Maps of:
- Clearwater's Gate
- Church of Sarenrae in Clearwater's Gate
- Lakeside Encounter
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Maps of Encounter Areas for Session 1 and Some Ongoing Areas
Role-playing Campaign:
Maps of:
Maps of:
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Start of the Campaign - Session #1 Design
Pathfinder Roleplaying:
After brief introductions, I will figure out where each character is: either from Clearwater's Gate or going to Clearwater's Gate. The point will be to have them either meet on the road or, as needed, be asked to meet "incoming folks from afar."
They will spend the night about 10 miles to the South of the town at a lake. The lake is not huge, but it's several hundred feet to the other side and surrounded by coniferous trees. The road runs by it to the East, but is about 100 yds. out, and a campsite by the lake is a little trek through the trees/ not a tended trail. There is a tall tower reaching into the sky to the West, almost like a spire. Several miles away and towards the mountain range. Across the lake to the West are stone ruins. Not buildings, per se, but like a crumbled wall, or what's left of one.
At 3rd watch (somewhere in the 1-3am timeframe), whoever is on watch has a DC 15 Perception check to notice flashes of light across the lake (DC 25 to realize it is from where the ruined wall is). Within a round of the flashes (7 total; DC 12 Wisdom to get accurate count, otherwise, not notice number), a DC 10 Perception will notice the sound of splashing, almost as if something is running across a puddle.
Encounter 2 rds after splashing noise begins: 3 Plague Wolves - CR 2, NE Medium Undead, Init +2, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +9; AC 14, T 12, FF 12 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural); HP 18 (4d8); F +1, R +3, W +6; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +2, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +7 (1d6+4 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 12; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 17, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 10; Base Atk +3, CMB +6, CMD 18 (22 vs. trip); Feats: Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +9, Stealth +6, Survival +2 (+6 when tracking by scent), Swim +5.
If in multiple camps, split the wolves. DC 15 Wisdom check for 3rd watch folks to realize only 6 of 7 flashes means 4 wolves might be left?
If examine the crumbled wall, notice following rune/ pictograph on study:
DC 22 Arcane to know it is a specific summoning rune. If left, can be used to summon more creatures.
DC 28 Planes/ 32 Religion/Arcane to know it is rune to summon daemons or minions of daemons.
DC 33 Planes to know it is used by Archdaemons to summon lesser daemons.
Can be easily destroyed with bludgeoning weapon or destruction of surface of wall where located.
Trip to town next day is uneventful.
Things in town:
Town in middle of preparing the green for a Harvest Feast and Festival. Party likely to split up at this point as Kyler's character will head to church to talk with priest, per directions.
Those not going to church should meet town leader, who also runs the Sunrise Inn. As they talk, the tax collector and 2 bodyguards arrive from Korvosa. Difficult discussion as tax collector is by the book, unforgiving, and relentless in wanting the locally collected taxes now.
The visit to the church will also be frustrating as the local priest (NPC Adept 2, not a cleric) has no idea who Kyler's character is speaking of finding. Shows the small church, and he takes care of 5 orphaned children (locals or left at church door "over the years"), all being 13 years old or younger. The youngest are in the choir, 2 oldest are down in pews standing by priest to run errands at his behest.
After exploring and meetings (town mercantile has a limited supply of 4 magic items of 200gp in value or less, so 3 potions and a scroll with 2 0-level and 1 1-level spell), that evening is the Harvest Feast and Festival, and games, food, drink, a ministral, and a wandering Varisian fortune-teller (Adept 5) are for everyone and should create ambience and friends for the PCs.
After sunset, when the village children are being taken home and some adults are getting deeper into their cups and talking local gossip and culture (the tax collector and guards are at the party and the tax collector is lording over due to his knowing his own power over these folks), a scream is heard from the church and a DC 18 Perception sees 3 shadowy shapes scrabbling at the church door/ breaking through in 1 round.
Encounter: 3 Plague Wolves - CR 2, NE Medium Undead, Init +2, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +9; AC 14, T 12, FF 12 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural); HP 18 (4d8); F +1, R +3, W +6; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +2, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +7 (1d6+4 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 12; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 17, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 10; Base Atk +3, CMB +6, CMD 18 (22 vs. trip); Feats: Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +9, Stealth +6, Survival +2 (+6 when tracking by scent), Swim +5.
