As the Halfling Lay Dying

[Palanan]

This is a DM-only thread, so my players can go off and work on their backup characters.



In our last episode, the party was overrun by a swarm of ghouls, and thanks to some poor Fort saves everyone in the party has been struck down with a deadly fever. The halfling in particular isn't doing too well; he's down to a Con score of 2.

And yes, I know that ghoul fever is trivial for all but the lowest-level characters. The players were expecting this, so I've also mixed in one of the nastier Pathfinder diseases, and it's the combination of both which has brought the halfling and his companions to the fevered edge.

I'll be adapting a scenario designed by Toy Killer, in which the party travels to an abandoned shrine to find a possible cure. This raises a couple of questions:


1. The long-forgotten shrine will need a guardian...but I've been leaning a little heavy on ghosts and ghouls here lately. What would be a memorable, unexpected, and dare I say subtle guardian for the players to overcome?

2. Should the halfling survive, I'd like for him to bear some mark of his ordeal, some lingering echo of unlife's caress. Is there some modest effect or benefit that could reflect this?

[ArcturusV]

I think giving the Halfling an effect such a Pox Marked (Which is something I just made up off my head to the best of my knowledge, not cribbing it from anywhere) would be the way to go. The diseases left lasting scars on the Halfling that are very hard to hide. Gives a penalty to Bluff and Diplomacy, but a bonus to Intimidate (No one trusts someone who looks plagued or might be carrying it. Or wants to associate with them... but they're also afraid of catching it).

So something like -4 to Bluff and Diplomacy, +2 to Intimidate.

Which of course might be nigh meaningless if the Halfling doesn't do social interactions with NPCs at all. And will never be forced to by circumstance. Might also be a free "make life difficult" button to use as well as getting into cities might be a little tougher for the Halfling. "You all are fine to go in, but I'm not letting THAT in and spread some sickness around!"

As far as a guardian? First thing that leaps into mind is something I used many many years ago. The Living Trap. It was a trap/creature guarding a treasure which had shape changing abilities. It wouldn't do anything directly harmful to players, though it would constantly change and alter itself to provide new traps (I had a list of 50 different Trap Effects it would change into and use, and it would cycle through them using whatever was most appropriate to the method the party was currently using to crack it) if it was in danger of failing it's duties. So at any time a player can remove themselves from danger by just leaving it alone (Not that they ever did for long). It provides something of a puzzle boss as you can work various ways around it form having the right Key item to allow you rightful access, to figuring out how to trick the Living Trap. It however doesn't allow players to bypass it by more brutish means. Smash it? It just shape changes and reforms. Have the rogue search for traps, then disarm? By the time s/he's trying to open the locks on it new traps are in place that aren't disarmed.

Just something that forces them to stop and think. There should be some less overt clues about what the key item or command word is to disarm it scattered about wherever it is. And of course outside the box thinking about how to possibly use skills, tools, and spells to rapidly circumvent the Trap between shape changes.

[Vaz]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/spelltouchedFeats.htm

Coincidentally, there is already a feat pertaining to that.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by ArcturusV
The diseases left lasting scars on the Halfling that are very hard to hide....

Well, I'm thinking more of a spiritual scar, some shadow on the halfling's soul. I have a couple of cosmetic effects in mind, but what I'm really after is something that would give him a slight bonus against future attacks by undead--or, perhaps, some related vulnerability.

As for the shrine's guardian, I'd like to use a creature of some sort, just not the standard ghost, allip, etc. etc. The campaign has been rather frontloaded with ghosts so far, and I'm trying to think of something with a similar feel but a completely different suite of abilities.

So, what would be a stiff challenge for a fifth-level party who's barely on their feet?

[Phelix-Mu]

Sounds like you are looking for Unquenchable Flame of Life from Libris Mortis, which gives a +2 to saves v ex and su abilities of undead. Also, has a nice clause for undead hunting rangers, where the bonus is equal to fav enemy bonus.

