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AKA_Bait
2007-08-27, 11:56 AM
Some people seemed interested in this character when I solicted advice for populating a dungeon featuring him. So, here he is in all his undead ratty goodness. Any critques welcome! And yes, I know Lich can only apply to Humaniods and this is a house rule.


Silus
The Rat Lich

What does it mean to be sapient? No, not sentient. Sentient is easy, it just means that you react to stimuli. Even brainless plants might be sentient and my children certainly are. Sapience is something different. Sapience means that you are self aware, that you possess judgment, that you are smart. Sapience also means that you are cursed.

I am smart. I was made smart when I was just a pup. I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t have a choice. It is a disease; an addiction. Once you see the world as an intelligent being there is no going back to seeing it as food, not food, and potential mate. Worse, you want, no, need all your brethren to be like you, to see it like you, to share the experience like you. Not to be alone.

I am fifteen years old. For you, that is not so long. For a rat, it is an eternity. As far as I know, I am unique, the only one who is smart. Not smart like the pets of the Arcane, but smart of ourselves. My children are not smart. Their mothers, all long dead now, were not smart. Conceiving them felt like rape much as it would for you, if you were to have children with a dog.

I cannot make them smart but I am trying. I have learned arcane mysteries trying to find way. I have committed terrible acts to my siblings and my children to find a way and to keep myself alive long enough to do so. Their sacrifices will not be for nothing. I will not rest until I can talk to my descendants as you talk to yours. Perhaps not even then…

History:

Silus is a 15 year old Awakened Rat Wizard turned Lich. Awakened shortly after birth to be a servant for the Arcane Hierophant Calendar he didn’t particularly mind his servitude but begged Calendar that his mate, a rat he fancied but that had not been awakened, be awakened as well. Calendar refused, not wanting to set the precedent of awakening any and every animal he came across.

In an attempt to subvert Calendar’s wishes Silus began to study the arcane tomes in Calendar’s library and insisted on following Calendar on any and every adventure. In this way he learned much, and quickly, but focused in the wrong direction. The more he studied and learned arcane mysteries the more frustrated at not finding an Awaken spell he became. Concluding that Calendar was on to him and had removed any information about the spell from the library he stole out into the night, taking the female rat he had plead for with him.

A few years passed unsuccessfully. Silus had several broods of children with the mate he had taken with him as well as several others over time. With each generation Silus became more and more disparing, lonely, and determined to find a spell to Awaken his children, a term he came to use for all of his descendants, no matter how many generations down the line.

As more time went by Silus concluded that he would never find the spell in his natural lifetime but it was far too late for him to surrender his cause to the ravages of age (which creep quickly upon a rat, even one with arcane talents and intelligence exceeding that of all but a few humans) and he did the unthinkable. He slaughtered dozens of his children in a gruesome ritual to transform himself into a lich. He told himself it was worth it for the cause.

Now:

Silus searches for an Arcane Mass Awaken still. His lair moves from place to place, taking his children with him in waves using Mass Teleport whenever they are discovered and the threat cannot be completely eliminated or made to work for his purposes.

Whenever he moves into a new den, typically a crypt, mausoleum or catacombs, he places Guards and Wards around as well as begins work on a Flesh Golem guardian and creates several undead servants. He uses the corpses in the crypt to create his monstrosities. If outsiders enter the crypt he will attempt to first drive them off using various illusions. If they seem formidable he will set the Golem upon them and attempt to trap them with Wall of Stone or Forcecage and then Dominate, Gaes, or Magic Jar them at his leisure. He is fond of Gaesing bands of adventurers to find the spell for him. If they make their saves and refuse to comply he has no compunction about torturing them, killing them, or both.

If some escape he will immediately move the den and contact assassins to hunt those that got away down as quickly as possible. If he is overmatched, he will flee, but he will never completely abandon his children. He will always leave a magic sensor behind and scry on the location to be sure that they are safe. If they are not he will return as soon as possible and attempt to rescue as many as he can.

He rarely leaves his warrens, but if he must he typically uses Dominate Person to ensnare a commoner, dresses them up, and pretends to be their familiar. Sometimes, he will use Magic Jar for this purpose as well, usually when adventurers need to be convinced that they have ‘killed’ the threat.

