Chimes At Midnight -- Any ideas to make Victor's trap more difficult?

[Canadian Bakka]

I intend to run Chimes At Midnight for a higher level group (15-17th level) because it's a neat adventure and one of the pcs is a master inquistive/cleric of the silver flames (who also happens to be one of the dragonmarked nobles of House Cannith). I intend to sort of run the adventure as a competition for that player to 'catch' Victor.

Anyways, my question is does anyone know of a good decent that can destroy Victor's home and present a challenge to higher level pcs? The Acidic Fire Gas trap is cool but the damage is nothing against higher level pcs. Not that I am trying to kill them but I really do want to scare them. I was thinking of a collapse that is triggered by the trap but that might seem a little too cliche. Other than increasing the damage dealt, does anybody got a devious trap in mind?

Thanks in advance.

CB out.

[Demiurge 1138]

Dropping the whole thing through a gate to some other plane would be pretty showy and awesome. Sadly, not very Eberron.

[dougnoel]

Turn the tanks that hold the acid into a containment field for a living spell that Victor had someone capture for him. I would combine a mid-level <i>fireball</i> (for burning down the place) with some sort of high-level disease or poison, and a low-level <i>cure</i> spell. Then top it off with <i>confusion</i> or a <i>suggestion</i> spell cast by a high-level caster to do something like "Sit".

The living spell will easily destroy the lab (which is the main purpose anyway). Anyone engulfed is going to be in dire straits as they are slowly burned alive but have the compulsion to sit there and take it. The curing is an odd added effect that prolongs the pain (and probably shouldn't be added to the CR of the creature.)

If you want something more damaging, you could combine a fireball/cloudkill. Also, I would take the party's resistances into effect. If I'd given them magic items to resist a certain type of elemental damage, I'd substitute that damage for the <i>fireball</i>. Same if they've spent feats or taken PrCs that give them the ability to resist certain types of damage. The water tower can fall apart as everything is frozen and cracks apart under the weight. The entire place can crackle as it conducts electricity until it starts a fire at the base bringing the whole thing crashing down.

My favorite would probably be for the entire place to resonate for a couple rounds until it suddenly cracks apart with half the tower breaking apart and falling to the ground. The party is left standing at the crack, looking down as the living spell they just unleashed begins moving into populated areas. Because let's face it, it's a much bigger challenge for the players to protect commoners from the trap they tripped than to just protect themselves.

[dougnoel]

Another quick thought is to make the trap require multiple checks to disarm. For example, disarming the door only keeps the trap from going off normally. Another disable device check is necessary to safely release the pressure in the tanks before they blow up anyway in the character's faces, 30 seconds (5 rounds) after they enter the room.

[d13]

dougnoel wrote:

Turn the tanks that hold the acid into a containment field for a living spell that Victor had someone capture for him.

Offtopic-

Where can I learn more about living spells Mr. Peabody?
Thank you.
Sorry.

[Thanis Kartaleon]

d13 wrote:

Offtopic-

Where can I learn more about living spells Mr. Peabody?
Thank you.
Sorry.

The Eberron Campaign Setting book or the Monster Manual III.

You're welcome.
No problem.

:-)
TK