Scarwall Undead Question

[Norgerber]

Spoiler:

The impact upon Zellara is indicated in the AP, but I was wondering if you have a character who is transforming into a Lich ala Dread Necromancer, or one who has animated his own undead, what happens to them inside Scarwall? What about newly summoned Undead or newly created? I have several ideas for how to handle this issue, but was curious to know how others handle (or plan to handle) how Scarwall impacts outside Undead brought into the walls.

Thanks in advance!

[tbug]

My plan is to tell the players about the curse as early as I can work it into the plot and then play it hardline. It's up to them to come up with a way around the problem.

That's how my players like it though. Yours might, of course, be different. :)

[Norgerber]

Well, I have one player in particular that is planning to play some style of "good necromancer". We do not subscribe to the idea that dumb undead is inherently evil, rather it is as evil, good, neutral as the person controlling it.

With that in mind I figure this will be a great oppotunity to surprise him with something that isn't traditional in terms of a conflict of wills between him and the Scarwall entity. I already plan to shine a spotlight in his face when he casts "Detect Undead". Tee hee.

[James Jacobs]

Undead PCs are relatively rare, and PCs who summon undead or create undead minions are a bit more common but still not THAT common...

Spoiler:

Scarwall was certainly written with the expectation that the only undead assistant involved with the PCs is Zelalra, and that losing her adds a new level of urgency and "we have to lift this castle's curse" element to the game so that they can get her back. If your group has undead PCs and/or other minions, you should certainly do something similar. If you have an undead PC, you shouldn't take him or her out of the game, but you should hit that PC with some sort of penalties. Perhaps they suffer something similar to a few negative levels while they're in the castle (I know undead are immune to energy drain, but you can use the same mechanics and call it part of the curse), so that they feel oppressed by the castle but can still play the game.

[Norgerber]

James Jacobs wrote:

Undead PCs are relatively rare, and PCs who summon undead or create undead minions are a bit more common but still not THAT common... ** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler:

Well, I definitely wasn't going to eliminate anyone from the game. I had thought of making him listen to his MP3 player with nothing but Throat Singing at high volume to signify the incessant pounding presence of Scarwall trying to break him down, but I'm concerned about a genuine mental break hehe.

I agree that some level of penalty will apply for as long as the Chain Spirit is actively trying to swallow his soul. And I have not nailed this down as we've not even begun the campaign and he hasn't decided whether he's going to pursue the Dread Necromancer or not.

So far my party is shaking out to be at least 2 Clerics, potentially 3, and I'm concerned that they are going to be able to Turn their way through Scarwall with some success. Insofar as Undead minions are concerned I'll likely do the same thing to them as is done to Zellara, but if anyone has any sound suggestions for the impact one might inflict upon a PC I'd be eager to read it.

[Norgerber]

I am still toying with what exactly to do, but so far I have decided to link some penalty to the PC that is partially undead and a worshipper of Pharasma. I am going to assign a penalty (probably a -2) to most of their checks/rolls per anchor that remains within Scarwall. Everytime an anchor is defeated they will reduce the penalty by 2, and in exchange for this I am going to provide them access to a great deal of the background story of the creatures they are facing, and some clues they will be able to provide the rest of the party to help them understand and deal with Scarwall.

I am going to characterize this as a struggle by the Chain Spirit to engulf their soul, and their sudden inability to control or create undead should make for an interesting adaptation for this character while giving me a device to deliver information that would otherwise be unavailable to the players. I also hope to be able to reduce the lethality of the

Spoiler:

demilich

to some degree.

Effectively they exchange combat/skill effectiveness for providing access to elements of the story that would otherwise be unattainable by the PCs. This will also allow me to provide them with confirmation that they are on the right track when they defeat an anchor, and warnings when they get in too deep against some of the more powerful opponents

Spoiler:

especially if they go after the chain spirit prior to eliminating all the anchors.