Silus
Tiny Undead (Undead Augmented Animal)
Hit Dice: 16d12 (104 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft.
Armor Class: 23 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +5 Natural Armor, Ring of Protection +4), touch 18, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-6
Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d3-4 + 1d8+5 negative energy (Will half DC14))
Full Attack: Bite +10/+5 melee (1d3-4)
Special Attacks: Paralyzing Touch (DC 12)
Special Qualities: Low Light Vision, Scent, Darkvision (60ft.), Fear Aura (DC 12), +4 Turn Resistance, DR 15 Bludgeoning/Magic, Immune to Cold, Electricity, Polymorph, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, mind-affecting effects, critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, energy drain, ability damage, fatigue, exhaustion and any effect requiring a Fort save.
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +15, Will +15
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con -, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 7
Skills: Listen +12, Search +10, Sense Motive +12, Spot +12, Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +30, Move Silently +24, Swim +10, Concentration +11, Spell Craft +21, Knowledge Arcana +21, Knowledge Nature +16, Knowledge Religion +21, Craft (Golem) +21, Decipher Script +21,
Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse, Scribe Scroll, Summon Familiar, Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Construct, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Silent Spell, Spell Mastery (Instant Summons, Dominate Person, Teleport: Mass, Limited Wish, Guards and Wards, Polymorph)
Challenge Rating: 18?
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Fear Aura (Su): Liches are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the lich must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell from a sorcerer of the lich’s level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same lich’s aura for 24 hours.

Paralyzing Touch (Su): Any living creature a lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (see the bestow curse spell description).
The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Spot check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.

Turn Resistance (Ex): A lich has +4 turn resistance.

Damage Reduction (Su): A lich’s undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/bludgeoning and magic. Its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Immunities (Ex): Liches have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.

Spells:
--Spells per day: 4/6/6/5/5/4/3/1
--Spells known:
0-Level: detect magic, disrupt undead, read magic, Dancing Lights, Arcane Mark, Repair Minor Damage, Open/Close, Ghost Sound, Shadowplay, Message, Mending, Mage Hand, Chalkboard, Resistance, Acid Splash

1-Level: Erase, Reduce Person, Raging Flames, Repair Light Damage, Feather Fall, Animate Rope, Summon Undead I, Ray of Enfeeblement, Magic Missile, Color Spray, Cause Fear, Silent Image, Ventriloquism, N’s Magic Aura, T’s Floating Disk, Charm Person, True Strike, Identify, Detect Undead, Comprehend Languages, Scholar’s Touch, Instant Locksmith, Summon Undead I, Unseen Servant, Obscuring Mist, Mage Armor, Hold Portal, Endure Elements, Grease, Alarm, Shield,

2-Level: blindness/deafness, Whispering Wind, Unseen Crafter, Spider Climb, Rope Trick, Repair Moderate Damage, Eagles Splendor, Blindsight, Alter Self, Wracking Touch, Spectral Hand, Command Undead, Misrepresent Alignment, Misdirection, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Leo’s Traps, Disguise Undead, Magic Mouth, Invisibility, Shatter, Scorching Ray, Flaming Sphere, Darkness, Continual Flame, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Locate Object, See Invisibility, Insidious Insight, Battering Ram, Detect Thoughts, Web, Summon Undead II, Glitterdust, Dispel Ward, Arcane Lock

3-Level: Secret Page, Repair Serious Damage, Mage Hand: Greater, Burrow, Deeper Darkness; Undead Lieutenant, Undead Touch, Vampiric Touch, Skull Watch, Halt Undead, Shatterfloor, Invisibility Sphere, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Tongues, Hold Person, Daylight, Suggestion, Clairvoyance, Mage Armor: Greater, Nondetection, Explosive runes, Dispel Magic, Summon Undead III

4-Level: Reduce person: Mass, Polymorph, Wrack, Fear, Enervation, Plague Carrier, Bestow Curse, Illusory Wall, Invisibility: Greater, Animate Dead, Wall of Fire, Explosive Cascade, Resilient sphere, Defenestrating Sphere, Geas: Lesser, Charm Monster, Locate Creature, Scrying, Detect Scrying, Summon Undead IV, Dimension Door, Dispelling Screen, Dimensional Anchor

5-Level: Magic Jar, Permanency, Fabricate, Passwall, Baleful Polymorph, Animal Growth, Symbol of Pain, Fleshshiver, False Vision, Sending, Dominate Person, Charm Person: Mass, Feeblemind, Hold Monster, Wall of Stone, Servant Horde, Teleport, Break Enchantment

6-Level: Lucubration, Flesh to Stone, Disintegrate, Burrow: Mass, Wall of Force, Create Undead, Veil, Project Image, Contingency, Suggestion: Mass, Geas/Quest, True Seeing, Guards and Wards, Dispel Magic: Greater

7-Level: Limited Wish, Forecage, Teleport: Mass

Possessions: Cloak of Resistance +5, Ring of Protection +4, Boccob’s Blessed Book x3 (only one with him at any given time, others arcane marked and hidden at other potential dens), Phylactery (see below).