EDIT: the haunt creatures from MM5, IIRC, were very interesting, more of a role play challenge than a straight-up combat challenge. They may be too difficult for this party, though. A nice puzzle might be worth it; after beating the tar out of the pcs, a nice mental challenge can be a good change of pace. I'm sure there are links to all kinds of places with suggestions for puzzle challenges.

[ImaginaryDragon]

I read your earlier thread. I don't know about the guardian, but one way to stiffen your party might be to have them meet and talk to those darfellan/sea elves/aventi/merfolk/other friendly race [delete as appropriate] and have them go to the shrine with them or something. Maybe one of them could do something to help heal the halfling enough to fight the guardian?

[Telonius]

The shrine is overgrown with vines and brambles. The art and sculptures on the wall offer clues as to how to unlock its healing power. There is mention of the "Heart of the Shrine" and the "Source of all Healing."

The shrine was made by followers of a nature deity, and the shrine itself is actually the guardian. If the brambles are prepared correctly within the shrine's walls, a magical potion is produced that cures the ailment. It only functions inside the walls, though. The vines die immediately and lose potency if taken off the grounds.

[Toy Killer]

well, first off, what level range are we talking about here?


Secondly, I've always loved the idea of decaying magic. I use it pretty frequently, and the living spell template is perfect for just such an occasion.

Begin by answering simple broad questions regarding the shrine and then amplify outward. You can also do the inverse and make a shining moment in the shrine that you know the players will remember as being awesome and then work out the details of how they got there.

I'm honored you enjoyed my "Module-ete", and would be happy to help again. :smallbiggrin:

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Phelix-Mu
Sounds like you are looking for Unquenchable Flame of Life from Libris Mortis, which gives a +2 to saves v ex and su abilities of undead.

In fact I was thinking something just like that, or maybe Wise to Your Ways from Ghostwalk. The only trouble is that I'm planning to lay off the ravening hordes of the unliving for a while, and concentrate on more humanoid foes, so it might not come in that handy. : /

And the haunt creatures are worth checking into, thanks. That would fit well with the history I'm planning for the shrine.



Originally posted by Toy Killer
...first off, what level range are we talking about here?

The party is fifth level, and the halfling's in sight of sixth.

And I definitely enjoyed your modulette, TK; I'm using it as the centerpiece for this scenario, although I'm adapting a few things here and there. The flowers growing up between the flagstones are still the cure...and there will be something displeased with the party for harvesting them.

Also...decaying magic? Tell me more about this, because that would fit right in as well.
.
.

[Flickerdart]

Give the halfling the saving thrown bonuses of the Lichloved feat, but not the fluff (because yuck).

[Palanan]

Speaking of diseases, when I brought up this scenario in a previous thread, I had a friendly heads-up from Chillingworth:


Originally Posted by Chillingworth
Also, before you introduce a new disease...have a contingency plan in case they decide to analyze it, figure out its method of transmission, and then weaponize it.

No problem, says I; "I'm not too worried!" After all, says I, "the characters aren't exactly research-oriented...."

Direct quote from one of my players this afternoon: "We should see if we can get a useful sample by scraping the wound or something."



*mutter mutter mutter frackin' players mutter mutter*

[Toy Killer]

Decaying magic is pure fluff as to why it exists.

Usually it's my idea for why fey exist in entirely. So, say the party has to travel to a long forgotten shrine of Palor. Palor is a hint we drop to the adventurers as to what may be coming up, Sun, Healing, a fierce vendetta against the undead.

So, if you want to work from the corner stone encounter out, You could take the Vine Horror, apply the celestial (or even half-Celestial) Template and create a fitting creature for the Temple (As plants grow well in sunlight, the temple is becoming over grown in vegetation, etc.). Great, a big beefy monster that is a bit above the strength of the encounter, Fiat away and give him the ability to turn undead and full plate, and suddenly, He's the spirit of an ancient paladin that died defending the shrine from the evil forces of ____.

