Let's say you are the Great Devil, Pit Fiend, or one of the Archdevils. You know that devils are often summoned to the mortal plane, and this is not unusual. But then you find out that one special person took over the true name of the devil executioner, and so he trades the lives of bandits for gold. Asking for information, you will find out that this person is a LE high-level caster who is a member of the pirate council, has his own base, an island and wants to establish an absolute law in those territories: The same for all and harsh for all those who do not comply with it (like Judge Dredd universe) . Observing similar ideas, why not help such an ambitious person, of course, for your own benefit.
Mechanically speaking, the player is a level 11 Occultist Arcanist with a True name exploit (I changed arcane discovery to a full Arcanist level instead of half). As a character and a player, he says that he uses a lot of things and people as a tool to achieve his goals and I want to give him a "tool" that will consider the player as a tool in his hands.
It is clear from the description that this deal goes beyond the usual "3 wishes for your soul" framework. I can't figure out what interesting Hell has to offer a potential ruler and how much it will ask for. The character comes from Cheliax, so he (like the player himself) has an idea about transactions and is very picky about it, which is why he will notice a clear catch.
Speaking about the law, he jokingly or perhaps not jokingly spoke about the construction of a fortress of law in the port perill, which would be guarded by special hellknights. Speaking of the hellknights, he sees Cheliax as a competitor or enemy, so he will not allow their armies to enter his territory.
He use most universal spell list, so patron with spells looks unnecessary. Maybe some other class abilities, but dont know about that
idk about a castle.
how about offering him to bind his soul for a power up?
in return he gets to summon a devil 1/day for an hour. get some spell like abilities and +2 to 3 different attributes (depend on the devil who makes the contract with.)
zza ni wrote: idk about a castle.
how about offering him to bind his soul for a power up?
in return he gets to summon a devil 1/day for an hour. get some spell like abilities and +2 to 3 different attributes (depend on the devil who makes the contract with.)
The main problem is that he is unlikely to give up his own soul. Trading in the lives of others and some items for his own purposes in order to achieve his goals does not constitute any problems for him.
As I understand it, Hell can give gold for souls, but not vice versa.
Sounds like he should have no illusions about where his soul is going to end up after he dies.
So, what's his plan to avoid being just another chump? Is he seeking to become a fiend without dying first? Looking for immortality and enough contingencies that he'll never permanently die?
Coidzor wrote: Sounds like he should have no illusions about where his soul is going to end up after he dies.
So, what's his plan to avoid being just another chump? Is he seeking to become a fiend without dying first? Looking for immortality and enough contingencies that he'll never permanently die?
Immortality or something like that is not his current goal. His goal is power and authority to become the Hurricane King, and then carry out reforms to create laws. Absolute laws
Evil... it is all about the easy path to power. The Evil definitions of Helping and Assisting are not really the same as the normal ones. Law and Chaos enter the mix.
From a near deific being's perspective mortals come and go.
Occultist
Implements has the Outsider Contact(Su) with the "true name" of a particular outsider. see Binding - True Names -> Outsider 3HD.
then there's Wizard Discovery - True Name -> Outsider 12 HD.
then there's the crazy magic option of True Names. Hopefully you're not here.
I can't see named infernal forces (aka 25+HD) personally getting involved and trying to tempt an 11th level character. A 11th level creature is not a major player. I can see an acolyte/agent/representative of a major power or unnamed devil/demon/daemon/etc trying to net the soul of a despot (which is what you have here).
First of all many despots fall from chaos, in fighting or conspiracies below them, bad PR which leads to revolts. So I'd review some History to pick a response.
It is likely that any assistant will be the acolyte of a power seeking to control or assume or possibly bring the downfall of the primary's political power. An infernal contract isn't needed for that. In fact a seemingly bonafide infernal contract giving them everything they want and being a sham seems to be what's needed.
Pro100Andr wrote: Coidzor wrote: Sounds like he should have no illusions about where his soul is going to end up after he dies.
So, what's his plan to avoid being just another chump? Is he seeking to become a fiend without dying first? Looking for immortality and enough contingencies that he'll never permanently die?
