Ok I had to read through the game a couple of time to see if I missed something and can't find what I was looking for.... (did I put this in the right spot?)
But nothing in the later areas say anything about her, and most of all there is not even something on what state Aldern would be in if she made it to B37.
So:
Would his Hp be down?
What "Personality" is in charge?
What about the "guards"?
What if the fight is still going on?
Creative Director
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what about Iesha after/during the fight? I know DMs can do what they please with her, but would Aldern be able to take her out before the PCs arrive?
thanks
RM
The best way to handle it, if the PCs can't keep up with Iesha and she gets to Aldern before them, is to have Aldern defeat her but at a great cost to his hit points. It's no fun for the PCs to get to the final encounter and the boss is already dead.
In the BEST CASE scenario, the PCs CAN keep up wiht Iesha and get to watch/help her defeat Aldern. That's the best option, since it gives the PCs some help fighting a tough boss and feels really cinematic. If I were running this adventure, I'd try to ensure that the PCs follow Iesha and kept up with her all the way down to to Aldern... I'd probably even have her smite a few ghouls along the way when they got in her way just so the PCs wouldn't have as much opposition to keep up with her progress.
Thanks, I was thinking something like that. I am loving the game so far by the way.......
I think watching Iesha knock out a few ghouls like flies would also impress upon the PC's just how mighty she is since they still need a few good rolls of the dice to bring them down. And then when they see Aldern take her down, they will be suitably impressed about then facing him.
On a tangent I imagine that scene in the X-Men when you see the toughest of the tough characters surpass the other from Rogue to the Juggernaut to Gladiator (I forgot the order except that I believe Gladiator was last). (From when X-men was a Saturday morning event in the early 9's)
My question then would be, assuming the party follows Iesha to confront Aldern, does he still revert personalities to begin his brief monolgue when reduced in hit points and/or when he sees the object of his obsession? Would he do this even when mid-battle with Iesha or only after he kills her (assuming he still survives to provide such an option at this point)?
I'd assume he would.
B-b-but that's what dice are for!
Mmm...dice, the great equalizer.
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Mmm...GM fiat, the great equalizer.
Fixed your typo. ;)
Seriously, though, the dice aren't up to the challenge alone. When facing off against Aldern, Iesha gets three attacks against him that only miss on a 2 or less, each dealing 17.5 damage on average. That's an average of 47.25 damage per round. Aldern, on the other hand, has one attack that hits her on a 10+ for an average of 5.5 damage and two other attacks that only hit on a 16+ for an average of 5.5 and 4.5 damage respectively. That adds up to a total average damage per round of 5.525... and Iesha has fast healing 5.
Frankly, she'll probably drop him in three rounds (four on the outside) without the PCs even lifting a finger.
Of course, that's terrible drama, and I highly recommend the fiat option given above. I just thought I'd point out the statistical situation, in case other GMs were considering letting her get involved in the fight.
Yeah, there's absolutely no contest between Iesha-as-Revenant and the Skinsaw Man. She'd obliterate him in 3-4 rounds and come out practically unscathed. It's a shame, really, because it means if my PCs free her, I have to cheat or they get a free victory.
Of course, that's terrible drama, and I highly recommend the fiat option given above. I just thought I'd point out the statistical situation, in case other GMs were considering letting her get involved in the fight.
This is far ahead of where my players are, back in the last quarter of Burnt Offerings...
But when I read it, it did seem to stick out as an improbable and potentially drama crunching delimma.
What rationale would you (or other respondents, please) propose for having Iesha set free (as a story device) but not having her hamstring the advenute?
(Just looking for the neat ideas that come up with the creative synergy that happens on these boards).
Like the Icon BTW!
I have a feeling that Iesha will be screaming and yelling her head off en route to Aldern, and Aldern has the ability to command all of the other ghouls. I would imagine that he'd have time to gather all of them together in a smashing show. Aldern, with his jumping ability can hop about to maneuver just right, and I wouldn't put it past him to change his face to mirror Iesha's. Like the mirror, that effect alone will paralyze her with guilt and self-loathing, allowing the other beasties to render her flesh from her bones.
