Wrongful Targets

[wertyou2]

This is just an idea I came up with a few minutes ago, and I'm curious what people think. Seeing as the PCs are now servants of Baba Yaga (a chaotic evil demigod), and are what's left of 3 of her more powerful servitors, I thought it'd be interesting to have them be hunted by a group of creatures that have no desire to see Baba Yaga return and see the PCs as individuals in cahoots with whatever evil acts Baba Yaga has done and will do (therefore, evil creatures regardless of what alignments they may detect as). Does this seem like much of an idea worth pursuing? If so, any suggestions to augment it? I'm fully aware this probably isn't a very good idea, I'm just curious what people more experienced at this think.

[Richard Pitt]

I like this idea! It reminds me of Buffy The Vampire Slayer where there is an order of knights who try to kill Buffy's sister to prevent the return of 'the beast'. You could do something similar.

Maybe they come from The Lands of The Linnorm Kings (who would love nothing better than for Baba Yaga to remain imprisoned).

[wertyou2]

Actually, one of the PCs is from the Lands of the Linnorm Kings (I told him he would have to be able to get over the whole hatred of Baba Yaga, at least to save the world; he chose to run with a lesser of two evils deal). I'd be hoping to have a group that can follow the party to the farther-off destinations though, are the folks of the Lands normally able to do that?

[remoh]

wertyou2 wrote:

Seeing as the PCs are now servants of Baba Yaga (a chaotic evil demigod), and are what's left of 3 of her more powerful servitors, I thought it'd be interesting to have them be hunted by a group of creatures that have no desire to see Baba Yaga return and see the PCs as individuals in cahoots with whatever evil acts Baba Yaga has done and will do (therefore, evil creatures regardless of what alignments they may detect as). Does this seem like much of an idea worth pursuing? If so, any suggestions to augment it? I'm fully aware this probably isn't a very good idea, I'm just curious what people more experienced at this think.

Well, first off Baba Yaga is Neutral Evil and she is NOT a demigod. She does not want to be one. She will not answer prayers for her power. Instead, she takes what she wants; power, life, land and you better be strong enough to defend yourself or smart enough to stay out of her way.

The people pursuing the party should not be good. This will just put the party in a moral quandary you do not want. Instead make them agents of the witch queen, trying to track down the Hut to bring it back to Whitethrone or followers of Kolicthe (sp?) trying to keep her imprisoned.

You could have a party from Land of the Linnorm Kings, but make them neutral with maybe evil leanings rather than knights on the white horse.

[wertyou2]

My apologies, I was using demigod as another way to say powerful. Wasn't aware demigods granted spells in golarion, thought it was just full gods. Sorry.

I was debating going with followers of Kostchtchie seeing as after part 3 none of those guys do anything in the story and it wouldn't hurt to bring them back so that Part 3 has more connections with the rest of the campaign than just "where we found keys 3 and 4". I did like the idea the book gives of Kostchtchie resurrecting the centaur priest later on as a demon, so I might look into that.

[Richard Pitt]

I personally don't see anything wrong with a little moral quandary, as long as the PCs are aware that Baba Yaga is the only one who can stop Elvanna. It just means they have to justify their actions to these 'knights' who may or may not listen.

I would make the knights Lawful Neutral. The Linnorm Lands has powerful casters and access to portals to the First World, which exists between all planets and worlds (perhaps they travel to Traxius or earth that way). But remember it is your campaign. So do what you like and make changes to suit it.

[Dhrakken]

I have an idea similar to this that I will implement when the PC's are around level 10 and the players are super invested in their PC's.

I will call for a break in the game for a few sessions to do a mini evil adventure. (Everyone in my group is interested in doing this so I know they will be super stoked!)

The characters will get to build level 10ish evil PC's (with mythic) and they will be hired by an agent of Elvanna (unbeknownst to them) to track down and kill the PC's from the main campaign; yup their very own main characters...

I'm not 100% sure yet on how it will all play out yet but I have about a year or so to iron those details out.

Now, is THAT evil or what?

[Richard Pitt]

That IS evil! I like it. Personally I also intend to have Elvanna be more intent on killing the PCs, rather than simply waiting for them to gatecrash.

In book 3 she'll send a kill squad of three cold sisters, one of which using the Iron Collar of The Unbound Coven so they can access coven powers, after the PCs, along with a Death Knight to protect them. It doesn't make any sense for her not to react strongly after the PCs steal the hut.

This group will be waiting for them when they clear Artrosa, standing over the slaughtered bodies of their centaur allies.

[Dhrakken]

Awesome idea as well! I'm likely going to change Triaxus to Krynn, so I could have all kinds of fun with lord soth like death knights chasing the PC's...

[Luna eladrin]

I am going to add cold sisters as well to book 3. Extra detail: one of the sisters is the sister of one of the PCs. They had conflicting loyalties in the past and the sister left her family and they have not seen or heard from her since.

[The Shaman]

Sounds fun - or perhaps she could be a failed adventuress, who turns her frustration to envy of her more famous sibling. A rumor that s/he got the favor of Baba Yaga (so THAT is how s/he always had such good luck, the hypocritical no good cheating...) could tip the sister over the edge.

[Luna eladrin]

Yes, that would work. Especially because the sorcerer also is the character with leadership and a high diplomacy check. His sister might see that as "he gets everything, just by talking. And I get nothing at all."