Trials of Gorum for a Thundercaller

[Zelekendel]

Hello,

I'd like some suggestions for a series of trials of Gorum in his plane, for a fallen warrior - a Thundercaller I'm returning to the game after three years of in-game time, in an auspicious thunderstorm, as the party is regrouping from the loss of a party member on his holy ground (a temple of trials itself).

I'd like to "level up" the Thundercaller via a solo adventure where Gorum judges his soul - to see whether he is worthy of being returned to enact his will. This solo adventure would be a simple series of trials, and after each trial the player would level up his character in order to face the next one.

A chance of failure should be there, but mostly for bad/lack of planning or abysmal dice rolls. The tests should have the option to just "dice it out" if the relevant stats are good enough, but would also feature a trick or tactic that would help immensely - preferably ones that feature sound, thunder or lightning.

The tests would be related to the six attributes

Test of Strength
Test of Agility
Test of Endurance
Test of Tactics
Test of Will
Test of Power (related to sound / thunder)
Test of Prowess - a final combat encounter.

The character would start the trials at 3th or 4th level and finish at 10 after the Trial of Prowess, leveling up after each trial.

I'm not looking to replicate the trials in a certain Kingmaker adventure, but they can be similar.

Thanks!

PS. Here is his character at level 1 and here's the link to the Thundercaller bard variant: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/thundercaller

"In a storm, he was conceived,
with lightning, born,
with thunder, named.",
from Ode To Tsadomax.

.. And as lightning streaked across the horizon and the wind blew,with one final yell Tsadomax lifted the Stone Of Trials above his head. An awed silence followed. Not since the time of Durok, had one so young become a man.
As he grew older, so did his legend. His music was so loud it could be heard in the halls of Gorum, his strength such that he could swim the fiercest rapids and climb the highest mountains. Admired by most, feared by all, he is the son of storms, the Spirit Caller.

Tsadomax Walks-with-Thunder Level 1 Thundercaller
Height: 6' 7" Weight: 297 lb Black Hair Age:20 Deity: Gorum Alignment: CN
Carrying limits: 100 lb/200 lb/300 lb Traits: Tribesman(swim),

Str 18 AC 15
Dex 12 Ini +1
Con 14 HP 10
Int 10 F 2
Wis 12 R 3
Cha 19 W 3

Spell Focus (evocation)

Spells
0-level:
Ghost Sound (V,S,M[wool or wax];Close;1 r/level;4 people/cl, roaring lion 16, roaring dragon 32)
Know Direction (V,S)
Spark (V;Close;one Fine unattended flammable object)
Summon Instrument (1 round;V,S;1 min/cl)

1st-level (2/day, DC 15, 16 for evocation spells])
Ear-Piercing Shriek (V,S; close; one creature; Fort half; 1 round daze and 1d6 per 2 levels (max 5d6))
Cure Light Wounds

Attack: Greataxe +4 1d12+6 x3

Horn (DC 10 to send message, DC 0 Perception to hear ½ miles away +1 per 1/4 miles [x2 with bardic performance])

Skills Languages
Climb 8 Common
Handle Animal* 6 Orc
Intimidate 10
Knowledge (nature)* 5
Perform (wind) 8
Survival* 2
Swim 9

Abilities:
Bardic performance (countersong, distraction, fascinate, Send Message [double range]) 9 rounds
Bound To The Land (+½ bard level to Handle Animal, K(nature) and Survival)
Darkvision 60'
+2 racial bonus to intimidate
Orc Ferocity(1/day act staggered for 1 round when dropped under 0 hp, but not killed)

[kommander_br]

Hey there mate! :D

I got a bit carried away with things here. hehe. Sorry for any misspelling, or bad grammar. It's late, I’m too tired to review this, but hope this is of help to you. :)

Summary:

I would find it cool to have one challenge after the other, no breaks, make everything fit nice. The player will start with no equipment, he will find it along the way.

Strength Trial-He must climb a cold mountain to reach his Battle axe. If the player is smart, he can use his skills to find an easier way up the mountain.