Silus’ Phylactery: Silus phylactery is the tiny skull of his first ‘wife’ magically sealed and containing the scrolls needed for the ritual. He takes it with him to whatever den he currently occupies, hiding it among corpses of other rats. It has a Permanent Magic Aura and False Vision cast on it to hide its properties and location.

Possible Uses of Silus

At Low Levels: PCs are asked by someone in town to do the standard low level 'clear out the rats' adventure. Hilarity ensues.

At Midlevels: PCs come across an NPC Necromancer with an undead rat familiar. The NPC asks them to find the spell and if they do they will be "compensated appropriatley".

Also at Midlevels: If the PC's have killed a good number of rats in their adventures thus far, they recieve a summons to a town with a catacombs. They are told that are large necromancer has taken up residency in the catacombs and asked to remove the danger. This is actually a trap set by Silus to get revenge for the 'murder of some of his children'

More to come and suggestions welcome.

Bitzeralisis
2007-08-27, 12:13 PM
Huh. That's creative. And that's a very long list of spells. (Like any wizard has a short list anyways..)

AKA_Bait
2007-08-27, 12:21 PM
Huh. That's creative. And that's a very long list of spells. (Like any wizard has a short list anyways..)

Also, I figure it would have been pretty easy when he was searching to aquire spells. He was activley looking for spells, can by pass magical guards, and what wizard thinks that when his scrolls have been disturbed that one of the rats did it?

Lyinginbedmon
2007-08-27, 01:27 PM
I've done something similar myself, a Corpse Toad Cleric that possesses stronger bodies like puppets, Oras. He also has a companion, Yurei, who is a Corpse Frog that dominates masses of thralls.

Who
2007-08-27, 01:39 PM
This is possibly the best idea since my kobold who thought he was a dog

AKA_Bait
2007-08-27, 01:55 PM
This is possibly the best idea since my kobold who thought he was a dog

So... does that make it a good idea or a bad idea?


I've done something similar myself, a Corpse Toad Cleric that possesses stronger bodies like puppets, Oras. He also has a companion, Yurei, who is a Corpse Frog that dominates masses of thralls.

Oddly, the idea for this guy came about because my players totally dodged the plot hook I had planned and set off on a side quest I had prepared for my group several levels lower.

In the top of the crypt they find a whole bunch of rats, kill the ones that can't escape down the stairs, and comment on the way out the door 'aw come on! we're fighting rats?' Thus was born Silus. A reason to fear rats.

martyboy74
2007-08-27, 02:01 PM
It makes it brilliant. Sheer genius. Hell, you could turn this guy into an arc lasting until 15th or 16th level, just by continually enslaving the adventurers.

AKA_Bait
2007-08-27, 02:27 PM
It makes it brilliant. Sheer genius. Hell, you could turn this guy into an arc lasting until 15th or 16th level, just by continually enslaving the adventurers.

That's kindof the idea, although not entirely. That's an option, also enslaving them once and sending them out to find the spell, or get someone to research it, is another. Particularly because if someone else came along and Silus bolted they would now have to go and try to find HIM too in order to fulfill the Geas.

Xuincherguixe
2007-08-27, 03:15 PM
Fun stuff. I've been following this for awhile :P

And while the party is overcome with laughter upon first seeing it the rat lich could blast them with spells.

AKA_Bait
2007-08-27, 03:33 PM
Fun stuff. I've been following this for awhile :P

And while the party is overcome with laughter upon first seeing it the rat lich could blast them with spells.

Or just forcecage them, laugh back and say he's going to take a nap...

Lyinginbedmon
2007-08-27, 04:22 PM
Or just forcecage them, laugh back and say he's going to take a nap...

He's a lich, he's actually physically incapable of sleeping

Xuincherguixe
2007-08-27, 04:24 PM
He's a lich, he's actually physically incapable of sleeping

True, but he could pretend to be taking a nap.

