Edinmoor Court holds a sinister secret. For as far back as Men can remember, the keep has stood as a utopian beacon of peace, where artisans flock to share their skills, creativity, and imagination. But now the unthinkable has happened, and murder is committed inside these walls.
Blood on the stones of the citadel.
Will your party have the courage to seek the source of the evil that has taken place? Will you help or hinder the investigation...
*This is a party-based adventure designed for 5 characters of 7th level. Click on the White Stallion
and choose the option to Gather your Party, which will bring up the Party Editor Menu
*This campaign uses the Storm of Zehir Party Chat style conversations throughout. I have tried to
spread a broad selection of class, alignment, stats, skill ranks, race, deity, and even gender
attributes throughout the various dialogue options, which will give those party members a chance
to make their voice heard. I would say that Bards, Clerics, Wizards, Rogues, and Druids are well
represented. Paladins should be a welcome addition to the Party. And also intelligent or charatcers with high wisdom. Diplomacy will come into play in many conversations.
*The campaign is designed for characters of Good or Neutral alignment.
*This campaign uses the Storm of Zehir death system. Characters will start bleeding
if they drop below 0 hitpoints, and will die when they exceed negative half their total
hitpoints. There is no Respawn. When a character dies, you will need to use a Raise Dead
scroll to bring them back. There are 2 NPC priests who have such scrolls for sale.
Use the members of the party tactically. Save early and save often.
*This campaign uses restricted resting. You will find campfires scattered about the various areas.
Clicking on the campfire will bring up the option to Rest.
*Click on the White Stallion to travel between wilderness areas, once those paths have opened up.
*There is one companion available to join the Party.
Known issue: The companion has a deity of Hoar. The first time you get to level him up, the game
will force you choose a Nature deity, due to his class. One option is to level the companion as
a new class such as Fighter, and keep Hoar as the deity. However, if you do select another deity,
Kelemvor might make a good choice.
Known issue: I had hoped to make use of the crafting system from the NWN2 Origianl Campaign. Unfortunately,
due to conflicts with the SoZ scripts, I have not been able to get the crafting items and workbenches to
function properly.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
place the "Edinmoor" folder in the following directory:
Neverwinter Nights 2\Campaigns
place the .mod file in the following directory:
Neverwinter Nights 2\modules
place the Edinmoor.hak file in the following directory:
Neverwinter Nights 2\hak
Start the adventure by selecting a New Campaign.
CREDITS
This Campaign uses the following Custom Content:
JasonNH's "Empath Abbey" pre-fab.
RWS "Deep Halls" tilesets and Ceature pack.
Shaugn78's "Boulder Toss" Giants.
Ugly_Duck's "Forest" pre-fab.
Jezla9's "Sharpstone Village" pre-fab.
In addition, I would like to thank the following members of the community for their assistance:
*Jason NH, besides the "Empath Abbey", which is stunning, also combined all the haks and overrides
int the single .hak file.
*PJ156 for a thorough playtesting of this module and giving me much needed feedback on combat balance.
Any remaining issues or questionable design decisions are me own fault, either through stubborness
or oversight.
*Kaldor Silverwand for his scripts granting XP for picking locks and disabling traps.
*Nicethugbert for background information about the Forgotten Realms deities Garagos and Hoar. And
a couple of dialogue options as well.
*All the members of the NWN2 module forum, for their support and encouragement, especially those
who offered suggestions for dialogue lines before the big battles.
This adventure is dedicated to Ronnie James Dio.
VERSION HISTORY
9/9/10 Edinmoor V. 1
9/12/10 Edinmoor V. 2
*Fixed an optional enemy that was flagged as "plot", thus making him unkillable.
9/18/10 Edinmoor V. 3
*Added map pins for the horses in the Forest and Mountains.
*Fixed it so if you choose to release the companion from your party, he will not be able to join again.
11/25/10 Edinmoor V. 4
*Changed the On_Module_Load to the default script. This appears to fix the issue with crafting as items that have an Activate Item script like the smith hammer, should work. And also Rods of Buffing.
