I started running The Lightless Depths tonight for a party of five. It was going pretty well; the bard flubbed his perform check when summoning the Glutton, but then rolled tw0 20's when using diplomacy. All was going fairly well. They got past the weak sentry, and made their way to the Trog village. Freed the Olman who was feebleminded, and decided to high tail it out of there back to the ship for now, as they were unprepared to face the trog priests and couldn't cure the feeblemind. No problem.
Heading back, I rolled for a random encounter. They got one, so I rolled on the chart and a 02 came up, a beholder. I considered it, and decided to go ahead with it. They all failed their spot checks, and the beholder descended from a natural chimney in the cavern and caught them flat-footed.
But, they continued to roll well, and in that round, all that happened was one slowed sorceror. A little frustrating for me, but hey! Plenty of more rounds to go, I thought.
The druid won initiative for the new round. The player was whining and moaning about a beholder ("That's at least 3 CR's higher than us! We're gonna die! Moan moan, complain complain.") He decided to cast a Baleful Polymorph, just for the heck of it (I allow it in my campaigns, even though it's all kinds of broken, with the understanding that their enemies will make use of it as well...and often.) Heh, okay. The beholder's central eye was still closed from the previous round, so whatever.
I rolled a 1 for his fortitude save. I rolled a 2 for his will save. *Presto* One monkey with beholder HP. Huh. Well, the dice fell the way they fell. I had the monkey start to scurry off, and just get away. But the bard wanted a pet monkey, so he chased after it and cast Speak With Animals. Another 20 diplomacy check was rolled, and the monkey was suddenly very friendly and hopped up on his shoulder, curling its tail around the bard's neck.
But that's not the end.
The druid decides that casting an Awaken spell would be a hoot. The now monkey ex-beholder fails that save as well (I was not rolling well tonight), and now they have a monkey with a 12 int who speaks common, beholder HP and physical stats (and saves), and an affinity for two party members (the bard and the druid). The monkey demanded pants and a shirt, and asked to accompany them, if they wouldn't mind too much (after asking some questions as to how it got there and what was going on).
Shoot, I'm rolling with it. I've decided that the monkey is going to get some rogue levels eventually, maybe even ninja levels or something. It's garb is that of a cabin boy, as those were the only things on the ship that came close to fitting its little body.
I've been playing for over 20 years, and not once did it ever enter my mind that this sequence of events could ever possibly occur. That's why I love this game.
Intelligent ex-beholder monkey rogues dressed as sailors and speaking in common. What could be better?
This sequence of events is made possible by luck and crazy, but the result is made of love and win. If your players don't remember this arc just for that alone, you have jaded players.
Man, if I were a player in your game I'd be tempted to drop my character and play that guy? Who could have a better background than a ex-beholder awakened monkey? And he wears pants? That is just priceless.
Man, if I were a player in your game I'd be tempted to drop my character and play that guy? Who could have a better background than a ex-beholder awakened monkey? And he wears pants? That is just priceless.
I forgot to mention - there were some low powered magic items floating around, rolled from the beholder's treasure and those four trog priests.
The monkey is in possession of Bracers of Armor +1 and a Wand of Shocking Grasp (21 charges). He can't use the wand just yet, but I think Monkey will max out his Use Magic Device when he starts gaining rogue levels.
It just makes sense.
Wow. Much more interesting than the beholder encounter in my campaign last week. It unceremoniously killed them all. Fun, yes, but I can't compete with talking monkeys. I need more creative players. :)
I've been thinking about this, and have decided on something. The memories of the monkey's previous life as a beholder are going to come back in fragments, like a dream sequence. The monkey will slowly shift alignment to Neutral Evil from Neutral. At some point in the campaign - the monkey will betray the party.
"I used to be an all powerful creature that was feared! Now I'm a simian in a striped shirt! You will pay for what you've done!"
Or am I too evil a DM if I do that?
"I used to be an all powerful creature that was feared! Now I'm a simian in a striped shirt! You will pay for what you've done!"
Or am I too evil a DM if I do that?