In the church, the priest is warding off 2 wolves with one older child (girl) and one younger (youngest boy) behind him hiding under a pew. The other 3 children (oldest boy, 1 younger girl and middle boy) are in the choir with a wolf pacing and slavering around them but not attacking. The oldest boy is trying to get the 2 children hiding under the pew to come up to the choir.
When the party arrives, the priest goes down in 1 round unless they protect him. The fate of the 2 children rest with the party. The other 3 still seem protected in some way.
3 rounds after the wolves break in, a Dire Plague Wolf appears at the doorway.
Encounter: Dire Plague Wolf - CR 6, NE Large Undead, Init +6, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +16; AC 19, T 11, FF 17 (+2 Dex, +8 Natural, -1 size); HP 90 (12d8+24 plus 12); F +6, R +6, W +10; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +4, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +17 (2d6+12 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 18; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 27, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 14; Base Atk +9, CMB +18, CMD 30 (34 vs. trip); Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Bite, Run, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness, Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +16, Stealth +9, Survival +10 (+14 when tracking by scent).
The Dire Plague Wolf will fight only to get past the players and leap upon the alter, impaling itself on a holy symbol of Sarenrae's weapon, a scimitar, which is the highest ray of a sunburst over the altar. When it impales itself, the children scream in horror and the priest will cry out "No!" in a wail if he is still alive. In 2 rounds, the altar crumbles apart, leaving a hole in the floor.
2 rounds later, whether or not the players are done with the Plague wolves or not (should be as this will be round 6 or so), a DC 18 Perception check hears the sound of flesh slapping on stone coming from the hole where the altar was (shaped like a well, actually), and the sound is getting closer.
2 rounds more, Encounter: 2 Fleshdreg Swarms (Hundreds of wads of squirming flesh with flailing appendages move together out of the well in a cluster of teeth and claws) - CR 2, NE Tiny Aberration (swarm), Init +5, Senses: Darkvision 60', sin-scent (sloth), Perc. +5; AC 15, T 13, FF 14 (+1 Dex, +2 Natural, +2 size); HP 19 (3d8+6); F +3, R +4, W +3; Defensive Capabilities: swarm traits, Immune: mind-affecting effects, SR 13; Speed 30', Climb 10'; Swarm (1d6 plus distraction DC 13), Space 10', Reach 0'; Special Attacks: Arcane Bite - swarm damage is considered magical for purposes of overcoming damage reduction; Str 2, Dex 13, Con 15 , Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 2; Base Atk +2, CMB -, CMD -; Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes; Skills: Perc +5, Stealth +13.
When battle is over, as party is hashing over what has happened, they may wonder how the children in the choir were protected. The oldest boy said he was able to protect them, and then says to Kyler's character, "I am who you are searching for. I am Robinn, your Guide (or whatever Kyler calls it)."
End of Session.
After brief introductions, I will figure out where each character is: either from Clearwater's Gate or going to Clearwater's Gate. The point will be to have them either meet on the road or, as needed, be asked to meet "incoming folks from afar."
They will spend the night about 10 miles to the South of the town at a lake. The lake is not huge, but it's several hundred feet to the other side and surrounded by coniferous trees. The road runs by it to the East, but is about 100 yds. out, and a campsite by the lake is a little trek through the trees/ not a tended trail. There is a tall tower reaching into the sky to the West, almost like a spire. Several miles away and towards the mountain range. Across the lake to the West are stone ruins. Not buildings, per se, but like a crumbled wall, or what's left of one.
At 3rd watch (somewhere in the 1-3am timeframe), whoever is on watch has a DC 15 Perception check to notice flashes of light across the lake (DC 25 to realize it is from where the ruined wall is). Within a round of the flashes (7 total; DC 12 Wisdom to get accurate count, otherwise, not notice number), a DC 10 Perception will notice the sound of splashing, almost as if something is running across a puddle.
