Erandis Vol how would you handle her

[Gwyllgi]

So because I was reading up on the undead as of late I came across a character from eberron named erandis vol. long sad story short, she was born as a magic experiment and a attempt to bring permanent peace between two warring nations who survived her house's extermination only by being forced into lichdom by her parents and hiding who she was. She is the possessor of a dragonmark, magical mark upon her skin which empowers her beyond what a normal human is capable of even without magic. Hers however is quite different, dragon marks have 4 teirs of power the weakest being able to cast low level spells twice or so a day the strongest casting level nine or so spells once a day, the one she has is a one of a kind suped up dragonmark so far beyond what even the strongest tiers of other marks are capable of that Keith Baker, a writer for eberron stated "that while a siberys (tier 4) mark is powerful what she has doesn't simply impart the power of a mark on her, she is the physical incarnation of the power of the mark itself, a living eldritch machine (effectively a magical object that is to a magical Artifact what a satellite mounted death laser would be to a arrow)". The only problem being is that she's dead which prevents her from using her power. Keith Baker also stated that he never really specifically listed the powers of the Death Mark Dragonmark because he intended it to even up to the DM, but noted that when he wrote the Dragonmarks he intended them to be "constructive" not destructive, and while some dragonmarks have abilities which could be used to destroy its not the purpose of their power, they can however channel the energy of their marks into items that have massive destructive capabilities, like per say a magical flying schooner with flamethrower, and that he viewed the Death dragonmark as empowering its users with things like the ability to communicate with the dead or control them. For reference dragonmarks tend to provide spell in a template as such
Tier 1
•Lv 1-2 spell 2/day
Tier 2
•Lv 3-5 spell 1/day
Tier 3
•Lv 6-7 spell 1/day
Tier 4
•Lv 8-9 spell 1/day

With that said, if you were building a campaign that had as a plot point, Erandis Vol, returning to life after 3000+ years of being a wizard lich, how would you handle her character?
What does a Living Eldritch Machine of Death (non destructive) do? Reminder that the last eldritch machine created made the warforged from raw materials. How do you handle the Death Mark? I can't think of a similar character in media who is literally wish spell away from being a god except maybe someone like Dr Manhatton or Kaguya Otsusuki.

[Rebel7284]

I mean, epic spell 1/day seems like it would be in-line with the power as described. Not sure if any existing epic spell is in-line with what you want or if you would have to develop it from scratch.

[Falontani]

First off you need to establish what the weaker versions of the mark could do.
Note: I have never used these in game, however I went with a what if scenario.

Dragonmark of Death
Associated Skill: Heal

Least Dragonmark of Death: Deathwatch 3/day, False Life 1/day, or Gentle Repose 1/day
Lesser Dragonmark of Death: Animate Dead 1/day or Speak with Dead 2/day
Greater Dragonmark of Death: Create Undead 1/day, Awaken Undead 1/day, or Animate Dread Warrior 1/day

Dragonmark Prodigy: Command Undead 1/day or Healing Sting 1/day
Dragonmark Adept: Halt Undead 2/day or Vampiric Touch 1/day
Dragonmark Visionary: Control Undead 1/day or Revive Undead 1/day

Breath of Siberys: Requires Any Dragonmark of Death; When you create an undead from a dragonmarked creature they may continue to use their dragonmark in undeath and retain any personality that they had if created as an intelligent undead.

Heir of Siberys: Plague of Undead

I have a prestige class written as well, on mobile and can't post it at the moment, but if it's wanted I'd be glad to post it. And while I'd love some PEACH, unless the op decides that it's required, I'd suggest doing it in a separate thread, or pming me

So with that out of the way, possible things that it could do: control death itself. Perhaps life and death. Once per day she can declare any number of targets that she knows of, dead, or undead.

[Gwyllgi]

First off you need to establish what the weaker versions of the mark could do.
Note: I have never used these in game, however I went with a what if scenario.

Dragonmark of Death
Associated Skill: Heal

Least Dragonmark of Death: Deathwatch 3/day, False Life 1/day, or Gentle Repose 1/day
Lesser Dragonmark of Death: Animate Dead 1/day or Speak with Dead 2/day
Greater Dragonmark of Death: Create Undead 1/day, Awaken Undead 1/day, or Animate Dread Warrior 1/day

Dragonmark Prodigy: Command Undead 1/day or Healing Sting 1/day
Dragonmark Adept: Halt Undead 2/day or Vampiric Touch 1/day
Dragonmark Visionary: Control Undead 1/day or Revive Undead 1/day

Breath of Siberys: Requires Any Dragonmark of Death; When you create an undead from a dragonmarked creature they may continue to use their dragonmark in undeath and retain any personality that they had if created as an intelligent undead.

Heir of Siberys: Plague of Undead

I have a prestige class written as well, on mobile and can't post it at the moment, but if it's wanted I'd be glad to post it. And while I'd love some PEACH, unless the op decides that it's required, I'd suggest doing it in a separate thread, or pming me

So with that out of the way, possible things that it could do: control death itself. Perhaps life and death. Once per day she can declare any number of targets that she knows of, dead, or undead.

