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It's a huge, wealthy city, run by a handful of merchant princes from their individual strongholds. They tend toward lawful evil.

One among them, the star diplomat, a very old man with no competent heirs (no merchants of the capability required to maintain power) has been assassinated.

(Actually, his body double was. So far, nobody knows this.)

This was done to weaken the power structure of the city, as war is breaking out.

A hopeful 'next' merchant prince has been gathering wealth and power for years. He wears a mask to hide his identity, but he seems fragile. (He's an old elf.) He's hired the party to watch over a runaway from his home city, a young princess of a family that has recently changed heads and is fomenting the war. He is, in fact, quietly working against the city from inside. He hired the assassin.

It's a sandbox game, but has mostly been the party taking jobs as adventurers. It's set in a huge island chain.

This is meant to unfold gradually, so the party can choose their own path.

What would you do for adventures, as a GM, with this setup?

Preferably CN, this being will be the antagonist for a war against the main LE society of my campaign - the 'home city' of the party.

The antagonist society - which this being has become a huge influence to - is mixed with humans and elves making the bulk of the citizens. I'll be taking the antagonist to CR 15-17, most likely, with a handful of CR 7-9 guards. This fey has recently come into power there.

The first aggressive act was taken by a privateer vessel, taking a magically enhanced merchant ship heavily laden with valuable cargo (owned by a merchant prince of the LE city). The campaign is set in a huge chain of islands. The antagonist fey was behind this capturing.

Ideas for the fey, and/or the guards?

I have this idea, but I'm not sure where I'm going with it.

I want to use a gang of mites working with a few gremlins, kidnapping kids in a city...but I haven't figured out the why.

Help me flesh this out?

I'm planning on using one of the Dread X templates from the Advanced Bestiary, not decided on which one; not sure what race or base creature yet; nor the class. What I know is something of his backstory - hundreds of years ago, there was a huge battle near an ancient ruin - he was one of the commanders.

He died there.

Through his will and the help of a minion (ex-familiar?), a divination ritual was corrupted, and he and some of his (now zombie and skeleton) troops have risen. Where there was once field is now thick forest, and it's quickly dying off.

A vile tower has risen (either due to his magic, or that of his demon lord or whatever), and undead flood the area (moreso as he gathers strength to raise them). His lieutenants are low level dread skeletons and zombies. He should be CR 12-13, just enough to utterly terrify my 3rd level players. Soon, corpsewights will rise...

I have lots of ideas as to what to make him...but I love input. He must be able to raise and command undead, of course, but other things might be under control of a fiendish master (who won't need to be present!).

The ritual happened in the presence of the (theoretically non-heroic) party. I'm doing this so I can have a brand new long term threat and a zombie outbreak. ;)

Ideas?

I'm going to be playing a wizard again for the first time in years (hopefully) soon.

I've used plenty of the combos before - we're all familiar with the invisible flying missile platform and nuclear rocket tag, but what other favorites might you have? I've stayed fairly restrained as the GM, but as a player I don't have to worry about TPKs so much.

They don't all have to be lethal, as I'll be doing plenty of jobs for the party (scouting, buffing, lots of utility stuff), and for now, lower level combos are much more valuable than the high end stuff.

I was just thinking of populating one, along with my job board at the local seaman's tavern, and figured it could be fun to see what others might come up with.

#1

Looking for Escort Guards for Scholarly Expedition

Will need to escort scholar and a handful of students to the town of Donoblue's Thicket and the Thicket Ruins. Round trip should take under two weeks, including three to four days at the ruins. Paying 500gp +hazard pay, if any. Will need own basic gear, meals provided.

See Dean Akhen of Arcane Studies

Scarheart is a killer - the top assassin in my world. I came up with the concept a long time ago.

He has some problems, though. He hates magic (and arcane casters), and he refuses to use it. (this includes divine magic)

He has a deathwish, and refuses to wear armor. The x-shaped scar over his heart is often visible when he isn't hiding it.

I have him slated as a martial class 19/9 mythic.

He'll start like all my NPCs, with the elite array, and add no more than half of his mythic stat bonuses to any one stat.

How deadly can you make him? How durable?