So how did he get there? You're players aren't going to ask this (Initially, at least) but it makes the story more complete if they uncover who he was along the way. (Bonus points for the players using his story to diplomatically un-doing the encounter entirely!)

As you fill out the story (Perferably with background of your own campaign setting, to help fill out that the players don't live in a vacuum), you can add additional encounters to the Temple walls that help demonstrate the struggles of times past, heroes fallen and the like. Lets say, your BBEG (or even arc villain) is a Goblin Necromancer that commandeered the command of a large Ork War tribe.

so, in the past, we need to demonstrate how powerful the Ork war tribe was (makes the BBEG more intimidating to know what he has taken control of). Start littering Ork weapons in the halls, the skeletons of humans and orks alike. Since the core of divine magic is belief; It works out perfectly fine that the skeletons would jump up and start combat upon one another when, say, texts of Palor or historical knowledge was passed along. So give them something to read aloud in the temple, preferably in a tongue other then common so they have to read it out loud to the other party members that don't know it yet.

And from there just keep building. It's not that hard, once you get to know you're sources and tools to build with.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Telonius
The shrine is overgrown with vines and brambles...and the shrine itself is actually the guardian.

Originally Posted by Toy Killer
You could take the Vine Horror, apply the celestial (or even half-Celestial) Template and create a fitting creature for the Temple....

Well, the general idea has taken root (so to speak) and I'm thinking some kind of plant creature, just not sure what. Is there a master list of plant creatures somewhere out there?



Also, I'm on bingo inspiration for the spiritual-scar idea. I like the idea of Unquenchable Flame of Life, but I'm really not planning to use undead for quite a while, so the benefits just wouldn't apply.

Mechanically, I think what I'm looking for is more like a trait--a minor benefit, offset by a minor drawback. Both of these should have some connection to life energy, or the undead, or something. Any ideas?

[ImaginaryDragon]

maybe look up some of the pathfinder traits?
or just give him a +1 to fort saves

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/religion-traits/hatred-of-the-gods-rovagug

[Exirtadorri]

I like the idea of going with that after so much exposure to undeath his soul will reel away from it. -1 to hit but +1 to ac as a Dodge bonus. Or...more applicable over a long haul treat the dc of harmful necro spells 1 lower and recieve +1 hp per spell level of any cure spell used on him

[AlanBruce]

The idea of the vine temple reminds me of the movie The Ruins, where a mayan temple was covered in plants- evil plants, that would mimic their prey's voices and then begin eating them through assimilation.

Given that this temple is supposed to have a "Life" theme to it, it should by no means be less deadly than the undead theme you've had so far. Have the party explore the temple and marvel at the architecture and make notice of the flowers that grow there. Initially, have these use ventriloquism to sound off in a distant area of the temple, prompting the PCs to go investigate- cue in classic pitfall traps. Perhaps the flowers release a sleeping pollen that knocks the party out for X amount of hours as the roots slowly drag one of them into a secret area and, through their programmed ventriloquism, give out clues of where this party member could be.

These are, of course, more like environmental hazards. If you want a guardian, have an elven druid with the woodling template (MM3) and a pet battlebriar (MM3, but not the big one, the lesser version). Have the battebriar stalking the corridors unseen and hidden by the vines, creating a sense of dread as the party explores deeper in. The druid could have become obsessed with its care of watching over the cure, believing the "tainted" must not pollute the sanctity of this temple. Cue in relevant social checks to convince him otherwise, or start a fight.

[hamiltond465]

From Libris Mortis:
LASTING LIFE [GENERAL]
You can shed negative levels with an act of will.
Prerequisites: Endurance, Enduring Life.
Benefit: Once per round as a standard action, you can attempt
to remove a negative level from yourself by attempting a Will
save (DC 10 + 1/2 attacker’s HD + attacker’s Cha modifier). If
the saving throw succeeds, the negative level goes away. You
make a separate saving throw for each negative level you have
gained. If the save fails, you retain the negative level, but you
can try again next round to remove it.