Thistle
2007-08-27, 04:34 PM
As a note, Silus can awaken things with limited wish, though not on a massive scale.

AKA_Bait
2007-08-27, 04:42 PM
Two Points:

1. He doesn't actually know that. He assumes there is an Arcane spell he can find that does it.

2. Even if the PC's tell him, that's why he's looking for Mass Awaken rather than just Awaken. But when next they return from facing him they may find a few more awakened rats working with him.

Vadin
2007-08-27, 06:12 PM
That's so cool it inspired me to make a parallel to Silus.
Meet Krispin, the Awakened Cat of Bahamut.

Krispin, Awakened Cat of Bahamut (Draconic, Dragonborn, Half-Dragon, Half-Celestial)
Size/Type:Tiny Outsider(Augmented, Dragonblood)
Hit Dice:3d12+12 (35 hp)
Initiative:+6
Speed:30 ft. (6 squares), fly 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class:20 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple:+3/-9
Attack:Claw +9 melee (1d3+4)
Full Attack:2 claws +9 melee (1d3+4) and bite +4 melee (1d4+4)
Space/Reach:2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks:Smite Evil, Daylight, Spell-Like Abilities, Breath Weapon
Special Qualities:Darkvision, Low-light Vision, +2 AC against creatures with the dragon type, Immune to frightful presence, Draconic Aspect(Mind), Immunity to Paralysis and Magical Sleep, Immunity to Disease, Resistance to Acid, Cold, and Electricity 10, DR 5, SR 13, +4 on saves vs. poison
Saves:Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities:Str 18, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 18
Skills:Balance+16, Climb+12, Jump+8, Spot+9, Hide+12, Move Silently+12, Search+7, Listen+9, Sense Motive+6, Tumble+5
Feats:Stealthy, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Initiative
Challenge Rating:7
Alignment:Lawful Good

Krispin was once a common cat. He hunted for mice, lounged in the sun, and was universally adored in that little village he once called home.

That all changed when Silus arrived. Taking refuge in a large and ancient tomb in the local graveyard, Silus and his rats quickly brought the town to its knees with their disease and pestilence. When Krispin and the other cats were unable to eradicate this most strange invasion of rats, they were chased from the village by an angry and sickly populace. Bahamut saw this pitiful sight and believed there was something special in Krispin. He gave the young feline a mind like a man’s and offered him rebirth. The benevolent dragon god gave Krispin a choice: he could come and live at the god’s side away from mortal pain, or be recreated in the image of Bahamut’s children, the metallic dragons. Krispin agreed and returned, now equipped with powerful draconic weapons and abilities so that he might better fight the evil rat and his many minions.

To Krispin’s annoyance, the rat was gone. He had abruptly left without a trace and had used his powerful magics to (as far as Krispin knows) teleport away the populace. In reality, he simply allowed his children to spread their plague and used the bodies for flesh golems. Krispin now searches for the rat Silus, eager to pay him back for taking away all the people Krispin once knew and forcing him away before he could help them escape.

Krispin is always eager to join with an adventuring party out looking for Silus or any of his kin.

Combat

Breath Weapon (Ex)
Krispin has a breath weapon usable once per day. He may emit a 60-foot line of lightning that deals 6d8 points of damage. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1+ 2) reduces damage by half.

Natural Weapons
Krispin’s natural weapons are treated as magical good-aligned weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Daylight (Su)
Krispin can use a daylight effect (as the spell) at will.

Smite Evil (Su)
Once per day Krispin can make a normal melee attack to deal 3 extra damage against an evil foe.

Spell-Like Abilites (Sp) (Caster level: 3, Save DC: 14+spell level)
Protection from Evil 3/day, Bless 1/day, Aid 1/day, Detect Evil 1/day

Skills
Cats have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. Cats have a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus rises to +8.

Zeta Kai
2007-08-27, 07:31 PM
The lich-rat is great. So much so that I believe I must invoke...

Maximum Yoinkage!

Does that make the awakened cat the Clone Saga?

AKA_Bait
2007-08-27, 07:34 PM
To Vadin: Cool! I inspired something neat! Awesome!

Vadin
2007-08-27, 07:44 PM
Any plans to maybe draw up some of the dungeons and ruins Silus lives in?

Toric
2007-08-27, 07:46 PM
I think Silus is an excellent, well-thought-out character, except for one thing you've forgotten: being a rat who traps people, he needs a scroll or two of Maze. It's just so fitting.

