Doesn't matter - though potential experience rewards may seem relatively high at lower levels.
Races
Human makes most plot sense, but there are no restrictions.
Tricks & Traps
Non-existent
Roleplay
Medium
Hack & Slash
Non-existent
Classes
Any
Scope
Small
DMNeeded
No DM Required
Single or Multiplayer
Single Player
Max Character Level
Any
Max # Players
01
Min # Players
01
Min Character Level
Any
Content Rating
Everyone
Alignments
Any
Gameplay Hours
<1
Description
The Barbarians are at the gates! Your peaceful kingdom of Larona has been invaded by the numerically superior hordes of Volkaria. Outnumbered and unprepared, King Murran has only one hope: diplomacy. It has fallen to you, an old friend to the king, to negotiate an alliance with two neighboring powers -- the dwarves of Harrowpeak and the elves of the Cathedral Forest. Only with their help can Larona stand against its attackers.
To complete your mission, you are given access to documents pertaining to the people with whom you must negotiate, their kingdoms, and the surrounding world. From there, it is up to you to approach Lord Bladestorm of Harrowpeak and King Mynntu of the Cathedral Forest and convince them to commit their men and riches to the defense of Larona!
Chimes of War is a Bioware Writing Contest Module. As such, it adheres to certain rules that make it quite different from most modules on the Vault. The module contains no combat, it has only three NPCs, and it is VERY short... I just mention this as a courtesy for those looking for a 32-hour hackfest with a cast of thousands :)
If you enjoy this mod, please give my other mods a try:
BLACK THORN -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27.
MOUNTAIN OF MIRRORS -- a classic PnP conversion for single player characters level 5-8.
bb - Glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate your feedback. If you think it's an 8.5, I think you should switch your vote to an 8.5. With 29 votes, I am not someone suffering from lack of them. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by Aessinus at 2006-03-22 06:25:20 Voted 10.00 on 03/22/06
Have not played all the modules yet ...sigh
This one has been the most enjoyable so far. I really liked the use of the books and hints. The premise was excellent and look forward to this being fleshed out to a complete sidequest or prelude. Writers story-telling ability and plot development is a "can't miss". _________________________ Please don't forget to vote and leave feedback!
It's Free! :)
Posted by Boozehound Blue at 2006-03-22 04:58:17 Voted 10.00
A very nice storyline, intelligently done. Perhaps falls outside the lines of a �side quests�, but a strong �sub� quest. Characters moderately developed, but background information teaches much. Unfortunately, I said two wrong things to the elf, and the stuffy bastard left! P---y! Writing well done. (8.5)
bb - I agree with you in your assessment of the problem, but not in how you're addressing it. Please either remove your vote or play my mod and give me an honest assessment.
Thanks. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Althernai - I appreciate the generous vote. Glad you enjoyed it. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by Kenrae at 2006-03-15 14:40:38 Voted 8.75 on 03/15/06
Good entry.
Posted by Althernai at 2006-03-08 22:03:20 Voted 9.75 on 03/08/06
A very good mod. Much like in the author's previous mods, attention to detail is key. Having thoroughly understood everything, the going is very easy indeed...
The writing is very good. My only complaint is that for some reason at the end I was not as exulting as one should feel having saved one's land.
_________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by Kirian at 2006-03-07 15:57:30 Voted 8.25 on 03/07/06
Everything I want to say has been mentioned by the commenters before me: the excellent writing, the tedious studying of written texts, the too-easy persuasion of the diplomats, and the lack of a 'spark'. I have played Black Thorn, and I was delighted by it: it is definitely one of the best and most original modules I played the last year. So I know how good you can be, and I think this particular sample of your work does not do you justice.
Posted by Maerdicul at 2006-03-02 01:11:06 Voted 8.25 on 03/02/06
man, the cinematic feel in the beginning was soooo nice, but ... well, although the writing itself was fine, the plot and characters were a bit too straightforward. there was no weighty sense of anguish or doubt about committing the lives of thousands to war. the negotiations lacked tension and drama. i felt like i was just picking through a menu of choices, and i wasn't drawn into it as much as i had hoped. i loved the idea and concept, but something just didn't click with me.
