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View Full Version : [3.5] Need input on potential campaignidea: The Tome of 13 Outsiders.



Pika...
2010-01-31, 02:23 AM
Basic Plot Premise:

The PCs do a single 1st level basic dungeon crawl in an ancient mansion/castle full of undead (perhaps Castle Gygax?).
At the dungeon's end they get an unusually large treasure for level 1.
Among the treasure they find an old book at it's center. It's covers is divided into four equal sides with a circle in the middle. The parts are colored as such: Upper Left is red, Upper Right is Black, Lower Left is White, Lower Right is Grey, and the center has a HUGE diamond embedded in the center circle.
The book has a latch which the PCs SHOULD obviously open.
When they do from it's pages suddenly thirteen different creatures of various types and forums (Knowledge Planes and possibly a higher Knowledge Religion check will reveal they are different outsiders).
Later on after they (hopefully are smart enough to) flee the castle.mansion they are greeted by a very PO'd looking man in a cloak who introduces himself (in a very mocking and annoyed way) as Mr. Vanghoul of the Western Continent's (a continent in my homebrewed setting, but you can change it as you need) vampire clans.
The vampire proceeds to tell them that they the creatures they just released are among the most destructive (note I did not say evil) creatures to have ever entered the Prime Material from other realms of existence. He then tasks them with recapturing them, for only they can due to having unleashed them from their book. He technically could as well since he did it originally, but he has no "desire" to go through all that again.
Hence the party is forced to set out and recapture these powerful entities.




Ideas for the outsiders I have so far:

Rogue Modron "Order Bringer #1" as he calls himself. This rogue Quadrone took the strict and rigid ways of the lawful Modron hierarchy to a new extreme. One which boarders on fanaticism.

Order Bringer's fanaticism runs so deep it has corrupted his very programing. So powerful has this "taint" become that it can even be spread to others of his kind. Other base Modron merely touched by Order Bringer #1 become infected (see disease in the PHB) with his frantic desire to bring absolute order through impeccably detailed and unquestionably followed laws and regulations. If said base Modrons fail a DC16 Will Save they immediately become rogues, and take on the designation Order Bringer #XX. What type of Base Modron the rogues are has no baring on their standing in this new hierarchy.

Order Bringer #1 is also capable of infecting other constructs. Constructs of a lawful nature, but not of Modron Origin (such as Inevitables or Lawfully Aligned Warforged) must pass DC12 Will Save or become infected. Constructs of a neutral alignment require a DC10 Will Save, while chaotically aligned constructs require a mere DC6 Will Save.

Whatever the case of the construct's former origin, once infected their alignment switches lawful on the Law vs. Chaos axes, though their Evil vs. Good axes remains unchanged. The construct(s) gain an Order Bringer designation/rank, and join the Order Bringer Hierarchy (much like the Modron Hierarchy, though in a straight direct line to #1). They also gain the ability to infect others themselves immediately upon their own infection.

In all the above cases a Modron or other construct who succeeds a save against an Order Bringer's Will Save is immune to further infection attempts for the next 48 hours.

Whether Order Bringer #1, or by extension his corrupt mock hierarchy, is capable of infesting Hierarch Modrons is uncertain, for his first and so far only "infection" of the Modron hierarchy was cut-down shortly before Regulus's perimeter after his mysterious and sudden disappearance centuries ago. However, explorers have confirmed that the Modron race has performed massive mock battles (or as some have described them epically large games of armed tag) in an attempt to gain statistical data on how low it might take for a reemergence of this infection to reach one of Primus' four Secunduses. Whether or not any such experiments have been performed to determine a time frame for Primus' infection is uncertain at this time.





Idea? Suggestions? Fixers?

Herbstfarben
2010-01-31, 04:42 AM
The PCs might ignore the quest. Who wants to work for a vampire? An evil vampire? Who is probably lying anyway?
Does the vampire try to bribe the party with buckets of loot? I mean, since he's admitting that the 13 ghost aren't worldending foes but only annoying weirdoes...

Hallavast
2010-01-31, 04:54 AM
The PCs might ignore the quest. Who wants to work for a vampire? An evil vampire? Who is probably lying anyway?
Does the vampire try to bribe the party with buckets of loot? I mean, since he's admitting that the 13 ghost aren't worldending foes but only annoying weirdoes...

If they do, one or more of the creatures could show up at their home town. That might teach them some empathy. Lots of ways to railroad them onto this.

I do agree that the vampire might invite hesitation from the PCs. I would suggest having him not be so open about his nature.

I like the story idea, for sure.

XiaoTie
2010-01-31, 06:45 AM
Why would they flee the mansion? The outsiders are outside (:thog:), so what is so dangerous about staying in the mansion until they get all the treasure out/make the mansion their HQ?

And yeah, some vampire telling PCs what to do (and being arrogant about it) wouldn't be my first pick for the job =/

Other than that, it sounds like a VERY good campaign idea.

Bonus points if the vampire is the BBEG at the end. :smallbiggrin:

Runestar
2010-01-31, 07:20 AM
I agree - why a vampire? That would breed instant distrust. Perhaps an angel or some good outsider?

Plot's a bit sketchy. There's little incentive for the PCs to want to hunt down the various outsiders. Though I guess you could have the various outsiders start hunting them, to take them out of the picture so the PCs can't seal them.