You need to do it, just so you can use that line. :-)
And if he escapes (after failing to kill the PCs) you could also make him become a follower of Demogorgon (since the demon prince does like monkeys). Eventually, he could gain the Lemorian template as well and become a terrifying pirate figure of the Abyssal seas.
Of course if you went that far he would become a poster child for all those DMs who wanted pirates, monkeys, and ninjas together in the AP
;-)
I've been thinking about this, and have decided on something. The memories of the monkey's previous life as a beholder are going to come back in fragments, like a dream sequence. The monkey will slowly shift alignment to Neutral Evil from Neutral. At some point in the campaign - the monkey will betray the party.
"I used to be an all powerful creature that was feared! Now I'm a simian in a striped shirt! You will pay for what you've done!"
Or am I too evil a DM if I do that?
It's the player's own fault for wanting a pet monkey.
In other words... Go for it!
I think you just topped everything from this thread.
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I've been thinking about this, and have decided on something. The memories of the monkey's previous life as a beholder are going to come back in fragments, like a dream sequence. The monkey will slowly shift alignment to Neutral Evil from Neutral. At some point in the campaign - the monkey will betray the party.
"I used to be an all powerful creature that was feared! Now I'm a simian in a striped shirt! You will pay for what you've done!"
Or am I too evil a DM if I do that?
...and the name of the beholder's extended clan...vhalantru....
It's been four years, and I wish I had news. Sadly, this group broke up when I finished grad school in May of 2007. The monkey ex-beholder, though, still tugs at my mind. I'm running a different group through this campaign path now, and they are up to City of Broken Idols, just past the docks and skinwalker massive assault.
I'm thinking that when they get to Scuttlecove, I will have to introduce the monkey. Somehow...I'm thinking the ex-beholder monkey found his way to the Cold Captain, and now serves with him.
I think I'll see how that fight goes before screeching, dagger wielding monkeys fall from the sky and start sneak attacking for 6d6 (or more) though.
It’s uncanny how similar this is to something that is currently unfolding in my game. The party has stumbled upon the purple worm encounter in Lightless Depths. They had several ways they could attack it (literally and figuratively) or just walk away. However, one of the players threw out the idea that maybe they cast Charm Monster on it, free and heal it, and then use it against the kopru. The rolls were perfect and I had no cause to not allow it. I did want to throw them a monkey wrench (no pun intended, literati), so I had a patrol party show up and attack (after all, they were making a great deal of noise trying to break the spire to free the worm).
As a side note, one of the main PCs whose player couldn’t make the game secession, failed his save and was Dominated by the Kopru, turned and attacked the Druid. The Druid’s player had used many of his spells, was now injured, might or might not have been able to put enough distance between himself and his comrade, and he seriously considered Baleful Polymorph as a non-lethal, though permanent option. (As a joke, I told the player he went with that option, even though he didn’t).
But I digress. The party finished off the scout party and eventually freed and healed the charmed purple worm. They now want to cast Awaken on it in the hopes of convincing it to help them wipe out the kopru without having to destroy Tlaloc’s Tear (They really don’t feel great about awakening the aboleth).
There’s a lot of obstacles, and even if the awaken works, it won’t be easy, but if they manage to pull it off, you KNOW this is going into the Savage Tide Glories thread.
One of my players did the same thing with the same worm, Troy. Unfortunately he left the game soon after, so it wasn't developed further, but I was planning on have it come back to save them from the Colossal shoggoth that the ziggurat turned out to be.