Immortality or something like that is not his current goal. His goal is power and authority to become the Hurricane King, and then carry out reforms to create laws. Absolute laws IIRC, there is a spell that makes someone see what their afterlife would be if they died right then. Arranging for him to get exposed to the business end of that spell should be possible and would allow for a potential hook.
Power and the chance to cut ahead of the line would be more appealing then, most likely. He doesn't sound like someone who would rethink his actions and consider repenting at any rate.
so he want to get the outsider to help without selling his soul, only using souls of others and gold etc?
sound like every other day use of planner ally spells cast to call a lower-plane being. (or the other use of the gate spell).
it has a long to very long duration of getting the assistance of powerful outsiders which are balanced in levels as per the power level of the spell used (see Azothath's remark above about the difference in levels between the two in this case). if you want a higher up being to give it's assistance you should build on that formula.
I'm not sure >exactly< what the OP is talking about (Arcanist has no True Name Exploit/Greater Exploit). It is clearly a custom Home Game where the Player and GM are coming to grips with a power the GM okayed.
A 3HD outsider? *pffft*. A 12 HD has more impact but the PC is an 11th level caster and should just have gotten access to that kind of summoning.
My point is mixed; one of drama & plotting, and one of power & impact to the Game. Spells can be more powerful than some listed abilities but should be used as guidelines for those abilities.
Planar Ally series SplLvl4+$500-> friendly 4HD, SplLvl6+$1250-> friendly 12HD, SplLvl8+$2500-> friendly 18HD.
Planar Binding series SplLvl5-> 6HD, SplLvl6-> 12HD, SplLvl8-> 18HD.
I also provided a link to Binding Outsiders.
A good example of relationships is how many 4-5th level NPCs does the 11th level character know and interact with in the Home Game? It is a clear parallel with a powerful 25+HD creature and a GM provided 12HD "named" creature. Demon Lords don't know the rank and file unless they are on a Sh_t List (the 'Power' or its assistants). Like a MaryKay salesman the lower rank and file are trying to make sales and get that pink caddy!
The GM will have to work up the named creature and write a personality profile and choose a Patron. I'd write down a core emotion, motivation, and behavior(modus operandi) that the evil creature represents. It also has a background that will support that characterization. I would not reveal anything to the player as that is all roleplaying gold that has to be found out through interactions. The background will hold the key to the connection to the Patron or one of its assistants.
--> Infernal Contracts (and menu of links at the top) which could be quite helpful.
I think a few things need to be cleared up:
If by named creature you meant the devil, whose name the character knows, then it has some special effect only on the battle, because the player uses it as an additional, very powerful summon in difficult battles. In addition, from the role-playing side, he understands that he is blackmailing her to some extent and does not use her very often, so as not to feel her wrath and her familiar devils.
Concerning the contract and the possible transaction. The character is greedy for power and influence, and is ready to go to great lengths for this (except to harm his own soul and himself). I have not seen such characters at the table as a player and master, so I wanted to give him just the same strength that I can help him. But the power must also have a downside in the form of some specific troubles that could keep it to me, as a GM, under control with these powers. So I'm ready to go for some experiments.
This maybe too lighthearted for you, but I had "Lucretia worthy-edge divorce attorney!" (Genderswapped Edgeworth from the ace attorney series) as an NPC. She was an Erinye divorce lawyer, whom the party hired to annull a wedding essentially, she was sufficiently amused/impressed by the parties antics that she set her sights on making them more pliable to hell.
Things she had:
--Infernal gift of Objection
Thrice per day, the gifted partner can shout "OBJECTION" and cast the shield spell as an immidiate action. The partner must be dressed in a fashion appropriate for a local courtroom.
--Infernal gift of monolouge interruption
Making a villainous monolouge in the threatened area of the character provokes an attack of opportunity. Once per day, the character may, as an immidiate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, make a charge towards a creature with at least his number of hitdice that is conducting a villainous monolouge. The partner must remain silent for the rest of the combat.
--Infernal restraining order
By shouting "Restraining order" the gifted character can conjure highly adhesive beurocratic red tape (acting as a souped of Silkstring Snare hex) that entangles and yanks away a foe that touches the character in an untoward way. The character can only use this on entities more chaotic then he or she is.
The things were more humorous, and the Erinye lady was a quit popular employer for the party, but nothing should stop you from coming up with your own stuff.
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