The idea is a little reminiscent of the plot for kamen rider blade. Do a wiki-search for it, it may contain some tips you can steal. :smallbiggrin:

Hallavast
2010-01-31, 08:58 AM
Plot's a bit sketchy. There's little incentive for the PCs to want to hunt down the various outsiders. Though I guess you could have the various outsiders start hunting them, to take them out of the picture so the PCs can't seal them.
Well... some would argue that the party is morally obligated to help clean up the mess they just made. Just gotta make sure you find a reason that clicks with the party, and like i said before, its easier than you might think.



The idea is a little reminiscent of the plot for kamen rider blade. Do a wiki-search for it, it may contain some tips you can steal. :smallbiggrin:

Rofl.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2010-01-31, 09:17 AM
I'd make a very old Cleric or possibly a Druid of some nature deity task them with recapturing the creatures. They threaten to disrupt the balance of the world, regardless of their alignment.

I'd make one for each element, and one for each of the eight planar alignments (no true neutral). The last one could be something from the outer realm, or whatever else you'd want to throw in there. Give each one an extremely powerful unique special ability, which the PCs are immune to for having released them.

Earth: Use an Earth Elemental and give it some sort of petrifying ability, probably a gaze or breath attack, or make anything it touches or strikes with its slam attack make a Fort save or be turned to stone. The PCs would of course be immune to this, but it will still be a powerful melee combatant. They should probably have to lure it into an area where it cannot escape via Earth Glide.

Air: I'd make this one a Storm Elemental from MM3, and give it a continuous Control Winds effect which it can direct as a free action every round.

Water: Make this one cold themed, use a Water Elemental with the Orglash template from Unapproachable East. Give it some spell-like abilities and a continuous cloud-type spell effect, such as Arctic Haze from Frostburn. Good cold-based spell-like abilities could include Ice Lance, Shivering Touch, Orb of Cold, Flesh to Ice, and Call Avalanche. Maybe they have to stop it from using a sacred site to channel its powers to create a Frostfell spell effect over the entire continent. I'd make it a range spellcaster type opponent, give it a lot of spell-like abilities and make it so everything it casts can hit every creatures in its Arctic Haze at once, but the level of concentration required to hit one of the PCs who released it limit it to the spells' normal single-target effects.

Eldariel
2010-01-31, 10:11 AM
...what if they didn't open the latch? Generally PCs might not for no reason open magical tomes they know nothing about.

Baron Corm
2010-01-31, 11:16 AM
Here's some ideas:

Lawful Good - Fallen angel that Celestia doesn't know is fallen. Goes back to infiltrate heaven and bring it down from the inside.

Neutral Good - Don't know much about these types of outsiders.

Chaotic Good - Maenad-type creature. Hosts gigantic parties, which quickly turn out of control and turn into ravenous flesh-eating mobs.

Lawful Neutral - Your rogue modron thing.

True Neutral - A rogue elemental monolith which disrupts weather conditions, causes earthquakes, etc.

Chaotic Neutral - Far Planes monstrosity which just rampages around destroying things.

Lawful Evil - A conniving devil which quickly creates a cult for itself, spreading evil like a plague.

Neutral Evil - A yugoloth which goes around hiring itself out to random kingdoms, causing much conquering and destruction. Each time one kingdom gets on top, it fights for a different one. Wars everywhere.

Chaotic Evil - Self-replicating demon, you can use my Carkessera (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89637) as an inspiration if you want.

Starbuck_II
2010-01-31, 11:51 AM
How about a evil Hound Archon. His name is Doo. Scooby Doo. He once tried to capture 13 ghosts, but failed and turned into a demonic form.

Pika...
2010-01-31, 02:44 PM
...... the 13 ghost...

I see what you did there. >.>



How about a evil Hound Archon. His name is Doo. Scooby Doo. He once tried to capture 13 ghosts, but failed and turned into a demonic form.

OK. My cover is blown...


ps. OK, perhaps for the final/strongest BBEG?

Pika...
2010-01-31, 02:50 PM
I agree - why a vampire? That would breed instant distrust. Perhaps an angel or some good outsider?

Well, an angel would not fit Mr. Vanghoul very well. LoL

Mastikator
2010-01-31, 03:18 PM
But why does he have to be a shady vampire? Why can't the quest giver be a high level cleric who bestows Geas/Quest on the party to undo what they did. Or just tells them the problem they caused and tries to guilt them into fixing the problem they caused.
Or an outsider.
Or perhaps some reoccuring guardian ghost they encountered in the castle, who initially just fought them, but now resorts to using words.

Also, a word of advice. Try to not make the good outsiders evil, but the evil outsiders still evil. They are destructive. Simply make them true to their alignment but untrue to their organization in a way that will cause lots of destruction. Like the Modron. Lawful Neutral but not compatible with other modrons in a destructive way.


The BBEG could be a quad-elemental, composed of all 4 elements as a hideous abberation that commands all elements but is accepted by no elemental :P

Pika...
2010-02-01, 12:20 AM
But why does he have to be a shady vampire? Why can't the quest giver be a high level cleric who bestows Geas/Quest on the party to undo what they did. Or just tells them the problem they caused and tries to guilt them into fixing the problem they caused.
Or an outsider.
Or perhaps some reoccuring guardian ghost they encountered in the castle, who initially just fought them, but now resorts to using words.

Also, a word of advice. Try to not make the good outsiders evil, but the evil outsiders still evil. They are destructive. Simply make them true to their alignment but untrue to their organization in a way that will cause lots of destruction. Like the Modron. Lawful Neutral but not compatible with other modrons in a destructive way.


The BBEG could be a quad-elemental, composed of all 4 elements as a hideous abberation that commands all elements but is accepted by no elemental :P

Have you ever seen Mr. Vanghoul with how heavy-handed he is with the party?