Encounter 2 rds after splashing noise begins: 3 Plague Wolves - CR 2, NE Medium Undead, Init +2, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +9; AC 14, T 12, FF 12 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural); HP 18 (4d8); F +1, R +3, W +6; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +2, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +7 (1d6+4 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 12; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 17, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 10; Base Atk +3, CMB +6, CMD 18 (22 vs. trip); Feats: Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +9, Stealth +6, Survival +2 (+6 when tracking by scent), Swim +5.
If in multiple camps, split the wolves. DC 15 Wisdom check for 3rd watch folks to realize only 6 of 7 flashes means 4 wolves might be left?
If examine the crumbled wall, notice following rune/ pictograph on study:
DC 22 Arcane to know it is a specific summoning rune. If left, can be used to summon more creatures.
DC 28 Planes/ 32 Religion/Arcane to know it is rune to summon daemons or minions of daemons.
DC 33 Planes to know it is used by Archdaemons to summon lesser daemons.
Can be easily destroyed with bludgeoning weapon or destruction of surface of wall where located.
Trip to town next day is uneventful.
Things in town:
- Sunrise Inn - place to stay
- Blacksmith
- Tanner
- Mercantile
- Waterwheel on river for grinding grain and such
- Small church to Sarenrae
- Town green
Town in middle of preparing the green for a Harvest Feast and Festival. Party likely to split up at this point as Kyler's character will head to church to talk with priest, per directions.
Those not going to church should meet town leader, who also runs the Sunrise Inn. As they talk, the tax collector and 2 bodyguards arrive from Korvosa. Difficult discussion as tax collector is by the book, unforgiving, and relentless in wanting the locally collected taxes now.
The visit to the church will also be frustrating as the local priest (NPC Adept 2, not a cleric) has no idea who Kyler's character is speaking of finding. Shows the small church, and he takes care of 5 orphaned children (locals or left at church door "over the years"), all being 13 years old or younger. The youngest are in the choir, 2 oldest are down in pews standing by priest to run errands at his behest.
After exploring and meetings (town mercantile has a limited supply of 4 magic items of 200gp in value or less, so 3 potions and a scroll with 2 0-level and 1 1-level spell), that evening is the Harvest Feast and Festival, and games, food, drink, a ministral, and a wandering Varisian fortune-teller (Adept 5) are for everyone and should create ambience and friends for the PCs.
After sunset, when the village children are being taken home and some adults are getting deeper into their cups and talking local gossip and culture (the tax collector and guards are at the party and the tax collector is lording over due to his knowing his own power over these folks), a scream is heard from the church and a DC 18 Perception sees 3 shadowy shapes scrabbling at the church door/ breaking through in 1 round.
Encounter: 3 Plague Wolves - CR 2, NE Medium Undead, Init +2, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +9; AC 14, T 12, FF 12 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural); HP 18 (4d8); F +1, R +3, W +6; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +2, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +7 (1d6+4 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 12; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 17, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 10; Base Atk +3, CMB +6, CMD 18 (22 vs. trip); Feats: Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +9, Stealth +6, Survival +2 (+6 when tracking by scent), Swim +5.
In the church, the priest is warding off 2 wolves with one older child (girl) and one younger (youngest boy) behind him hiding under a pew. The other 3 children (oldest boy, 1 younger girl and middle boy) are in the choir with a wolf pacing and slavering around them but not attacking. The oldest boy is trying to get the 2 children hiding under the pew to come up to the choir.
When the party arrives, the priest goes down in 1 round unless they protect him. The fate of the 2 children rest with the party. The other 3 still seem protected in some way.
3 rounds after the wolves break in, a Dire Plague Wolf appears at the doorway.
Encounter: Dire Plague Wolf - CR 6, NE Large Undead, Init +6, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +16; AC 19, T 11, FF 17 (+2 Dex, +8 Natural, -1 size); HP 90 (12d8+24 plus 12); F +6, R +6, W +10; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +4, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +17 (2d6+12 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 18; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 27, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 14; Base Atk +9, CMB +18, CMD 30 (34 vs. trip); Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Bite, Run, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness, Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +16, Stealth +9, Survival +10 (+14 when tracking by scent).