Wow, it's really cool to know that another group took a similar path with this. Well, just to follow up, someone pointed out that Awaken shouldn't work because the purple worm is not an animal, it's a magical beast. However, I thought it was such a clever I decided I would allow it under one of two conditions, and both came down to the Will Save: 1)If the caster rolled a natural 20, or 2) if the total on that roll was double or more what was necessary - which I didn't think was possible anyway given the purple worm's HD. However - they met BOTH criteria! Natural 20 AND twice what they needed. They needed DC 10 + the animal’s current HD (26). What I hadn't counted on was they had the Periapt of Wisdom from the recovery of the Sea Wyvern (Nixie in our game). Plus, after charming the beast, rescuing and healing it, they were reasonably able to get it to "stay" through then night - long enough for the Magic User to teleport back to Sasserine and trade for Cloak of Resistance and a Crystal Mask of Mind Armor (I know it seems implausible that the mask would be available for trade, but it was for unrelated in-game reasons). Yes, these items do stack - all different kinds of bonuses. I was shocked, but had to honor my original plan. It will be interesting to see how this goes. Tomorrow they are doing "recon" on the kopru settlement and the ziggurat and may begin their assault. I'll keep you all posted.
I personally don't have an issue with animal intelligence magical beasts being 'awakened', so that wouldn't have been an issue for me.
Would like to hear how your Lightless Depths endgame plays out. Mine was brutal. The ziggurat was guarded by 4 gugs on the top. 2 kopru behemoths and 1 dark naga (invisible) entered the combat from the ziggurat each round. Then there were two bodyguards in the chamber with Ulioth. And finally, when they killed the bilewretch and Ulioth, the ziggurat 'woke up', since it was really a massive shoggoth that they were inside. Used the chase rules to represent their flight.
XP 76,800
Male noble kopru cleric 8/thrall of Demogorgon 4
CE Large Monstrous Humanoid (Aquatic)
Init +8; Senses darkvision, Perception +30
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Olman
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AC 36 (+8 armor, +3 deflection, +4 Dex, +12 natural, -1 size), touch 16, flat-footed 32, combat 49
hp 372 plus 10 (24d8 + 264)
Immune fire (120 points)
Resist acid 20, electricity 10; SR 22
Fort +22 (+24), Ref +15, Will +25; (+4 vs poison)
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Speed 5 ft., swim 40 ft.; air walk
Melee spear +36/+31/+26/+21 (2d6 + 18 plus 2d6 chaos /19-20/x3) and
tail +33 (3d6 + 16 and grab) and
bite +33 (1d6 + 11)
Ranged Mind thrust, 50 ft.; (2 targets, 6d10, Will DC 28 half)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 15 ft. (25 ft. with spear)
Base Atk +22; Combat +32 (+36 grapple)
Special Actions Aura of corruption, channel energy (9/day, 4d6, DC 20), constrict (6d6 + 25), corrupting touch, dominate, dual actions, Thrall to Demon
Combat Gear [color=red]potion of blur, potion of resist acid, wand of cure moderate wounds (12 charges)[/color]
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Cleric Spells prepared (Caster level 10th, +14 vs SR, Concentration +16); Domains Corruption, Demonic
5th (5+2/day) – breath of life, [color=red]feeblemind[/color] (DC 22), [color=red]flame strike[/color] (DC 22), greater command (DC 22), lesser planar binding, [color=red]spell resistance[/color], [color=red]wall of stone[/color]
4th (4+2/day) – [color=red]air walk[/color], [color=red]control water[/color], [color=red]cure critical wounds[/color], dimensional anchor, [color=red]divine power[/color], enervation
3rd (5+2/day) – contagion (DC 20), [color=red]cure serious wounds, dispel magic[/color] x2, [color=red]protection from energy, rage[/color] x2
2nd (6+2/day) – [color=red]bear's endurance x3, bull's strength[/color] x3, demoncall, pox pustules* (DC 19)
1st (6+2/day) – [color=red]bless, comprehend languages, divine favor[/color], doom x2 (DC 18), [color=red]shield of faith x3[/color]
0 (At will) – bleed, create water, [color=red]guidance[/color], light, [color=red]resistance[/color], stabilize
Supernatural Abilities
Hypnosis – Will DC 20 vs hypnotism, 30 ft. gaze
Touch of fear – Will DC 20 vs frightened 1d4 rounds
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SQ reaching touch
Abilities Str 29 (33), Dex 19, Con 28 (32), Int 18, Wis 24, Cha 22
Feats Ability Focus (dominate), Combat Reflexes, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Critical (spear), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (tail), Iron Will, Spell Penetration, Swim-by Attack, Thrall to Demon (Demogorgon), Weapon Focus (spear), Willing Deformity
Skills Athletics +35 (+43 swimming), Escape Artist +20, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (the planes) +25, Knowledge (religion) +31, Perception +30, Spellcraft +20, Stealth +20
Possessions +4 chain shirt, +2 anarchic spear, portable hole (restorative ointment), coral and bilestone holy symbol of Demogorgon
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Aura of Corruption For 8 rounds/day, Ulioth can produce a 30 ft. radius aura of corruption, within which energy resistance, damage reduction, fast healing, and healing spells are negated. A creature can make a Fortitude save (DC 22) to reduce this effect to half.