*Added a couple of lines of epilogue to two other NPCs after finishing the adventure.
*Gave the stirges a more appropriate description.
Thank you very much for playing, and for the worthwhile feedback! That is what I appreciate most of all. That you enjoyed the conversation style with various options available for characters, is most gratifying for me to hear.
I've been meaning to go back and look at the wizard's conversation structure. I believe the dialogue paths that are closing out the return of the cat are triggered by having certain plot keys in your inventory. If those were dropped, temporarily, you should then get the option. Not that it is a solution, but just something possible in order to close out the quest. Again, as you say, I need to revisit that.
I know the murder investigation does not appear again with the Commissioner after the final battle. Once more, that is because the key used to return to Edinmoor, is what initiates his epilogue, overiding the earlier branches. If you were to drop that key (I'm using key as a vague term. It's the item you needed to get back home.) then you could follow up about the investiagation.
I will definitely get around to posting an updated version.
Thanks so much for the comments!
Posted by Dantastic at 2012-04-28 23:30:04 Voted 7.75 on 04/28/12
Hi, Dorateen. This was a pretty decent and fun module, with a few minor flaws that added up to some slightly more-than-minor frustrations. I enjoyed the combat and scenery and the mechanics of the module, especially the 5 party PCs being utilized. There were occasionally some dropped plot points, or conversations I couldn't return to to get a sense of what I probably was intended to learn (w/o a reload); selecting one dialog option sometimes precluded you from learning ANY of the other outcomes. I finally got tired of reloading for conversation and plot-logic sake and just pushed through to the end, but my initial enjoyment of the set up had diminished substantially by that time.
The most glaring problems, for me: Not being able to return the cat to the wizard (hey--you made me CARE whether it was a familiar or an animal companion!) and being unable to close out the murder investigation with the constable. It is these non-epic, but very humane aspects of a story that can really make it memorable, were they only followed through on! I guess the quality of the rest of the module made these lapses stand out all the more. Maybe in a day or two I'll feel differently, but I did feel let down when I realized the murder resolution wasn't going to happen. The cat thing--well, not as important, but it sure looked like it was leading to something...and the payoff I was anticipating if it had, probably would have kept me smiling for days. Oh well.
The module is excellent in many respects, and outstanding in several, but i can't honestly recommend it for everyone, because of the plot and conversation flaws I encountered. That said, I do appreciate the work and care you spent in implementing such a broad range of conversational options for all 5 PCs to contribute. I was genuinely amazed to see different remarks and options from my party members on far more occasions than I'd anticipated. That was the most enjoyable and truly outstanding part of the mod in my opinion. If you can fix the dropped plot lines and eliminate the dialog choices that close out needed plot information, I think you'll have the "must have" level that for me, only a handful of modules and campaigns have reached. A revised version would definitely merit a higher rating, so I hope you will continue to refine and polish your work. I'd love to give this a 9 or 9.5 rating and a permanent home in my "modules to replay" folder.
Thank you, Three Ham Omelette, for playing and for the vote!
The party-chat conversations, with the various dialogue options, were a big part of the design goals. That, and just presenting a straight up party-based adventure. So I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed this style.
I actually agree in thinking the final battle can be on the difficult side. There are some things that a player can do, which would make the fight more managable.
SPOILER
As you said, the fear is crucial in breaking down a party quickly. The spell Magic Circle against Alignment will grant immunity to fear to characters. Clerics have this spell, as well as Mages. I think I left a few scrolls in the dungeon, too. So it is essential this spell be cast in preparation. Also, Paladins are immune to fear and make a good choice to go up against the villain. In addition, a special item can be found, which would make a Paladin very effective. Such a party would have an easier time, I think.
Anyway, I'm glad you had fun with the adventure. The combat balance you described sounds like what I was going for. I like tough battles, but I don't want to kill the characters. Just make them bleed a little, and use up healing resources.