Edit:
If I run it just right, She won't be able to put a scratch on him. He'll tease and taunt her as the ghouls feast on her flesh. Only the PC's must bring about her revenge and put her soul to peace. It will impress upon the PC's how vile Aldern is to interupt this scene.
*bump*
Just wondering if I actually posed a stumper or if Aldern wouldn't/ couldn't do that to Iesha.
I have a feeling that Iesha will be screaming and yelling her head off en route to Aldern, and Aldern has the ability to command all of the other ghouls. I would imagine that he'd have time to gather all of them together in a smashing show. Aldern, with his jumping ability can hop about to maneuver just right, and I wouldn't put it past him to change his face to mirror Iesha's. Like the mirror, that effect alone will paralyze her with guilt and self-loathing, allowing the other beasties to render her flesh from her bones.
Edit:
If I run it just right, She won't be able to put a scratch on him. He'll tease and taunt her as the ghouls feast on her flesh. Only the PC's must bring about her revenge and put her soul to peace. It will impress upon the PC's how vile Aldern is to interupt this scene.
Wow...that's just cruel. I like it!
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what about Iesha after/during the fight? I know DMs can do what they please with her, but would Aldern be able to take her out before the PCs arrive?
thanks
RM
As suggested by other posters, Aldern would use his Ghouls to overpower Iesha.
But keep in mind, that he always believed that the Brothers took care of her long ago.
Now he sees that he did not imagine the sobbing and wailing and Iesha is still there.
If the PCs take their time following Iesha I imagine the following set up:
Iesha is tighly bound, sitting helpless on a chair.
Aldern stands beside her as the PCs arrive, the war razor in his hand. His Lordship is in control.
Lust:"At last, you have come my love! Let me show you my love with this sacrifice! Let us share the meat like true lovers!
With this words he uses the War Razor to cut a chunk of putrid flesh out of Iesha and offer it to the PC he is obsessed about. As the PC in all likelihood won't take the gift, the Hurter takes over and attacks.
Envy:"You thought to take her from me a second time? You thought you could hurt me? Alas, that is not the case. See for yourself how I treat those who betry me"
With this words he cuts Ieshas throat with his war razor, killing her. Seeing that he killed his wife a second time, his lordship flees and the Hurter takes over
Wrath:"Did you really that she can defeat me? Did you really think your minions can do this to me?
With this words he cuts Ieshas throat with his war razor, killing her.
"Now I will defeat you and dine on your heart"
The hate in Alderns eyes burns like fire and the Hurter takes over.
But can Iesha die so easily? She is already undead.
Ok... I know this is an old an archived thread, but I am currently running Misgivings, and Iesha ran past the PCs, heading towards Aldern. Fortunately for me, the session was over at that point, because I had no idea how to deal with the situation. I've been browsing the messageboards, and found this thread where this has been discussed. Everybody seems to agree that Iesha should win a fight against Aldern, but also that it would kinda ruin the adventure not to allow the PCs to fight the Skinsaw Man. So it has been suggested to drop Aldern's HP to 50% and have him win the fight with Iesha after a dramatic confrontation etc. This is interesting, considering James Jacobs' own thoughts on bolstering undeads (page 40 of the adventure). I quote (hope that is OK):
"Bolstering the Undead
Although undead are immune to critical hits, their lack of a Constitution score ends up being one of their biggest weaknesses—
especially in the case of corporeal undead. This is particularly a problem for “boss undead,” like Aldern Foxglove. Built as a standard dread ghast human, he ends up with a paltry 45 hit points, barely enough to last a round against mid-level characters. Aldern’s Unholy Fortitude ability is a way to address this problem—by allowing Aldern to apply his Charisma bonus to his hit points, he ends up with 87 hit points and goes from a one-round wonder in a fight to the memorable villain he deserves to be."
But now he is back to 40 HP (although it may still be memorable)...
Another problem I have been considering: How does Iesha open the door to room 29? Even with her impressive strength score, she can't break it open. Can she claw her way through an iron door?