(right now, I'm making him a Slayer/Trickster)

I was just thinking about interesting, oddball encounters, and had been recently looking at giant mantises. I was thinking goblins, but would they have the patience to train such creatures? It would have to be a small race - they only have a 16 Str. Kobolds? Maybe wayang? What small races work with insects and would have the temerity to train them?

I have an idea for this character, but could use a bit of help with the build.

Setting - a huge city, prosperous - one of the biggest trading hubs in the known world. Very metropolitan, and quite corrupt. Slavery is significant to the economy. The merchant's guild - or its most powerful members - run the city.

One was an actress on the stage - and still acts occasionally, but since her father pushed her into taking over the business, does it a lot less.

The vigilante will have shared a stage with her many times. He's been her playtoy. Think Batman and Catwoman, but the's the one that's filthy rich and powerful. He's becoming a champion for the downtrodden, which she thinks is 'cute'.

She isn't the worst of them, merely incredibly self-centered, so he's not out to bring her down - in many ways, he's at her mercy.

He should come off as an earnest artist, not particularly wealthy, but not starving. He's a very good, popular actor.

I use the elite array for NPCs. Any advice for building this character? I'm open for whatever Vigilante specialization/archetype/whatever seems appropriate and makes him work. I want him in the 6th to 9th level range, easily able to handle mooks, but not so much those in charge (who tend to be 8th - 12th), and quite incapable of going after any of the merchant princes themselves.

I know that some of you are much better with the Vigilante than I am - what would you do?

I love Druids, but wildshape is a weakness for me.

GORTHOS OF THE TENTACLE
CR 9
Male Skum Monstrous humanoid 2 / Druid 8
NE Medium monstrous humanoid (aquatic)
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 ft.), Perception +2,
DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, )
hp 113 (2d10)+(8d8)+58
Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +11, +4 vs. spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey and spells and effects that utilize and target plants
Resistances Cold 10,
OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft. Swim 40 ft., Woodland Stride
Melee bite (w/o weapon) +13 (1d6+5)
Melee claw (w/o weapon) +13 (1d4+5)
Melee bite (w/weapon) +11 (1d6+2)
Melee claw (w/weapon) +11 (1d4+2)
Special Attacks Spontaneous Casting,
Prepared Spells Prepared Spell List
Druid (CL 8th):
4th - bloody claws (DC 16) , caustic blood (DC 16)
3rd - hydrophobia (DC 15) , magic fang (greater) (DC 15)
2nd - bull's strength (DC 14) , fog cloud
1st - magic fang (DC 13) STATISTICS

Str 20, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 4
Base Atk +8; CMB +13 (+17 grapple); CMD 25 (27 vs. grapple)
Feats Greater Grapple, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Multiattack, Natural Spell, Powerful Shape
Skills Acrobatics +2, Acrobatics (Jump) -2, Bluff -3, Climb +5, Diplomacy -3, Disguise -3, Escape Artist +2, Fly +2, Heal +2, Intimidate -3, Knowledge (Nature) +10, Perception +2, Perform (Untrained) -3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +2, Stealth +2, Survival +4, Swim +20,
Languages Aboleth, Druidic, Undercommon
SQ Amphibious, Darkvision, Nature Bond, Nature Sense, Orisons, Resist Nature's Lure, Trackless Step, Wild Empathy +5, Wild Shape, Woodland Stride,

Make note that he is unfinished. I have several spell slots yet, some skills, and he has zero items. I'm looking for suggestions. His feats may not be the best. Again, I'm open. With no particular input on those, I'm fine with finishing him out myself.

I did decide on skum for a couple of reasons, primarily free multiattack. Also, campaign reasons.

Lastly, what does he actually look like wildshaped into a giant octopus? Can he be huge?

The grappling advice thread got me to thinking - some large (or bigger) creatures are excellent grapplers, and some can even grapple more than one at a time, making action economy less of an issue. Without going overkill, what creatures could handle a four or five character party with grappling options, with an appropriate build?

I can envision strangling one, while pinning another, and still able to be ready to grab a third and fourth, but what creatures with what builds?

I'm not sure what level this works best with, but I'd like to see it at the lower-mid levels (maybe CR 5-10).

Intelligent giant octopus immediately comes to mind...

