| Blackwindbears |
If you are one of my player's you will ruin the campaign for yourself by reading this.
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First off read this reddit thread:
http://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/29xp9z/my_year_of_lies_part_one_my_gro ups_experience/
(Not me, but I'd like to do something like this. Who wants to play one of my villains?)
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My players:
Tordek, Vampire 4/Fighter 10 (Using the savage species progression of the vampire, and some weird LA buyoff house rules. Currently he seems balanced with the rest of the lv. 12 party. I think he will end the campaign as a full vampire and level 16 fighter.) Carries an intelligent axe which was possessed by Drakthar at the end of Chapter 2. Also carries an intelligent bastard sword possessed by an angel that they found on occipitus.
Erod, Rogue 8/Assassin 4, Currently serving as Embril's second in command at the church of Wee'Jas after killing her previous second in command, Ike Iverson. Carries a dagger that steals souls. Called "the babykiller" due to an unfortunate incident with the umberhulk attack. Alignment: LN.
The Wanderess, Dragonfire Adept 12 (From Dragon Magic, its a warlock-like base class). Has a dragon mask that grants some sorcerer-like casting. Father was murdered by one of the cagewrights. Took a vow of "I-don't-have-to-come-up-with-a-name-until-I-kill-my-father's-killer".
Jandar, Ranger 12, Formerly a were-rat but was cured of lycanthropy by the party sometime back in Ch. 2. Also proselytizes for Crazy Jared. Has minor healing ability related to that.
Sparrow Vanderboren, Favored Soul 12, Betrayed the party and became lord of Occipitus. Now an NPC with the smoking eye template and an army of Demons. Managed to get both Erod and the Wanderess killed at the end of ch. 6 with her betrayal. Tordek was bleeding out and was drug away by Jandar. They don't like her. Currently controlled by a shadowplayer.
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The party is just wrapping up chapter 7 with some notable victories under their belt.
(1) They saved Terrem and gave him to a Rakshasa for safekeeping.
(2) They put an end to the danger that was Drakthar by accidentally entrapping him in an axe, which while turning its owner slowly into a vampire will almost certainly not try to control him at the worst possible moment.
(3) They prevented a flood of cauldron and replaced the old head of St. Cuthbert by writing to Sasserine and calling Shebeleth to the post. They also took over the dungeon from ch. 3 and are using it as a base of operations after recruiting the remaining alleybashers and hillfolk. Shensen runs it for them.
(4) They saved that dwarf Splintershield by giving him to their gracious patron Vhalantru.
(5) They beat the tar out of Nabthatoron and forced him to serve them at their behest once. Also pretty well convinced of the fact that Nidrama is secretly a demon or hag masquerading as an angel.
(6) One of their party members got control of Occipitus and betrayed the rest of them, and is working her way toward demon-lord-hood.
(7) After navalant was assassinated by Mhad the party managed to barely sway the election in Cauldron away from the "evil" Vanderborens in favor of their beloved patron vhalantru. Also they killed Ike to rid the church of Wee Jas from his evil influence so that Embril could run it in peace.
(8) (I ran the last laugh guildhouse before the Karran Kal bit). Managed to save Fario and "convince", Jil to join their side on the condition that her boss Last Laugh guildmaster also be allowed to join them. The guildmaster and jil now live with them in their complex outside of Cauldron.
<s>So as you can see things are going really, really well for the party. </s> Or at least they think so.
I have a few problems. A string of betrayals is going to happen to the party over and over and over again starting right when they get back from karran kal. (Ie, Shebeleth, Vhalantru, LL guildmaster, etc.). How can I keep it from getting stale after the nth betrayal? I'm thinking that I'll maybe try to subvert it on Embril and have her betray the Cagewrights instead. Can this be believable?
I'm not sure how to foreshadow Adimarchus harder. The party was drawn into a dream of his at the end of chapter 2 during their fight with Drakthar, but basically haven't heard from him since.
Mechanically, they are feeling the lack of a cleric. The problem isn't healing, they have a fistful of magic items for that, the problem is the lack of buffs. Not having access to protection from evil, freedom of movement, and death ward has been and will continue to be a problem going forward.
Last I currently have two shadowplayers. I'd like to add more for other primary villains in the campaign. Is there any interest?
The currently living cagewrights are:
Leader:
Dyr'ryd (Not sure if this would be interesting)
Masters:
Shebeleth (Currently gets a bunch of on-screen time)
Alurad (Has a secret relationship with someone in the party)
Embril (Might turn on the cagewrights)
Vhalantru (Probably is currently too scripted to be interesting)
Last Laugh Guildmaster (Currently being played by a shadowplayer)
Gau Kleeoch (Has been very poorly foreshadowed)
Apprentices:
Fetor (Probably will die next session)
Bhash-Febi (A custom character that was the murderer of Wanderess's father)
Ike (Deceased, soul trapped by erod)
Rhiavadi (Very scripted)
Jil (run incidentally by a shadowplayer)
Blue Duke (Deceased)
At this point the actual statting of Alurad and Gau Kleeoch could also be changed. If anyone would like to run one of these villains in a manner consistent with the description on the above reddit thread please let me know.
| KenderKin |
I applaud your ambition in this! I am actually planning to invite someone into my Shacked City Play by post to take on the role of
Kaurophon
My plan was to invite some of the posters I am familiar with on the paizoboards via private message and see who is interested.