So, a little background: my campaign's in Eberron, and I'm following the conversion notes in the online supplements fairly closely. The party just finished exploring Icosiol's tomb and is now back in Diamond Lake awaiting their audience with Manzorian.
In that time, the players have decided to sink a lot of money into Diamond Lake to rebuild the town: they've grown quite fond of it and are planning on becoming its new benefactors. Since the Governor-Mayor ran off and was found dead in the woods, and most of the other government-folk were killed in the dragon attack, a garrison captain came to town to hold emergency elections for a new Mayor and City Council (Breland has a somewhat progressive democracy, and I chalked it up to an obscure wartime proclomation to make sure a town had the means to govern itself in emergency circumstances).
The Face of the party was elected Mayor (appointing someone else who would be around more his Deputy), and the group went about rebuilding the town.
SO the question... my mage wants to re-build Icosiol's tomb as his personal sanctuary and lab. Personally, I think doing so would be an affront to the proud Wind Duke General's memory, and thus remove his 'blessing' that he gave the party. I'm not sure what the best way to communicate this would be; I'm all for him building a lair, just the thought of using the guy's GRAVE makes me a little leery. I'm tempted to just say that the portal no longer functions for them, period... but they'd be much more satisfied if I RP'd it out.
Anyone else have a similar problem? Any suggestions?
you mean, your player wants to strengthen the outer defenses of Icosials tomb so that none may further enter to disturb the Wind Duke's place of final rest? -wink-
perhaps you could press the character, making him understand that it is his moral obligation to see to the defenses of the tomb, since he and his companions destroyed the remaining guardians of the tomb.
let him do it. run some nasty dungeon crawl/underdark encounters coming up from the other direction (more true ghouls and their servants). make them fend off a dragon who's out searching for a new suitable lair. as long as the character's actions are always respectful of the tomb and attempt to make it a stronger place, (and as long as they are lawful characters) I see no reason why Icosial's blessing would fade. just emphasize that the lair would be even greater responsibility than they had considered. if they are up to the challenge of maintining such a difficult home, while still managing to prevent the age of worms, then more power to them!
Plus, of course, the party will be departing for Alhaster and parts foreign, so there may not be a lot of point to setting up a lab accessible from Diamond Lake.
That's part of the reason why I want to steer him away from that choice; I know they need to be hitting the road, and that they're likely not going to be back any time soon. On the flip side, I can see the advantage of him having an actual safehouse, for the purposes of contingency spells, storage and what-not.
I forgot to mention alignment; the wizard's chaotic, but with everything that's been happening he decided to use the alignment-changing aspect of the Rod to force himself to become lawful, forgoing the will save. I'll make sure to remind him of that at every opportunity ;)
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If you really want to emphasize the point that it's a tomb, not a nifty edifice ready to be remodeled into a home, you could revisit the "Ghosts in the Machine" idea from Zosiel's tomb. Perhaps there are more powerful wind spirits lurking in Icosiol's tomb, and they start undoing any changes that are made in an attempt to return it to its "default state". This could even include openining gates to other planes and fixing new, dangerous guardians in place. Depending on how you described all of these happenings, it could have a very unsettling 'Poltergeist'-like feel, or come off as cheesy railroading.
At the same time that his character's plan to create this lair is challenged, be sure to provide another interesting alternative. Perhaps while they're quarrying stone and gathering lumber to rebuild Diamond Lake, workers uncover a smaller, previously undiscovered series of chambers--maybe a Wind Duke tomb that was never completed for one reason or another.
I don't know, have you thought about why you don't want him to use it? Is it really that in game the now fully departed Icosiol would be angry. I'm not so sure about this, at the end he pretty much gifts the PCs with all his stuff, if they go back through and collect it. If he is willing for them to use his magic items why not his tomb, especially given the fact that the character is now Lawful.
Maybe the character is transfixed by the legends of the Vaati and wants to research more on them, and recreate them if he can. If he goes along this path why not let him keep the Tomb, he could make a shrine to the gods of the Vaati, or one further glorifying Icosiel himself.
I would make the possession of the Ring of the Wind Dukes necessary too, so the guardians recognize you as one of the chosen of Icosiol (even though there is no reason to need this listed in the adventure.
On another note, it should be pretty easy to speed things along for the party, just have Manzorian summon them and 'order' them off to the Spire. At 13th level it is doubtful they can refuse even if they would like too.
Also I would argue that if he wants the Tomb and to become a modern Wind Duke he should probably keep the part of the Rod and make it a latter goal to re-form the entire Rod. Lets see how his fellow players feel about him costing them a 40k magic item!