A Bird in the Oven

[AlanBruce]

Greetings! In my latest game, the party is facing off against a rather strong and annoying cleric gish in a swamp- a bog imp, to be more precise.

They have managed to dispel and run her through with judicious application of rhino's rush, orbs and even flamestrikes, but she's cunning and is using the terrain (marsh) to swim beneath the muck surface and catch them unawares.

It was during one of the many times she went into the swamp, that the party's raptoran was caught unawares as the fey crept up on him from behind and used Planeshift.

Planeshift to Baator, which the raptoran failed the save miserably.

Of course, saying "you're dead, roll a new" PC is boring, so i decided to run a separate and private session with that player in Avernus.

This raptoran is NG and worships Ehlonna, carrying the famous Raptor Arrow relic, which he uses with his force footbow to great success, but in an unknown city, bordering a sea of fire and damned souls, the ranger is not exactly feeling at home.

He certainly did not feel at home when an amnizu magistrate and a cadre of Malebranches asked for his "papers".

The Raptoran was quick to fly as fast away as he could and hide in a ruined building, but amidst the devilish troupe and their chained souls, walks a beautiful if unearthly looking female (a nighthag blessed directly by Cegilune, goddess of hags) to maintain a pleasant visage, since nighthags are quite revolting to look at.

A Locate Creature later and soft words spoken by the nighthag to our scared Raptoran had him come out of his hidey hole and be subjected to the humiliating exercise of being stripped of his items like a a theft victim at a market place as the amnizu used a monocle to identify each and every item in his possession, belittling his poor choice of gear and stating that he is the most powerful figure in his district (pompous devils, the whole lot of them).

Having Ehlonna's relics caused the pig faced magister to go into a fit as the Malbranche were ready to rip him apart...

But the night hag saw an opportunity here and, after calmly explaining to the raptoran the laws of hell, our hero gave a humble payment in the form of a giant +1 great axe taken from a frost giant killed days earlier.

The amnizu was pleased... for now, as he gave him a "traveler's permit", vaguely worded and warning that "breaking the law will result in immediate conscription to the Blood war.""

the Raptoran doesn't know what the Blood war is, but he doesn't want to be conscripted.

He wants to go home and help his friends fight these fey, information he confided to the night hag after the cadre of devils went on their merry way to torture their chained souls.

Naturally, the nighthag feigned great interest in his noble cause and wishes to help. But as we should know by now- nothing is truly for free. There is no guarantee his friends, which include a RSoP with no planeshift prepared for the day can find him in Avernus.

So, being a nice outsider as she is, the nighthag is willing to help him get back home, but as is the usually the case with these beings, a price has to be paid.

Unknown to the raptoran, she is quite aware of the fey they are fighting, but has chosen to keep that information from him (she actually aided them a thousand years ago before that Court of fey was banished from the Material and is working with an as of yet unknown faction to bring them back to the material and get something that will switch the tide of battle in the evil fey's favor... or worse).

So I ask you- what deal could she offer to the raptoran, besides getting him home? What in exchange for such service? Clearly she has the advantage- he doesn't want to stay in Avernus and he can't cast any kind of spell, so flying off into the horizon is just not going to cut it.

I have read on Faustian Pacts in FC 2, and they seem pretty good, but can night hags do it? I thought only certain devils could, but if you have any devious ideas, I am more than welcome, since the raptoran doesn't feel welcome in hell at all, especially after she confided to him in good faith that given the complicated internal and infernal affairs here, that amnizu could get demoted and have someone else with a new twist on the laws come over and make his stay a lot more uncomfortable.

I do not wish to kill the PC. He might as well refuse whatever she says, at which point he's free to fly about Avernus and face whatever happens to be lurking in the ground and the sky, but if he does sit down and listen to her offer, how to make a good deal for him that may bite him later in the tail feathers?

[Vizzerdrix]

How about having him deliver something/one to some one on his original plane that ends up causing all sorts of trouble later on? He could act as a guide for a devil in disguise who is looking for a specific priest so it can bend him to its will.

Or deliver a gift to a nobles wedding that ends up being some sort of undead making bomb. Later on he will have to go deal with a city of u dead that he helped create.

