Human/Elf Romance and Life Extension

[gutza1]

In an Eberron campaign I'm playing in, my character (a female elf artificer) is getting involved in a romance with a human (also an artificer). However, I would like to avoid the whole lifespan drama, and am wondering if there's any magic item that can extend a human's life (and aging) so that it matches that of an elf.

[BilltheCynic]

How about a boon trap of Last Breath? Thematically fits an artificer and could theoretically be used to keep both the elf and the human around forever. Check out the first answer in the link for more information.

http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/37092/living-forever-in-dd-via-spells

[Blackhawk748]

Its not an Item but Ruathar is a 3 level PrC that extends a humans life span.

[Karl Aegis]

I disapprove of this.

[Blackhawk748]

I disapprove of this.

The entire concept or our suggestions?

[(Un)Inspired]

Polymorph Any Object him into an elf. One simple spell and you're done.

[Blackhawk748]

Polymorph Any Object him into an elf. One simple spell and you're done.

But what if he has a really awesome beard that he likes? Maybe she really likes him with a beard? If hes an Elf he wont have an awesome beard anymore...... Beard.

[dascarletm]

Polymorph into a dwarf then, they probably have beards and everyone loves dwarves.

OR! that one corrupt spell from the BoVD that drains someone's ability scores to reduce your age.... You can volunteer your life-force to extend his life, then greater restoration it away.

[Maglubiyet]

If there is a means for extending human lifespan, you'll have to answer why every human ruler and noblemen doesn't already have access to it. People spend their fortunes on quests for eternal life.

[atemu1234]

If there is a means for extending human lifespan, you'll have to answer why every human ruler and noblemen doesn't already have access to it. People spend their fortunes on quests for eternal life.

There are some things money can't buy- is becoming an undead an option?

[Psyren]

Sun Orchid Elixir in Pathfinder can do this, but it's an artifact and so (almost) impossible to make.


If there is a means for extending human lifespan, you'll have to answer why every human ruler and noblemen doesn't already have access to it. People spend their fortunes on quests for eternal life.

Yep - though again, "it's an artifact" does answer that question easily.


The entire concept or our suggestions?

I think he's joking about the concept, along the lines of "no son of mine will marry some stinking knife-ear slattern!" or similar.

[golentan]

If there is a means for extending human lifespan, you'll have to answer why every human ruler and noblemen doesn't already have access to it. People spend their fortunes on quests for eternal life.

Potentially, similar explanation to one for why a certain vampire king masquerades as his own grandson. Nobility is based on inheritance. Immortality, discovered after a system of inheritance has been worked out, really messes up that system. DnD, mostly there's agreement as to the nature of the afterlife, even if the afterlife for most people is kinda meh in Eberron.

Invoking a different game, for example, in Traveller the Imperium has banned anagathics to retard the aging process, because they need a constant infusion of new blood and ideas to stay relevant.

Could be an interesting complication if it's illegal to create such magics in the world of Eberron.

[Blackhawk748]

I think he's joking about the concept, along the lines of "no son of mine will marry some stinking knife-ear slattern!" or similar.

Ah, i can get behind that, stupid High Elves... Fine if shes a good Wood Elf lass though!

[Zanos]

This old guide to living forever might be of use. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5996)

[Flickerdart]

But what if he has a really awesome beard that he likes? Maybe she really likes him with a beard? If hes an Elf he wont have an awesome beard anymore...... Beard.
Persisted Silverbeard.


If there is a means for extending human lifespan, you'll have to answer why every human ruler and noblemen doesn't already have access to it. People spend their fortunes on quests for eternal life.
Spells are very expensive, and spellcasters are both rare and suspicious. Plus, in the time period D&D is supposed to model, not that many people lived to what we'd consider the end of a human lifespan due to disease, infection, and general pointy stabby death from heirs who are tired of waiting. So they can totally have access to magic that makes them live as long as an elf, but it's not likely to do much good for a number of reasons.

Additionally, in most settings there's a very well-codified afterlife. Why should a man who has ruled justly seek to extend his time on the Prime Material when his reward for his struggles in life will be an eternity in Paradise?

[Maglubiyet]

Spells are very expensive, and spellcasters are both rare and suspicious. Plus, in the time period D&D is supposed to model, not that many people lived to what we'd consider the end of a human lifespan due to disease, infection, and general pointy stabby death from heirs who are tired of waiting. So they can totally have access to magic that makes them live as long as an elf, but it's not likely to do much good for a number of reasons.

Additionally, in most settings there's a very well-codified afterlife. Why should a man who has ruled justly seek to extend his time on the Prime Material when his reward for his struggles in life will be an eternity in Paradise?

We're talking about Eberron here, spellcasters (and artificers) are part of normal, everyday life. And the afterlife is no picnic.

[NecessaryWeevil]

OR! that one corrupt spell from the BoVD that drains someone's ability scores to reduce your age.... You can volunteer your life-force to extend his life, then greater restoration it away.

I think that's awesome. Very romantic, great storyline. The Greater Restoration makes it too easy though.

[Werephilosopher]

Kissed by the Ages from Dragon #354 will do exactly what you want.

[gutza1]

I'm not trying for immortality, I'm just trying to find a way to make the human age like an elf. Also, the campaign will head into Epic level (the human and the elf will found a corporation together, and eventually along with the rest of the party, travel into space aboard a spaceship).