TOMB-TAINTED SOUL [GENERAL]
Your soul is tainted by the foul touch of undeath.
Prerequisite: Nongood alignment.
Benefit: You are healed by negative energy and harmed by
positive energy as if you were an undead creature. This feat gives
no other penalties or benefits of the undead type.

A weakened version of TTS could be interesting.
all healing and negative energy damage cast on you is reduced by X

[Kol Korran]

hhhhmmmm, a lot of good ideas allready, but i'll give it a short as well:

Guardian
1) if you're going for the plant idea, i think 2-3 assasin vines (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/assassinVine.htm), camouflaged in the massive vegetation might just do.

2) or the shrine might be more horrific- on it's roof are roped entangles of flesh (2-3 size large mashes?) with open wounds. the guardians are some sort of a fairly lowly undead- fast zombies, skeletons and such. but as the undead suffer wounds, the masses of flesh writhe (and moan?) and blood trails on etheral strings to the abominations below, healing them. again, and again. the encounter can be resolved by either dealing sufficient damage to destroy the undead below, or closing the wounds of the flesh masses above (using fire, or healing spells?)

3) i'll suggest the Gibbering mouther, but not as presented straight in the MM, but rather one of my refluffed (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13411526&postcount=68) adaptations (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13411717&postcount=69) (makes it more of a horror encounter- begin with scouting, whispering and gibbering, then a conversation with the ooze of flesh, then a disconcerting battle)

4) or you could go another way alltogether. there is a guardian, but not as a combat challenge... rather, the guardian (ghost, statue, the vines of the temple, whatever) explain the terms of the healing. some ideas:
- "a life for a life": for the halfling to live, another must die. but not just any creature (go kill a rabbit why don't you?), but a creature of some import to the characters- a pool of water show 3 NPCs which the party care about- who will they sacrifice for their friend to live? (the condition is transfered to the recepient, and then hastened to a quick death)
- "a life on the edge, needs a life to pull it back, a life to join": one of the PCs (or possibly NPCs?) must tie their life cord to that of the halfling. this may have all kind of influences, not all of them must be revealed immediately, but amongst them could be both characters always acting on the same initiative, suffering subdual damage when the other suffers real damage, perhaps some sort of emotional transference, or maybe sensing where the other is?
- "try to cheat death? a bet is made- double or nothing": the apparation of the guardian suggest some sort of a game of chance, if the PC win- they get their friend back. if not- another of them dies. will they be willing to endanger themselves for their friend? the offer for the game could also be a ruse, just to test the players courage, to see if the halfling have friends loyal enough to be worth to be raised.

The mark
1) yearn for flesh: the halfling is left with a strange hunger for... raw, uncooked flesh. (cooked meat makes him want to vomit). he gains the scent ability (but only for meat). also, while in combat he may need to roll a will save (low DC) or fly into rage till he eats a mouthful of raw meat. may get a bonus against anything causing nausea?

2) sight of undeath: the halfling now has dark vision up to 60 ft, but he is dazzled in light, like drow and orcs. he can also "see" living creatures in his field of sight, (good against hiding creatures) but he doesn't see undead creatures, which are as if invisible to him

3) flesh of undeath: the skin of the halfling grows a slightly grey pallor. healing magic heals him less (1-2 points, but enough to make lesser vigor ineffective), but he gains some minor bonuses as well, such as maybe NA, or not needing to breath, or immunity to pain effects and so on)

4) "a little piece of me": the halfling's shadow seems to be... missing a piece. and there is a little piece of shadow (not sure of what shaped) that sometimes "does stuff", mainly things of mischief, but sometimes useful- jamming a lock, opening a mechanism, throwing back the hood of someone, alerting against poisoned food and the like. might work like a hard to control familiar, with a mischievous intent.

i hope this helps!

[ArcturusV]

I do like option 4 for the mark. But that's probably because as a DM it's always fun to have that "Directly Meddle with Players" button built in.