Dominate (Su) 1/day; as per dominate person, Will DC 30. Range 180 ft., duration twenty four days.
Dual Actions 4/day Ulioth can take two full rounds' worth of actions in the same round.
Buffs
Divine power - +3 atk/dmg, +10 temp hp plus additional attack; 10 rounds* ran out
Divine favor - +3 atk/dmg; 10 rounds* dispelled
Bull's strength - +4 Str; 10 minutes
Bear's endurance - +4 Con; 10 minutes
bless - +1 attack; 10 minutes
Spell resistance - 22 SR; 10 minutes
Air walk - swim through air; 100 minutes
Comprehend languages - understand PCs; 100 minutes
On bodyguards
Bear's endurance - +4 Con; 10 minutes
Guidance - +1 to first attack
Resistance - +1 saves; 10 rounds
XP 9,600
CE Large Monstrous Humanoid (Aquatic)
Init +4; Senses darkvision, Perception +18
Languages Aquan, Olman
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AC 32 (+6 armor, +3 deflection, +4 Dex, +10 natural, -1 size), touch 16, flat-footed 28, combat 39
hp 174 (12d8 + 130)
Fort +15, Ref +13, Will +14
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Speed 5 ft., swim 40 ft.; fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee tail +24 (2d6 + 18 and grab) and
2 claws +24 (1d6 + 6) and
bite +24 (1d6 + 12)
Ranged Mind thrust, 50 ft.; (2 targets, 6d10, Will DC 18 half)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +12; Combat +22
Special Attacks Constrict (6d6 + 24), dominate
Combat Gear potion of fly (x3)
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SQ Amphibious
Abilities Str 28 (34), Dex 18, Con 24 (30), Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 14
Feats Ability Focus (dominate), Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Swim-by Attack
Skills Escape Artist +19, Fly +8, Perception +18, Stealth +15, Swim +32
Possessions Combat gear, +3 studded leather armor, coral holy symbol of Demogorgon
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Dominate (Su): 1/day; as per dominate person, Will DC 20. Range 180 ft., duration ten days.
Buffs
bless +1 atk
bear's endurance +4 Con
fly
resistance +1 saves
XP 51,200
CE Huge Aberration
Init +11; Senses darkvision, Perception +17
Languages Aboleth (cannot speak)
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AC 33 (+7 Dex, +18 natural, -2 size) touch 15, flat footed 26, combat 45
hp 297 (22d8 + 198); fast healing 15 (in black bile only)
Immune acid, fire, inhaled toxins, mind affecting, suffocation
SR 25
Fort +15, Ref +16, Will +16; Improved Lightning Reflexes
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Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft.; air walk
Melee 4 tentacles +25 (2d6 + 12 plus 1d6 blackbile /19-20) and
tail +24 (3d6 + 10 and grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +16; Combat +28 (+32 grapple)
Atk Options Combat reflexes
Special Actions breath weapon, constrict (2d8+10)
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Spell-like Abilities (Caster level 12th, Concentration +14)
3/day – confusion (DC 16), deeper darkness, empowered poison (DC 16)
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SQ no breath
Abilities Str 31, Dex 24, Con 26, Int 5, Wis 17, Cha 14
Feats Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Improved Critical (tentacle), Improved Initiative, Improved Lightning Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes, Sickening Critical, Tiring Critical, Toughness, Weapon Focus (tentacle), Weapon Specialization (tentacle)
Skills Perception +17, Stealth +13
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Black Bile Black bile deals vile acid damage, repeating the next round. It deals double damage to [lawful] creatures. A bilewretch can transform a 5 ft. cube of bilestone into black bile of the world with a full round action. A bilewretch may swim and see through black bile unimpeded. When at least partially submerged in black bile, a bilewretch gains fast healing 15.
