An Exchange, perhaps

[Rasman]

I have a bit of a complicated and twofold question.

In my IRL campaign I've come back into the possession of a Minor Artifact. To the best of my knowledge, it's a fetish of Tiamat that is fueled by the souls of those recently slain. My group has only seen it used once and it obliterated someone that was supposed to be unkillable. Not that he couldn't be beaten, but he couldn't die. I would elect to learn how to use this item, but anyone that dies is immediately sucked in and we have no way of retrieving their soul, thus we couldn't resurrect them, even if we wanted to. Being the one that has taken the responsibility for this I have a few options.

#1 - Stay as far away from the party as possibly, never take part in combat, and fall asleep during game sessions as things happen and I can't do or say anything to impact anything that may or may not happen. (I've already grown tired of this and thus I am here, asking for advice.)

#2a or #2b - 'Get rid of' the Fetish. It being a minor artifact, I can't just break it since it will more than likely have backlash and kill me or someone else in the party because of the level of magic within it. So I have a couple of options.

A: Take the fetish to Bahamut for it to be destroyed and see if he's willing to give me a reward to compensate me for bringing him an artifact of his archenemy to be removed from the world.

B: Take the fetish to a crazy, epic level, Wizard that has had and used the fetish before that would more than likely reward me for returning the fetish to him after he lost it during a battle.

B would be much easier than A because I have fairly easy access to the Wizard and I likely wouldn't have to go though any kind of combat, but it is mostly just less time consuming and I would be able to do it alone. A is also more difficult because Bahamut will more than likely not be there due to the fact that the gods are currently in battle with Tharizdun, trying to put him back into his cage. At best, I MIGHT get to speak with one of his heralds.

This is where my question becomes two fold.

Who do I take the fetish to?

Based on that answer, what should I ask for in return?

I am honestly at a loss in terms of what would be 'fair trade' since I know exactly how powerful this thing is. But, something is nagging me about the fetish and the possibility that it isn't actually a creation of Tiamat. The probability is high that it is, but I've become suspicious of its origin.

[Golden Ladybug]

Well, that Wizard seems mighty suspicious to me. Putting your trust in Epic Level Wizards in general is a slightly scary prospect, especially when you're giving them a minor artifact that can seemingly kill anyone.

I'd put a bit of extra effort in and give Bahamut a call.

[Eisenfavl]

Well, that Wizard seems mighty suspicious to me. Putting your trust in Epic Level Wizards in general is a slightly scary prospect, especially when you're giving them a minor artifact that can seemingly kill anyone.

I'd put a bit of extra effort in and give Bahamut a call.
But the wizard can already kill anyone, including Bahamut.
Giving him the artefact doesn't really make him more dangerous. It does, however, make him less likely to kill you. I vote for giving it to the wizard.

[Golden Ladybug]

Well, since this Wizard lost it during a battle, that means he isn't invincible, and killing Deities is really, really hard. Tippy made a character that is completely invulnerable to harm in that "Let's kill Nerull" thread, and that still relied on going to the one spot in the cosmos where a God's power doesn't work, and even then might not be able to actually do him in.

Gods are made of tough stuff, even "merely" a Lesser God like Bahamut. And besides, Bahamut and Tiamat have aspects in every setting, so I can only assume he's got some staying power.

Anyway, since this Epic Wizard is purportedly crazy, he might just kill you anyway. Don't expect insane people to make decisions based on a rational thought process when dealing with them, because they often won't. They are, after all, insane.

[Rasman]

Well, that Wizard seems mighty suspicious to me. Putting your trust in Epic Level Wizards in general is a slightly scary prospect, especially when you're giving them a minor artifact that can seemingly kill anyone.

I'd put a bit of extra effort in and give Bahamut a call.

He is. I already know he's evil. But I'm True Neutral and don't really care. His goals and ours SORT of align, kind of. So it's not something my character would be unwilling to do, especially since we've been pretty much working with him since this campaign started.

