Undercroft
2011-05-27, 04:11 PM
Right so i've been brainstorming a villain for my players to run up against in my eberron campaign. I have a fairly good idea of how i want the villain, but his mooks are a bit trickier. So i figured i'd come here and try get some fresh ideas/opinions (since sometimes a fresh mind on the job gives better perspective).
Anyways, the villain is going to be a wizard/fleshwarper. Doing the standard mad scientist routine of wanting to "fix" his fellow man. And how? Grafts galore of course.
The first the PCs know about it is that people in a nearby friendly town have been going missing without a trace and the local police/guard are completely stumped. Cue adventure hook.
Later they'll encounter a couple of "improved" villagers who want to capture the PCs so they can be improved too. This is where i start hitting some snags.
One is why are the grafted villagers now working for the villain? The other big one is what grafts / templates / other stuff should i add to them to make them a challenge for a level 7 party? The main villain i'll be throwing at them later when they're about level 12 (to give them plenty of time to foil assorted plans, fail to foil others but see horrific consequences, etc).
Now some of the ideas i've had for the general minions are:
- Liberal use of flesh golems (from leftovers) and half golems (mostly flesh or iron variants due to material availability)
- Liberal use of grafts. I'm ignoring the conflicting / too many grafting rules they added in. Essentially unlimited use of grafts and graft types, assuming space for them (so no more than 2 arm grafts if the creature only has 2 arms, etc)
- Liberal use of various symbionts. I'll DM fiat a way for the villain to have access to them somehow.
- I've been thinking perhaps some sort of magic (either item but ideally spell or spell-like ability) to keep them in line and under control of the villain. Most people wouldn't react favourably to having assorted organs/limbs removed and replaced, even if it would make them superior.
The grafted villager minions are likely to be comprised of woman and children, simply to creep my players out more.
As for the villain it's more aesthetic and flavour choices. I'm stumped on the race to make him. Since it's eberron i have a number of options, however any suggestions are appreciated:
- Half-Daelkyr. At the moment it's my most likely option. Also gives a really reasonable reason as to how the villian has access to symbiots.
- Halfing with a mark of healing. I also like this option. Essentially he'd have worked aiding his dragonmarked house till he eventually went round the bend and decided to improve people. Main downside is the small size because i want a really heavy loadout of grafts when i make the villain and fluff-wise small makes them a bit iffy.
- Human. but with some funky aberrant dragonmark. Aberrant dragonmark made him crazy(er) and using it's powers he controls the minions or something.
- Half-ilithid dwarf. Also perhaps with an aberrant mark. Mostly for the brain eating. That voidmind template has some possibilities for minion control so i'd be likely to fiat a version of it for this guy to make use of (essentially lobotomize the villagers to make them tractable)
As for the party, they're likely to have the following classes by the time they face the actual minions. I'm fairly lax in prestiege class requirements and bend the rules on a bunch of things (sneak attack die can be treated as skirmish instead, etc):
- Healer/Heartwarder (the player wanted a charismatic healing character that isn't of the religiousy persuasion. mostly stands at the back and heals stuff)
- Scout/Assassin (werewolf and primary damage dealer. very good AC)
- Bard/Sublime Chord (arcanist, buffer and general utility. Dragonfire inspiration too)
- Swashbuckler/Storm Sentry (tanky-ish melee character. dashing and heroic, etc. TWF with rapiers)
Anyways, the villain is going to be a wizard/fleshwarper. Doing the standard mad scientist routine of wanting to "fix" his fellow man. And how? Grafts galore of course.
The first the PCs know about it is that people in a nearby friendly town have been going missing without a trace and the local police/guard are completely stumped. Cue adventure hook.
Later they'll encounter a couple of "improved" villagers who want to capture the PCs so they can be improved too. This is where i start hitting some snags.
One is why are the grafted villagers now working for the villain? The other big one is what grafts / templates / other stuff should i add to them to make them a challenge for a level 7 party? The main villain i'll be throwing at them later when they're about level 12 (to give them plenty of time to foil assorted plans, fail to foil others but see horrific consequences, etc).
Now some of the ideas i've had for the general minions are:
- Liberal use of flesh golems (from leftovers) and half golems (mostly flesh or iron variants due to material availability)
- Liberal use of grafts. I'm ignoring the conflicting / too many grafting rules they added in. Essentially unlimited use of grafts and graft types, assuming space for them (so no more than 2 arm grafts if the creature only has 2 arms, etc)
- Liberal use of various symbionts. I'll DM fiat a way for the villain to have access to them somehow.
- I've been thinking perhaps some sort of magic (either item but ideally spell or spell-like ability) to keep them in line and under control of the villain. Most people wouldn't react favourably to having assorted organs/limbs removed and replaced, even if it would make them superior.
The grafted villager minions are likely to be comprised of woman and children, simply to creep my players out more.
As for the villain it's more aesthetic and flavour choices. I'm stumped on the race to make him. Since it's eberron i have a number of options, however any suggestions are appreciated:
- Half-Daelkyr. At the moment it's my most likely option. Also gives a really reasonable reason as to how the villian has access to symbiots.
- Halfing with a mark of healing. I also like this option. Essentially he'd have worked aiding his dragonmarked house till he eventually went round the bend and decided to improve people. Main downside is the small size because i want a really heavy loadout of grafts when i make the villain and fluff-wise small makes them a bit iffy.
- Human. but with some funky aberrant dragonmark. Aberrant dragonmark made him crazy(er) and using it's powers he controls the minions or something.
- Half-ilithid dwarf. Also perhaps with an aberrant mark. Mostly for the brain eating. That voidmind template has some possibilities for minion control so i'd be likely to fiat a version of it for this guy to make use of (essentially lobotomize the villagers to make them tractable)
As for the party, they're likely to have the following classes by the time they face the actual minions. I'm fairly lax in prestiege class requirements and bend the rules on a bunch of things (sneak attack die can be treated as skirmish instead, etc):
- Healer/Heartwarder (the player wanted a charismatic healing character that isn't of the religiousy persuasion. mostly stands at the back and heals stuff)
- Scout/Assassin (werewolf and primary damage dealer. very good AC)
- Bard/Sublime Chord (arcanist, buffer and general utility. Dragonfire inspiration too)
- Swashbuckler/Storm Sentry (tanky-ish melee character. dashing and heroic, etc. TWF with rapiers)