Breath Weapon 30 ft. line of black bile, 6d6 vile acid and 6d6 fire. Reflex DC 25 half. The damage repeats the following round.
[size=140]Shoggoth Juggernaut[/size]
CN Colossal Ooze (Aquatic)
Init +11; Senses All around vision, darkvision, scent, tremorsense 60 ft., Perception +36
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AC 36, touch 9, flat-footed 29, combat 68
(+7 Dex, +27 natural, -8 size)
hp 553 (27d8 + 432); fast healing 20; DR 15/-
Immune blindness, cold, deafness, ooze, sonic
Resist acid 20, electricity 20, fire 20; SR 32
Fort +26, Ref +16, Will +17
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Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 50 ft.
Melee 6 slams +32 (6d6 + 23 plus grab /19-20)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 60 ft.
Base Atk +20; Combat +51 (+55 grapple)
Atk Options great cleave, improved sunder, power attack (-6, +12), stunning critical
Special Actions constrict (6d6 + 23), maddening cacophony, engulf (8d6 + 34 plus 8d6 acid), trample (8d8 + 23, DC 46)
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Abilities Str 56, Dex 24, Con 40, Int 5, Wis 22, Cha 15
SQ amphibious
Feats: Ability Focus (maddening cacophony), Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Stunning Critical, Toughness
Skills: Athletics +27 (+35 climb, +35 swim), Perception +36; Racial +4 Perception
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All-Around Vision (Ex) A shoggoth's many sense organs grant a +4 racial bonus on Perception and immunity to flanking.
Maddening Cacophony (Su) As a free action, a shoggoth can give voice to sounds and words sane life was not meant to hear. All creatures in a 90-foot radius must make a DC 27 Will save or be confused for 1d6 rounds. Each round a creature is affected it takes 1d6 points of Wisdom damage. A creature that saves cannot be affected by this shoggoth's maddening cacophony for 24 hours. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Engulf (Ex) To use this ability, the shoggoth must begin its turn grappling a creature or must trample. A shoggoth may attempt to engulf as many creatures as it grapples or tramples in a round. This ability otherwise functions as swallow whole, save that a creature that cut its way out of a shoggoth leaves no hole in the protoplasmic creature's body.
Wow! :o
I'm grabbing those stats for my group when I eventually get around to running STAP. Out of curiosity, what's the CR for that oversized shoggoth? Not that I expect any sane being to fight it. ... On the other hand, are PCs _really_ all that sane? :)
Wow! :o
I'm grabbing those stats for my group when I eventually get around to running STAP. Out of curiosity, what's the CR for that oversized shoggoth? Not that I expect any sane being to fight it. ... On the other hand, are PCs _really_ all that sane? :)
CR 21. And my players are brutes. They all have low scores of 15-16, about 150% of the suggested WBL, and some of my house rules make damage dealing easy. (Like increasing the d6 of flaming or holy based on how many + your weapon has.)
Ulioth has 4 rounds worth of double actions, and can be encountered with full buffs due to the pyramid informing him where the PCs are. (Though you might want to be careful...I think I accidentally stacked divine favor and divine power, and they don't stack. I don't remember if I fixed it in the statblock or not. Since he's in the mid 30s, I think I did.)
They came in with 2-3 serpentfolk degenerate bodyguards and 4-5 barbarians from the horn of Valhalla, and they emerged (to find the ziggurat shuddering to life) with only themselves and very few hit points.
As it was, one of the NPCs (A young mongrelfolk alchemist named Boogabar from Barbas) sacrificed himself with his bombs to slow down the juggernaut.
They did get away in the end, and escaped the flooding cavern. Lightless Depths End