Soulharvest, Stormspire, and the Ruins of Lexington Kentucky

[MidnightNova]

Interesting bit of information. In WB16 Federation of Magic, the city of Stormspire is listed as being built "Where the city of Lexington Kentucky once stood".

But WB12 Psyscape describes Soulharvest as being "Located in the deepest recesses of the Magic Zone, not too terribly far from the Kingdom of Dunscon (including the ruins of Lexington, Kentucky),"

Now obviously this is a bit of a conundrum. I seriously doubt that K'zaa would share territory with Nxla's minions (Not out of any sense of goodness, just that they are rivals for power)-also, being at the same site as Soulharvest would likely scare off potential customers.

Now K'zaa's tower, the core of Stormspire can teleport, so it can move wherever needed. But for the present how does one reconcile the identical locations of these two rather different communities? WHich would you keep at Lexington, and where would you move the other? In my campaign I have Stormspire at Lexington, and moved Soulharvest south near Mount Vernon Kentucky, about halfway between Stormspire and the Central Preserve, in the middle of dense forest like was described in Psyscape.

What are people's opinions? And was anything officially ever said to reconcile this?

[Curbludgeon]

It's not that big of an area, and I'd likely just shift Stormspire.
I'd also, just for the sake of silliness, have the nearby castle stick around.

[Grazzik]

I keep Stormspire where it is in Lexington. I've placed Soulharvest 20+ miles to the SW near Salvisa, with the Kentucky River acting as a natural barrier.

[Aermas]

I put Soulharvest in Louisville KY since they probably meant to put one of them in Louisville & crossed the wires somewhere

[Grazzik]

I put Soulharvest in Louisville KY since they probably meant to put one of them in Louisville & crossed the wires somewhere

That would be the town of Nostrous (WB16r pg 35).

I agree, wires were probably crossed somehow between WB12 and WB16...

[Aermas]

Well dang. I guess I'll shift it to Chattanooga

[Fenris2020]

This is what happens when the writers aren't paying attention to their own setting.
I just decided that K'Zaa is going to decide to... deal with the Xombies in his area.
This will cause more internecine friction in the Federation, since most Federation members would rather K'Zaa stick around than Nxla.

[Marcethus]

This is what happens when the writers aren't paying attention to their own setting.
I just decided that K'Zaa is going to decide to... deal with the Xombies in his area.
This will cause more internecine friction in the Federation, since most Federation members would rather K'Zaa stick around than Nxla.

That's what I did as well.

[Plane]

perhaps between book 12 and 16 the soulharvesters moved elsewhere?

[Grazzik]

perhaps between book 12 and 16 the soulharvesters moved elsewhere?

Both are set in 105 PA. Perhaps over the course of the year, Nxla was defeated and Stormspire was able to ascend to local dominance. Who knows, as there is no official timeline at that scale. Up to the GM. Psyscape had already spent ~1yr scouting the area to prepare to take out Nxla. Perhaps that could be the deus ex machina that resolves the issue by having a party of Psyscape champions attack and defeat Nxla. Perhaps aided by Stormspire in the process.

However, it is still workable have multiple powers operating locally - to have miles of separation, including a natural barrier feature like a river, to reduce direct interaction and still be in the same "neighborhood".

Overall, this is the same writing dilemma as WB4 and using the point in time element of the Four Horsemen to hinge the setting... you have a big gathering of heroes to defeat the Horsemen but it becomes a fait accompli as later books just assume it was successful. So, what happened in Africa after that...?

Lesson is that World Books should not be based on a single great confrontation, but instead focus on the setting and the key setting elements, like how China and Russia are presented with generally static polities for PCs to interact with. Germany / Europe is part of a broader arc of books that have evolved the setting based on events, and that's ok too if you publish books to move the storyline forward.

I chalk this up to a gaff that is left to GMs to resolve as they see fit. Unless PB decides to use the disparate elements described in WB12 and WB16r for a regional arc of books that clean up the setting... maybe use a slice of the Minion War to reshape the balance of power and better describe the region. It could be an opportunity to flesh out the details and machinations of regional powers such as FQ, Shemarrians, Mechanoids, FOM, GAW, Psyscape, Lazlo and city states like Stormspire, while retiring elements like Nxla that didn't really make it into later books by saying that they fell victim to a demon horde passing through.

Anyway, good luck to all GMs resolving this for their players, should they be passing through Kentucky.

[Plane]

mayhaps there be a secret alliance between Nxla and Kzaa where Xombies are being outfitted with TW power armor and that's how they're actually a threat somehow

[Fenris2020]

mayhaps there be a secret alliance between Nxla and Kzaa where Xombies are being outfitted with TW power armor and that's how they're actually a threat somehow

Xombies and Soul Harvesters aren't already a threat?
What power-level are you playing?

[Plane]

I had forgotten how fast and tough Xombies are and just how fast they regenerated MDC, but going by Psyscape 22 they lack ranged combat options so an aerial power armor w/ unlimited energy ammo can eventually whittle them down if they can do more than 40 MD per melee.

To me the scariest aspect has never been the Xombies themselves but rather a Harvester opening a portal and Nxla spamming fragments through it. Instant loss of 10-40 people even of high power levels.

Could use elaboration though I have no idea how fast those essence fragments move