Pick a patron for a now dead NPC

[MarkVIIIMarc]

A party I DM for has killed a particularly high level Warlock/Fighter NPC from one of their backstories and since I only have two more hooks, I need a couple ideas:

-What Patron is appropriate

-What the Patron may demand for payment

-What the patron's pact with the NPC actually was and if that matters. I gave one hint she didn't look like she aged in 5 years so maybe a typical stay young till you die and I get your soul?


For background on the NPC:

The player named her Violet Starshadow and described her as a high level Warlock/Fighter from the 13th, a military unit a couple of the PC's included in their background. When Violet showed up in game I patterned her after Admiral Helena Cain of the 2004 Battlestar series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Cain . Essentially someone you want on your side during a fight but you'd be uncomfortable around afterwards. In Battlestar the Admiral took equipment and supplies from civilians fleeing the bad guys to further her (not unjustified) quest for revenge.

In game the town Violet was stationed in was being blackmailed by a Karaptus. Her party girl daughter Oleva (who Violet forced into officer training and had to bribe / threaten folks to get her into that training) effectively hired the party to rescue Violet and went with them partially as she was welcome no place else any longer(and I know Forcecage would come into play and it was handy to toss a player an NPC to control so the player would have SOMETHING to do while in the cage. When the party discovered Violet and the Lich the found Violet was captured by him and then dominated by a particularly hungry Blackrazor into attacking the party. One of our Paladins (with a one level dip as a GOO Warlock himself for EB for some reason) in an exciting moment took Blackrazor from a downed Violet and killed her devouring her soul.

Of possible interest, on the way to the battle they discovered Violet to be a low level Draconic Sorcerer. Her clothing was ripped "Padme style from Attack of the Clones" and one player had a good look at the scales heading up her spine.

I have a loose idea of whoever Violet's patron was showing up and demanding a soul or something ridiculously valuable like Blackrazor in return. This party is level 11 or so and pretty magic item stuffed from Tales of the Yawning Portal so driving home from last session I wondered if Tiamut could have been the patron and shown up in human forum and fathered Violet a decade or two back. There is also a Demon Prince of pleasure or something like that.

Thanks for any ideas. Very little would be too intense or blood curling for this group btw.

[Unoriginal]

Patrons don't get to demand anything to the people who kill their Warlocks.

However, if the Warlock who attacked the group died without fulfilling her debt, then the Patron could reanimate her as a Deathlock. So there's that.

On the subject of the Patron's identity:

-Tiamat has little reasons to empower Warlocks, making people Clerics is much more profitable for her.

-Question 1: I suppose this Violet woman was more on the lawful evil side of things. Do you want the pact to have been made with a creature that share that, or more one that clearly contrasted with the mercenary officier?

-Question 2: How did the daughter react to the party deliberately destroying her mother's soul?

[MarkVIIIMarc]

Patrons don't get to demand anything to the people who kill their Warlocks.

However, if the Warlock who attacked the group died without fulfilling her debt, then the Patron could reanimate her as a Deathlock. So there's that.

On the subject of the Patron's identity:

-Tiamat has little reasons to empower Warlocks, making people Clerics is much more profitable for her.

-Question 1: I suppose this Violet woman was more on the lawful evil side of things. Do you want the pact to have been made with a creature that share that, or more one that clearly contrasted with the mercenary officier?

-Question 2: How did the daughter react to the party deliberately destroying her mother's soul?

Thanks for the questions!

1-the npc Violet was at least Lawful or patient enough to hold military rank for two decades.

2-The daughter was upset to say the least. She didn't SEE the murder, her mother WAS trying to kill them including her, and the party blamed the sword. She asked the Cleric if there was anything he could do and he casted this animate corpse spell and made a zombie, mind you in kind of a nice/contrived way in case they ever did free the soul.

What are you thinking?

[Unoriginal]

2-The daughter was upset to say the least. She didn't SEE the murder, her mother WAS trying to kill them including her, and the party blamed the sword. She asked the Cleric if there was anything he could do and he casted this animate corpse spell and made a zombie, mind you in kind of a nice/contrived way in case they ever did free the soul.

It's neither nice nor contrived. Even if the soul hadn't been eaten by a sword, the only way to resurrect someone whose body has been turned into a zombie would be True Resurrection.



What are you thinking?

Well, would you prefer the Patron to contrast with the Warlock, or to be similar?

[Kyutaru]

-What Patron is appropriate

Cthulhu

-What the Patron may demand for payment

Opening a Gate to allow more Spawn of Cthulhu into the world

-What the patron's pact with the NPC actually was and if that matters. I gave one hint she didn't look like she aged in 5 years so maybe a typical stay young till you die and I get your soul?

Staring into the void means the void stares back at you. Some cannot cope with this, losing their sanity. Others simply endure tremendous physical and mental stress that ages them preternaturally.

