changes in 4E, anyways...). Besides, art looks great.
*Puts gun to my head and squeezes trigger only to find out that the gun doesn't have any bullets*
Damn it... Why couldn't this bastard die of old age earlier so that the protagonist of the Baldur's Gate series remain a mystery so that we could imagine our Charnames are canon?
LOL. I remember when the DMG cost less than that. I want to say it was like $25.00 or some such (back in 1980ish). Modules were like $5 or so and we made sure we got our money's worth.
But then I remember when they created fire, so.... Boy was that a media blitz. I had to jump right on the internet (or as it was called back then a BBS) to see that video. that guy almost burnt his nose off.
$25 in 1980ish is $70 today, adjusted for inflation. Not to say this module is worth it or not, but comparing prices from 30+ years ago isn't exactly fair.
I somehow doubt it'll be related to the BG games...
And the people on the cover, what I see is... A human female thief, elven mage (the one on the left, he seems to be wielding a staff), the guy in the robes could be either a mage or a cleric... The elf in the back is probably a fighter considering he's got a greatsword... And then there's the guy who's got the Flaming Fist emblem on him...
Really there's only the Bhaal symbol, and using the symbol of the universe god for murder on something called "Murder in Baldur's Gate" feels kinda normal.
If you actually look inside the samples given, however, you see that there is an Elf fighter known as Coran in the "monsters" stats aswell as the Slayer and Abdel Adrian who was the "cannon" Bhaalspawn. Also, Bhaal's holy symbol hasn't been the universal symbol of the god of murder for hundreds of years in the setting. Cyric became the new god of murder after the avatar crisis.
I'll get me a copy of that book as soon as it comes out and I'm certain we'll see that "Abdel Adrian" ist just WotC's synonym for our term CHARNAME. After all, FR-creator Ed Greenwood, who also was involved in the BG series at least by writing some fluff for the game manuals, authors that book.
That's an interesting thought, @Eejit. While I personally would like the saga to be finished with ToB, there now is an actual possibility for a direct sequel, despite the apparent timespan of a century, or so. Many characters of short-lived races seem to be still around in MiBG.
Well it shows that WotC at least aren't finished with the Bhaal storyline. MiBG is going to feed into the 4e/5e Sundering event, apparently the most popular outcome from playing the module will become canon and play a part.
His special bhaal powers sure (like the Slayer Form), but he levelled on his own, like his companions. Draining him of 20+ levels made of pure experience seems weird.
Interesting enough, Coran doens't make an apparance in the novels at all, and he seems to be a major character for MiBG. So here's hoping they will base Adrian on the game's player character and not the guy from the book. ^^
I don't understand why is Abdel lvl 4? It this happening before his books?
Well it's a low - level adventure. Or maybe he got into a fight with Bodhi!
Sure, it's a module for a low level party. But since WotC acknowledged Athans books as canon, the same Abdel Adrian did slay dragons, vampires, gigants, demons and Sarevok/Irenicus. Not a small feat for a level 4 warrior. It's like introducing a module with Drizzt as a 3rd level Ranger NPC, or Elminster as a level 5th wizard.
I think there is the "Mad Elminster" somewhere, but as far as I remember he's lv 19 or something (don't know if elite or solo) so it should be equivalent to a 20+/30- character.
I guess the fact that Abdel is only lv 4 is because it's a low level adventure and they never actually wrote his stats... or maybe they're changing the story and only considering him after Sarevok(like bg2 never existed). Anyway, WoTC be like "screw this s*|^"
Another thing interesting is that in the FR Campaign guide says the BG got a lot bigger in the last 100 years because of the spellplague (BG was left untouched) with much more places outside the walls(it has now 100.000 citizens and it's the bigger city in the realms), but for that map I think the new guys behind D&D next are ignoring that as well
Well, there was that whole Spellplague business. Maybe that wrecked up Abdel a bit.
I don't know if we ever got post-Spellplague stats for Elminster, but I know he took a power downgrade, for instance.
They stat'd out a driven-insane, post-spellplague Elminster as a boss enemy in 4E. I forget the details, but it was pretty awesome. They did a post-Spellplague Drizzt boss, too, with a scenario that would have the PCs and Drizzt thinking they were each others' enemies and some skill checks to figure out it was Drizzt and convince him you weren't the bad guys.
Comments
Come on guys, one can always modify the adventure to substitute Abdel for the MAIN CHARACTER
http://media.wizards.com/downloads/dnd/MinBG_Statistics.pdf
While I lost faith in WotC handling their own settings after the changes for 4E, I'm honestly impressed that there are stats not only for D&D Next included, but also for 4E and 3.5. Would be really awesome if Next was indeed downwards-compatible.
Not sure if digging out the BG series is a great nod to the lovers of the classic games, or a cheap move to lure them into buying, though.
Silvershield is still around, so the time that has passed between 2E and Next is probably a hazy thing at best...
http://media.wizards.com/downloads/dnd/MinBG_Events.pdf
Yeah, I can see Coran. Still keeping bad taste for hair cuts:)
From the statbook:
Viekang CR 4
Male human fighter 1/rogue 3
Chaotic Evil Medium humanoid
Looks like someone's a little more into his Bhaal powers than we previously expected, if we look at that Alignment.
The BG games aren't considered canon because they aren't books and thus can't be considered proper D&D sourcebooks. But given the games' importance to almost every D&D player I know and many others on the internet, this book could be seen as a compüliment by none other than the creator of the Realms himself (who as far as I can tell wasn't too happy with story changes in 4E, anyways...).
Besides, art looks great.
After all, FR-creator Ed Greenwood, who also was involved in the BG series at least by writing some fluff for the game manuals, authors that book.
Notice that many places in MiBG look exactly like they do in the PC game:
http://dungeonsmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/encounters-15-map-a.jpg
Does seem to point to the possibility of a BG3 being in the works?
Why on earth is Abdel level 4 range, though?
I guess we'll find out when we read the book.
I don't know if we ever got post-Spellplague stats for Elminster, but I know he took a power downgrade, for instance.
I guess the fact that Abdel is only lv 4 is because it's a low level adventure and they never actually wrote his stats... or maybe they're changing the story and only considering him after Sarevok(like bg2 never existed). Anyway, WoTC be like "screw this s*|^"