My group will get there eventually.
To make sure that Aldren wins, I am thinking of giving him a wand of Cure Moderate (or serious) Wounds. As he is a rogue, I am planning on having him pass his Use Magic Device checks, to be able to use it effectively against Iesha.
If the players arrive with her, I will delay them a bit with ghouls, to allow Aldren to win.
Or I will have her delayed by the ghouls, swarmed perhaps, while the players take care of Aldren. After all, I have an unlimited supply of ghouls to keep her occupied with.
If the players try and keep her "alive" so that she can have her revenge on Aldren, I will most likely give them a nice bonus of some kind, in addition to extra XP for role playing.
My group will get there eventually.
To make sure that Aldren wins, I am thinking of giving him a wand of Cure Moderate (or serious) Wounds. As he is a rogue, I am planning on having him pass his Use Magic Device checks, to be able to use it effectively against Iesha.
If the players arrive with her, I will delay them a bit with ghouls, to allow Aldren to win.
Or I will have her delayed by the ghouls, swarmed perhaps, while the players take care of Aldren. After all, I have an unlimited supply of ghouls to keep her occupied with.
The wand is a good idea, as long as there are ghouls to get in Iesha's way.
My players tried fighting Iesha and were getting badly beaten up, so they ran away and went home to Sandpoint. As they were running away, they heard her screaming Aldern's name.
I ran the combat and Iesha ripped Aldern apart in four rounds, barely getting scratched. I ran it again with ghouls helping out Aldern, and she still won the battle.
Other than the wand, DM fiat is the best way to go. After the players' battle with Aldern, I was worried that the players would wonder why, if Aldern was so easy to kill, and Iesha was so difficult to inflict any damage on, how did Aldern beat her? It never occurred to them.
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When we did this scene, my players followed after Iesha quickly, but when she stepped into the room I had her catch sight of the painting that was her, but marked to look like the object of his obsession. That froze her in her tracks and allowed The skinsaw man to do his monologue and begin to change personalities and all that, it also gave the PCs an easy way to gain her as an ally during the fight, just using an action to mask the painting somehow.
-Tarlane
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I was going to saw that she is incapacitated by her reflection, you can have aldern have a small makeup mirror (small steel mirror) that he holds up to iesha while striking her with his razor, the PCs could run in as he is basically torturing her and try to save her, my question is if they manage to save her and kill aldern what happens to her?
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I was going to saw that she is incapacitated by her reflection, you can have aldern have a small makeup mirror (small steel mirror) that he holds up to iesha while striking her with his razor, the PCs could run in as he is basically torturing her and try to save her, my question is if they manage to save her and kill aldern what happens to her?
She dies too.
It is said in the monster description that a revenant exists as long his murderer exists too. Only when the murderer dies, the revenant can rest finally.
I was going to saw that she is incapacitated by her reflection, you can have aldern have a small makeup mirror (small steel mirror) that he holds up to iesha while striking her with his razor, the PCs could run in as he is basically torturing her and try to save her, my question is if they manage to save her and kill aldern what happens to her?
I was going to suggest having Iesha slip-slide her way to the bottom of the circular ramp outside Aldern's chambers, and then maybe get eaten. However, lastknightleft's idea sounds better.
I believe Iesha can't bypass the cloded door in the basement. I suspect her strenght is not enough to smash the door.
Unless the PCs have picklocked it first.
Just my impression anyway...
I believe Iesha can't bypass the cloded door in the basement. I suspect her strenght is not enough to smash the door.
Unless the PCs have picklocked it first.Just my impression anyway...
Oh, she can get through it. She's probably not strong enough to break the door in one swing, but probably 7 or 8 rounds of her bashing will do it. She does enough damage that the door will take some just about every time she hits it, even though it has hardness.
My players killed her while she was attempting to batter down the door, partially because they're pretty blood-thirsty, but partially because they still thought Aldern was a good guy who needed saving from her.
I think my players fell victim to the meta-game thinking. "The DM has an undead creature trying to kill Aldern. That means we should not let that happen."