Agility Trial-As he reaches the top and gets his sword the mountain will crack down. He must be agile to survive his way down in the middle of a rock avalanche.

Endurance Trial-After the avalanche, he meets a dense and dark rainforest. Survive the heat, the maze of trees and possible illusions is a hard task.

Tactics Trial-in the forest he meets a plant like creature, that takes the form of a female human and gives the player a hard time to figure out how win the plant’s game.

Will Trial-The player must face a devious town, that is trying to fool him, and absorb him into itself. Before he enters, his armor awaits him.

Power Trail-The town, after revealed, turns into a storm, that will challenge the player. The player must use his powers of thunder to win. His horn will fall into his hand at the end.

Prowess Trial- The player returns to Gorum and must face himself, a clone of the player. If he wins, he has passed all trials.

If the player does things too easy and you want to make it more of a challenge, I find it cool to add more stuff, like an animal hunting the player in the Endurance Trial.

The detailed information here is most that I got carried away with writing and would be a shame to not post this. I’m no good writer but it is something.

Detailed information:

-Revival Hall-

Tsadomax awakes suddenly, laying, face down, the ground is stone cold. He rushes to rise from his belly. The air is thick and cold, the warrior release strong and long breaths. Already in his feet, the Thundercaller takes a battle stand. He holds no weapon in hand, but is ready to face any foe.

Place- The hall is bathed in dim silver moon light from the glass roof. The place is enormous, a giant would be able to stand in there and wouldn’t be capable to reach the roof on his own. From the side walls, bulges of what looks like columns rise, slowly becoming thicker as they reach the roof. The hall is long, is goes until sight is lost in one direction, and the other ends in a solid rock wall.

The sound of a horn is heard, and the rock wall moves, it opens like a gigantic door, the loud scratching of rock echos through the hall. Only a small passage is left, and from inside, a strong dark yellow light emanates. The sound of the horn repeats, louder, echoing through the hall.

-Gorum’s Entrance Corridor-

Place- The room is big and hot. The architecture is basically the same of the anterior hall, but round pits of fire burn between the columns. There ground is of a irregular natural stone. Boulders lay scattered around, you can’t be sure, but they resemble iron ore. At a shouting distance, it is possible to see a figure of a man.

As the warrior moves forward the sound of scratching rock heard, followed by thundering clash. The door is sealed, no way back.

-Gorum’s Feasting Hall-

As Tsadomax approaches the figure, it stand in the other side a large wooden table, where the fire corridor reaches another room.

Place- The feasting hall has a more smooth rocky ground, no scattered boulders around. The pits of fire from this room burn less intensely. The room goes on and on to the left and to the right, with a continuous large wooden table. Plates and drinking horns are placed in front of every rustic wooden chair. in the other side of the table, right in front of the corridor, a bulge leaves the table, and a big metal throne lays in its end.

The humanoid figure stands with its back facing Tsadomax. It is tall, taller than the Thundercaller. Before the warrior can say anything, the mysterious man turns. He wears a black full plate. His head is covered by a dark helmet, only a pair of fiery eyes can be seen. He quickly climbs the table and march forward, towards the warrior.

Gorum-”Thou know who I’m Tsadomax! Thou were brought here to be tested. So thou can prove thy might to thy God!”

DM- The player can get important or relevant information about it’s character with Gorum, if you want them to talk. Gorum will explain the challenges and give crucial information to the player.

Gorum-”I shall sent thou to the cold mountain. There thou shalt face thy first trial. A Mighty Axe awaits at the top of the mountain. Climb it all warrior, prove thy strength to me!”




Strength Trial-

The player is teleported to the cold mountain. In it’s top, there lays the Thundercaller’s Battleaxe. He must climb the rest of the mountain, nearly 100 meters of climbing. Strength is not only about muscles, but knowing how to use them. The mountain can have a easy passage to climb, but the player must be wise and roll his Athletics to find it.