The Dire Plague Wolf will fight only to get past the players and leap upon the alter, impaling itself on a holy symbol of Sarenrae's weapon, a scimitar, which is the highest ray of a sunburst over the altar. When it impales itself, the children scream in horror and the priest will cry out "No!" in a wail if he is still alive. In 2 rounds, the altar crumbles apart, leaving a hole in the floor.
2 rounds later, whether or not the players are done with the Plague wolves or not (should be as this will be round 6 or so), a DC 18 Perception check hears the sound of flesh slapping on stone coming from the hole where the altar was (shaped like a well, actually), and the sound is getting closer.
2 rounds more, Encounter: 2 Fleshdreg Swarms (Hundreds of wads of squirming flesh with flailing appendages move together out of the well in a cluster of teeth and claws) - CR 2, NE Tiny Aberration (swarm), Init +5, Senses: Darkvision 60', sin-scent (sloth), Perc. +5; AC 15, T 13, FF 14 (+1 Dex, +2 Natural, +2 size); HP 19 (3d8+6); F +3, R +4, W +3; Defensive Capabilities: swarm traits, Immune: mind-affecting effects, SR 13; Speed 30', Climb 10'; Swarm (1d6 plus distraction DC 13), Space 10', Reach 0'; Special Attacks: Arcane Bite - swarm damage is considered magical for purposes of overcoming damage reduction; Str 2, Dex 13, Con 15 , Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 2; Base Atk +2, CMB -, CMD -; Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes; Skills: Perc +5, Stealth +13.
When battle is over, as party is hashing over what has happened, they may wonder how the children in the choir were protected. The oldest boy said he was able to protect them, and then says to Kyler's character, "I am who you are searching for. I am Robinn, your Guide (or whatever Kyler calls it)."
Robinn - Oracle 3 (NPC)
End of Session.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Initial List of Creatures and Monsters to use
Fantasy Roleplaying:
This is an initial write-up of the creatures and monsters to use, if needed and appropriate, for the campaign. This is a good start of things to work with.
I will use Fleshdregs, Fleshdreg Swarms, Plague Wolves (from Ghoul Wolves), Death Dogs, Cacodaemons, and a Venedaemon for the first few sessions, maybe others. I might also throw in an NPC of a Sinspawn for Sloth as an ongoing villain.
Here is the list.
Templates:
CR 1:
CR 2:
CR 3:
CR 4:
CR 8:
CR 9:
CR 10:
CR 11:
CR 12:
CR 13:
CR 14:
CR 15:
CR 17:
CR 19:
CR 20:
This will give me "go-to" creatures, but I will have lots of NPCs of various races and other creatures, as needed.
Also, I now want to bring the Plateau of Leng (from Lovecraft and several of the creatures here) into the mix for a "dream" feel.
This is an initial write-up of the creatures and monsters to use, if needed and appropriate, for the campaign. This is a good start of things to work with.
I will use Fleshdregs, Fleshdreg Swarms, Plague Wolves (from Ghoul Wolves), Death Dogs, Cacodaemons, and a Venedaemon for the first few sessions, maybe others. I might also throw in an NPC of a Sinspawn for Sloth as an ongoing villain.
Here is the list.
Listing of relevant horrors and monsters for the campaign,
by EL:
·
Corpsespun Creature (Base creature +1) (Tome of
Horrors Complete pp. 712-3) – Undead creature killed by corpse spider and
filled with thousands of animating spiders.
·
Ravenous Creature (Eater of Flesh; base creature
+1) (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 732) – Humanoid who has had the spirit of
cannibalism added to it.
·
Fleshdreg (Adventure Path: Shattered Star Part 1 – Shards of Sin pp.
82-3) – aberrations from runewells which can track by scent sin related to
them.
·
Skulks (SLOTH)
(Bestiary 2 p. 248) – Lazy and cowards.
·
Vapor Dire Rat (PESTILENCE) (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 624) – Dire rat with
disease and also can turn into vapor.
·
Fleshdreg Swarm (Adventure Path: Shattered Star Part 1 – Shards of Sin p. 83)
– scraps and leftovers of aberrations from runewells which can track by scent
sin related to them.
