I'd like to be, in a wizard's garden, in space

[faceroll]

My players recently found a wizard's tower in the middle of some podunk greyhawk kingdom (god I hate greyhawk). Of course, it is way too bitchin to be part of greyhawk, it's actually on the Astral, and the tower is merely a portal to the academy; there's no tower structure at all.

Players aren't quite aware of just how bitchin the academy is, and I want them to find out when they exit the tower. Instead of arriving back where they entered the portal on a low, featureless plain, they end up in a beautiful garden. With the blackness of the void above and below them, twinkling stars in the distance.

Have you ever played Diablo 2? You know the Arcane Sanctuary? Basically, the garden is going to be one "room" of that, with a garden gate leading back to the material and a wooden door leading into the academy. The purpose of the garden is a "landing platform" for people trying to plane shift/portal gate/gate to the academy. They get stuck in front with a bunch of guardians ready to nom them.

What guardians should I populate the garden with? I'm thinking Topiary Guardians. Maybe some constructs. An outsider? Fey? Things in the CR10 to 16 range.

[TroubleBrewing]

MM3 has some pretty neat critters in that range.

Storm Elementals, various Topiary Guardians (which are always really, really cool), some of the more obscure Golems...

Heck, you could make it a menagerie of crafted critters!

[Honest Tiefling]

Assassin Vines, Bloodthorn, and Topiary Guardians. If you are going to build a magical, planar garden, why not make the magical and/or planar plants also work as a defense mechanism?

Golems I think work well, as the wizard isn't going to dirty their hands with gardening. Faerun has gem golems, but these tend not to obey orders. I would rather go either with a golem of an appropriate CR covered in gems and filigree, or golems designed to hide so people can appreicate the pretty plants better without some hulking worker in the way. I forget the CR of Caryatid columns, but the basic idea of statuary coming to life might be cool. On that line of thought, I believe you need an gazebo monster. Maybe just an animated gazebo, but it fits!

Fey...I wonder what that would be doing there. Do the wizards in charge of this garden capture interesting monsters and put them on display here? Is it about bragging rights about being able to capture a certain monster? Are the fey hired help? Or are they allies, getting something out of being on the astral?

EDIT: Oh, and have the grass attack them. Anyone who has played Ultima might hate you, however.

[gorfnab]

A gazebo in the garden would be very fitting. :smallwink:

[Endarire]

Unseen Servants and created Undead (animate dead's skellies and zombies) are spiffy for cheap labor and protection. K's Necromancer Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5584.0) has ideas on making Undead and Necromancers.

Plant growth (possibly via a trap) is spiffy for making lots of plants.

[visigani]

Have the central villai be a Caryatid Column from (I believe) Fiend Folio... or there's another absolutely gargantuan grusome construckt there as well.

[Tvtyrant]

I think the Astral is actually a bright silver color.

Effigies and Topiary guardians would be cool; have the topiary guardians be of carnivores and the effigies be of herbivores to give it a circle of life feel.

[Honest Tiefling]

Silver just doesn't work. An eternal nighttime garden with lights for effect is much trendier. Simply slap on some illusion effects for a far more interesting view and lighting scheme.

It might also hide the fact that the garden is on the astral to the players, which might be good, might be bad.

[blazingshadow]

you could also put it in the plane of shadow if you want it dark.

[Honest Tiefling]

That is a good point about ambiance, but I never took Shadows to be much for appreciation of beauty or living things. The philistines will probably try to wreck it.

[Luckmann]

Arcane Sanctuary is your best example? Play some Ultima 8. :smalltongue:

[Darth_Versity]

A gazebo in the garden would be very fitting. :smallwink:

Yeah, but is it hostile when the pc's approach or merely indifferent?

[faceroll]

Unseen Servants and created Undead (animate dead's skellies and zombies) are spiffy for cheap labor and protection. K's Necromancer Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5584.0) has ideas on making Undead and Necromancers.

Plant growth (possibly via a trap) is spiffy for making lots of plants.

Undead don't fit the theme at all, unfortunately.

[Honest Tiefling]

Yeah, but is it hostile when the pc's approach or merely indifferent?

Depends on its orders, I'd guess. While a gazebo chasing down PCs would be hilarious, I think enchanting your gazebo to hold your drink or to fan you is a bit more practical.

[Darth_Versity]

Depends on its orders, I'd guess. While a gazebo chasing down PCs would be hilarious, I think enchanting your gazebo to hold your drink or to fan you is a bit more practical.

I was more thinking along the lines of this (http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/98/Jul/gazebo.html)

[Honest Tiefling]

I'm aware, that is why I suggested the gazebo. However, there's a chance his players know that, so this would be a good time to either have the gazebo actually be hostile, or if they would attack, make it a poor widdle gazebo that just serves drinks.