You are also correct in stating that he isn't invincible. There are people out there that are MUCH scarier than he is, but that's only because the guy he wants to kill is invulnerable to all magic, except conjuration.

When I said he was crazy, perhaps that wasn't quite the right word. I don't really have a good word for it, tbh, but crazy is pretty close. Also, the odds of him killing anyone in my group is fairly slim because we're far too useful to him because we indirectly have the same goal.

I'm leaning towards Bahamut, mostly because it is the one thing that no one would expect from my character. But the question still remains, regardless of which I offer it to, what do I ask for in return?

[docnessuno]

Well it's a (minor) artifact consecrated to a very evil power.

So your actions should really depend on your morals.
If your character couldn't care less, take the easy approac and return it to the wizard. If you can, take arrangements with someone to warn a major temple of bahamut in the case that wizard decides to play it dirty.
If your characrer is concerned by the suffering/deaths thar kind if item may cause, then having it destroyed seems the best option.

[Person_Man]

I vote for burying the artifact and walking away. It clearly Evil and has the potential to kill you. Attempting to "bargain" for it or for its destruction will only lead more Evil and death. And from how you describe your campaign it seems like your DM might be railroading you. So get off the train.

[Emperor Tippy]

What level are you?

If you have access to 9th level spells then all you need to do is write a note explaining that you have the Artifact and are asking Bahamut how to give it to him for destruction, summon a monkey or the like, hand the monkey the note, and then Wish the monkey to Bahamut.

Bahamut will Wish you to him when he has time to deal with it, until then just adventure as normal.

As for what to ask for, ideally using Alter Reality to make something like Shapechange, Foresight, True Seeing, or the like permanent on you. What spell depends a lot on your party level, general optimization level, and the power level of the campaign (if the players are already running around with Persistent Shapechange and Foresight always up then making them Permanent is nice but doesn't actually alter the power level much while doing to with a low op 12th level party would be game breakingly powerful).

[Rasman]

I vote for burying the artifact and walking away. It clearly Evil and has the potential to kill you. Attempting to "bargain" for it or for its destruction will only lead more Evil and death. And from how you describe your campaign it seems like your DM might be railroading you. So get off the train.

ALL HAIL THE CHEESE HEAD!

I would like to bury it and walk away, but you can't get rid of it that easily. I can literally take the fetish, throw it and hit someone in the back of the head and it will instantly reappear back in my hands. It also can't be stolen from you either, it must be given freely and accepted freely, although it could be taken from your dead body, but I'm trying to avoid that.


What level are you?

If you have access to 9th level spells then all you need to do is write a note explaining that you have the Artifact and are asking Bahamut how to give it to him for destruction, summon a monkey or the like, hand the monkey the note, and then Wish the monkey to Bahamut.

Bahamut will Wish you to him when he has time to deal with it, until then just adventure as normal.

As for what to ask for, ideally using Alter Reality to make something like Shapechange, Foresight, True Seeing, or the like permanent on you. What spell depends a lot on your party level, general optimization level, and the power level of the campaign (if the players are already running around with Persistent Shapechange and Foresight always up then making them Permanent is nice but doesn't actually alter the power level much while doing to with a low op 12th level party would be game breakingly powerful).

No 9th level spells yet. Party is around 13-15th level, I'm level 14 myself. In terms of Optimization of the party and the Power Level, well...I'm a Planar Shepherd and everyone else is about as equally OP so the cheese flows strongly in this group and as for the campaign power level, it's considered "Nightmare Mode" right now so someone usually dies at least once every other session. We honestly fight things we shouldn't fight, like Great Wyrm Red Dragon Dracolichs, we actually used the Fetish to finish her off and prevent her from escaping to her phylactery. But highly deadly is the cheap way of describing this campaign.