Situation - I provide it with paper and ink. I'm not expecting great penmanship - my writing is chicken scratch - but with an Int. comparable to a fairly dull child...why not?

I have a first level party hunting in the forest, and a higher level ranger that's a specialist in magical beasts. What magic beasts might be interesting targets for the ranger, that the party might help with? A little extra info - the area is forested foothills, right next to mountains, so terrains are somewhat flexible.

It's a huge party of about a dozen characters, so a specialized healer isn't too bad a choice. He's played clerics a lot, so was happy to hear about life oracles. I'm helping him with build recommendations. I'm starting with a fey foundling vivacious gnome, and suggesting selective channel, life link, with nods to enhanced cures and energy body. Toughness should be considered. I'm unsure about which curse to recommend, except the third party one - merciful - that grants lay on hands. (they usually allow third party). The favored class special, 1/2 levels on the curse is worth looking at. I intend to suggest shield other and life pact as well.

Anything else particularly notable I should suggest?

I'n going to need a lot of varied (island/aquatic themed, mostly) adventures for my upcoming campaign.

I'd like for anybody to suggest three or four odd, unrelated creatures and a circumstance or setting, and I'll see what I can come up with as a workable scenario. I'd prefer mostly lower level stuff, maybe up to CR six or eight.

I already have ideas, but nothing perfect, yet. It's an orphan child that died of starvation in the sewers beneath an orphanage - I'm planning on using the young template. The attic whisperer is a pretty good possibility, but won't need the template, and is a bit powerful - it's for first levels.

I don't want it too scary - it should be more sad.

I'll be using an online random settlement maker for my population centers. I'd love some help estimating the population of three examples:

Great Garden

Geromet's Swamp

Orgark

One, I see as a large village, one a small town, and the last, a city - but, considering averages, what would you think the population might be of each?

Edit The Generator

My next campaign is set in a giant island chain where there are many, many strange people and societies.

I'm collecting up a list of unusual and interesting people - any race is possible, and I'm looking for peculiar folk of any stripe. They don't need to be challenges, but that's possible. There's everything from a giant, crazily cosmopolitan city to primitive tribes, and even underwater societies.

I'm looking for any characters the party might want to interact with, from an awakened dog expert that knows the city streets like the back of his paw to a religious leader who just happens to be an ocean giant who draws crowds of tourists to his sermons. (both already exist)

What ideas do you have? Convoluted is fine!

I'm building a Frost Giant Undead Lord 14. They get one free skeleton or zombie up to their level in hd. I need to make it count, or it will be meaningless.

It's just a crazy idea, but - what if a group of the worst villains suddenly found themselves with empathy, love, and caring for their fellow man?

What if this group of horrid monsters were the PCs?

It's just a concept for a single scenario or short campaign, but how does...or could...it start?

I'm going to be using a lot of zombies and skeletons in a campaign I've recently begun. It's set in the ruins of a truly ancient city lost in a jungle. Most undead will be the standard human(oid), but I'll be using odd ones, too. Not long ago, the party had to deal with a skeleton dire lion. It was scary!

What other creatures make for interesting skeletons, zombies, or variants of them?

The party will be dealing with an encampment of three fomorian titans on the way to a cyclopean city where star spawn dwell (unless they bypass them).

What sort of beast might the titans keep? I'm thinking CR in the teens somewhere - not much to this party of near demigods, but a flanker nonetheless.

I have a crazy powerful mythic group (lvl 19/mr 8) who will be encountering a powerful alchemist from Leng, who will ask them to collect secretions and spores from a mu spore, from a cavern down below - but I have yet to decide what he's brewing. It should be crazy, and useful to the party.

Ages ago, there was a war between mythic titans and the new gods of the mortal races. The gods won, and stripped power from most of the titans. One of the titans that fought was a female necromancer. She died pregnant, but centuries later,an undead thing crawled from her partially eaten body.

It wouldn't be a full-bore atropal, as those are full-on stillborn gods, but very similar, with necromantic powers. A city rose up by the lake where the titan fell, and was a great trade center for even a century or so, until this thing rose up. Now, it's a lost city, buried in jungle - but crawling with undead.

The atropal-like thing should be CR 20ish. I may have to stat it out myself, but before I do,what's the closest anybody knows of? Re-fluffing, after all, is easy.