So, in the prologue of my current campaign, the PCs were attacked a bunch of poor fishermen. Then four strange riders appeared, obviously guiding the fishermen. The four attacked the crew from the boat the PCs travled with and, seeing that these four were obviously quite powerful, the PCs fled.
At this stage of the campaign, I didn't have everything figured out. Now, a few real sessions later, the PCs are about to uncover some clues about this NPC party - and I need to start iron out the details.
Their role in the campaign, their goals etc. are pretty much done. The mechanical part is less so. I don't need to stat out them completely, but to have there race/class configuration would be nice.
So, given these limitations, can I get help sketching up a viable adventuring party:
-One's a hobgoblin
-One cast a powerful curse, so probably a cleric. Human-sized
-Two were decent mounted warriors (though probably not optimized - high BAB and a few points in Ride would probably suffice for them to cut down on some sailors with ease). One of these riders is an elf, the other one is probably a human or at least something similar in size.
Why is the one with the powerful curse not an oracle? They literally come with them as a class feature. And also cast from the divine spell list.
EDIT - Sorry, just noticed you said cast a powerful curse. Witch might be more appropriate then.
I would definitely go witch.
Hobgoblin- Archer Inquisitor? Adds some divine spell power and ranged ability (Archer Cleric would also work)
Elf- I would go swashbuckler, but ranger or rogue look right
NPC 1: Hobgoblin, Inquisitor for the teamwork feats.
NPC 2: Elf, mounted, Slayer (Sniper Archetype) - ranged from horseback
NPC 3: Tiefling, Witch or Venificus Witch (Plague Patron)
NPC 4: Damphir, mounted, Antipaladin (Rampager Archetype) - melee from horseback, overrun
Tell us what your PCs are.
This is a perfect 'Linear Guild' scenario where the NPCs are similar to, but different than, the PCs.
- NPC 1 is a hobgoblin fallen paladin who donned a helm of opposite alignment years ago as a mistake. He's gained some slayer or barbarian levels in the years since his fall but hasn't had time to retrain his ex-paladin levels out yet, what with all the raping and pillaging and molesting fisherman and level 1 PCs. He can be redeemed if they can uncover his identity, find the crypt of his ancestors (unfortunately his ancestors are all mostly evil hobgoblins and the crypts are in that territory).
Within the crypt is a sigiled mirror that functions as a mirror of opposite alignment for that hobgoblin bloodline only, once per family member. They normally used it to prove themselves in a secret family ritual and this hobgoblin never participated because he was shunned/cast-out/left well before that rite of passage because he was a lawful good guy and didn't fit in.
If shown the family artifact, a lawful-good duplicate appears (with paladin mount) and proceeds to thoroughly trounce the evil hobgoblin because, being lawful-good, he has full access to the paladin levels and also his mount is probably more powerful. If the good duplicate kills the hobgoblin or really knocks him out, he vanishes as normal, but the experience will trigger a desire for atonement in the hobgoblin... who might be dead now... but if brought back (if anyone thinks about that) will be a force for good once more (after atoning.)
- NPC 2 is a chaotic elf with the fey template. He's like a faerie knight or warrior. Riding a white steed of the finest look (or something else if you've alright described the steeds.) Think of fey royalty almost. Being weaker than most, his armor is probably a lighter form but glamered to look like gothic full plate and helm. His flowing cloak actually conceals his wings, which, despite his evil nature, are beautiful, gossamer-like butterfly wings. He's not ashamed of them or anything, he just prefers riding a powerful steed because he's a (chaotic) noble/knight in his mind.
Change one of his fey powers to Bestow Curse or assume he has a special Curse power. I don't know what curse he did, but maybe he can lay a single curse at a time on a target, however the restriction for this powerful ability is that if the target ever dies under the curse, he suffers its effect for a full week (or a period where it would make sense) and is unable to lay a new curse on a target until that time passes.
- NPC 3 is secretly a woman... so... whatever.
- NPC 4 is a chaotic evil awakened horse with ranger levels and Favored Enemy: Humanoids (of a few types depending on level). That's a sad story; beaten and mistreated by a former owner, the horse ran away, found a kindly druid... served it many years, eventually was awakened, lived happily for a few years until former owner showed up, cutting wilderness and causing problems on 'his' land. Druid interceded but was murdered and the horse took revenge on former owner... and... loved... it.
He has leadership and his cohort is a simpleton with impressive strength (even if of a Favored Enemy race) that genuinely likes the horse. He typically rides as a mount and people think he's in charge. The evil horse uses his Hunter's bond to share his Favored Enemy bonus with his rider and the others, thus making them seem more formidable than they would be otherwise against most foes.
The horse's favored terrain abilities keeps him and his rider from being tracked, often causing problems with trackers who think they might only run into three foes. Whenever possible, the horse enjoys charging foes caught in briars, thorns, and other underbrush that he's unhindered by.
The horse has a driving goal to become a Nightmare, and while difficult, if he can complete a challenging task, involving much chaos and woe, may find a way to be rewarded by the four horsemen's enigmatic leader and evil patron.
- NPC 3 is still secretly a woman, so probably not really important, but just for completeness-sake, she's also a virgin that loves unicorns but will never possess one due to her impure and 'evil' heart. Her steed is armored and has a head-plate with a long unicorn-like horn (not an uncommon accent on horse barding for head armor,) but secretly a clue if other pieces can be puzzled together.
Obviously if she wasn't evil, there'd be a chance to fulfill her heart's desire, but we've already got one atonement candidate, so tough luck. Instead, her desire to possess a unicorn is now twisted into a drive to catch and imprison one until it agrees to serve her (it won't). As such, any rumors, illusions, or disguises that hint of a nearby unicorn will draw her out and away and could be used as a trap, if only someone knew about it.
The enigmatic patron and true mastermind behind the four horsemen knows of her desire and uses it to his advantage, but if she actually catches and kills a unicorn, she will be rewarded greatly with a nightmare steed that's been flesh-crafted to resemble an ebony-skinned unicorn with an obsidian horn and a fiery mane, or maybe he'll just animate dead the unicorn into a bloody skeleton mount, that would probably look just as awesome/flashing-neon-evil.
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