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mr.fizzypop
2010-01-25, 10:13 PM
For a while now I have been thinking of having a 3.5 DnD adventure that is based on the movie "The Thing". But I have know clue how I would organize it. The idea I have is for the PCs to get in contact with a bacteria that infects there bloodstream. And while sleeping who ever is subject would transform into a hideous creature and wreak havoc. The PCs would be traveling with a caravan at the time, through a underground highway. It will be the PCs decision to figure out which of them is infected.

How would I organize this? Have any of you done anything like this?

Asbestos
2010-01-25, 10:20 PM
Sounds like some sort of were-disease by your description.

Drakevarg
2010-01-25, 10:22 PM
To TRUELY emulate what its like to experience the Thing firsthand, slip them all some bad acid.

That aside, the Thing wasn't a virus so much as a Doppleganger injected with several drums of Nightmare Fuel Unleaded.

Xenogears
2010-01-25, 10:28 PM
Finally Fireball will regain its place as the #1 Wizard spell.

Hmmm. IIRC once infected you were doomed (although DnD could perhaps fix it with a remove disease spell...) so no save just death....

Not sure how to keep the deadliness while maintaining balance...

Zeta Kai
2010-01-25, 10:33 PM
The closest thing that I can think of to the Thing is the G-Virus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2837938#post2837938) from my Resident Evil d20 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2833324#post2833324).

Corrupting infection? Check.
Freakish mutations? Double-check.
Body Horror-a-Go-Go? Triple-check.

Asbestos
2010-01-25, 10:36 PM
Alternatively you could put the 'thing' into the Caravan (but not the PCs) and have it run amok and spread terror. Let the PCs find out that its basically killing and replacing people. I believe there is a parasitic critter in Lords of Madness that does this... and there is, the Tsochar.

There is also the Cancer Mage, which if you extended the time that it can control its host when in disease form, could make for a pretty insidious adversary.

mr.fizzypop
2010-01-25, 10:45 PM
I was thinking they would get a scroll or two, that could work. If the bacteria is in the subjects bloodstream, it would remove it, if not the poor subject will die.

I want it to infect one of the PCs for two reasons:
1. To provide paranoia amongst the players
2. For the rest of the caravan become more distrustful of the players. This would be a complication the PCs must face.

I guess it'd probably work more like a werewolf than the thing, but it wouldn't be restricted to full moons. After every night I'd probably have clues. Maybe the Thing uses one of the other PCs weapons to kill a victim, to provide unrest.

The Deej
2010-01-25, 10:47 PM
The whole idea behind The Thing is that nobody knows who they can trust. Your 'patient 0' (best term I can think of right now) should be determined by a random roll.

At the start of the game, you take each player, one at a time, out of the room for a short talk. You tell the one that is infected that he is the thing, all the rest you tell them that they are not infected. Try to keep the time intervals as even as possible, to keep them guessing.

For further sewing of mistrust, require that everyone periodically slip you notes.

As for the effects of the disease, the infected person knows that they are infected, as they are no longer themselves, but rather a copy. They should get a racial bonus to bluff to help hide their nature. They should also have an at-will transformation capability, simmilar to a lycanthrope, and regeneration (fire).

Edit: mostly ninja'd

ReluctantReaper
2010-01-25, 10:55 PM
You would then not tell the PC who is infected? I guess I don't understand...does he lose all control over his character?

Edit: uh i got a answer so i guess nevermind

DabblerWizard
2010-01-25, 10:58 PM
Mutations and bacterial infections and evil viruses and such, seem to fit more in the realm of sci fi, not fantasy. If I was looking to play a scientist experiment gone wrong, for instance, I might consider d&d modern, or d&d future.

Mixing these genres seems to provide diminishing returns, if you know what I mean.

mr.fizzypop
2010-01-25, 11:04 PM
But how should I decide the course of events? Should I have a goal that they're all trying to complete? I was thinking they could be fighting to find the cure, while the infected PC trys to stop them.

Elvenoutrider
2010-01-25, 11:10 PM
There is a monster called the "Star Doppleganger" In the d20 modern Monster manual that is based off the movie the thing.

Drakevarg
2010-01-25, 11:25 PM
Make a Were-Chaos Beast. Not possible by RAW, but who cares?

SpikeFightwicky
2010-01-26, 09:50 AM
There is a monster called the "Star Doppleganger" In the d20 modern Monster manual that is based off the movie the thing.

Yeah, it's more or less what the movie 'Thing' is. Here's the stats and abilities:
http://spikefightwicky.tripod.com/menacecreat4.html#creat11

Thurbane
2010-01-26, 08:09 PM
I just have to join in and say that John Carpenter's "The Thing" is one of my all time favorite movies (and IMHO the best remake of a movie ever). Any adventure based off of it would be truly awesome.

Features of "The Thing" as a D&D monster:
Regeneration against all damage except fire
Ability to mimic creatures in a very similar fashion to a doppelganger
Ability to infect creatures with a curse/diease that make them into "Things" as well
Ability to shapechange into a variety of forms, of creatures it has previously assimilated
An ooze like creature in it's "natural" state

Drakevarg
2010-01-26, 08:11 PM
I was always under the impression that the Thing didn't infect people, it just ate them and mimiced them.

Thurbane
2010-01-26, 08:21 PM
I was always under the impression that the Thing didn't infect people, it just ate them and mimiced them.
I suppose - I haven't seen the movie for a while.

At one point they did suggest that they prepare their own food to avoid infection, but that was merely hypothesis by the characters.

...if it does eat them and spit out mimics, sounds a little like the Deep Spawn from FR.

Kulture
2010-01-27, 01:40 AM
The mortal hunter class and soul eater prestige classes both allow users to take on the appearance of those they have the flesh of or have soul drained respectively.

Half far-spawn gelationous cube mortal hunter could work, if you don't fancy using D20 modern.
Bonus points if you split it into multiples and use tweaked hivemind rules.