I have to wonder if slaughtering rats would be sufficient for lichdom, but I guess it takes a lot less negative energy to animate a rat than a human. Besides, I guess it's the thought that counts.

Icewalker
2007-08-27, 07:48 PM
Wow, very inventive. Well written. Go rat lich go!

AKA_Bait
2007-08-27, 08:02 PM
Any plans to maybe draw up some of the dungeons and ruins Silus lives in?

Well, in the earlier thread (which to be fair to the party was before Silus' lichdom but after the wizard levels) is The Minions of the Rat Lich and can be found here. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52326&page=2&highlight=Minions+Lich) On the second page are the final inhabitants of the crypt that my group encountered Silus in. I used the map and some of the town ideas from the Lest Darkness Rise (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20041029a) adventure on the wizards site.

The party will surely have to deal with him again, but at the moment they are a bit terrified to go up against him and are busy doding assasins. So it will be a little while. I'll draw up another lair in a few weeks probably and post it if you like.

If you are intersted, the follow up adventure was one where they met Calendar and learned a little of Silus' history. That is here. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53246&highlight=Calendar)

Much thanks to everyone one on the boards who is making this a really neat campagin for my group.

Edit: No, wait, I actually used This map. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mapofweek/Nov2006/06_November2006_300_bm3fm02_ppi.jpg)

Matthew
2007-08-31, 06:39 AM
Heh, nice to see this in full. Good work.

Runolfr
2007-09-05, 02:51 PM
As a note, Silus can awaken things with limited wish, though not on a massive scale.

Actually, Limited Wish would be enough to simulate a 4th-level Druid spell, but Awaken is 5th level. By RAW, he'll need to learn Wish to accomplish his goal.

OneWinged4ngel
2007-09-05, 03:29 PM
Kudos! Love it.

BisectedBrioche
2007-09-05, 04:22 PM
Wait, how can the rat have failed to find out anything about awaken spells if it managed to become a lich? Surely that would be more complex and require more research?

Ashtar
2007-09-05, 05:27 PM
He'll fail if Awakening is not part of Arcane magic... So his best bet is to kidnap a druid!

But he could also have experimented with thousands of weird techniques beforehand! Like binding elemental spirits to his followers (mephits + rat = mephirat?), Rat-stitched golems, exposure to powerful negative energy in the hope of creating greater sentience (rat wights, shadow rats), binding daemon souls in rat bodies, transferring sentience to rats from other creatures, soul merging experiments...

Jasdoif
2007-09-05, 07:49 PM
Actually, Limited Wish would be enough to simulate a 4th-level Druid spell, but Awaken is 5th level. By RAW, he'll need to learn Wish to accomplish his goal.The 4th-level limit is only for non-wizard spells of a prohibited school. The spell list has Transmutation spells on it, so the limit is 5th-level, sufficient for Awaken.



Anyway. I like the idea of a rat lich (I once debated an awakened toad sorcerer, simply to be able to use a homunculus as a mount), and hey, it's got a goal too! What's not to love? I do wonder if he's ever tried his hand...err, paw...at spell research, though, instead of just hoping someone else has already come up with an arcane Awaken. Besides, even there is a direct arcane copy of it, Awaken still has an XP cost, it'd be difficult to meet his expectations that way.

How'd you determine the save DCs for the Paralyzing Touch and the Fear Aura?

Tyrmatt
2007-12-06, 05:22 PM
I like the idea of him becoming a lich through slaughtering the rats. The pain of having to murder his children "for the greater good" makes him an oddly human creature.
The greater good! Bonus points if you can get his minions to chant it after he says it :D

dyslexicfaser
2007-12-06, 06:50 PM
All I can think of when I think of Silas is Terry Pratchet's Death of Rats, the grim reaper that comes for vermin and vermin-like individuals.

EDIT: Also, wow thread necromancy.

Pirate_King
2008-04-16, 10:38 PM
I dunno, I kinda see a darker version of Maurice's educated rodents, also of Pratchett.

GoC
2008-04-17, 06:37 PM
I dunno, I kinda see a darker version of Maurice's educated rodents, also of Pratchett.

heh, double necromancy.

Heliomance
2008-04-18, 02:22 AM
Mass Awaken's in the Spell Compendium. 9th level Druid spell.