[AlanBruce]

How about having him deliver something/one to some one on his original plane that ends up causing all sorts of trouble later on? He could act as a guide for a devil in disguise who is looking for a specific priest so it can bend him to its will.

Or deliver a gift to a nobles wedding that ends up being some sort of undead making bomb. Later on he will have to go deal with a city of u dead that he helped create.

That's a very nice idea!

A quick background on the situation at hand:

This vanished Court of Unseelie Fey have returned, despite an old Seelie Pact that came them at bay. Nobody- PCs or NPCs know how this came to be yet, but the Unseelie have taken over an ancient sylvan forest which used to be their home before being banished and plan to spread their influence past the woods and into mortal lands, bringing forth a nasty winter along with it which may very well freeze a lot of towns and even kingdoms.

The party is currently attempting to finish off the top fey's lieutenants before going after her- in this case, a trio of powerful bog imps that were known for converting an entire elven squadron during the first war to end their reign in a large swamp. These elves are now bog imps, as per Heroes of Horror and the party can only hope that ending the imp queen will liberate not only the swamp, but the elves as well.

Plus, they found an npc druid that has agreed to help them get rid of the unseelie elsewhere in the forest if they can rid his swampy home from these gremlins.

The action takes place mostly in the woods, where the unseelie have brought forth their domains and frozen villas from their transient locked demiplane and the party knows that there is a time clock- take too long, and the main fey villain here freezes everything...

However, adapting your idea to affect the forest and possibly the PCs is not a bad idea at all.

[Inevitability]

Devils love long-term planning: use that. Have the Night Hag ask something that seems completely innocent, or at the very least less important than being reunited with his allies. Keep it vague, but not vague enough to arise suspicion.

For example, the hag asks that the raptoran will eat the next meal she offers him. Said meal might be laced with anything from poison to an elixir of love.

Alternatively, the hag might command the raptoran will speak her name the next time she asks him to. She's already directly connected to the main plot: a situation where her name being spoken would turn out bad for the party but well for her isn't unthinkable.

[AlanBruce]

Devils love long-term planning: use that. Have the Night Hag ask something that seems completely innocent, or at the very least less important than being reunited with his allies. Keep it vague, but not vague enough to arise suspicion.

For example, the hag asks that the raptoran will eat the next meal she offers him. Said meal might be laced with anything from poison to an elixir of love.

Alternatively, the hag might command the raptoran will speak her name the next time she asks him to. She's already directly connected to the main plot: a situation where her name being spoken would turn out bad for the party but well for her isn't unthinkable.

The night hag actually invited him a handful of grapes and refreshing water in a pitcher, but having had a Heroes' Feast less than an hour before in anticipation to fighting the bog imp queen, the raptoran politely declined, stating he was full.

The idea of uttering her name when back in the material is very good. she would rather not make her presence known, reason why she mentioned she had no idea who these creatures where when he updated her on the situation, but if her name is uttered at a certain point in the campaign, when in the presence of the right people, it could indeed be interesting.

[Dravda]

She could have him deliver a code word to a specific individual that seems totally innocuous, but is in fact an activation for a sleeper agent or some such. The code could either awaken a dormant geas in an unwitting pawn, or else simply be the activation code phrase for a knowing pawn, with whom she has bargained for another, separate favor.

I'm reminded of that scene from Half Life 2:

"The next time you see your father, you will relay these words:

Prepare for unforeseen consequences."

[Kelvarius]

Alternatively, the hag might command the raptoran will speak her name the next time she asks him to. She's already directly connected to the main plot: a situation where her name being spoken would turn out bad for the party but well for her isn't unthinkable.

I like this idea, but adapted slightly. He can't tell anyone about her aid, or even the fact that she exists, until such time as she releases him of that debt. This includes party members.

He'll be forced to lie to everyone that trusts him, for who knows how long, and when the nighthag is ready to make her move she can reveal to everyone what truly happened. A lot of fun RP can be had from that sort of "betrayal."

[ATHATH]

I seem to remember reading a thread specifically created for collecting Faustian Pacts a while ago...

[Gildedragon]

The request is simple: there is a barrow in the swamp, inside the barrow there is a stone lamp and some treasure. The treasure is theirs to keep, she just wants the lamp lit. Barrow is trapped and warded against evil.
That lamp light will probably raise the skeletons in the barrow, awaken a sleeping lich, fulfill a previous pact... or just maybe it does nothing, but that the PC did it means they might be amenable to further deals.