The pact was clearly to summon more Spawn of Cthulhu and help Cthulhu rid the world of all sentient life except his followers. The deal was you get to be one of those followers.

[Great Dragon]

Patrons don't get to demand anything to the people who kill their Warlocks.

However, if the Warlock who attacked the group died without fulfilling her debt, then the Patron could reanimate her as a Deathlock. So there's that.
One possible path.


-Tiamat has little reasons to empower Warlocks, making people Clerics is much more profitable for her.
True, but one of her Consorts could do the Patron thing. Either for (hopefully) being able to gain favor with Tiamat; or just to have an edge against another (or all) Consort.

Just pick your favorite Dragon/energy type, and run with that.

[Witty Username]

Did you have an alignment of the patron in mind?

Some manner of fiendish blue dragon, I am thinking blue because I am feeling a tyrannical vibe, that appears and says they need a replacement for their warlock servant and thinks "you kill it, you bought it." Maybe a demand for a service rendered or mighty gift for its hoard would be appropriate. if a player wants to become a dragon warlock, use fiend patron but the fire spells deal lightning damage instead.

[Krobar]

When in doubt, the answer is always Asmodeus.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

Did you have an alignment of the patron in mind?

Some manner of fiendish blue dragon, I am thinking blue because I am feeling a tyrannical vibe, that appears and says they need a replacement for their warlock servant and thinks "you kill it, you bought it." Maybe a demand for a service rendered or mighty gift for its hoard would be appropriate. if a player wants to become a dragon warlock, use fiend patron but the fire spells deal lightning damage instead.

A blue just might work. It could loosely tie in with another campaign I ran one of these players was in.

Seems like this would be home brewing a blue dragon semi god. If the party attacks I use the Ancient deagon block with every Warlock spell on the Fiend list but turned electrical?

Any examples of this creature in D&D lore?

[Lunali]

When in doubt, the answer is always Asmodeus.

While Asmodeus might try to convince the PCs that they owed him, he would be bluffing since he has no contract with them. If they called the bluff, there wouldn't be much he could do about it. If you want someone less bound by the nature of their own existence, go with a demonic patron.

[Witty Username]

A blue just might work. It could loosely tie in with another campaign I ran one of these players was in.

Seems like this would be home brewing a blue dragon semi god. If the party attacks I use the Ancient deagon block with every Warlock spell on the Fiend list but turned electrical?

Any examples of this creature in D&D lore?
Lore wise, there are the dragon overlords from the Dragonlance setting and in the 3.5 book Dragon Magic there are rules for dragon pacts(effectively dragons could make pacts with sorcerers granting things like spell-like abilities in exchange for spell slots).


Stat wise, I think I would just use the stat block for an ancient blue dragon because I am lazy, but do what feels right. Heck, instead of warlock spells(or maybe along with warlock spells) just the hurl through hell feature could probably scare the pants off an upstart PC.
For your world and lore, where this kind of dragon fits into things may depend, are dragons on par with pit fiends and balors? If so, I could see them being warlock patrons fairly reasonably. Or maybe this is a dragon with a strong association with Tiamat and has some power because of it. You could also lean into the idea that dragons are hoarders and this one hoards magic and lore.

[Kyutaru]

For your world and lore, where this kind of dragon fits into things may depend, are dragons on par with pit fiends and balors?
They're usually the material plane equivalent of devils and demons. Winged scary things that are pure awesome.

[Envyus]

While Asmodeus might try to convince the PCs that they owed him, he would be bluffing since he has no contract with them. If they called the bluff, there wouldn't be much he could do about it. If you want someone less bound by the nature of their own existence, go with a demonic patron.

Well he could have them killed.

[Lunali]

Well he could have them killed.

He could, but that was true before they killed the warlock and it benefits him no more now than it did then.

[Envyus]

He could, but that was true before they killed the warlock and it benefits him no more now than it did then.

Well Devils are evil, screwing up one of their plans can easily result in them marking someone for death. They could bring up the concept of being repaid for the death of the warlock. (As long as no contract is brought in devils can lie freely.) And killing someone that pissed them off, is not uncommon for devils.

[Man_Over_Game]

On the note of dragon patrons, Blues do love to manipulate things. Simply being a scout or an agent would be enough for the Blue to grant her some powers.

Alternatively, she could have been a planned vessel for Tiamat. "You won't age, but I'll come for that body one day. When it comes, you will heed my call".

[Great Dragon]

On the note of dragon patrons, Blues do love to manipulate things. Simply being a scout or an agent would be enough for the Blue to grant her some powers.

Personally, I always saw
Greens as manipulative,

where Blues were more "Moffia Dons" of the Desert.

Reds were the "Enforcer", do what I say types.

Black we're the "Underhanded" double dealer.

And White were the wandering "street punks" of winter.