Posted by Lonely Gecko at 2006-02-25 22:09:07 Voted 7.75 on 02/25/06
The writing was easy to read and digest including the "study" material. The concept was lacking however. The outcome was predictable and fairly obvious after quickly skimming the documents. Echoes...
Thanks for the vote caesarbear -- really, I can't argue with your observations. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by caesarbear at 2006-02-23 18:39:30 Voted 8.00 on 02/23/06
This mod has a lot to tell and not that much time to tell it. The setup is well made with an atmospheric cutscene. The conversation with the King is suitable and effective at giving exposition without becoming lecturesome. However immediately following that the module becomes a study excercise.
The background material was decently written and easy to understand and visualize. Yet it did not grab my interest. I certainly don't mind reading, but this module lacked a sense of adventure. It relied too heavily on conventions and nothing sparked creatively to get my imagination moving beyond what I read, except for possibly the enemies food. :)
The challenge was well presented and structured but was too easy and anti-climactic. I never felt in serious danger after the excellent opening. This is well made, but lacks passion.
Oh, and there're nine possible endings, not six. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
MikeLM: Just out of curiosity, what modern words did I use?
For a contest entry that slightly exceeds the word limit, I don't consider "over too quickly" to be a valid criticism. Glad you liked the scripts and cutscenes. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by MikeLM9215 at 2006-02-22 20:03:24 Voted 7.25 on 02/22/06
Some modern words. All six possible endings. Say hello and two responses more and they are done too quickly. Cool cutscenes and scripting.
_________________________ The road to Ravenloft is paved with good intentions.
Three days and no downloads? I'm guessing the contest is pretty much over :) _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
:) Thanks for the vote, nereng. Oslo to Alberta would have been one hell of a commute anyway. ;) _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by nereng at 2006-02-19 10:35:01 Voted 9.00 on 02/19/06
I'm not nearly as principled as you, El Dano, so I'm going around rating the mods of the other contestants! It's not that difficult, really: I just ask myself what I think the chances of my being hired by Bioware REALLY is. Then it's not so difficult to rate fairly and even a little generously!
The writing in this module is excellent, both in the books and in the dialogues. The characters of the dwarf and elf are perhaps a bit cliche, but well depicted nonetheless. Maybe they could have had some traits that you would need to read the diplomatic letters to find out about. I didn't really need to read those to choose the right conversation option. There was something about the elf being a shrewd negotiator, so I was a little surprised that I got him to join without demanding trade concessions or somesuch. Too bad the rules didn't allow you to make a nice big battle-cutscene at the end!
Cheers! :)
Caprial - Thanks very much for the kind vote and review. I am happy you enjoyed the mod and I hope you'll give my non-contest mods a shot. Thanks again! _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by Caprial at 2006-02-16 13:53:04 Voted 9.75 on 02/16/06
The writing in this module is excellent; easily the best I�ve seen so far in the contest. The author handles both prose and dialogue extremely well, showing superior command of language. He also manages to create a believable and fitting atmosphere for the story. The world and its people seem alive. I am able to understand a good deal of the history and relationships between the various groups without feeling as if I�ve just sat through a lecture. The characters are well drawn and believable. All of this is done within the given word limit as well, which is impressive.
My one complaint is the king�s reaction when both elves and dwarves agree to help. He is a tad over-optimistic about the outcome, with no apparent thought for what his people still have to go through to achieve victory. This is a small complaint, however, given the high quality of the rest of the dialogues. I really feel that I have control over the conversations here.
Brougham and Lebowski -- Thank you for the votes. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by lebowski at 2006-02-12 10:22:03 Voted 8.50 on 02/12/06
Good idea, good use of the descriptions of the items, good cutscene. Still the dialogue with the diplomats is honestly too short for convincing someone to go into a war. Nonetheless short dialogue are better than the very verbose dialogue I got from most contest mods. :) _________________________ The hottest new modules you can't miss - player suggested
Contributor to Overlooked Module Reports
An interview with me about NWN mods
Posted by Brougham at 2006-02-11 10:01:58 Voted 9.00 on 02/11/06
This writing is excellent but is too concentrated in books and letters. Once into the convresations it was good.