[AlanBruce]

This is a rough draft I wrote up for my player, who immediately offered his services to the night hag. I have it in spoiler below, but as you can plainly see, faustian and devilish it is not: there are perhaps ten or twenty loopholes here, which the PC can use to his advantage.

I, Zephyr Presybane, raptoran by birth and soul of the world known as Oerth, from now on, for benefit of this contract, known as the Contractee, willingly accept to receive the help in matters arcane to travel across realities and back home to Moruga Swamp in the Fey Woods by the powers of Elenwen, who shall therefore be known in this document as the Contractor, who shall see to the safe transport of the Contractee's body and soul, unharmed, back to the desired destination.

The Contractee is to meet with either Johann Crawford or Aenar (this stipulation includes the possibility of both) on the Material Plane.

At no point during the duration of this contract is the Contractee allowed to speak to any party in the Prime Material regarding the Contractor's identity. This includes pocket dimensions such as a Bag of Holding or a Rope Trick.

At no point is the Contractee to attempt to garner assistance from Outer Planar entities in any matter that may result hazardous to the Contractor.

If at any point, the Contractee is summoned to assist the Contractor, this one will provide with whatever means are needed for the task at hand. The Contractor will not endanger those in company with the Contractee in any way as long as the contract is respected and followed and does not breach upon the Contractor's designs.

Should the Contractee require assistance for any matter that would result hazardous to his health, the Contractor may be called by him (and only by him) to provide any means necessary within the Contractor's power.

If at any point, the Contractee should find untimely death, his soul is to be sent immediately to the Contractor for use at her own leisure, fulfilling the contract.


-----------------

So mote it be.

[Gildedragon]

Small verbal contract is good. Keep the contract simple, little to no legalese, all in a show of "good faith". Ask for the oath to be sworn by Mechanus
No trickery: go there, do this one thing for me... If you don't then... Well there's Inevitables to take care of that.

[ATHATH]

Can't Mr. Raptoran just ask the party's Wizard to take him on a vacation or something to one of the elemental planes, and spill the beans there?

[AlanBruce]

Can't Mr. Raptoran just ask the party's Wizard to take him on a vacation or something to one of the elemental planes, and spill the beans there?

If he thinks of it, yes. Oddly enough, the nighthag never mentioned a contract, the raptoran began spouting a bunch of terms.

She just happened to have a loose contract copy handy and even asked him if he'd done this before, being so careful with his wording.

In the end, he signed. She is to ask him for his assistance 3 times, at an indeterminate time. the soul thing has him worried, but she just laughed it of, saying that chances of her having need of him are nearly impossible, so it's not a big deal.

[Aleolus]

*Tsk tsk tsk* Poor fool. He is only lucky that Hags aren't as experienced with deal-making as Devils are, which is explained by the fact that there are loopholes he can use. But, if she is smart, then for every loophole he can use to his advantage there will be at least three she can use to hers. For more on this topic, I refer to
Red Fel
Red Fel
Red Fel

EDIT:...Damnit, how do I do colored text?

[ATHATH]

*Tsk tsk tsk* Poor fool. He is only lucky that Hags aren't as experienced with deal-making as Devils are, which is explained by the fact that there are loopholes he can use. But, if she is smart, then for every loophole he can use to his advantage there will be at least three she can use to hers. For more on this topic, I refer to
Red Fel
Red Fel
Red Fel

EDIT:...Damnit, how do I do colored text?
Don't capitalize the "R" that's between the first pair of brackets.

[Gildedragon]

*Tsk tsk tsk* Poor fool. He is only lucky that Hags aren't as experienced with deal-making as Devils are, which is explained by the fact that there are loopholes he can use. But, if she is smart, then for every loophole he can use to his advantage there will be at least three she can use to hers. For more on this topic, I refer to
Red Fel
Red Fel
Red Fel

EDIT:...Damnit, how do I do colored text?
There fixed it for you
The tag is {color="color"}{/color}

[Red Fel]

*Tsk tsk tsk* Poor fool. He is only lucky that Hags aren't as experienced with deal-making as Devils are, which is explained by the fact that there are loopholes he can use. But, if she is smart, then for every loophole he can use to his advantage there will be at least three she can use to hers. For more on this topic, I refer to
Red Fel
Red Fel
Red Fel

EDIT:...Damnit, how do I do colored text?