As for the ending, I am working on 2 modules right now that tie into this campaign. One is a direct sequel, the other is kind of in between. Both might better express the impact of your actions from this adventure.
Thanks!
Posted by Three Ham Omelette at 2012-01-08 03:35:53 Voted 8.75 on 01/08/12
Thanks for responding so quickly, Dorateen; it seems my positioning was a bit off when I was trying to interact with the rubble.
I finished the module today, and I have to say it's probably the best I've played (of the three to-date; I'm still new to NWN haha). I particularly enjoyed the conversation; the considerations made for dialogue options helped my immersion whilst playing the mod.
I felt the difficulty was fairly well balanced; I had to make liberal use of healing items and spells, though I only had to revive characters a handful of times after particularly tough battles.
However, I seem to have the opposite complaint in regards to the difficulty of the final boss, who I found frustratingly hard. Maybe it was due to my newbie playstyle, but his fear would instantly incapacitate my entire party for over a minute, which was a sure death sentence. I eventually managed to beat him after using every buff vs fear I had and reloading to get lucky with rolls, though. Once my characters managed to resist becoming completely helpless the boss went down without much difficulty thereafter.
I found the ending to be rather anticlimactic, but overall I had a lot of fun with this module; I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a solid party-based adventure.
That's a little trick I use sometimes to block the player's progress. You need to right click on the piece of rubble and choose "bash". That should make your character destroy the rubble and keep going.
Hope you continue to enjoy the mod, and thanks for downloading!
Posted by Three Ham Omelette at 2012-01-07 12:28:13 Voted 8.75 on 01/08/12
Very enjoyable mod so far, though I haven't been able to complete it yet as I appear to be stuck. In the campfire room in the fortress there is a large piece of rubble blocking the stairway up. There's no apparent alternate path or means to interact with it; am I missing something here?
Hi karen, thank you for playing and for the feedback! Yes, I think depending on what kind of party you have and how they are equipped, that final battle could be less challenging than some of the other combats in the middle of the game.
I'm glad you had fun and thanks for the vote!
Posted by karen at 2011-11-04 15:28:37 Voted 8.50 on 11/04/11
I had a lot of fun with this and hope you continue to write new mods! My only suggestion is to make the final fight more difficult - it was one of the easiest in the game!
Posted by Winwood at 2011-10-17 19:36:09 Voted 8.75 on 10/15/11
Hey, roadsaint, thank you very much for your comments! I truly appreciate the vote and most of all just playing this adventure.
I think you're right about the Mage not taking his cat back. I had added a new line once the main quest was over, and that probably prevented the dialogue option when you have the cat from coming up again. I can go back and take a look at that, it would be easy enough to fix.
Thanks again!
Posted by roadsaint at 2011-08-17 16:48:39 Voted 9.75 on 08/17/11
Yet another great mod that should have a higher score and more votes. This one is top 10 in my book, great story, great characters, mystery, challenging fights, etc. Only minor issue was that the mage would not take his cat back, but that could have been because the mod was basically over at that point.
Thank you very much for the vote upgrade, and for playing again! Actually, I think your initial scoring was very fair, but I always appreciate the boost. (Dwarves do need that extra hand in getting over the wall, but don't tell the elves!)
I was especially grateful to hear that you could go through the adventure again with party of favorite characters. There are a couple of branching paths/choices in the story, which might help it feel like a new experience.
Posted by PJ156 at 2011-05-17 11:57:14 Voted 9.75 on 05/17/11
Just played again with an afternoon or two to spare. I think i was unfair with my vote. As others have said create your own party mods is uncommon fare. I put some of my favorite characters through thier paces and gave it an odd mix of levels. It has been a while and I had forgottoen most of the goings on. tis time it seemed fresh again and I had a lot of fun.
So here's my new vote.
Thanks Dorateen,
Looking forward to Sons of Edinmoor and helping some dwarfs over that wall :)
Hi Arkalezth, thanks very much for that! I've always been a big fan of create your own party RPGs, and I'm glad to now be able to do this in NWN2.