[Jack_Simth]

I'm not trying for immortality, I'm just trying to find a way to make the human age like an elf. Also, the campaign will head into Epic level (the human and the elf will found a corporation together, and eventually along with the rest of the party, travel into space aboard a spaceship).
As Artificers, it's straightforward, as long as you can get XP and cash.

You need:
1) Scroll of Polymorph Any Object (Sor/Wiz 8 - Core) (you can skip this if you're evil).
2) Scroll of Steal Life (Book of Vile Darkness, Sor/Wiz 8)
3) Scroll of Unhallow (Cleric/Druid 5, has a 1k component - Core) (only need it once if you're staying somewhere for a protracted length of time). Could also use a Darkskull if you expect to move around a lot.
4) Random pebble (or a copper coin, or ... well, just about any mundane object of little to no value, really) (or just a random commoner-1, if you're evil)

Method:
1) Find an area you don't mind Unhallowing.
2) Unhallow the area.
3) Wait until the next full moon.
4) Use Polymorph Any Object on the pebble to turn it into a temporary human (use a sacrificial human, if you're evil)
5) Have the real human use the scroll of Steal Life on the Temporary human (or sacrificial human, if you're evil) to drain it to nothing. Drain Con last.

A standard commoner-1 has all 10's and 11's in it's ability scores. If we assume all tens, you get 60 weeks of life extension if the temporary human fails the save. If the vic happens to have an 11 in Con, that could be as high as 66 weeks.

Your bog-standard human commoner-1 has base saves of +0 across the board. If the critter is treated as having 1 humanoid hit die, that's a good reflex save. The spell in question is Fort, so it doesn't matter, it's +0 for either of them. The save DC on a scroll of an 8th level spell defaults to 10+spell level + min ability mod for the spell = 10 + 8 + 4 = 22. Assuming you have some method of keeping the vic (temporary or real) from fighting back or escaping (an iron barred cell, or even just a pit), this means you've got a 95% chance of successfully getting your 60 weeks.

Measurable Cost if Neutral: Two scrolls of 8th level spells, one scroll of a 5th level spell with a 1k material component = 2*(8*15*25)+(5*9*25+1000)= 8,125 gp market every 60 weeks, with a do-over on one of the scrolls every 20 years. Note that 2,125 gp market of that only applies the first time and each time that you shift your HQ, and that aspect of the recurring cost can be avoided by way of the 60k market Darkskull.
Measurable Cost if Evil: One scroll of an 8th level spell, one scroll of a 5th level spell with a 1k material component, and one murder = 5,125 gp market and one murder every 60 weeks, with a do-over on one of the scrolls every 20 years. Note that 2,125 gp market of that only applies the first time and each time that you shift your HQ, and that aspect of the recurring cost can be avoided by way of the 60k market Darkskull.

As Artificers, you can severely discount those scrolls.

Using a polymorphed pebble, this is going to be a mild to moderate evil act under most DMs - you're casting a few [Evil] spells, yes, but no real person gets hurt. If that's the only time you engage in evil acts, and you're only doing it once a year, you can probably remain neutral or even good aligned with a little work (but do make sure you don't tell the party Paladin).
Using a kidnapped commoner-1, this is going to be a severely evil act under most DM's. You're kidnapping someone to murder them for nothing more than your own benefit. You will have an alignment shift pretty quickly.



I think that's awesome. Very romantic, great storyline. The Greater Restoration makes it too easy though.
How often does a racial lifespan have any mechanical impact in a D&D game? Few last that long. The elf is suffering pain for love, even if it is temporary. It really doesn't need to have much mechanical impact to the game.

[Maglubiyet]

a polymorphed pebble, this is going to be a mild to moderate evil act under most DMs - you're casting a few [Evil] spells, yes, but no real person gets hurt. If that's the only time you engage in evil acts, and you're only doing it once a year, you can probably remain neutral or even good aligned with a little work .

At one ability point per round it means that this temporary human will suffer for over an hour as its life is slowly drained. I don't think you could maintain a good alignment with that kind of karmic burden.

Anyway, the duration for PAO for a pebble to human is only 20 minutes.

[Jack_Simth]

At one ability point per round it means that this temporary human will suffer for over an hour as its life is slowly drained. I don't think you could maintain a good alignment with that kind of karmic burden.

Anyway, the duration for PAO for a pebble to human is only 20 minutes.Ten rounds per minute, not one round per minute. The temp human only needs to last six minutes. It's just a spell effect. It's not a person. No soul, no foul.

[Flickerdart]

You can always hit the pebble-human with a sleep effect or something, so that it doesn't feel the procedure.

[Maglubiyet]

Ten rounds per minute, not one round per minute. The temp human only needs to last six minutes. It's just a spell effect. It's not a person. No soul, no foul.

Right, 6 seconds per round. Sorry, brain seizure (or maybe flipping between systems too much).

I don't know -- could you cast Energy Drain or Trap the Soul on a polymorphed object? Or even weirder, could you Animate Dead or Raise Dead on it after you killed it?

EDIT: I'll start a new thread on this topic. Sure to have some interesting ideas.

[Jack_Simth]

You can always hit the pebble-human with a sleep effect or something, so that it doesn't feel the procedure.
Hit it for a few points of nonlethal damage? Good thinking.

[Elkad]

I'd go with a custom spell/item that shares their lifespans.

The elf is voluntarily giving up half it's lifespan to extend the lifespan of the human equally. Makes a great love story.