I'd suggest highlighting the text you want colored, then clicking the drop-down buttons above. The one you want is to the left of "Size" and to the right of the smiley face - it's an A, and gives you a default color selection. Alternatively, put "color=#******" in the brackets, where ****** is the color code of the shade you want. Red is #FF0000, for reference.

Also, hi there. Let's get started.

It sounds like this matter is a done deal - if you'll pardon the pun. (And even if you won't.) The fact is, I'm willing to forgive a Night Hag's sloppy contracting, inasmuch as I'm willing to forgive anything - which is to say, hardly at all.

For future reference, I'd repeat Guigarci's advice - simplicity is good, better, best. The fewer terms there are, the harder to wriggle around them. Really, the very best Faustian compacts have two major features. First is simplicity, as stated. Second is a lack of mechanical enforcements. Any mechanics brought into a compact can be overcome. Curses can be broken, numerical penalties can be negated, saving throws can be made. The best compacts are enforced, not because they must be, but because the signor wants to. There is a reason that the signor wants to keep the bargain. Maybe he receives some sort of benefit while the agreement is intact, which he loses (with interest!) in case of breach. Maybe somebody else will bear the punishment for his breach. Maybe he has an overdeveloped sense of honor. Whatever the reason, non-mechanical incentives can't be fought, they can only be accepted.

Now, if you're asking for things that the Nighthag can use this simpleton for... That's another story entirely, and will depend on where you'd like your plot to go.

[AlanBruce]

Also, hi there. Let's get started.

It sounds like this matter is a done deal - if you'll pardon the pun. (And even if you won't.) The fact is, I'm willing to forgive a Night Hag's sloppy contracting, inasmuch as I'm willing to forgive anything - which is to say, hardly at all.

For future reference, I'd repeat Guigarci's advice - simplicity is good, better, best. The fewer terms there are, the harder to wriggle around them. Really, the very best Faustian compacts have two major features. First is simplicity, as stated. Second is a lack of mechanical enforcements. Any mechanics brought into a compact can be overcome. Curses can be broken, numerical penalties can be negated, saving throws can be made. The best compacts are enforced, not because they must be, but because the signor wants to. There is a reason that the signor wants to keep the bargain. Maybe he receives some sort of benefit while the agreement is intact, which he loses (with interest!) in case of breach. Maybe somebody else will bear the punishment for his breach. Maybe he has an overdeveloped sense of honor. Whatever the reason, non-mechanical incentives can't be fought, they can only be accepted.

Now, if you're asking for things that the Nighthag can use this simpleton for... That's another story entirely, and will depend on where you'd like your plot to go.

I agree that simplicity is good, but the raptoran's player just went of on a tandem about doing this in exchange of this and for that to happen... etc, etc.

The Nighthag is well aware of the war this raptoran is involved with- she was part of it the first time around, but elsewhere in the world.

Since then, she has become a Soul Trader, like many night hags are. This one, though, has knowledge the party does not regarding the true nature behind the war with the Unseelie and their return to the material plane.

She wishes to see the war continue, regardless of whether the fey win or lose- the stakes are bigger and neither the PCs or their current direct antagonists- the Unseelie- are aware of this.

She is aware as well that this single raptoran is powerful enough and has scryed the battle in the swamp and learned about the powers of the rest. She knows that, if unchecked, there is a very small possibility that they could topple the plan her superiors are planning for this war.

Why has she not intervened directly? Simple- she is wanted by two powerful born again succubi who may be assisting the party later on in the war. These two outsiders have clashed with the night hag eons past, but she has always managed to elude them by escaping to the Realm of Dreams, where the other two cannot pursue.

Being so early on in the campaign for the contract to have any relevance, I am open to suggestions, since the party has decided to take out the main fey lieutenants in the forest one by one... and any ambushes in between, so it will be awhile before they can reach their destination and prove to be a real problem.