Hunter_Rose
2008-12-03, 12:14 PM
Granted this post will highlight my Grognard status but may I ask the following questions concerning Silas's back story.

1. By any chance was Silas's former Hierophant master (Calender) from a country/location/domaign of Nimh?

2. Was Silas's first rat wife's last name by any chance Frisby?

I'll stop now and see if this is too dated a reference.

When I played a druid I did have an idea to awaken my wolf animal companion and train them as a Druid and then allow the wolf to awaken their own animal companion and so on. I thought the idea of wolf pack having access to Druidic powers would be an interesting idea especially if they staked out an area to protect. Would have created an interesting animal vs. expansionist human dynamic when the wolves struck back at the human clearing and logging the lands under wolf pack's protection.

DracoDei
2008-12-03, 01:22 PM
Beleive me, I get it.

kopout
2008-12-21, 09:44 PM
Granted this post will highlight my Grognard status but may I ask the following questions concerning Silas's back story.

1. By any chance was Silas's former Hierophant master (Calender) from a country/location/domaign of Nimh?

2. Was Silas's first rat wife's last name by any chance Frisby?
.

I love that book . It was the first thing I thought of when I saw this.
Also, what does Grognard mean?

Jergmo
2009-09-04, 02:02 PM
So... does that make it a good idea or a bad idea?



Oddly, the idea for this guy came about because my players totally dodged the plot hook I had planned and set off on a side quest I had prepared for my group several levels lower.

In the top of the crypt they find a whole bunch of rats, kill the ones that can't escape down the stairs, and comment on the way out the door 'aw come on! we're fighting rats?' Thus was born Silus. A reason to fear rats.

My solution would be Cranium Rats, but a Rat Lich definitely works!

Leeham
2009-09-06, 02:01 PM
All I can think of when I think of Silas is Terry Pratchet's Death of Rats, the grim reaper that comes for vermin and vermin-like individuals.

It would kinda suck if your BBEG could only say SQUEAK...

Rainbownaga
2009-09-06, 07:00 PM
Wow, this rat doesn't want to stay dead

Zeta Kai
2009-09-06, 07:07 PM
Wow, this rat doesn't want to stay dead

Well, it is a lich, so threadomancy is oddly natural. I love this character so much. I was gonna copy down the stats for him, but then I remembered that I'd already done so two years ago. I LOL'd.

Jallorn
2009-09-06, 07:21 PM
I think you mixed up sapient and sentient.

Sentient is self aware.

Kuma
2009-09-06, 07:25 PM
wow. silas is a great character, three-dimensional, well thought out. quite excellent. I mirror Zeta and invoke

Yoinkage Maximus!!!

Limos
2009-09-06, 11:38 PM
I should totally stat out Silus for 4e...

Amadi
2009-09-07, 02:54 PM
In the end he manages to turn all rats on material plane to moonrats, giving them partial sentience, varying from the time of the month. Imagine what kind of funnyness ensues from thousands of semi-intelligent rats. :smallamused:

DracoDei
2009-09-08, 05:56 PM
I think Silus is an excellent, well-thought-out character, except for one thing you've forgotten: being a rat who traps people, he needs a scroll or two of Maze. It's just so fitting.
An insightful point, and one I must concur with.

Thatguyoverther
2009-09-08, 06:42 PM
@AKA_Bait

Just as a question what would Silas do if he did get a hold of the spell? What would his next goal be. Try and start a rat nation? Kill all the humans? Roll over and die?

Limos
2009-09-08, 06:48 PM
@AKA_Bait

Just as a question what would Silas do if he did get a hold of the spell? What would his next goal be. Try and start a rat nation? Kill all the humans? Roll over and die?

He would have deep philosophical discussions with his new peers only to realise that sentient does not necessarily mean interesting and find that his artifical lifespan (by rat standards) leaves him permanantly alienated from his children.

Also the Lich thing doesn't help. He then sinks into a deep depression which eventually ends in a confrontation with a cat with paladin levels.

Blue Ghost
2009-09-08, 07:35 PM
Well, I find the continual necromancy of this thread slightly disturbing, yet oddly amusing. I remember I encountered it during one of its resurgencies last year.

Plot dictates that Silus will never reach his goal. He will be vanquished long before he fulfills his dream, as is proper for a tragic(?) villain. But if he does, I would think that he would try to awaken all the rats in the world, or at least find a spell that can allow awakened creatures to pass on their intelligence to their offspring.