·
Vargouille (Bestiary p. 272) – Blackened, bat-winged
demon head; outsider; found at graveyards, ancient battlefields, and wherever
there is decay and death.
·
Cacodaemon (DAEMON)
(Bestiary 2 p. 64) – Lowest of daemons,
formed from angry, violent and demented souls.
·
Sinspawn (Bestiary 2 p. 246) – Shock troops of the Runelords;
usually take class levels as well.
·
Ghoul Wolf (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 649) –
Remake into Plague Wolf (disease instead of paralysis).
·
Death Dog (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 145) –
Two-headed dogs with cursed disease.
·
Scarlet Spider Swarm (PESTILENCE) (Tome of
Horrors Complete p. 589) – Bite and poison may infect with disease.
·
Thassilonian Bronze Sentinel (Adventure
Path: Shattered Star Part 2 – Curse of
the Lady’s Light p. 90) – Guardians of Thassilonian nobles, etc. Bronze head with 6 mechanical legs; fire
attack.
·
Lacridaemon (DAEMON) (Campaign Setting: Horsemen of the Apocalypse pp. 48-9) –
Death by neglect or exposure.
·
Urdefhan (WAR)
(Bestiary 2 p. 276) – Abaddon race
dedicated to war.
·
Sloth Viper (SLOTH) (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 560) – Incredibly quick snake
of large size which causes Slowness with poison.
·
Thassilonian Marble Sentinel (Adventure
Path: Shattered Star Part 2 – Curse of
the Lady’s Light pp. 90-1) – Guardians of Thassilonian nobles, etc. Marble head with 6 mechanical legs;
paralyzing attack. (Note: there were other sentinels made of other
material with other abilities. Make new
versions for added spice.)
·
Vulnudaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 3 p. 63) –
Murder by betrayal.
·
Scarecrow (Bestiary 2 p. 238) – Fear constructs.
CR 5:
·
Venedaemon (DAEMON)
(Campaign Setting: Horsemen of the Apocalypse pp. 60-1) – Death by magic.
·
Skin Stitcher ((Tome of Horrors Complete p. 548)
– Kills for the skin of humanoids.
CR 6:
·
Ceustodaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 2 p. 65) –
Death by suicide and generally used as fodder for summoning; most-oft seen
daemon on the Material Plane.
·
Memory Child (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 422) –
Outsider who steals memories.
·
Midnight Peddler (Tome of Horrors Complete p.
425) – Extraplanar peddler who travels on foggy nights.
CR 7:
·
Suspiridaemon (DAEMON) (Campaign Setting: Horsemen of the Apocalypse pp. 56-7) –
Death by suffocation, drowning or execution by hanging.
·
Soul Eater (Bestiary 2 p. 254) – Terrifying dealer of death from
Abaddon.
·
Totenmaske (LUST,
GLUTTONY) (Bestiary 2 p. 269) –
Undead souls of those lost to lust and gluttony.
·
Arach (Tome of Horrors Complete pp.33-4) – 6-limbed
race of spellcasters.
·
Runeslave (Adventure Path: Rise of the Runelords
HB, pp. 412-3) – Template of slaves to the runelords (CR same as creature’s
+1); Hill Giants are cited.
·
Hydrodaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 2 p. 67) –
Death by drowning.
·
Animate Dream (Bestiary 2 p. 29) – Fragments of vivid dreams or
nightmares.
·
Denizen of Leng (LENG) (Bestiary 2 p. 82) –
Slavers from Leng.
·
Rawbones (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 506) –
Undead soul of the tortured. (Scenario:
risen from the cistern)
·
Sangudaemon (DAEMON) (Campaign Setting: Horsemen of the Apocalypse pp. 54-5) –
Death due to blood loss, usually from giant leeches or mosquitoes.
·
Leukodaemon (DAEMON; PESTILENCE) (Bestiary 2
p. 68) – Death by plague, disease, pestilence and pandemics.
·
Charonodaemon (DAEMON) (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 134) – Deacons of Charon.
·
Dream Spectre (NIGHTMARE CREATURE) (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 245) – Shades of
nightmares which look like shadows but are not undead.
·
Piscodaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 2 p. 72) –
Aquatic daemons of drawn-out deaths, like poisoning and dismemberment.