[Red Fel]

Being so early on in the campaign for the contract to have any relevance, I am open to suggestions, since the party has decided to take out the main fey lieutenants in the forest one by one... and any ambushes in between, so it will be awhile before they can reach their destination and prove to be a real problem.

Well, she's very fortunate to have an open-ended contract. And it doesn't cost her to be nice. Between the two, you could easily set her up as the D&D equivalent of a Shadowrun Johnson with favorable relationship - a repeat client who seems genuinely fond of the PCs.

Anyone familiar with Shadowrun can tell you that this particular type of Johnson has also been planning to betray you from the very beginning. But here's the beauty of it - as the lyricist wrote, it ain't necessarily so. She could become genuinely attached to her little minions. She could even offer to spare them once her masterstroke is complete.

My advice to you is to send the PCs on various odd jobs. Like the swamp scrying, these jobs will give her an opportunity to get to know the PCs at a safe distance, not only their abilities but also their personalities. Basically, get to know them as individuals without them knowing she knows them. (I know, you know...)

These jobs will, of course, have repercussions beneficial to her. And it does her no harm if they appear mildly sinister - if the PCs assume that they're being forced to do a baddy's dirty work, they won't second-guess any motivation she might have beneath that. Useful jobs may include:
Give message X to person Y. Two possible reasons for this:
It's a signal. Person Y is a sleeper agent, or otherwise owes an obligation to her. The PCs don't need to know what this character does, although they can trail him if they so choose.
It's a corruption objective. The Night Hag knows a secret, and telling Y makes Y aware that people know. This will make him paranoid, and will likely result in him doing something desperate and stupid - either making bargains he shouldn't be making, or taking actions he shouldn't be taking. Consider the possibility that he tries to summon an Evil Outsider for a pact, and she intervenes, or that he is a person in a powerful position who proceeds to do something reckless (e.g. impose military law, ethnic cleansing, or other horrific acts).
Do activity A at place B. Possible reasons:
Decoy objective. Performing activity A will either draw the attentions of the Forces of Good, or of the Night Hag's succubus pursuers. It's a red herring that will keep their eyes occupied while the Night Hag is elsewhere.
Signal objective. Like the "give message X to person Y" task, but on a larger scale.
Controlled disruption. For example, lighting a candle during a sacred eclipse festival results in the townsfolk rioting, creating all sorts of opportunities for havoc.
Basically, everything they do should be circuitously promoting her agenda, which should include, generally:
The promotion of Evil in the Prime Material.
The promotion of the Night Hag's connections and influence.
The confounding of the Night Hag's enemies and rivals.
Setting the pieces on the board for her final maneuver.
Here are some illustrations.
Go to the Duke of Townsburg and tell him, "The willow tree never forgot her secret." Unbeknownst to the players, the Duke was once a diabolist, who abandoned the craft when his dark patron had his wife killed. He buried her under a willow tree. Hearing these words makes him aware that his dark master hasn't forgotten him, which drives him into a combination of panic and despair. He seeks communion with any dark power that will answer... And the Night Hag answers.
Go to the mushroom ring in the middle of the Western Woods, light these three candles, and ring this bell three times. A treasure will be revealed to you - take what you will, but return the green stone to me. The "treasure" is worth relatively little, in the long run - minor druidic or fey baubles. But the "green stone" is an anchor for the circle. Mushroom rings are planar weak points, frequently used by the fey; with the stone, the Night Hag will have a direct material connection to the mushroom ring, the Prime Material, and any fey passage opened through the ring.
Go to Sacred Site #17, and recite the following words. If things get serious, light this torch. The words are a spell of desecration, designed to ruin the site's sacred nature. They draw on the power of, and therefore draw the attention of, one or both of her succubus rivals. The torch is a beacon for Archons when activated on a sacred site. Basically, she's setting the PCs up to fight the succubi, or alternatively to summon the Archons to do it for them. And by giving the PCs the torch, she isn't violating the contractual requirement to not put the other PCs at risk. This is something of a late-gam option, because clearing your enemies from the table is something you don't do until you've already won, and drawing the attention of Good is a risky maneuver at the best of times.
Have a more concrete agenda for her than simply "help her superiors." Every Evil Outsider has superiors to whom they report; but they all, without exception, have their own plans for dominance. Clearly, if she has rivals, it's in her best interest to either eliminate them (death by PC) or put them on the run. But she needs to have something she's doing for her. This is her perfect chance to advance her own agenda; intermediate Evil Outsiders rarely get to play patron to powerful PCs. She needs to use it.