If the player has an easy time climbing, do as follow:
After he climbs the mountain, the player must prove his strength again. To get his weapon he must force a big column of rock to fall and form a bridge over an abyss. Once in the other side he will have his weapon.

Agility Trial-

Not much time is left to breathe, the mountain starts to crack. Gorum’s voice echoes through the mountain - “A warrior of great strength is nothing if he can’t move fast!” - The mountain cracks more, Tsadomax can feel the rocks move - “Now! Prove Thy worth!”
The mountain in start to fall, and the player with it, he must succeed in his agility, find a good place to set his feet and flow with the rocks.

If the player beats the challenge with easy do as follow:
Add a sneaky archer. The archer rows nothing to hit the player, but the player must find a way to not get hit, take another route, try and hit the archer, out just dodge the incoming arrows. The player wins when he reaches the bottom of the rock avalanche.

PS: If the player doesn’t take the archer down, the archer loses the player before the end.

Endurance Trial-

After the avalanche the player will find himself in a strange place, a tropical forest. Once more the voice of Gorum echo - “Thou are strong and swift! Thou dominates thy body, but can thou face nature?!” - As Gorum speak a gust of hot, humid wind burst through the foliage, hits Tsadomax and rise in great speed, carrying leaves and dirt - “Resist, or perish!”

No where else to go, the player must use his endurance and his guts to find a way out of the danger. Illusions, heat and the maze of the rainforest awaits. If the player is having an easy time, try adding more danger, some kind of foe, like an animal.

Tactics Trial-

As he moves on into the forest he will find a rather strange plant. With female human form, the creature will address the player. if the player tries to beat the plant, it will just grow back, if he runs or move away, he will return to the same place, or find the creature again, somewhere else. He must entertain the creature, or convince it to help him.

He can intimidate the creature if he finds the right way to hurt it. I don’t have a good idea, but you can come up with something.

If he wins, a way is open by the creature and he leaves the forest into the entrance of an abandoned city.

Will Trial-

Right in his way, lay his mighty armor, and Gorum says - “Thou survive the jungle, and beat the deamon in her own game! Thou are wothy of this prize!” - As the player prep the armor a small breeze come from the town, when the player looks, there are people, few, but there are people.

The townsfolk will be strange and they will lead the player to the inn. Inside, the player will start to lose control of the character. The player must act to discover what is going on. The town is suking the player into itself, it wants the player to become part of it. From empty places comes the voices “Join us” “Join the walls” If the player fights the structures themselves, with brute force or pure will, the town will melts and turn into one humongous thunderstorm.

Power Trail-

The voice of Gorum echoes amidst the storm - “Thou have conquered the illusion! Now, beat the storm Thundercaller! Make use of thy title!” - The storm grows stronger and darker, thunder and lighting shakes the ground. In the middle of the chaos, a simple item floats in the dark clouds, a horn - “Reconquer thy possession and become the ruler of the thunderstorm!”

The player must use its powers, magic and guts to control the storm, it does not that much to win, but takes courage to face such enormous and powerful enemy. If the player wins, the storm will go away, the horn will be in his hands, and he will be facing a enormous rock door.

Prowess Trial-

Gorum speaks one more time - “Thou are Thundercaller! Enter, and face the final challenge!” The player enters and find himself in the fire corridor. Gorum awaits in the middle of the way - “Thou have shown control of thy body. Thy mind is sharp and thy will is firm as iron. Thy power is impressive, even the greatest and angriest storms fear thy voice. Now, as the final trial, thou must face an enemy that is fierce and powerful as thou.” - Gorum moves backwards, as the player hear footsteps behind him. He turns and face himself, like a mirror, he sees another him. - “Defeat thyself! And I shall bless thy soul!”.

If the player wins against himself, gorum will grant him the chance to join him in the Feasting hall, by his side, or return to the mortal realm, to live again, but with much greater strength.

Obs: I think that the Power trial is the most cool, and the one that fits better with the character. :)
The other ones are a bit meh. Use whatever you like, none if you don't like. :P