I have made some progress on the start of the sequel. However, I put this on hold briefly because I am designing an area for the upcoming Tarrasque community project. I expect to be back to work in full force on the Sons of Edinmoor this summer.
Posted by Arkalezth at 2011-04-05 11:00:34 Voted 9.00 on 04/05/11
Just upping my vote a little. There aren't many modules out there where you can create your own party (which I enjoy), and this one is a good example of that.
Forgive me if this is not the best place to ask, but, how's the sequel going?
The epilogue conversation with Commissioner VonBuren is keyed by you having the Spirit of Edinmoor item in your inventory. You should still have that, since that is how you got back to Edinmoor.
See if you can drop that item. (Or sell it, as unbelievable as that may seem, since you were able to sell the other plot needed items!)
Once you no longer have the "Spirit of Edinmoor", then talk to the Commissioner again. It should default back to his "Carry on with your search. There is a killer on the prowl." If you have Cyrus in the party, you will get a third dialogue option to discuss the murder investigation.
From here, it is up to you, as you will be presented with a heavy role-playing decision. It may not be to everyone's tastes, and people may agree or disagree with the outcome. Keep in mind, it is not necessary to close out the murder case in order to achieve your objective and complete the adventure.
Hi, Dorateen,
I've completed the Anvil of Time and have now run into a problem. I took Cyrus with me through the Anvil and now that I'm back at Edinmoor Court, I can't complete the murder quest. I'm thinking that it's necessary to complete this before proceeding to the Anvil.
I'm not keen on replaying the whole Anvil. I assume this is all controlled by variable settings. Can you send me the necessary settings to reactivate the murder quest when talking to the guy at Edinmoor Court?
If you have Cyrus in the party, and want to keep him, then by all means you do not have to let him go. That does not affect the second key.
SPOILERS
As you have the companion, I am guessing that you finished the Villa. You should have picked up one key from the Bard. (Looting his corpse.)
Have you finished exploring the tomb where the pedestals are? Defeating the main boss at the end of that dungeon will yield the second key.
If you talk to Cyrus, I think I put in some conversation that reveals a little about his past, but it might change based on the quest state.
Also, when you first found him and talked to him, there were dialogue options that give more information about what he did, and his rationale. In other words, you found the "murder" suspect... but it is up to you to decide if he is justified in his actions.
Hi, Dorateen,
I'm having several sort-of-interrelated problems. The main one is that I can't find the second item for the pedestals at the end of the Fortress, and have no idea where to look. I have not been to 12 areas, so I know there's more.
I also apparently have solved the murder quest, but I have no idea how I figured out who it was, whick kind of bothers me. Do I have to talk to him?
SPOILER
Tying these together is that I don't really want to lose Cyrus from the party, and I'm guessing that is how to get the second key. Is that what is supposed to happen?
@Picaro, I'm glad you were able to go back and and resolve that part of the adventure. Hopefully should make things better, combat and story wise. By all means, I appreciate the feedback, and look for ways for me to improve the next campaign.
@_MAU_, Thank you very much for playing and for the awesome vote! I do think, depending on the composition of characters in your party, 5 could be a bit overkill. But I like how with the Party Menu, players can try different levels and class combinations, and find the right balance.
Those neutral NPCs are definitely an issue. As you saw, a lot of battles are started from conversations. So those enemies have a defender faction until becoming hostile. I tried to avoid other NPC's joining in by making their perception range "short", but that unwanted involvement still happens from time to time. Love the giant throwing a boulder at the cat. Hey, saved an attack from the party!
10 - A Masterpiece, Genuinely Groundbreaking 9 - Outstanding, a Must Have 8 - Excellent, Recommended to Anyone 7 - Very Good, Deserves a Look 6 - Good, Qualified Recommendation 5 - Fair, Solid yet Unremarkable 4 - Some Merit, Requires Improvements 3 - Poor Execution, Potential Unrealized 2 - Very Little Appeal 1 - Not Recommended to Anyone
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