Ancient Ruins

[PraxisVetli]

Hey guys.
So I'm looking to have my players encounter an ancient city type deal, maybe shifted over from some other plane in some Planar Tectonic Cataclysm or something
(whatever)
but the problem is, what should I put in it? My group is low epic, 5-6 characters all around 23-25, so it's gotta be good. I'm thinking maybe some Ruin Chanters and Elementals from MMV, Anaxim for the Epic Handbook sounds fun, maybe a boss with an Atropal as well, also from Epic.
I'd like to keep with a construct-rich theme, trying to emphasize just how OLD this place is. Other creatures are welcome, so long as they fit (i.e.the Ruin Wyrm form the Wizards site). Ruin swarm also is appealing; I'd rather have something that doesn't have "Ruin" in its name though.
Suggestions?

Tl;dr
creatures for epic long lost abandoned city.


Edit: ok, forget the atropal.

[BowStreetRunner]

I think it would be very cool to establish the constructs as the new inhabitants of the city and include a Zeitgeist based on that new populace. Just change the human mob form into something like a mob of constructs.

[nedz]

I quite like putting spirits in these places. The spirits have no interest in the constructs, only flesh and blood creatures.

[unseenmage]

Dragons live nearly forever, and they scale up to epic nicely. For flavor you can apply a couple of draconic templates that it's gained 'over the ages'.

bestial versions of normally civilized monsters can be fun too. The cave-man elves may not be challenging opponents, but teaching them to be more than savages coud be a fun epic challenge.

One iconic undead who's regained the mind he had in life could be fun. The once lord and master, now an evolved Zombie or Skeleton. Apply epic class levels and go to town.

[PraxisVetli]

I was looking to stay away from humanoids, though spirits sounds good. Maybe Wraiths or something?
Whats a Zeitgeist? Or rather, which book is it in?
I've a dragon, that role was going to go to the Ruin Wyrm.
I thought about some golems, and some good ole fashioned Animated Objects.

I wanted a deserty climate, the intro plot point was that it just sort of appeared out of nowhere in the sand, and theres strange arcane auras around it, they should go check it out.

Anybody know where those sandy firey golems are? Ember golems or something?




DUDE. halfling in the playground now. coooooool

[nedz]

Zeitgeist means spirit of the times, it's not a monster. I think BowStreetRunner may have meant something else though.

Are all of your PCs immune to mind effecting stuff already ?

[unseenmage]

I was looking to stay away from humanoids, though spirits sounds good. Maybe Wraiths or something?
Whats a Zeitgeist? Or rather, which book is it in?
I've a dragon, that role was going to go to the Ruin Wyrm.
I thought about some golems, and some good ole fashioned Animated Objects.

I wanted a deserty climate, the intro plot point was that it just sort of appeared out of nowhere in the sand, and theres strange arcane auras around it, they should go check it out.

Anybody know where those sandy firey golems are? Ember golems or something?


OOooh! Sandy you say?
Minor Servitor spell from Savage Species (basically Int Animated Object) then have it cast on an appropriate volume of alchemical Shapesand from Sandstorm. They can't reshape themselves without Wis boosting spell/item but they're still a potentially awesome minion for the big bad.

Sandstorm also has a giant machine inevitable that 'defends the desolation-ness of the wasteland'.

[BowStreetRunner]

Whats a Zeitgeist? Or rather, which book is it in?
It's a Huge Incorporeal Fey from Cityscape page 138 (although those over 30 HD are Gargantuan). The Zeitgeist is an urban fey that arises out of the the city itself.

[PraxisVetli]

It's a Huge Incorporeal Fey from Cityscape page 138 (although those over 30 HD are Gargantuan). The Zeitgeist is an urban fey that arises out of the the city itself.

Daaaaaaaaaaaang.
Just read it.
I LOVE IT.
YOU SIR, ARE A KING AMONGST MEN.

[PraxisVetli]

Daaaaaaaaaaaang.
Just read it.
I LOVE IT.
YOU SIR, ARE A KING AMONGST MEN.

So, upon investigation, I think some slightly higher level Ruin Chanters, 2-3 Ruin Elementals, and a Zeitgeist (god jeebus that things PERFECT) outta do it.
I don't wanna kill 'em, I wanna scare them off.
While I've got my plan, the characters will be returning here, so ideas are still/always welcome!

[PraxisVetli]

Zeitgeist means spirit of the times, it's not a monster. I think BowStreetRunner may have meant something else though.

Are all of your PCs immune to mind effecting stuff already ?

Well, one for sure is, and one's gone and Lich'd, so maybe? the rest aren't.

[nedz]

Well, one for sure is, and one's gone and Lich'd, so maybe? the rest aren't.

I was thinking of a possession type of thing, but that's iffy at this level due to the strong likelihood of it simply not working. But it does seem that it might be viable.

[Irk]

You could make the ruins themselves a massive construct

[Azoth]

I am sorry, but ancient advanced civilization ruins calls for traps. Whether they be spell traps or just suped up mundane versions...ya gotta make them fear the environment itself if you want to run them off.

Too often have I had PCs lurk and study patrol timings and other aspects of an abandoned temple. If possible they will avoid frightful monsters and just explore at a cautious leisure.

Time to break out the environmental hazards of Sandstorm, make some custom created traps (if lacking in inspiration check out the Grimtooth books), and even look in the Stronghold builder's guide for architectural hazards and magical architecture.

I personally love the archway the hits anyone going through it with a GDM. Use that before an advanced Awakened golem and watch people cry.

Line a ceiling near a doorway with spell turrets disguised as decorative statues and watch the party try dodging all manner of nasty effects while trying to get the door open.

If you have a dragon, template up some Kobolds as the excuse for the delicious vindictive trap scheme. Make them the ones who built the traps, ruins, and constructs as offering and homage to their ruler.

[Winds of Nagual]

Totally homebrew concept, but I had my PCs encounter a group of immortal monk. During the day, they read, write, garden, etc. At night - any living thing in the monestary is fair game for devouring. After killing one, they arise d4 rounds later fully healed. All they want to do is search for knowledge but they forget everything they learned every day at dawn. For my group they were 20 lvl 1 monks, but it could be easily scaled. Running away was the only realistic option.