This is neat, thank you. Any ideas on how a walking magic enriched uranium would be handled culturally? Like what do you think her power would level at? Remember a ethnic genocide was enacted to stop her from existing? Would she be be Epic? Elder Evil? Or put her on par with god's with a Divinity rank? I had a few weird ideas on how to make her stand out.
1.Dragon route, Take the Breath weapon abilities of a purple dragon from Dragon Compendium but use either shadow or time dragon damage, Negative Levels and Aging Respectively. This works thematically because it allows one to play with the idea that she's more dragon than dragonest dragon times infinity. She would be capable of simply opening her mouth and blinding weak adventurers, forever, breathing out a blade made of energy that deals age or negative levels as damage and is wielded like a flame blade except far stronger.
2.Undead route, she's the single most powerful necromantic being in existence while alive, a gateway of negative energy. This I don't know how to handle, how far is too far? Necromancy is so strong they had to make like 8 necromancer base classes and divide up what other mages do all at once amongst them because of the pure power abuse. For instance something anyone can do, find a deepspawn, kill it, ressurrect it, clone yourself, make the deepspawn eat you, now make it start making clones of you, get scroll of genesis to make a Demiplane where time passes way faster than PMP, control a Draconic Vampire, Make everyone go in the plane, mind rape all clones leave plan to build extensive castle and to never enter the portal, make one clone become a draconic vampire, make the deepspawn make it infect you, wait a century kill your draconic vampire clone master and become Draconic Vampire Lord, Kill all clones and sleep for 5000 years, wake up and You're now a x times Evolved Draconic Greater Vampire Arch-Prince, return to PMP and it's been three days. Necromancy. That's a level 12 necromancer variant that got lucky, she's a living machine of necromancy that should make that look like baby's first poop.
3. Cosmic Power, She's a Living Eldritch Machine? Grab a handful of elder evils and Epic monsters to slap their traits on a half dragon elf Necromancer. As a enemy have her just randomly turn your teammates into epic level undead but maintain their class levels. Have numerous attempts to kill her only provoke her. Have people who die be instantly turned into high level undead. If she's a ally or good-ish have her fight to depose the undying court from aerenal and crown herself a God-Empress? Maybe people worship her? Maybe her control over negative energy allows her to shut it out?

I'd like to see that PRC though.

[Falontani]

I'd like to see that PRC though.

Death Marked

Requirements: Lawful
Lesser Dragonmark of Death (Animate Dead), and one of: Dragonmark Prodigy (Command Undead), Dragonmark Visionary (Control Undead), Rebuke Undead, able to cast the spell Command Undead, or the spell Control Undead



Death Marked

D8



lvl

bab

fort

ref

will

Special

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th



1

0

2

0

2

Heir’s Mark, Rebuke Undead

3








2

1

3

0

3

Contract, Workforce

4

3







3

2

3

1

3

Corpsecrafter

4

4







4

3

4

1

4

No Decay

4

4

3






5

3

4

1

4


5

4

4

3





6

4

5

2

5

Bolster Resistance

5

5

4

4





7

5

5

2

5


5

5

4

4

3




8

6

6

2

6

Freedom

6

5

5

4

4

3



9

6

6

3

6

Necromantic Presence

6

6

5

5

4

4



10

7

7

3

7

Awakening

6

6

5

5

4

4



Class Skills (4 + Int mod per level): Appraise, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Forgery, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty), Knowledge (Religion), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft





Heir’s Mark: Levels in the Death Marked prestige class count as levels in the dragonmarked heir prestige class when it comes to determining the caster level for the spell like abilities of your dragonmark. You can have a maximum of five levels in the Dragonmarked Heir prestige class for the purpose of determining the caster level of your dragonmark.

Rebuke Undead: Levels in the Death Marked Prestige class advance your Rebuke Undead from another class and grants it for itself.

Contract: You may write up a contract detailing the terms and conditions as to the purpose and treatment of a corpse in undeath. If signed willingly by the legal owner of the corpse you may use your Dragonmark to cast Animate Dead, Create Undead, or Animate Dread Warrior without using one of your uses of that dragonmark for the day. As part of the contract you may purchase a corpse at a price of (CR of creature²)*(10+0.1 for every point an ability is over the average for its species.)

Workforce: If you possess a contract from a creature in life that details how they will be treated in unlife then they do not count towards your total undead HD, a destroyed contract is void.

Corpsecrafter: You gain the feat Corpsecrafter as a bonus feat

No Decay: Undead you create do not suffer decay

Bolster Resistance: You gain the feat Bolster Resistance as a bonus feat

Freedom: You may now relinquish control of an undead with a Contract to someone else, usually as part of a sale or as part of the agreement

Necromantic Presence: You gain the feat Necromantic Presence as a bonus feat

Awakening: You may now awaken any undead creature that has a Contract as part of the writing of the creation process or at any point as stated in the Contract. This Awakening is free on your end, and does end the contract, grants them full freedom, and allows them to keep their old memories without changing.

I don't have a spell list for them, however I'd give them dread necromancer, perhaps a few law specific spells, and advanced learning at each spell level.

Finally the class should have a strict code of conduct, which if broken gets you in trouble with the house and loses features.


http://keith-baker.com/erandis-vol-hot-or-not/
read this from the creator to get a bit inside her head