·
Derghodaemon (DAEMON) (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 135) – Brute warriors with low
intelligence.
·
Brume (Tome of Horrors Complete p. 84) – Horrors
of the River Styx.
·
Erodaemon (DAEMON;
LUST) (Campaign Setting: Horsemen of the Apocalypse pp. 46-7) – Corrupt
souls due to death by heartbreak; Daemon version (sort of) for Succubus and
Erinyes.
·
Meladaemon (DAEMON)
(Bestiary 2 p. 69) – Death by starvation
and thirst.
·
Scarlet Walkers (Adventure Path: Rise of the
Runelords HB, p.414) – Alien spiders summoned by Runelords and used for
interrogations; from LENG
·
Derghodaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 2 p. 66) –
Death as a result of violent insanity.
·
Astradaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 2 p. 63; Pathfinder Chronicles: The Great Beyond
pp. 54-5) – Created by to serve more powerful daemons; hunt in packs.
·
Thanadaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 2 p. 74) –
Deacons of Death; death by old age.
·
Temerdaemon (DAEMON) (Campaign Setting: Horsemen of the Apocalypse pp. 58-9) –
Death by mishaps, whether accidental or engineered.
·
Leng Spider (LENG) (Bestiary 2 p. 176) –
Spider denizens of Leng who war with Leng’s humanoid species.
·
Crucidaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 3 p. 62) –
Death by traps and torture.
·
Phasmadaemon (DAEMON) (Campaign Setting: Horsemen of the Apocalypse pp. 52-3) –
Death by fright; those who inflict or suffer from extreme fear
CR 18:
·
Purrodaemon (DAEMON; WAR) (Bestiary 2 p.
73) – Deacons of war.
·
Obcisidaemon (DAEMON; WAR) (Campaign Setting: Horsemen of the Apocalypse pp.
50-1) – Brutal and violent pragmatism during war; genocide.
·
Olethrodaemon (DAEMON) (Bestiary 2 pp.
70-1) – Juggernauts for all 4 Horsemen; embody death and destruction.
EPIC:
- The Oinodaemon (DAEMON) (Tome of Horrors Complete pp. 138-9) – Retool but CR 37 and stats.
This will give me "go-to" creatures, but I will have lots of NPCs of various races and other creatures, as needed.
Also, I now want to bring the Plateau of Leng (from Lovecraft and several of the creatures here) into the mix for a "dream" feel.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Campaign Arc Features
Pathfinder Fantasy Group:
The features of the Campaign Arc:
The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse:
So, the campaign arc shortened:
The features of the Campaign Arc:
The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse:
- Heads of the Daemons in Abaddon, an infernal plane in the Outer Spheres. Where Devils are Lawful Evil (martial, harsh law, contracts) and Demons are Chaotic Evil (destruction and random violence, etc.), Daemons are Neutral Evil and push killing and death in the purest form. Thus, the 4 Horsemen are concerned with mortal deaths by war, disease, famine and/or old age. (Source: Pathfinders Chronicles: The Great Beyond pp. 23-27.)
- The campaign will deal specifically with Szuriel, the Horseman of War, and Apollyon, the Horseman of Pestilence.
- Also the main protagonist behind all of the machinations is the Oinodaemon, called the First Daemon or Bound Prince. Was once the ruler of all daemonkind but bound, imprisoned, tortured and occasionally consumed by the 4 Horsemen who fear his release. He is also is an oracle of great power which has frightened the 4 Horsemen in the past and keeps them from letting anyone see him. (Source: Pathfinders Chronicles: The Great Beyond p. 25.)
- I will use him as someone manipulating a prophesy, flexing his bonds and setting in a puzzle piece that only he knows which affects a greater scheme aeons down the road and not dealt with in this campaign. This campaign is about this piece of the puzzle: the death and replacement of one of the Horsemen with someone needed as a better "fit" for Oinodaemon's farther reaching goals. I'm leaving open for now which Horseman will be the target, but likely it will be War. This will be determined by an NPC which is the half-brother of Blue's character (Blue is playing a Tiefling with the Daemon trait, and is completely unaware that his choice reflects on the campaign's arc.) Slotting in PC backgrounds like this had been very successful in the past campaign, and there are times I feel like the players read my mind on what we will be dealing with (i.e. last campaign had Illithid and I had 3 players with Psi characters without knowing of the Mindflayer motif.)