A Permanenced Cast In Stone sounds interesting, considering your suggestions of spells that shouldn't normally be permanent. Shape Change is a little too OP and a little redundant since I'm a druid and Foresight and True Seeing, while powerful, I'm not sure I want "I just know" types of powers on me since it makes it hard for the DM to surprise us at all.

[Hiro Protagonest]

A fetich (fetish means something else) of Tiamat? That can kill the unkillable?

...Has your DM read a book called The Dragon's Tooth?

[Malimar]

What level are you?

If you have access to 9th level spells...
No 9th level spells yet. Party is around 13-15th level, I'm level 14 myself.

Aw, no 9th level spells? Nuts. My first suggestion was going to be:
Step 1: Pick a city that has inconvenienced you.
Step 2: Cast Apocalypse From the Sky.
Step 3: Profit.

Apocalypse From the Sky has "an artifact" as a material component, so it's usually not the kind of thing you get an opportunity to cast unless the DM wants you to. But it's the most foolproof artifact disposal method I know of!


A fetich (fetish means something else) of Tiamat?

"Fetish" is the accepted spelling for both meanings. "Fetich" is archaic.

That said, deliberately bringing "fetich" back just to distinguish between the two meanings and reassert the non-sexual one: a good idea, I endorse it, and I might put it into practice. One never can have too many words for "magical doohickey".

[Ninjadeadbeard]

My suggestion(s):
1. Keep it. You can kill the unkillable! Awesome!
2. Go with Bahamut. Ask for minor-godhood. Work for Bahamut for a few centuries, then backstab and take over! Heck, steal the Artifact back and kill Bahamut with it! You've been given the keys to the universe if you play this right.

[Rasman]

A fetich (fetish means something else) of Tiamat? That can kill the unkillable?

...Has your DM read a book called The Dragon's Tooth?

no no...I meant Fetish...originates from the Latin facticius...Fetich is just an alternate spelling, although I'm not sure where your spelling of the word came from, probably to differentiate from the OTHER definition you're thinking

It is HIGHLY possible that he has. He does have a Masters in English, so I wouldn't be surprised by anything he's read.

But basically, we have seen it kill someone that wasn't supposed to be able to die. I don't know exactly what his class levels were because it's literally been almost 2 years since that battle happened, but I believe he was referred to as something like a Deathknight or Graveknight or something like that. He made me think of an UBERLY badass Skeletal Champion, but it was though class levels of some kind. All I know is that he was able to fight on par with Robilar. Yes, THAT Robilar.


My suggestion(s):
1. Keep it. You can kill the unkillable! Awesome!
2. Go with Bahamut. Ask for minor-godhood. Work for Bahamut for a few centuries, then backstab and take over! Heck, steal the Artifact back and kill Bahamut with it! You've been given the keys to the universe if you play this right.

Well, it's not an ultimate nuke. There are apparently ways around it or people that are just badass enough to take it to the face and sort of grin and smirk at it. It will also rip you a new one, sort of a double edged sword but worse on the 'this side facing the enemy' side. It came VERY close to killing the crazy, epic level, wizard when we watched him use it.

I do like the "Minor Godhood" idea though. That IS actually one of my character's MAJOR goals. But don't you have to be at least Epic level to start getting Divine Ranks?

[Malimar]

I do like the "Minor Godhood" idea though. That IS actually one of my character's MAJOR goals. But don't you have to be at least Epic level to start getting Divine Ranks?

There are, AFAIK, no rules for actually gaining divine ranks. You can get them whenever your DM feels like fiating them to you, basically. All gods do happen to be Epic level, but I don't think that's an official prerequisite.

[Ninjadeadbeard]

If your DM's cool with it, this could be the first step towards a Conquer the Universe plot :smallamused:.

[Rasman]

hmm...I'll bring it up with him...he'll probably make me at LEAST be epic level first...

...I do know what his domains are going to be already...

...alas, I'm PROBABLY not going to get exactly what I want though, I'll probably have to settle for a mortal reward of some kind...