Dunks - I wrote too much? Well, at least your comment's original, I guess. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by Dunks at 2006-02-11 08:32:48 Voted 5.50 on 02/11/06
There was a large volume of reading in this game and was of a political nature. I did try to persevere but quickly got bored. I have a low attention span and this is not my style of game. The writing would have had more of an impact on me if there were not so much of it. I liked the camera work & environment but it is about the writing after all.
Thanks, but I didn't need to be reassured. From the way you presented your feedback, I could tell it was honest. I'm also glad you voted your conscience and didn't let who I was impact your score (well.. sort of ;) ) because it would be really unfair and discouraging to first time builders if that went on.
Personally, I made a decision to not vote for any mods just because I didn't want anyone (myself included) wondering about my motives. While I believe your vote is honest, I can't say the same for other votes I've seen on my mod and others. Which is a shame.
I hope you find Black Thorn more to your liking. It is a far better example of what I can do. One friend suggested I just pare Black Thorn down for this contest... but with 70K words, where would I have started?? :)
(Oh, FYI - it isn't exactly a murder mystery as much as a catch-the-spy mystery... and there's some Forgotten Realms political-warfare stuff underlying the plot which I hope you don't mind too much... Have fun when you play it!) _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
Posted by Lance Botelle at 2006-02-10 07:02:28 Voted 5.50
Hi El Dano,
Have faith! I have only ever downloaded a few adventures to play from NWVault - and guess what! Of the only two I have DL at the moment (and am thinking of playing), one of them is Black Thorn!
I admit that I have not played it yet, but I was impressed by the write up and the style of adventure. (Murder mystery.) I would have probably scored you more for something like this. Unfortunately, all plots involving war (and its strategy) send me to sleep. :( I don�t think many of these types of modules have scored highly by me.)
What makes it worse, is that I have noticed you on the boards (and recognise you as a valid contributor), which meant I was placed in a very difficult position about making the vote that I did. I felt that I wanted to be able to score you for your previous contributions! As it was, I stuck to my first impression, tried to overlook the author and voted.
In hindsight, I wish Bioware had made the names of the contributors anonymous. That way, I could rest easy, knowing for certain that I was not being influenced positively or negatively because of the author�s past.
I felt even worse when I realised that your own score then also dropped below mine! I felt sure people would misunderstand and think I was being bloody-minded. I assure you that I was/am not. As I state in my opening sentence, I am trying to be as objective as possible.
Whatever happens, I wish you all the best � and I still consider you a worthy adversary for the contest regardless of the vote I gave. ;) In this particular case, I do not believe this module was as good as those I have read about before. (Black Thorn sounds far more exciting.)
All the best, Lance. _________________________ World of Althéa Blog: Link
Ythaniel - Thanks for the more extensive feedback, I appreciate it. In general, my responses to your feedback don't change much. I do realize I used archetypes, though I like to think that the elf and dwarf did deviate a tiny bit from the ubiquitous elf king/dwarf king. I never read Dragonlance, but I am aware that these characters definitely have their origins in Tolkien (maybe further back, I'm not that well read in fantasy). Again, my defense is that trying to create three unique characters of any quality in 3500 words is just impossible. In fact, I haven't seen it done yet in that approximately 30 contest mods I've played.
Another thing I haven't seen done within the context of this contest is the creation of a challenging situation. The closest would be Firestarter, but even that is just trying to find some hidden stuff and figuring out where to use the shovel. I contend that creating a challenging conversation puzzle in 3500 words also is impossible. I do admit that I wasn't clear on what Bioware meant about skill checks, so I just steered clear of them -- having seen what other builders did, I can see what they were saying now and I guess I could have inserted some of that into the mod. Also, while I realized it was a soft word count, I was up around 3800 and wasn't sure how soft a figure it was.
Finally, you are right that I would have done better to choose a simpler situation. By the way, the barbarians polluted their rivers by the run-off from the dung of their humongous rothe herds. That's pretty much the most common way in the world for rivers to get polluted -- sewage. This was described in one of the books.
Anyway, thanks again for the more in depth coverage -- I appreciate it. I also invite you to play Black Thorn; I think it's a far better example of what I can do (in terms of characters, plot, and difficult roleplay situations) without the word limit. _________________________ El Dano Black Thorn -- a Forgotten Realms mystery adventure for levels 23-27. Mountain of Mirrors -- a classic PnP conversion for levels 4-7.
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