[AlanBruce]

Thank you, Mr. Fel.

The illustrated ideas work really good into the story I have in the background, since there is a duke in the nearby town where the campaign began and he has become secondary at best, placing this deterrent in the PC's quest should be most interesting.

Currently, the few Seelie that remain in the forest are attempting to call reinforcements: through mushroom fey sites.

What better way to stop such aide than by having someone "hack" the site? Brilliant.

The succubi in this story have been redeemed. One has pledged allegiance to Olidammara and has become a very experienced (and hated) Malconvoker.

The other one trained under a famous Ghaele Knight and has sworn allegiance to the Court of Stars, becoming a Champion of Gwynharwyf, so these two are a universal exception in the campaign- reviled by fiends, accepted by very few celestials, they have decided to end the Nighthag because they know who she has the nasty habit of taking souls, something they did at one point alongside her, but found the whole schtick horrific.

[Red Fel]

The succubi in this story have been redeemed. One has pledged allegiance to Olidammara and has become a very experienced (and hated) Malconvoker.

The other one trained under a famous Ghaele Knight and has sworn allegiance to the Court of Stars, becoming a Champion of Gwynharwyf, so these two are a universal exception in the campaign- reviled by fiends, accepted by very few celestials, they have decided to end the Nighthag because they know who she has the nasty habit of taking souls, something they did at one point alongside her, but found the whole schtick horrific.

Then this is even more perfect.

The Succubi are tolerated, but not accepted, by cosmic Good. In all likelihood, LG in particular is going to be highly suspicious of them, and is just looking for an excuse to strike them down.

Have the Night Hag use the PCs to give them that excuse. Have the PCs confront the Succubi. Arm them with something that gives off a profane aura. The Succubi, now agents of Good, will be drawn in and likely attempt to smite the PCs. The PCs, noted heroes, will be fighting Succubi in the presence of something profane - if Archons were to happen to show up (perhaps because they received some sort of signal, likely due to other things the Night Hag had the PCs unwittingly set up), who do you think they would attack? Known mortal heroes, or suspected demonic treacherous types?

This moves the PCs into a position of trust under Cosmic Good (in effect, turning them into the moles the Archons thought the Succubi were) while getting rid of the Succubi. And the board is cleared of two major pieces.

[AlanBruce]

Then this is even more perfect.

The Succubi are tolerated, but not accepted, by cosmic Good. In all likelihood, LG in particular is going to be highly suspicious of them, and is just looking for an excuse to strike them down.

Have the Night Hag use the PCs to give them that excuse. Have the PCs confront the Succubi. Arm them with something that gives off a profane aura. The Succubi, now agents of Good, will be drawn in and likely attempt to smite the PCs. The PCs, noted heroes, will be fighting Succubi in the presence of something profane - if Archons were to happen to show up (perhaps because they received some sort of signal, likely due to other things the Night Hag had the PCs unwittingly set up), who do you think they would attack? Known mortal heroes, or suspected demonic treacherous types?

This moves the PCs into a position of trust under Cosmic Good (in effect, turning them into the moles the Archons thought the Succubi were) while getting rid of the Succubi. And the board is cleared of two major pieces.

Your reputation precedes you, Mister Fel.

The succubi will be introduced later, once the PCs have cleared out their next objective: to face a powerful Courtier of the Unseelie who has a PC and a pair of NPCs trapped in her Halls.

While splitting the party to go to another Unseelie Hall and rescue children taken early on from the duchy the party started in.

And further splitting to go fetch the wizard's familiar, who has been given to an npc wizard to take care of and is in yet another Hall in the forest with a knight NPC attempting to thin out the fey's numbers.

Divide and Conquer, as they say.

Having the Raptoran be asked to perform a trite little job during these split missions should not be a problem and he being extremely stealthy, should avoid anyone from suspecting anything... probably never.

He has already been asked, once the swamp encounter ended, how he managed to return.

The raptoran was true to the signed document and said that they had nothing to worry. That he is fine, but has asked the party casters for some bauble he'd like to purchase for incidents like these in the future.