Naturally, a guy described as "the greatest evil mankind had ever known" (Gazetteer p. 38) is going to sound a bit intriguing, even if it is an exaggeration. Plus it's a cool name.
So, are there any other "official" details about the Whispering Tyrant currently? Powers he had beyond those of a typical high-level lich/wizard? Noteworthy minions still on the loose after his defeat? Does he have any direct influence over the area around Gallowspire? How exactly was he imprisoned? And is there anything else cool about him that I wouldn't think to ask with the minimal information I've got?
Also, although the Tyrant himself sounds much too scary to use directly in anything but a very high-level game, I'm interested in ways to incorporate his influence. (My upcoming campaign will probably spend a fair amount of time in the Lastwall/Ustalav area.) It sounds as if plenty of his undead creations are still around, and perhaps some nearby orc tribes still think back to the glory days when he led them to establish a pretty massive empire. Does anyone (Paizo staff or otherwise) have some other ideas for how the Whispering Tyrant might affect a campaign, without it being entirely about him?
Thanks much.
There was a GameMastery Compleat Encounter set called "The Vault of the Whispering Tyrant" so that might have some more info but I don't have it so I can't give you any additional details.
Director of Brand Strategy
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There was a GameMastery Compleat Encounter set called "The Vault of the Whispering Tyrant" so that might have some more info but I don't have it so I can't give you any additional details.
** spoiler omitted **
I think the tower you're thinking of was in Nex (or Geb--I always get them confused).
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I seem to recall something about a tower that drove everyone crazy who entered it, but I might be mixing it up with something else.
Eando Kline tells us this story in the "Skinsaw Murders". No direct info on the Tyrant, though, only that his tower is located at the banks of Lake Aletheia (wherever that is)
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Chief Technical Officer
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Only the editorial folks can chime in on his background, but I can show you what he looks like...
I can also tease that the Whispering Tyrant is on Wayne Reynold's cover for the Campaign Setting hardcover. Sweet! :)
-Lisa
OH BOY! OH BOY! OH BOY!
I seem to recall something about a tower that drove everyone crazy who entered it, but I might be mixing it up with something else.Eando Kline tells us this story in the "Skinsaw Murders". No direct info on the Tyrant, though, only that his tower is located at the banks of Lake Aletheia (wherever that is)
Thanks to both of you for the reminder on that one. Though now that I've re-read it, I'm not sure how it gels with the material in the Gazetteer. Is Kline describing Gallowspire? If so, it doesn't sound as big as I imagined (though I have no basis for that).
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I seem to recall something about a tower that drove everyone crazy who entered it, but I might be mixing it up with something else.Eando Kline tells us this story in the "Skinsaw Murders". No direct info on the Tyrant, though, only that his tower is located at the banks of Lake Aletheia (wherever that is)
Considering that when Eando woke up the next morning, the storyteller and his wallet were both gone, I'd have to question the story's validity.
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Anyone here know of a certain uber-villain from Ptolus named Eslathagos Malkith?
Yes.
My character Zophas Adhar redeemed his ass in Monte's actual Ptolus campaign.
WOOT!
Sorry.
Anyway, it's funny you mention him because I can say with authority that I did not think of him consciously when I came up with the Whispering Tyrant. I probably did have pre-deity Vecna in mind, but all three are in the grand tradition of lich-lords in fantasy and D&D in general.
The Vecnan tradition, if you will.
I'm not sure how fair it is to say that the Whispering Tyrant's essence suffuses Gallowspire, but the place is so deadly and molded to his image that it's a very apt metaphor. And it makes for a more interesting dungeon, which is really what Gallowspire is all about.
I have to say I much preferred the pre-deity Vecna. So much more tangible, someone who was plotting to become a god and had an evil nemesis in Kas
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Well, let me add this caveat.
I have always thought it would be cool to trace various vampiric lineages through generations, and I have always thought it would be cool in a Greyhawk campaign to make one of the vampiric bloodlines based on Kas, because he was eventually statted out as a vampire.
So in that there are ancient powerful vampire lords in Golarion, yeah, there are people _like_ Kas.
But I assume you mean enemy who undid the big evil lich and who still has a bit of a following and a weapon named after him, then no.
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I have always thought it would be cool to trace various vampiric lineages through generations, and I have always thought it would be cool in a Greyhawk campaign to make one of the vampiric bloodlines based on Kas, because he was eventually statted out as a vampire.
I cannot wait to learn more of this. I have always been a very huge Ravenloft fan and am always intrigued by the Vampiric...
I played a campaign once where vampires were not really common knowledge. The Cleric in our party was afraid of dying. His teacher called the PC to him and told him of a way to live forever. He then let his teacher lead him into vampirism. The PC then heard of something called the Daywalker cloak which would allow him to operate in the daylight. My character a halfing rogue (My namesake on this board) was the surviving member of the original group and the new Cleric Vampire (Beldin - a Dwarf) kept approaching me (childhood friends we were) to find this cloak for him. Eventually, it seemed less problematic to find the cloak - the damn vampire was in my head...
As I searched for it I had a run in with a wizard and was turned to stone. That is when things got really ugly - When I was eventually turned back to flesh over 1000 years had passed and the Emporer of the world was the same Vampire who had eventually recovered the cloak.
Talk about a bad day.
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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The Ptolus book is basically the city as it was before Monte started his campaign, just as many of the adventures in the book are events that our characters actually faced. So the actions our characters took and the changes they made on the world are generally not reflected in the Ptolus book.
The Ptolus book is basically the city as it was before Monte started his campaign, just as many of the adventures in the book are events that our characters actually faced. So the actions our characters took and the changes they made on the world are generally not reflected in the Ptolus book.
Sure... make convenient excuses for why you couldn't get the job done.
Sounds like a fish-tale to me.
As for Venca, I loved him most as a Dark Lord of Ravenloft.
Wasn't that Azalin, not Vecna?
Nope, definitely Vecna. Azalin was there too of course, and had some adventures of his own, but Vecna was the real super lich of Ravenloft. He was stuck on a cruddy island, and only ruled half of it; the other half was ruled by (surprise!) Kas.
Ah-hah! I only recall the "mainland" of Ravenloft. I only remember a few of those islands in the mist.