[13th Age] Who are the Icons of Thunder Rift?

[Tim Baker]

During The Piazza's 10th Birthday Chat on Discord, there were some topics that the community thought would be worthy of additional discussion on longer-lived forum threads. This is one such thread.

The question was, "who would serve as 13th Age-style icons if you were to run a Thunder Rifts campaign using 13th Age?" You can learn the basics about 13th Age icons here: http://www.13thagesrd.com/icons/. They aren't just important as a means of tying PCs to the setting and providing the GM with hooks for inspiration and improvisation, but they provide mechanical crunch, too.

The possible answers were:

1. Use a list of NPCs from Thunder Rift and "elevate" them to have the influence of icons in your version of Thunder Rift.
2. Use the list from the default 13th Age setting, either introducing new NPCs and factions or imbuing existing NPCs with some of these icons' characteristics.
3. Start play with Thunder Rift hidden from the icons (or all but one), then play out what happens when the existence of TR is revealed to the broader world and its icons. The PCs can help shape the place of Thunder Rift in this world that is now aware of it.

What are some other options?

Given option three, what resources might the icons vie for? Natural resources? Sources of magic? New technologies? Unique monsters that could provide an edge if utilized in battle? Troops to turn the tide of war?

[Gravesguardian]

There is a Monolith w/in Thunder Rift of unknown origin and purpose: How can it be used in 13th Age? There is also The Dark Pit: What is it? Where does it lead? How/why was it created?
Also, Thunder Rift suffered The Wand and Sword War that devastated the land between Wizardspire and The Fighter's Academy (The Haunted Tower boxset): Can it be integrated into 13th Age? (That war birthed the area now called: Gloomfens)
The undead that rise w/in the confines of The Marshwood rise as Ghouls w/ "most" of their intelligence and abilities intact. (Example: a 4th level Magic-User dying w/in The Marshwood, would rise as a Ghoul w/ the abilities of maybe a 3rd level Magic-User)
If you get your hands on the Thunder Rift setting pdf, you can scan thru it and see what you can slip into 13th Age w/ little to no fuss.

[Tim Baker]

I was doing a bit more digging into Thunder Rift, and it looks like it's about 30 miles long and half that in width. It sounds like there's a lot packed into a relatively small area. Is that the case, or does it expand deep underground or even other planes to give adventures more "breathing room?"

[Gravesguardian]

There's been ALOT of discussion over the size (or lack there of) of Thunder Rift. There was roughly 10'ish total adventures published that have been accepted as canon in TR: none of the adventures went above 5th level. At that level the "intent" was for DM's to shift their games to other settings, like Mystara via the Dimensional Portal deep w/in Hearth-Home.

[Tim Baker]

It's not a bad idea to provide PCs with a (relatively) safe spot to complete what 5th Edition D&D would call the first two tiers of play. Where does the caravan route near the southwest part of the valley lead? Does this not lead to whatever setting the table's version of TR calls "home?"

[Gravesguardian]

The path leading out of the South of Thunder Rift cuts thru Scorch's claimed territory and can lead to whatever land the DM wishes. A second path leading out of The Horned Hills, I believe, is big enough for carts to travel. The third exit, located w/in the Gauntlin Forest, would give even a goat pause. All three paths lead to what ever land/lands the DM chooses to place there. If you set the Rift in an area that borders 3 lands, each path could lead to a different land.