- The Oinodaemon is manipulating the powers in Varisia of former Runelords, specifically Sorshen, Runelord of Lust and connected to Enchantment spells, whose slumber chamber is below Korvosa, and Krune, Runelord of Sloth and connected to Conjuration school, who was caught in Starfall and I am saying is slumbering in one of the ruins known as Desgard's Thousand Columns, a tower-like series of columns located throughout western Thassilon, stretching in the wilderness areas from Xin-Eurythnia (Korvosa) to Xin-Haruka (Krune's city) and beyond to Xin-Gastash (city of Zutha, Runelord of Gluttony and master of necromancy). These Thousand Columnsare hinted as holding summoned garrisons, filled by Krune in the prime of his power. (Sources: Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Lost Kingdoms pp. 55-59, and Pathfinder Adventure Path: Shattered Star - The Dead Heart of Xin, pp. 72-73 and 75.)
- The Column Krune rests under as he was away from Xin-Haruka during Starfall is located a few miles outside of Clearwater's Gate, which is the village the players will be based out of.
- For the campaign, at the bequest of an oracle of great power never named to Krune (the Oinodaemon in disguise), he had filled all 1,000 columns with daemon armies held in stasis until the time is right for release. That time is shortly coming and will go up against the hordes of the Horsemen in order to kill and replace one of the Horsemen, as stated above.
- The Runelords, stirring in their sleep but still aware of the world, are none to pleased that their "powers over sin" are being used to manipulate circumstances and by some entity not known at this point and not them. The focus seems to be the 3 Runelords mentioned above, although I may bring in others, as needed. Krune is also seeing stirrings in the 1,000 Pillars, and his worry causes vexation for him in his sleep. He, through dreams, will work to enlist a group of adventurers to investigate and prevent what they can: his choice is the players' party. So Good and Neutral characters will likely be working for and Evil patron of sin against a potentially greater Evil to Golarion and the entirety of the world.
- Sorshen is also vexed and has hired her own investigating team, which will be headed by the half-brother of Blue's character, also a Tiefling with the Daemonic trait; same Daemon parent.) This will set up a counter party to the players working towards the same goal but with a different patron and a foil to the players "winning" the information they are hired for. Also, Blue's half-brother is targeted as the "replacement" Horseman by the Oinodaemon at the end of the campaign . . . depending upon survival.
The Oinodaemon
So, the campaign arc shortened:
- The Oinodaemon wants to replace a Horseman to further a future event he has/ he has seen in prophesy.
- His past work with Krune, Runelord of Sloth, to fill Desgard's Thousand Columns with Daemon garrisons, will finally come to fruition to faciliate taking down one of the Horsemen.
- Krune and Sorshen (and Zutha, who will play a more limited role in this campaign at this point as he deals with things in the north while the players will be more south during the game) feel the Oinodaemon's presence, although they do not know exactly what the presence is. The presense is manipulating the magic of their "sin" domains.
- The manipulation is also complicated by the touch of the 4 Horsemen, specifically War and Pestilence. The combination of the sins and the death traits is creating havoc in Varisia. And the Horsemen send minions to discover who is playing with their daemon minions as well.
- The characters are hired by a mysterious patron (Krune) through a third party to investigate and help prevent escalation, all while dealing with sins, daemons and other horrors.
- Clearwater's Gate is being affected by Sloth magic and Conjuration (Krune), while the decadent city of Korvosa is being rocked by Lust magic and Enchantment (Sorshen). The later may bring notice from the country of Cheliax (which Korvosa was an outpost of) and the devil patrons.
- Korvosa is also home to a major school of magic and specializes in Conjuration and Summoning magic. The school and city may send "superior" folks to deal with the conjuration magic in the backwater rural country, putting urban and rural attitudes at odds. (Note: Amon decided to play a Summoner as his character, which will add a significant dynamic to the interplay with the Conjuration school members.)
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